Crossbelt sorter

Abstract

Sorter (1), in particular crossbelt sorter, adapted to sort an object (9) into one of a plurality of discharge stations (14); the sorter (1) comprises a plurality of carts (11); the carts (11) are movable along a conveying direction (R) on a circumferentially closed track (13); each of the cart (11) comprising an object accommodation area (12) for accommodating an object to be sorted (9); the sorter comprises a plurality of actuators (32), wherein upon activation of an actuator an object is selectively transferred from said accommodation area (12) into one of the plurality of discharge stations (14); wherein the sorter (1) comprises a central controller (2), the sorter comprising a plurality of local controllers (34), each associated to one of the plurality of discharge stations (14); wherein the local controllers (34) are adapted - to receive a control request (92) from the central controller (2) and - based on the received control request (92) to selectively activate, in particular in real time, the actuators (32), in particular to issue control commands (91) activating an actuator (32).

Description

crossbelt sorter descriptionThe invention refers to a sorter.A generic sorter is shown in US 6,273,268 B1 . The sorter comprises a plurality of carts which are movable along a conveying direction on a circumferentially closed conveying track. An object is conveyed on the cart on a surface, here provided by a crossbelt, which is movable for sorting out the object at a discharge station. Said movement of the surface is effected by means of an actuator located stationary along the path of travel, which can be transferred between a driving state and a non-driving state. Conventionally, all actuators for driving moving the surface, are controlled by a central control unit.EP 3 848 129 B1 shows a crossbelt sorter comprising a plurality of carriages. The crossbelt is driven by a belt driving device having a motor located on the carriage, which receives a sorting signal from a central supervisory controller (

