Controlled architecture for transport systems
AssigneeRockwell Automation Limited
InventorsGlen C. Wernersbach, Keith G. Jacobs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Control architecture for use with transport systems, such as linear drive systems, rotary drive systems, or a combination thereof, comprising a computer system having a controller for operating control system software for receiving input commands and protocols for creating a motion profile for each transport element, and a gateway for receiving the motion profile from the control system software and for operating gateway drive software that functions to select the appropriate drives to move each transport element along one or more tracks in accordance with their motion profiles.
Claims19
A system comprising:
- a linear motor transport system comprising a linear motor track and a plurality of linear motor movers disposed and movable along the track;
- a rotary drive system;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system and configured to receive motion profiles for each linear motor mover and for the rotary drive system as independent control axes, and to select and apply control signals to the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system to control components of the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system as independent control axes;
- wherein the control circuitry comprises a gateway that in operation executes gateway drive software to drive the linear motor transport system and the rotary drive system.
A system comprising:
- a linear motor transport system comprising a linear motor track and a plurality of linear motor movers disposed and movable along the track;
- a rotary drive system;
- an operator workstation for inputting information and/or instructions for motion profiles for components of the linear motor transport system and the rotary drive system;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system and configured to the receive motion profiles as independent control axes, and to select and apply control signals to the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system to control components of the linear motor transport system and to the rotary drive system as independent control axes;
- wherein the control circuitry comprises a gateway that in operation executes gateway drive software to drive the linear motor transport system and the rotary drive system.
A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- accessing motion profiles for a plurality of linear motor movers of a linear motor transport system and for a rotary drive system as independent control axes;
- and
- generating control signals for the linear motor transport system and for a rotary drive system as independent control axes in accordance with the motion profiles;
- wherein the control signals are generated by control circuitry comprising a gateway that in operation executes gateway drive software to drive the linear motor transport system and the rotary drive system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.