Universal virtual demonstrator system

Abstract

The invention discloses a universal virtual demonstrator system, and the system comprises a system management module which is used for the resource management and operation maintenance of the universal virtual demonstrator system; the signal control module is used for collecting and processing feedback signals from the robot in real time; the program debugging module is used for compiling, debugging and optimizing a robot program in a virtual environment; the communication module is used for carrying out data transmission with simulation software; and the robot programming language conversion module is used for converting different types of robot programming languages into preset programming languages. The invention provides a method. Compared with the prior art, the universal virtual demonstrator system provided by the invention can support various robot languages, can flexibly adapt to robots of different brands and types, can support various communication protocols, and can flexibly adapt to different third-party simulation software. The high adaptability ensures that a user can operate smoothly in different working environments, and use obstacles caused by brand or model difference are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is applicable to a field, and in particular relates to a universal virtual teaching pendant system. Background Art

[0002] Industrial robots have become a key link in manufacturing. With the diversification of robot types and functions, the robotics industry has ushered in unprecedented development, and the market demand for new technical talents has increased dramatically. In order to solve the problem of industrial robot teaching and training, the current training mode mainly adopts online digital teaching combined with offline practical operation.

[0003] A virtual teach pendant is a virtual device used for control and programming in industrial robots or automation systems, simulating the functions of a physical teach pendant. A physical teach pendant is a handheld device, usually equipped with a screen, buttons and joysticks, used to manually operate a robot or input control instructions, while a virtual teach pendant is usually a software running on a computer, tablet computer and other devices. The combination of virtual and real robot teaching simulation technology not only solves the problem that traditional teaching training is difficult to adapt to complex working conditions, but also provides rich teaching resources, effectively responding to the challenges in current robot teaching and training.

[0004] In the development of industrial robot training systems, the software functions of existing foreign teaching pendants are powerful and the technology is mature, but the operation is complex and the training cycle is long, resulting in a high entry threshold. In addition, the development of robot resources in domestic universities is uneven. Many schools only popularize theoretical knowledge and lack sufficient practical opportunities, making it difficult to apply what they have learned. In order to solve the problem of tight university robot teaching resources and high learning threshold for students,

[0005] Current virtual teach pendants have strong coupling. Many teach pendant products must be used with third-party simulation software of this brand and are incompatible with robots of other brands.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new universal virtual teaching pendant system to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention proposes a universal virtual teaching pendant system, aiming to provide a virtual teaching pendant system with high adaptability, strong expansibility and cross-platform application.

[0008] The present invention proposes a universal virtual teaching pendant system, comprising:

[0009] A system management module, used for resource management and operation maintenance of the universal virtual teaching pendant system;

[0010] Signal control module, used for real-time acquisition and processing of feedback signals from the robot;

[0011] Program debugging module, used to write, debug and optimize robot programs in a virtual environment;

[0012] Communication module, used for data transmission with simulation software;

[0013] The robot programming language conversion module is used to convert different types of robot programming languages ​​into a preset programming language.

[0014] Preferably, the universal virtual teach pendant system further comprises an offline programming export module, and the offline programming export module is used to export the robot program debugged in the program debugging module into an executable file format.

[0015] Preferably, the universal virtual teach pendant system also includes a parameter configuration module, which is used to configure the robot parameters according to the target task and the robot model; wherein the robot parameters include the robot's motion mode, coordinate system, tool and workpiece.

[0016] Preferably, the universal virtual teach pendant system further comprises a safety control module, and the safety control module is used to perform emergency shutdown processing or safety lock processing when an erroneous operation of the universal virtual teach pendant system is detected.

[0017] Preferably, the robot programming language conversion module includes a judgment unit, a parsing unit and a conversion unit;

[0018] The judging unit is used to judge whether the robot programming language can be parsed, and if so, send the robot programming language to the parsing unit;

[0019] The parsing unit is used to generate an abstract syntax tree for the received robot programming language using a syntax parser, and send the abstract syntax tree to the conversion unit;

[0020] The conversion unit is used for converting the received abstract syntax tree into the preset programming language.