[0035] and [(0038)]).US 2002 / 079254 A1 discloses a crossbelt sorting system including trolleys traveling along a path between respective stations for unloading items. For sorting out an object, a central controller activates a stationary oscillator, which provides electrical power to an inductor. The inductor provides in an inductive manner electric power to an electronic unit, located on the trolley, when the trolley is passing the inductor. The electronic unit activates the motor located in the trolley.There are in main two categories of sorters, at first the so-called electrical sorter and at second the so-called mechanical sorter.The electrical sorter has a electric actuator located on each of the sorter carts. Upon activation of the electrical actuator, the object is transferred from the sorter cart into a discharge stations. Technical challenges here lie in the transfer of energy and of signals onto the moving sorter cart. The sorters described in the above mentioned EP 3 848 129 B1 and US 2002 / 079254 A1 are electrical sorters.The mechanical sorter has stationary actuators located at defined positions along the track and in defined spatial relation to the discharge stations. Here an activation force is transferred to the sorter cart in a mechanical manner issuing the sorter cart to discharge the object. Examples of mechanical sorters are disclosed in US 2023 / 219767A1 , EP 930 248 A2, WO 2024 / 068503 A1 , WO 2024 / 068 504 A1 and WO 2024 / 068505 A1 .In the conventional systems a central sorter is provides real time commands to the actuators. Since each sorters are individually tailor made, each sorter installation require its individual programming to set the sorter into operation.It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sorter in particular with respect of adjustability and / or easy installation.The invention comprises a sorter and a method according to the main claims; embodiments are subject of the subclaims and the description.According to the invention, the sorter is a crossbelt sorter adapted to sort an object into one of a plurality of discharge stations. The sorter comprises a plurality of carts that are movable along a conveying direction on a circumferentially closed track. Each of the carts includes an object accommodation area for accommodating an object to be sorted. The sorter also includes a plurality of actuators, wherein upon activation of an actuator, an object is selectively transferred from the accommodation area into one of the plurality of discharge stations. The sorter further comprises a central controller and a plurality of local controllers, each associated with one of the plurality of discharge stations. The local controllers are adapted to receive a control request from the central controller and, based on the received control request, to selectively activate, in particular in real time, the actuators, specifically to issue control commands activating an actuator.This can allow for a decentralized control system where local controllers handle the real-time activation of actuators. This reduces the load on the central controller and allows for more flexible and scalable sorter systems. The local controllers can operate independently based on the control requests, which can lead to faster response times and more efficient sorting operations.In an embodiment, for transferring an object from the cart into a specific discharge station, a plurality of actuators, which are associated with one specific discharge station, are to be activated sequentially according to a predefined sequence.This can allow for precise control over the sorting process. By activating the actuators in a specific sequence, the system can handle objects of various sizes and weights more effectively. This sequential activation can be tailored to optimize the transfer of objects, ensuring that they are directed to the correct discharge station with high accuracy. This can be particularly beneficial for handling larger objects or for optimizing the sorting process based on the size and weight of the objects being sorted.In an embodiment, the local controllers are adapted to determine a plurality of actuator control commands according to a predefined sequence and to control the actuators according to the determined actuator control commands.This can decentralize the control logic, allowing the local controllers to handle the detailed timing and sequencing of actuator activations. In addition this can reduce the complexity and workload of the central controller, leading to a more scalable system where the addition of new dischargestations or changes in the sorting logic can be managed locally without requiring changes to the central control system.In an embodiment, the control request does not comprise the actuator control commands. This minimizes the amount of data that needs to be transmitted from the central controller to the local controllers. By only sending high-level requests and allowing the local controllers to generate the specific actuator commands, the system can reduce communication overhead and potentially increase the speed and responsiveness of the sorting process.In an embodiment, the local controller is adapted to select one sequence of actuator control commands based on the control request received from the central controller, in particular, the local controller is adapted to retrieve said actuator control commands according to a plurality of sequences from a memory.This can allow for flexible and dynamic selection of actuator control sequences. The local controller can choose the appropriate sequence based on the control request, which can be useful for handling different types of objects or for adapting to changing sorting requirements. Storing multiple sequences in memory also can provide the ability to quickly switch between different sorting strategies.In an embodiment, the control request is a just-in-time request and not a real-time request. This allows the system to plan and prepare for sorting operations in advance. By using just-in-time requests, the system can schedule the activation of actuators at the optimal moment, which can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the sorting process. This approach can also reduce the need for real-time communication, which can be beneficial in systems with limited bandwidth or high latency.In an embodiment, an activation force is transferred in a mechanical way from the stationary actuator to the carts, where the activation