Data logger for a real-time robotic control system

1. A system comprising:

a real-time robotic control system comprising one or more computers, the real-time robotic control system programmed to perform operations comprising i) one or more software module loops and ii) real-time data logging, wherein:

each software module loop comprises a plurality of software modules executed repeatedly in a predetermined sequence,

each software module executes within a predetermined time window, and

the real-time data logging comprises accessing a configuration file that specifies one or more disallowed segments of real time data, and copying one or more segments of the real-time data used by a particular software module that are not disallowed by the configuration file to a buffer accessible by a non-real-time downstream system, wherein each segment of real-time data is copied at a respective predetermined time relative to execution of the software modules in the software module loop; and

the non-real-time downstream system comprising one or more computers, the non-real-time downstream system programmed to perform operations that consume the one or more real-time messages.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

each software module executes according to a predefined data interface,

each software module exchanges real-time messages with one or more other software modules according to the respective predefined data interfaces, and

the one or more segments of real-time data comprise one or more real-time messages exchanged between respective software modules.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein copying a respective segment of real-time data used by a particular software module takes a predetermined amount of time.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein copying one or more segments of real-time data comprises accessing a configuration file that specifies the one or more segments of real-time data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the real-time logging further comprises:

processing the one or more segments of real-time data, and

inserting the one or more segments of processed real-time data into the buffer accessible by the non-real-time downstream system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein copying the one or more segments of real-time data to a buffer comprises serializing the segments of real-time data in the buffer.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein real-time data logging further comprises configuring a size of the buffer accessible by the non-real-time downstream system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein copying one or more segments of real-time data to a buffer comprises selecting a respective location in the buffer for each segment of real-time data to be copied.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-real-time downstream system comprises one or more of:

a debugging system,

an analytics system,

an auditing system,

a preventative maintenance system, or

a machine learning system.

10. A method for configuring an instance of a real-time robotic control system, the method comprising:

receiving data representing a software module loop, wherein the software module loop comprises a plurality of software modules executed repeatedly in a predetermined sequence to control one or more robots;

generating a schedule that specifies a respective time at which to execute each software module in the software module loop according to one or more real-time constraints of the one or more robots;

selecting, within the schedule, respective times to copy one or more segments of real-time data used by a particular software module, relative to execution of other software modules in the software module loop; and

generating a modified schedule that when executed by the real-time robotic control system causes the real-time robotic control system to perform operations comprising accessing a configuration file that specifies one or more disallowed segments of real-time data, and copying the segments of the real-time data that are not disallowed by the configuration file to a buffer accessible by a non-real-time downstream system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

receiving data representing a software module loop comprises receiving data representing a respective data interface for each of the software modules in the software module loop, wherein each data interface specifies real-time messages exchanged between the respective software module and other software modules in the software module loop; and

the one or more segments of real-time data comprise one or more real-time messages exchanged between respective software modules.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein copying a respective segment of real-time data used by a particular software module takes a predetermined amount of time.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein copying one or more segments of real-time data comprises accessing a configuration file that specifies the one or more segments of real-time data.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein copying the segments of real-time data to a buffer accessible by a non-real-time downstream system comprises:

processing the segments of real-time data, and

inserting the segments of processed real-time data into the buffer accessible by the non-real-time downstream system.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein copying the segments of real-time data to a buffer comprises serializing the segments of real-time data in the buffer.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising configuring a size of the buffer accessible by the non-real-time downstream system.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein copying the segments of real-time data to a buffer comprises selecting a respective location in the buffer for each segment of real-time data to be copied.

18. One or more non-transitory computer storage media encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by a plurality of computers cause the plurality of computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving data representing a software module loop, wherein the software module loop comprises a plurality of software modules executed repeatedly in a predetermined sequence to control one or more robots;

generating a schedule that specifies a respective time at which to execute each software module in the software module loop according to one or more real-time constraints of the one or more robots;

selecting, within the schedule, respective times to copy one or more segments of real-time data used by a particular software module, relative to execution of other software modules in the software module loop; and

generating a modified schedule that when executed by the real-time robotic control system causes the real-time robotic control system to perform operations comprising accessing a configuration file that specifies one or more disallowed segments of real-time data, and copying the segments of the real-time data that are not disallowed by the configuration file to a buffer accessible by a non-real-time downstream system.