Virtual Robot Controller Validation for Safe Software Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a user-friendly method to update robot control software while ensuring that the operation remains as expected, especially considering the potential mechanical forces exerted by real robots, which requires validation of changes to prevent unexpected operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that transfers robot change instructions from a human-machine interface to a cloud-hosted robot control environment with a virtual robot controller, which validates the changes and applies them to the real robot controller, ensuring that the changes meet quality and safety criteria before implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If software changes are introduced in a real robot controller directly, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential unexpected operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by validating robot change instructions in a virtual robot controller before applying them to the real robot controller. This allows software changes to be tested and verified in advance in a virtual environment, ensuring safety and correctness before actual implementation, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of software updates and operational reliability
2Reliability
If a virtual robot controller is introduced for validation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating a virtual robot controller that replicates the functionality of the real robot controller. This virtual copy allows for safe validation of software changes without affecting the real system, providing reliability while keeping the added complexity minimal through the use of a software-based replica rather than a physical duplicate
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is concerned with a robot control system and a method of controlling a robot where the robot control system includes a human-machine interface; a real robot control environment including a real robot and a real robot controller controlling the real robot and a cloud-hosted robot control environment including a virtual robot controller, which is a replica of the real robot controller, where the human-machine interface is configured to transfer a robot change instruction from a user to the cloud-hosted robot control environment, the virtual robot controller is configured to validate the robot change instruction and the real robot controller is configured to apply the validated robot change instruction when controlling the real robot.