Omega package sorter
AssigneeSiemens Corporate Research, Inc.
InventorsDan Reznik, Christoph Holst, Ricardo N. Schiesser, Frank W. Veit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sorting or pre-sorting objects contains a system of conveyors and crossover diverters incorporating the topology of an omega network. The sorter interconnects a series of perfect shuffle networks, interleaved with banks of crossover switches. Collision avoidance is implemented by controlling flow on accumulator conveyors entering the crossover switches. Extra banks of crossover switches may be added to provide redundancy and load-balancing capabilities to the system.
Claims21
A method for sorting an object in a sorter having N rows, the object entering the sorter in a current row, the method comprising the steps of:
- (A) setting a first crossover switch to one of a straight position that does not change the current row of the object, and a cross position that switches the object to a row having a binary representation with a parity opposite that of a binary representation of the current row;
- (B) passing the object through the crossover switch to a new current row;
- (C) transferring the object from the current row to a new current row having a binary representation that is a circular rotation of a binary representation of the current row;
- (D) setting a next crossover switch to one of a straight position that does not change the current row of the object, and a cross position that switches the object to a row having a binary representation with a parity opposite that of a binary representation of the current row;
- (E) passing the object through the crossover switch to a new current row;
- and
- (F) repeating steps (C) through (E) a total of log2(N)-1 times.
An object sorter having N sorter input conveyors that are each selectably connectable through the sorter to each one of N sorter output conveyors, the sorter comprising:
- log2(N) switch banks, each bank comprising N/2 crossover diverts, each crossover divert receiving a pair of rows, one row of the pair having a binary representation with a parity opposite that of a binary representation of the other row of the pair, each crossover divert having a straight position that does not change the row of an object, and a cross position that switches the object to the other of the pair of rows received by the crossover divert, a first of the log2(N) switch banks being arranged for receiving the N sorter inputs, a last of the log2(N) switch banks being arranged to discharge to the N sorter outputs;
- and
- at least log2(N)-1 perfect shufflers, each said perfect shuffler placed between a pair of said switch banks, each said perfect shuffler for receiving N inputs and rerouting each input from a current row to a shuffled row having a binary representation that is a rotation of a binary representation of the current row.
A package sorter, comprising:
- a network of conveyors and crossover diverts interconnected in a topology having:
- N inputs and N outputs;
- at least log2(N) switch banks, each bank comprising N/2 crossover diverts, each crossover divert having a pair of entry conveyors and a pair of exit conveyors and being capable of selectively conveying a package from either entr conveyor to either exit conveyor;
- and
- at least log2(N)-1 perfect shufflers, each said perfect shuffler wing connected between a pair of switch banks and having N entry conveyors, each perfect shuffler rerouting each entry conveyor to an exit conveyor having a binary representation that is a rotation of a binary representation of the rerouted entry conveyor;
- and
- a controller connected to the crossover diverts to selectably route an object through the network from a selected input to a selected output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.