U.S. patent application number 10/382839 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for carrying system.
This patent application is currently assigned to MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Fujiki, Hiroshi, Sone, Hiroki.
Application Number | 20040024489 10/382839 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28034847 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040024489 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujiki, Hiroshi ; et
al. |
February 5, 2004 |
CARRYING SYSTEM
Abstract
The present invention provides a large-scale carrying system
that allows the operation of only a part of the system which has
been completely constructed, while concurrently allowing the
construction of a part of the system which has not been constructed
yet. A carrying system comprises a carrying vehicle system 3 which
carries an article to a predetermined location using a carrying
vehicle, an article housing system 4 in which the article is
temporarily housed for storage, an integrating controller 5 which
integrally controls a system set 2 comprising at least one carrying
vehicle system 3 and at least one article housing system 4, and an
auxiliary controller 14 which can integrally manage at least part
of the system set. The integrating controller 5 and the auxiliary
controller 14 are connected together through a network. It is thus
possible to transfer data on the part of the system set 2 which is
integrally managed by the auxiliary controller 14, to the
integrating controller 5.
Inventors: |
Fujiki, Hiroshi; (Niwa-gun,
JP) ; Sone, Hiroki; (Kagamigahara-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG, KRATZ, QUINTOS, HANSON & BROOKS, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW
SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Kyoto-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
28034847 |
Appl. No.: |
10/382839 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
700/213 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/213 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 3, 2002 |
JP |
2002-062845 |
Claims
1. A carrying system characterized by comprising a carrying vehicle
system which carries an article to a predetermined location using a
carrying vehicle, an article housing system in which the article is
temporarily housed, a system set comprising a plurality of system
units each including at least one of the carrying vehicle system
and the article housing system, an integrating controller which can
control the whole system set, and an auxiliary controller which
controls some of the system units of the system set, and in that
the integrating controller controls the system set except for the
system units controlled by the auxiliary controller.
2. A carrying system according to claim 1, characterized by further
comprising a simulator set comprising a carrying vehicle controller
simulator which simulates the carrying vehicle system and an
article housing controller simulator which simulates the article
housing system, and in that the simulator set is controlled by the
auxiliary controller.
3. A carrying system according to claim 1, characterized in that
the integrating controller and the auxiliary controller are
connected together, and the auxiliary controller transfers a
control program relating to the system units controlled by the
auxiliary controller, to the integrating controller so that on the
basis of the transferred control program, the integrating
controller can control the system units which have been controlled
by the auxiliary controller.
4. A system constructing method of constructing a carrying system
comprising a carrying vehicle system which carries an article to a
predetermined location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing
system in which the article is temporarily housed, a system set
comprising a plurality of system units each including at least one
of the carrying vehicle system and the article housing system, and
an integrating controller which can control the whole system set,
the method being characterized in that: a part of the system set
that has not been constructed yet is tested and adjusted using an
auxiliary controller which tests and adjusts this part of the
system unit without affecting a part of the system set operated by
the integrating controller, and control of the tested and adjusted
part of the system unit is transferred to the integrating
controller.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a carrying vehicle system
which carries an article to a predetermined location using a
carrying vehicle, an article housing system in which the article is
temporarily housed for storage, and in particular, to the
configuration of a carrying system that can be efficiently operated
during system construction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A carrying system has hitherto been known which comprises a
carrying vehicle system that carries an article to a predetermined
location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing system in
which the article is temporarily housed for storage, and an
integrating controller that integrally manages these systems.
[0003] As the scale of such a carrying system becomes larger, more
and more time is required to construct the whole system.
Accordingly, it has been desirable that even when the carrying
system as a whole is still being constructed, once the minimum
arrangements that enable carrying operations have been constructed,
at least this already constructed part of the system can be
operated.
[0004] Further, in constructing the carrying system, defects are
detected and eliminated by repeating operations of allowing the
carrying vehicle system and the article housing system to be
operated by the corresponding controllers, further allowing the
integrating controller to integrally control and tentatively
operate these systems to find defects or the like in a control
program, correcting the control program, and operating the systems
again. However, to operate even a part of the whole carrying
system, the integrating controller must be operated. Then, the
integrating controller operates both part of the whole system for
which the control program has not been corrected and which is still
being constructed and part of the system which has already been
completed and confirmed to operate correctly. For the part of the
system still being constructed, to correct defects in the control
program, this program must be restarted. Then, the integrating
controller must be stopped whenever the control program is
restarted.
