MONITORING DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention monitors a network system including a robot and, based on the monitoring results, visually displays the status of the network using a network diagram or the like, whereby the status of the network and faults can be easily detected.This monitoring device monitors a network system consisting of a plurality of components including an industrial machine, a server, a peripheral device, and a network device, wherein the industrial machine includes at least one robot, and comprises: at least one memory that stores a network diagram indicating the connection state of the plurality of components and data indicating the states of the plurality of components; at least one processor; and a display unit, wherein the at least one processor identifies at least one element among the plurality of elements, monitors the communication status of the identified element based on the data, and, if the communication of the identified element is interrupted, displays information indicating the interruption of the communication of the element together with the network diagram on the display unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a monitoring device for monitoring a network system including a robot. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] In one prior art technique, a robot monitoring system enables predictive maintenance through a failure prediction algorithm and preventive maintenance by notifying the time to replace an object, such as a battery, which needs to be replaced at a specific time, monitoring an alarm state of a robot, and notifying a system / facility manager of an abnormal condition. The robot monitoring system operates after establishing a network including one or more robots and a robot monitoring system server. See, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] A network diagram visualizes how the devices that make up the network are connected. Such a network diagram is necessary for network management, troubleshooting, and other purposes and is created and maintained by many network administrators. Citation listPatent document

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2015-131381 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be solved by the invention

[0005] In the known technology, when a problem related to the network occurs during the initiation or operation of the robot monitoring system, a solution to the problem must be sought using a protocol check or a function of an operating system (OS) itself.

[0006] In the known technique, the difficulty of grasping the configuration of the network to which the robots are connected under the existing conditions increases proportionally with the size of the network. Therefore, an error may occur in an unexpected location, and the time required to resolve the problem increases.

[0007] To solve this problem, it is desirable to easily grasp the status of a network and a fault by monitoring a network system including a robot and visually displaying the status of the network using a network diagram or other method based on the monitoring result. Means of solving the problem

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a monitoring device for monitoring a network system including a plurality of components, including an industrial machine, a server, a peripheral device, and a network device. The industrial machine includes at least one robot. The monitoring device includes: at least one memory configured to store a network diagram indicating a connection state between the plurality of components in the network system and data indicating states of the plurality of components; at least one processor; and a display.The at least one processor is configured to detect at least one of the plurality of components, monitor a communication state of the at least one of the detected components based on the data, and display information indicative of a communication interruption in the at least one of the detected components and the network diagram on the display if the communication interruption has occurred in the at least one of the components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows an exemplary configuration of a robot monitoring system according to an embodiment; Fig. 2 shows an exemplary functional configuration of a monitoring device; Fig. 3 shows an exemplary screen displaying a network diagram in a normal state; Fig. 4 shows an exemplary screen displaying a network diagram in an abnormal state; Fig. 5 shows an example screen displaying maintenance information for a selected robot; and Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a monitoring process of the monitoring device. PREFERRED MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION<Eine Ausführungsform>

[0009] A robot monitoring system according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. As an example, a network system including a robot and a machine tool as industrial machines is taken. The present invention is also applicable to a network system including various machines, such as a machine tool, an industrial robot, a service robot, a forging press, a laser machine, and an injection molding machine as industrial machines.

[0010] Fig. 1 shows an example configuration of a robot monitoring system according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, a robot monitoring system SYS includes, for example, a monitoring device 10 and a network system 100 to be monitored.

[0011] The network system 100 includes a plurality of components, such as two routers 20(1) and 20(2), five robots 30(1) to 30(5), a hub 40, and a machine tool 50. The network system 100 may be provided for one factory or for two or more factories.

[0012] The monitoring device 10 of the Fig. For example, the robot monitoring system SYS shown in Figure 1 is connected to the network system 100 through the router 20(2) and is directly connected to the robot 30(5) of the network system 100.

[0013] The monitoring device 10 and the network system 100 may be directly connected to each other through the router 20(2) and the robot 30(5) in a wired or wireless manner, or may be connected to each other through a network (not shown) such as a local area network (LAN).

