Robot controller and robot system

Abstract

The invention relates to a robot controller and a robot system. The robot controller includes queues, a storage unit, and an execution control unit. The queues are provided for respective controlled groups serving as controlled units. The storage unit stores therein instructions directed to the respective controlled groups, one at a time, from a bottom end of each of the queues. When having accepted a predetermined operation request, the execution control unit simultaneously fetches the instructions directed to the controlled groups, one for each of the controlled groups at a time, from tops of the queues, and makes all of the controlled groups simultaneously start the operations based on such instructions. If there is any controlled group to which no corresponding instruction exists, the storage unit stores therein a no-operation instruction (NOP). If the fetched instruction is the no-operation instruction (NOP), the execution control unit keeps the controlled group from operating until an instruction is fetched next time.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments discussed herein relate to robotic controllers and robotic systems. Background technique [0002] There are conventionally known robot controllers, each of which is connected to a plurality of robots in communication with each other and controls the action of each robot individually (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H3-182908). [0003] Such a robot controller has, for example, a first-in-first-out buffer allocated to each robot, and can operate the robots in parallel by sequentially reading commands related to each robot stored in each buffer and executing the commands. [0004] Objects controlled by the robot controller may include peripheral devices of the robot and the like in addition to the robot itself. In this case, the robot controller treats each robot and its peripheral devices as one control unit (hereinafter referred to as a “controlled group”), and controls the actions of each of such controlled...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, conventional robot controllers and robot systems provided with the robot controllers have insufficient synchronization accuracy between controlled groups, and thus cannot be further improved in making controlled groups perform coordinated actions in a synchronized manner with each other.

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