#Intelligent assistance xtocc serial iso#

#Intelligent assistance xtocc serial iso#

1, the communication between node 104 and plant information network 108 utilizes a digital communication protocol known to those skilled in the art such as Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, described in ISO standard 11898 which is fully incorporated by reference, or of other known type. Such types of communication can allow data collection, data processing, or module control at a desired location. It should be understood that other communication channels can be utilized between nodes 102, 104, and 106, such as communication with packet-based networks (e.g., Internet) and wireless networks to communicate with other systems. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the modules 101, 103, 107, 105, 109, and 111 are in communication with the plant network 108 and the computer 110 via nodes 102, 104, and 106. The nodes 102, 104, and 106 are preferably in communication with the plant information network 108 and to the computer 110 such as for setup and configuration. Preferably, the computational nodes 102, 104, and 106 are in communication with the modules 101, 103, 107, 105, 109, and 111 to control each module and permit communication between modules. Thus, it would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the versatility of the modular architecture disclosed herein is intended to facilitate use in these and other types of configurations. Many other configurations of modules are possible such as utilizing a lift alone, a monorail rather than a two-dimensional rail system, a trolley along a bridge rail by a passive trolley, all passive trolleys, conventional hoist or balancer in place of an intelligent lift to be disclosed herein, or no balancer or lift at all, multiple trolleys or lifts to provide additional force or other advantages, a trolley or multiple trolleys along a central rail instead of along both runway rails. Two of the trolleys provide motion of a bridge rail along runway rails, and the third trolley providing motion of the lift along the bridge rail, and the payload suspended from the lift.

In the described embodiment there are three trolleys and one lift. Two modules, trolley 101 and lift 103, that can provide motion of a payload are illustrated. For example, according to the described exemplary embodiment, a jib crane can use one or more booms that pivot on a vertical axis, and a hoist that rides radially inward and outward along the boom. Other overhead rail systems may be utilized to accommodate modules for other kinds of material handling hardware including gantry cranes, jib cranes, monorails, articulated systems, and others. The overhead rail system can utilize one or more bridge rails that ride on runway rails to provide motion in an xy plane (i.e., preferably parallel with the ground), and devices to provide motion along a z direction. In the exemplary embodiment, the mechanical support framework is an overhead rail system of known type, preferably of the low-friction 'enclosed track', but optionally of the less expensive I-Beam type. Such virtual surfaces may be varied depending on inputs from the plant network 108 or local sensors 107, for instance to reflect the dimensions or positions of different workparts arriving in the IAD's workspace.

The modular architecture is capable of implementing virtual guiding surfaces within the intelligent assist device (IAD) workspace, by virtue of the communication among the modules that control individual axes. The described modular architecture includes the interconnection of modules such as a trolley 101, lift 103, sensor 107, hub 105, intent sensor 109, and user tooling 111 via computational nodes 102, 104, and 106 to plant information systems such as a plant network 108 and user-supplied or system-integrator-supplied components such as computer 110. 1 is a high-level block diagram illustrating an exemplary modular architecture. Therefore, details regarding the overhead rail system including the types of material handling hardware are provided as an example, and are not necessary to the invention unless otherwise specified as such.įIG. It should be understood, however, that the present embodiments are not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, but that they may also be implemented in systems that utilize other kinds of material handling systems including gantry cranes, jib cranes, monorails, articulated systems, and so forth. The system and method are implemented on an overhead rail system of known type. The system and method disclosed herein provides for a more natural and intuitive control of the motion of a payload. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS