Abstract: In a curve section, a comb tooth mark 28 is provided concentrically with a center line 44 of a running rail 4. A comb tooth sensor 34 on an overhead running vehicle 2 reads comb teeth 40. Then, corrections are made using the ratio of the radius of curvature (R) of the center line 44 and the radius of curvature (r) of the comb tooth mark 28. An encoder interpolates the areas between the teeth 40. Then, the position of the overhead running vehicle 2 in the curve section is determined. The present invention thus enables the exact position of the overhead running vehicle 2 to be recognized even when the overhead running vehicle 2 is located in a curve section. This makes it possible to provide a load port in a curve section.

Abstract: A communication terminal device converts a sound in the communication terminal device into an audio frequency signal, converts the converted audio frequency signal or an audio frequency signal transmitted in the communication terminal device into a digital audio signal, and transmits the digital audio signal to a center device via an IP network.

Abstract: CAD data of a guided vehicle system is converted into layout data of a map. The layout data is displayed on a screen. Attribute data is added to the layout data to edit the map data. The edited map data is distributed to overhead traveling vehicles. By controlling a probe vehicle to actually travel on a travel route, positions of load ports and buffers on the map, and data about transfer to/from these load ports and buffers are verified, and updated, and then, the resulting data is distributed to the other overhead traveling vehicles and a controller.

Abstract: The present invention prevents an obstacle from entering a running route of an overhead carriage to allow the carriage to run smoothly, increasing carrying efficiency. The present invention provides a carrying system including a carriage 1 having a hoist 7 that elevates and lowers an article in a vertical direction and a running portion 2, and a track 12 which internally houses the running portion 2 and which is suspended from a ceiling. The carrying system has a cover 13 placed parallel to the track 12 to prevent entry of an obstacle into the track; the cover 13 is provided below the track 12 so as not to hinder the elevation and lowering of the article executed by the hoist 7.

Abstract: When an article is taken out from an automatic warehouse (6), value information is written in an unmodifiable manner into an ID tag fitted to the article. When the value information is needed to know, the value information is read from the ID tag (30) of the article (28) by an ID reader (24). The amount of refund when an article is returned and the amount of compensation when an article is broken can be objectively known.

Abstract: An optical ID having a pair of light emitting sections (21, 22) is provided on a head set (18) which is mounted on the head of an operator, and ID data is transmitted by a light emitting signal. A high-speed camera is provided on a ceiling of a pathway, the ID data and the position of the operator are identified by the light emitting signal, and the direction of the operator is obtained by the direction of the pair of light emitting sections.

Abstract: An ID tag describing control data on a stopped position for each station 10, movement required for a transfer, and the like is installed in front of the station 10. An overhead vehicle 8 reads the control data and uses it for stoppage and transfer. The overhead vehicle 8 need not store the stoppage or transfer control data for each station 10. Further, the control data can be changed without updating the storage in the overhead vehicle 8.

Abstract: Guide tracks 56, 56 projecting in a vertical direction are provided in a right and left of a running track 50 and left and right guide rollers 20, 21 are provided on a track guided vehicle and guided using inner surfaces of the left and right guide tracks. Branching rollers 22, 23 each comprising elevating and lowering means are provided in the right and left of the track guided vehicle and outside the right and left guide tracks. Thus, branching and rectilinear progression of the track guided vehicle is controlled by switching between a state where the branching rollers 22, 23 are elevated or lowered to guide the track guided vehicle using outer surfaces of the guide tracks 56, 56 and a state where the branching rollers 22, 23 do not contact with the outer surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a punch press with forming dies which reduces the limitation on the number and positions of forming dies attached to the die supporting member, the punch press enabling a device that elevates and lowers forming dies to operate appropriately without being affected by slag. The punch press with forming dies includes a die supporting member 2 that supports a plurality of forming dies 5 so that the forming dies 5 can be elevated and lowered, a die elevating and lowering driving device 16 that elevates and lowers the forming dies 5, and a die supporting member moving device that moves the die supporting member 2 so as to locate one of the forming dies 5 at a punch position P.

Abstract: The present invention provides a linear motor 1 which uses a plurality of cylindrical linear motors 2 to increase power and which can guide forward and backward movements using a simple configuration, the linear motor 1 requiring reduced manufacturing costs. A plurality of cylindrical linear motors 2 are provided each of which has a shaft member 3 made of a permanent magnet and a coil unit 4. A motor support 25 is provided which is able to support the coil units of the plurality of cylindrical linear motors 2 arranged in parallel. The shaft members of the plurality of cylindrical linear motors 2 are coupled together at ends thereof by coupling members 10, 11. A guide mechanism 32 is located inside the arrangement of the cylindrical linear motors 2 to guide movement of the shaft members 3 of the cylindrical linear motors 2. The number of guide mechanisms 32 is smaller than that of the cylindrical linear motors 2. For example, the single guide mechanism 32 is provided.