[0021] Preferably, the universal virtual teach pendant system further comprises a manual operation module, and the manual operation module is used to adjust the joints and tool positions of the robot in real time.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the universal virtual teach pendant system proposed in the present invention can support multiple robot languages, can flexibly adapt to robots of different brands and types, and can support multiple communication protocols, and can flexibly adapt to different third-party simulation software. This high adaptability ensures that users can operate smoothly in different working environments, reducing the use barriers caused by brand or model differences. At the same time, users do not need to frequently replace or upgrade equipment, thus saving costs and time. It can support multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS, allowing users to use the teach pendant seamlessly on different devices. Whether it is on a mobile phone, computer, or tablet, users can get a consistent user experience. This cross-platform capability greatly improves the flexibility of the system, making it convenient for users to choose the most suitable device for operation according to actual work needs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The above and other aspects of the present invention will become clearer and easier to understand through the detailed description made in conjunction with the following drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a universal virtual teaching pendant system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of some modules of a universal virtual teaching pendant system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a program editor of a universal virtual teaching pendant system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 is a state relationship diagram of a script controller of a universal virtual teaching pendant system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 The present invention provides a flowchart of the execution of a program editor of a universal virtual teaching pendant system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 5 The present invention provides a universal virtual teaching pendant system, comprising:

[0031] The system management module is used for resource management and operation maintenance of the universal virtual teaching pendant system; including user authority management, log recording, task scheduling, etc., to facilitate system configuration and management operations and ensure the stability and security of system operation.

[0032] The signal control module is used to collect and process feedback signals from the robot in real time, including joint position, speed, load, sensor status, etc. By monitoring these signals, users can understand the robot's operating status in a timely manner and make rapid adjustments to abnormal situations to ensure the accuracy and stability of the operation.

[0033] The program debugging module is used to write, debug and optimize robot programs in a virtual environment; it can simulate the actual operation process, detect and fix potential errors or logic problems. This module supports line-by-line debugging and visual monitoring of the execution process to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the final program.

[0034] Communication module, used for data transmission with simulation software;

[0035] The robot programming language conversion module is used to convert different types of robot programming languages ​​into preset programming languages. Specifically, it supports languages ​​of mainstream robot manufacturers, such as ABB's RAPID, KUKA's KRL, FANUC's TP, etc., thereby improving programming efficiency and cross-platform applicability.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, the universal virtual teaching pendant system further includes an offline programming export module, which is used to export the robot program debugged in the program debugging module into an executable file format. Allowing the user to export the debugged robot program into a file format that can be directly executed by a specific brand of robot ensures that the exported file can run seamlessly in the actual device, greatly improving the practicality of offline programming and the breadth of application scenarios.

[0037] In an embodiment of the present invention, the universal virtual teaching pendant system further includes a parameter configuration module, which is used to configure robot parameters according to the target task and the robot model; wherein the robot parameters include the robot's motion mode, coordinate system, tool and workpiece, ensuring that the robot can operate efficiently according to specific requirements.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present invention, the universal virtual teach pendant system further includes a safety control module, which is used to perform emergency shutdown processing or safety lock processing when detecting an erroneous operation of the universal virtual teach pendant system. It ensures the safe operation of the system, prevents accidental or erroneous operation, and can respond when potential dangers are detected to ensure the safety of the equipment.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present invention, the robot programming language conversion module includes a judgment unit, a parsing unit and a conversion unit;

[0040] The judging unit is used to judge whether the robot programming language can be parsed, and if so, send the robot programming language to the parsing unit;

[0041] The parsing unit is used to generate an abstract syntax tree for the received robot programming language using a syntax parser, and send the abstract syntax tree to the conversion unit;

[0042] The conversion unit is used for converting the received abstract syntax tree into the preset programming language.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present invention, the universal virtual teaching pendant system further includes a manual operation module, which is used to adjust the robot's joints and tool positions in real time. The manual operation module is an interface for users to directly operate the robot, and can realize the robot's joint movement, tool position adjustment, etc. through a joystick. The module supports precise control and real-time feedback, which facilitates users to quickly complete robot teaching operations in a virtual environment.

[0044] For details, please refer to Figure 2 The safety control module detects the signal control module, the parameter configuration module, the manual operation module and the program debugging module in real time. The manual operation module and the program debugging module issue execution instructions to control the virtual robot controller. The parameter configuration module updates the parameters of the virtual robot controller. The communication module reads and writes signals with the virtual robot controller and the physical robot controller to achieve communication connection.

[0045] A virtual robot controller is introduced into the system as the "digital twin" of the real robot controller to achieve comprehensive control of the robot in the physical environment and virtual simulation environment. The virtual controller not only has all the core functions of the real robot controller, but also supports the unified encapsulation and processing of robot signals, scene signals, configuration parameters, instruction information and other data. By providing a standardized interface, the external system can read and write these signals, thereby achieving flexible control and management of the robot.

