Patents Assigned to Beckhoff Automation GmbH
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Patent number: 11973826Abstract: At least one distribution node with a plurality of input/output interfaces is provided in an automation communication network. Data is exchanged via telegrams with priority levels. The distribution node interrupts transmission of a telegram having a first priority level if a telegram with a second, higher priority level is received. The distribution node terminates the interrupted telegram, which forms a first fragment defined by sending first fragmentation information at the end of the first fragment. A part that has not been sent forms a second fragment. The distribution node stores the second fragment together with second fragmentation information. After sending the telegram having the second, higher priority level, the distribution node sends the second fragment together with the second fragmentation information. A node, for which the telegram having the first priority level is intended, assembles the first and second fragments on the basis of the first and second fragmentation information.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner, Dirk Janssen
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Patent number: 11956915Abstract: A switch-cabinet system comprises a base module with a base housing and at least one functional module with a functional housing. A functional connection element is arranged in the functional housing in the area of a first through-opening on a bottom side of the functional housing. A base connection element is arranged in the base housing in the area of a second through opening on a top side of the base housing. The bottom side of the functional housing rests against the top side of the base housing. The functional and base connection elements engage and form an interface. The system also includes a sealing insert having a frame with a functional section engaging the functional housing and a base section engaging the base housing. The functional section abuts an inner wall of the functional housing. The base section abuts a wall of the base housing defining the second through-opening.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Hans Beckhoff, Peter Wittenborg, Daniel Siegenbrink
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Patent number: 11936273Abstract: A stator assembly for a planar electrical motor includes coil conductors arranged in a stator layer, elongated in a first direction and arranged side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The coil conductors are connected to form a three-phase system, with a first forward conductor and first return conductor of the first phase connected in series to the first forward conductor, a second forward conductor and second return conductor of the second phase connected in series with the second forward conductor, and a third forward conductor and third return conductor of the third phase connected in series with the third forward conductor. The three-phase system has first and second opposite sides. The first forward conductor and the first return conductor are electroconductively connected in series by first and second horizontal connecting conductors arranged in the stator layer on the second and first side, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Uwe Prüssmeier, Lukas Bentfeld
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Patent number: 11916499Abstract: A linear transport system comprises a first carriage and a second carriage, a linear motor for driving the first carriage and the second carriage and a guide rail. The linear motor comprises a stator and a first and a second rotor. The stator has a plurality of drive coils that are arranged along the guide rail individual motor modules comprise a plurality of drive coils. The first rotor is arranged on the first carriage and the second rotor is arranged on the second carriage. The first carriage has a first magnetic field generator. The second carriage has a second magnetic field generator. The first magnetic field generator differs from the second magnetic field generator at least in terms of its magnetic vector field, wherein the magnetic fields of the magnetic field generators are detected to identify the corresponding carriage.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Tobias Schönke, Marco Grabowski, Jan Achterberg, Manuel Bettenworth, Uwe Prüssmeier
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Patent number: 11888585Abstract: A network subscriber of an automation communication network is provided to exchange data with further network subscribers in the automation communication network at a predetermined clock frequency. The network subscriber has an internal clock for synchronizing the data exchange with at least one other network subscriber. The internal clock is embodied to provide a time as an integer count value. The clock frequency is determined in such a way that a period duration per clock pulse cannot be represented as an integer count value by the internal clock. A method of operating the network subscriber in the automation communication network comprises the following method step: the internal clock is incremented with a predetermined sequence of integer increments. The sequence of integer increments is predetermined such that a sum of the integer increments corresponds to an integer multiple of the period duration.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventor: Erik Vonnahme
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Patent number: 11880175Abstract: A method for controlling an automation process in real time based on a change profile of at least one process variable, comprises determining a first change profile by a real-time-capable recognition method based on a non-linear optimization process taking into consideration at least one boundary condition of the process variable, determining a second change profile by a numerical algorithm based on the first change profile, including adapting a selected profile function to the first change profile by a numerical adaptation process and identifying the adapted profile function as a second change profile, checking whether the second change profile satisfies at least one secondary condition of the process variable, controlling the automation process based on the second change profile if the second change profile satisfies the secondary condition, and controlling the automation process based on a predetermined fallback profile if the second change profile does not satisfy the secondary condition.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2021Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventor: Klaus Neumann
