The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 03, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 17, 2006
Clyde Miin-arng Ko, Ada, MI (US);
Randall J. Carlson, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Roger L. Sinen, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Clyde Miin-Arng Ko, Ada, MI (US);
Randall J. Carlson, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Roger L. Sinen, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc., Alpharetta, GA (US);
Abstract
A material handling system and method of automatic address assignment of components of the material handling system, includes a conveying surface divided into a plurality of zones, a plurality of motors propelling each zone, a plurality of lower level controllers and a plurality of sensors adapted to communicate the presence of an article on the conveying surface to the associated lower level controller. An upper-level controller in communication with the lower level controllers assigns a unique communications address to a specific lower level controller identified by a reference article being detected by the sensor with that lower level controller.