Abstract: An article transport facility includes transport vehicles, a travel route which the travel vehicles travel, and a region control device. The travel route includes branching and merging region that includes a branching point and a merging point. If a transport vehicle is scheduled to pass through a branching point and then pass through a merging point while passing through a branching and merging region, a region control device gives the transport vehicle occupation permission for a first target point on a scheduled travel route and occupation permission for a second target point on a non-scheduled travel route, the first target point and the second target point being whichever one of an occupation target point and a secondary occupation target point is closest to the branching point.

Abstract: An article transport facility includes a plurality of transport vehicles, a first traveling rail, a second traveling rail below the first traveling rail, a lifter including a lift rail, and a control system. In response to a preliminary request signal from a target transport vehicle, the control system performs a preliminary lifting process of moving the lift rail to a target position when no non-target transport vehicle is on the lift rail and no entry request signal is received from a non-target transport vehicle.

Abstract: In the case where a transport vehicle has received both a first passage permission and a second passage permission and is to pass through a second passing point, when the travel distance of the transport vehicle from a first stopping point reaches a first set distance, the transport vehicle issues, to a zone control device, a first occupation revocation request for revoking permission to occupy a first passing point, and when the travel distance of the transport vehicle from the first stopping point reaches a second set distance, the transport vehicle issues, to the zone control device, a second occupation revocation request for revoking permission to occupy the second passing point.

Abstract: An article transport facility includes transport vehicles, a travel route which the travel vehicles travel, and a region control device. The travel route includes branching and merging region that includes a branching point and a merging point. If a transport vehicle is scheduled to pass through a branching point and then pass through a merging point while passing through a branching and merging region, a region control device gives the transport vehicle occupation permission for a first target point on a scheduled travel route and occupation permission for a second target point on a non-scheduled travel route, the first target point and the second target point being whichever one of an occupation target point and a secondary occupation target point is closest to the branching point.

Abstract: A control device holds floor map information regarding a plurality of floors and connection relationship information indicating a connection relationship between different floors connected by a connection route, and controls a transport vehicle on floor routes and the connection route based on the floor map information and the connection relationship information. A management device holds the floor map information regarding the floors in such a manner that a piece of the floor map information can be distinguished for each of the floors, holds the connection relationship information in such a manner that the connection relationship information can be distinguished from the pieces of floor map information corresponding to the floors, and performs update processing for updating the floor map information and the connection relationship information in the control device.

Abstract: In the case where a transport vehicle has received both a first passage permission and a second passage permission and is to pass through a second passing point, when the travel distance of the transport vehicle from a first stopping point reaches a first set distance, the transport vehicle issues, to a zone control device, a first occupation revocation request for revoking permission to occupy a first passing point, and when the travel distance of the transport vehicle from the first stopping point reaches a second set distance, the transport vehicle issues, to the zone control device, a second occupation revocation request for revoking permission to occupy the second passing point.

Abstract: An article transport facility includes a plurality of transport vehicles, a first traveling rail, a second traveling rail below the first traveling rail, a lifter including a lift rail, and a control system. In response to a preliminary request signal from a target transport vehicle, the control system performs a preliminary lifting process of moving the lift rail to a target position when no non-target transport vehicle is on the lift rail and no entry request signal is received from a non-target transport vehicle.

Abstract: An update processing section distributes update data for section control software to a target section control device targeted for update from among a plurality of section control devices. Upon receipt of the update data, the target section control device executes software update to update the section control software by use of the update data. During the execution of the software update by the target section control device, the superior control device executes alternative control to control a carrier traveling in a specific section corresponding to the target section control device, instead of the target section control device.