Recoordination of common axis positioning

Claim 1

The method of controlling the successive positions of first and second members independently movable along a common axis relative to a base in response to successive signals representing one or the other of two types of numerical commands (W or Z) designating movement by the first or the second member (25 or 14) to make the part coordinate position of the second member, as measured from a first origin (0) on or fixed relative to the first member, agree with the value of the numerical command, said method comprising a. in response to the signaling of either type of command, computing and signaling a first changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of a numerical command (K wzEP - wzCEP), b. signaling a second changeable number (wzCP) which represents the desired relative position of said members in part coordinates, c. signaling a third changeable number (ZTM) which represents the desired position of said second member (14) in base coordinates measured with reference to a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to the base, d. in response to any new signaled value for the first number (K), changing the signaled value Of said second number by an amount equal to the first number, e. in response to a new signaled value for the first number (K) resulting from a new signaled command of the type (Z) designating movement of the second member, changing the signaled value of the third number by an amount equal to the first number, f. driving said second member along the base to keep its position in base coordinates equal to the value of said third number plus any applicable offsets, g. driving said first member along the base to keep its position in converse base coordinates equal to the difference between said second and third numbers plus any applicable offsets, h. in response to signaling of a numerical command of the type (Z) designating movement of said second member, accompanied by a special code signal (M12), inhibiting said step (a) and instead 1. computing and signaling an artificial command number which is equal to the last-received command number plus the previously received command number minus the third number (wzEP + wxCEP - ZTM), and 2. utilizing said artificial command number in carrying out said steps (a) through (g), whereby said second member is moved to a position in base coordinates which agrees with the value of the numerical command accompanied by the special code.

Claim 2

The method of controlling the successive positions of first and second members independently movable along a common axis relative to a base in response to successive signals representing one or the other of two types of numerical commands (W or Z) designating movement by the first or the second member (25 or 14) to make the part coordinate position of the second member, as measured from a first origin (0) on or fixed relative to the first member, agree with the value of the numerical command, said method comprising a. in response to the signaling of either type of command, computing and signaling a first changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of a numerical command (K wzEP - wzCEP), b. signaling a second changeable number (wzCP) which represents the desired relative position of said members in part coordinates, c. signaling a third changeable number (ZTM) which represents the desired position of said second member (14) in base coordinates measured with reference to a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to the base, d. in response to any new signaled value for the first number (K), changing the signaled value Of said second number by an amount equal to the first number, e. in response to a new signaled value for the first number (K) resulting from a new signaled command of the type (Z) designating movement of the second member, changing the signaled value of the third number by an amount equal to the first number, f. driving said second member along the base to keep its position in base coordinates equal to the value of said third number plus any applicable offsets, g. driving said first member along the base to keep its position in converse base coordinates equal to the difference between said second and third numbers plus any applicable offsets, h. in response to signaling of a numerical command of the type (Z) designating movement of said second member, accompanied by a special code signal (M12), inhibiting said step (a) and instead 1. computing and signaling an artificial command number which is equal to the last-received command number plus the previously received command number minus the third number (wzEP + wxCEP - ZTM), and 2. utilizing said artificial command number in carrying out said steps (a) through (g), whereby said second member is moved to a position in base coordinates which agrees with the value of the numerical command accompanied by the special code.

Claim 11

The method of controlling the successive positions of a member movable along an axis relative to a base in response to successive signals representing numerical commands designating movement by the member to make the part coordinate position thereof, as measured from a first origin 0 on or fixed relative to the base, agree with the value of the numerical command, said method comprising a. in response to each signaling of a new numerical command, computing and signaling a first changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of the numerical command (K ZEP - ZCEP), b. signaling a second changeable number (ZCP) which represents the desired position of said member in part coordinates, c. signaling a third changeable number (ZTM) which represents the desired position of the member in base coordinates measured with reference to a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to the base, d. in response to any new signaled value for the first number (K), changing the signaled value of said second and third numbers by an amount equal to the first number, e. driving said member along the base to keep its position in base coordinates equal to the value of said third number plus any applicable offsets, and characterized by the improvement which includes f. in response to the signaling of a numerical command accompanied by a special code signal (M12), inhibiting said step (a) and instead i. computing and signaling an artificial command number which is equal to the last-received command number plus the previously received command number minus the third number (ZEP + ZCEP - ZTM), and ii. utilizing said artificial command number in carrying out said steps (a) through (e), whereby said member is moved to a position in base coordinates which agrees with the value of the numerical command accompanied by the special code and said second number continues accurately to represent the position of the member in part coordinates.