force causes the object to be transferred from said accommodation area into one of said discharge stations.This can provide a reliable and straightforward mechanism for transferring objects from the carts to the discharge stations. By using a mechanical force, the system can avoid potential issues with electrical or wireless interference, and can ensure that the transfer process is consistent and repeatable. This can be particularly useful in environments with a lot of electrical noise or where precise control over the transfer process is required.In an embodiment, the control request is a sequence start request, wherein the sequence start request is requesting the local controller to issue actuator control commands according to a predefined sequence, wherein the sequence start request comprises an identification of apredefined sequence, wherein based on the identification of a predefined sequence the local controller issues the actuator control commands according to the identified sequence.This can allow the central controller to initiate complex sorting operations with a single request. By identifying a predefined sequence, the central controller can delegate the task of issuing the individual actuator commands to the local controller, which can help to reduce the load on the central controller and improve the overall efficiency of the system. This approach can also allow for greater flexibility in defining and executing sorting strategies.In an embodiment, the control request is a cart discharge request, wherein the cart discharge request is requesting a local controller to issue actuator control commands so that the object located on a specific cart is transferred at a specific transfer station. The cart discharge request comprises an identification of said specific cart and an identification of said specific transfer station.This can allow for precise control over the discharge process. By specifying the cart and the transfer station, the system can ensure that objects are transferred to the correct location. This can be particularly useful in systems where the carts are not evenly spaced or where the transfer stations are not uniformly distributed along the track.In an embodiment, the control request is an object discharge request, wherein the object discharge request is requesting a local controller to issue actuator control commands so that a specific object is transferred at a specific discharge station; wherein the cart discharge request comprises an identification of said specific object and an identification of said specific discharge station.This can allow the system to track and sort individual objects. By identifying the object and the discharge station, the system can ensure that each object is transferred to the correct location. This can be particularly useful in systems where objects need to be sorted based on specific criteria, such as destination or priority.In an embodiment, upon receiving the control request the local controller is adapted to determine a sequence of actuator control commands and a sequence start time at which the actuator control commands are to be issued.This can allow the local controller to manage the timing of the actuator commands. By determining the sequence start time, the local controller can ensure that the actuators are activated at the optimal moment, which can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the sorting process. This approach can also allow for greater flexibility in defining and executing sorting strategies.In an embodiment, the local controller is adapted to receive, in particular separately from the control request, a cart position information, allocating the position of at least certain cart at a certain time, and / or an object-on-cart information, allocating a certain object to a certain cart. The localcontroller is adapted to determine a time for issuing the actuator control commands from said control request, and said cart position information and / or said object-on-cart information.This can allow the local controller to make informed decisions about when to issue the actuator control commands. By using the cart position information and / or the object-on-cart information, the local controller can ensure that the actuators are activated at the correct time, which can help to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the sorting process. This approach can also allow for greater flexibility in defining and executing sorting strategies.In an embodiment, said actuators are located stationary along the track, in particular the actuators are not moving with the cart.In an embodiment, the method of operating a sorter or use of a sorter according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of receiving a control request by one of the local controllers from the central controller and based on the received control request local controller activates at least one of the actuators; characterized in that the timing for activating the actuator by the local controller is independent from a time, when the local controller receives the control request.This can allow the local controller to manage the timing of the actuator commands independently. By decoupling the timing of the actuator activation from the time when the control request is received, the system can ensure that the actuators are activated at the optimal moment, which can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the sorting process. This approach can allow for greater flexibility in defining and executing sorting strategies.An effect of the invention is in particular an easy way of installation, since the tasks of the local controller are significantly reduced. In particular the real time controlling is sourced out to the local controllers, enabling shorter reaction times and fewer time critical data traffic over the central controller and the data connection.In particular the local controllers are in a condition to determine the timing of activation merely on not-time critical information. Details of the sorter, in particular the exact position of transfer stations are not required to be reflected in the central controller. This enables the possibility to adjust the position of actuators without any need to change the software within the central controller or to change any software at all.