Conveyor controllers

• US 8,757,363 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insight Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Insight Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Combs, Charles R., Barnes, Timothy A., Sellers, David W., Knapke, James P., Petrov, Dimitar I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Ramya
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSHIN, LESTER III
• Application Number:
  US13/103,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 700/228, 700/230, 700/358, 700/577, 198/781.05, 198/781.1, 198/783, 198/788, 198/575, 198/349, 198/341.01
• US Class Current: 198/781.01
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 13/02 having driven rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/08 with self-contained driving mechanisms, e.g. motors and associated gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/10 Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25081 Clone, copy configuration from first device, in teach mode, to second identical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Various methods, apparatuses, and program products that are used to control at least a portion of a conveyor, determine information about an article conveyed by the conveyor, or otherwise operate a conveyor are provided. One method includes detecting whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the first conveyor controller and, in response to detecting that there is a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller, identifying whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined network interface of the first conveyor controller. The method further includes configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate a motorized roller in a first predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface and configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate the motorized roller in a second predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor with a first conveyor controller including first and second network interfaces, the method comprising:

detecting with the first conveyor controller whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the first conveyor controller;

in response to detecting that there is a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller, identifying with the first conveyor controller whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined one of the first and second network interfaces of the first conveyor controller;

if a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, the first conveyor controller configuring itself to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor in a downstream direction by rotating a motorized roller in a first predetermined direction; and

if a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, the first conveyor controller configuring itself to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor in the downstream direction by rotating the motorized roller in a second predetermined direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting, that there is not a third conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller, the first convey or controller determining that the first conveyor controller is an initial conveyor controller of a linear conveyor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conveyor controller detects whether there is a second conveyor controller connected thereto in response to user interaction to initiate an automatic configuration procedure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conveyor controller detects whether there is a second conveyor controller connected thereto in response to receiving a command to initiate an automatic configuration procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, the first conveyor controller setting a flag to indicate the second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, the first conveyor controller clearing a flag to indicate that the second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a configuration message from the first conveyor controller to the second conveyor controller, the configuration message including configuration data associated with the first conveyor controller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation message in the first conveyor controller from the second conveyor controller indicating that the configuration data was received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the confirmation message is a first confirmation message, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving a second confirmation message in the first conveyor controller from a third conveyor controller, indicating that an error has occurred.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the confirmation message is a first confirmation message, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving a second confirmation message in the first conveyor controller from a third conveyor controller, transmitting an error message from the first conveyor controller to the second conveyor controller indicating that an error has occurred.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the configuration data includes a network address for the first conveyor controller.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving and storing configuration data associated with the second conveyor controller in the first conveyor controller.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a photo-eye sensor connected to the first conveyor controller with the first conveyor controller, including whether the photo-eye sensor is light-operated or dark-operated;

detecting the motorized roller connected to the first conveyor controller with the first conveyor controller, including information about the motorized roller; and

the first conveyor controller automatically configuring itself for at least one of a speed to operate the motorized roller, a rate at which to accelerate the motorized roller, or a rate at which to decelerate the motorized roller.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the photo-eye sensor includes:

querying the photo-eye sensor to determine whether it is light-operated or dark-operated.

15. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor, the method comprising:

in response to receiving first configuration data from a first conveyor controller at a second conveyor controller, detecting with the second conveyor controller whether a third conveyor controller is connected to the second conveyor controller;

if the second conveyor controller detects that a third conveyor controller is connected to the second conveyor controller, the second conveyor controller transmitting a configuration message to the third conveyor controller that includes second configuration data associated with the second conveyor controller; and

if the second conveyor controller detects that a third conveyor controller is not connected to the second conveyor controller, the second conveyor controller determining that the second conveyor controller is a final conveyor controller of a linear conveyor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining with the second conveyor controller a network address for the second conveyor controller based on the first configuration data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining with one of the first or the second conveyor controllers a first network address for the first conveyor controller from the first configuration data;

incrementing the first network address with one of the first or the second conveyor controllers to generate a second network address; and

assigning the second network address to the second conveyor controller.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

including the second network address in the second configuration data.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to receiving the first configuration data, the second conveyor controller transmitting a confirmation message to the first conveyor controller indicating that the first configuration data was received.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving in the second conveyor controller a confirmation message from the third conveyor controller indicating that the second configuration data was received.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the confirmation message is a first confirmation message, the method further composing:

in response to receiving a second confirmation message from a fourth conveyor controller, the second conveyor controller indicating that an error has occurred.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the confirmation message is a first confirmation message, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving a second confirmation message from a fourth conveyor controller, the second conveyor controller transmitting an error message to the first conveyor controller indicating that an error has occurred.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving and storing the first configuration data in the second conveyor controller; and

sending the second configuration data from the second conveyor controller to the first conveyor controller.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

if a third conveyor controller is connected to the second conveyor controller, receiving and storing third configuration data inn the second conveyor controller, the third configuration data being associated with the third conveyor controller.

25. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor with a first conveyor controller, the method comprising:

receiving and goring configuration data in the first conveyor controller, the configuration data being associated with a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller; and

in response to receiving a first request for data in the first conveyor controller from a third conveyor controller intended to replace the second conveyor controller, transmitting the configuration data from the first conveyor controller to the third conveyor controller.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

in response to receiving a second request for data in the first conveyor controller from the third conveyor controller, transmitting a network address associated with the first conveyor controller from the first conveyor controller to the third conveyor controller.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

in response to receiving a second request for a network address for each conveyor controller connected in a network with a fourth conveyor controller, transmitting a network address associated with the first conveyor controller from the first conveyor controller to the fourth conveyor controller.

28. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor, the method comprising:

in response to user input to a first conveyor controller to automatically configure the first conveyor controller, the first conveyor controller requesting configuration data from a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller; and

in response to receiving the configuration data in the first conveyor controller, storing the configuration data in the first conveyor controller.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first conveyor controller includes a first network interface and a second network interface, the second conveyor controller is connected to the first network interface, and a third conveyor controller is connected to the second network interface.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

in response to the user input to the first conveyor controller to automatically configure, the first conveyor controller, broadcasting from the first conveyor controller is request for a network address for each conveyor controller connected in a network with the first conveyor controller.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving in the first conveyer controller a plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of conveyor controllers connected in the network to the first conveyor controller; and

determining with the first conveyor controller a first network address to assign to the first conveyor controller based on the plurality of network addresses.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

in response to the user input to the first conveyor controller to automatically configure the first conveyor controller, transmitting from the first conveyor controller to the second conveyor controller a request for a second network address associated with the second conveyor controller; and

generating with one of the first or the second conveyor controllers a list of potential network addresses for the first conveyor controller based on at least the second network address.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

broadcasting from the first conveyor controller a request for a network address for each conveyor controller connected in a network with the first conveyor controller; and

selecting a first network address with the first, conveyor controller from the list of potential network addresses so that the first network address does not match any other network address for another conveyor controller connected in the network with the first conveyor controller.

34. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor, the method comprising:

monitoring a stationary motorized roller with a first conveyor controller for at least partial rotation of the motorized roller;

in response to detecting the at least partial rotation of the previously stationary motorized determining with the first conveyor controller is length of time during which the at least partial rotation has been detected;

in response to the length of time exceeding a first target time, activating the motorized roller with the first conveyor controller.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein activating the motorized roller includes:

supplying a voltage signal to the motorized roller.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

transmitting a message from the motorized roller to the first conveyor controller indicating that the motorized roller has been activated.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

deactivating the motorized roller with the first conveyor controller after a second target period of time.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

deactivating, the motorized roller with the first conveyor controller after a second target period of time during which an article is not detected on the conveyor.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

in response to receiving a message in the first conveyor controller from a second conveyor controller downstream of the first conveyor controller indicating that there is jam, deactivating the motorized roller with the first conveyor controller.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein deactivating the motorized roller includes:

gradually reducing a rate of rotation of the motorized roller.

41. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

deactivating the motorized roller with the first conveyor controller by gradually reducing a rate of rotation of the motorized roller.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein activating the motorized roller includes:

gradually increasing a rate of rotation of the motorized roller.

43. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor with a conveyor controller, the method comprising:

querying a motorized roller with the conveyor controller for data identifying a non transitory characteristic of the motorized roller;

in response to receiving the data in the conveyor controller, analyzing the data to determine the non-transitory characteristic of the motorized roller; and

controlling the motorized roller with the conveyor controller based at least in part upon the determined non-transitory characteristic.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the non-transitory characteristic is a gear ratio of a gear box of the motorized roller, the method further comprising:

with the conveyor controller and based on the gear ratio, a distance the motorized roller rotates in response to a voltage signal.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the voltage signal is a momentary voltage.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the non-transitory characteristic indicates a power rating of the motorized roller, the method further comprising:

determining, with the conveyor controller and based on the power rating, a current threshold associated with the motorized roller that indicates a level of current above which the motorized roller should not be operated.

47. A method of determining information about an article being conveyed upon at least a portion of a conveyor, the method comprising:

sensing, with a conveyor controller, a current of a signal used to operate a motorized roller;

if the current signal is above is low current level, determining that the at least a portion of the conveyor is conveying the article; and

in response to determining the article is being conveyed by the at least a portion of the conveyor, determining a length of the article based on an operation of the motorized roller at the current signal above the low current level.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

determining, with the conveyor controller, a number of rotations during which the signal used to operate the motorized roller is above the low current level, wherein the length of the article is determined based upon the determined number of rotations.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

determining, with the conveyor controller, a time during which the signal used to operate the motorized roller is above the low current level, wherein the length of the article with the conveyor controller based upon the determined time.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein determining the length of the article is further based upon the speed of the motorized roller.

51. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor with a conveyor controller, the method comprising:

determining, with the conveyor controller, a rate of rotation associated with a motorized roller;

if the rate of rotation of the motorized roller does not exceed a target speed, the conveyor controller connecting a first voltage signal generated by the rotation of the motorized roller to a power supply of the conveyor controller to supply the power supply with energy generated by the motorized roller to reduce the overall load on the power supply; and

if the rotation of the motorized roller exceeds the target speed, the conveyor controller causing a second voltage signal to be supplied to the motorized roller to reduce the motorized roller'"'"'s rate of rotation.

52. A method of controlling at least a portion of a conveyor with a conveyor controller, die method comprising:

determining with the conveyor controller whether a current through a motorized roller is associated with a low level to indicate that the motorized roller is conveying a first article;

in response to determining that the motorized roller is conveying the first article, determining with the conveyor controller whether the current through the motorized roller is associated with a high level to indicate that the first article has jammed or encountered a second article; and

in response to determining that the first article has jammed or encountered a second article, controlling the at least a portion of the conveyor with the conveyor controller to convey the first and second articles simultaneously and without substantial gap there between during such conveyance.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

supplying a volume signal to the motorized roller; and

deactivating the motorized roller with the conveyor controller after a target period of time during which a current level of the voltage signal has not reached a low target level and a high target level.

54. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

supplying a voltage signal to the motorized roller; and

deactivating the motorized roller with the conveyor controller after a target period of time during which a current level of the voltage signal has reached a low target level.

55. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

supplying a voltage signal to the motorized roller; and

deactivating the motorized roller with the conveyor controller when a current level of the voltage signal has reached a high target level.