Conveyor controllers

Abstract

A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system includes control circuitry and one or more network interfaces for coupling with other conveyor controllers. In one embodiment, the control circuitry configured for detecting whether another conveyor controller is connected and to determine which network interface is used in order to set the direction of the conveyor system. In another embodiment, the control circuitry is configured, to receive configuration data from a conveyor controller connected to a network interface, and to detect if another conveyor controller is and to transmit configuration message to another conveyor controller that includes additional configuration data associated with the conveyor controller. In still another embodiment, the control circuitry transmits configuration data to a replacement conveyor controller upon getting a request from the replacement conveyor controller that has been connected to a network interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising:
 control circuitry;   a first network interface;   a second network interface;   the control circuitry configured for detecting whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the conveyor controller;   the control circuitry further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to identify whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined one of the first and second network interfaces; and   if a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, configuring the conveyor controller to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor system in a downstream direction and rotate a motorized roller of the conveyor system in a first direction; and   if a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, configuring the conveyor controller to operate the at least a portion of the conveyor system in an alternative downstream direction and rotate a motorized roller of the conveyor system in a second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , the control circuitry further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to determine that there is not a third conveyor controller connected to the conveyor controller and to set the first conveyor controller as an initial conveyor controller of a conveyor system. 
     
     
         3 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry detects whether there is a second conveyor controller connected thereto in response to user interaction to initiate an automatic configuration procedure. 
     
     
         4 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry detects whether there is a second conveyor controller connected thereto in response to receiving a command to initiate an automatic configuration procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, if the second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface, to set a flag to indicate the downstream direction. 
     
     
         6 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, if the second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface, to clear a flag to indicate the downstream direction. 
     
     
         7 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, upon detection of a connected second conveyor controller, to transmit a configuration message to a second conveyor controller, the configuration message including configuration data associated with the conveyor controller. 
     
     
         8 . The conveyor controller of  claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a confirmation message from the second conveyor controller indicating that the configuration data was received. 
     
     
         9 . The conveyor controller of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, in response to receiving an additional confirmation message from an additional connected conveyor controller, to indicate that an error has occurred. 
     
     
         10 . The conveyor controller of  claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit an error message to a connected conveyor when an error has occurred. 
     
     
         11 . The conveyor controller of  claim 7 , wherein the configuration data includes a network address for the conveyor controller. 
     
     
         12 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving and storing configuration data that is associated with a connected second conveyor. 
     
     
         13 . The conveyor controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for detecting a photo-eye sensor connected to the conveyor controller and detecting whether the photo-eye sensor is light-operated or dark-operated, and for detecting information about a motorized roller connected to the conveyor controller, the first conveyor controller configuring itself for at least one of a speed to operate the motorized roller, a rate at which to accelerate the motorized roller, or a rate at which to decelerate the motorized roller. 
     
     
         14 . A conveyor controller for being implemented into a conveyor system for use with at least a portion of the conveyor system, the conveyor controller comprising:
 control circuitry;   a first network interface;   a second network interface;   the control circuitry, upon receiving configuration data from one conveyor controller connected to a network interface, configured for detecting whether another conveyor controller is connected to another network interface; and   if the control circuitry detects that another conveyor controller is connected to the another network interface, transmitting a configuration message to the another conveyor controller that includes additional configuration data associated with the conveyor controller; and   if the control circuitry detects that another conveyor controller is not connected to the another network interface, determining that the conveyor controller is a final conveyor controller of a conveyor system.   
     
     
         15 . The conveyor controller of  claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for determining a network address for the conveyor controller based on the configuration data. 
     
     
         16 . The conveyor controller of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for determining, from the configuration data, a network address for the one conveyor controller coupled at a network interface; and
 for incrementing the network address to generate a second network address; and   for assigning the second network address to the conveyor controller.   
     
     
         17 . The conveyor controller of  claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for including the second network address in the additional configuration data transmitted to the another conveyor controller. 
     
     
         18 . The conveyor controller of  claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for transmitting a confirmation message to the one conveyor controller indicating that the configuration data was received. 
     
     
         19 . The conveyor controller of  claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving a confirmation message from the another conveyor controller indicating that the additional configuration data was received. 
     
     
         20 . The conveyor controller of  claim 19 , wherein the confirmation message from the another conveyor controller is a first confirmation message, the control circuitry further configured, upon receiving a second confirmation message from still another conveyor controller, for indicating that an error has occurred.