EtherCAT bus time division multiplexing method in robot system

Abstract

The invention provides an EtherCAT bus time division multiplexing method in a robot system, which belongs to the field of industrial robots, and comprises the following steps: designing a first RJ45 interface and a second RJ45 interface which respectively point to a first master station and a second master station; when the robot system is accessed by using the master station debugging equipment, the industrial personal computer master station equipment and the master station debugging equipment carry out time division multiplexing on the EtherCAT; the first master station and the second master station obtain the control right of the robot system by taking an analog switch as switching equipment of the bus control right; the slave station input is controlled by an analog switch, and an industrial personal computer in the robot system is used as an EtherCAT master station to communicate with each slave station to execute related functions of the robot; and after debugging is completed, the connection between the main station debugging equipment and the RJ452 is disconnected, the analog switch detects a command of 100Base-T redundant network signals, the control right of the main station is switched back to the industrial personal computer, the analog switch sends a feedback state to the industrial personal computer, and the robot system returns to normal operation. According to the invention, feedback of the intervention state of the EtherCAT master station by the slave station is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robot systems, and in particular to an EtherCAT bus time-sharing multiplexing method in a robot system. Background Art

[0002] The EtherCAT bus is widely used in robotic systems. Robots using the EtherCAT bus typically have a master and several slaves. The master is responsible for communicating and exchanging data with the slaves. Each robotic system has exactly one master; if two masters are present, the EtherCAT system will fail. In robotic systems, an industrial computer typically serves as the EtherCAT master, while slaves include servos, various peripherals, safety control devices, and other components. Therefore, if a robotic system fails to operate properly and requires debugging via EtherCAT, the system must be operated through the robot's sole master—the industrial computer. A damaged industrial computer can completely destabilize the robotic system, necessitating disassembly and replacement of the EtherCAT master to restore operation. During routine debugging, it may be desirable to control the robot through the EtherCAT master without requiring the industrial computer. Similarly, disassembly of the robot, disconnecting the EtherCAT master, and replacing it with a new one are necessary. These examples illustrate the drawbacks of using only one master in a robotic system.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, the ESC chip in an EtherCAT slave has only one input port. A typical hardware solution involves connecting the master's network cable to the first slave's input port (RJ45 connector), then passing through a transformer and a physical interface transceiver (phy), ultimately interacting with the slave's ESC chip. In EtherCAT, the ESC chip and the physical interface transceiver (phy) communicate using the MII protocol, while the transformer and master communicate via 100Base-T. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the technical drawbacks.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a time-sharing multiplexing method of an EtherCAT bus in a robot system.

[0006] To achieve the above object, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for time-division multiplexing of an EtherCAT bus in a robot system, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Step S1, designing a first RJ45 interface and a second RJ45 interface, wherein the first RJ45 interface and the second RJ45 interface point to a first master station and a second master station respectively, wherein the first RJ45 interface is connected to an industrial computer, and the second RJ45 interface is reserved for an additional master station debugging device;

[0008] Step S2: When the robot system is connected using the master station debugging device, the industrial computer master station device and the master station debugging device perform time-sharing multiplexing on EtherCAT;

[0009] Step S3: The first master station and the second master station respectively obtain control rights of the robot system by using an analog switch as a switching device for bus control rights;

[0010] Step S4: The slave input is controlled by analog switches. By default, the industrial computer in the robot system acts as the EtherCAT master to communicate with each slave and execute robot-related functions.

[0011] Step S5: When the robot system needs to bypass the industrial computer for debugging, the external master debugging device is connected to the network cable connected to the slave station, and the redundant network cable signal in the 100Base-T is used to control the analog switch to switch to another network to disconnect the connection between the industrial computer and the slave station, and the bus control is handed over to the master debugging device. The master debugging device interacts with the robot system, and at the same time, the analog switch sends a signal switching feedback to the industrial computer. The industrial computer controls the robot system to be in debugging mode to ensure the safe operation of the entire system.

[0012] Step S6, when debugging is completed, disconnect the connection between the master station debugging device and RJ452. At this time, the analog switch detects the command of the 100Base-T redundant network signal and switches the control of the master station back to the industrial computer. The analog switch sends the feedback status to the industrial computer, and the robot system resumes normal operation.

[0013] Furthermore, two of the remaining four signal lines in the 100M network cable are short-circuited.

[0014] Furthermore, when the network cable is inserted into the slave device, the network cable insertion is detected by switching the pin through the analog switch, and the EtherCAT signal is switched. At this time, the master station debugging device and the robot system perform operations such as querying the robot's safety status, controlling the rotation of the servo motor, querying the servo motor status, and checking and controlling the status of the robot's terminal control module.

[0015] Furthermore, the robot needs to be operated by professionals when it is in debugging mode. The robot's planning work will be completely suspended, but all the robot's actuators can be controlled.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for time-sharing multiplexing of the EtherCAT bus in a robotic system proposes an EtherCAT time-sharing multiplexing architecture for the robotic system, enabling slaves to provide feedback on the EtherCAT master's intervention status. By switching the EtherCAT master, the present invention enables time-sharing multiplexing of the bus master without disassembling the robot. This greatly facilitates the maintenance, commissioning, and repair of the robotic system, while also opening up new possibilities for robotic system applications.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 This is the existing EtherCAT master-slave interaction architecture diagram;

[0020] Figure 2 Flowchart of a method for time-division multiplexing of an EtherCAT bus in a robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 EtherCAT master-slave interaction architecture diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the EtherCAT bus time-sharing multiplexing method in the robot system of the embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0024] Step S1, designing the first RJ45 interface and the second RJ45 interface, the first RJ45 interface and the second RJ45 interface point to the first master station and the second master station respectively, wherein the first RJ45 interface is connected to the industrial computer as part of the robot system, and the second RJ45 interface is reserved for additional master station debugging equipment.

