Load-dependent routing in material flow systems
OwnerGeorg Baier, Konstantin Keutnerinventors
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Abstract
In a method for determining the route of transport units, especially in material flow systems (e.g. luggage conveyor systems in airports), a prognosis is established as to how many transport units arrive at each module (e.g. points, conveyor track) within a window of time, an evaluation function is defined based on the prognosis for each module, an edge weight is allocated to each module according to its load predicted in the window of time, and a route is determined for each transported unit (e.g. piece of luggage) in a temporally successive manner. The method enables an automation of the fine adjustment (tuning) of an installation according to the current and expected load situation.
Claims20
A method for determining the route of transported units, particularly in material flow systems, comprising the following steps:
- a) Modeling the material flow system in modules which each represent physical elements of the material flow system, wherein a number of transported units that should reach a module within a specifiable time window is assigned to said module;
- b) Making a prediction of how many transported units arrive at each module within the time window;
- c) Creating an evaluation function based on the prediction for each module, wherein an edge weight is assigned to each module, depending on the predicted load thereof within the time window;
- and wherein
- d) For each transported unit, sequentially, a route is determined, wherein the route is the shortest possible path, based on the edge weight of the module.
A method for determining routes of transported units comprising the following steps:
- a) Modeling the material flow system in modules, each of which represents physical elements of the material flow system, wherein a time-dependent routing table is assigned to a module, wherein, for each destination point of a transported unit, the routing table contains the next module on the route to the destination, or the information that the destination point cannot be reached;
- and
- b) Updating the routing tables.
A material flow system for determining the route of transported units comprising:
- modules modeling the material flow system, wherein the modules each represent physical elements of the material flow system, wherein a number of transported units that should reach a module within a specifiable time window is assigned to said module;
- means for predicting of how many transported units arrive at each module within the time window;
- means for creating an evaluation function based on the prediction for each module, wherein an edge weight is assigned to each module, depending on the predicted load thereof within the time window;
- and
- means for determining for each transported unit, sequentially, a route, wherein the route is the shortest possible path, based on the edge weight of the module.
A material flow system for determining routes of transported units comprising:
- modules modeling the material flow system, each of which represents physical elements of the material flow system, wherein the system is configured ti assign a time-dependent routing table to a module, wherein, for each destination point of a transported unit, the routing table contains the next module on the route to the destination, or the information that the destination point cannot be reached;
- and
- means for updating the routing tables.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.