Method for operating an industrial plant

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an industrial facility, the industrial facility having at least one mobile system, wherein a basic map of the industrial facility is generated, the basic map having information about at least one drivable area (20) and at least one prohibited area (30); and a correction map of the industrial facility is generated, the correction map having information about at least one drivable area (20) and at least one prohibited area (30); the basic map is superimposed with the correction map; at least one metric feature of the basic map is replaced by a metric feature of the correction map when a deviation between a metric feature of the basic map and a metric feature of the correction map is identified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating an industrial installation having at least one mobile system, wherein a map of the industrial installation is created, the map comprising information about at least one drivable area and at least one prohibited area. Background Art

[0002] Industrial facilities, in particular, involve industrial applications, such as manufacturing plants. Mobile systems in industrial facilities are, for example, autonomous vehicles. Mobile systems are used, for example, to transport objects within the industrial facility. For example, mobile systems are used to convey objects within the industrial facility. A map is created by the industrial facility, which contains information about areas where the mobile system can travel and areas where it is prohibited. The areas within the industrial facility where the mobile system can travel include travel routes, along which the mobile system can move.

[0003] Document DE 10 2019 001 253 A1 discloses a method for operating an industrial facility having at least one mobile system that can travel on a traffic surface of the industrial facility. The mobile system detects objects in the industrial facility using appropriate sensors. The positions of the objects detected in this manner are compared with the estimated positions of the objects based on a map of the industrial facility.

[0004] Further methods for operating an industrial plant with a mobile system are known, inter alia, from the documents DE 10 2018 002 378 A1, DE 10 2018 009 114 A1, DE 10 2019 000 903 A1, in which a map or a topographical map of the industrial plant is created.

[0005] A method for producing a graphical structure for describing a site with vacant and occupied areas is known from the document US 2010 / 0293517 A1, wherein the graphical structure is formed from points of a topological graphical structure and position information of the nearest occupied area points.

[0006] In Filipe J., Fred A. (eds.) Agents and Artificial Intelligence (ICAART 2012. Conference on Computer and Information Science, Vol. 358, 2013, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg), the paper "Retrieving Topological Information for Mobile Robots Provided with Grid Maps" by authors PORTUGAL, David ROCHA, Rui P. (URL: https: / / doi.org / 10.1007 / 978-3-642-36907-0 14) describes a method for extracting topological maps for mobile robots.

[0007] In the IEEE journal “Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence” (Vol. 26, 2004, No. 10, pp. 1367-1372, 001:10.1109 / TPAMI.2004.75), authors GORDELLA, Luigi P., et al., in their paper “A (sub)graph isomorphism algorithm for matching large graphs” (URL: https: / / llieeexplore.ieee.org / stamp / stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1323804), describe an algorithm for superimposing graphs.

[0008] When planning an industrial facility, a basic map of the facility is typically created using a CAD system. This basic map contains information about areas where mobile systems can travel, areas where they are prohibited, and the travel routes planned for the mobile systems. It often happens that the design of the industrial facility deviates from the plan. For example, immovable objects representing areas where mobile systems are prohibited may be offset from their designated locations. In this case, the areas where the mobile systems can actually travel differ from the areas planned using the CAD system. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to improve a method for operating an industrial facility, in particular to detect and correct errors in a base map of the industrial facility.

[0010] This object is achieved by a method for operating an industrial plant having the features described below.

[0011] A method for operating an industrial facility having at least one mobile system is proposed. The industrial facility is particularly an industrial application, such as a manufacturing plant. The mobile system of the industrial facility is, for example, an autonomous vehicle that is used to transport objects within the industrial facility.

[0012] According to the method according to the invention, a base map of an industrial facility is generated, for example, using a CAD system. The base map contains information about at least one area in which a mobile system can travel and at least one area that is prohibited for the mobile system. Furthermore, a correction map of the industrial facility is drawn up, which also contains information about at least one area in which a mobile system can travel and at least one area that is prohibited / blocked for the mobile system. The correction map is generated, for example, by a mobile system that detects immovable objects in the industrial facility using appropriate sensors. It is also conceivable that the base map is generated by a mobile system that detects immovable objects in the industrial facility using appropriate sensors. In particular, the correction map is then generated by another mobile system and / or at another time and / or using other sensors—for example, at a different height than the base map.

