# US 12,275,599 B2 · Conveyor system, cause information report device, and computer-readable recording medium recording program for cause information report device

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- Number: US 12,275,599 B2
- Document ID: US12275599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/492,703
- Filed: 2021-10-04
- Published: 2022-01-27
- Granted: 2025-04-15
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-05
- Assignees: Itoh Denki Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Itoh Denki Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kazuo Itoh; Toshiyuki Tachibana; Tomoya Matoba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12275599B2

## CPC

- B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)}
- B65G 43/10: Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination
- B65G 47/54: at least one of which is a roller-way
- G05B 19/4189: {characterised by the transport system}
- G05B 23/0272: {Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user}
- H02P 29/024: Detecting a fault condition, e.g. short circuit, locked rotor, open circuit or loss of load
- B65G 2203/042: Sensors
- G05B 2219/2621: Conveyor, transfert line
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS

## Abstract

Conveyer device including a local controller provided in each zone for controlling a transport operation of the zone, and host controller that reports information relating to a cause of non-transport are included. Host controller includes mouse and the like for receiving, from a user, a selection instruction through which one of a plurality of zones is selected, and report processor that obtains, as clue information, information relating to a phenomenon that can be the cause of the non-transport of a conveyed object, from local controller of the target zone, and reports cause information corresponding to information relating to the cause based on the clue information, when the clue information satisfies a determination condition previously set.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveyer system comprising:
a conveyer device that includes a plurality of zones in a transport direction along which a conveyed object is transported, and a local controller provided in each of the zones for controlling a transport operation of the zone; and
a cause information report device that reports information relating to a cause of non-transport in at least one of the plurality of zones, wherein
the cause information report device include:
a selection instruction receiving unit that receives, from a user, a selection instruction for selecting one of the plurality of zones; and
a report processor that obtains, from the local controller of a target zone that is a zone selected in accordance with the selection instruction, information relating to a phenomenon that is a possible cause included in the cause of the non-transport of the conveyed object in the target zone as clue information, and reports, when the clue information satisfies a determination condition previously set, cause information that is the information relating to the cause based on the clue information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the plurality of zones include a plurality of types of the zones, which are different from one another,
the local controller includes:
a program storage for storing a program corresponding to a type, which is included in the types, of own zone to which the local controller belongs; and
a controller that executes the program stored in the program storage to control the transport operation of the own zone,
the report processor:
(a1) obtains, as the clue information, a type of the target zone and program identification information for identifying a program stored in a program storage of the target zone,
(a2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which correspondence between the type of the target zone obtained in (a1) and the program identified by the program identification information obtained in (a1) is inconsistent, and
(a3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the program stored in the program storage of the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (a2).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the local controller includes:
a local communication unit provided with an address for identifying the local controller itself, and
a local communication setting storage that stores local address information indicating an address provided to a local communication unit of another zone adjacent to own zone to which the local controller belongs,
the local communication unit is communicable with a local communication unit of other zones included in the plurality of the zones based on the address indicated by the local address information
the cause information report device includes
a constitution information storage that stores layout information indicating layout of the zones and the addresses provided to the respective zones,
the report processor:
(b1) obtains, as the clue information, the local address information stored in the local communication setting storage of the target zone and the layout information and the address of the zone, which are stored in the constitution information storage,
(b2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the local address information obtained in (b1) is not matched with the layout information and the address of the zone, which are stored in the constitution information storage, and
(b3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the local address information of the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (b2).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The conveyer system according to claim 3, wherein
the cause information report device
(b4) includes an automatic corrector that generates new local address information for the target zone based on the layout information and the address of the zone which are stored in the constitution information storage, when the determination condition is satisfied in (b2), to allow the new local address information to be stored in the local communication setting storage of the target zone as new local address information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the local controller is communicable with a local controller of another zone adjacent to own zone to which the local controller belongs,
the report processor:
(c1) obtains, as the clue information, information indicating whether the local controller of the target zone performs normal communication with the local controller of the other zone adjacent to the target zone,
(c2) performing determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the clue information obtained in (c1) indicates that the normal communication is not performed,
(c3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to communication of the local controller of the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (c2).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
each of the zones is provided with:
a motor that generates a driving force for the transport operation in the zone to which the motor belongs;
a plurality of connectors for connecting the motor;
a motor connection detector that detects presence/absence of connection of the motor to each of the connectors; and
a motor connection information storage that previously stores motor connection information indicating whether the motor is to be connected to the connector,
the report processor:
(d1) obtains, as the clue information, a result of detection by the motor connection detector of the target zone and the motor connection information stored in the motor connection information storage of the target zone,
(d2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the motor connection information obtained in (d1) indicates that the motor should not be connected to a connector for which the result of the detection obtained in (d1) indicates presence of connection by the motor,
(d3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the motor connection information for the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (d2).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the local controller includes:
a timer value storage that stores a timer value used for controlling the transport operation,
the cause information report device includes
an initial value storage that previously stores an initial timer value that is an initial value of the timer value to be stored in the timer value storage of the local controller,
the report processor:
(e1) obtains, as the clue information, the timer value stored in the timer value storage of the target zone and the initial timer value stored in the initial value storage,
(e2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the timer value of the target zone, which is obtained in (e1), and the initial timer value are not matched,
(e3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the timer value of the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (e2).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The conveyer system according to claim 7, wherein
the cause information report device
(e4) includes an automatic corrector that allows the initial timer value stored in the initial value storage to be stored in the timer value storage of the target zone, as a new timer value, when the determination condition is satisfied in (e2).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the plurality of zones include a forward zone that allows the conveyed object to move straight, and a direction changing zone that allows the transport direction of the conveyed object to be changeable in a plurality of directions,
at least a local controller of the direction changing zone includes, at an inlet and an outlet for the conveyed object in own zone to which the local controller belongs, a direction setting information storage that stores direction setting information for setting whether the transport operation is performed,
the cause information report device includes a layout information storage that stores layout information indicating layout of each of the zones,
the report processor:
(f1) obtains, as the clue information, the direction setting information stored in the direction setting information storage of the target zone and the layout information stored in the layout information storage,
(f2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the direction setting information and the layout information which are obtained in (f1) are not matched, and
(f3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the direction setting information for the target zone, when the determination condition is satisfied in (f2).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The conveyer system according to claim 9, wherein
the cause information report device
(f4) generates new direction setting information for the target zone based on the layout information stored in the layout information storage, when the determination condition is satisfied in (f2), to allow the new direction setting information to be stored in the local communication setting storage of the target zone as new direction setting information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the local controller of each of the zones includes:
a state storage that stores permission information indicating presence/absence of carry-in permission of the conveyed object to another zone adjacent to own zone to which the local controller belongs at a downstream side in a transport direction, the carry-in permission being transmitted from the other zone,
the report processor:
(g1) obtains, as the clue information, the permission information stored in the state storage of the target zone,
(g2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the permission information obtained in (g1) indicates absence of the permission,
(g3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the permission information, when the determination condition is satisfied in (g2).

