Input data sampling scheme for computer controlled machine tools

Claim 2

In a computer controlled machine tool system; a pair of mechanically interconnected members carried for movement relative to one another; a position transducer operatively coupled to the machine tool members to provide a feedback signal indicating the movement of said members relative to each other; a power drive means connected to effect relative movement between said members; a source of data for initiating input signal pulses; a computer programmed to produce command signals initiated by said data source for said power drive means; and sampling means connected between said position transducer and said computer operable to so pass feedback signals periodically to said computer that each feedback signal equals a plurality of command signal pulses, whereby the computer compares the sampled feedback data with the next previous sampled feedback data for producing a signal proportional to the relative movement of said members from a previous position.

Claim 3

A computer controlled machine tool system according to claim 1, wherein said position transducer is operative to indicate changes in position by providing a direct source of digital signal pulses.

Claim 4

A machine tool according to claim 2 wherein said transducer is a laser interferometer.

Claim 5

In a machine tool having a servo driven movable slide member and provided with a data source and computer control for producing command signals from said data source to the servo drive for effecting the desired movement of the slide member; means responsive to the movement of said slide member for producing feedback signals representative of increments of movement of said slide member; means for generating a plurality of periodic signals; and data sampling means connected to receive said feedback signals and being responsive to said periodic signals applied thereto for passing the spaced apart feedback signals to said computer for computing the difference between said feedback signal sample and the next previous feedback sample and producing a digital count representing the error between the commanded slide position and its actual position at the time of the feedback data sample.

Claim 6

In a machine tool having a servo driven movable slide member and provided with a data source and computer control for producing command signals from said data source to the servo drive for effecting the desired movement of the slide member; means responsive to the movement of said slide member for producing feedback signals representative of increments of movement of said slide member; means for generating a plurality of periodic signals; and data sampling means connected to receive said feedback signals and being responsive to said periodic signals applied thereto for passing the spaced apart feedback signals to said computer for computing the difference between said feedback signal sample and the next previous feedback sample and producing a digital count representing the error between the commanded slide position and its actual position at the time of the feedback data sample.

Claim 11

In a computer controlled machine tool; a pair of mechanically interconnected members carried for movement relative to one another; a position transducer operatively coupled between the machine tool members to provide a feedback signal indicating the movement of one of said members relative to the other; power drive means connected to effect relative movement between said members; means for initiating data signals; a computer programmed to produce command signals for controlling said power drive means, said computer being operable to transmit signals initiated by said means to actuate said power drive means to effect movement between said members; and sampling means connected in the return path between said position transducer and said computer operable to pass feedback signals from said transducer periodically to said computer, said sampling means being operative to space said feedback signals uniformly farther apart in time in a manner that each feedback signal corresponds to a plurality of individual data signals from said computer, whereby the computer compares the sampled feedback data with the next previous sampled feedback data for producing a signal proportional to the relative movement of said members from a previous position.

Claim 12

In a computer controlled machine tool; a pair of mechanically interconnected members carried for movement relative to one another; a position transducer operatively coupled between the machine tool members to provide a feedback signal indicating the movement of one of said members relative to the other; power drive means connected to effect relative movement between said members; means for initiating data signals; a computer programmed to produce command signals for controlling said power drive means, said computer being operable to transmit signals initiated by said means to actuate said power drive means to effect movement between said members; and sampling means connected in the return path between said position transducer and said computer operable to pass feedback signals from said transducer periodically to said computer, said sampling means being operative to space said feedback signals uniformly farther apart in time in a manner that each feedback signal corresponds to a plurality of individual data signals from said computer, whereby the computer compares the sampled feedback data with the next previous sampled feedback data for producing a signal proportional to the relative movement of said members from a previous position.

Claim 13

In a computer controlled machine tool system; a machine and a member carried thereby for relative rectilinear movement; power drive means to move said member; a source for initiating input data signals; computer means programmed to supply data signals initiated by said data source to operate said power drive means and being simultaneously programmed to receive return feedback signals at uniformly spaced apart time periods in a manner that each feedback signal equals plural input signals, said computer means being operative to transmit data signals initiated by said source in accordance with the program established by said computer means; a transducer actuated by movement of said machine member and operative to produce feedback signals timed to coincide with the input signals from said computer means; and sampling means operatively interconnected between said transducer and said computer, said sampling means being adapted to accumulate signals in groups representing corresponding successive increments of movement of said member and pass such signals to said computer at spaced apart time intervals.

Claim 14

In a computer controlled machine tool system; a machine and a member carried thereby for relative rectilinear movement; power drive means to move said member; a source for initiating input data signals; computer means programmed to supply data signals initiated by said data source to operate said power drive means and being simultaneously programmed to receive return feedback signals at uniformly spaced apart time periods in a manner that each feedback signal equals plural input signals, said computer means being operative to transmit data signals initiated by said source in accordance with the program established by said computer means; a transducer actuated by movement of said machine member and operative to produce feedback signals timed to coincide with the input signals from said computer means; and sampling means operatively interconnected between said transducer and said computer, said sampling means being adapted to accumulate signals in groups representing corresponding successive increments of movement of said member and pass such signals to said computer at spaced apart time intervals.

