Loading containers with items

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for loading at least two containers (2) with a plurality of items (3) each, in particular with a plurality of pieces of luggage each, it being possible to assign one of the at least two containers (2) to each item (3) by means of a sorting criterion (13), the method comprising: a) feeding the items (3) on an item conveyor system (9), in particular a luggage conveyor system, in particular an aircraft luggage conveyor system, to a sorting cell (1); b) receiving items (3) fed to said sorting cell (1) by means of a loading robot (4); c) loading, by means of the loading robot (4), the items (3) into the container (2) that can be assigned to the relevant item (3) by means of the sorting criterion (13).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Loading containers with general cargo

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of loading containers with piece goods, in particular Unit Load Devices (ULD) or other containers with pieces of luggage.

[0004] Airline baggage is often loaded into containers. In particular, it is often loaded into unit load devices (ULDs). These ULDs are standardized and usually have a shape and dimensions adapted to the cargo hold of an aircraft so that they can be loaded onto the aircraft as efficiently and automatically as possible. ULDs are usually loaded with baggage manually. There are isolated installations of loading robots. Machines to assist humans are also known.

[0005] A robot serves exactly one ULD from a transfer position. This requires positions where a large number of cases must be prepared for this ULD. If the batch is incomplete, the ULD cannot be fully loaded. In addition, waiting times occur for the robot when a ULD is replaced, which means the robot's potential throughput is not achieved.

[0006] The baggage items are distributed among ULDs based on sorting criteria. Sorting criteria can describe what should happen to a piece of baggage after landing, i.e. at the next destination, for example whether it is intended for transfer or scheduling. Transfer means that it should be loaded directly onto another aircraft at the next destination. In contrast, with scheduling, it is transported to the baggage claim, where it is received by the owner. Other sorting criteria can be, for example, the booking class or the urgency of further processing, i.e. whether it is a short connection. ULDs with mixed sorting criteria are well known. In order to load a ULD, the airport sorting system preferably has a sufficient number of baggage items for the sorting criterion(s) assigned to the ULD so that the ULD reaches an economically viable fill level.A free ULD should also be available. If the ULD is to be loaded using a loading aid or a loading robot, this should preferably be done synchronized at the aircraft location. To ensure high aircraft utilization, ULDs must be continuously grouped together with groups of suitcases that meet the same grouping criteria. Many aircraft are not loaded with ULDs. The baggage is usually placed individually and manually into the cargo holds. However, baggage trolleys with containers can also be used on the route between the baggage conveyor system and the aircraft. The containers can be permanently mounted on the baggage trolley or removable from it, for example, by placing the containers on a platform of the baggage trolley. These containers can also be loaded with multiple pieces of baggage, just like ULDs.

[0007] Both ULDs and baggage carts are typically loaded manually. ULDs from the same flight, but with different sorting criteria, are parked next to a baggage carousel. Employees take the suitcases from a baggage handling system's output conveyor and manually place them into the ULD with the appropriate assigned sorting criterion. For automatic loading of ULDs to be worthwhile, a sufficient number of baggage items to be loaded must be in the airport baggage handling system (e.g., in the early baggage storage area). These baggage items are moved to a storage area near the (semi-)automatic loading area. A ULD is moved to the loading area. The ULD is loaded with the baggage items using the machine / robot, as far as possible. Both the ULDs and the baggage items are moved to the robot.

[0008] ULDs move at low speeds. Changing a ULD takes time, reducing the system's throughput.

[0009] If only a portion of all the baggage to be loaded into a ULD is in the airport baggage handling system, the ULD cannot be fully loaded. The ULD must therefore be brought to the loading cell multiple times, which reduces the efficiency of the ULD loading process. In addition, the efficiency and / or capacity of the baggage handling system is also reduced. Alternatively, you can wait until there are enough suitcases in the baggage handling system to load the ULD. However, postponing the loading time due to increased utilization of the early baggage storage area, for example, also reduces the efficiency and free capacity of the baggage handling system, as the baggage remains in the system for longer. This requires more storage capacity in the baggage handling system. This can lead to increased loading peaks.Storage areas near the loading robot with the capacity of at least one ULD (preferably several) should therefore be available. The present invention is based on the object of optimizing the sorting criteria-dependent loading of containers with multiple piece goods each. This object is achieved by the solutions described in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in further claims.