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures; herein shows: figure 1 an inventive sorter in top view; figure 2 details of the actuation device of the sorter according to figure 1 in cross-section according to section line l-l in figure 1 ;figure 3 details of the control structure in a conventional sorter; figure 4 to 7 details of the control structure in an inventive sorter.Figure 1 shows a crossbelt sorter 1 . The crossbelt sorter 1 comprises a plurality of crossbelt carts 11 , which travel circumferentially in a conveying direction R along a closed track 13. On top of each of the carts 11 a crossbelt 12 is provided. A top surface of the crossbelt 12 provides a conveying surface for supporting an object 9 to be conveyed. The crossbelt 12 constitutes the object accommodating area. The individual carts 11 are identified by the respective suffix a,b,c,...x,y,z.A plurality of discharge stations 14, exemplarily identified by the suffixes m, n, o, are provided, at which the object 9 can selectively be removed (discharged) from the crossbelt cart 11 and conveyed to an area provided laterally of the crossbelt cart 11. For this purpose, the crossbelt 12 is set in motion on the crossbelt cart 11 in a transverse direction Q transverse to the conveying direction R. It is not required, that the transverse direction Q is at 90° degree to the conveying direction R, any angle between about 30° and 90° may be sufficient.A central controller 2 is at least providing information which is required for controlling the operation of the crossbelt sorter 1 .Figure 2 shows the mechanism for driving the crossbelt 12. The basic structure is also applicable for the inventive sorter.Along the track 13 (see figure 1) an actuator arrangement 3 is provided having friction bars 31 . The friction bar 31 can be transferred between a driving position and an disengaged position. The actuator arrangement 3 is provided to transfer the friction bar 31 between the driving position and the disengaged position. For amending the position of the friction bar 31 the actuator arrangement 3 has an actuator 32, e.g. a pneumatic or electromechanical actuator. A spring may be provided to push the friction bar 31 back into the disengaged position. A local controller 34 controls the operation of the actuator 32 in particular based on information received from the central controller 2.In the driving position the friction bar 31 gets in frictional contact with a drive wheel 41 belonging to the crossbelt cart 11 . Now, due to the relative movement of the drive wheel 41 along the conveying direction R the friction bar 31 sets the drive wheel 41 into rotation.Via a permanent drive connection 43 (shown merely schematically) the drive wheel 41 is connected to a drive roller 42 driving the crossbelt 12. Consequently, a rotation of the drive wheel 41 results in a drive motion of the crossbelt 12 on top of the cart 11 in the transverse direction Q.In particular “permanent” means in this context, that a rotation of the drive wheel 41 always leads to a drive power at the crossbelt 12. For the opposite direction, a freewheel mechanism may be provided which hinders the crossbelt 12 to drive the drive wheel 41 .In the disengaged position the friction bar 31 is not in a frictional contact with the drive wheel 41 and no drive power is provided to the crossbelt 12, so that an object 9 located on top of the crossbelt 12 keeps its location on the crossbelt cart 11 .Finally the crossbelt 12 is driven by a driven roller 42, which is permanently connected to the drive wheel 41 and the crossbelt 12 so that a rotation of the drive wheel 41 automatically results in a movement of the crossbelt 12.Figures 3 to 7 show the control structure of several embodiments of a crossbelt sorter 1 . At first the common components of all these embodiments are described together; later, an individual description will refer to specific features of individual embodiments.To each of the plurality of discharge stations 14m..o an individual actuator arrangement 3m..o is allocated. Each actuator arrangement 3m..o comprises a plurality of actuators 32a..d. Each of the actuators 32a.. d are adapted to transfer one of a plurality of friction bars 31 a.. d between the disengaged position (see friction bars 31 b-d in figure 3) and the engaged position (see friction bar 31 a in figure 3).As an example, the actuators 32 may be pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, each individually activated by a valve arrangement 33. In another embodiment the actuators may be electric, not requiring a valve arrangement 33.The term “activate a friction bar” is to be understood identically as the term to transfer the friction bar into the engaged position.Reference is now made to the conventional sorter according to figure 3. Activation of the actuators 32 is controlled by the central controller 2 for all of the actuators 32 within the crossbelt sorter 1 . Here the central controller 2, via a data connection 21 , provides in real time actuator control commands 91 , which are provided to the actuator arrangement 3, leading to a prompt transfer of the friction bar 31 . As an example, at time t2 the central controller 2 provides an actuator control command 91 (3n-32a) setting the first actuator 32a and the respective first friction bar 31 a of the actuator arrangement 3n, which is allocated to the discharge station 14n into the engaged position. Same commands will follow for the other actuators 32b..d and allocated frictions bars 31 b..d.To sort out an usual object in a discharge station 14 a first sequence S1 of an actuator control command 91 is required which leads e.g. to a sequential activation of the friction bars 31 arranged one behind the other.To sort out a larger object (see object 9XL in figure 1) a different, second sequence S2 may be required, as illustrated at time t3 for the actuator arrangement 3m allocated to the discharge station 14m. Here at first the first and the third friction bars are activated synchronously, to initiate the crossbelt movement on two subsequent crossbelt carts 11 simultaneously. Afterwards the second and fourth friction bars are activated synchronously. In addition, there may additional situations, which in sum require a selection of more than two different sequences S1 , S2.Independent from the currently applicable sequence S1 , S2, the central controller 2 merely provides the individual control commands 91 to the actuator arrangement via the data connection 21 in real time. The conventional crossbelt sorter 1 does not require a local controller located at the actuators.Figures 4 to 7 show the control structure of inventive crossbelt sorters 1 .Allocated to