Patent ID: 8983651
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: B65G,G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a conveyor including a plurality of zones, a first zone of the plurality of zones including a first region and a second region each configured to accommodate an article and to operate in concert in response to activation of the first zone, the method comprising: receiving, in a controller of the first zone, an accept article request from a second zone; in response to receiving the accept article request from the second zone, the controller determining if a first article is in the first region of the first zone; in response to determining the first article is not in the first region of the first zone, the controller activating the first zone to accept a second article from the second zone into the second region of the first zone; and in response to determining the first article is in the first region of the first zone, the controller refusing to accept the second article from the second zone.