[0010] According to one aspect, a method for loading at least two containers, each containing a plurality of piece goods, is proposed. One of the at least two containers can be assigned to the piece goods using a sorting criterion. The piece goods are fed to a sorting cell on a piece goods conveyor system. Each piece goods fed to said sorting cell is picked up by a loading robot, preferably grasped by the robot, and loaded into the container that can be assigned to the respective piece goods using the sorting criterion.

[0011] According to one aspect, a loading system is proposed which comprises means designed and configured to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0012] According to one aspect, a sorting cell for loading at least two containers, each containing a plurality of piece goods, is proposed. The sorting cell comprises a loading robot, at least two container locations, a feeding device, a loading area, and a control system. Each of the at least two container locations is designed to receive at least one of the at least two containers. The feeding device is designed to receive piece goods from a piece goods conveyor system and to feed them to a loading area in the sorting cell, from which the loading robot can receive the piece goods. The control system is configured to control the loading robot such that it receives a piece goods supplied to the loading area and loads them into the container located in one of the container locations, which container can be assigned to the respective piece goods using the sorting criterion.

[0013] Variants describing further developments of the invention are explained below by way of example without limiting the basic idea of ​​the invention.

[0014] According to one variant, the piece goods are pieces of luggage, and the piece goods conveyor system is a baggage conveyor system. According to another embodiment, the piece goods are pieces of airline baggage, and the piece goods conveyor system is an airline baggage conveyor system. According to one variant, the loading robot is a gripper robot or comprises one. In these embodiments, the piece goods are picked up by the loading robot by grasping the piece goods.

[0015] According to one variant, the above-explained aspects of the invention are determined by the fact that the feed device comprises precisely one conveyor, which feeds the piece goods to the sorting cell. This allows for a simple structure of the sorting cell.

[0016] According to one variant, the aspects of the invention explained above are determined in that the feed device comprises at least two conveyors which feed the piece goods to the sorting cell. This allows for greater flexibility. For example, this makes it possible for each conveyor to be assigned one of the sorting criteria, and for each conveyor to only be fed piece goods to which the respective sorting criterion is assigned. This can reduce the load on the control system of the loading robot, since it is already clear where the loading robot must pick up a piece of goods in order to continue filling a given container. This has the advantage, for example, that the loading robot does not have to wait when a container change is pending and the conveyors just happen to contain only piece goods for the container to be changed.This situation is more likely than it appears at first glance, since general cargo is loaded into available containers until the respective belt is blocked by general cargo for which no assigned container is currently available at one of the loading bays.

[0017] According to one variant, the above-explained aspects of the invention are determined by the loading robot being automatically moved horizontally within the sorting cell in order to be brought into a position suitable for loading a container with a piece of goods picked up by the robot. For this purpose, the sorting cell can comprise a moving means controllable by the control system. The control system and the moving means are configured to automatically move the loading robot as a whole horizontally and thereby bring it into a position that allows the loading robot to load the container associated with the piece of goods with the piece of goods.

[0018] One advantage of this variant is that the working area of ​​the robot is increased, which means more container spaces can be arranged in the sorting cell and thus more containers can be served by the loading robot at the same time. According to one variant, the loading robot is automatically moved horizontally within the sorting cell on a linear travel path in order to be brought to a position that is suitable for loading one of the containers with a piece of cargo picked up by the loading robot. The at least two containers are arranged on a first side of the linear travel path. A feeding part of the piece goods conveyor system, which feeds the piece goods to the sorting cell, is arranged on the other side, i.e. on a second side, of the linear travel path.

[0019] An advantage of this variant is that it allows for particularly efficient loading of the containers, as it prevents the loading robot and the feeding device from interfering with each other.