[0013] The generated base map is then overlaid with the generated correction map. In this process, similarities between topological features of the base map and corresponding topological features of the correction map are typically detected. If a deviation is detected between a metric feature of the base map and a metric feature of the correction map, at least one metric feature of the base map is replaced by a metric feature of the correction map.

[0014] The concept of the present invention is that a base map generally describes the theoretical state of an industrial facility, in particular the theoretical parameters of a travel path, while a correction map describes the actual state of the industrial facility, in particular the actual state of a metric map. Therefore, the metric characteristics of the correction map are generally assumed to be correct. If a deviation is detected in the metric characteristics between the base map and the correction map, the metric characteristics of the base map are therefore considered to be incorrect.

[0015] On the contrary, the revised map is usually incomplete and only shows a part of the industrial facility (which corresponds to a part of the basic map) and / or does not contain all the information required for operating the industrial facility. Therefore, in order to operate the industrial facility, the main goal is not to replace the entire basic map by the revised map.

[0016] The method according to the application makes it possible to identify and relatively quickly correct errors in the base map of the industrial facility. In particular, it is possible to correct the metric errors identified in the base map. In particular, the correction of the base map is carried out significantly more quickly compared to the manual adjustment of the base map by staff, which is relatively time-consuming. Here, the method according to the application is relatively robust. After the application of the method, up-to-date information about the industrial facility is provided, which can be used immediately for navigation of mobile systems within the technical facility. The metric features are, for example, lengths, in particular distances between two points, and angles. The metric features are independent of different scales of different maps, in particular.

[0017] According to an advantageous refinement of the application, the base map of the industrial facility has information about at least one planned travel path for the at least one mobile system, and the corrected map of the industrial facility has information about at least one planned travel path for the at least one mobile system. If the base map is superimposed on the corrected map, at least one parameter of the at least one planned travel path of the base map is transferred to the corresponding planned travel path of the corrected map. By the similarity between the topological features of the base map and the corresponding topological features of the corrected map, it is identified which travel path in the base map corresponds to which travel path in the corrected map.

[0018] It is thereby achieved that the parameters related to the location, in particular of the travel paths, are transferred to the corrected map relatively quickly. In particular, the correction of the base map is carried out significantly more quickly compared to the manual adjustment of the base map by staff, which is relatively time-consuming.

[0019] The parameters of the planned travel paths are, for example, the speed, the distance at which the mobile system needs to keep to an object on the left or right, the type of mobile system that is allowed to travel on the travel path, the time limit applicable to the travel path, in particular a travel ban on the travel path at a certain time or on certain working days.

[0020] According to a preferred design of the application, the base map and the corrected map are each generated in the form of a graph, which describes at least one drivable area in the industrial facility. Here, as topological features, the graph comprises at least one first node, a second node, and at least one connection between the first node and the second node. That is, the nodes and the connections represent the topological features. Here, the connection of the graph between two nodes has a connection direction and a connection length, respectively.

[0021] Subsequently, the graph of the base map is superimposed with the graph of the correction map. Suitable methods for superimposing graphs are known, for example, from the document "An Improved Algorithm for Matching Large Graphs" by the authors L. P. Cordella, P. Foggia, C. Sansone, M. Vento and from the document "A (Sub)Graph Isomorphism Algorithm for Matching Large Graphs" by the authors Luigi P. Cordella, Pasquale Foggia, Carlo Sansone and Mario Vento (IEEE Journal TRANSACTIONS ON PATTERN ANALYSIS AND MACHINE INTELLIGENCE, October 2004, Vol. 26, No. 10). By this superimposition of the graph of the base map with the graph of the correction map, an association / correspondence of the nodes of the graph of the correction map with the nodes of the graph of the base map is obtained. Here, the graph of the base map is, for example, a subgraph of the graph of the correction map. The method can thus be used accordingly for superimposing the graph of the base map with a subgraph of the graph of the correction map. According to this association, the topological features of the base map, in particular the nodes and connections, can be replaced by the corresponding topological features of the correction map. Likewise, according to the association, the place-related parameters and features of the base map can be transferred to the corresponding locations and planned travel paths of the correction map.

