A motor control apparatus (2) according to the present disclosure is configured to control motors (#1-#3), automatically acquire identification information of a plurality of encoders (#1-#5), the encoders (#1-#5) being configured to be connected in series under a control of the motor control apparatus (2) and to detect position information of the motors (#1-#3) or position information of a mechanical apparatus configured to be driven by the motors (#1-#3), and store the identification information and the motor control unit in a non-volatile memory (11) in association with each other.

Provided is a numerical controller in which a plurality of devices is allowed to be connected to a serial bus by a daisy chain, acquiring, from each of the devices, a connection number on the daisy chain and a device ID as connection information, determining presence or absence of a problem by comparing the connection information with a connection setting parameter obtained by associating the connection number with a logic axis number of the numerical controller, storing the connection information acquired by the connection information acquisition unit when there is no problem in the determination, and identifying a removed device by comparing the connection information acquired by the connection information acquisition unit with the connection information stored in the connection information storage unit when there is a problem in the determination, and excluding the removed device from the connection setting parameter, thereby creating connection setting data.

A robot includes a motor drive power source for converting a voltage supplied from a power source to a motor drive unit-grade voltage and outputting it, a motor drive unit for converting a motor drive unit-grade voltage output from the motor drive power source to a motor drive voltage and outputting it, a motor driven to be rotated by a motor drive voltage output by the motor drive unit, a robot arm on which the motor drive unit and the motor are arranged, and a robot controller which is provided independently of the robot arm and on which the motor drive power source is arranged.

A communication method for a serial communications unit converts reception serial data into reception parallel data, stores the reception parallel data in a memory unit, and calculates a reception delay time of a reception start timing at which reception of packets is started. In addition, the reception parallel data which is stored in the memory unit is read out, and transmission parallel data, in which a transmission delay time of a transmission start timing at which transmission of packets is started is controlled so that a delay time from the reception start timing of packets and until transmission of packets is started is made constant, is output in synchronism with a transmission parallel clock pulse signal, and the output transmission parallel data is converted into transmission serial data and then is transmitted.

A bus system has a daisy-chain configuration. The bus system includes a master unit and a plurality of slave units that are serially connected to the master unit downstream thereof via a line system. A first one of the slave units first connected downstream of the master unit is configured to invert a request signal, which is provided by the master unit and received via a first line section of the line system, and to output the inverted request signal on a second line section of the line system leading to an adjacent, second one of the slave units.

A data processing and transmission system (1) for a numerical control unit (2) adapted to control a machine tool (3), comprises at least one input channel (4) adapted to a transit of operational signals from or to devices present in the machine tool, electronic circuits configured to process the operational signals to make available on an output interface (5) control signals for the numerical control unit, a multipolar cable (8) having a first and a second end, each provided with a multipolar connector (9), a master unit having the output interface, a main processor, a memory and at least one socket (7A) configured to be coupled to one of the multipolar connectors, one or more slave units (6), each provided with at least one external port (6A) defining the input channel, a memory, a secondary processor, and provided also with a first socket (6B) and a second socket (6C), configured to be coupled at least to a first or a second connector of the multipolar connectors in order to interconnect the slave unit at least with the master unit. The master unit has a clock and each slave unit has its own clock. The main processor divides a data transmission time interval into a plurality of time slots an uniquely assigns to each slave unit a corresponding time slot of said plurality of time slots. The secondary processor of each slave unit is set to transmit data through the multipolar cable only within the respective time slot. Each slave unit can be connected to another slave unit to define a modular structure.

A data processing and transmission system (1) for a numerical control unit (2) adapted to control a machine tool (3), comprises at least one input channel (4) adapted to a transit of operational signals from or to devices present in the machine tool, electronic circuits configured to process the operational signals to make available on an output interface (5) control signals for the numerical control unit, a multipolar cable (8) having a first and a second end, each provided with a multipolar connector (9), a master unit having the output interface, a main processor, a memory and at least one socket (7A) configured to be coupled to one of the multipolar connectors, one or more slave units (6), each provided with at least one external port (6A) defining the input channel, a memory, a secondary processor, and provided also with a first socket (6B) and a second socket (6C), configured to be coupled at least to a first or a second connector of the multipolar connectors in order to interconnect the slave unit at least with the master unit. The master unit has a clock and each slave unit has its own clock. The main processor of the master unit generates a synchronization signal and transmits it through the multipolar cable in order to synchronize all the clocks of the slave units with the clock of the master unit.

A communication method for a serial communications unit converts reception serial data into reception parallel data, stores the reception parallel data in a memory unit, and calculates a reception delay time of a reception start timing at which reception of packets is started. In addition, the reception parallel data which is stored in the memory unit is read out, and transmission parallel data, in which a transmission delay time of a transmission start timing at which transmission of packets is started is controlled so that a delay time from the reception start timing of packets and until transmission of packets is started is made constant, is output in synchronism with a transmission parallel clock pulse signal, and the output transmission parallel data is converted into transmission serial data and then is transmitted.

A substrate conveying robot includes an arm, a substrate holding hand, a sensor board to which a sensor is electrically connected, and a control board on which a controller is mounted, the control board including a universal connector connectable to different types of the sensor boards.

A communication device is included in a daisy chain connection. A receiver receives a first signal from a preceding device in the daisy chain connection. A transmitter transmits the first signal received in the receiver to a succeeding device in the daisy chain connection. An acceptor accepts a second signal starting from the communication device. The transmitter transmits the second signal accepted in the acceptor to the succeeding device at a transmission rate higher than a transmission rate of the first signal received in the receiver.