Silicon Laboratories Inc.

Veo Robotics, Inc.

Richard A Kelsey

Clara Vu

Alberto Moel

Patrick Sobalvarro

Scott A Denenberg

Thomas C Ferree

Joshua Downer

Paulo Ferreira

Mehmet Ali Guney

Matteo Paris

Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).

Optimized factory schedule and layout generation

Safety systems in distributed factory workcells intercommunicate or communicate with a central controller so that when a person, robot or vehicle passes from one workcell or space into another on the same factory floor, the new workcell or space need not repeat the tasks of analysis and classification and can instead immediately integrate the new entrant into the existing workcell or space-monitoring schema. The workcell or space can also communicate attributes such as occlusions, unsafe areas, movement speed, and object trajectories, enabling rapid reaction by the monitoring system of the new workcell or space.

Safety-rated multi-cell workspace mapping and monitoring

In some cases, it may be desirable to limit the number of routers in a mesh network. Various techniques to limit the number of routers, without affecting connectivity, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a node enables its router capability if there are less than a predetermined number of routers already in the network. In other embodiments, a node enables its routing capability only is it is necessary to resolve a connectivity issue or a biconnectivity issue. In some cases, a node, which previously enabled its router capability, may no longer be required to be a router. In some embodiments, this node, upon making this determination, disables its routing capability.

Methods for limiting number of routers in a mesh network

Methods of reassembling a mesh network which has been disrupted by the unavailability of a node or a link are disclosed. Nodes continuously receive beacon messages originating from a leader node. These beacon messages may be transmitted directly by the leader node, or may have been retransmitted by an intermediate node. When a node determines that it has not received a beacon message in a certain time period, it concludes that it is now disconnected from that leader node. At this point, it may choose to act as a leader node and form a new network, or may join with another network. The determination of which network to join may be based on some indicia associated with the leader node of that network.

Mesh network defragmentation

A method of efficiently disseminating various types of information throughout a mesh network is disclosed. Information is typically propagated through the network using a variety of protocols and messages. However, in one embodiment, a single message, communicates all of this information at once. The message includes data originating at the leader, which does not change as the messages are propagated through the network, as well as topology and link information that is created by the forwarding nodes. The data originating at the leader includes the identity of the leader node and a sequence number. Additionally, a version number is included by the leader which represents the state of the quasi-static information. Quasi-static information may include, for example, the identity of a node that has access to a central control system or the internet. This compact message format allows improved efficiency and use of the network.

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Belmont, MA, United States of America

Richard A Kelsey