[0022] According to an advantageous design of the application, the difference in the length and direction of the connections between the corresponding nodes is used when superimposing the graph of the base map with the graph of the correction map. Thereby, the accuracy is advantageously improved when superimposing the graph of the base map with the graph of the correction map. In particular, the superimposition is also achieved when the base map and the correction map have different orientations, i.e. are rotated relative to each other. Thereby, the method has rotational invariance and is thus more robust.

[0023] According to an advantageous design of the application, the method comprises the following steps:

[0024] The correction map and / or the base map are first surveyed in the form of an initial grid cell map. At this point, the initial grid cell map extends in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction at right angles to the longitudinal direction. Here, the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction define a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The initial grid cell map has a plurality of individual cells. The cells describing at least one drivable area are marked as unoccupied and the corresponding cells describing at least one prohibited area are marked as occupied. The unoccupied cells thus form at least one unoccupied area and the occupied cells form at least one occupied area.

[0025] A reduced grid cell map is generated from the initial grid cell map by marking cells of the at least one vacant area of ​​the initial grid cell map as occupied if the vertical and / or horizontal distance and / or linear distance of the cells from at least one cell of the at least one occupied area is less than a safety distance. The safety distance can be selected based on predefined criteria. In particular, the width of the mobile system can be taken into account when selecting the safety distance.

[0026] Next, the at least one vacant region of the reduced grid cell map is thinned / reduced / reduced by marking cells of the at least one vacant region that are adjacent to at least one occupied region in the longitudinal and / or transverse direction as occupied, until the at least one vacant region is in the form of a skeleton comprising at least one linear series of individual vacant cells. A method for region reduction is known, for example, from the document “A Fast Parallel Algorithm for Thinning Digital Patterns” by authors TYZHANG and CYSUEN (Communications of the ACM, March 1984, Vol. 27, No. 3).

[0027] Subsequently, a graphic of the correction map and / or a graphic of the base map is generated from the skeleton of the at least one free area obtained in this way.

[0028] Alternatively, it is conceivable to also produce the base map of the industrial facility in the form of a graphic. It is also conceivable to draw the base map in different forms and form a graphic of the base map therefrom.

[0029] According to an advantageous refinement of the present invention, before generating the graphics of the modified map and / or the base map, a skeleton of at least one vacant area is smoothed / leveled by marking cells of at least one occupied area that are adjacent to at least one vacant area in the longitudinal and transverse directions as vacant, until each cell of the vacant area that is adjacent to another vacant cell in the diagonal direction is also adjacent to a further vacant cell in the longitudinal or transverse direction, and this vacant cell, i.e., the further vacant cell, is adjacent to the further vacant cell in the longitudinal or transverse direction. Thus, the skeleton of the at least one vacant area includes vacant cells that are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal or transverse direction, and not only in the diagonal direction.

[0030] Advantageously, at least one charging point for charging at least one mobile system is provided in the reduced grid cell map. For example, the charging point is an inductive charging coil, by means of which energy can be inductively transferred to a coil of the mobile system. In this case, the at least one vacant area of ​​the reduced grid cell map is thinned out such that the at least one charging point is part of the skeleton.

[0031] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the graph includes at least one charging point as a node. In other words, each charging point represents a node. The graph is generated by detecting connections between each of the charging points and other nodes. This type of connection involves connecting vacant cells between two nodes. The connection direction and length are determined for each detected connection.

[0032] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the graph includes at least one intersection as a node. That is, the intersection represents a node. In this case, the graph is generated by marking cells in at least one vacant area that are adjacent to at least three other vacant cells in both the longitudinal and transverse directions as intersections. Furthermore, for each of the intersections, connections to other nodes are detected. This type of connection includes connecting vacant cells in series between two nodes. The connection direction and length are determined for each detected connection.

