Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Patent
1997-11-07
2000-09-05
Grant, William
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
700 95, G10B 1100
Patent
active
061156477
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a system comprising a plurality of assemblies with detecting devices, transmitting devices for the wireless transmission of signals, including means for generating and sending identification signals, receiving devices for the wireless reception of an activation signal for activating the assemblies, power supply means, and switching means adapted for providing connection between the power supply means and the transmitting devices, and at least a control unit, physically remote from the assemblies, with means for generating and transmitting the activation signal, means for receiving the identification signal, and means for generating and transmitting to the assemblies a confirmation signal, the receiving device being apt for receiving said confirmation signal. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the activation of a remote assembly by a control unit in a system with at least one control unit and a plurality of assemblies, physically remote from the control unit and comprising power supply means, detecting devices, receiving devices and transmitting devices for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, the method comprising the following steps: generating and sending an activation signal by the control unit, receiving said activation signal by the receiving devices of at least a part of said plurality of assemblies, temporary energizing the assemblies of said part further to said reception, sending, by the transmitting devices of the assemblies belonging to said part, associated identification signals at instants subsequent to said temporary energizing, receiving the identification signals by the control unit, sending, by the control unit, a confirmation signal upon reception of one of the identification signals, and interrupting the temporary energizing of each assembly that does not receive the confirmation signal subsequently to the sending of the associated identification signal.
BACKGROUND ART
There are known measuring systems as, for example, systems in numerical control machine tools for detecting the position and/or the dimensions of workpieces, by checking heads, or contact detecting probes mounted in the machine, that in the course of the checking cycles displace with respect to the workpiece, touch the surface to be checked and, after contact has occurred, cause the wireless transmission of signals to receiving units.
Each receiving unit is in turn connected, by means of an interface unit, to a relevant numerical control unit that, by processing other signals indicative of the position of the probe, receives information about the position of the workpiece surfaces.
The probes can include electric batteries for the power supply of the circuits detecting contact and the transmission devices. The wireless transmission can occur, for example, by emitting electromagnetic signals of optical or radio-frequency type.
Since a probe is utilized just for short time intervals during the machining cycle of its machine tool, it is normally kept in a "stand-by" condition of low power consumption and it is powered up only when there is the need to perform a checking cycle.
The switching from the "stand-by" condition to the "powered-up" state can be carried out by controlling suitable switching devices on the probe by means of wireless activation signals sent by the receiving unit.
A system of this type is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,110.
In a working environment, for example in a workshop, there can be multiple checking probes, installed in various machine tools: each machine tool can comprise, in general, one or more probes for performing checking cycles and sending associated signals to the receiving unit of that machine. Generally, for each machine tool just a probe at a time is selected to perform a checking cycle, even though there are cases in which, in specific machines, two (or, in theory, more) probes perform checkings in partially coincident moments.
When an activation signal is sent by the interface of a machine for e
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Carli Carlo
Ferrari Andrea
Bahta Kidest
Grant William
Marposs Societa'per Azioni
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