Abstract: A teleconference system is large-scale. In the present invention, an IM server provides instant message service to a first client, a second client and a content providing device. The first client adds position information of a first cursor to an instant message and transmits the instant message to the content providing device. The content providing device transmits an instant message including the position information to the second client which displays the same content as the first client. The second client draws a third cursor at a position on the content specified by the position information. Accordingly, a conference or a meeting with a person at a remote location can be carried out by a relatively small system architecture.

Abstract: A color determination device sections a hue plane, in which unit data constituting determining image data is mapped, into partial regions by a color determination boundary, and carries out a color determination according to a number of unit data belonging to each partial region. A gradient of a hue boundary line is a rational number. For example, an affine conversion or the like is executed on the hue plane, and the color determination boundary line is matched with an axis of the hue plane. Accordingly, a calculation amount is reduced in a determination processing for determining in which partial region the unit data belongs.

Abstract: A facsimile machine is connected to the Internet via a router and carries out communication by using a set communication port. The facsimile machine includes a function for setting and changing the communication port to be used by the facsimile machine itself, and a function for changing a port transfer setting of the router so that a packet addressed to the set and changed communication port is transferred to the facsimile machine itself.

Abstract: The present invention provides an overhead travelling carriage with a hoist which suppresses transmission of vibration to an article during conveyance. A chuck mechanism 10 is provided in a hoist 7 to support the top of an article 4. A fall preventing mechanism 14 is provided to prevent the article 4 supported by the chuck mechanism 14 from falling. Movable members 18 are provided which can move in a horizontal direction so as to advance toward and retreat from the housed article 4. Each of the movable members 18 has an L-shaped side cross section that extends so as to cross the direction in which it advances and retreats. A horizontal portion 18a of the movable portion 18 acts as means for preventing the article from falling. Rubber dampers 19 are provided on that surface of a vertical portion 18a of the movable member which is closer to the article 4, so as to constitute members pressed against the article 4.

Abstract: The height of the center of gravity of a stacker crane is determined in consideration of a height position of an elevation frame and the inertial force is determined from the travel acceleration and deceleration. Wheel pressures applied to front and rear drive wheels are determined based on the height of the center of gravity, the inertial force, and horizontal distances from the center of gravity to the front and rear drive wheels. Torques are allocated in proportion to the determined wheel pressures.

Abstract: An ID reader 53 is provided at a fall prevention cover 50 of an overhead traveling vehicle 20 for reading an ID 76 on the back surface of an article 70. The ID reader 53 can be protruded from or retracted into the fall prevention cover 50. When the article 70 is elevated/lowered, the ID reader is retracted into the cover 50. When the ID 76 is read, the ID reader 53 is advanced to a position under the article 70.

Abstract: Enabled is to estimate a self-position even when no landmark is seen or when an article confusing the landmark is brought in. An omnidirectional camera recognizes a vertical land-mark near a wall to determine a candidate for the self-position. On the basis of the candidate determined, a break in a map between a floor and a wall is projected on the camera image thereby to perform the matching.

Abstract: In a branch section 1 or a merge section of a rail vehicle system, an auxiliary travel surface 17 on the straight lane side includes a deformed portion 54 where the height is increased for supporting an auxiliary wheel 6 of a traveling vehicle 2. The traveling vehicle 2 is supported by the auxiliary wheel 6 and guide rollers 24, 20 such that the traveling vehicle 2 is orientated horizontally in the left-right direction, or the branch lane side D of the traveling vehicle 2 is oriented slightly upwardly.

Abstract: Buffers 6, 8 are provided on both sides of a travel rail 10. An overhead traveling vehicle 4 has a SCARA arm movable back and forth to both of the left and right so that a rotation unit 22 and an elevation drive unit 4 can move to a position above either of the buffers 6, 8.

Abstract: A transport scenario composed of a basic transport (From) from a transport starting point to, e.g., a buffer near the transport destination point and a basic transport (To) from the buffer to the transport destination point is created in response to a transport request of a production controller for transport whose loading times at the transport starting point and at the transport destination point are specified. The buffer is reserved so as to perform the basic transport (From) and the basic transport (To), transport vehicles are allocated, the travel time to the transport starting point or the buffer and the travel time from the transport starting point or the buffer are estimated, and transport instructions are given to the transport vehicles. The possibility that the loading times are out of the specified period is evaluated. If the possibility is larger, the impossibility of a just-in-time transport is notified to the production controller.