# US 2019/0244309 A1 · Manufacturing control in the metal processing industry > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0244309 A1 - Document ID: US20190244309A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/388,166 - Filed: 2019-04-18 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-21 - Assignees: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG - Inventors: Jens Ottnad; Korbinian Weiss; Benjamin Schwarz; Ulrich Schneider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190244309A1 ## CPC - G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing - B07C 7/005: {Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail} - G05B 19/4183: {characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification} - G05B 19/41865: {characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F 16/387: using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location - G06F 17/40: Data acquisition and logging (for input to computer G06F3/00) - G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling - G06Q 10/0631: Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - B23K 26/38: by boring or cutting - B25J 9/1694: {characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion} - G05B 2219/31372: Mes manufacturing execution system - G05B 2219/39527: Workpiece detector, sensor mounted in, near hand, gripper - G05B 2219/45047: Sorting - Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] - 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 - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An interior localization system for manufacturing control, with multiple, fixedly installed transceivers for determining the position of multiple mobile units, the position being determined in particular by evaluating the runtime of electromagnetic (radio) signals. The interior localization system is used to associate one of the mobile units to a person in an industrial manufacturing plant that processes steel and/or sheet metal, to determine the position of the associated person by localizing the associated mobile unit using the interior localization system and to integrate the interior localization system into a manufacturing control system of the industrial manufacturing plant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling process procedures in the industrial processing of workpieces from steel or sheet metal within a manufacturing hall, the method comprising the steps of: spatially associating a mobile unit with a person by attaching the mobile unit to a body part of the person, the mobile unit being configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals to one or more transceiver units permanently installed in the manufacturing hall; determining, by an interior localization system, a position of the person or the body part of the person to which the mobile unit is attached, by localizing the associated mobile unit based on runtimes of the electromagnetic signals travelling between the transceiver units and the mobile unit; and integrating the determined position of the person or the body part into a manufacturing control system of an industrial manufacturing plant, the industrial manufacturing plant comprising the manufacturing hall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the determined position of the person into the manufacturing control includes a motion analysis of movements of the person detected by the mobile unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the motion analysis determines, from one or more relative orientations and movements of one or both hands of the person provided by mobile units, whether or which workpiece is processed, gripped, transported or placed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit further includes a sensing element comprising at least one of an acceleration sensor, a position sensor, a MEMS-based sensor, and a barometer sensor, and wherein the sensing element is configured to provide data for a motion analysis of the person or the body part of the person for sensors attached to the person or the body part, the method further comprising: integrating a signal from the sensing element into the manufacturing control system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are generated by performing specific gestures with the mobile unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: storing an association between the specific gestures and manufacturing processes in the manufacturing control system, determining a motion trajectory of the mobile unit by evaluating positions of the mobile unit determined by the interior localization system over time, detecting a gesture in a section of the motion trajectory; determining that the gesture is a first gesture of the specific gestures; and performing a process associated with the first gesture based on the association stored in the manufacturing control system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the process is one of booking a removal operation or booking a placing operation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit includes a signal output unit selected from the group consisting of: an optical signal unit, an acoustic signal unit, and a vibration signal unit, and the method further comprises: outputting, by the signal output unit, information to process a workpiece, the information comprising data about a number of workpieces, missing workpieces, a subsequent processing step, an underlying order, a customer, or a desired material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is a first mobile unit, and the method further comprises: associating a second mobile unit with an item that comprises at least one of a workpiece, a transport device, a machine tool, and a tool; determining, by the localization system, a position of the item based on a position of the associated second mobile unit; and integrating the determined position of the item into the control system for manufacturing an end product of the industrial manufacturing plant or into a motion analysis component of the item. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is a first mobile unit, and the method further comprises: associating a second mobile unit with a group of workpieces; performing a workpiece-specific processing of a first workpiece of the group of workpieces by the person, the processing of the workpiece being undetectable via the mobile unit associated with the group; and performing a motion analysis of the person with respect to the processing of the workpiece in order to obtain information about the processing of the first workpiece and an effect of the processing on a material flow of a manufacturing of the group of workpieces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: defining zones or spatial gates within the manufacturing hall; and comparing the determined position of the person or the body part to the zones or to the spatial gates to control a manufacturing of a workpiece that is handled by the person based on the comparison. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein comparing of the determined position to the zones or to the spatial gates results in determining that the mobile unit is located in a zone or has left the zone, or has passed a spatial gate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the determined position into the manufacturing control system comprises: evaluating a motion analysis with regard to a load handled by the person or ergonomics in handling of a workpiece by the person or a qualification of a performance capability of the person in the manufacturing to determine motion information or position information of the person; evaluating the motion information or the position information of the person to: document processing operations and to determine one or more time periods that the person has spent at one or more respective machine tools, control operating parameters of the manufacturing plant, set a person-specific setting of operating parameters of a machine tool, and displayed information setting of safety-relevant operating parameters of robot units, communicate with the manufacturing control system via specifically executed motion trajectories, or digitize motion sequences for programming robot units, wherein the motion information or position information of the person is evaluated at least with regard to access authorization to an area of the manufacturing plant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a head movement or an eye movement of the person with a camera; determining a viewing cone of the person by evaluating the image data of the head or eye movement; and identifying an object present in the viewing cone by the manufacturing control system to incorporate information about the identified object into the manufacturing control of the industrial manufacturing plant to manufacture an end product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the positions of the mobile units are determined with an accuracy of less than 30 cm. ### Claim 16 A manufacturing control system to control manufacturing processes in a manufacturing hall, the system comprising an interior localization system to control process procedures in industrial manufacturing of steel or sheet metal workpieces within the manufacturing hall, the interior localization system comprising: a plurality of transceiver units permanently installed in the manufacturing hall; at least one mobile unit; and an analysis unit, wherein the transceiver units and the at least one mobile unit are configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, wherein the analysis unit is configured to determine runtimes of the electromagnetic signals between the transceiver units and the at least one mobile unit, and determine a position of the at least one mobile unit in the manufacturing hall from the runtimes of the electromagnetic signals, wherein the interior localization system is configured to provide data on the position of at least one mobile unit within the manufacturing hall as part of the manufacturing control system, and wherein the manufacturing control system is configured to associate the obtained position of the at least one mobile unit with at least one person and control a manufacturing process of the workpieces based on respective associations between the at least one person and respective mobile units. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The manufacturing control system of claim 16, further comprising: a display unit that is configured to display the position of the at least one mobile unit in a site plan of the manufacturing hall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The manufacturing control system of claim 16, wherein the interior localization system is configured to monitor a motion trajectory or a part of a motion trajectory associated with a mobile unit or a person causing a motion, and wherein the manufacturing control system is configured to control the manufacturing process by evaluating information regarding the position of the at least one mobile unit in order to integrate location-sensitive information of a surroundings of at least one the person into the manufacturing process and to display the integration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the manufacturing control system is configured to control parameters of the manufacturing process based on gestures detected by the at least one mobile unit, wherein the manufacturing process comprises booking of removal processes or placing processes of a workstation. ### Claim 20 A method of industrially manufacturing an end product using a manufacturing control system, the method comprising: receiving a manufacturing order for manufacturing the end product from a workpiece by a manufacturing execution system (MES) of the manufacturing control system implemented in a data processing device; selecting individual processing steps with the MES; determining a sequence of the processing steps with the MES, the processing steps being selected from the group consisting of: cutting, in particular laser cutting, punching, bending, drilling, thread cutting, grinding, assembling, welding, riveting, screwing, pressing, treating the edges and surfaces, or a combination thereof; associating the processing steps with a first machine or a first workstation unit; associating the manufacturing order with a mobile unit data set and a person, who at least partially processes the manufacturing order, to a mobile unit data set in the MES; manufacturing the workpiece to form at least part of the end product according to a first step of the processing steps at the first machine or the first work-station unit associated with the processing step; spatially associating of the mobile units, which is associated with the manufacturing order, with the manufactured workpiece and the person; storing a status change of the manufacturing order in the MES, the change of status indicating that the first step is performed on the workpiece; transporting the manufactured workpiece together with the mobile unit in accordance with the manufacturing order to a second machine or a second workstation unit in a pre-determined sequence; performing a second step of the processing step on at the second machine or the second workstation unit; and storing a status change of the manufacturing order in the MES, wherein a position of the mobile units is determinable with a localization system at any time by the MES on the basis of electro-magnetic signals transmitted from and to the mobile unit, and the MES has data on a current status and a current position of the workpiece as well as data on the movement of the person at any time.