Claim 15

In a machine having a member carried for relative rectilinear movement and a power drive connected to selectively move said member; signal means for initiating data input signals; computer means prorammed to dynamically transmit data signals initiated by said signal means to actuate power drive to move said member; a transducer actuated by movement of said member operative to provide feedback signals indicating positional movement of said member; and a data sampler operative to accumulate a plurality of feedback signals from said transducer and connected to transmit resultantly fewer feedback signals to said controller at uniformly spaced time intervals.

Claim 16

In a machine having a member carried for relative rectilinear movement and a power drive connected to selectively move said member; signal means for initiating data input signals; computer means prorammed to dynamically transmit data signals initiated by said signal means to actuate power drive to move said member; a transducer actuated by movement of said member operative to provide feedback signals indicating positional movement of said member; and a data sampler operative to accumulate a plurality of feedback signals from said transducer and connected to transmit resultantly fewer feedback signals to said controller at uniformly spaced time intervals.

Claim 17

In a machine tool having a frame and a member supported by said frame for movement; a source of power connected to actuate said movable member in its movement; a source of information furnishing data which specifies the desired movement of said movable member; monitoring means connected to produce data indicating the actual movement of said member as it is being actuated by said source of power; comparing means connected to compare the data from said monitOring means against the data furnished by said source of information for producing the desired control to meet the requirements specified by said source of information; and sampling means connected to periodically pass the information from said monitoring means to said comparing means so that the information is transmitted to said comparing means at spaced intervals of time.

Claim 18

In a machine tool having a frame and a member supported by said frame for movement; a source of power connected to actuate said movable member in its movement; a source of information furnishing data which specifies the desired movement of said movable member; monitoring means connected to produce data indicating the actual movement of said member as it is being actuated by said source of power; comparing means connected to compare the data from said monitOring means against the data furnished by said source of information for producing the desired control to meet the requirements specified by said source of information; and sampling means connected to periodically pass the information from said monitoring means to said comparing means so that the information is transmitted to said comparing means at spaced intervals of time.

Claim 19

A machine tool according to claim 10 wherein said monitoring means is a transducer connected to produce feedback information indicating the actual movement of said member.

Claim 20

A machine tool according to claim 10 wherein said comparing means is a digital computer and said sampling means passes the information from said monitoring means to said computer at spaced intervals of time in order to free said computer for other functions during such time intervals.

Claim 21

A machine tool according to claim 12 wherein said monitoring means is a transducer connected to produce feedback information indicating the actual movement of said member and said sampling means passes such information to said computer for producing the desired control of said movable member.

Claim 22

A machine tool according to claim 10 wherein said sampling means comprises: a register connected to receive the information from said monitoring means and register the movement of said movable member as it occurs; an AND gate for each bit of said register, each of said AND gates having an input connected to its associated bit in said register; a pulse generator for producing electrical pulses at a specific frequency connected to the input side of each of said AND gates; and means connecting the outputs of each of said AND gates to said comparing means so that each time a pulse is produced by said pulse means, said AND gates will pass the information from said register to said comparing means to produce the desired regulation of said movable member.

Claim 23

In a control for regulating the function of a machine tool; a source of information supplying data which defines the functions to be performed by the machine tool; a computer connected to receive the data from said source of information; monitoring means for each of said functions for producing data to indicate the status of each function as it is being performed; comparing means in said computer for comparing the information from said monitoring means with the stored data from said source of information for producing the desired control to meet the requirements specified by said source of information; and sampling means connected to periodically pass the information from the monitoring means of a particular function to said comparing means at spaced intervals of time in order to free said computer for regulating other functions during such time intervals.

Claim 24

In a control for regulating the function of a machine tool; a source of information supplying data which defines the functions to be performed by the machine tool; a computer connected to receive the data from said source of information; monitoring means for each of said functions for producing data to indicate the status of each function as it is being performed; comparing means in said computer for comparing the information from said monitoring means with the stored data from said source of information for producing the desired control to meet the requirements specified by said source of information; and sampling means connected to periodically pass the information from the monitoring means of a particular function to said comparing means at spaced intervals of time in order to free said computer for regulating other functions during such time intervals.

Claim 25

A machine tool accordng to claim 15 wherein said sampling means comprises: an AND gate; a connection from said monitoring means to an input of said AND gate; a pulse generator for producing electrical pulses at a specific frequency connected to the input side of said AND gate; and means connecting the output of said AND gate to said comparing means so that each time a pulse is produced by said pulse means, said AND gate will pass the information from said monitoring means to said comparing means to produce the desired regulation of the function.