[0005] Further, if an error occurs in the part of the system still
being constructed, the integrating controller may be stopped. When
the integrating controller is stopped, disadvantageously the part
of the system operating correctly is also stopped.
[0006] Furthermore, it becomes impossible to rewrite the data for
the integrating controller being operated so that it can be used
for tests. As a result, it is difficult to partly operate the
carrying system.
[0007] Thus, the present invention provides a large-scale carrying
system that allows the operation of only a part of the system which
has been completely constructed, while concurrently allowing the
construction of a part of the system which has not been constructed
yet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention is as described above.
Now, description will be give of means for solving the
problems.
[0009] That is, according to claim 1, there is provided a carrying
system comprising a carrying vehicle system which carries an
article to a predetermined location using a carrying vehicle, an
article housing system in which the article is temporarily housed,
a system set comprising a plurality of system units each including
at least one of the carrying vehicle system and the article housing
system, an integrating controller which can control the whole
system set, and an auxiliary controller which controls some of the
system units of the system set, wherein the integrating controller
controls the system set except for the system units controlled by
the auxiliary controller.
[0010] According to claim 2, the carrying system further comprises
a simulator set comprising a carrying vehicle controller simulator
which simulates the carrying vehicle system and an article housing
controller simulator which simulates the article housing system,
and the simulator set is controlled by the auxiliary
controller.
[0011] According claim 3, the integrating controller and the
auxiliary controller are connected together, and the auxiliary
controller transfers a control program relating to the system units
controlled by the auxiliary controller, to the integrating
controller so that on the basis of the transferred control program,
the integrating controller can control the system units which have
been controlled by the auxiliary controller.
[0012] According to claim 4, there is provided a system
constructing method of constructing a carrying system comprising a
carrying vehicle system which carries an article to a predetermined
location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing system in
which the article is temporarily housed, a system set comprising a
plurality of system units each including at least one of the
carrying vehicle system and the article housing system, and an
integrating controller which can control the whole system set,
wherein a part of the system set that has not been constructed yet
is tested and adjusted using an auxiliary controller which tests
and adjusts this part of the system unit without affecting a part
of the system set operated by the integrating controller, and
control of the tested and adjusted part of the system unit is
transferred to the integrating controller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a
computer system for a carrying system.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a
system set in a working area.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a configuration of an
automatic warehouse.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] A carrying system 1, an embodiment of the present system,
will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The carrying
system 1 is provided with at least one carrying vehicle system 3,
at least one article housing system 4, and an integrating
controller 5 that integrally manages these systems. The carrying
vehicle system 3 carries articles such as cassettes in which
semiconductor wafers or liquid crystal plates are housed to a
predetermined location by using a carrying vehicle. The carrying
vehicle system 3 comprises at least one carrying vehicle and a
carrying vehicle controller 6 that manages operations of each
carrying vehicle. The article housing system 4 temporarily houses
articles for storage. It comprises at least one automatic warehouse
8 and an article housing controller 7 that manages operations of
each automatic warehouse 8.
[0017] Each of the integrating controller 5, the carrying vehicle
controller 6, and the article housing controller 7 is a computer
apparatus comprising an input/output device, an arithmetic device
(CPU), a storage device, and control devices for the respective
devices.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the integrating controller 5 is a higher
controller, whereas the carrying vehicle controller 6 and the
article housing controller 7 are lower controllers. The carrying
vehicle controller 6 manages the carrying vehicle system 3. The
article housing controller 7 manages the article housing system 4.
The integrating controller 5 can integrally manage a system set 2
composed of the carrying vehicle system 3 and the article housing
system 4 by managing the carrying vehicle controller 6 and the
article housing controller 7 as a whole.
[0019] The carrying system 1 manages the carriage of articles in a
working area in which the articles are processed or manufactured.