[0046] The two-way communication between the virtual controller and the physical controller is established through the communication module. This module not only supports the real-time transmission and synchronization of signals, but also ensures seamless collaboration between the virtual and real controllers. Specifically, the communication module plays the role of a client in the system, with functions such as server connection, signal reading and writing, and processes and converts different signal formats through a built-in signal parser.

[0047] The implementation of the signal control module and parameter configuration module is relatively simple. The processing logic can be simplified by treating the parameters as a special signal. In this way, all parameters can be encapsulated as a unified signal type and managed consistently within the system. Signal control and monitoring can be achieved through a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the system can track and update changes in signals and parameters in real time.

[0048] The main goal of the manual control module and the program debugging module is to control the movement of the robot, but their driving methods are different. Manual control usually drives the robot to operate through a handle or joystick, while automatic control is achieved through a written program. However, in principle, there is no essential difference between the two, and they both control the robot by sending instructions. Therefore, it is entirely possible to unify these two control methods into a command-driven mode.

[0049] Under the unified driving mode, the instructions for controlling the robot can be roughly divided into the following two categories:

[0050] Robot motion instructions: including point-to-point motion (PTP), linear motion (LIN), circular motion (CIRC), etc. These instructions usually contain the core parameters of robot motion, such as target position, speed, acceleration, deceleration, tool coordinates, workpiece coordinates, etc.

[0051] Signal control instructions: used to control the robot's external signals, such as I / O signals, sensor signals, etc. These instructions help the robot complete complex operations by controlling the switch state of external devices or reading feedback information from external sensors.

[0052] As the core functional module of the virtual teach pendant system, the design of the program debugging module not only determines the efficiency and accuracy of the robot operation, but also directly affects the versatility and scalability of the entire virtual teach pendant system. In order to ensure that the module can meet the needs of robots of different brands and complex application scenarios, the flexibility, scalability and compatibility of the module must be fully considered in the design. Please refer to Figure 3 , the specific principles are as follows:

[0053] Instructions, instruction executors, and programs are composed of atomic instructions and compound instructions. Atomic instructions are the smallest execution units that cannot be further divided, while compound instructions contain multiple sub-instructions, forming a hierarchical instruction tree. The root instruction of the tree is a compound instruction, and the child nodes are composed of atomic instructions and other compound instructions, forming a nested structure, thereby realizing recursive operations of complex tasks. Each instruction only contains its basic properties, execution parameters, and runtime data, and cannot be executed directly. Therefore, the execution of instructions depends on the corresponding instruction executor, and the two are mapped one by one. The instruction executor is responsible for compiling high-level instructions into actual operation steps, supporting functions such as compilation, execution, and single-step debugging. This design can not only efficiently handle complex robot operations, but also improve the flexibility and scalability of the virtual teach pendant system, ensuring the maintainability of the program and the accuracy of debugging.

[0054] The script compiler and the script editor have two key responsibilities: first, verify the syntax correctness of the instructions and the validity of the data to ensure that each instruction complies with the predetermined rules and avoid errors during execution; second, compile the verified script into an instruction tree structure and generate the corresponding script controller, while injecting the corresponding instruction executor into each instruction in the instruction tree. Only after the compilation is successful can the virtual teach pendant system run the program to ensure smooth execution of the instruction flow.

[0055] Script controller,The script controller is used to schedule programs, which is mainly achieved by managing the status of the script. There are five script states: initial state, running state, suspended state, executable state and completed state.

[0056] Initial state: the state after the script is compiled.

[0057] Running state: the state during script execution.

[0058] Suspended state: The state when the script is interrupted.

[0059] Runnable state: The state when the script is in the process of resuming interruption or preparing for loop execution.

[0060] Completed state: The state in which the script has been fully executed.

[0061] Only scripts in the initial state or the runnable state can be executed. The relationship between script states is as follows: Figure 4 shown.

[0062] The task manager is used to manage program tasks. It is different from the script editor, which focuses on processing program execution logic. The task manager specializes in processing programs to be executed and to be awakened. It has two built-in task queues: one thread is responsible for managing executable programs, and the other thread is responsible for managing programs to be awakened. Based on the above explanation of the principle of the program editor, its execution process can be deduced as follows: Figure 5 shown.

