Conveyor Control Reconfiguration Across Bus Protocols
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems face high costs due to the need for extensive warehousing and manufacturing of numerous system components, as well as compatibility issues between components from different manufacturers and system generations, limiting interchangeability and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a control unit with two electronic memories, where a fast first memory stores the primary control configuration and a second memory with slower read access but higher capacity stores alternative configurations, allowing the microprocessor to switch between control configurations upon command, enabling operation in multiple modes and adapting to different bus protocols and control methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control units with different control configurations are manufactured to support different bus protocols and control methods, then system versatility and adaptability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase due to the need for extensive warehousing of numerous components
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is designed with a universal architecture that can perform multiple control functions by loading different control configurations from memory. The microprocessor can execute various bus protocols (CAN, LIN, FlexRay, Ethernet) and control methods (centralized, decentralized, mixed) using the same hardware platform, eliminating the need for multiple specialized control units and reducing component variety while maintaining full adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit employs dynamic reconfigurability through programmable memory storage. The control configuration can be changed at runtime by loading different control programs into the memory, allowing the control unit to adapt to different operating modes and communication protocols without physical reconfiguration. This dynamic approach enables a single control unit to replace multiple static control units with different fixed configurations
2Device complexity
If a single control unit is manufactured to support multiple control configurations, then manufacturing costs and component warehousing are reduced, but the control unit requires larger memory capacity and more complex microprocessor capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The control configuration data is segmented into discrete control programs that can be independently stored and loaded. Each control program represents a complete set of instructions for a specific bus protocol and control method. This segmentation allows the memory to efficiently store multiple configurations without requiring excessive capacity, as each segment is self-contained and can be loaded only when needed rather than having all configurations active simultaneously
3Reliability
If different control configurations are stored in separate control units, then each control unit can be optimized for its specific function, but interchangeability between components from different manufacturers and system generations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements a universal interface and communication architecture that can accommodate different bus protocols and control methods through software configuration rather than hardware differentiation. This universal design enables control units from different manufacturers and system generations to be interchangeably used, as long as they adhere to the same universal interface standards, while maintaining optimized control functions through programmable configurations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a conveying device for conveying objects such as containers or packets, comprising a plurality of conveying segments, wherein each conveying segment has a conveying drive and a control unit for controlling the conveying drive, and comprising a bus communication, wherein each control unit is connected to the bus communication for sending and/or receiving control signals via the bus communication. According to the invention, each control unit has a microprocessor for processing control signals, a first electronic storage means connected to the microprocessor and in which a first control configuration is stored, and a second electronic storage means in which a second control configuration is stored, wherein the microprocessor is designed to control the conveying drive with the first control configuration stored in the first storage means in a first operating mode, to load the second control configuration from the second storage means into the first storage means upon receipt of a configuration change command, and subsequently to control the conveying drive with the second control configuration stored in the first storage means in a second operating mode.