METHOD OF CONTROLLING A PLURALITY OF ROBOTS.

摘要

A plurality of robots (A, B) that are installed adjacent to one another may be instructed to simultaneously operate, space areas occupied by the robots having respective positions and postures in accordance with respective operation commands are defined by one or two planes (Pa1, Pa2; Pb1, Pb2). Such planes for all the robots are parallel (to XZ plane) and have translational motion in a predetermined direction (Y-axis direction), and it is determined whether or not the space area thus defined crosses the space area defined for another. When the defined space areas for the two robots are apart, the robot (A) operates in accordance with the operation command, assuming that interference between the robots does not occur. On the other hand, when an overlap between the defined space areas for the two robots are detected, the robot (A) is stopped and kept on stand-by until the two space areas become apart as a result of the progress of the operation of the other robot (B).