Driver board control system for modular conveyer with address-based network for inter-conveyor communication

• US 6,701,214 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wielebski, Wayne, Caspers, John P., Blech, Steven P., Majcher, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O
• Application Number:
  US10/309,400
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 700/224, 700/225, 700/228, 700/229, 700/230, 198/781.06, 198/781.1, 198/860.3, 198/460.1
• US Class Current: 700/224
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0233 Position of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/02 Flow-sheets for conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/08 Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/10 Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/31 by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31274 Convey products, move equipment according to production plan in memory
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and control system are provided for controlling a modular conveyor system, which may be networked together with other such systems in order to implement a control strategy for a modular conveyor system. The control system comprises a communications port for interconnection of the control system with a network for sending outgoing addressed data to other devices on the address-based network and for receiving incoming addressed data from other devices. The control system further comprises a logic system, which may receive a signal from an object sensor and provide a control signal or output adapted to control activation of a motorized roller assembly, based on an input signal from the object sensor or the communications port. The logic system may provide for single step operation whereby system troubleshooting may be facilitated, and in addition may provide situation aware and output value source selection functionality.

Claims

1. A control system network for a modular conveyor, comprising:

a plurality of controllers, each controller is self configurable at power up to communicate with at least one related controller, each respective controller comprising;

a zone controller that controls a zone of the modular conveyor, and

an intelligent interface that communicates data to an addressed-based subset of the plurality of controllers.

2. The control system network of claim 1, each controller automatically configures network links to communicate with a set of upstream or downstream controllers of the modular conveyor.

3. The control system network of claim 1, the intelligent interface transceives a broadcast message with devices associated with the addressed based subset of controllers.

4. The control system network of claim 1, the intelligent interface provides at least one of:

a situation-aware configuration, execution function, and output value source selection function for the conveyor.

5. The control system network of claim 1, the intelligent interface provides a single-stepped or strobed synchronization for the conveyor.

6. The control system network of claim 1, the communication comprising strobed communication and polled communication.

7. The control system network of claim 1, further comprising a continuous shared net work wiring cable.

8. The control system network of claim 1, the net work operates in a peer to peer mode.

9. The control system network of claim 1, the control system comprising a network card with an address switch for providing a communication protocol.

10. The control system of claim 9, the address switch sets a media access layer address of the control system, so as to distinguish data sent by different devices on the network.

11. The control system network of claim 1, each zone associated with a sensor and a conveyor stick.

12. The control system network of claim 11, the control system communicates with the sensor.

13. The control system network of claim 11, the control system employs a semi-continuous network cable daisy-chained along rails of the conveyor stick.

14. The control system network of claim 11, further comprising a central controller.

15. The control system network of claim 14, the central controller manages interconnection of the control system with adjacent zones in the conveyor stick.

16. A control system for a modular conveyor, comprising:

a self configurable control system that controls zones associated with the modular conveyor;

an intelligent interface with a logic function for communication of data to an addressed based network of controllers; and

a message buffer that facilitates communication between the logic function and the addressed based network.

17. A control system for a modular conveyor having a motorized roller that moves objects on the modular conveyor and an object sensor that senses objects on the modular conveyor, comprising:

control means for controlling a zone of the modular conveyor;

interfacing means for interfacing with a network of control means;

communication means for communicating data with the interfacing means; and

logic means for providing a control signal to the control means based in part on one of an input signal from the sensor and the communication means.

18. A method of outputting a value for a modular conveyor comprising:

providing an intelligent interface as part of a control system network;

receiving an event indicator by the intelligent interface;

performing a logic function on the event indicator to determine an output value; and

out putting an out put signal in part based on the out put value.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising updating the event indicator according to a network message.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising suspending execution upon receipt of a mode change message.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying a redundancy to an input or the event indicator.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising continuing operation for a predetermined period.