each of the actuator arrangements 3 there is a local controller 34. The local controller 34 may be a component of said actuator arrangements 3 (as shown) or may be separate (not shown). In addition, one common local controller 34 may be allocated to two or more actuator arrangements 3.The local controller 34 has a memory 35, in which several sequences S1 , S2 of actuator control commands 91 are stored. The central controller 2 provides a control request 92 to the local controllers 34. Accordingly, the central controller 2 does not provide the actuator control commands 91 to the actuators, as in the conventional sorter of figure 3.In the embodiment of figure 4, the control request 92, issued by the central controller 2, is a realtime sequence start request 92a. E.g. the real-time sequence start request 92a(3n, S1) comprises an instruction in real time to actuator arrangement 3n, to immediately start sequence S1 . The local controller 34 of actuator arrangement 3n receives this real-time sequence start request 92a(3n, S1) and sequentially provides the actuator control command 91 in real time to the valve arrangement 33 of actuator arrangement 3n, starting with actuator control command 91 (a) for first actuator 32a. Subsequently the other actuators 32b..d will be activated according to the sequence S1 stored in the memory 35.In the embodiment of figure 5, the control request 92, issued by the central controller 2, is a just-in- time sequence start request 92b. E.g. the just-in-time sequence start request 92b(3n, t2, S1) comprises an instruction to actuator arrangement 3n, to start sequence S1 at predetermined given time t2. That requires, that the just-in-time sequence start request 92b is issued in good time before t2. The local controller 34 of actuator arrangement 3n receives this just-in-time sequence start request 92b(3n, t2, S1) and starts controlling the actuator arrangement 3 according to the sequence S1 at time t2, thereby starting with actuator control command 91 (a) for first actuator 32a.Subsequently the other actuators 32b..d will be activated according to the sequence S1 stored in the memory 35.In both aforementioned cases, the sequence start request does not comprise the actuator control commands 91 .In the embodiment of figure 6, the control request 92, issued by the central controller 2, is a just-in- time cart discharge request 92c, containing information to discharge the object on a certain crossbelt cart 11 into a certain discharge area 14. E.g. the just-in-time cart discharge request 92c(11 b, 14n) comprises an instruction to actuator arrangement 3n allocated to discharge station 14n. No explicit time information needs to be provided in the request 92. The local controller 34 of actuator arrangement 3n receives this just-in-time cart discharge request 92c and starts controlling the actuator arrangement 3 according to one of the stored sequences S1 , S1 at a discharge time, when the certain crossbelt cart 11 is located at a position ready for discharge at said discharge station 14n.The discharge time is not explicitly provided to the local controller 34. Instead the local controller 34 is provided with a cart position information 94. The cart position information 94 is provided by a cart position determiner 24 (see also figures 1 and 2). The cart position determiner 24 may comprise a scanner located at a known position along the track 14, which is adapted to determine a identification time, when a cart 11 passes the known position. Thereby the scanner can detect a cart identificator 44 attached to the cart 4 (see figure 2). Based on the identification time along with the travel speed v of the crossbelt carts 11 , the position of a certain cart 11 can always be determined.The embodiment of figure 7 is based on the embodiment of figure 6. Here the control request 92, issued by the central controller 2, is a just-in-time object discharge request 92d, containing information to discharge a certain object into a certain discharge area 14.E.g. the just-in-time object discharge request 92d(9b, 14n) comprises an instruction to actuator arrangement 3n to discharge object 9b as soon as it arrives at the specific discharge station. No explicit time information needs to be provided in the request 92. The local controller 34 of actuator arrangement 3n receives this just-in-time object discharge request 92d and starts controlling the actuator arrangement 3 according one of the stored sequences S1 , S2 at a discharge time, when the certain object 9b reaches the said discharge station 14n. For determining the discharge time an independent object-on-cart information 95 is required, which can be provided by an object information broker 25, which may be incorporated in the central controller 2. E.g. the object-on-cart information 95 (9b, 11 z) contains the information, that said certain object 9b (which is the one to be discharged) is located on a specific cart 11z. With the aforementioned information, the local controller 34 is in a condition to identify the crossbelt cart 11 , on which the object 9 to bedischarged is located. Now the local controller 34 can operate as described in the embodiment according to figure 6.The aforementioned example illustrates the advantages of the invention with respect to an exemplary cross-belt sorter. In addition, the invention is also applicable to different kind of sorters, where the object is conveyed on a cart and discharging from said cart is activated by stationary actuators. As an example the cart may be a split-tray cart of a split-tray sorter (see transport container 4 in US 11 ,780,686 B2) or a tilt-tray cart of a tilt-tray-sorter (see wagon 5 in US8, 7270103 B2).List of reference signs1 crossbelt sorter2 central controller3, 3a, 3b actuator arrangement9 object to be conveyed9XL extra-large object to be conveyed11 a..z crossbelt cart12 crossbelt13 track14m, n,o discharge stations21 data connection24 cart position determiner25 object information broker31 a..d friction bar32a...d actuator33 valve arrangement34 local controller35 memory41 drive wheel42 drive roller43 drive connection44 cart identificator91 actuator control command (real time)92 control request92a real-time sequence start request (figure 4)92b just-in-time sequence start request (figure 5)92c just-in-time cart discharge request (figure 6)92d just-in-time object discharge request (figure?)94 cart position information95 object-on-cart informationR conveying directionQ transverse direction v travel speed of crossbelt cart

