Robot Controller Voltage Timing for Power-Outage Processing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power-outage detection methods in robot controllers are inadequate in determining when to perform power-outage processing, leading to potential system failures due to insufficient power guarantees.

Innovation Solution

A controller for a robot that includes a voltage detecting portion and a determining portion with a first timer. The determining portion determines whether to perform power-outage processing based on the detected power-source voltage, ensuring operation by starting a clock when the voltage drops below a first threshold and initiating processing if the voltage remains below this threshold for a prescribed time exceeding one cycle of the power-source voltage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If power-outage detection is performed by monitoring voltage drop to guaranteed operating voltage, then power-outage processing can be initiated, but frequent shutdowns occur during temporary voltage drops and component deterioration happens due to prolonged low voltage states

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower-outage detection accuracyVSAvoidcomponent deterioration and frequent shutdowns

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a timer that measures the duration of voltage drop before initiating power-outage processing. The determining portion starts the timer when voltage drops to or below the guaranteed operating voltage, and only triggers power-outage processing when the timer reaches a predetermined threshold value. This preliminary timing measurement prevents premature shutdowns during temporary voltage fluctuations while ensuring reliable detection of actual power outages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If power-outage processing is initiated immediately when voltage drops to guaranteed operating voltage, then response time is reduced, but unnecessary shutdowns occur during temporary voltage drops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower-outage detection speedVSAvoidfalse shutdown prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a timer that measures the duration of voltage drop before initiating power-outage processing. The determining portion starts the timer when voltage drops to or below the guaranteed operating voltage, and only triggers power-outage processing when the timer reaches a predetermined threshold value. This preliminary timing measurement prevents premature shutdowns during temporary voltage fluctuations while ensuring reliable detection of actual power outages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If voltage monitoring is continuous to detect power-outage conditions, then detection precision is improved, but system complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage detection precisionVSAvoidcontroller complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a timer that measures the duration of voltage drop before initiating power-outage processing. The determining portion starts the timer when voltage drops to or below the guaranteed operating voltage, and only triggers power-outage processing when the timer reaches a predetermined threshold value. This preliminary timing measurement prevents premature shutdowns during temporary voltage fluctuations while ensuring reliable detection of actual power outages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12311557B2Controller for robot and power-outage processing method

Publication Date: 2025.05.27 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A controller of a robot includes: a voltage detecting portion that detects a power-source voltage input from a power source; and a determining portion that determines, on the basis of the power-source voltage detected by the voltage detecting portion, whether to perform power-outage processing that guarantees the operation, wherein the determining portion includes a first timer that starts a clock at a point in time when the detected power-source voltage becomes equal to or less than a first threshold voltage that guarantees the operation and makes a determination for performing the power-outage processing in the case in which the power-source voltage does not exceed the first threshold voltage before the time measured by the first timer achieves a prescribed time that is longer than one cycle of the power-source voltage.