[0014] Routers 20(1) and 20(2) and hub 40 are network devices, such as routers and switching hubs, known to those skilled in the art. These network devices allow monitoring device 10 to communicate with components of the industrial machines, such as robots 30(1) to 30(4) and machine tool 50.

[0015] The robots 30(1) to 30(5) include, for example, a robot control device (not shown) and are robots known to those skilled in the art, which operate based on a control instruction from the robot control device (not shown). All of the robots 30(1) to 30(5) may be, for example, six-axis mobile robots or other mobile robots of the same type. Alternatively, the robots 30(1) to 30(5) may be robots of different types, such as a six-axis mobile robot or other mobile robot, a Cartesian coordinate robot, and a parallel link robot.

[0016] If the robots 30(1) to 30(5) do not need to be distinguished from one another, these robots will hereinafter be referred to simply as “robot 30”.

[0017] The machine tool 50 is known to those skilled in the art who, for example, machine a workpiece (not shown) in cooperation with the robot 30(4).

[0018] The network system 100 may include a peripheral device, such as a belt conveyor. The network system 100 may further include a server, such as a plurality of data servers, that store robot monitoring record data indicating the operating states of the robots 30, which are to be transmitted from the robots 30 themselves to the monitoring device 10, and an integrated server into which the plurality of data servers merge. <Monitoring device 10>

[0019] The monitoring device 10 monitors the status of the network in the network system 100. For this purpose, the monitoring device 10 receives the robot monitoring record data indicating the states of the robots 30 (such as the positions (angles) of the joint axes of each robot 30 and whether each robot 30 is on or off) from the robots 30. The monitoring device 10 may receive data indicating the states of the routers 20(1) and 20(2) and the hub 40 (such as an ACK signal) from the routers 20(1) and 20(2) and the hub 40. The monitoring device 10 may receive data indicating the state of the machine tool 50 (such as the rotation speed of a main shaft) from the machine tool 50.

[0020] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary functional configuration of the monitoring device 10.

[0021] As in Fig. 2, the monitoring device 10 comprises a control unit 11, an input unit 12, a display unit 13, and a storage unit 14. The control unit 11 comprises a detection unit 110 and a monitoring unit 111. <Eingabeeinheit 12>

[0022] The input unit 12 is, for example, a keyboard or a touch panel on the display unit 13 described later and accepts inputs from a user, for example a network administrator. <Anzeigeeinheit 13>

[0023] The display unit 13 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays a network diagram or other similar diagram of the network system 100 stored in the storage unit 14, as will be described later. <Speichereinheit 14>

[0024] The storage unit 14 is, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a solid-state drive (SSD), or a hard disk drive (HDD). The storage unit 14 can store a monitoring program or another program in the robot monitoring system SYS. The storage unit 14 includes a network diagram 141 and monitoring data 142.

[0025] The network diagram 141 includes information about the arrangement and connection of components such as the routers 20(1) and 20(2), the robots 30(1) to 30(5), the hub 40, and the machine tool 50 in the network system 100 including the monitoring device 10. The network diagram 141 may include address information indicating an IP address set for each component. The network diagram 141 may include information indicating the connection start date when the components are connected to each other, comments about the components, and other types of information.

[0026] The robot monitoring record data indicating the states of the robots 30 received from the connected robots 30 (such as the positions of the joint axes of each robot 30 and whether each robot 30 is on or off) is stored in the monitoring data 142 for each robot 30. Data indicating the states of the routers 20(1) and 20(2) and the hub 40 (such as an ACK signal) may be stored in the monitoring data 142 for each of the routers 20(1) and 20(2) and the hub 40. Data indicating the state of the machine tool 50 (such as the rotation speed of the main shaft) may be stored in the monitoring data 142. Data stored in the monitoring data 142 shall include IP addresses of the routers 20(1) and 20(2), the robots 30(1) to 30(5), the hub 40, and the machine tool 50 indicating sources. <Steuerungseinheit 11>

[0027] The control unit 11 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor memory (CMOS), which are configured to communicate with each other via a bus. Such a control unit 11 is known to those skilled in the art.

