Robot I/O Edit Screen for Peripheral Sequence Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robot programming technologies face difficulties in creating sequences that include robot peripheral devices as control targets, making it challenging to effectively manage input/output relationships between robots and peripheral devices.

Innovation Solution

A control device is provided with a display control unit that allows for the creation of an input/output edit screen to associate robot input/output images with peripheral device input/output images, enabling the definition of input/output relationships and controlling the robot based on these associations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a traditional robot programming interface is used, then the robot can be controlled, but it is difficult to create sequences including robot peripheral devices as control targets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to create sequences including peripheral devicesVSAvoiddifficulty in managing input/output relationships

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The interface is segmented into distinct functional areas: a sequence creation area for programming robot operations, and an input/output relationship definition area for configuring peripheral device connections. This segmentation allows users to independently manage sequence programming and I/O configuration, making it easier to create complex sequences involving peripheral devices without overwhelming the user with a monolithic interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The interface acts as an intermediary layer between the robot control system and peripheral devices. It provides standardized connection points and relationship definition mechanisms that mediate between the robot's output signals and peripheral device input signals, enabling seamless integration without requiring direct complex wiring or programming for each device connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If robot input/output relationships are manually configured, then control is possible, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of input/output relationship configurationVSAvoidtime required to configure input/output relationships

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating and pre-configuring input/output relationship templates based on the selected sequence operations. When a user defines a sequence that involves peripheral devices, the system proactively prepares the corresponding I/O connection configurations, reducing the time required for manual setup and minimizing configuration errors through standardized pre-defined relationships.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate programming interfaces are used for robot and peripheral devices, then each can be controlled independently, but creating integrated sequences becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to integrate robot and peripheral device controlVSAvoidnumber of interfaces to manage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface merges the robot sequence programming functionality with the peripheral device I/O configuration functionality into a single unified user interface. This allows users to define sequence operations and configure corresponding input/output relationships with peripheral devices in one integrated environment, eliminating the need to switch between separate programming interfaces while maintaining the ability to control both robot and peripheral devices independently through the same interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11534910B2Control device for displaying a relationship between robot output and device input

Publication Date: 2022.12.27 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A control device includes a processor. The processor displays a first image of a robot, first input/output images representing a robot input/output, a second image of a peripheral device, second input/output images representing a device input/output, and an input/output edit screen accepting an input/output relationship between the robot output and a peripheral device input on a display. Each of the robot output and the peripheral device input causes the robot and the peripheral device to perform a synchronous operation or an asynchronous operation that is synchronously or asynchronously performed between the robot and the peripheral device, respectively. When one of the first input/output images corresponds to the synchronous operation, one of the second input/output images corresponds to only the synchronous operation. When another of the first input/output images corresponds to the asynchronous operation, another of the second input/output images corresponds to only the asynchronous operation.