US 10,432,117 B1Granted

System and method for monitoring mover status in an independent cart system

AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.

InventorsYuhong Huang, Oliver C. Haya, Neil R. Bentley, Robert H. Schmidt, Eric J. Wildi

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Abstract

An improved system and method for monitoring operation of movers in an independent cart system reduces the required communication bandwidth for monitoring operation of movers in a system where control is distributed among multiple controllers spaced along the track. As the mover is travelling along the track segment, each distributed controller monitors at least one operating characteristic of the mover. As a mover travels along the track, each distributed controller transmits the operating characteristic to a successive distributed controller, such the monitored operating characteristic is transmitted along the track as the mover travels along the track. At a reduced rate or upon request from a central controller, each distributed controller may transmit the status of a mover present on the corresponding track segment controlled by that distributed controller to the central controller.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A linear drive system comprising:

a plurality of movers;
a track including a plurality of track segments, wherein each track segment includes:
a plurality of coils positioned along a length of the track segment, and
a segment controller, wherein each segment controller further includes:
a communication interface operative to communicate with at least one other segment controller located in an adjacent track segment,
at least one position sensor operative to generate a position feedback signal corresponding to a presence of one of the plurality of movers along the length of the track segment,
a processor operative to:
receive a motion command,
control operation of each of the plurality of coils to drive at least one of the plurality of movers along the track segment responsive to the motion command,
determine an operating characteristic of the at least one mover driven along the track segment, wherein the operating characteristic is selected from one of a length of travel and a power loss for the at least one mover driven along the track segment,
generate a data packet corresponding to the at least one mover, wherein the data packet includes the operating characteristic, and
transfer the data packet to the at least one other segment controller in the adjacent track segment via the communication interface when the mover is driven from the track segment to the adjacent track segment.

9 more elements

A linear drive system comprising:

a plurality of movers;
a track including a plurality of track segments, wherein each track segment includes:
a plurality of coils positioned along a length of the track segment, wherein energization of the plurality of coils is sequenced to drive the plurality of movers along a length of the track segment, and
at least one sensor operative to generate a feedback signal corresponding to a presence of one of the plurality of movers along the length of the track segment;
and
a controller operative to:
receive a motion command for each of the plurality of movers,
control energization of the plurality of coils to drive each of the movers along the track segment responsive to the motion command,
execute at a periodic interval to generate a plurality of current commands for the plurality of coils, wherein each of the plurality of current commands corresponds to one of the plurality of movers,
determine a total magnitude of current present during one periodic interval in each of the plurality of coils energized to drive one of the plurality of movers responsive to one of the plurality of current commands, and
determine a power loss for each of the plurality of movers as a function of the total magnitude of current in each of the plurality of coils energized to drive the mover.

8 more elements

A method for monitoring operation of each mover in a linear drive system, wherein the linear drive system includes a plurality of movers and a track having a plurality of track segments, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a motion command at a segment controller for one of the plurality of track segments;
controlling operation of a plurality of coils spaced along a length of the track segment with the segment controller to drive at least one of the plurality of movers along the track segment responsive to the motion command;
determining an operating characteristic of the at least one mover driven along the track segment, wherein the operating characteristic is selected from one of a length of travel and a power loss for the at least one mover driven along the track segment,
generating a data packet corresponding to the at least one mover, wherein the data packet includes the operating characteristic, and
transferring the data packet to at least one other segment controller in an adjacent track segment when the mover is driven from the track segment to the adjacent track segment.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.