[0028] The CPU is a processor that controls the monitoring device 10 as a whole. The CPU reads a system program and an application program stored in the ROM via the bus and controls the entire monitoring device 10 according to the system program and the application program. Thus, the control unit 11, as shown in Fig. 2, is configured to implement the functions of the detection unit 110 and the monitoring unit 111. The RAM stores various data, such as temporary calculation data and display data. The CMOS memory is backed up by a battery (not shown) and is configured as a non-volatile memory that maintains its storage state even when the monitoring device 10 is turned off.

[0029] The recognition unit 110 recognizes at least one of the components, such as the routers 20(1) and 20(2), the robots 30(1) to 30(5), the hub 40, and the machine tool 50.

[0030] Specifically, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the components such as the routers 20(1) and 20(2), the robots 30(1) to 30(5), the hub 40, and the machine tool 50 based on, for example, the address information in the network diagram 141 and the IP addresses included in the monitoring data 142.

[0031] The monitoring unit 111 monitors the communication states of the detected components.

[0032] Specifically, in a case where data about the detected components, such as the router 20(1) and the robot 30(1), is not stored in (received from) the monitoring data 142 from a certain time of day to the present time based on the monitoring data 142, the monitoring unit 111 presents a communication interruption in the router 20(1) and the robot 30(1). (1).

[0033] In a case where the monitoring data 142 includes data indicating a deactivation of a robot 30, the monitoring unit 111 may detect a deactivation of the robot 30, ie, a communication failure in the robot 30.

[0034] For example, in a case where a data transmission destination for a robot 30 is not set to the monitoring device 10 based on the monitoring data 142, the monitoring unit 111 may detect that the data transmission destination for the robot 30 serving as a client is not set to the monitoring device 10.

[0035] In a case where the traffic exceeding a predetermined threshold set in advance for communication between the components, such as between the monitoring device 10 and the robot 30(5), has been detected based on the monitoring data 142, the monitoring unit 111 can detect that an abnormal condition occurs in a portion of the network between the monitoring device 10 and the robot 30(5).

[0036] The monitoring unit 111 displays the network diagram 141 and the monitoring result on the display unit 13. Fig. Figure 3 shows an example screen displaying a network diagram in a normal state. As shown in Fig. 3, a screen 200 displays the network diagram of the network system 100 in Fig. 1 in a situation where the network is normal. The screen 200 can display the IP addresses of components such as routers 20(1) and 20(2), robots 30(1) to 30(5), and machine tool 50. The screen 200 can display the connection start date and comments, as is the case with robot 30(5).

[0037] Fig. 4 shows an example screen on which the network diagram is displayed in an abnormal state. For example, if data from router 20(1) and robot 30(1) is not stored (received) in the monitoring data 142 and the monitoring unit 111 detects (or senses) a communication failure in router 20(1) and robot 30(1), a screen 250 indicates router 20(1), robot 30(1), and corresponding paths with thick lines and displays a warning sign and "COMMUNICATION FAILURE!", as shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0038] If the monitoring data 142 includes data indicating the deactivation of the robot 30(2), and the monitoring unit 111 detects the deactivation of the robot 30(2), the screen 250 displays the robot 30(2) and a corresponding one of the paths by the thick lines and displays an “unknown” sign and “ROBOT DEACTIVATION”.

[0039] In a case where the monitoring unit 111 detects that the data transmission destination for the robot 30(3) serving as a client is not set to the monitoring device 10 based on the monitoring data 142, the screen 250 displays the robot 30(3) by the dashed lines and displays a warning sign and “NO CLIENT SETTING”.

[0040] If the monitoring data 142 detects traffic exceeding the predetermined threshold set in advance between the monitoring device 10 and the robot 30(5), and the monitoring unit 111 determines that an abnormal condition has occurred in a portion of the network between the components, such as between the monitoring device 10 and the robot 30(5), the screen 250 indicates the path between the monitoring device 10 and the robot 30(5) by the thick line and displays a warning sign and “xx MB / s” indicating the existing traffic.

