Patent ID: 7725213

Claim:
A computerized method for controlling a conveyor system, the method comprising receiving destinations for a plurality of articles to be sequentially transported along a primary conveyor system, wherein the primary conveyor system comprises pusher elements for diverting articles to branches off of the primary conveyor system; providing in memory cells representing locations along the primary conveyor system; assigning cells to first and second articles based upon the location of the articles along the primary conveyor system, wherein the first and second articles are adjacent one another; determining if the second article is to be diverted to the same destination as the first article, and if so, assigning a trailing cell assigned to the trailing end of the first article to other than the first article; and using the cell assignments, providing signals to activate pusher elements at corresponding locations along the primary conveyor system to divert the first and second articles to destinations off of the primary conveyor system.