Facility sensory system for monitoring, guiding, and protecting flexible modular platforms moving through an assembly line

A facility-based sensory system for manufacture of modular vehicle subassemblies (MVSs), the system comprising:

• a plurality of facility-based sensors assigned to a plurality of assembly zones such that each of the plurality of assembly zones has at least one of the plurality of facility-based sensors assigned thereto, wherein the plurality of facility-based sensors is configured to detect proximity data or vision data associated with an MVS moving through a transition zone disposed between a first assembly zone and a second assembly zone;
• a plurality of zone controllers assigned to the plurality of assembly zones such that each of the plurality of assembly zones has at least one of the plurality of zone controllers assigned thereto, wherein each of the plurality of facility-based sensors assigned to a given assembly zone is configured to be in communication with and transmit the proximity data or the vision data to at least one of the plurality of zone controllers assigned to the given assembly zone;
• and
• a plurality of transient data sensors and an onboard controller configured to be attached to the MVS, wherein each of the plurality of transient data sensors is configured to transmit transient signals from the MVS to the onboard controller, and the onboard controller establishes a communication link with a first zone controller of the plurality of zone controllers in response to being located at a predefined distance from a zonal boundary associated with the second assembly zone based on the proximity data or the vision data received from one or more sensors of the plurality of facility-based sensors configured as proximity sensors and positioned in the transition zone, and wherein the onboard controller terminates a communication link with a second zone controller of the plurality of zone controllers in response to the establishment of the communication link with the second assembly zone, and further wherein the first zone controller is associated with the second assembly zone and the second zone controller is associated with the first assembly zone, and wherein the onboard controller is configured to receive the transient signals and transmit transient data to the first zone controller or the second zone controller such that manufacturing information on the MVS moving through the plurality of assembly zones is detected and transmitted.

A facility-based sensory system for manufacture of modular vehicle subassemblies (MVSs), the system comprising:

• a plurality of facility-based sensors assigned to a plurality of assembly zones such that each of the plurality of assembly zones has at least one of the plurality of facility-based sensors assigned thereto, wherein the plurality of facility-based sensors is configured to detect proximity data or vision data associated with an MVS moving through a transition zone disposed between a first assembly zone and a second assembly zone;
• a plurality of zone controllers assigned to the plurality of assembly zones such that each of the plurality of assembly zones has at least one of the plurality of zone controllers assigned thereto, wherein each of the plurality of facility-based sensors assigned to a given assembly zone is configured to be in communication with and transmit the proximity data or the vision data to at least one of the plurality of zone controllers assigned to the given assembly zone;
• a plurality of transient data sensors and an onboard controller configured to be attached to an MVS, wherein each of the plurality of transient data sensors is configured to transmit transient signals from the MVS to the onboard controller, and the onboard controller establishes a communication link with a first zone controller of the plurality of zone controllers in response to being located at a predefined distance from a zonal boundary associated with the second assembly zone based on the proximity data or the vision data received from one or more sensors of the plurality of facility-based sensors configured as proximity sensors and positioned in the transition zone, and wherein the onboard controller terminates a communication link with a second zone controller of the plurality of zone controllers in response to the establishment of the communication link with the second assembly zone, and further wherein the first zone controller is associated with the second assembly zone and the second zone controller is associated with the first assembly zone, and wherein the onboard controller is configured to receive the transient signals and transmit transient data to the first zone controller or the second zone controller such that manufacturing information on the MVS moving through the plurality of assembly zones is detected and transmitted;
• and
• a central management system configured to receive data from the plurality of zone controllers and transmit at least one MVS command to each of the plurality of zone controllers, wherein the at least one MVS command is a response to the data received from the plurality of zone controllers, and the plurality of zone controllers are each configured to transmit the at least one MVS command to the onboard controller of the MVS moving through one of the plurality of assembly zones.