Signal modification device for memory controlled manipulator apparatus

Abstract

The invention discloses a digital position instruction signal modification device for use with a memory controlled manipulator apparatus of the type in which, during a teaching operation, a desired position of manipulator arm means is stored in memory means, and the stored position is read out during repetitive work cycles to cause the manipulator apparatus to reproduce a series of motions taught during the teaching operation. The digital position instruction or command read out from the memory means may be modified by a modifying value entered by a modifying value setting device so that all or desired digital position command or instruction signals stored in the memory means may be modified without repeating the teaching operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A digital position instruction signal modification device for a memory controlled teachable manipulator apparatus of the type comprising i. manipulator means for performing a predetermined series of operations in succession at predetermined positions during the operating mode thereof,   ii. means including a manipulator position detector for generating a digital position signal representing the actual position of said manipulator apparatus,   iii. memory means for storing therein a plurality of digital position signals generated by said digital position signal generating means during the teaching mode of said manipulator apparatus as the digital position instruction signals to be used for causing said manipulator means to perform said predetermined series of operations, each of said position instruction signals being stored at a corresponding predetermined address within said memory means,   iv. comparator means for comparing the output signal from said memory means with the output signal from said digital position signal generating means in a motion reproduction mode of said manipulator apparatus to produce an output error signal proportional to the difference between said two output signals, and   v. manipulator apparatus driving means for driving said manipulator means in such a direction as to make said output error signal zero, thereby causing the position of said manipulator apparatus to correspond with the corresponding instruction signal, characterized in that said digital position instruction signal modification device comprises   a. a modifying value setting means coupled to said manipulator position detector for setting a modifying value for modifying a desired digital position signal stored in said memory means,   b. first buffer register means for storing therein said modifying value from said modifying value setting means,   c. address setting means for setting the address in said memory means of the digital position instruction signal to be modified,   d. second buffer register means for storing therein the output from said address setting means,   e. third buffer register means for storing therein the digital position instruction signal read out from said memory means in response to the output signal from said address setting means,   f. adder means for adding the modifying value from said first buffer register means to the digital position signal from said third buffer register means, thereby modifying said digital position signal,   g. fourth buffer register means for storing therein the modified position signal and transferring the same to said memory means, and   h. manually operable control means operative at times other than during said operating and teaching modes of said manipulator apparatus for controlling the storage of signals in said first, second, third and fourth buffer register means and for controlling the position of said manipulator apparatus at such times.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 wherein said adder comprises a binary full adder, and an output of said first buffer register is connected as an input of said binary full adder. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a two channel multiplexer having first and second channels selectively coupled to a common output in response to signals applied to a control terminal, said common output being applied to said fourth buffer register, said means reading out said memory means comprising means applying the output of said memory means to said first channel and said means for applying the output of said adding means to said fourth register means comprising means applying the output of said adding means to said second channel. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3 wherein said control means generates first, second and third and fourth sequentially occurring control signals, further comprising means for applying said first and fourth signals to said memory means as read and write signals respectively, means for applying said second and third signals to said fourth buffer register to effect the storage therein of signals applied thereto, and generated by said control means a fifth signal for connecting said first channel to said fourth buffer register during said second signal, and for connecting said second channel to said fourth buffer register during said third signal. .Iadd. 5. In a programmable manipulator, the combination of: a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes;   memory storage means having stored therein a programmed sequence of digital command signals corresponding to the successive program step positions to which said arm is to be moved during each one of a plurality of playback cycles;   address means for causing said stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means in a predetermined sequence;   means for sequentially moving said arm to the positions represented by said stored command signals; and   means controlled in part by said address means for modifying said stored command signals in at least one preselected program step in accordance with preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said one stored program step position and storing said modified command signal in said memory, said modifying means including means for identifying said preselected program step and for controlling said address means to cause said preselected program step command signal to appear at the output of said memory means.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 6.  The combination of claim 5, wherein said modifying means further includes means for combining the command signal corresponding to said one preselected program step and said preselected positional modification data, and means for transferring said combined modified data into said memory storage means at said one preselected program step location therein. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. Apparatus for modifying a selected program step or program steps of a programmable manipulator according to preselected positional modification data, the programmable manipulator including a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes, memory storage means having stored therein a programmed sequence of digital command signals corresponding to the successive program step positions to which said arm is to be moved during each one of a plurality of playback cycles, address circuitry for causing the stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means in a predetermined sequence, and means for moving said arm sequentially to the positions represented by said stored command signals, said modifying apparatus comprising: means for identifying the particular digital command signal to be modified and for controlling said address circuitry;   means for combining said identified digital command signal and said positional modification data to produce a modified positional digital output representing the desired modified position; and   means for controlling the writing of said modified positional output data into said memory storage means at the same address location as said identified command signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 8. The method of modifying the programming of a manipulator provided with a memory storage means in which are stored a program of digital command signals corresponding to successive different positions to which said manipulator is to be moved during successive program steps, which comprises the steps of, reading a selected one of said command signals out of said memory storage means and temporarily storing the same, combining said temporarily stored command signal with preselected data corresponding to a desired positional modification in direction and magnitude to provide a modified command signal, and storing said modified