Optimizing Factory Robot Movements to Cut Energy and Emissions
This patent describes a system for industrial facilities that measures the energy use and carbon emissions of different groups of robots moving along a track, then adjusts their operations to reduce environmental impact.
Original patent title: “Controlling an industrial mover system based on sustainability factors”
This patent describes a system for industrial facilities that measures the energy use and carbon emissions of different groups of robots moving along a track, then adjusts their operations to reduce environmental impact. Owned by Rockwell Automation Technologies with 23 claims and 1 forward citation, and it is expected to expire in 2043.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a system for managing industrial movers, like robots on a track, to reduce their environmental impact. It works by having one or more processors first "determine a first amount of energy consumption associated with a first portion of the plurality of movers and a second amount of energy consumption associated with a second portion of the plurality of movers" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Then, it calculates "emissions per unit" for these different groups of movers based on their energy use. Based on these emission figures, the system "determine[s] one or more operating settings for the mover system" and "send[s] one or more commands" (Claim 1) to control the movers. For example, if one section of movers is found to be highly inefficient, the system might "cause at least one of the plurality of movers to be powered down, powered up, parked, or any combination thereof" (Claim 10) to optimize overall emissions.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that only optimize for speed or throughput without considering energy consumption or emissions per unit.
- Does not cover systems that control individual movers without considering groups or portions of movers.
- Does not cover systems that determine operating settings based solely on cost, without factoring in emissions or energy use.
- Does not cover systems that lack the ability to send commands to adjust mover operations based on the determined settings.
- Does not cover systems that manage movers not operating on a track.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in specifically calculating "emissions per unit" for *portions* of a mover system and then using that metric to dynamically adjust operating settings, rather than just optimizing for speed or overall energy. This allows for granular, sustainability-focused control.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Automated assembly lines in car factories
Robotic sorting systems in warehouses
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in logistics hubs
Conveyor belt systems in manufacturing plants
Why it matters
The bigger picture
As industries increasingly focus on sustainability, this technology provides a way to directly measure and reduce the environmental footprint of automated manufacturing and logistics. It allows companies to make data-driven decisions about their factory floor operations, potentially leading to lower energy bills and compliance with environmental regulations. This kind of optimization is crucial for large-scale industrial operations aiming for net-zero goals.
Filed
September 28, 2023
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Rockwell Automation, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major player in industrial automation and control systems. Companies like Siemens, ABB, and Honeywell also develop similar industrial control and optimization platforms. Startups focused on industrial IoT and sustainability analytics are also likely to build solutions in this space.
Market impact
This patent addresses a growing need for sustainability in industrial operations. It enables manufacturers to quantify and reduce their environmental impact, which can lead to cost savings through energy efficiency and improved brand reputation. It could influence how future industrial automation systems are designed, making environmental metrics a core part of their control logic, rather than an afterthought.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a system for managing industrial movers, like robots on a track, to reduce their environmental impact. It works by having one or more processors first "determine a first amount of energy consumption associated with a first portion of the plurality of movers and a second amount of energy consumption associated with a second portion of the plurality of movers" (Claim 1). Then, it calculates "emissions per unit" for these different groups of movers based on their energy use. Based on these emission figures, the system "determine[s] one or more operating settings for the mover system" and "send[s] one or more commands" (Claim 1) to control the movers. For example, if one section of movers is found to be highly inefficient, the system might "cause at least one of the plurality of movers to be powered down, powered up, parked, or any combination thereof" (Claim 10) to optimize overall emissions.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in specifically calculating "emissions per unit" for *portions* of a mover system and then using that metric to dynamically adjust operating settings, rather than just optimizing for speed or overall energy. This allows for granular, sustainability-focused control.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that only optimize for speed or throughput without considering energy consumption or emissions per unit.
- Does not cover systems that control individual movers without considering groups or portions of movers.
- Does not cover systems that determine operating settings based solely on cost, without factoring in emissions or energy use.
- Does not cover systems that lack the ability to send commands to adjust mover operations based on the determined settings.
- Does not cover systems that manage movers not operating on a track.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$70K – $225K
Midpoint $140K · 17.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Connor, J. W., Huang, Y., Schwertner, A. L., Ruotolo, A., Zulu, S., Crum, K., & Mannion, J. R. Optimizing Factory Robot Movements to Cut Energy and Emissions (U.S. Patent No. 20,250,110,476). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250110476/controlling-an-industrial-mover-system-based-on-sustainability-factors
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Optimizing Factory Robot Movements to Cut Energy and Emissions cover?
This patent describes a system for industrial facilities that measures the energy use and carbon emissions of different groups of robots moving along a track, then adjusts their operations to reduce environmental impact.
Who owns patent US 20250110476?
This patent is owned by Rockwell Automation Technologies.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 28, 2043, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20250110476 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
As industries increasingly focus on sustainability, this technology provides a way to directly measure and reduce the environmental footprint of automated manufacturing and logistics. It allows companies to make data-driven decisions about their factory floor operations, potentially leading to lower energy bills and compliance with environmental regulations. This kind of optimization is crucial for large-scale industrial operations aiming for net-zero goals.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that only optimize for speed or throughput without considering energy consumption or emissions per unit.
Patent monitoring