[0033] According to an advantageous refinement of the present invention, the graph includes at least one endpoint as a node. That is, the endpoint represents a node. In this case, the graph is generated by marking cells of at least one vacant region that are adjacent to exactly one vacant cell in both the vertical and horizontal directions as endpoints. Furthermore, for each of the endpoints, connections to other nodes are detected. This type of connection includes the concatenation of vacant cells between two nodes. The connection direction and length are determined for each detected connection.

[0034] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the graph includes at least one turning point / inflection point as a node. That is, a turning point represents a node. In this case, a graph is generated by marking the following cells of at least one vacant area as turning points, which are adjacent to exactly one vacant cell in the longitudinal direction as part of a linear series of the minimum number of vacant cells in the longitudinal direction, and adjacent to exactly one vacant cell in the transverse direction as part of a linear series of the minimum number of vacant cells in the transverse direction. In addition, for each of the turning points, connections to other nodes are detected. In this case, this type of connection includes the series connection of individual vacant cells between two nodes. The connection direction and connection length are determined for each detected connection.

[0035] The value of the minimum number can be selected almost freely. Advantageously, the minimum number of empty cells is selected between 3 and 7. Preferably, the minimum number of empty cells is selected between 4 and 6. Particularly preferably, the minimum number of empty cells can be selected to be exactly 5.

[0036] According to a preferred refinement of the present invention, connections also have connection widths. The graphics of the modified map and / or base map are generated by determining a connection width for each detected connection by determining the connection distance from the nearest prohibited area, perpendicular to the connection direction, on both sides of each vacant cell of the connection. A path width is then assigned to each vacant cell, calculated as the sum of the two determined connection distances. The connection width of the connection is then determined as the minimum path width of all vacant cells of the connection.

[0037] By considering the connection width of a connection, it can be determined whether the connection can be used by a mobile system. If multiple mobile systems are present in an industrial facility, it is possible that the mobile systems have different vehicle widths. It is also possible that the mobile systems transport objects of different widths. Based on the determined connection width, the connection can then only be used by selected mobile systems.

[0038] Advantageously, the connection direction is determined for each determined connection by assigning the connection direction a main direction that is closest to the exact connection direction. The main directions are then the positive longitudinal direction, the negative longitudinal direction, the positive transverse direction and the negative transverse direction.

[0039] According to an advantageous refinement of the present invention, at least one mobile system includes a transfer head for contactlessly receiving energy, and the industrial facility has at least one charging point for inductively transmitting energy. The transfer head can be inductively coupled to the charging point. At least one charging point is arranged in a node. For this purpose, the charging point can, for example, include a primary coil, via which energy can be inductively and contactlessly transferred to the transfer head of the mobile system. This allows the mobile system's energy storage to be charged while the mobile system is located at the node.

[0040] According to another advantageous refinement of the present invention, at least one mobile system includes a transmission head for contactlessly receiving energy, and the industrial facility has at least one conductor loop for inductively transmitting energy. The transmission head can be inductively coupled to the conductor loop. At least one conductor loop is arranged along a connection between two nodes. Furthermore, the conductor loop includes, for example, an elongated primary conductor, via which energy can be inductively and contactlessly transmitted to the transmission head of the mobile system. This allows the mobile system's energy storage to be charged while the mobile system is connected between the nodes.

[0041] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned feature combinations. For a person skilled in the art, in particular from the target setting and / or the proposed target compared with the prior art, other reasonable combinations of the above-mentioned feature combinations and / or individual features and / or features described below and / or features of the accompanying drawings will be apparent to those skilled in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings merely schematically illustrate the subject matter of the invention.