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Patent number: 11855557Abstract: A method for preventing collisions when driving at least two movers on a drive surface, each mover comprising at least one magnetic field generator, with a device comprising a plurality of plate-shaped sectors, the sectors each comprising at least one electric magnetic field generator. The sectors form the drive surface, generating magnetic fields via control of a power supply of the electric magnetic field generators such that the movers are movable over the drive surface in at least one direction. A first path planning for the first mover is carried out, an estimated second travel path of the second mover is determined or received, and the estimated second travel path of the second mover is taken into account in the first path planning of the first mover to determine a first travel path for the first mover such that collision of the first mover with the second mover is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann
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Patent number: 11774471Abstract: A method for distributed electrical power determination of at least one consumer connected to a voltage source via a voltage path, where a voltage measurement device determines a supply voltage of the voltage source at a voltage measurement point and at least one current measurement device determines a consumer current of the consumer at a current measurement point. The method comprises recording measured values of the supply voltage to determine a voltage curve of the supply voltage, recording measured values of the consumer current to determine a current curve of the consumer current, analyzing the measured values of the supply voltage and/or the measured values of the consumer current with an analysis function to determine voltage characteristics of the voltage curve and/or current characteristics of the current curve, and determining at least one power value taking into account the voltage and/or current characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Fabian Assion, Christian Lienen, Jakob Ens
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Patent number: 11775351Abstract: A method for processing data on a programmable logic controller includes a priority with a predetermined priority level assigned to at least one parallel processing section of a program of a master-processor core of a control task. Respective priority levels are inserted into a data structure as the respective master-processor core arrives at the parallel processing section. A parallel-processor core examines whether entries are present in the data structure and processes partial tasks from a work package of the master-processor core the priority level of which ranks first among the entries. A real-time condition of the control task is met by setting executing times of the programs for the master-processor core so that the master-processor core is capable of processing the partial tasks from the work packages without being supported by the parallel-processor core. The master-processor core further processes partial tasks not processed by the at least one parallel-processor core.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventor: Robin Vogt
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Patent number: 11778073Abstract: In an automation system, a protocol converter is provided between a first network and a second network for converting safety-related messages between the first and second networks that use different network protocols for message exchange. In the protocol converter, a single-channel filter connected to a single-channel interface determines messages having a first safety communication protocol from messages received from the interface over the first network and messages having a second safety communication protocol received over the second network. An at least dual-channel safety module connected to the single-channel filter then converts the messages with the first safety communication protocol determined by the single-channel filter into messages with the second safety communication protocol, or converts the messages with the second safety communication protocol determined by the single-channel filter into messages with the first safety communication protocol.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Holger Büttner, Jens Sachs, Robert Zutz, Daniel Schlotthauer
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Patent number: 11765124Abstract: A receiving logic of a network subscriber can be configured in a first filter setting to forward telegrams having first and second addressing techniques to first and second processing units, with a transmitting logic configured to forward the telegrams to a transmitting port. In a second filter setting, the receiving logic can be configured to duplicate the telegrams and forward to the first and second processing units, with the first processing unit configured to discard telegrams using the second addressing technique and the second processing unit configured to discard telegrams using the first addressing technique. The receiving logic of a third filter setting can be configured to duplicate telegrams and forward to the first and second processing units, with the transmitting logic configured to forward only telegrams using the first addressing technique from the first processing unit, and only telegrams using the second addressing technique from the second processing unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Dirk Janssen, Florian Essler, Guido Beckmann, Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner, Martin Rostan, Thomas Rettig
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Patent number: 11758024Abstract: In an automation network comprising a plurality of network segments, fragmenting subscribers that support a fragmentation method as well as standard subscribers that do not support the fragmentation method can be provided for in the network. A distribution node in the automation network has at least one input/output interface that is in communication with a network segment. The switching unit in the distribution node checks whether a subscriber in a network segment to which a telegram is to be sent supports the fragmentation method, and whether the telegram to be sent is fragmented. If the subscriber does not support the fragmentation procedure and the telegram to be sent is fragmented, the switching unit in the distribution node assembles the telegram fragments to form the telegram and then sends the assembled telegram on to the subscriber.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner, Dirk Janssen
