US 12,275,155 B2
Controller for distributed devices
Yuji Ichimaru, Fukuoka (JP); Yukio Hashiguchi, Fukuoka (JP); and Koichi Kuwahara, Fukuoka (JP)
Filed by KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI, Kitakyushu (JP)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/099,779.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-214790 (JP), filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0154849 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); G05B 19/4155 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1682 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/162 (2013.01); G05B 19/4155 (2013.01); G05B 2219/31008 (2013.01); G05B 2219/39427 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system comprising:
a plurality of controllers configured to control, respectively, a plurality of devices performing operations in a shared operation environment, the plurality of devices including at least one robot; and
an environment manager communicable with the plurality of controllers, the environment manager including environment circuitry configured to:
store, on a shared database, environment information describing a status of the shared operation environment; and
update the stored environment information on the shared database based on the operations of the plurality of devices,
wherein at least one of the plurality of controllers comprises control circuitry configured to:
monitor the shared database to detect a change in the stored environment information according to an operation executed by one device of the plurality of devices, other than the one robot, that is controlled by another controller in the shared operation environment;
store a predetermined operating condition;
compare the changed environment information with the predetermined operating condition; and
control the one robot to execute a predetermined operation in response to at least determining that the changed environment information, caused by the operation executed by the one device controlled by the other controller, satisfies the predetermined operating condition.