[0043] Figure 1 shows a revised map of the industrial facility in the form of an initial grid cell map,

[0044] Figure 2 Shown in the form of a reduced grid cell map Figure 1 The revised map,

[0045] Figure 3 Shown with a skeleton Figure 2 The revised map,

[0046] Figure 4 shows a portion of the skeleton before smoothing,

[0047] Figure 5 Shows the smoothed Figure 4 Part of the skeleton,

[0048] Figure 6 shows a skeleton part with a turning point,

[0049] Figure 7 A modified map with a skeleton of another industrial facility is shown,

[0050] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 The graphical part of the correction map, and

[0051] Figure 9 A diagram for determining connection parameters is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Figure 1 A revised map of an industrial facility is shown in the form of an initial grid cell map 10. Initial grid cell map 10 is constructed two-dimensionally and extends along a positive longitudinal direction +X, a negative longitudinal direction -X antiparallel to the positive longitudinal direction, a positive transverse direction +Y perpendicular to the positive longitudinal direction, and a negative transverse direction -Y antiparallel to the positive transverse direction. The positive longitudinal direction +X and the negative longitudinal direction -X are also collectively referred to as longitudinal direction X. The positive transverse direction +Y and the negative transverse direction -Y are also collectively referred to as transverse direction Y. The longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y thus define a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

[0053] Industrial facilities involve industrial applications, such as manufacturing plants. The mobile systems of industrial facilities are autonomous vehicles. These mobile systems are used, in particular, to transport objects within the industrial facility. Industrial facilities have areas 20 where the mobile systems can travel, such as free space and paths. Industrial facilities also have areas 30 where the mobile systems are prohibited, such as assembly stations and workbenches.

[0054] The initial grid cell map 10 has a plurality of individual cells arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. Cells describing areas 20 where the mobile system can travel are marked as vacant. Cells describing areas 30 where the mobile system is prohibited are marked as occupied. Here, the vacant cells form an vacant area 22, and the occupied cells form an occupied area 32.

[0055] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 A corrected map in the form of a reduced grid cell map 12 is generated from the initial grid cell map 10 by marking certain vacant cells as occupied. In particular, the following cells of the vacant area 22 are marked as occupied, i.e., the distance of this cell from at least one cell of the occupied area 32 in the longitudinal direction X and / or the transverse direction Y is less than the safety distance. Alternatively, a cell of the vacant area 22 is marked as occupied when the distance in the form of a straight-line distance from the occupied area is less than the safety distance. In this case, the safety distance can be freely selected. When selecting the safety distance, the required spacing between the mobile system and the objects in the prohibited area 30 and the width of the mobile system should be taken into account.

[0056] Figure 3 Shown Figure 2A modified map with a skeleton 24 of vacant areas 22 is obtained. Starting from the reduced grid cell map 12, the vacant areas 22 are thinned out to obtain the skeleton 24 of the vacant areas 22. In this process, cells of the vacant areas 22 that are adjacent to occupied areas 32 in the longitudinal direction X and / or the transverse direction Y are marked as occupied. This process is continued until the vacant areas 22 are in the form of a skeleton 24. In this case, the skeleton 24 only includes a narrow, in particular linear, series of individual vacant cells.

[0057] Figure 4 A detail of the skeleton 24 of the vacant region 22 before smoothing is shown. The skeleton 24 has vacant cells that are adjacent to other cells only diagonally, but not to other vacant cells in the longitudinal direction X or in the transverse direction Y. Therefore, the skeleton 24 is smoothed by marking occupied cells of the occupied region 32 that are adjacent to the vacant region 22 in the longitudinal direction X and in the transverse direction Y as vacant, until each vacant cell of the vacant region 22 that is adjacent to another vacant cell diagonally also adjoins another vacant cell in the longitudinal direction X or in the transverse direction Y, and this further vacant cell adjoins the other vacant cell in the longitudinal direction X or in the transverse direction Y. Figure 5 Shows the smoothed Figure 4 The skeleton part in .

