Sight-line non contact coupled wireless technology
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJerry L. Penick, Gregg M. Sichner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Control systems and methods are disclosed for controlling operation of movable systems in an automated process with a stationary system having a first control system component and at least one movable system having a second control system component, in which optical or other non-contacting signaling between the stationary and movable systems is used to ascertain whether a movable system is proximate the stationary system, and wireless communications is used to transfer control data between the systems while the non-contacting signal link is maintained.
Claims20
A control system for controlling operation of a movable system, the control system comprising:
- a wireless communications component associated with a stationary system;
- a non-contacting signaling component associated with the stationary system and operative to transmit or receive a signal in a signal path proximate the stationary system;
- and
- a control system component associated with the stationary system and operatively coupled with the non-contacting signaling component and with the wireless communications component, the control system component using the non-contacting signaling system to verify whether a movable system is proximate the stationary system and using the wireless communications component to communicate with a second control system component associated with a particular movable system while the particular movable system is proximate the stationary system.
A movable system for performing at least one controlled operation while proximate a stationary system, comprising:
- a wireless communications component;
- a non-contacting signaling component associated with the movable system and operative to transmit or receive a signal in a signal path proximate a particular stationary system while the movable system is proximate the particular stationary system;
- and
- a control system component associated with the movable system and operatively coupled with the non-contacting signaling component and with the wireless communications component, the control system component using the non-contacting signaling system to verify whether the movable system is proximate the particular stationary system and using the wireless communications component to communicate with a second control system component associated with the particular stationary system while the movable system is proximate the particular stationary system.
In an automated system having at least one stationary system with a first control system component and at least one movable system having a second control system component, a method for controlling at least one operation of the movable system while proximate the stationary system, the method comprising:
- determining whether the movable system is currently proximate the stationary system using non-contacting signaling apparatus on the stationary and movable systems;
- transferring control information between the stationary and movable systems by wireless communications while the movable system is determined to be proximate the stationary system;
- and
- discontinuing transfer of control information between the stationary and movable systems when the movable system is determined to be no longer proximate the stationary system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.