Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Zhuo Liu

Haihui Lu

Robert H Schmidt

Yuhong Huang

Brian M Perreault

Azeddine Choumach

Hao Yang

Daniel I Lanier

An independent cart system includes multiple track segments, multiple movers, multiple position sensors, and a controller. Each track segment includes multiple coils along a length of the track segment and a segment controller operative to selectively energize the coils to generate an electromagnetic field. Each mover includes a magnet array having multiple magnets, where the magnet array generates a magnetic field that interacts with the electromagnetic field generated by the coils to propel the mover along the track segments. The position sensors are spaced apart along the length of each track segment and generate a position feedback signal with a waveform as a function of the magnetic field generated by the magnet array on each mover. The controller is operative to receive the position feedback signal from each position sensor and to determine a unique identifier for each mover as a function of the waveform of the position feedback signal.

Magnet arrays for vehicle identification in an independent cart system

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Shanghai, China

Zhuo Liu