Apparatus and method for improving the communication of modular conveyor systems

A method for controlling a conveyor system comprising a plurality of individual conveyor modules, wherein an individual conveyor module comprises at least one conveyor device, at least one actuator for driving the at least one conveyor device, and an integrated control unit, the method, comprising:

• exchanging information with a management system that includes logic of a material flow to be conveyed;
• providing a first communication level between the individual conveyor modules for configuring the conveyor system with a communication protocol which is not real-time-capable;
• performing, using the first communication level, a self-configuration process where each conveyor module determines its own conveyor module identifier based on information received from a neighboring conveyor module;
• providing a second communication level between the individual conveyor modules, which is provided for controlling the at least one conveyor device, wherein the second communication level is real-time capable, wherein the first communication level is used for recognizing a topology of the conveyor system, and wherein the second communication level is configured based on the topology of the conveyor system as recognized by the first communication level;
• and
• controlling, using the second communication level, the individual conveyor modules based on the conveyor module identifiers.