Described is a method and device of a computational motion engine iteratively computing a numerical jerk, the motion derivative of acceleration, using real-time feedback from a system under motion control, to reach both a desired position and desired velocity of a next waypoint. Output from the motion engine is only desired acceleration, which is then passed to a motor driver, free of intermediate computations of either position or velocity. A second, inside feedback loop maintains desired acceleration or torque at the motor shaft based on the acceleration output of the motion engine, which may use non-linear correction tables. Waypoints comprising both position and velocity are inputs to the motion engine. Time to next waypoint is computed rather than provided as an input. Optimization of moves to the next waypoint is based on smoothest velocity change during the move. Embodiments include mechanical, two-axis SCARA arm motion systems.

A servo controller calculates an alternative movement amount, in a control cycle (n) in which a command cannot be received from the host controller, according to jerk calculated with reference to amounts of movement used for controlling the servomotor in former control cycles before the control cycle (n) and the movement amount used for controlling the servomotor in the previous control cycle before the control cycle (n). The servo controller controls movement of the servomotor by use of the alternative movement amount in the control cycle (n) in which the command cannot be received from the host controller.

Described is a method and device of a computational motion engine iteratively computing a numerical jerk, the motion derivative of acceleration, using real-time feedback from a system under motion control, to reach both a desired position and desired velocity of a next waypoint. Output from the motion engine is only desired acceleration, which is then passed to a motor driver, free of intermediate computations of either position or velocity. A second, inside feedback loop maintains desired acceleration or torque at the motor shaft based on the acceleration output of the motion engine, which may use non-linear correction tables. Waypoints comprising both position and velocity are inputs to the motion engine. Time to next waypoint is computed rather than provided as an input. Optimization of moves to the next waypoint is based on smoothest velocity change during the move. Embodiments include mechanical, two-axis SCARA arm motion systems.

A servo controller calculates an alternative movement amount, in a control cycle (n) in which a command cannot be received from the host controller, according to jerk calculated with reference to amounts of movement used for controlling the servomotor in former control cycles before the control cycle (n) and the movement amount used for controlling the servomotor in the previous control cycle before the control cycle (n). The servo controller controls movement of the servomotor by use of the alternative movement amount in the control cycle (n) in which the command cannot be received from the host controller.

There is provided a control apparatus for controlling a device having a movable unit movable by a plurality of drive shafts. The control apparatus includes: target trajectory generation means for generating a target trajectory for a movement section defined by a start point and an end point; remaining distance estimation means for estimating a remaining distance along the target trajectory from a current position to the end point; acceleration calculation means for calculating an acceleration involved in varying a current movement velocity of the movable unit to a target velocity corresponding to a movement velocity to be satisfied by the movable unit at the end point of the target trajectory, such that a distance that the movable unit will have traveled substantially matches the remaining distance; and movement velocity updating means for calculating a new target movement velocity value by correcting the current movement velocity with the acceleration calculated.