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Patent number: 11700145Abstract: An automation network with network subscribers is provided, in which the network subscribers are interconnected via a data line network. At least one network subscriber is configured as a master subscriber, which is adapted to send telegrams via the data line network. At least one network subscriber is configured as a network distributor, which is adapted to route telegrams. The network distributor has a plurality of input/output ports, and is connected to the master subscriber via a first input/output and data line network. The master subscriber is configured to use a telegram element to indicate that the telegram is enabled for processing by the network subscribers. In addition, the network distributor is configured to process a telegram received via the first input/output port when the telegram element indicates enablement of processing of the telegram by the network subscribers.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2021Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Dirk Janssen, Florian Essler, Guido Beckmann, Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner, Martin Rostan, Thomas Rettig
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Patent number: 11695833Abstract: A method for real-time data communication between subscribers in an automation network is provided. The automation network includes an active subscriber, a plurality of passive subscribers and at least a connecting unit. The method includes the active subscriber arranging n data packets to be transmitted in a transmission order with a total occupancy time duration of the transmission order, performing an optimizing procedure for determining an optimized transmission order with minimum total occupancy time, and transmitting the n data packets in the optimized transmission order to the passive subscribers. An active subscriber for carrying out the method and an automation network comprising an active subscriber are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2022Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventor: Karl Weber
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Patent number: 11640293Abstract: A method for data migration of a pointer element in the course of data migration of a program state of a control program of an automation system comprises identifying the first pointer element and the second pointer element as pointer elements associated with each other via a first relation in a pointer-identifying step, and mapping the first pointer element to the second pointer element in a pointer migration step. The pointer migration step comprises identifying the first pointer object referenced by the first pointer element, identifying an object associated with the first pointer object as the second pointer object, determining an absolute memory address of the second pointer object, and writing the determined memory address of the second pointer object as a value of the second pointer element into the second pointer element.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2022Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventor: Ralf Dreesen
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Patent number: 11552587Abstract: A method for moving a rotor in a planar drive system having a first and second stator modules and a rotor. The stator modules are arranged at a distance, forming a gap. First and second magnetic fields are generated by the first and stator modules. The first and second magnetic fields hold the rotor in a vertical position, at a distance from a surface of the first and/or second stator module. The first and/or second magnetic fields have a first magnetic field strength to maintain the rotor in the vertical position, and may be used to change a horizontal position of the rotor. The first stator module has a first close range adjacent the gap, where the first magnetic field has a second field strength when the rotor is moved across the gap, greater than the first magnetic field strength.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: BECKHOFF AUTOMATION GMBHInventor: Uwe Prüssmeier
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Patent number: 11552524Abstract: A stator module for driving a rotor of an electrical planar-drive system comprises a power module, a stator assembly arranged on a top surface of the power module, and a connector. The power module is embodied to provide drive currents for driving the rotor. The stator assembly comprises coil conductors electrically connected to the power module via the connector for charging with the drive currents. The power module and the stator assembly each have a plate-shaped embodiment. The power module is mechanically fastened to the stator assembly by the connector. The stator assembly comprises a contact structure with contact holes arranged side by side, and the power module comprises a connecting arrangement with further contact holes arranged side by side. The connector comprises contact pins arranged side by side to engage in the further contact holes of the connecting arrangement, and in the contact holes of the contact structure.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
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Patent number: 11539549Abstract: A method for transmitting data in an automation network by telegrams, where the automation network comprises a master subscriber, slave subscribers and at least one unlocker, connected to each other via a data-line network. The slave subscribers are divided into segments. The master subscriber sends locked telegrams for processing by the slave subscribers, each having a telegram identifier used to assign a locked telegram to a segment. At least one segment is assigned to at least one unlocker. If the unlocker receives a locked telegram, the unlocker checks, by the telegram identifier in the locked telegram, whether the locked telegram for the assigned segment is intended to release the locked telegram, as an unlocked telegram for processing by the slave subscribers, provided that the locked telegram is intended for the segment assigned to the unlocker.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Dirk Janssen, Florian Essler, Guido Beckmann, Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner, Martin Rostan, Thomas Rettig
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Patent number: 11540413Abstract: A base module for a switch-cabinet system, having a plurality of communication units and connection elements for a plurality of functional modules. The connection elements are configured to engage in module-connection elements of functional modules. Each connection element has at least one data connection. Each communication unit is in each case connected to at least one data connection of a connection element. The communication units are connected to one another by a data bus. The base module has a first field-bus connection. The data bus is connected to the first field-bus connection to connect the communication units to a field-bus.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Daniel Siegenbrink, Hans Beckhoff, Holger Büttner
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Patent number: D981346Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2022Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbHInventors: Frank Greiser, Hans Beckhoff