[0020] According to one variant, the above-explained aspects of the invention are determined by the sorting cell comprising a storage system, and the piece goods being fed to and inserted into the storage system on the piece goods conveyor system. For this purpose, the feed device, which is simultaneously part of the sorting cell and the piece goods conveyor system, can be designed to feed the piece goods to and insert them into the storage system. According to this variant, the loading robot in the storage system picks up a piece of goods brought in for storage directly from the warehouse in order to load this piece of goods into the container assigned to it based on the sorting criterion.

[0021] One advantage of this variant is that it increases the flexibility and efficiency of the loading process. On the one hand, waiting times for the loading robot can be reduced, thus increasing its utilization, as the number of piece goods to be loaded into one of the containers is increased. This avoids a situation where there is no piece goods available in the sorting cell for the containers currently located at the loading stations. Furthermore, the storage system can also be used as an intermediate storage facility, for example, as an early baggage storage facility, which avoids reloading processes, as baggage can be loaded directly from the early baggage storage facility into a ULD or other container.

[0022] According to one variant, the above-explained aspects of the invention are determined by the fact that the piece goods are introduced into the storage system from a first storage system side, and the loading robot picks up piece goods introduced into the storage system for storage directly from the other storage system side, i.e., a second storage system side that is different from the first storage system side. An advantage of this variant is that it allows for particularly efficient loading of the containers, since it prevents the loading robot and the feeding device from interfering with each other.

[0023] According to further variants, the sorting criteria can be derived from one or more of the following parameters:

[0024] - A travel connection such as a flight connection that is identifiable by a flight number;

[0025] - a departure time;

[0026] - a time of arrival;

[0027] - a departure point;

[0028] - a place of arrival;

[0029] - whether it is a piece of luggage for transfer or scheduling;

[0030] - a booking class;

[0031] - the urgency of further processing, in particular whether it is a short connection, i.e. a connecting flight with limited time for the transfer.

[0032] Further details of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings. Identical or corresponding drawing elements are provided with the same reference numerals in the individual figures and are explained repeatedly only to the extent that differences arise between the individual figures.

[0033] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual, independently considered variants of the invention, which also further develop the invention independently of one another and are therefore also to be considered as components of the invention, either individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described components can also be combined with the variants of the invention described above. Shown are:

[0034] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a sorting cell according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0035] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a sorting cell according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a sorting cell according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0036] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a sorting cell according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0037] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0038] Figure 1 schematically shows a sorting cell 1.1 for loading at least two ULDs 2, each with multiple pieces of baggage, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The sorting cell 1.1 comprises a loading robot 4, several container locations 5, a feed device 6, a loading area 7, and a control system 8. A container 2 configured as a ULD is placed on each of the container locations 5. The feed device 6 is configured to receive piece goods 3 from a piece goods conveyor system 9 configured as an airline baggage conveyor system and to feed them to the loading area 7. The loading robot 4 is configured to grasp the piece goods 3 from the loading area. The control system 8 comprises a data memory 81 and a processor 82.The data memory comprises data and instructions which, when executed on the processor 82, control the loading robot 4 so that it grasps a piece of goods 3 fed to the loading area 7 and loads this into the container 2 placed on one of the container locations 5 and which can be assigned to the respective piece of goods 3 by means of the sorting criterion 13.

[0039] The ULDs 2 are arranged relative to the loading robot 4 in such a way that the loading robot 4 can load its suitcases 3 or other items of luggage 3 into multiple ULDs 2 (at least two ULDs 2). The ULDs 2 can be positioned side by side. Other arrangements are also possible. For example, the ULDs 2 can be arranged in a circular arc around the robot 4, thereby reducing or even eliminating the variance in the distances between the robot 4 and the containers 2. An arrangement of the containers 2 and the container locations 5 one above the other is also possible.

[0040] The larger the number of ULDs 2 accessible by a loading robot 4, the less partially loaded ULDs 2 disrupt the throughput of the sorting cell 1.

[0041] If a ULD 2 needs to be changed, the loading robot 4 can continue to access and load the other ULD 2(s) during the changeover. Loading can thus continue without interruption; the changeover time required for changing the container 2 is not included in the throughput, or only partially included. In the sorting cell 1 shown in Figure 1, the feeding device 6 comprises only a continuous conveyor designed as a belt conveyor for feeding piece goods 3 to the loading area 7.

