Robot Controller Switching Shared Safety and Monitoring Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot controllers impose a significant operational burden on users due to separate and independent execution of safety and standard functions, particularly in the authentication processes required for changing setting parameters of the safety function.
Innovation Solution
A robot controller that integrates a standard function unit for regular operation control with a safety function unit for managing safety, featuring a switching unit to seamlessly transition between these functions using shared setting information, reducing the need for authentication processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate safety function unit and standard function unit are provided, then safety management capability is improved, but operational burden on user increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the safety function unit and standard function unit into a single integrated robot control device, allowing both safety monitoring and standard robot control to coexist within one system. This integration enables shared setting items between safety functions and standard functions, reducing the need for separate authentication processes and parameter settings, thereby decreasing operational burden while maintaining safety capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is designed with multi-functionality, where a single device performs both safety management functions and standard robot control functions. The setting unit manages shared setting items that can be accessed by both safety functions and standard functions, making the system universal and reducing the need for separate configuration processes
2Reliability
If authentication process is required for changing safety function settings, then safety security is improved, but operational time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication and setting only once for shared setting items. The setting unit stores these settings and automatically applies them to both safety functions and standard functions, eliminating the need for repeated authentication processes whenever switching between functions, thus reducing operational time while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the setting unit monitors and manages setting items used by both safety and standard functions. When a setting is changed through authentication, the system automatically updates both safety function parameters and standard function parameters, providing feedback that reduces subsequent authentication requirements and operational time
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a robot control device that controls a robot. The robot control device includes: a standard function unit that controls activation of standard functions of the robot and has a function of monitoring the robot; a safety function unit that controls a safety function for managing the safety of the robot; a setting unit for setting setting information related to setting items used in common in the control of the safety function by the safety function unit and in the monitoring of the robot by the standard function unit; and a switching unit that switches between the activation of the safety function based on the setting information by the safety function unit and the monitoring of the robot based on the setting information by the standard function unit.