Method for Operating a System, and Driver-Less Transport System

Abstract

In a method for operating a system, the system includes at least one path, which includes path sections. Vehicles are able to travel along the path, and an electronic circuit is included for controlling at least the speed of the vehicle. Codes are situated along the path, and the vehicle includes at least one sensor, e.g., for detecting the codes, which is connected to the electronic circuit. A data exchange is implementable between one vehicle or a plurality of vehicles and at least one stationary unit.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method for operating a system, the system including at least one path having path sections, vehicles travelable along the path, the system including an electronic circuit configured to control at least a speed of the vehicle, the vehicle including a position detection device, a data exchange implementable between one of (a) a vehicle and (b) a plurality of vehicles and at least one stationary unit, comprising:
 loading a table into the electronic circuit of the vehicle at least during an initial operation;   repeating at time intervals:
 i) detecting information concerning a position of the vehicle and forwarding the detected information to the electronic circuit; 
 ii) determining, using the table, a particular path section in which the vehicle is located in accordance with the detected information; 
 iii) receiving a message from a stationary unit, the message including message portions that are assigned to particular path sections; 
 iv) executing instructions included in the message portion that is assigned to the particular path section; 
 v) storing a particular message portion assigned to an adjacent path section; 
 vi) repeatedly detecting the information concerning the position and forwarding the detected information to the electronic circuit; 
 vii) determining, using the table, a particular path section in which the vehicle is located in accordance with the detected information; 
 viii) if the adjacent path section has been reached, implementing information assigned to the adjacent path section; 
 ix) repeating steps iii) to ix) multiple times. 
   
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the adjacent path section corresponds to a path section that is to be reached next according to an advance calculation. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the position detection device is configured to at least one of (a) detect and (b) read codes affixed along the path and is connected to the electronic circuit. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the data exchange between the vehicles and the stationary unit is at least partially implemented contactlessly. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the vehicles are configured to exchange data between each other. 
   
   
       18 . A method for operating a system, the system including at least one path having path sections, vehicles travelable along the path, the system including an electronic circuit configured to control at least a speed of the vehicle, the vehicle including a position detection device, a data exchange implementable between at least one of (a) a vehicle and (b) a plurality of vehicles and at least one stationary unit, comprising:
 storing sequences in a memory of the electronic circuit at least upon initial operation, each sequence controllable by the electronic control by influencing the speed of the vehicle as a function of input signals of sensors of the vehicle;   sending out, by the stationary unit, information that assigns one of the sequences to each path section to activate respective information in the corresponding path section.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the sequence is controllable by the electronic control by influencing the speed of the vehicle as a function of the input signals of the sensor of the vehicle without a data exchange with the stationary unit. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a set of the sequences includes subsets, each type of path section assigned a subset in an unambiguous manner, the sequences within the subset differing only by commands to be executed on the path section, the command chronologically applying to a particular path section being determined in accordance with information transmitted by the stationary unit. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least two of the sequences are assigned to one type of path sections and differ only by at least one of (a) instructions and (b) commands to be executed in the type of path section, the command at least one of (a) activated and (b) deactivated as a function of a received message portion. 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least two of the sequences are assigned to one type of path sections and differ only by at least one of (a) instructions and (b) commands to be executed on the type of path section. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein one type of path section includes a section that includes at least one switch, and another type of path section includes a section that includes a stopping position. 
   
   
       24 . An automated guided transport system, comprising:
 at least one path having path sections; and   at least one vehicle travelable along the path and suppliable with energy and information in a contactless manner, the vehicle including a position-detection device, the vehicle including an electronic circuit configured to control at least a speed of the vehicle, a data exchange implementable between one of (a) the vehicle and (b) a plurality of vehicles and at least one stationary unit;   wherein the system is configured to perform at least one of (a) a first method and (b) a second method;   the first method including:
 loading a table into the electronic circuit of the vehicle at least during an initial operation; 
 repeating at time intervals:
 i) detecting information concerning a position of the vehicle and forwarding the detected information to the electronic circuit; 
 ii) determining, using the table, a particular path section in which the vehicle is located in accordance with the detected information; 
 iii) receiving a message from a stationary unit, the message including message portions that are assigned to particular path sections; 
 iv) executing instructions included in the message portion that is assigned to the particular path section; 
 v) storing a particular message portion assigned to an adjacent path section; 
 vi) repeatedly detecting the information concerning the position and forwarding the detected information to the electronic circuit; 
 vii) determining, using the table, a particular path section in which the vehicle is located in accordance with the detected information; 
 viii) if the adjacent path section has been reached, implementing information assigned to the adjacent path section; 
 ix) repeating steps iii) to ix) multiple times; 
 
   the second method including:
 storing sequences in a memory of the electronic circuit at least upon initial operation, each sequence controllable by the electronic control by influencing the speed of the vehicle as a function of input signals of sensors of the vehicle; 
 sending out, by the stationary unit, information that assigns one of the sequences to each path section to activate respective information in the corresponding path section. 
   
   
   
       25 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the system is at least one of (a) rail-bound, (b) rail-less, (c) arranged as an electric suspended conveyor, (d) arranged as a push skid system, and (e) arranged as a mobile assembly platform. 
   
   
       26 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the stationary unit includes a path controller suppliable with data from a database of a computer network, the computer network including a display device configured to display at least one of (a) a state of the system and (b) state information.