The carrying system 1 according to the present embodiment can
manage the carriage of articles in a plurality of working
areas.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows an example of the working area 9. Automatic
warehouses 8, 8 are provided in the working area 9 to temporarily
house articles for storage. Articles can be automatically loaded
into, unloaded from, and stored in the automatic warehouses 8. The
configuration of the automatic warehouse will be described later.
Each of the automatic warehouses 8 is provided with a sub-working
area 9a in which one step of the machining or manufacturing of
articles is executed. A processing device 11 that executes the step
of the machining or manufacturing of articles and intra-step
carrying vehicles 10A, 10A are arranged within the sub-working area
9a. The intra-step carrying vehicle 10A carries each article stored
in the automatic warehouse 8 to the processing device 11, which
then processes the article. The intra-step carrying vehicle 10A
carries the processed article again to the automatic warehouse 8.
The automatic warehouses 8, 8 are connected together via a track
13. An inter-step carrying vehicle 10B running on the track 13
carries the article between the automatic warehouses 8, 8. Articles
for which the machining operation of a certain step has been
completed are stored in the automatic warehouse 8. However, to
subject these articles to the machining operation of the next step,
the inter-step carrying vehicle 10B carries each of these articles
to the automatic warehouse 8 connected to the sub-working area 9s
for the next step.
[0021] In the configuration according to the present embodiment,
the carrying vehicle system 3 is composed of an intra-step carrying
vehicle system 3A and an inter-step carrying vehicle system 3B. The
intra-step carrying vehicle system 3A comprises at least one
intra-step carrying vehicle 10A and an intra-step carrying vehicle
controller 6A. The inter-step carrying vehicle system 3B comprises
at least one inter-step carrying vehicle 10B and at least one
inter-step carrying vehicle controller 6B. Further, in the
configuration according to the present embodiment, the article
housing system 4 comprises at least one automatic warehouse 8 and
at least one article housing controller 7.
[0022] In the configuration according to the present embodiment,
one of the sub-working areas 9a of the working area 9 is provided
with one article housing system 4, one inter-step carrying vehicle
system 3B, and a plurality of intra-step carrying vehicle systems
3A. All systems present in the working area 9 are collectively
referred to as a system unit 2a. The system unit 2a is not limited
to the above configuration. The system unit has only to include at
least one of the article housing system 4, the inter-step carrying
vehicle system 3B, and the intra-step carrying vehicle system
3A.
[0023] As previously described, the system set 2 is composed of the
carrying vehicle systems 3 and the article housing systems 4 as a
whole. However, a part or the whole of the system unit 2 manages
the carriage of articles in each working area. In the present
embodiment, the system unit 2a is responsible for managing the
carriage in each working area 9. The system set 2 as a whole can
manage the carriage in a plurality of working areas. That is, the
system set 2 is composed of a plurality of system units 2a.
[0024] The automatic warehouse 8 will be described with reference
to FIG. 3. The automatic warehouse 8 is provided with a large
number of shelves 31, 31 on which articles 12 are housed and a
stacker crane 32 used to place the articles 12 on the shelves 31.
The shelves 31, 31 are arranged at both lateral sides of a running
path of the stacker crane 32. The plurality of shelves 31, 31 are
arranged in the vertical direction. The stacker crane 32 is
provided with a mast 35 installed on a running carriage 34 so as to
extend vertically and a transfer device 36 that can be moved up and
down along the mast 35. The transfer device 36 transfers the
article 12 by scooping it. Further, a conveyor 33 is arranged at a
storage and retrieval port of the automatic house 8 so as to
project laterally from the automatic warehouse 8. The article 12
inside the automatic warehouse 8 is moved to the exterior of the
automatic warehouse 8 via the conveyor 33. The article 12 can thus
be transferred to a carrying vehicle running outside the automatic
warehouse 8. The conveyor 33 is provided with a placement carriage
39 on which the article 12 can be placed and which can run in a
longitudinal direction of the conveyor 33.
[0025] In the automatic warehouse 8 according to the present
embodiment, the conveyor 33 is provided at both top and bottom of
the automatic warehouse 8. The lower conveyor 33 enables the
article 12 to be transferred between the automatic warehouse 8 and
the intra-step carrying vehicle 10A on a floor. Further, the upper
conveyor 33 enables the article 12 to be transferred between the
automatic warehouse 8 and the inter-step carrying vehicle 10B of a
ceiling.
