Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Patrick E Ozimek

Mark R Cooper

David D Van Dorpe

Rob Alan Entzminger

Michael J Anthony

Shankernarayan Ramanarayanan

David Christopher Mazur

Nathaniel S Sandler

Oliver C Haya

Jonathan Alan Mills

Jeremiah Kopiness

Chris Softley

John Balcerak

Vinod Bhansali

Shailendra Shukla

Magesh Subbarao Rengabashyam

Bruce T McCleave, Jr

Peter M Smit

Jadav Das

Jonathan D Hoffman

Tim S Biernat

Marc Koeppel

Sawyer J Desotelle

Nandini Ganesan

Omid Shirazi

Craig R Winterhalter

Mark V Nelson

Jeffrey J Pankau

A method may include receiving an indication of an available updated container. The method may also involve identifying one or more compute surfaces comprising a first container and a second container that correspond to the available container, such that the first container may control one or more operations of an operational technology (OT) device. The method may also include scheduling a deployment of the updated container to replace the second container, receiving expected output data associated with a digital model associated with the OT device, and scheduling a switchover of control of the one or more operations to the second container based on the expected output data.

Containerized modeling of device updates or modifications via digital twins

Systems and methods described herein may relate to a system that includes one or more industrial devices that perform one or more operations within an industrial automation system. One or more industrial devices may include a compute surface able to perform one or more software tasks. The system may include a processor that determines a trigger event has occurred. The processor may determine additional data and a target device based on the trigger event, where the processor may be located on a different hierarchical level as compared to the target device. The processor may determine a container to be deployed to the target device based on the container generating the additional data when deployed on the target device. The processor may deploy the container to the target device.

Adaptive container deployment to hierarchical levels associated with an automation control system

A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive, via the processor, a characteristic of data to be collected from an operational technology (OT) device disposed within an OT network associated with an industrial automation system configured to perform an industrial automation process, determine, via the processor, that the characteristic exceeds a threshold value, and deploy, via the processor, in response to determining that the characteristic exceeds the threshold value, a container to a compute surface within the OT network that is disposed within a threshold distance of the OT device. The container is configured to receive the data from the OT device and process the received data.

Systems and methods for container-based data collection and analysis in an operational technology network

A system and method for varying an amplitude of voltage on a DC bus by track segment in a linear drive system for an independent cart system according to application requirements is disclosed. The track includes at least a first portion and a second portion, where a DC voltage at a first amplitude is provided to the first portion of the track, and a DC voltage at a second amplitude is provided to the second portion of the track. The first amplitude of the DC voltage is selected to permit movers traveling along the track to travel at full rated speed with a full rated three applied to the mover. The second amplitude of the DC voltage is selected to permit the movers to travel at a reduced speed with full or increased three applied or to travel at full rated speed with a reduced force applied to the mover.

Variable DC bus voltage in an independent cart system

An independent cart system with safety functions prevents unintended motion independently within different sections of the track while permitting motion along other sections of the track. A safety controller receives one or more input signals corresponding to operating conditions along the track. A safety program executing in the safety controller monitors the state of the input signals to determine whether a safety function is to be executed. When a safety program is executed, the safety controller transmits an output signal to one or more segment controllers present in one section along the track. Each segment controller is responsible for regulating current flow to the coils mounted to the corresponding track segment. In response to the signal from the safety controller, each segment controller in the section controls the power output to the coils along that section of track to achieve the safe operation desired in that segment.

Section based safety functions for independent cart applications

A method and system for motion control of movers in an independent cart system is disclosed. In one implementation, the independent cart system includes a plurality of track segments, each section having a respective controller. One of the controllers receives a motion command for a plurality of carts, respectively. The controller generates a force command for each of the plurality of carts and transmits the respective commands to the track segments commutating the plurality of carts.

Independent cart system and method of operating the same

An improved system for determining the identification of movers in a motion control system is disclosed, where the motion control system includes multiple movers traveling on a track. The physical construction of at least one element of one of the movers is different on one mover than on each of the other movers. The control system for the movers detects the difference in construction and identifies the unique mover as a first mover. Each of the other movers along the track are assigned an identifier based on their relative position to the first mover. According to one embodiment, a position sensing system is utilized to identify the first mover. According to another embodiment, the drive system for the movers is utilized to identify the first mover. In still another embodiment, a combination of the position sensing system and the drive system is utilized to identify the first mover.

Method and apparatus for identifying a mover on a track

A mover is configured to be electromagnetically propelled along a track in a linear motor track system with a force that is calculated to include compensation for gravity. A multi-axis accelerometer arranged in each segment of the track can detect an orientation or angle of the track segment for determining gravity with respect to the particular section. As a result, if the track is at an incline, such as a ramp, a desired force for moving a mover along the track can be compensated to include gravity due to the incline for achieving a desired motion result. In addition, the detected orientation of the track can be compared to an expected orientation stored by a control program to avoid a loss of performance due to physical changes in the track not matching an expected/programmed configuration of the track.

Linear motor track system with automatic gravity detection

An improved system for connecting a DC bus cable and a remote motor drive includes a capacitance module and an extension module that may each be mounted adjacent to the remote motor drive. The capacitance module includes a first DC bus connector and a second DC bus connector. The first DC bus connector includes a terminal block configured to receive a pair of conductors for the DC bus. The first DC bus connector further includes a pair of intermediate bus bars where each of the intermediate bus bars are connected at a first end to the terminal block and at a second end to a circuit board contained within the capacitance module. Traces on the circuit board are routed between the second ends of the intermediate bus bars and the second DC bus connector. The second DC bus connector is configured to be connected to DC bus bars.

Method and apparatus for increasing current capacity of a distributed drive system

Drive coils in sections of a linear motor track that are normally used to electromagnetically propel movers along the track when such movers are nearby can be used to generate a mid-bus voltage for the section when not being used to propel movers. Such drive coils not being used to propel movers are considered 'idle' and available for mid-bus voltage generation. The mid-bus voltage, and a full-bus voltage from which the mid-bus voltage is derived, in turn, can be applied across other drive coils that are near movers with varying polarities and magnitudes to propel movers along the track. Track sensors can be positioned along the track to detect presences or absences of movers with respect to drive coils for determining propulsion of such movers or generation of the mid-bus voltage. Accordingly, power supplies can be used more efficiently by not requiring them to generate mid-bus voltages in addition to full-bus voltages and DC references.

Mid-bus voltage generation via idle phases in a linear motor track system

An improved system for determining the identification of movers in a motion control system is disclosed, where the motion control system includes multiple movers traveling on a closed track. The physical construction of at least one element of one of the movers is different on one mover than on each of the other movers. The control system for the movers detects the difference in construction and identifies the unique mover as a first mover. Each of the other movers along the track are assigned an identifier based on their relative position to the first mover. According to one embodiment, a position sensing system is utilized to identify the first mover. According to another embodiment, the drive system for the movers is utilized to identify the first mover. In still another embodiment, a combination of the position sensing system and the drive system is utilized to identify the first mover.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Patrick E Ozimek