{
  "patent_number": "US 20250110476",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Optimizing Factory Robot Movements to Cut Energy and Emissions",
  "original_title": "Controlling an industrial mover system based on sustainability factors",
  "summary": "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.",
  "what_it_does": "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.",
  "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."
  ],
  "filed": "2023-09-28",
  "granted": null,
  "expires": "2043-09-28",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Rockwell Automation Technologies",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/rockwell-automation-technologies",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Joshua W. Connor",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/joshua-w-connor"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yuhong Huang",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/yuhong-huang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alexandra L. Schwertner",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/alexandra-l-schwertner"
    },
    {
      "name": "Andrea Ruotolo",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/andrea-ruotolo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sinethemba Zulu",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/sinethemba-zulu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kyle Crum",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kyle-crum"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jason R. Mannion",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jason-r-mannion"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 1,
  "tags": [
    "industrial_automation",
    "software",
    "manufacturing",
    "energy",
    "supply_chain",
    "robotics"
  ],
  "abstract": "A mover system includes a track, a plurality of movers configured to move along the track, and one or more processors configured to 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 and determine a first emissions per unit for each of the first portion of the plurality of movers based on the first amount of energy consumption and a second emissions per unit for each of the second portion of the plurality of movers based on the second amount of energy consumption. The one or more processors are also configured to determine one or more operating settings for the mover system based on the first emissions per unit, the first emissions per unit, or both and send one or more commands to the first number of the plurality of movers, the second number of the plurality of movers, or both based on the one or more operating settings.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250110476/controlling-an-industrial-mover-system-based-on-sustainability-factors",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250110476/controlling-an-industrial-mover-system-based-on-sustainability-factors/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250110476",
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}