[0058] Figure 6 A detail of the skeleton 24 of the vacant area 22 is shown, with a turning point 43. The turning point 43 adjoins an empty cell of the vacant area 22 in the negative longitudinal direction -X and an occupied cell of the occupied area 32 in the positive longitudinal direction +X. That is, the turning point 43 adjoins exactly one empty cell in the longitudinal direction X, wherein the empty cell is part of a linear series of the minimum number of empty cells in the longitudinal direction X. The turning point 43 also adjoins an empty cell of the vacant area 22 in the negative transverse direction -Y and an occupied cell of the occupied area 32 in the positive transverse direction +Y. That is, the turning point 43 adjoins exactly one empty cell in the transverse direction Y, wherein the empty cell is part of a linear series of the minimum number of empty cells in the transverse direction Y. Here, a number of five cells is selected as the value for the minimum number of empty cells in the longitudinal direction X or in the transverse direction Y.

[0059] Figure 7 Shown Figure 3, a modified map of a skeleton 24 with vacant areas 22. Here, the skeleton 24 has a plurality of intersections 41 and a plurality of endpoints 42. However, the skeleton 24 does not have a turning point 43. An intersection 41 is a cell of a vacant area 22 that is adjacent to three or four other vacant cells of the vacant area 22 in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. An endpoint 42 is a cell of a vacant area 22 that is adjacent to exactly one vacant cell of the vacant area 22 in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y.

[0060] All intersections 41, all endpoints 42, and, if present, all turning points 43 are graphical nodes of the modified map to be generated. The skeleton 24 shown here includes a first node 1, a second node 2, a third node 3, a fourth node 4, a fifth node 5, a sixth node 6, a seventh node 7, an eighth node 8, and a ninth node 9. Here, the eighth node 8 and the ninth node 9 are endpoints 42, and the remaining nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are intersections 41.

[0061] Now, for each node 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, i.e., for each intersection 41, for each end point 42, and—if present—for each turning point 43, a connection V with other nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is detected. Such a connection V consists of a concatenation of the vacant cells between each two nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Each connection V has a connection direction R, a connection length L, and a connection width B.

[0062] Here, the chaining of all vacant cells adjacent to the corresponding nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 continues until reaching the endpoint 42, the turning point 43, or the edge of the revised map. A significant change in direction occurs at the turning point 43. A significant change in direction is considered when a minimum number of vacant cells are subsequently connected in a linear fashion in the same direction. When an insignificant change in direction is reached, the chaining of vacant cells continues.

[0063] If, while the chaining of the individual free cells continues, an intersection 41 is reached, the connection V to this intersection 41 is first detected. Subsequently, if possible, the chaining of the individual free cells is continued in the same direction starting from the intersection 41 until the next node 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is reached and the connection V to this intersection 41 is detected. Thus, all nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 that can be reached from one node 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 without a significant change of direction, i.e., that can also be reached via another intersection 41, also have a connection V to the one node 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

[0064] For each connection V detected between two nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a connection direction R, a connection length L, and a connection width B are determined. In other words, it is determined to which nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 the currently checked node 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 has a connection V, and what connection direction R, connection length L, and connection width B this connection V has.

[0065] From the connections V of the nodes 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 and the skeleton 24 of the determined vacant areas 22 , a graph of the modified map is created. Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 1. For greater clarity, only the connection V belonging to the third node 3 is shown in the graph shown here.

[0066] Here, the third node 3 has connections V to the first node 1 , the fourth node 4 , the fifth node 5 , the sixth node 6 , the seventh node 7 and the eighth node 8 . The third node 3 does not have connections V to the second node 2 and the ninth node 9 .

[0067] Figure 9 The diagram shows a diagram for determining the connection parameters of a connection V between a first node 1 and a second node 2 using an initial grid cell map 10, namely the connection direction R, the connection length L, and the connection width B. In the initial grid cell map 10, the first node 1 has the coordinates (X1 / Y1), and the second node 2 has the coordinates (X2 / Y2).

[0068] For example, the connection length L is determined by counting all empty cells along the connection V extending between the first node 1 and the second node 2 .

[0069] Therefore, at this time we obtain: L=11.

[0070] Alternatively, the connection length L is determined as a straight-line distance between the first node 1 and the second node 2. Here, the connection length L is calculated according to the following equation:

[0071]

[0072] Therefore, at this time, we obtain: L=10.05.