[0041] For example, if the input unit 12 accepts an input made by the user to select the robot 30(2) on the screen 250, the monitoring unit 111 causes the screen 250 to transition to a screen indicating maintenance information about the selected robot 30(2) and displays this screen on the display unit 13. Fig. Figure 5 shows an example screen that displays the maintenance information about the selected robot 30(2). Fig. 5, the robots 30(1) to 30(5) are designated as “RO_AAA1” to “RO_AAA5”. In Fig. 5, a control list indicates only the names of the robots 30(1) to 30(5), but may include the names of the peripheral devices such as the routers 20(1) and 20(2), the hub 40, and the machine tool 50.

[0042] As in Fig. 5, a screen 300 includes, for example, a display area 310 indicating the control list, a display area 320 indicating the results of “diagnosis,” “maintenance time,” and “operation status” of the robot 30(2), a display area 330 indicating “details,” and a display area 340 indicating a “configuration” of the robot 30(2).

[0043] This allows the user to easily grasp the status of the network in the network system 100 and a fault, resulting in rapid discovery of a problem in the network.

[0044] For example, on the screen 250, when the input unit 12 accepts an input performed by the user to select the robot 30(1) in which a communication interruption has occurred, the monitoring unit 111 may display the screen 300 indicating maintenance information as the maintenance information about the selected robot 30(1) on the display unit 13 based on the latest data received up to the time the communication interruption occurred. <Monitoring process of the monitoring device 10>

[0045] Next, the flow of a monitoring process of the monitoring device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 6 described.

[0046] Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the monitoring process of the monitoring device 10.

[0047] In step S11, the detection unit 110 detects the components based on the address information in the network diagram 141 and the IP addresses included in the monitoring data 142, and reads the monitoring data 142 on the components as the status of the network in the network system 100.

[0048] In step S12, the monitoring unit 111 displays the screen 200 indicating the network diagram 141 on the display unit 13.

[0049] In step S13, the monitoring unit 111 monitors the components based on the monitoring data 142.

[0050] In step S14, the monitoring unit 111 determines whether an abnormal condition of a component, such as a communication failure, has been detected (or sensed). If the abnormal condition of the component has been detected, the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the abnormal condition of the component has not been detected, the process returns to step S13.

[0051] In step S15, the monitoring unit 111 monitors the components except the component in the abnormal state while displaying on the display unit 13 the screen 250 indicating the component in the abnormal state detected in step S14 using the network diagram 141.

[0052] In step S16, the monitoring unit 111 determines whether the abnormal condition detected in step S14 has been resolved. If the abnormal condition has been resolved by recovery work for the component in the detected abnormal condition, the process returns to step S13. If the abnormal condition has not been resolved by recovery work for the component in the detected abnormal condition, the process returns to step S15.

[0053] In the above manner, the monitoring device 10 according to one embodiment can easily grasp the status of the network and the fault by monitoring the network system 100 including the robots 30 and visually displaying the status of the network using the network diagram or another method based on the result of the monitoring.

[0054] This can lead to a quick discovery of a problem in the network.

[0055] As described above in one embodiment, the monitoring device 10 can easily grasp the status of the network and the fault by monitoring the network system including the robots and visually displaying the status of the network using the network diagram or other method based on the result of the monitoring. <variationen>

[0056] In one embodiment, the monitoring device 10 indicates the component in the abnormal state using thick lines or dashed lines on the display unit 13. However, this is only an example. For example, the monitoring device 10 may display the component in the abnormal state in a color such as red or yellow, or highlight the component in the abnormal state.

[0057] The functions included in the monitoring device 10 of one embodiment can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof. A situation in which something is implemented by software means that something is implemented by a computer reading and executing a program.

