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A motion controller including a computer comprising a primary processor or a central processing unit and an input/output communication bus. The primary processor is in communicative connection with the bus and is adapted to communicate with other devices in communicative connection with the bus via

A motion controller including a computer comprising a primary processor or a central processing unit and an input/output communication bus. The primary processor is in communicative connection with the bus and is adapted to communicate with other devices in communicative connection with the bus via the bus. The motion controller also includes at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the bus. The secondary processor is adapted to execute at least one control algorithm for one or more axes of motion associated therewith. The secondary processor is further adapted to communicate with other devices in communicative connection with the bus via the bus independently of the primary processor (that is, the secondary processor is can effect bus mastering). The operating system of the computer can, for example, be a general purpose operating system.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A motion controller comprising: a computer comprising a primary processor and an input/output communication bus, the primary processor being in communicative connection with the bus; at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the bus, the secondary proc

What is claimed is: 1. A motion controller comprising: a computer comprising a primary processor and an input/output communication bus, the primary processor being in communicative connection with the bus; at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the bus, the secondary processor utilizing no operating system, the secondary processor being adapted to execute at least one control algorithm for one or more axes of motion associated therewith, the secondary processor further being adapted to communicate with at least one device in communicative connection with the bus via the bus independently of the primary processor. 2. The motion controller of claim 1 wherein the operating system of the computer is a not a real-time operating system. 3. The motion controller of claim 2 further comprising at least one reflective memory interface in communicative connection with the bus, the reflective memory interface being adapted to communicate data with another reflective memory interface of a simulation computer. 4. The motion controller of claim 3 wherein the reflective memory interface of the motion controller is in communication with the reflective memory interface of the simulation computer via a fiber optic communication link. 5. The motion controller of claim 3 wherein the secondary processor is operable to poll the reflective memory interface of the motion controller via the bus to determine whether new data has been received by the reflective memory interface of the motion controller from the reflective memory interface of the simulation computer, read any new data via the bus, store any new data in a local memory in communicative connection with the secondary processor, and write output data determined from any new data to the reflective memory interface of the motion controller via the bus. 6. The motion controller of claim 5 wherein the secondary processor is further operable to set a flag variable in memory of the reflective memory interface of the motion controller to provide an indication that the secondary processor has completed a data input/data output transaction for the one or more axes of motion associated therewith. 7. The motion controller of claim 6 wherein the secondary processor is a component of a digital signal processing card. 8. The motion controller of claim 7 wherein the bus is a PCI bus. 9. The motion controller of claim 7 wherein the digital signal processing card is operable as a slave card and a bus mastering card, wherein the digital signal processing card periodically requests temporary mastering of the bus from the primary processor. 10. The motion controller of claim 9 wherein when the digital signal processing card is granted bus mastership, the secondary processor polls the reflective memory interface of the motion controller via the bus to determine whether new data has been received by the reflective memory interface of the motion controller from the reflective memory interface of the simulation computer, reads any new data via the bus, stores any new data in a local memory in communicative connection with the secondary processor, and writes output data determined from any new data to the reflective memory interface of the motion controller via the bus. 11. The motion controller of claim 10 wherein the secondary processor of the digital signal processing card relinquishes bus mastership to the primary processor upon completion of a data transaction with the reflective memory interface of the motion controller. 12. The motion controller of claim 5 wherein data read from the reflective memory interface of the motion controller by the secondary processor comprises position, velocity and acceleration data for the one or more axes of motion associated with the secondary processor. 13. The motion controller of claim 12 wherein data written to memory of the reflective memory interface of the motion controller by the secondary processor comprises position, velocity and acceleration data for the one or more axes of motion associated with the secondary processor. 14. A simulation system comprising: a motion controller comprising a motion controller computer comprising a primary processor and an input/output communication bus, the primary processor being in communicative connection with the bus; and at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the bus, the secondary processor utilizing no operating system, the secondary processor being adapted to execute at least one control algorithms for one or more axes of motion associated therewith, the secondary processor further being adapted to communicate with at least one device in communicative connection with the bus via the bus independently of the primary processor; and at least one reflective memory interface in communicative connection with the bus; a simulation computer comprising a processor and a reflective memory interface; and a communication line between the reflective memory interface of the motion controller and the reflective memory interface of the simulation computer. 15. A method of effecting motion control comprising: providing a computer comprising a primary processor and an input/output communication bus, the primary processor being in communicative connection with the bus; providing at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the bus, the secondary processor utilizing no operating system, the secondary processor being adapted to execute a control algorithms for one or more axes of motion associated therewith; and having the secondary processor communicate with at least one device in communicative connection with the bus via the bus independently of the primary processor. 16. An expansion card for use with a computer operating an operating system that is not a real time operating system, the computer comprising a central processing unit and a computer communication bus in communicative connection with the central processing unit, the expansion card including a connector to place the card in communicative connection with the computer communication bus, a local communication bus in communicative connection with the connector, at least one secondary processor in communicative connection with the local communication bus, a memory in communicative connection with the local communication bus, and at least one communication port in communicative connection with the local communication bus and being adapted to be placed in communicative connection with at least one component associated with at least one axis of motion to be controlled, the secondary processor utilizing no operating system and being adapted to execute at least one control algorithm for the at least one axis of motion, the secondary processor further being adapted to communicate with other devices in communicative connection with the computer communication bus via the bus independently of the central processing unit.