Prior art methods and devices displaying robot and program specific data include the offline simulation software, running on a personal computer (PC), and the use of offline programming/simulation systems on a PC or other non-attached programming device.
Currently, a high powered personal computer is required to render a three-dimensional workcell data as a high quality three-dimensional image. Additionally, a customized programming code (e.g. C programming language) is required for each display device. Accordingly, to enable a particular device (e.g. computer) to display the three-dimensional image of a workcell, the particular device must include a customized software program.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,143 is an example of using a robot teaching pendant to display images of a robot tool, tool coordinates in a tool coordinate system and the taught points in a user or world coordinate system. However, this pendant is directed to displaying 3-D data from robot programs in a 2-D format on the pendant screen. U.S. published application 2005/0285854 and U.S. published application 2007/0167702 are examples of systems that require a workstation to generate a real-time 3-D image. U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,328 and U.S. published application 2009/0204257 show teach pendants for generating simple 3-D graphical displays of a taught path for a robot. Thus, prior art teach pendants do not generate high quality 3-D images of a robotic workcell that can be manipulated.
Typically, an operator of a robot is required to access a dedicated computer to be able to visualize the location of non-visible parameters that constrain the operation or travel of the robot, such as Safety zones and interference regions. Therefore, the three-dimensional image of the workcell is not readily available in the hands of an operator of a robot.
The prior art also requires a programmer/operator understand esoteric math concepts such as how a specific angle relates to an angle of robotic tooling and to other elements in three space. For a physical position the operator can see the physical machine and program a point according to the physical positions. However there are more virtual special relationships which the operator cannot see with the prior art devices. Elements such as safety walls, the robot envelope, areas where robots overlap operating zones for particular operations are difficult to visualize without a three-dimensional model. The operator must be very experienced in order to relate the text describing these elements to the physical world.
The prior art for jogging a robot requires an experienced operator who knows how the jog buttons map to the physical world. The operator is typically required to mentally visualize a resultant outcome in response to engaging a particular key. However, even an experienced operator occasionally engages an undesired key, which can result in damage to the robot and surrounding equipment. For specific applications such as arc welding, the operator must be familiar with specific terms such as lead and lag angle, which are not obvious from the textual information traditionally provided.
The prior art has the following shortcomings:    1. Simulation of the robot is not directly connected to execution of the robot.    2. Features are limited since they are based on established simulation and ideas from the CAD-CAM environment.    3. High quality three-dimensional (3-D) images that can be manipulated are not available on the hand held pendant associated with the robot; such images normally require a large display and a PC or other advanced computing device to operate.