[0025] Step S2: Since EtherCAT only supports one master station, when the robot system is connected using the master station debugging device, the industrial computer master station device and the master station debugging device perform time-sharing multiplexing on EtherCAT.

[0026] In step S3, the first master station and the second master station respectively obtain the control right of the robot system by using the analog switch as a switching device for the bus control right.

[0027] In step S4, the slave input is controlled by an analog switch. In the default state, the industrial computer in the robot system acts as the EtherCAT master station to communicate with each slave station and execute robot-related functions.

[0028] Step S5: When the robot system needs to bypass the industrial computer for debugging, connect the external master debugging device to the network cable connected to the slave (the second RJ45 interface), and use the redundant network cable signal in 100Base-T to control the analog switch to switch to another network to disconnect the connection between the industrial computer and the slave, and hand over the bus control to the master debugging device. The master debugging device interacts with the robot system, and at the same time, the analog switch sends a signal switching feedback to the industrial computer. The industrial computer controls the robot system to be in debugging mode to ensure the safe operation of the entire system.

[0029] In this embodiment of the present invention, two of the four remaining signal lines in a 100M Ethernet cable are short-circuited. When the Ethernet cable is plugged into a slave device, the Ethernet cable insertion is detected by switching pins on an analog switch, switching the EtherCAT signal. At this point, the master debugging device and the robot system can perform tasks such as querying the robot's safety status, controlling servo motor rotation, querying servo motor status, and checking and controlling the status of the robot's end-control module. While the robot is in debugging mode, it requires professional operation. Robot planning is completely suspended, but all actuators remain controllable.

[0030] Step S6: When the debugging is completed, disconnect the connection between the master station debugging device and the second RJ45 interface. At this time, the analog switch detects the command of the 100Base-T redundant network signal and switches the control of the master station back to the industrial computer. The analog switch sends the feedback status to the industrial computer, and the robot system resumes normal operation. Figure 3 .

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for time-sharing multiplexing of the EtherCAT bus in a robotic system proposes an EtherCAT time-sharing multiplexing architecture for the robotic system, enabling slaves to provide feedback on the EtherCAT master's intervention status. By switching the EtherCAT master, the present invention enables time-sharing multiplexing of the bus master without disassembling the robot. This greatly facilitates the maintenance, commissioning, and repair of the robotic system, while also opening up new possibilities for robotic system applications.

[0032] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0033] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A time-division multiplexing method for EtherCAT bus in a robot system, characterized in that: The steps include: Step S1, designing a first RJ45 interface and a second RJ45 interface, wherein the first RJ45 interface and the second RJ45 interface point to a first master station and a second master station respectively, wherein the first RJ45 interface is connected to an industrial computer, and the second RJ45 interface is reserved for an additional master station debugging device; Step S2: When the robot system is connected using the master station debugging device, the industrial computer master station device and the master station debugging device perform time-sharing multiplexing on EtherCAT; Step S3: The first master station and the second master station respectively obtain control rights of the robot system by using an analog switch as a switching device for bus control rights; Step S4: The slave input is controlled by analog switches. By default, the industrial computer in the robot system acts as the EtherCAT master to communicate with each slave and execute robot-related functions. Step S5: When the robot system needs to bypass the industrial computer for debugging, the external master debugging device is connected to the network cable connected to the slave station, and the redundant network cable signal in the 100Base-T is used to control the analog switch to switch to another network to disconnect the connection between the industrial computer and the slave station, and the bus control is handed over to the master debugging device. The master debugging device interacts with the robot system, and at the same time, the analog switch sends a signal switching feedback to the industrial computer. The industrial computer controls the robot system to be in debugging mode to ensure the safe operation of the entire system. Step S6, when debugging is completed, disconnect the connection between the master station debugging device and RJ452. At this time, the analog switch detects the command of the 100Base-T redundant network signal and switches the control of the master station back to the industrial computer. The analog switch sends the feedback status to the industrial computer, and the robot system resumes normal operation.

2. The EtherCAT bus time-division multiplexing method in a robot system according to claim 1, wherein: Short-circuit two of the remaining four signal lines in the 100M network cable.

3. The EtherCAT bus time-division multiplexing method in a robot system according to claim 1, wherein: When the network cable is inserted into the slave device, the network cable insertion is detected by switching the pins through the analog switch, and the EtherCAT signal is switched. At this time, the master station debugging device and the robot system perform operations such as querying the robot's safety status, controlling the rotation of the servo motor, querying the servo motor status, and checking and controlling the status of the robot's terminal control module.

4. The EtherCAT bus time-division multiplexing method in a robot system according to claim 3, wherein: The robot needs to be operated by professionals in debugging mode. The robot's planning work will be completely suspended, but all the robot's actuators can be controlled.

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