# US 12,223,459 B2 · Method for determining a financial amount for a logistical performance in a production system, and production system comprising a vehicle for carrying out the method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,223,459 B2 - Document ID: US12223459B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/095,446 - Filed: 2017-03-28 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-22 - Assignees: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Johann Soder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223459B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - G01G 19/08: for incorporation in vehicles - G01G 19/086: {wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated} - G06Q 10/06395: {Quality analysis or management} - G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing - Y02P 90/30: Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract In a method for determining a financial amount for a logistical performance in a production system, and a production system having a vehicle for carrying out the method, an item of order information, in particular an item of driving-order information, is transmitted to a vehicle in the production system; the vehicle approaches the workstations in sequence, and an individual production-method step is performed at the respective workstation on the component transported by the vehicle in each case; the logistical performance is detected in the process, in particular the number of approached workstations, the traveled distance, and/or the number of components transported by the vehicle; and the detected logistical performance is transmitted via an Internet connection to a server, which is located at a position that is geographically at a distance from the production system. The server uses the detected logistical performance to determine a value, in particular a financial value, taking into account the number, type and/or position of the workstations of the production system and/or the driving distances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: transmitting an item of order information to a vehicle of a production system, the vehicle including a secondary winding, a position-determination system, a force sensor, and a torque sensor, the force sensor adapted to detect a mass of a component accommodated and transported by the vehicle, the force sensor being arranged between an accommodation device of the vehicle and the rest of the vehicle, the accommodation device adapted to accommodate the component, the torque sensor adapted to detecting torque of a drive of the vehicle, the torque sensor being in operative connection with the force sensor, the production system includes a primary conductor installed in a floor of the production system and along a travel path of the vehicle, the primary conductor inductively coupled with the secondary winding and inductively supplying electrical energy to the vehicle; transporting the vehicle and the component that is accommodated in the accommodation device to workstations of the production system in sequence according to the order information, the vehicle traveling a distance during the transporting; performing a respective production-method step at a corresponding workstation on the component that is accommodated and transported by the vehicle; detecting a value of the mass of the component accommodated and transported by the vehicle by the force sensor detecting the mass of the component or based on the torque sensor detecting the torque of the drive of the vehicle; determining a logistical performance from the detected value and as a function of a product of the value of the mass of the component and a value of the distance traveled by the vehicle during the transporting; transmitting the determined logistical performance via an Internet connection to a server; and determining, by the server, a value based on the determined logistical performance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the item of order information includes an item of driving order information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the server is arranged at a position that is geographically located at a distance from the production system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the value determined by the server includes a financial value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the value determined by the server is determined in accordance with a number, a type, and/or a position of the workstations of the production system and/or driving paths of the vehicle of the production system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, if the production system is changed and/or expanded, corresponding information relating to a changed and/or expanded number, type and/or position of the workstations of the production system and/or the driving paths is transmitted to the server, the server determining the value based on the corresponding information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein electrical energy inductively transmitted to the vehicle is determined and taken into account at least as a part of the logistical performance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the value of the distance traveled by the vehicle during the transporting is determined from a time characteristic of detected position values of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the production system is adapted to perform the method. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary conductor inductively supplies electrical energy to the vehicle to charge an energy storage device of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein electrical energy is supplied to a drive of the vehicle, a controller of the vehicle, and/or a drive of a robot arm of the vehicle from an energy storage device of the vehicle during a time that the vehicle is outside of a space region the primary conductor, and the primary conductor inductively supplies electrical energy to the vehicle to charge the energy storage device of the vehicle at a time that the vehicle is inside of the space region of the primary conductor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the primary conductor inductively supplies electrical energy to the vehicle to charge an energy storage device of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein electrical energy is supplied to a drive of the vehicle, a controller of the vehicle, and/or a drive of a robot arm of the vehicle from an energy storage device of the vehicle during a time that the vehicle is outside of a space region the primary conductor, and the primary conductor inductively supplies electrical energy to the vehicle to charge the energy storage device of the vehicle at a time that the vehicle is inside of the space region of the primary conductor. ### Claim 14 A production system, comprising: a vehicle including: a secondary winding; a position-determination system; a force sensor adapted to detect a mass of a component accommodated and transported by the vehicle, the force sensor being arranged between an accommodation device of the vehicle and the rest of the vehicle, the accommodation device adapted to accommodate the component; and a torque sensor adapted to determine torque of a drive of the vehicle, the torque sensor being in operative connection with the force sensor; and a primary conductor installed in a floor of the production system and along a travel path of the vehicle, the primary conductor inductively coupled with the secondary winding an adapted to inductively supply electrical energy to the vehicle; wherein the production system is adapted to perform a method including: transmitting an item of order information to the vehicle of the production system; transporting the vehicle and the component that is accommodated in the accommodation device to workstations of the production system in sequence according to the order information, the vehicle traveling a distance during the transporting; performing a respective production-method step at a corresponding workstation on the component that is accommodated and transported by the vehicle; detecting a value of the mass of the component accommodated and transported by the vehicle by the force sensor detecting the mass of the component or based on the torque sensor detecting the torque of the drive of the vehicle; determining a logistical performance from the detected value and as a function of a product of the value of the mass of the component and a value of the distance traveled by the vehicle during the transporting; transmitting the determined logistical performance via an Internet connection to a server; and determining, by the server, a value based on the determined logistical performance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The production system according to claim 14, wherein the primary conductor is adapted to inductively supply electrical energy to the vehicle to charge an energy storage device of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The production system according to claim 14, wherein an energy storage device of the vehicle is adapted to supply electrical energy to a drive of the vehicle, a controller of the vehicle, and/or a drive of a robot arm of the vehicle during a time that the vehicle is outside of a space region the primary conductor, and the primary conductor is adapted to inductively supply electrical energy to the vehicle to charge the energy storage device of the vehicle at a time that the vehicle is inside of the space region of the primary conductor.