A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system includes control circuitry and one or more network interfaces for coupling with other conveyor controllers. In one embodiment, the control circuitry configured for detecting whether a another conveyor controller is connected and to d
A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system includes control circuitry and one or more network interfaces for coupling with other conveyor controllers. In one embodiment, the control circuitry configured for detecting whether a another conveyor controller is connected and to determine which network interface is used in order to set the direction of the conveyor system. In another embodiment, the control circuitry is configured, to receive configuration data from a conveyor controller connected to a network interface, and to detect if another conveyor controller is and to transmit configuration message to another conveyor controller that includes additional configuration data associated with the conveyor controller. In still another embodiment, the control circuitry transmits configuration data to a replacement conveyor controller upon getting a request from the replacement conveyor controller that has been connected to a network interface.
대표청구항▼
1. A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising: control circuitry;a first network interface;a second network interface;the control circuitry configured for detecting whether a second con
1. A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising: control circuitry;a first network interface;a second network interface;the control circuitry configured for detecting whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the conveyor controller through one of the first or second network interfaces;the control circuitry further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to identify whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined one of the first and second network interfaces, the predetermined one of the interfaces recognized by the conveyor controller as a presumed direction for operation of the conveyor system; andif a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, configuring the conveyor controller to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor system in a presumed downstream direction and rotate a motorized roller of the conveyor system in a first direction; andif a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, configuring the conveyor controller to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor system in an alternative downstream direction and rotate a motorized roller of the conveyor system in a second direction. 2. The conveyor controller of claim 1, the control circuitry further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to determine that there is not a third conveyor controller connected to the conveyor controller and to set the first conveyor controller as an initial conveyor controller of a conveyor system. 3. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry detects whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the conveyor controller in response to user interaction to initiate an automatic configuration procedure. 4. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry detects whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the conveyor controller in response to receiving a command to initiate an automatic configuration procedure. 5. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, if the second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, to set a flag to indicate the downstream direction. 6. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, if the second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, to clear a flag to indicate the downstream direction. 7. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to transmit a configuration message to the second conveyor controller, the configuration message including configuration data associated with the conveyor controller. 8. The conveyor controller of claim 7, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a confirmation message from the second conveyor controller indicating that the configuration data was received. 9. The conveyor controller of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, in response to receiving an additional confirmation message from a third connected conveyor controller, to indicate that an error has occurred. 10. The conveyor controller of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit an error message to a connected conveyor controller when an error has occurred. 11. The conveyor controller of claim 7, wherein the configuration data includes a network address for the conveyor controller. 12. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving and storing configuration data that is associated with a connected second conveyor controller. 13. The conveyor controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for detecting a photo-eye sensor connected to the conveyor controller and detecting whether the photo-eye sensor is light-operated or dark-operated, and for detecting information about a motorized roller connected to the conveyor controller, the first conveyor controller automatically configuring itself for at least one of a speed to operate the motorized roller, a rate at which to accelerate the motorized roller, or a rate at which to decelerate the motorized roller. 14. A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising: control circuitry;a first network interface;a second network interface;the control circuitry, upon receiving configuration data from one additional conveyor controller connected to one of the first and second network interfaces, configured for detecting whether another additional conveyor controller is connected to another network interface; andif the control circuitry detects that another additional conveyor controller is connected to the another network interface, transmitting a configuration message to the another additional conveyor controller that includes additional configuration data that is associated with the conveyor controller; andif the control circuitry detects that another additional conveyor controller is not connected to the another network interface, determining that the conveyor controller is a final conveyor controller of a conveyor system. 15. The conveyor controller of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for determining a network address for the conveyor controller based on the configuration data. 16. The conveyor controller of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for determining, from the configuration data, a network address for the one additional conveyor controller coupled at a network interface; and for incrementing the network address to generate a second network address; andfor assigning the second network address to the conveyor controller. 17. The conveyor controller of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for including the second network address in the additional configuration data transmitted to the another additional conveyor controller. 18. The conveyor controller of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for transmitting a confirmation message to the one additional conveyor controller indicating that the configuration data was received. 19. The conveyor controller of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a confirmation message from the another additional conveyor controller indicating that the additional configuration data was received. 20. The conveyor controller of claim 19, wherein the confirmation message from the another additional conveyor controller is a first confirmation message, the control circuitry further configured, upon receiving a second confirmation message from still another additional conveyor controller, for indicating that an error has occurred. 21. The conveyor controller of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving and storing the configuration data from the one additional conveyor controller in the conveyor controller and for sending the additional configuration data to the one additional conveyor controller. 22. The conveyor controller of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for determining if the another additional conveyor controller is connected to the other of the first and second network interfaces of the controller, and for receiving and storing configuration data that is associated with the another additional conveyor controller. 23. A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising: control circuitry;at least one network interface;the control circuitry configured for receiving and storing configuration data in the conveyor controller, the configuration data being associated with another conveyor controller that is connected to the conveyor controller through the at least one network interface;the control circuitry further configured to receive a request for data from a replacement conveyor controller that has been connected to the at least one network interface to replace the another conveyor controller; andin response to receiving the request for data at the control circuitry, transmitting the stored configuration data from the conveyor controller to the replacement conveyor controller. 24. The conveyor controller of claim 23, the control circuitry further configured to receive a second request for data from the replacement conveyor controller, and in response to the second request for data, for transmitting a network address associated with the conveyor controller from the conveyor controller to the replacement conveyor controller. 25. A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising: control circuitry; at least one network interface;at least one user interface;the control circuitry configured to receive a user input at the at least one user interface, the user input being directed to automatically configuring the conveyor controller;the control circuitry further configured, upon receiving the user input, to request configuration data from another conveyor controller that is connected to the at least one network interface of the conveyor controller, the requested configuration data being used for configuring the conveyor controller; andto store received configuration data in the conveyor controller. 26. The conveyor controller of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of network interfaces, the network interfaces each configured for being connected with a respective another conveyor controller. 27. The conveyor controller of claim 26, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, upon receiving the user input, to broadcast a request for a network address from the respective another conveyor controllers that are connected with the conveyor controller through the plurality of network interfaces. 28. The conveyor controller of claim 27, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of respective another conveyor controllers; and for determining a first network address to assign to the conveyor controller based on the plurality of network addresses. 29. The conveyor controller of claim 25, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, upon receiving the user input, to transmit to the another conveyor controller a request for a network address associated with the another conveyor controller; and to generate a list of potential network addresses for the conveyor controller based on at least the network address. 30. The conveyor controller of claim 27, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a plurality of network addresses and selecting a network address for the conveyor controller using the plurality of received network addresses so that the selected network address does not match any other network address for a respective another conveyor controller connected with the conveyor controller through the plurality of network interfaces.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (64)
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