Modular wireless conveyor interconnection method and system

• US 8,186,499 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, David Dale, Wielebski, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deuble, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US13/033,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20110144800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 198/341.01, 198/349, 198/781.06
• US Class Current: 198/341.01
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/02 Flow-sheets for conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting

Abstract

A modular conveyor system is disclosed in which components of each conveyor module is designed for wireless mesh communication. The communications may be within a module or between modules. Certain of the components may be powered by battery, such that the components may be completely wireless. The network may be entirely self-configuring such that the modules may be assembled and the network established in a straightforward manner.

Claims

1. A modular conveyor system comprising:

a plurality of conveyor modules;

a plurality of wireless mesh communication points disposed on the plurality of conveyor modules and configured to send and receive data wirelessly over a mesh network;

a first controller configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of conveyor modules over the mesh network and configured to control at least one of the plurality of conveyor modules; and

a second controller configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of conveyor modules over the mesh network and configured to control at least another of the plurality of conveyor modules, wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of conveyor modules in a first communications zone, and the second controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of conveyor modules in a second communications zone.

2. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless mesh communication points are configured to automatically form an ad hoc wireless mesh network.

3. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, wherein a first geographic area of the first communications zone overlaps a second geographic area of the second communications zone.

4. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, comprising a sensor communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to transmit a measurement to the controller.

5. The modular conveyor system of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an entry sensor or an exit sensor.

6. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, comprising a motor configured to drive at least one of the plurality of conveyor modules, and wherein the first controller controls the motor.

7. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, comprising a pushbutton station having one of the plurality of wireless mesh communication points, wherein the pushbutton station comprises a battery and is configured to draw power exclusively from the battery.

8. The modular conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless mesh communication points comprises at least one mote.

9. A method of configuring a modular conveyor system comprising:

establishing a wireless mesh network across components of a modular conveyor system;

connecting a conveyor module to a computer system over the wireless mesh network;

downloading association information from the computer system to the conveyor module to associate the conveyor module to the modular conveyor system;

wherein the computer system comprises a first controller and a second controller, and wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the modular conveyor system in a first communications zone, and the second controller is configured to communicate with the modular conveyor system in a second communications zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein connecting the conveyor module to the computer system over the wireless mesh network comprises sending a serial number of the conveyor module to the computer system.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein establishing a wireless mesh network comprises locating each mesh node to determine a location of the components of the modular conveyor system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein establishing a wireless mesh network comprises sending the location of the components of the modular conveyor system to the computer system.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer system is preprogrammed with a location of each of the components of the modular conveyor system and is configured to determine association information for the conveyor module based on the location of components of the modular conveyor system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location of each of the components of the modular conveyor system is set on a map in configuration software.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions configured to:

transmit location information of a conveyor module;

transmit identification information of the conveyor module;

receive the location information and the identification information;

associate the conveyor module with a modular conveyor system, wherein a wireless communications point is configured to transmit and receive the location information and the identification information, wherein the modular conveyor system comprises a first controller and a second controller, and wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the modular conveyor system in a first communications zone, and the second controller is configured to communicate with the modular conveyor system in a second communications zone.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, comprising instructions configured to wirelessly control the conveyor motor.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, comprising instructions configured to wirelessly receive sensor measurements from the conveyor module.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the wireless communications point comprises a mote.