DIGITAL ROBOT CONTROL HAVING PULSE WIDTH MODULATOR OPERABLE WITH REDUCED NOISE

A digital control for a multiaxis robot with each arm associated therewith having a joint motor for which there is provided a power amplifier including a bridge circuit with a plurality of legs each having one end thereof to supply drive current to the motor from a power supply connected across the bridge circuit across the other ends of the legs. A semiconductor switch is connected in each bridge leg and it has a control terminal to make that leg conductive when a control signal is applied to the switch control terminal. A sense resistor is connected between the bridge circuit and the power supply to provide motor current sense signals for robot feedback control. A digital pulse with modulator (PWM) employs at least one logic configurable array (LCA) device and at least one programmable array logic device (PAL) for cyclically generating time width modulated switch control pulse signals to operate the power switches and produce motor drive current having direction and magnitude required by cyclically generated robot drive control commands. The digital PWM includes a ramp generator for generating an up and down ramp cycle that is referenced to the robot drive control commands in controlling the modulation of the switch control signals. The digital PWM generates at one ramp end in each ramp cycle a first forced conduction switch control signal of predetermined time width for application to one of the switches in one branch of the bridge circuit while the other switch in the one branch is held conductive and thereby connects the motor across the power supply in a forward motor current flow direction at least for the predetermined forced conduction time even for a zero robot drive control command. The digital PWM further generates during the one ramp, and after the first forced conduction control signal is ended, a doublet forced conduction switch control signal substantially having said predetermined time width for application to one of the switches in another branch of the bridge circuit while the other switch in the other branch is held conductive and thereby connects the motor across the power supply in reverse motor current flow direction at least for the predetermined forced conduction time even for a zero robot drive command. The digital PWM modulates the robot drive control commands about the first forced conduction switch control signal.