Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for displacing a moving body (4) on a base (2) mounted elastically with respect to the ground (S), the moving body (4) being displaced linearly with a predetermined displacement under the action of a controllable force (F). According to the invention: a) a mathematical relationship illustrating the movements of the entity formed by the base (2) and the moving body (4) is defined; b) using said mathematical relationship there is determined a force (F) which, applied to the moving body (4), produces a combined effect on the moving body (4) so that it performs said predetermined displacement, and on the base (2) at least so that it is immobile at the end of the displacement of the moving body (4); and c) the force (F) thus determined is applied to the moving body (4).

Abstract: A boom control apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling a boom of a machine. The boom control apparatus includes a boom angle sensor, a boom length sensor, a chassis pitch angle sensor, a chassis roll angle sensor, and a control lever. All of the sensors generate signals associated with the values of their measured parameters. Movement of the control lever along a first axis generates a first pivot velocity signal for a desired pivot velocity of the boom. Movement of the control lever along a second axis generates a first telescoping velocity signal for a desired telescoping velocity of the boom. An electrohydraulic control module detects the signals from the sensors and the control lever. The electrohydraulic control module generates a second pivot velocity signal or a second telescoping velocity signal. The second signals are directly proportional to the first signals and inversely proportional to the signals generated by the sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a position control apparatus in which a motor output torque can be approximated to that of the maximum output torque curve of the motor by generating a position command combining constant acceleration and exponential acceleration. This position control apparatus comprises means for generating a position command so as to give constant acceleration by adding an acceleration unit quantity &Dgr;Naa, set as a parameter beforehand, to a speed unit quantity N(n), means for generating a position command by calculating an acceleration unit quantity using an exponential function expression and by adding the calculated result to the speed unit quantity N(n), and means for generating a position command by comparing the present speed unit quantity N(n) and a function change speed unit quantity Nc set as a parameter beforehand and by selecting either of the command generating means described above on the basis of the compared result.

Abstract: A stage installation for vertical movement of multiple stage elements has a computer controlled winch assembly comprising a support member having a channel, a platform adjacent the support member, electrical control and electrical power raceways in the channel, and a multiplicity of winches supported on the platform. The winches include a housing, a bidirectional servomotor, a rotating drum driven by the motor in either direction to haul or pay out cables operatively connected to the stage elements. Connectors are coupled to the electrical power and electrical control raceways, and a remote computer terminal transmits signals to the winches to initiate and terminate operation of the servomotor.

Abstract: An acceleration and deceleration control in which, for a relation between speed and acceleration, the low speed part need not be symmetrical with the high speed part, is performed such that an actual acceleration curve may lie along a restricted acceleration curve as much as possible. A curve representing actual acceleration-speed, corresponding to time-speed transition to be planned, approaches a restricted acceleration curve. When supplying a movement command which has been subjected to acceleration and deceleration processing to a servo control section, acceleration in the acceleration and deceleration processing is determined such that a speed-acceleration curve of the movement command which has been subjected to acceleration and deceleration processing may lie along predetermined speed-acceleration curve. The speed-acceleration curve is set for each axis and dependent on acceleration or deceleration, using parameters.

Abstract: A method for controllably moving a work implement attached to a work machine. The method includes the steps of inputting a velocity command, determining a plurality of desired cylinder positions as a function of the desired velocity command, and comparing the desired cylinder positions to allowable cylinder positions. The allowable cylinder positions are a function of a combination of the plurality of desired cylinder positions. The method also includes the steps of moving the work implement to a desired work implement position as a function of the desired cylinder positions, and stopping the movement of the work implement in response to at least one desired cylinder position being at a limit defined by a corresponding at least one allowable cylinder position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enabling an uncalibrated, model independent controller for a mechanical system using a dynamic quasi-Newton algorithm which incorporates velocity components of any moving system parameter(s) is provided. In the preferred embodiment, tracking of a moving target by a robot having multiple degrees of freedom is achieved using an uncalibrated model independent visual servo control. Model independent visual servo control is defined as using visual feedback to control a robot's servomotors without a precisely calibrated kinematic robot model or camera model. A processor updates a Jacobian and a controller provides control signals such that the robot's end effector is directed to a desired location relative to a target on a workpiece.