[0073] If a high definition of the connection direction R is desired, the connection direction R is obtained, for example, as an angle relative to the positive longitudinal direction + X. In this case, the connection direction R is calculated according to the following equation:

[0074]

[0075] Thus, at this point, it is obtained: R = -5.7°.

[0076] If a low resolution of the connection direction R is desired, then, for example, the connection direction R is assigned the main direction which is closest to the exact connection direction R, i.e. the positive longitudinal direction +X, the negative longitudinal direction -X, the positive transverse direction +Y or the negative transverse direction -Y.

[0077] Thus, at this point, it is obtained: R = +X.

[0078] In order to determine the connection width B, for example, each free cell of the connection V is determined which has a first connection distance di to the nearest forbidden area 30 in a direction perpendicular to the connection direction R and a second connection distance d2 to the nearest forbidden area 30 in the opposite direction perpendicular to the connection direction R. The free cell is assigned a path width which is calculated as the sum of the two determined connection distances di, d2. The smallest path width of all free cells of the connection V is determined as the connection width B.

[0079] Thus, at this point, it is obtained: B = 5.

[0080] List of reference signs:

[0081] 1 first node

[0082] 2 second node

[0083] 3 third node

[0084] 4 fourth node

[0085] 5 fifth node

[0086] 6 sixth node

[0087] 7 seventh node

[0088] 8 eighth node

[0089] 9 ninth node

[0090] 10 initial grid cell map

[0091] 12 reduced grid cell map

[0092] 20 drivable area

[0093] 22 free area

[0094] 24 skeleton

[0095] 30 forbidden area

[0096] 32 occupied area

[0097] 41 intersection point

[0098] 42 endpoint

[0099] 43 turn point

[0100] V connection

[0101] R connection direction

[0102] L connection length

[0103] B connection width d1 first connection distance d2 second connection distance X longitudinal

[0104] +X positive longitudinal -X negative longitudinal Y lateral

[0105] +Y positive lateral -Y negative lateral.

Claims

1. A method for operating an industrial plant having at least one mobile system, wherein: generating a base map of the industrial facility, the base map having information about at least one drivable area (20) and at least one prohibited area (30); generating a corrected map of the industrial facility, the corrected map having information about at least one drivable area (20) and at least one prohibited area (30); Overlay the base map with the revised map; When a deviation between a metric feature of the base map and a metric feature of the correction map is identified, at least one metric feature of the base map is replaced by a metric feature of the correction map, A base map and a modified map are respectively generated in the form of a graph, wherein the graph describes at least one drivable area (20), wherein the graph includes, as topological features, at least one first node, a second node, and at least one connection (V) between the first node and the second node, wherein each connection (V) has a connection direction (R) and a connection length (L); the graph of the base map is superimposed on the graph of the modified map, The method comprises the following steps: - firstly, mapping the correction map and / or the base map in the form of an initial grid cell map (10), the initial grid cell map extending in a longitudinal direction (X) and in a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the initial grid cell map having a plurality of individual cells, wherein cells describing at least one drivable area (20) are marked as vacant and cells representing at least one prohibited area (30) are marked as occupied, so that the vacant cells form at least one vacant area (22) and the occupied cells form at least one occupied area (32); - generating a reduced grid cell map (12) from the initial grid cell map (10) by marking as occupied cells of at least one vacant area (22) of the initial grid cell map (10) whose longitudinal (X) and / or lateral (Y) distance and / or linear distance to at least one cell of at least one occupied area (32) is less than a safety distance; - thinning at least one vacant area (22) of the reduced grid cell map (12) by marking cells of the at least one vacant area (22) that are adjacent to at least one occupied area (32) in the longitudinal (X) and / or transverse (Y) directions as occupied, until the at least one vacant area (22) is in the form of a skeleton (24) comprising at least one linear concatenation of the individual vacant cells; - generating a graphic of the correction map and / or the base map from a skeleton (24) of at least one free area (22).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that A base map of the industrial facility comprises information about at least one travel route planned for the at least one mobile system; a revised map of the industrial facility comprises information about at least one travel route planned for the at least one mobile system; When the base map and the correction map are superimposed, at least one parameter of at least one planned driving route of the base map is transferred to the corresponding planned driving route of the correction map.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that When superimposing the graph of the base map and the graph of the correction map, the difference in connection direction (R) and the connection length (L) between corresponding nodes are used.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Before generating a graphic of a corrected map and / or a base map, a skeleton (24) of at least one vacant area (22) is smoothed by marking cells of at least one occupied area (32) that are adjacent to at least one vacant area (22) in the longitudinal (X) and transverse (Y) directions as vacant, until each cell of the vacant area (22) that is adjacent to another vacant cell in the diagonal direction is additionally adjacent to a further vacant cell in the longitudinal (X) or transverse (Y) direction, and the further vacant cell is adjacent to the further vacant cell in the longitudinal (X) or transverse (Y) direction.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that At least one charging point for charging the at least one mobile system is provided in the reduced grid cell map (12), and at least one vacant area (22) of the reduced grid cell map (12) is thinned out so that the at least one charging point is part of a skeleton (24).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The graph includes at least one charging point as a node, and the graph is generated by detecting connections (V) with other nodes for each of the charging points, wherein each connection (V) includes a concatenation of vacant cells between two nodes; and a connection direction (R) and a connection length (L) are determined for each detected connection (V).