command signal in said memory storage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said modified command signal is stored at the same address location in said memory storage means as said selected one command signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said combining step is performed by complementary addition with said desired positional modification is in a predetermined direction relative to said one command signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. In a programmable manipulator, the combination of, a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes, memory storage means having stored therein a program of digital command signals corresponding to successive different positions to which said arm is to be moved during a playback cycle of said manipulator, means for sequentially moving said arm to the positions represented by said stored command signals during each one of a plurality of playback cycles, means for establishing a desired increment of movement in a predetermined direction along one of said axes, means jointly controlled by said memory storage means and said increment establishing means for generating a modified command signal and for storing said modified command signal in said memory storage means, said modified command signal differing from an original one of said stored command signals by said desired increment, and means for thereafter utilizing said modified command signal in place of the original command signal to control said arm moving means during suceeding playback cycles. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said generating means includes means for writing said modified command signal in said memory storage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. In a programmable manipulator, the combination of, a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes, memory storage means having stored therein a program of digital command signals corresponding to successive different positions to which said arm is to be moved during a playback cycle of said manipulator, means for sequentially moving said arm to the positions represented by said stored command signals, modifying value setting means for establishing a desired increment of movement by which one of said command signals is to be modified, address setting means for identifying the address location of said one command signal in said memory storage means, means jointly responsive to said modifying value setting means and said address setting means for developing a modified command signal which differs from said one command signal by said desired increment, and means for storing said modified command signal in said memory storage means at said identified address location. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The combination of claim 13, which includes register means, means for reading said one command signal from said memory storage means and temporarily storing the same in said register means, and means jointly responsive to the setting of said modifying value setting means and the output of said register means for adding said desired increment to said one command signal, thereby to develop said modified command signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. The combination of claim 13, wherein said modifying value setting means includes a manually adjustable member which is movable to different positions corresponding to different increments of desired movement to be added to said one command signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The combination of claim 13, wherein said modifying value setting means includes a first manually adjustable member which is movable to different positions corresponding to different increments of desired movement, and a second manually adjustable member which is movable to either one of two positions corresponding to the polarity of said desired increment of movement relative to said one command signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. The combination of claim 15, which includes means controlled by said manually adjustable member for developing a digital control signal representing said desired increment of movement, and means for supplying said digital control signal to said jointly responsive means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The combination of claim 13, wherein said address setting means includes a manually adjustable member which is movable to different positions corresponding to different address locations in said memory storage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The combination of claim 18, which includes means controlled by said manually adjustable member for developing a digital control signal representing the address location of said one command signal, and means for supplying said digital control signal to said jointly responsive means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The combination of claim 13, wherein said modified command signal is substituted for said one command signal in said memory storage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. The combination of claim 11, which includes a direction establishing member movable to two different positions corresponding to the desired direction of said increment of movement, said generating means being also responsive to the setting of said direction establishing member in generating said modified command signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The combination of claim 13, wherein said modified command signal developing and storing means includes multiplexer means having first and second input channels, buffer register means, means controlled by said address setting means for transferring said one command signal from said memory storage means to said first input channel of said multiplexing means, means connecting the output of said multiplexing means to said buffer register means so that said one command signal is stored in said buffer register, adder means having first and second inputs, means connecting the output of said adder means to said second input channel of said multiplexing means, means connecting the output of said buffer register to said first input of said adder means, and means connecting the output of said modifying value setting means to said second input of said added means, thereby to develop said modified command signal at the output of said buffer register means when said multiplexer means is connected to said second input channel thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. The combination of claim 22, wherein said modified command signal developing and storing means further includes means for writing the output of said buffer register means into said memory storage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. The combination of claim 22, wherein said modifying value setting means includes means for developing a digital control signal corresponding to the magnitude of said desired increment of movement, and means for supplying said digital control signal to said second input of said adder means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. The combination of claim 24, which includes a modifying value register whose output is connected to said second input of said adder means, and means connecting said digital control signal to the input of said register. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. The combination of claim 24, which includes a series of exclusive OR gates connecting said digital control signal to the input of said modifying value register, and means for controlling said OR gates in accordance with the sign of said desired increment of movement. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 27. In a programmable manipulator, the combination of, a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes, memory storage means having stored therein a program comprising a plurality of digital command signal steps corresponding to successive different positions to which said arm is to be moved during each one of a plurality of playback cycles; means controlled by said stored command signal program steps for sequentially moving said arm to said different positions, means for setting and inputting preselected data corresponding to a desired modification in direction and magnitude of at least one of said stored program steps, means for identifying and addressing said one program step in said memory storage means, means for combining said one program step and said desired positional modification data to produce a modified program step, and means for writing said modified program step into said memory storage means. .Iaddend.