Claims

Claims1 . Sorter (1), in particular crossbelt sorter, adapted to sort an object (9) into one of a plurality of discharge stations (14); the sorter (1) comprises a plurality of carts (11); the carts (11) are movable along a conveying direction (R) on a circumferentially closed track (13); each of the carts (11) comprising an object accommodation area (12) for accommodating an object to be sorted (9); the sorter comprises a plurality of actuators (32), wherein upon activation of an actuator an object is selectively transferred from said accommodation area (12) into one of the plurality of discharge stations (14); wherein the sorter (1) comprises a central controller (2), characterized by a plurality of local controllers (34), each associated to one of the plurality of discharge stations (14); wherein the local controllers (34) are adapted- to receive a control request (92) from the central controller (2) and- based on the received control request (92) to selectively activate, in particular in real time, the actuators (32), in particular to issue control commands (91) activating an actuator (32).

2. Sorter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that for transferring an object (9) from the cart (11) into a specific discharge station (14n) a plurality of actuators (31a..d), which are associated to one specific discharge station (14n) , are to be activated sequentially according to a predefined sequence (S1 , S2).

3. Sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the local controllers (34) are adapted to determine a plurality of actuator control commands (91) according to a predefined sequence (S1 , S2) and to control the actuators (32) according to the determined actuator control commands (91).

4. Sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control request (92) does not comprise the actuator control commands (91).

5. Sorter (1) according to any of the claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the local controller (34) is adapted to select one sequence (S1 , S2), in particular one of a plurality of sequences, of actuator control commands (91) based on the control request (92) received from the central controller (2), in particular the local controller (34) is adapted to retrieve said actuator control commands (91) according to a plurality of sequences (S1 , S2) from a memory (35).

6. Sorter (1) according to any of the claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the control request (92) is a just-in-time request and not a real-time request.

7. Sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an activation force is transferred in a mechanical way from the stationary actuator to the carts, where the activation force causes the object (9) to be transferred from said accommodation area (12) into one of said discharge stations (14).

8. Sorter (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control request (92) is a sequence start request (92a, b), wherein the sequence start request (92a, b) is requesting the local controller (34) to issue actuator control commands (91) according to a predefined sequence (S1 , S2), wherein the sequence start request (92a, b) comprises an identification of a predefined sequence (S1 , S2), wherein based on the identification of a predefined sequence (S1 , S2) the local controller (34) issues the actuator control commands (91) according to the identified sequence (S1 , S2).

9. Sorter (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control request (92) is a cart discharge request (92c), wherein the cart discharge request (92c) is requesting a local controller (34) to issue actuator control commands (91) so that the object (9) located on a specific cart (11 b) is transferred at a specific transfer station (14n); wherein the cart discharge request (92c) comprises an identification of said specific cart (11 b) and an identification of said specific transfer station (14n).

10. Sorter (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control request (92) is an object discharge request (92d), wherein the object discharge request (92d) is requesting a local controller (34) to issue actuator control commands (91) so that a specific object (9b) is transferred at a specific discharge station (14n); wherein the cart discharge request (92c) comprises an identification of said specific object (9b) and an identification of said specific discharge station (14n).

11. Sorter (1) according to any of the claims 9 or 10, characterized in that upon receiving the control request (92) the local controller (34) is adapted to determine a sequence (S1 , S2) of actuator control commands (91) and a sequence start time (t2) at which the actuator control commands (91) are to be issued.

12. Sorter (1) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the local controller (34) is adapted to receive, in particular separately from the control request (92),- a cart position information (94), allocating the position of at least certain cart (11 z) at a certain time, and / or- an object-on-cart information (95), allocating a certain object (9b) to a certain cart (11z), wherein the local controller (34) is adapted to determine a time (t2) for issuing the actuator control commands (91) from- said control request (92), and- said cart position information (94) and / or said object-on-cart information (95).

13. Sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said actuator said actuators (21) are located stationary along the track (13), in particular the actuators (31) are not moving with the cart.

14. Method of operating a sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims or use of a sorter (1) according to any of the preceding claims.

15. Method or use according to the preceding claim, comprising the steps of- receiving a control request (92) by one of the local controllers (34) from the central controller (2) and based on the received control request (92) local controller (34) activates at least one of the actuators (32); characterized in that the timing for activating the actuator by the local controller (34) is independent from a time, when the local controller (34) receives the control request (91).

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