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the local controller of each of the zones includes:
a state storage that stores request information indicating presence/absence of carry-out request of the conveyed object from another zone adjacent to own zone to which the local controller belongs at an upstream side in the transport direction, the carry-out request being transmitted from the other zone,
the report processor:
(h1) obtains, as the clue information, the request information stored in the state storage of the target zone,
(h2) performs determination on a determination condition included in the determination condition previously set, in which the request information obtained in (h1) indicates absence of the carry-out request,
(h3) reports, as the cause information, information relating to the request information, when the determination condition is satisfied in (h2).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The conveyer system according to claim 1, wherein
the cause information report device includes an analysis history storage that associates the clue information obtained by the report processor with the determination result of the determination condition based on the clue information, and cumulatively stores the associated information.

### Claim 14

A cause information report device that reports information relating to a cause of non-transport in at least one of a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones being included in a conveyer device in a transport direction along which a conveyed object is transported, the conveyer device further including a local controller provided in each of the zones for controlling the transport operation of the zone;
the cause information report device comprising:
a selection instruction receiving unit that receives, from a user, a selection instruction for selecting one of the plurality of zones; and
a report processor that obtains, from the local controller of a target zone that is a zone selected by the selection instruction, information relating to a phenomenon that is a possible cause included in the cause of the non-transport of the conveyed object in the target zone as clue information, and reports, when the clue information satisfies a determination condition previously set, cause information that is the information relating to the cause based on the clue information.

### Claim 15

A computer readable recording medium that records a program for a cause information report device that reports information relating to a cause of non-transport in at least one of a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones being included in a conveyer device in a transport direction along which a conveyed object is transported, the conveyer device further including a local controller provided in each of the zones for controlling the transport operation of the zone;
the program causing a computer to function as:
a selection instruction receiving unit that receives, from a user, a selection instruction for selecting one of the plurality of zones; and
a report processor that obtains, from the local controller of a target zone that is a zone selected by the selection instruction, information relating to a phenomenon that is a possible cause included in the cause of the non-transport of the conveyed object in the target zone as clue information, and reports, when the clue information satisfies a determination condition previously set, cause information that is the information relating to the cause based on the clue information.