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US 7,904,191 B2Granted
Process for dynamic automation with collaborative elements and control system therefor
AssigneeLogobject AG
InventorsRoberto Rossi, Felix H. Wullschleger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for dynamic automation, in which collaborative elements, such as humans and mobile robots, but also machines, co-operate, in order to carry out tasks as efficiently as possible. Each of said collaborative elements carries out a part of a working process which exploits the concept of collaboration the most in terms of efficiency, flexibility, quality and performance. The invention also relates to a control system for carrying out said method. The inventive method can be applied in logistics, especially storage logistics, such as commissioning.
Claims22
A process for dynamic automation,
- wherein, in a space with resources for handling at least one working step for one task item, at least one collaborative element of type I is controlled by means of a control system into an execution zone, the at least one collaborative element of type I communicating with at least one collaborative element of type II and/or type III,
- wherein the at least one collaborative element of type II is controlled into the execution zone by means of the control system,
- wherein, after arrival of the collaborative elements in the execution zone, the at least one collaborative element of type II and/or of type III is instructed by the at least one collaborative element of type I via communications media to execute a partial article-forming step, the execution being monitored by the collaborative element of type I,
- wherein the execution comprises initiating, by the at least one collaborative element of type II and/or of type III, a formation of a partial article on a surface of the at least one collaborative element of type I, and
- wherein, after the execution, all collaborative elements are independently released relative to each other to be scheduled for a next working step.
2 more elements
A control system for dynamic automation, comprising:
- a processor configured to
- segment at least one operation into at least one working step and coordinate plural collaborative elements, the segmentation and the coordination substantially optimizing the at least one operation,
- control, in a space with resources for handling at least one working step for one task item of the at least one operation, at least one collaborative element of type I among the collaborative elements into an execution zone, the collaborative element of type I being configured to communicate with at least one collaborative element of type II and/or type III among the collaborative elements,
- control the at least one collaborative element of type II into the execution zone,
- instruct, after arrival of the collaborative elements in the execution zone, the at least one collaborative element of type II and/or the collaborative element of type III by the at least one collaborative element of type I via communications media to execute a partial article-forming step, the execution being monitored by the at least one collaborative element of type I,
- wherein the execution comprises initiating, by the at least one collaborative element of type II and/or of type III, a formation of a partial article on a surface of the at least one collaborative element of type I, and
- wherein, after the execution, all collaborative elements are independently released relative to each other to be scheduled for a next working step.
4 more elements
A process for dynamic automation, comprising:
- controlling, in a space with resources for handling at least one working step for one task item, at least one collaborative element of type I into an execution zone, the at least one collaborative element of type I being configured to communicate with a collaborative element of type II;
- instructing the collaborative element of type II to enter the execution zone;
- instructing, after arrival of the at least one collaborative element of type I and the collaborative element of type II into the execution zone, the collaborative element of type II by the at least one collaborative element of type I via communications media to execute a partial article-forming step;
- monitoring, in the at least one collaborative element of type I, the execution of the partial article forming step by the collaborative element of type II;
- initiating, upon execution, a formation of a partial article on a surface of the at least one collaborative element of type I;
- and
- independently releasing, after execution, all collaborative elements relative to each other to be scheduled for a next working step.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.