Edge-Controlled Product Processing With Transport Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for processing products on transport devices are inflexible and difficult to adapt, particularly when using multi-carrier systems, autonomous mobile transport systems, or robots, as they struggle to accurately correlate data from multiple sources and react in real-time to varying transport speeds and conditions.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes an edge computing device to determine transport times and a control module for real-time processing, allowing for flexible calibration and adaptation to different transport systems, enabling more efficient and deterministic processing of products across various transport media.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a control system uses a centralized control device to process all sensor data and determine transport times, then the system can maintain real-time control, but the control device becomes a bottleneck and real-time performance deteriorates under varying transport conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into multiple independent control units, each responsible for specific sensor components and processing tasks. This distribution of control functions eliminates the bottleneck of a centralized control device while maintaining real-time control performance through localized processing and coordinated operation of segmented control units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces transport time determination as an intermediary function that bridges sensor data acquisition and processing component control. By calculating transport times independently and using them to synchronize data from multiple sensors, the system achieves real-time coordination without requiring the control device to process all sensor data simultaneously, thus reducing processing load while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the control system is designed for single-piece conveyor belts, then the control logic is simple, but the system cannot adapt to multi-carrier systems, autonomous mobile transport systems, or robots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the control system with universal functionality that can handle various transport media including single-piece conveyor belts, multi-carrier systems, autonomous mobile transport systems, and robots. The system achieves this versatility through a unified control architecture that adapts to different transport configurations without requiring complete redesign, thus improving adaptability while managing complexity through standardized interfaces and modular components.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to collect comprehensive product data, then the measurement precision improves, but the difficulty of correlating data from multiple sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where transport time determination provides critical timing information that feeds back into the data correlation process. This feedback enables the system to synchronize and correlate data from multiple sensors by referencing their respective timestamps against calculated transport times, thus reducing data correlation complexity while maintaining high measurement precision through coordinated multi-sensor data integration.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a control system (200) for processing a product (112, 114, 118) transported on a transport device (110) from a first sensor component (122, 124, 126) to a second sensor component (122, 124, 126) and further to a processing component (150), comprising: a control device (220) with - at least one application module (224, 226, 228) for connecting the first sensor component (122, 124, 126) and the second sensor component (122, 124, 126), - and a control module (222), wherein the first and second sensor components (122, 124, 126) are for acquiring first and second sensor data relating to the product (112, 114, 118), and the processing component (150) is for processing, machining and/or manipulating the product. (112, 114, 118), and the control module (222) is trained and set up for the execution of a control program for controlling the processing component (150),wherein the control system (200) further comprises an edge computing device (210) which is designed and configured to determine at least one piece of time information, wherein transport times of a product (112, 114, 116, 118) transported on the transport device from the first to the second sensor component (122, 124, 126) and further to the processing component (150) can be determined or are determined from the at least one piece of time information, and wherein the control module (222) is designed and configured to execute a control program for the real-time control of the processing component (150) for processing the product (112, 114, 118) taking into account the first and second sensor data as well as the time information and/or the determined transport times.