Claim 12

The method of controlling the successive positions of a member movable along an axis relative to a base in response to successive signals representing numerical commands designating movement by the member to make the part coordinate position thereof, as measured from a first origin 0 on or fixed relative to the base, agree with the value of the numerical command, said method comprising a. in response to each signaling of a new numerical command, computing and signaling a first changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of the numerical command (K ZEP - ZCEP), b. signaling a second changeable number (ZCP) which represents the desired position of said member in part coordinates, c. signaling a third changeable number (ZTM) which represents the desired position of the member in base coordinates measured with reference to a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to the base, d. in response to any new signaled value for the first number (K), changing the signaled value of said second and third numbers by an amount equal to the first number, e. driving said member along the base to keep its position in base coordinates equal to the value of said third number plus any applicable offsets, and characterized by the improvement which includes f. in response to the signaling of a numerical command accompanied by a special code signal (M12), inhibiting said step (a) and instead i. computing and signaling an artificial command number which is equal to the last-received command number plus the previously received command number minus the third number (ZEP + ZCEP - ZTM), and ii. utilizing said artificial command number in carrying out said steps (a) through (e), whereby said member is moved to a position in base coordinates which agrees with the value of the numerical command accompanied by the special code and said second number continues accurately to represent the position of the member in part coordinates.

Claim 13

The method of controlling the successive positions of a member movable along an axis relative to a base upon which a part is mounted, said method comprising the steps of a. successively signaling in digital binary form the numerical values of successive position commands, a1. each of said position commands being of a first type (ZEP) or a second type (ZEP with a special code M12) which respectively define (i) a commanded position in part coordinates measured from a first origin (0) on or fixed relative to said base, and (ii) a commanded position in base coordinates measured from a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to said base but displaced from the first origin, b. signaling a first changeable number (ZCP) which numerically represents the desired position of said member with reference to the first origin (0), c. signaling a second changeable number (ZTM) which numerically represents the desired position of said member with reference to the second origin (0''), d. in response to signaling of a new position command of the first type, computing and signaling a third changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of the position command (K ZEP - ZCEP), e. in response to the signaling of a new position command of the second type, computing and signaling said third number (K) to make it equal the difference between (i) the sum of the new and the previous commands and (ii) said third number (K ZEP + ZCEP - ZTM), f. in response to any new signaled value for said second number (K), progressively changing the signaled values of said first and second numbers (ZCP and ZTM) by identical amounts equal to said third number, and g. driving said member along the base to keep its position as measured from said second origin (0'') always substantially in agreement with the signaled value of said second nUmber.

Claim 14

The method of controlling the successive positions of a member movable along an axis relative to a base upon which a part is mounted, said method comprising the steps of a. successively signaling in digital binary form the numerical values of successive position commands, a1. each of said position commands being of a first type (ZEP) or a second type (ZEP with a special code M12) which respectively define (i) a commanded position in part coordinates measured from a first origin (0) on or fixed relative to said base, and (ii) a commanded position in base coordinates measured from a second origin (0'') on or fixed relative to said base but displaced from the first origin, b. signaling a first changeable number (ZCP) which numerically represents the desired position of said member with reference to the first origin (0), c. signaling a second changeable number (ZTM) which numerically represents the desired position of said member with reference to the second origin (0''), d. in response to signaling of a new position command of the first type, computing and signaling a third changeable number (K) equal to the difference between the new value and the previous value of the position command (K ZEP - ZCEP), e. in response to the signaling of a new position command of the second type, computing and signaling said third number (K) to make it equal the difference between (i) the sum of the new and the previous commands and (ii) said third number (K ZEP + ZCEP - ZTM), f. in response to any new signaled value for said second number (K), progressively changing the signaled values of said first and second numbers (ZCP and ZTM) by identical amounts equal to said third number, and g. driving said member along the base to keep its position as measured from said second origin (0'') always substantially in agreement with the signaled value of said second nUmber.