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The graph includes at least one intersection (41) as a node, wherein the graph is generated by marking cells of the at least one vacant area (22) that are adjacent to at least three other vacant cells in the longitudinal direction (X) and the transverse direction (Y) as intersections (41); detecting connections (V) with other nodes for each intersection (41), wherein each connection (V) includes a concatenation of the vacant cells between the two nodes; and determining a connection direction (R) and a connection length (L) for each detected connection (V).

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The graph includes at least one endpoint (42) as a node, wherein the graph is generated by marking cells of the at least one vacant area (22) that are adjacent to exactly one vacant cell in the longitudinal direction (X) and the transverse direction (Y) as endpoints (42); detecting connections (V) with other nodes for each of the endpoints (42), wherein each connection (V) includes a concatenation of single vacant cells between two nodes; and determining a connection direction (R) and a connection length (L) for each detected connection (V).

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The graph includes at least one turning point (43) as a node, wherein the graph is generated by marking the following cells of the at least one vacant area (22) as turning points (43), namely: the cell is adjacent to exactly one vacant cell as part of a linear series of the minimum number of vacant cells in the longitudinal direction (X), and is adjacent to exactly one vacant cell as part of a linear series of the minimum number of vacant cells in the transverse direction (Y) in the transverse direction (Y); for each turning point (43), connections with other nodes are detected, wherein each connection (V) includes a series of single vacant cells between two nodes; and for each detected connection (V), a connection direction (R) and a connection length (L) are determined respectively.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Each connection (V) has a connection width (B), wherein the graphics of the modified map and / or the base map are generated in the following manner, i.e., in addition to each detected connection (V), a connection width (B) is also determined in each case by: determining a connection distance (d1, d2) from each vacant cell of the connection (V) on both sides to the corresponding closest prohibited area (30) in a direction perpendicular to the connection direction (R); allocating a path width to the vacant cell, the path width being calculated as the sum of the two determined connection distances (d1, d2); and determining the connection width (B) as the minimum path width of all vacant cells of the connection (V).

11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The connection direction (R) is determined for each detected connection (V) by assigning said connection direction (R) a main direction (+X, -X, +Y, -Y) which is closest to the exact connection direction (R).

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The at least one mobile system comprises a transmission head for contactlessly receiving energy, the industrial installation having at least one charging point for inductively transmitting energy, wherein the transmission head can be inductively coupled to the charging point, wherein the at least one charging point is arranged at a node.

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The at least one mobile system comprises a transmission head for contactlessly receiving energy, the industrial installation having at least one conductor loop for inductively transmitting energy, wherein the transmission head can be inductively coupled to the conductor loop, wherein the at least one conductor loop is arranged along a connection (V) between two nodes.

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