BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to robot instruction devices that allow a robot to move and perform tasks in a desired manner.

Discussion of the Background

Robots have been utilized in manufacturing and other applications in which automation is beneficial. In recent years, robots have been designed for increasingly diverse applications including picking, assembly, and sorting. One aspect of robotic automation that is of particular interest is the provision of commands for controlling one or more robots to operate in a desired manner according to a particular application or task.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention advantageously provides a robot instructing apparatus. The robot instructing apparatus comprises a teaching pendant having a display. An inclination device is configured to output an inclination of a teaching pendant based on the inclination of the teaching pendant about at least one horizontal axis. At least one processor is configured to generate movement instructions to change a posture of the robot based on the inclination of the remote device output by the inclination device during a teaching operation in which the movement instructions are generated.

The present invention advantageously provides a teaching pendant. The teaching pendant comprises a display, an inclination sensor configured to output an inclination of the teaching pendant with respect to at least one horizontal axis, and circuitry configured to generate movement instructions based on the inclination of the teaching pendant output by the inclination sensor. The circuitry is configured to output the movement instructions to change a posture of the robot during a teaching operation based on the inclination of the teaching pendant output by the inclination sensor.

The present invention advantageously provides a method of instructing a robot. The method comprises determining an inclination of a teaching pendant with respect to at least one horizontal axis by an inclination sensor, the teaching pendant having a display configured to cause the teaching pendant to enter a teaching operation based on an interaction with the display. The method also comprises determining an orientation of the teaching pendant about a vertical axis with an orientation sensor, and generating movement instructions to change a posture of the robot based on the determined inclination of the teaching pendant and the determined orientation of the teaching pendant.