[0026] The intra-step carrying vehicle 10A is provided with a
scooping type transfer device 37 of the same type as the transfer
device 36. The transfer device 37 receives the article 12 from the
automatic warehouse 8, then runs, and transfers it to the
processing device 11. Once the article 12 has been completely
processed, the intra-step carrying vehicle 10A receives the article
12 from the processing device 11. The intra-step carrying vehicle
10A then carries the article 12 to the automatic warehouse 8 again.
Further, the inter-step carrying vehicle 10B is provided with a
chuck mechanism as a transfer device 38 to grasp the article 12.
The transfer device 38 can transfer the article 12 between the
automatic warehouses 8, 8. The inter-step carrying vehicle 10B runs
along the overhead track 13.
[0027] The carrying system 1 can be operated in the working area 9
once a system with the minimum arrangements (system unit 2a) which
enables carrying operations has been constructed, even before the
whole system set 2 has not been completed. That is, in the
sub-working area 9a, if the control program has been completely
corrected among the intra-step carrying vehicle system 3A, which
can carry the article 12 within the sub-working area 9a, the
inter-step carrying vehicle system 3B, which can carry the article
12 to another sub-working area 9a, and the article housing system
4, which temporarily stores the article 12 carried by the
inter-step carrying vehicle system 3B before it is carried by the
inter-step carrying vehicle system 3A so that the article 12 can be
carried among these systems without creating any problems, then
carrying operations can be started by operating this system unit
2a.
[0028] Here, it is assumed that in a factory that manufactures or
processes the article 12, during construction, i.e. when the whole
system set 2 of the carrying system 1 has not been completely
constructed, the carrying system 1 is partly operated. In this
state, the system set 2 includes the system unit 2a that has been
completely constructed and the system unit 2a that has not been
completely constructed. For the system unit 2a that has been
completely constructed, the carrying vehicle system 3 and the
article housing system 4 have been installed, and the correction of
the control program and the like have been completed. Accordingly,
this system unit 2a is operated correctly by the integrating
controller 5. On the other hand, for the system unit 2a that has
not been completely constructed, it is necessary to carry out the
installing operation, the correction of the control program, and
the like. In particular, to correct the control program, the
carrying vehicle system 3 or the article housing system 4 is
tentatively operated to find defects. Accordingly, when an error
occurs, the controlling computer may be stopped. Further,
restarting the control program may cause the computer to be
stopped. If this computer is the integrating controller 5, an error
may occur such as the stoppage of operation of the system unit 2a
that has been completely constructed.
[0029] In the present invention, to avoid such errors, in addition
to the integrating controller 5, an auxiliary controller 14 is
provided as means for integrally managing the system set 2. The
auxiliary controller 14 has functions similar to those of the
integrating controller 5 through its processing ability is lower
than the integrating controller 5. It can integrally control those
of the system units 2a constituting the system set 2 which are not
controlled by the integrating controller 5.
[0030] That is, the system unit 2a of the system set 2 which has
been completely constructed is controlled by the integrating
controller 5. On the other hand, the system unit 2a of the system
set 2 which has not been completely constructed is controlled by
the auxiliary controller 14.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, in each
system unit 2a, the carrying vehicle controller 6 and the article
housing controller 7, the lower controllers, are connected to the
integrating controller 5, the higher controller, via a network. The
carrying vehicle controller 6 and the article housing controller 7
are also connected to the auxiliary controller 14 to form a local
network. The term "local" is used relative to a host 19 side
network, described later. In forming the network, for example,
concentrators such as switching hubs 15A, 15B may be used as shown
in FIG. 1, showing the present embodiment.
[0032] The local network is thus constructed with the auxiliary
controller 14. Consequently, the integrating controller 5 can
manage and control the system unit 2a of the system set 2 which has
already been constructed. On the other hand, the auxiliary
controller 14 can manage and control the system unit 2a of the
system set 2 which has not been constructed yet.
