Electrified monorail communication system

• US 6,463,367 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corporation (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Neff, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/775,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/23, 701/24, 246/3, 246/2.R, 246/5, 246/167.R, 246/182.R, 340/933, 340/988, 340/989
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/04 Monorail systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/005 Automatic control or safety means for points for operator-less railway, e.g. transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/04 Automatic systems, e.g. controlled by train; Change-over to manual control

Abstract

An improved communications for an electrified monorail includes an off-board programmable logic controller having at least one output electrically coupled to a buss bar of the electrified monorail. At least one other programmable logic controller is mounted on a vehicle that travels on the electrified monorail and includes at least one input in electrical contact with the buss bar. The off-board programmable logic controller is programmed to set its output at a series of high and low voltages corresponding to a message. The on-board programmable logic controller is programmed to detect the series of high and low voltages, store them at least temporarily in memory, and act accordingly upon the transmitted message.

Claims

1. A communications system for an electrified monorail system having an electrified monorail including at least one electrically conductive buss bar and a vehicle, said communication system comprising;

a first programmable logic controller having an output configured be electrically coupled to at least one electrically conductive buss bar, said output assuming more than one state, said first programmable logic controller being programmed to sequentially set said output at a series of states corresponding to a message; and

a second programmable logic controller configured to be carried by the vehicle having an input configured to be electrically coupled to said at least one electrically conductive buss bar, said second programmable logic controller being programmed to store in memory said series of states output from said first programmable logic controller through the at least one electrically conductive buss bar.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said more than one state of said output comprises high and low voltages.

3. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said first programmable logic controller is programmed to output a constant voltage for a predetermined time period between each high and low voltage corresponding to said message.

4. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said first programmable logic controller is programmed to output a trigger signal prior to outputting said series of high and low voltages.

5. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said high voltages are AC voltages and said low voltages are substantially zero volts.

6. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said high voltages are DC voltages and said low voltages are substantially zero volts.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said first programmable logic controller is in communication with a computer, said computer adapted to control the content of said message.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one buss bar is divided into electrically isolated sections, and said first programmable logic controller is electrically coupled to only one of said electrically isolated sections.

9. The communications system of claim 8 wherein said constant voltage is a low voltage.

10. The communications system of claim 9 wherein said first programmable logic controller is programmed to repeatedly output said trigger signal and said series of high and low voltages corresponding to said message.

11. A communications system for an electrified monorail system having an electrified monorail including at least one electrically conductive buss bar and a vehicle, said communication system comprising:

a first programmable logic controller having a first output, configured to be electrically coupled to at least one electrically conductive buss bar, said first output assuming more than one state, said first programmable logic controller being programmed to sequentially set said first output at a series of states corresponding to a message, said first programmable logic controller also having a second output adapted to be electrically coupled to a second electrically conductive buss bar, said first programmable logic controller being programmed to sequentially set said second output at a series of high and low voltages corresponding to a second message; and

a second programmable logic controller configured to be carried by the vehicle having an input configured to be electrically coupled to said at least one electrically conductive buss bar, said second programmable logic controller being programmed to store in memory said series of states output from said first programmable logic controller through the at least one electrically conductive buss bar.

12. An electrified monorail system comprising:

an electrified monorail including at least one buss bar;

at least one carrier adapted to move on the electrified monorail;

a first programmable logic controller having an output electrically coupled to said at least one buss bar, said output capable of assuming more than one state, said first programmable logic controller being programmed to output onto said at least one buss bar a series of states corresponding to a message; and

a second programmable logic controller having an input at least occasionally electrically coupled to said at least one buss bar, said second programmable logic controller being carried by said at least one carrier, said second programmable logic controller being programmed to store in memory said series of states output from said first programmable logic controller through said at least one buss bar.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said first programmable logic controller is in communication with a computer, said computer adapted to control the content of said message.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said at least one buss bar is divided into electrically isolated sections, and said first programmable logic controller is electrically coupled to only one of said electrically isolated sections.