[0042] Figure 2 schematically shows an improved sorting cell 1.2 of the sorting cell 1 shown in Figure 1, in which the feeding device 6 comprises several collecting belts or other continuous conveyors which are designed to feed piece goods 3 to the loading area 7.

[0043] If at least one further collecting belt or other conveyor 61 is added to the sorting cell 1.1 shown in Figure 1, the flexibility is increased. For example, each conveyor 61 can be assigned a sorting criterion 13, so that on each collecting belt only piece goods 3 with a sorting criterion 13 or a group of sorting criteria 13 are fed to the loading area. This results in optimized utilization of the loading robot 4, since it can be avoided that piece goods 3 that cannot currently be loaded into a container 2 because this container 2 is currently being replaced, for example, block all conveyors 61 of the feed device 6, and thus piece goods 3 with sorting criteria for which a container 2 is currently located at a sorting station in the sorting cell 1 cannot unnecessarily be loaded into this container 2.

[0044] This ensures that container changes or changes between sorting criteria do not lead to an interruption of the loading process. If the tracking of piece goods 3 on a collection belt or other conveyor 61 of the feed device 6 stops, the loading robot 4 can process the piece goods 3 on the remaining collection belts. In particular, this arrangement allows partial loading of ULDs 2 without exchanging them at the loading station, as long as sufficient pieces of baggage 3 are provided for other ULDs 2 for continuous loading of at least one other ULD 2. Furthermore, the required batch size for continuous operation of the loading robot 4 is reduced.

[0045] If the same sorting criterion 13 is provided at multiple baggage transfer points 71, a decision can be made for the next loading based on physical criteria of the piece of baggage 3 and the current loading status. If suitable suitcases are taken into account in this way, the fill level of a ULD 2 and / or the stability of the stack of suitcases in the ULD can be improved. Each of the conveyors 61 of the feed device 6 and / or the loading area 7 represents a baggage transfer point 71. As will be explained further below with reference to the embodiment of Figure 4, a baggage transfer point 71 can also be a storage location of a storage system 12, for example a rack warehouse or matrix warehouse, so that the same advantageous effect can also be achieved in other ways.

[0046] Figure 3 shows a sorting cell 1.3 according to a further embodiment of the invention. This sorting cell 1.3 is based on the concept of the sorting cells 1 of the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2. In order to increase the number of accessible ULDs 2 and also collecting belts, the loading robot 4 comprises a vehicle 10, by means of which it can be moved along a preferably linear travel path 11. This allows the number of accessible ULDs 2 and / or collecting belts or other continuous conveyors of the feed device 6 to be increased, and even smaller groups of baggage items 3 defined by sorting criteria can be loaded into ULDs 2. In addition, more partially loaded ULDs 2 can be left standing in the sorting cell 1.3, since more loading stations can be arranged in the sorting cell 1.3.As in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the assignment of sorting criteria to collection belts can lead to greater flexibility in selecting the next piece of goods 3 to be processed by the loading robot 4. This enables more stable and denser loads and improved utilization of the loading robot 4.

[0047] In a further embodiment, the sorting cell 1 can also comprise multiple loading robots 4. The loading of the ULDs 2 can thus also be carried out using multiple robots and stored ULDs 2: A number of ULDs 2 are positioned next to each other (and in another variant, also stacked on top of each other) in the storage system 12. The loading openings face the outside of the warehouse. Paths for the robots are provided on the outside.

[0048] Collection belts for sorting criteria are provided on the opposite side (other physical arrangements, e.g., on a different level, are also possible). Whenever a piece of baggage 3 is ready for a ULD 2, a robot moves into the area between the collection belt and the ULD 2 and loads this quantity.

[0049] The exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 allow smaller quantities of baggage to be loaded early due to the larger number of ULDs 2 and collection belts available for direct access. Loading peaks are reduced, less baggage has to remain in the system's baggage storage, and the loading robots 4 can operate more continuously.