[0033] As described above, in addition to the integrating
controller 5, the auxiliary controller 14 is provided as a higher
controller that integrally manages the system set 2. Accordingly,
this carrying system 1 produces the effects described below. In
constructing the carrying system 1, the integrating controller 5
can manage and control the system unit 2a of the system set 2 which
has already been constructed. On the other hand, the auxiliary
controller 14 can manage and control the system unit 2a of the
system set 2 which has not been constructed yet. Thus, even if
tests are carried out to allow for the construction of the system
unit 2a that has not been constructed yet, it is possible to avoid
affecting the system unit 2a which has already been constructed and
is managed and controlled by the integrating controller 5, notably
the programs managed and controlled by the integrating controller 5
as well as data required for control. As a result, once the system
unit 2a that has not been constructed yet is completed, the control
programs and the data required for management can be transferred to
the integrating controller 5. Than, instead of completing and then
operating the carrying system 1, it is possible to partly complete
the carrying system 1 and operate only the completed part step by
step, while testing and adjusting the incomplete part without
affecting the operating part. Then, after the whole carrying system
1 has been completed, the auxiliary controller 14 functions as a
controller for a simulator system, described later.
[0034] Now, with reference to FIG. 1, description will be given of
the simulator system provided in the carrying system 1. The
simulator system verifies the operation of a part or the whole of
the system set 2 through computer simulation. The part of the
system set 2 may be the single system unit 2a or a pair of the
carrying vehicle system 3 and the article housing system 4, a
system with the minimum arrangements.
[0035] The carrying system 1 of the present embodiment is provided
with an article housing controller simulator 17 (in FIG. 1,
expressed as the article housing CS) as a computer apparatus that
simulates operations of the article housing system 4, as shown in
FIG. 1. The carrying system 1 is also provided with a carrying
vehicle controller simulator 16 (in FIG. 1, expressed as the
carrying vehicle CS) as a computer apparatus that simulates
operations of the carrying vehicle system 3. Furthermore, the
auxiliary controller 14, which can integrally manage at least a
part of the system set 2, is connected to each simulator through
the network via a switching hub 15C so as to communicate with it,
thus forming a simulator system. The auxiliary controller 14 can
integrally manage the simulators. That is, the auxiliary controller
14 acts both as the previously described means for constructing the
part of the system set 2 which has not been constructed yet and as
means for integrally managing the simulators. In the present
embodiment, the simulator system is configured so as to correspond
to the system unit 2a. Thus, when the auxiliary controller 14
transmits various commands to the article housing controller
simulator 17 and the carrying vehicle controller simulator 16, such
results (data) are produced that it appears as if the system unit
2a actually carried the article.
[0036] As a result, the simulator system according to the present
embodiment can correct or verify the programs for the carrying
system 1 without performing an actual article carrying operation
using the carrying vehicles 10A, 10B, provided in the carrying
vehicle system 3, and the automatic warehouses 8, provide in the
article housing system 4.
[0037] The effects described below are produced by configuring the
simulation system using the auxiliary controller 14, which is
different from the integrating controller 5, as described above.
First, while operating the integrating controller 5 to perform an
actual article carrying operation, the correction or verification
of the programs for the carrying vehicle system 3 and the article
housing system 4 can be simulated without affecting the integrating
controller 5 being operated. If the integrating controller 5
performs both an actual carrying operation and a simulation
operation, a program which has not been completely corrected may
cause an error or the like during a simulating operation. This
inconveniently causes the integrating controller 5 to be stopped.
However, the previously described arrangements prevent such errors.
Second, the auxiliary controller 14, which can perform a system
constructing operation, is used while the integrating controller 5
is performing an actual article carrying operation. This eliminates
the need to provide a separate computer that integrally manage the
simulators of the simulation system.
[0038] Now, with reference to FIG. 1, description will be given of
a network connection configuration of the integrating controller 5
and the auxiliary controller 14. As previously described, the
integrating controller 5 is connected to the carrying vehicle
system 3 and article housing system 4, comprising the system set 2,
through the network via the switching hubs 15B, 15A. The auxiliary
controller 14 is also connected to the carrying vehicle system 3
and article housing system 4, comprising the system set 2, through
the network via the switching hubs 15B, 15A.
[0039] The carrying system 1 according to the present embodiment is
provided with an operator terminal 18 and a host 19 as a computer
apparatus, which act as means for controlling the integrating the
controller 5. The integrating controller 5 and the operator
terminal 18 are connected together via a switching hub 15D so as to
communicate with each other. The integrating controller 5 and the
host 19 are also connected together via the switching hub 15D so as
to communicate with each other.
