Yarn processing system and method to operate a yarn processing system

• US 6,513,554 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iropa AG
• Original Assignee: Iropa AG
• Inventors: Hellström, Jerker, Rundberg, Tomas, Tholander, Lars Helge Gottfrid
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muromoto, Jr., Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US09/913,784
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 340/825.52, 395/250, 395/275, 139/452, 139/1.R, 661/25.R, 364/470, 364/921.1
• US Class Current: 139/1.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 47/361 Drum-type weft feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 15/482 comprising a rotatable or stationary intermediate storage drum from which the thread is axially and intermittently pulled off; Devices which can be switched between positive feed and intermittent feed
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 15/99 electrically controlled
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 35/14 responsive to thread breakage

Abstract

A yarn processing system includes a yarn consuming textile machine and at least one yard feeding device, each having electric drive means and electronic control and/or monitoring means. The yarn processing system includes data transmission paths for mutual transmissions between the control and/or monitoring means wherein each of the control and/or monitoring means contains one communication microprocessor for serial or serial and digital transmission of data representing information types in the form of a communication protocol. The information types differ in ranking with real-time transmission priority of at least the information type of the highest ranking. In each control and/or monitoring device, the communication microprocessor is connected with a stationary radio transmitter/receiver for carrying out the data transmission via wireless transmission paths within a frequency band available for industrial applications, and between the communication microprocessor and the radio transmitter/receiver a radio media access control interface means is provided. Operation of the yarn processing system is controlled and monitored by data radio transmission within a frequency band as available for industrial applications wherein any information of any information type as provided by a communication microprocessor is converted by the radio media access control interface means into a radio message transmitted by said radio transmitter/receiver to at least one other distant radio transmitter/receiver and then is reconverted into said information type for at least one other communication microprocessor.

Claims

1. A yarn processing system, comprising a functionally interrelated group of components including at least a yarn consuming textile machine and at least one yarn feeding device, at least said textile machine and said feeding device having electric drive means, and further, each of said components having electronic control and/or monitoring means, said yarn processing system further including data transmission paths for mutual data transmissions between said control and/or monitoring means of said components of said component group, each of said control and/or monitoring means having at least one communication microprocessor for providing different information types in the form of a communication protocol, said information types differing in ranking with at least the information type of the highest ranking having a real-time transmission priority wherein transmission of the highest ranking information type occurs in real time and takes priority over lower ranking information types, each said control and/or monitoring means including a stationary radio transmitter/receiver and said communication microprocessor in each said control and/or monitoring means being connected with said stationary radio transmitter/receiver which carries out said data transmission at a single common frequency via said transmission paths which are wireless within a frequency band of about 2.4 GHz or about 400 MHz available for industrial applications and with a reach in the range of about 10 meters, radio media access control interface means being provided between said communication microprocessor and said radio transmitter/receiver.

2. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein said component group includes at least one active yarn processing accessory component having said electronic control and/or monitoring means including said communication microprocessor, said radio media access control interface means and said radio transmitter/receiver and at least one data responsive and/or data generating element communicating with said communication microprocessor.

3. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein each said radio transmitter/receiver operates according to TDMA-standards or CDMA-standards.

4. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein said radio media access control interface means is defined by software in said communication microprocessor or in another associated microprocessor.

5. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein each information type comprises data for wireless transmission and wireless receipt by each of said radio transmitter/receivers, said data being configured by said communication microprocessor with a frame having data containing frame fields wherein at least one of said frame fields contains general prioritising data and/or individual addressing data for at least one of said control and/or monitoring means.

6. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein said component group includes at least one hand-held controller which forms part of said yarn processing system or a group of yarn processing systems and includes said communication microprocessor, said radio media access control interface means and said radio transmitter/receiver for radio communication with at least one of the stationary radio transmitter/receivers.

7. A yarn processing system as in claim 1, wherein at least one onboard data responsive and/or data generating element is connected in each said yarn feeding device to set said control and/or monitoring means.

9. A yarn processing system according to claim 2, wherein said data responsive and/or data generating element is one of a sensor, a yarn brake, a yarn clamp, a yarn tensiometer, a yarn cutter, a yarn selector and a yarn conveyor.

10. A yarn processing system according to claim 7, wherein said data responsive and/or data generating element is one of a yarn sensor, element drive means, a yarn tensiometer, a yarn brake, threading equipment, and an operation parameter setting and storing element.

8. A method for operating a yarn processing system comprising the steps of:

providing a functionally associated group of components, including a yarn consuming textile machine and at least one yarn feeding device, at least said textile machine and said feeding device having electric drive means, and each of said components of said component group having electric control and/or monitoring means, each said control and/or monitoring means comprising a communication microprocessor, a radio transmitter/receiver and a radio media access control interface means;

transmitting serial or serial and digital transmissions of control and/or monitoring data within information of differing priorities and in the form of a communication protocol, said communication protocol being provided in each of said control and/or monitoring means by said communication microprocessors;

converting each information of one of the information types being provided by said communication microprocessor into a radio message by said radio media access control interface means associated with said communication microprocessor;

transmitting each said radio message in the form of a wireless radio transmission at a single common frequency within a radio frequency band available for industrial applications of about 2.4 GHz or about 400 MHz and within a reach of about 10 meters by a one said radio transmitter/receiver which said radio message is received by at least another said radio transmitter/receiver which is located distant from said transmitting radio transmitter/receiver; and

reconverting each said radio message into a communication protocol information of said information type for the communication microprocessor of said receiving radio transmitter/receiver via said radio media access control interface means associated with said receiving radio transmitter/receiver.

11. A yarn processing system comprising:

a functionally interrelated group of components including at least a yarn consuming textile machine and at least one yarn feeding device, at least said textile machine and said feeding device having electric drive means, each of said components further comprising electronic control and/or monitoring means, said yarn processing system further including wireless data transmission paths for mutual data transmissions between said control and/or monitoring means of said components of said component group, each of said control and/or monitoring means comprising at least one communication microprocessor for providing different information types in the form of a communication protocol, said information types differing in ranking with at least the information type of a highest ranking having a real-time transmission priority wherein transmission of the higher ranking information type occurs in real time and takes priority over lower ranking information types, each said control and/or monitoring means including a stationary radio transmitter/receiver and said communication microprocessor in each said control and/or monitoring means being connected with said stationary radio transmitter/receiver which carries out said data transmission at a common frequency via said wireless transmission paths within a frequency band available for industrial applications, radio media access control interface means being provided between said communication microprocessor and said radio transmitter/receiver so as to convert each said information type into a radio message for transmission to other said components and reconverting said radio message received from other said components into said information type.