[0058] The program can be stored and provided to the computer using any non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable media includes various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., a flexible floppy disk, a magnetic tape, and a hard disk), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., a magneto-optical floppy disk), a CD-ROM (read-only memory), a CD-R, a CD-R / W, and semiconductor memories (e.g., a mask ROM, a PROM (programmable ROM), an EPROM (erasable PROM), a flash ROM, and a RAM). The program can be provided to the computer using any of various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of the transient computer-readable media include an electrical signal, an optical signal, and an electromagnetic wave.The temporary computer-readable media may deliver the program to the computer over a wired communication path, such as an electrical wire or an optical fiber, or a wireless communication path.

[0059] The step of describing the program to be recorded on a storage medium includes processes that are executed in parallel or individually, without necessarily requiring the processes to be executed on a time basis, in addition to processes that are executed in chronological order on a time basis. The step of describing the program can be performed using cloud computing.

[0060] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, the present disclosure should not be limited to the individual embodiments described above. Various additions, replacements, changes, partial deletions, and the like may be made to the embodiments without departing from the gist of the disclosure or deviating from the spirit and meaning of the present disclosure, which are derived from the content of the claims and the equivalents of the claims. These embodiments may be implemented in combination. While the order of operations and the order of processes are illustrated as examples in the above embodiments, the orders should not be limited to those described above. The same applies to the case where the description of the above embodiments includes numerical values ​​or formulas.

[0061] The following additional notes on the embodiments and variations are further disclosed. (Additional Note 1)

[0062] A monitoring device (10) monitors a network system (100) having a plurality of components, including an industrial machine, a server, a peripheral device, and a network device. The industrial machine includes at least one robot (30). The monitoring device (10) comprises: at least one memory (14) configured to store a network diagram (141) indicating a connection state between the plurality of components in the network system (100) and data (142) indicating states of the plurality of components; at least one processor (11); and a display (13).The at least one processor (11) is configured to detect at least one of the plurality of components, monitor a communication state of the at least one of the detected components based on the data (142), and display information indicating a communication interruption in the at least one of the detected components and the network diagram (141) on the display (13) if the communication interruption has occurred in the at least one of the components. (Additional Note 2)

[0063] In the monitoring device (10) described in Additional Note 1, the at least one processor (11) determines that an abnormal condition has occurred in the network system (100) in a case where traffic exceeding a predetermined threshold is obtained between the components. (Additional Note 3)

[0064] In the monitoring device (10) described in additional note 1 or additional note 2, the at least one processor (11) displays the at least one of the components in which a communication failure has occurred highlighted or marked on the display (13). (Additional Note 4)

[0065] In the monitoring device (10) described in additional note 1 or additional note 2, the at least one processor (11) displays the component in which a communication failure has occurred and circumstances observed when the communication failure occurs on the display (13). EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 10 Monitoring device 11 Control unit 110 Detection unit 111 Monitoring Unit 12 Input unit 13 Display unit 14 storage unit 141 Network diagram 142 monitoring data 20(1), 20(2) Router 30(1) to 30(5) robots 40 stroke 50 machine tools 100 network system 200, 250, 300 screen SYS robot monitoring system QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2015-131381

[0004] < / variationen>

Claims

[1] A monitoring device for monitoring a network system having a plurality of components, comprising an industrial machine, a server, a peripheral device and a network device, wherein the industrial machine comprises at least one robot, the monitoring device comprising: at least one memory configured to store a network diagram indicating a connection state between the plurality of components in the network system and data indicating states of the plurality of components; at least one processor; and an advertisement, wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify at least one of the multitude of components, monitor a communication state of at least one of the detected components based on the data, and Information indicating a communication failure in at least one of the detected components and displaying the network diagram on the display if the communication failure occurred in at least one of the components. [2] The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein if traffic exceeding a predetermined threshold between the components is detected, the at least one processor determines that an abnormal condition has occurred in the network system. [3] The monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor displays the at least one of the components in which a communication failure has occurred highlighted or marked on the display. [4] The monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor displays the component in which a communication failure has occurred and circumstances observed when the communication failure occurs on the display.

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