Distributed Robot Controller Using Shared Environment Conditions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for distributed devices struggle to efficiently coordinate operations among multiple devices in dynamic production environments, leading to potential inefficiencies and errors.
Innovation Solution
A control system comprising a plurality of controllers and an environment manager that monitors and updates environment information to determine if predetermined conditions are met, allowing corresponding devices to execute specific operations autonomously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a central host controller coordinates operations of multiple distributed devices, then device coordination is achieved, but programming complexity and information processing load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control function into two segments: the environment manager handles global environment information management and condition monitoring, while individual controllers handle local device execution. This segmentation reduces the programming burden on the central host controller by distributing control responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The environment manager acts as an intermediary between the central control system and distributed devices. It monitors environment information, evaluates conditions, and triggers operations without requiring complex programming in the host controller, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Ease of operation
If a central host controller manages all device operations, then centralized control is achieved, but information processing load on the host controller increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the environment monitoring and condition evaluation functions from the central host controller and places them in the environment manager. This extraction reduces the information processing load on the host controller while maintaining centralized control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The environment manager autonomously monitors environment information, evaluates conditions, and triggers operations without requiring continuous host controller intervention. This self-service mechanism reduces the information processing load on the centralized control system.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex programming is used in the host controller to coordinate devices, then precise control is achieved, but system adaptability to new devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The environment manager provides a universal interface for monitoring environment information and evaluating conditions across different device types. This universal mechanism allows new devices to be integrated without requiring complex custom programming, thereby improving system adaptability while maintaining control precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The control system includes: a plurality of controllers that respectively control a plurality of devices including at least robots; and an environment manager that is communicable with the plurality of controllers. The environment manager includes an environment information storage that stores environment information, and an information update unit that updates environment information according to an operation of the plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of controllers includes a condition monitor that monitors whether environment information stored in the environment device storage satisfies a predetermined condition and an operation execution unit that controls a corresponding device of the plurality of devices to execute a predetermined operation in a case where the environment information satisfies a predetermined condition.