Traveling Vehicle Blocking Section Control for Grid Track Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traveling vehicle systems in semiconductor manufacturing factories face inefficiencies due to unnecessary occupation of blocking sections by vehicles performing operations, leading to hindrance and interference, particularly in grid-patterned tracks.
Innovation Solution
A traveling vehicle system and control method that demarcates operations into series, allowing separate occupation permission requests for different stages, reducing the number of temporarily occupied blocking sections by granting permissions strategically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If permission is preliminarily obtained for all blocking sections through which a traveling vehicle is supposed to pass, then the traveling vehicle can move smoothly without waiting for permissions, but these blocking sections are occupied more than necessary while the vehicle performs predetermined operations, resulting in hindrance to other vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the occupation permission request into two distinct phases: (1) permission for blocking sections required to travel until stopping before performing a predetermined operation, and (2) permission for blocking sections required to perform the operation itself. This segmentation allows the vehicle to secure travel permissions in advance while releasing operation-related permissions only when needed, thereby maintaining high traveling speed without unnecessarily occupying blocking sections during operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by granting occupation permission for blocking sections required to travel until stopping before performing a predetermined operation in advance. This allows the vehicle to move smoothly without waiting for permissions during the traveling phase, while the permission for the operation phase is obtained only when the vehicle is ready to perform the operation, thus avoiding premature occupation of blocking sections.
2Reliability
If permission is obtained only for blocking sections up to a permissible blocking section, then exclusive control is maintained, but the traveling vehicle may stop once before finishing passing through permitted blocking sections, causing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the blocking sections into two categories: (1) blocking sections required to travel until stopping before performing a predetermined operation, for which permission is granted in advance, and (2) blocking sections required to perform the operation, for which permission is obtained when needed. This segmentation allows the vehicle to pass through the first category without interruption while maintaining exclusive control through the second category, thereby eliminating unnecessary stops and delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic permission management where the scope of occupation permission is adjusted based on the vehicle's operational state. During the traveling phase, permission is granted for blocking sections up to the stopping position before the operation. When the vehicle is ready to perform the operation, permission is extended to include the blocking sections required for the operation. This dynamic adjustment eliminates unnecessary stops while maintaining exclusive control reliability.
3Reliability
If a traveling vehicle occupies blocking sections for the entire duration of operations including transfer, direction change, and charging, then exclusive control prevents interference, but the number of temporarily occupied blocking sections increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operation into distinct phases (traveling to stopping position, performing operation) and segments the blocking sections accordingly. Permission is granted for blocking sections required to travel until stopping before performing a predetermined operation in advance, while permission for blocking sections required to perform the operation is obtained only when the vehicle is ready to perform the operation. This ensures exclusive control effectiveness while minimizing the number of blocking sections occupied at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by granting permission for blocking sections required to travel until stopping before performing a predetermined operation in advance, allowing the vehicle to move smoothly. The permission for blocking sections required to perform the operation is obtained only when the vehicle is ready, thus preventing premature occupation and minimizing the number of blocking sections occupied at any given time while maintaining exclusive control effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A traveling vehicle system includes: a plurality of traveling vehicles; and a controller that is capable of communicating with the plurality of traveling vehicles and that controls the plurality of traveling vehicles, a traveling region of the traveling vehicles having designated therein a plurality of blocking sections each of which undergoes, when occupied by one of the plurality of traveling vehicles, exclusive control to prohibit another traveling vehicle from moving thereinto. The controller determines, where in a series of operations to be executed by the traveling vehicle, the operation of the traveling vehicle from the start of traveling to stopping before executing a predetermined operation included in the series of operations is demarcated, whether or not to grant the traveling vehicle an occupation permission for the blocking sections to be occupied for the traveling vehicle to execute operations.