[0040] Further, the integrating controller 5 and the auxiliary
controller 14 are connected together via the switching hub 15D as
well as the switching hub 15B so as to transmit data between
themselves. That is, the integrating controller 5, the operator
terminal 18, the host 19, and the auxiliary controller 14 are
connected to the network to form the host 19 side network.
[0041] With the above configuration, data possessed by the
auxiliary controller 14 can be shared with the integrating
controller 5. Thus, in the system set 2, the integrating controller
5 can integrally manage those parts of the system which have
already been constructed. On the other hand, the auxiliary
controller 14 can integrally manage those parts of the system which
have not been constructed yet. Thus, data (programs) for parts that
have been completely constructed can be sequentially transmitted
from the auxiliary controller 14 to the integrating controller 5.
That is, while commanding actual carrying operations in parts that
have already been constructed, the integrating controller 5
sequentially loads parts that have been completely constructed to
extend the range within which actual carrying operations can be
performed. However, at this time, it is possible to prevent errors
in actual carrying operations associated with system constructing
operations.
[0042] As set forth in claim 1, a carrying system comprises a
carrying vehicle system which carries an article to a predetermined
location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing system in
which the article is temporarily housed, a system set comprising a
plurality of system units each including at least one of the
carrying vehicle system and the article housing system, an
integrating controller which can control the whole system set, and
an auxiliary controller which controls some of the system units of
the system set, and the integrating controller controls the system
set except for the system units controlled by the auxiliary
controller. Consequently, the auxiliary controller can control some
of the system units of the system set. For example, even if the
integrating controller operates some of the system units, while the
auxiliary controller tests the remaining system units, possible
defects in the system units being tested can be prevented from
affecting the system units being operated. As a result, without
waiting for all system units of the system set to operate
correctly, some of the system units can be operated step by step,
while the remaining system units can be constructed step by step.
This enables manufacturing of products to be started earlier.
[0043] As set forth in claim 2, the carrying system further
comprises a simulator set comprising a carrying vehicle controller
simulator which simulates the carrying vehicle system and an
article housing controller simulator which simulates the article
housing system, and the simulator set is controlled by the
auxiliary controller. Consequently, while operating the integrating
controller to perform an actual article carrying operation, the
correction or verification of the programs for the carrying vehicle
system and the article housing system can be simulated without
affecting the integrating controller being operated. Furthermore,
the auxiliary controller, which can perform a system constructing
operation, is used while the integrating controller is performing
an actual article carrying operation. This eliminates the need to
provide a separate computer that integrally manage the simulators
of the simulation system.
[0044] As set forth in claim 3, the integrating controller and the
auxiliary controller are connected together, and the auxiliary
controller transfers a control program relating to the system units
controlled by the auxiliary controller, to the integrating
controller so that on the basis of the transferred control program,
the integrating controller can control the system units which have
been controlled by the auxiliary controller. Consequently, a
control program required to control a certain system unit can be
transferred from the auxiliary controller to the integrating
controller. As a result, it is possible to smoothly transfer the
control of set of system units that have been completely
tentatively operated, from the auxiliary controller to the
integrating controller.
[0045] As set forth in claim 4, there is provided a system
constructing method of constructing a carrying system comprising a
carrying vehicle system which carries an article to a predetermined
location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing system in
which the article is temporarily housed, a system set comprising a
plurality of system units each including at least one of the
carrying vehicle system and the article housing system, and an
integrating controller which can control the whole system set,
wherein a part of the system set that has not been constructed yet
is tested and adjusted using an auxiliary controller which tests
and adjusts this part of the system unit without affecting a part
of the system set operated by the integrating controller, and
control of the tested and adjusted part of the system unit is
transferred to the integrating controller. Consequently, even if an
error occurs when the auxiliary controller tests and adjusts the
part of the system set which has not been constructed yet, it is
possible to avoid affecting the part of the system set which is
controlled by the integrating controller. Thus, the system set can
be constructed step by step without affecting the part of the
system set which is operated by the integrating controller.
* * * * *