Method for operating a transport device in a laboratory sample distribution system, comprising:
- providing a transport device in a laboratory sample distribution system, the transport device having
- an arrangement of transport modules, wherein each transport module is provided with:
- a transport surface;
- a drive device configured to move sample vessel carriers on the transport surface;
- a module control device configured to control operation of the drive device;
- and a module network interface connected to the module control device and configured for data communication in a control network;
- a transport plane formed by the transport surface of the transport modules of the arrangement of transport modules;
- and
- a controller device connected to the control network through a controller network interface;
- assigning a network address to each of the transport modules in the control network;
- for each transport module, in the module control device storing its own network address and the network address of neighboring transport modules located adjacent to the transport module in the arrangement of transport modules;
- and
- applying a replacement operation, comprising
- replacing an elected transport module by a replacement transport module;
- receiving, in the controller device, replacement information data indicative of the replacement of the elected transport module by the replacement transport module;
- transmitting a broadcast message through the control network to the module control device of the transport modules including the replacement transport module, the broadcast message indicative of a start command;
- in response to receiving the broadcast message,
- transmitting a network address request from the module control device of the replacement transport module to the module control device of at least one of its neighboring transport modules, the network address request requesting the at least one neighboring transport module to provide the network address of the replacement transport module;
- and
- ignoring the broadcast message by the module control device of the transport modules of the arrangement excluding the replacement transport module;
- in the replacement transport module,
- receiving the network address of the replacement transport module from the at least one neighboring transport module, and storing the network address of the replacement transport module in the module control device;
- and
- receiving and storing the network address of the neighboring transport modules located adjacent to the replacement transport module in the module control device;
- and
- receiving, in the controller device, a recovery message indicative of the re-placement transport module being addressable by the network address for operation control.