15. The system of claim 12 further including a second carrier adapted to move along the electrified monorail and a third programmable logic controller located on said second carrier, said third programmable logic controller being programmed to store said series of states output from said first programmable logic controller in memory.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said second programmable logic controller carries out actions on said carrier based upon the message received from said first programmable logic controller.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said electrified monorail is an overhead electrified monorail, said carrier is capable of adjusting the height and rotation of a load being carried on said carrier, and said second programmable logic controller is programmed to adjust the height and rotation of the load on said carrier.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein said more than one state comprises high and low voltages.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said high voltages are AC voltages and said low voltages are substantially zero volts.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein said electrified monorail is an overhead electrified monorail and said carrier depends downwardly from said monorail.

21. A method for transmitting information over a buss bar in an electrified monorail system having an electrified monorail including at least one buss bar and at least one carrier adapted to move on the electrified monorail, said method comprising:

providing a first programmable logic controller having at least one output;

providing a second programmable logic controller having at least one input;

coupling the output of said first programmable logic controller to the at least one buss bar;

at least occasionally coupling the input of said second programmable logic controller to said buss bar;

programming said first programmable logic controller to output a series of states corresponding to said information onto said buss bar; and

programming said second programmable logic controller to detect said series of states on said buss bar and at least temporarily store said series of states in a memory in said second programmable logic controller.

22. The method of claim 21 further including programming said first programmable logic controller to output a trigger signal prior to outputting said series of states.

23. The method of claim 21 further including programming said first programmable logic controller to be able to change said information based on instructions received from a computer.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said series of states comprises a series of high and low voltages.

25. The method of claim 24 further including programming said first programmable logic controller to output a constant voltage for a predetermined time period between each high and low voltage that are output corresponding to said information.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said constant voltage is a low voltage.

27. The method of claim 24 further including programming said first programmable logic controller to output each of said high and low voltages for a fixed time period substantially equal to a scan time of said first programmable logic controller.

28. The method of claim 24 further including providing a carrier that moves along said buss bar and mounting said second programmable logic controller on said carrier.

29. The method of claim 28 further including programming said second programmable logic controller to control an operation on said carrier based upon said message.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein said high voltages are AC voltages and said low voltages are substantially zero volts.

31. A method for transmitting information over a buss bar in an electrified monorail system having an electrified monorail including at least one buss bar and at least one carrier configured on the electrified monorail, said method comprising:

providing a first programmable logic controller having at least one output;

providing a second programmable logic controller having at least one input;

coupling the output of said first programmable logic controller to the at least one buss bar;

at least occasionally coupling the input of said second programmable logic controller to said buss bar;

programming said first programmable logic controller to output a first series of voltages corresponding to said information onto said buss bar;

programming said first programmable logic controller to output a second series of high and low voltages that correspond to an error detection message;

programming said second programmable logic controller to detect said first series of voltages on said buss bar and at least temporarily store said first series of voltages in a memory in said second programmable logic controller; and

programming said second programmable logic controller to determine, based upon said error detection message, whether or not said second programmable logic controller detected said first series of high and low voltages with any errors.

32. A method for transmitting information over a buss bar in an electrified monorail system having an electrified monorail including at least one buss bar and at least one carrier configured move on the electrified monorail, said method comprising:

providing a first programmable logic controller having at least one output;

providing a second programmable logic controller having at least one input;

coupling the output of said first programmable logic controller to the at least one buss bar;

at least occasionally coupling the input of said second programmable logic controller to said buss bar;

programming said first programmable logic controller to output a series of voltages corresponding to said information onto said buss bar;

programming said second programmable logic controller to detect said series of voltages on said buss bar and at least temporarily store said series of voltages in a memory in said second programmable logic controller;

providing a second output on said first programmable logic controller;

coupling said second output to a second buss bar; and

programming said first programmable logic controller to output a series of high and low voltages corresponding to a second piece of information onto said second buss bar.

33. The method of claim 32 further including programming said first programmable logic controller such that said second piece of information output onto said second buss bar may be different from said information output onto said buss bar.