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Tiered control architecture for material handling

  • US 7,284,652 B2
  • Filed: 09/15/2005
  • Issued: 10/23/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A conveyor sortation system having a plurality of conveyors that are operable to handle articles comprising;

  • a plurality of sensors for sensing information about said conveyor system;

    a plurality of actuators for controlling operation of at least one of said conveyors to handle articles;

    a plurality of low-level controllers that receives signals from at least one of said sensors and output signals to activate at least one of said actuators, said low-level controllers developing status information related to the operation of said at least one of said sensors, said at least one of said actuators, or both;

    a plurality of mid-level controllers that receives said status information from said low-level controllers and outputs commands to said low-level controllers, said commands being based, at least partially, on said status information;

    said plurality of mid-level controllers including a gap manager and a divert manager, said gap manager controlling a size of a gap between adjacent articles in said conveying system and said divert manager controlling a diversion of articles onto a plurality of branch conveyors; and

    a high-level controller that receives said status information from said mid-level controllers and outputs operational commands to said mid-level controllers, said operational commands to said mid-level controllers being based, at least partially, on said status information such that said high-level controller oversees the operation of said plurality of mid-level and low-level controllers.

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