[0063] The virtual teaching pendant built on the basis of the above modules is just a basic framework. Although the functions have been encapsulated as corresponding API interfaces, some functions still need to be adjusted according to specific needs. Therefore, to realize the specific functions of different types of teaching pendants, secondary development is required on this framework, and finally it can be encapsulated into a complete virtual teaching pendant product. The main steps of secondary development are as follows:

[0064] 1) Encapsulate the signal of the communication module. Since different third-party simulation software use different message formats during the communication process, it is necessary to parse different types of signals according to different message formats and convert them into signal types that can be recognized by the framework. In short, it is necessary to build a signal parser to realize the signal interaction between the virtual and actual robot controllers.

[0065] 2) Encapsulate instructions and instruction executors. Different robot programming languages ​​have different instructions.

[0066] There are significant differences in the formats of commands, so it is necessary to build corresponding instruction objects for each instruction and develop matching instruction executors for them. The instruction executor should not only have the functions of compilation and execution, but also support single-step debugging so that developers can accurately monitor and analyze each step of the instruction execution. To achieve this, the instruction executor needs to handle complex execution processes, including syntax checking, instruction optimization, and exception handling.

[0067] 3) Encapsulate the parser and code generator. Since each robot programming language has its own unique syntax and language style, the parser and code generator cannot be universal. A corresponding parser must be built for each language to convert the source code into AST, and the AST is converted into the target language code through a customized code generator. This ensures accurate parsing and generation of different language features, thereby achieving seamless conversion of various programming languages.

[0068] 4) Encapsulate the user interface. Different architectures can be used to build the user interface according to different needs to achieve use on different platforms. The encapsulation of the user interface should focus on simplicity and ease of use to ensure that users can operate the teach pendant efficiently. The interface should provide intuitive command editing, debugging and running functions, and include a real-time feedback mechanism to help users quickly understand the program execution status, error information and debugging process.

[0069] Compared with the prior art, the universal virtual teach pendant system proposed in the present invention can support multiple robot languages, can flexibly adapt to robots of different brands and types, and can support multiple communication protocols, and can flexibly adapt to different third-party simulation software. This high adaptability ensures that users can operate smoothly in different working environments, reducing the use barriers caused by brand or model differences. At the same time, users do not need to frequently replace or upgrade equipment, thus saving costs and time. It can support multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS, allowing users to use the teach pendant seamlessly on different devices. Whether it is on a mobile phone, computer, or tablet, users can get a consistent user experience. This cross-platform capability greatly improves the flexibility of the system, making it convenient for users to choose the most suitable device for operation according to actual work needs.

[0070] It should be noted that, in this article, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprises a ..." does not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element.

[0071] The embodiments of the present invention are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. What is disclosed is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation manner. The above-mentioned specific implementation manner is only illustrative rather than restrictive. Under the enlightenment of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms and equivalent changes without departing from the scope of protection of the purpose of the present invention and the claims, all of which are within the protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A universal virtual teaching pendant system, characterized in that: include: A system management module, used for resource management and operation maintenance of the universal virtual teaching pendant system; Signal control module, used for real-time acquisition and processing of feedback signals from the robot; Program debugging module, used to write, debug and optimize robot programs in a virtual environment; Communication module, used for data transmission with simulation software; The robot programming language conversion module is used to convert different types of robot programming languages ​​into a preset programming language.

2. The universal virtual teaching pendant system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The universal virtual teaching pendant system also includes an offline programming export module, which is used to export the robot program debugged in the program debugging module into an executable file format.

3. The universal virtual teaching pendant system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The universal virtual teach pendant system also includes a parameter configuration module, which is used to configure robot parameters according to the target task and the robot model; wherein the robot parameters include the robot's motion mode, coordinate system, tool and workpiece.

4. The universal virtual teaching pendant system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The universal virtual teach pendant system also includes a safety control module, which is used to perform emergency shutdown processing or safety lock processing when it is detected that there is an erroneous operation of the universal virtual teach pendant system.

5. The universal virtual teaching pendant system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot programming language conversion module includes a judgment unit, a parsing unit and a conversion unit; The judging unit is used to judge whether the robot programming language can be parsed, and if so, send the robot programming language to the parsing unit; The parsing unit is used to generate an abstract syntax tree for the received robot programming language using a syntax parser, and send the abstract syntax tree to the conversion unit; The conversion unit is used for converting the received abstract syntax tree into the preset programming language.

6. The universal virtual teaching pendant system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The universal virtual teaching pendant system also includes a manual operation module, which is used to adjust the joints and tool positions of the robot in real time.

Images