Abstract: A control system for operating any mechanical system, such as a non-linear robotic system, obtains and applies exact control forces so that the non-linear mechanical system satisfies desired trajectory requirements. The system enables a user to set trajectory requirements and allocate weighting factors to the control forces, the weighting factors being set at any values deemed appropriate to optimize the control forces. The trajectory requirements have a functional dependence on a physical measurement vector and time, a velocity of the physical measurement vector and time; or a combination of the two functional dependencies, the physical measurement vector being related to the displacement of one or more locations within the mechanical system.

Abstract: In a controlled object, a process variable of a controlled object process is detected by a sensor and its detection time is measured by a timer. A process signal transmitting device transmits, as a process signal, the process variable and the detection time to a control apparatus. A control variable calculating device calculates a control variable based on the received process variable and a control reference value, and transmits a control signal including the control variable and the received process variable detection time to the controlled object. In the controlled object, a control signal receiving device calculates a transmission delay, that is, a difference between control signal reception time that is measured by the timer and the transmitted process variable detection time, corrects the control variable by processing it in accordance with the transmission delay, and drives an actuator by using the corrected control variable.

Abstract: Under the conditions that the tool is movable in an X-axial direction for approaching a work W and in a Y-axial direction perpendicular to the X-axial direction, the tool is moved at a specified speed in the X-axial direction to make the tool approach a work W and at the same time the tool is reciprocally moved at a specified frequency and a specified amplitude to detect a load fluctuation component for the tool in the X-axial direction during movement of the tool, and contact between the tool and the work W is detected according to this load fluctuation component.

Abstract: A direct teaching apparatus which allows an operator to perform the direct teaching of a robot in safety. The apparatus includes a force detector and a teaching tool. The tool includes a working tool or handle fixed to the first detector and held by the operator to lead the robot. It also includes a device for computing the position or speed directive based on the force detector data and a motion model. It further includes a device for computing the generation torque of a motor for driving a robot depending on the position or speed directive and a controller to control the generated torque.

Abstract: An interference preventing method for industrial robots comprising a step (II) of reading a present position of the hand, a step (III) of computing the difference between the taught target position and the present position of the hand, a step (IV) of judging whether this difference is within a predetermined range or not, a step (V) of setting a moving speed of the hand to a predetermined normal speed when the difference is within the predetermined range, a step (VI) of setting the moving speed of the hand to a predetermined low speed when the difference is out of the predetermined range, and a step (VII) of moving the hand automatically to the target position at the set speed. When the hand is moved over a long distance in the case of which interference is liable to occur, the moving speed thereof is low; when the hand is moved over a short distance, the moving speed thereof is normal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing overall seeking acoustics in a head-disk apparatus are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing overall seeking acoustics in a disk drive includes sending at least one current command sample to a power amplifier, prior to sending a full scale current command to the power amplifier. A seek current wave form with a smooth, non-linear rise is generated using the power amplifier such that the current command sample. In one embodiment, the full scale current command is arranged to cause the power amplifier to saturate. In another embodiment, the initial rise is a smooth, substantially bi-exponential initial rise.

Abstract: A controller is provided for a multi-axis robot having at least first and second axis assemblies, the first and second axis assemblies each having an arm, a servomotor driven by a control input and a coupling in the form of a decelerator, which includes a spring element, coupling the servomotor and the arm, the second axis assembly being disposed at an end of the arm of the first axis assembly. The controller includes the first and second axis assemblies each including torsional angle detector for detecting a torsional angle of a respective one of the couplings. A dynamic coupling calculator calculates coupling parameters of the couplings. The first and second axis assemblies each include a semi-closed loop.