Systems and methods for programming motion control

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program code for the programming of motion control in load transportation systems are provided which may include programming motion control by specifying desired load motions.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 receiving a command associated with a desired behavior of one or more loads;    selecting a control signal for application to one or more load actuators, the control signal selected to cause the one or more loads to undertake the desired behavior; and    applying the control signal to the one or more load actuators.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 determining a current behavior of the one or more loads.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the control signal is selected at least in part based on the current behavior of the one or more loads.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , the determining the current behavior of the one or more loads comprises: 
 predicting a future position of the one or more loads based on the control signal applied to the one or more load actuators.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , the determining the current behavior of the one or more loads comprises: 
 determining a nearest neighboring load of the one or more loads.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , the determining the current behavior of the one or more loads comprises: 
 determining a distance between the one or more loads and at least one other load.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 determining a characteristic of the one or more loads.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the control signal is selected at least in part based on the characteristic of the one or more loads.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the control signal comprises: 
 determining a desired velocity of the one or more loads; and    determining a velocity for the one or more load actuators that substantially causes the one or more loads to achieve the desired velocity.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the control signal comprises: 
 determining a desired position of the one or more loads; and    determining a velocity for the one or more load actuators that substantially causes the one or more loads to achieve the desired position.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more loads comprise a plurality of loads and selecting the control signal comprises: 
 determining at least one of a desired position and a desired velocity for at least one of the plurality of loads;    determining, for each other load of the plurality of loads, at least one of a desired position and a desired velocity, wherein the at least one of a desired position and a desired velocity of each load is relative to another load in the plurality of loads; and    determining a velocity for the one or more load actuators that substantially causes each load in the plurality of loads to achieve the at least one of the desired position and the desired velocity.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more loads comprise a plurality of loads and selecting the control signal comprises: 
 grouping at least two of the plurality of loads into one or more virtual collections;    determining at least one of a desired position and a desired velocity for the at least two loads in the one or more virtual collections; and    determining a velocity for the one or more load actuators that substantially causes the at least two loads in the one or more virtual collections to achieve the at least one of the desired position and the desired velocity.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the grouping comprises: 
 partitioning the loads in the plurality of loads into groups based at least in part on the geometric positions of the loads.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the partitioning comprises: 
 selecting a load in the plurality of loads having the most extreme geometric position.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control signal is selected based at least in part on information regarding the capabilities of the one or more load actuators.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more load actuators includes a matrix of load actuators.  
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising: 
 determining a desired velocity of one or more loads;    converting the desired velocity to an obtainable velocity;    determining a velocity profile to be associated with the one or more loads; and    modifying the obtainable velocity to substantially conform to the velocity profile.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 determining if the one or more loads will collide with at least one other load if the one or more loads are moved using at least one of the desired velocity, the obtainable velocity, and the modified obtainable velocity.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 selecting the velocity of the one or more loads to be at least one of the desired velocity, the obtainable velocity, the modified obtainable velocity, and an alternate velocity, to avoid a collision between the one or more loads and at least one other load.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the desired velocity of the one or more loads is selected based at least in part by a desired behavior of the one or more loads.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the converting is based at least in part on the capabilities of at least one load actuator.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the velocity profile defines a plurality of velocities for the one or more loads over a period of time.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of velocities for the one or more loads are selected to achieve substantially even acceleration of the one or more loads.  
     
     
         24 . A system, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a hard disk drive having stored therein instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:    receiving a command associated with a desired behavior of one or more loads;    selecting a control signal for one or more load actuators, the control signal selected to cause the one or more loads to undertake the desired behavior; and    applying the control signal to the one or more load actuators.    
     
     
         25 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a storage medium having stored thereon programming code, comprising: 
 code to receive a command associated with a desired behavior of one or more loads;  
 code to select a control signal for one or more load actuators, the control signal selected to cause the one or more loads to undertake the desired behavior; and  
 code to apply the control signal to the one or more load actuators.  
   
     
     
         26 . A system, comprising: 
 a plurality of load actuators for moving one or more loads;    an interface for receiving commands associated with a desired behavior of the one or more loads; and    a processor operable to: 
 select a control signal for at least one of the plurality of load actuators, the control signal selected to cause the one or more loads to substantially undertake the desired behavior; and  
 apply the control signal to the load actuator.  
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a sensor for determining information associated with the current behavior of the one or more loads; and    a sensor interface for receiving the information from the sensor.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the control signal is selected at least in part based on the information.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 program code operable to be executed by the processor to select the control signal and apply the control signal to at least one of the plurality of actuators.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the program code includes: 
 code to determine a desired velocity of the one or more loads;    code to convert the desired velocity of the one or more loads to an obtainable velocity; and    code to modify the obtainable velocity to substantially conform to a velocity profile.    
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 code to determine if the one or more loads will collide with at least one other load.