[0050] Similar to the variants illustrated in Figure 2, the increased number of collecting belts in the variants of Figure 3 allows the selection of a suitable case and thus an increased packing density of the ULD 2. Figure 4 shows a sorting cell 1.4 according to a further embodiment of the invention. This sorting cell 1.4 is based on the concept of the sorting cells 1 of the embodiments of Figures 1, 2 and 3. The sorting cell 1.4 comprises a storage system 12 designed as a matrix warehouse, which is configured to cooperate with the feed device 6 in order to feed the piece goods 3 to the storage system 12 and place them therein. The matrix warehouse can be designed with one or more levels. The loading robot 4 is designed and controllable by the control system 8 in order to pick up piece goods 3 introduced into the storage system 12 for storage directly from the storage system 12.The feed device 6 is designed and arranged to introduce the piece goods 3 into the storage system 12 on a first side of the storage system 12, and the loading robot 4 is arranged and designed to pick up piece goods 3 introduced into the storage system 12 for storage from a second side of the storage system 12, which is different from the first side, directly from the matrix warehouse without local collection points as intermediate storage. Such a sorting cell allows for particularly high flexibility due to a large number of baggage transfer points Gu 1 , GU 2 , Gu 3 , Gu 4 , Gu 5 , ... Gu N-1 , Gu N.

[0051] According to one embodiment, a storage system 12 disclosed in EP 3057887 B1 can be used in the sorting cell 1.4. If such a warehouse is upgraded to directly transfer individual suitcases to a loading robot at multiple locations, this can be used instead of the conveyors 61 upstream of the loading robot 4 or the loading robots 4. In this case, the loading robots 4 move between the containers 2 and the pure baggage storage area, which can be, for example, an early baggage storage area.

[0052] Suitcases and other items of luggage are transferred directly from the luggage storage area to the ULDs 2. If the storage system 12 has sufficient capacity and transfer positions that a robot can reach from one position, a uniform flow of items of luggage 3 can be achieved for loading the containers 2. This solution completely eliminates the need for a joint exit from the luggage storage area and preparation for loading on short-term storage facilities.

[0053] If the provided quantity of suitcases is too large for a ULD 2 to be loaded at a container location 5, the pieces of luggage 3 can be returned to the warehouse in one embodiment. Figure 5 shows a flowchart of a method 50 for loading at least two containers 2, each with several pieces of luggage 3.

[0054] In a method step 51, one of the at least two containers 2 is assigned to a piece of luggage 3 by means of a sorting criterion 13.

[0055] In a method step 52, the piece of baggage 3 is fed to a sorting cell 1 on an airline baggage conveyor system.

[0056] In a method step 53, a loading robot 4 picks up the piece of luggage 3 and in a further method step, the loading robot 4 loads the piece of luggage 3 into the container 2 assigned to the piece of luggage 3 using the sorting criterion 13.

[0057] The process steps 51, 52, 53 are carried out iteratively for further pieces of luggage 3.

[0058] According to one embodiment, a loading robot 4 can continue working with one of the at least two ULDs 2 without interruption if the baggage or other general cargo 3 for the first ULD is not yet available or the ULD 2 is currently in the process of being changed.

[0059] According to one embodiment, partial loading can be realized by direct access of the loading robot(s) 4 to a set of ULDs 2 and collecting belts without having to move the ULDs 2.

[0060] According to one embodiment, multiple collection belts are filled with the same sorting criterion 13. This allows the physically better-fitting baggage item 3 to be selected for a ULD. The fill level of the ULD 2 is thereby improved.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the direct connection to a matrix warehouse eliminates the need to prepare batches of baggage 3 or other general cargo 3 in the system and transport them from a warehouse to a local location. Local collection points are eliminated.

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for loading at least two containers (2), each with a plurality of piece goods (3), in particular with a plurality of pieces of luggage, wherein each piece goods (3) can be assigned to one of the at least two containers (2) by means of a sorting criterion (13); the method comprising: a) feeding the piece goods (3) on a piece goods conveyor system (9), in particular a baggage conveyor system, in particular an airline baggage conveyor system, to a sorting cell (1); b) picking up the piece goods (3) fed to said sorting cell (1) by means of a loading robot (4); c) loading the piece goods (3) by the loading robot (4) into the container (2) which can be assigned to the respective piece goods (3) by means of the sorting criterion (13).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the piece goods conveyor system (9) comprises exactly one conveyor (61) which feeds the piece goods (3) to the sorting cell (1).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the piece goods conveyor system (9) comprises at least two conveyors (61) which feed the piece goods (3) to the sorting cell (1).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the loading robot (4) is automatically moved in the horizontal direction in order to be brought into a position suitable for loading a container (2) with a piece of goods (3) picked up by the robot.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the loading robot (4) is automatically moved in the horizontal direction on a linear travel path (11) in order to be brought to a position which is suitable for loading one of the containers (2) with a piece goods (3) picked up by the robot; wherein the at least two containers (2) are arranged on a first side of the linear travel path (11); and wherein a feeding part of the piece goods conveyor system (9), which feeds the piece goods (3) to the sorting cell (1) in method step a), is arranged on a second side of the linear travel path (11) which is different from the first side.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sorting cell (1) comprises a storage system (12), and the piece goods (3) are fed to and introduced into the storage system (12) on the piece goods conveyor system (9); and wherein method step b) comprises the loading robot (4) picking up piece goods (3) introduced into the storage system (12) for storage (directly) from the storage.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sorting cell (1) comprises a storage system (12), and the piece goods (3) are fed to the storage system (12) on the piece goods conveyor system (9) and introduced into it from a first storage system side (12); and wherein method step b) comprises the loading robot (4) picking up piece goods (3) introduced into the storage system (12) for storage (directly) from the warehouse from a second storage system side (12), which is different from the first storage system side (12).

8. Sorting cell for loading at least two containers (2), each with a plurality of piece goods (3), in particular with a plurality of pieces of luggage, wherein the sorting cell (1) comprises a loading robot (4), at least two container locations (5), a feed device (6), a loading area (7), and a control system (8); wherein each of the at least two container locations (5) is designed to receive one of the at least two containers (2); wherein the feed device (6) is designed to receive piece goods (3) from a piece goods conveyor system (9), in particular an airline baggage conveyor system, and to feed them to the loading area (7), from which the loading robot (4) can receive (grip) the piece goods (3); and wherein the control system (8) is configured to control the loading robot (4) such that it receives a piece goods (3) fed to the loading area (7) and loads it into the container (2) that can be assigned to the respective piece goods (3) by means of the sorting criterion (13).

9. Sorting cell according to claim 8, wherein the feeding device (6) comprises exactly one conveyor (61) which is designed to feed the piece goods (3) to the sorting cell (1).

10. Sorting cell according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the feeding device (6) comprises at least two conveyors (61) which are designed to feed the piece goods (3) to the sorting cell (1).

11. Sorting cell according to one of claims 8 to 10, comprising a driving means (10) controllable by the control system (8), wherein the control system (8) and the driving means (10) are configured to automatically move the loading robot (4) (as a whole) in the horizontal direction and to bring it into a position in order to be able to load a container (2) with a piece goods (3) held by the loading robot (4).

12. Sorting cell according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the means of transport (10) comprises a linear travel path (11); and wherein the at least two containers (2) are arranged on a first side of the linear travel path (11) and the feeding device (6) is arranged on a second side of the linear travel path (11) which is different from the first side.

13. Sorting cell according to one of claims 8 to 12, comprising a storage system (12) which is configured to cooperate with the feeding device (6) in order to feed the piece goods (3) to the storage system (12) and to introduce them into it; wherein the loading robot (4) is designed and controllable by the control system (8) in order to (directly) remove piece goods (3) introduced into the storage system (12) for storage from the storage system (12).

14. Sorting cell according to claim 13, wherein the feeding device (6) is designed and arranged to introduce the piece goods (3) into the storage system (12) on a first side of the storage system (12) and the loading robot (4) is arranged and designed to pick up piece goods (3) introduced into the storage system (12) for storage from a second side of the storage system (12), which is different from the first side, from the storage system (12).

15. Loading system characterized by comprising means which are configured to carry out the method steps according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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