METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRACKING THE POSITION OF TOOLS AND/OR TESTING EQUIPMENT

摘要

The aim of the invention is to create a method and a device for tracking the position of tools and/or testing equipment on movable processing lines. Said aim is achieved by providing each tool and/or each testing device (3; 4; 5) that is to be tracked with several infrared emitting diodes which cyclically emit an identification code of the tool and/or the testing device (3; 4; 5) that is/are to be tracked; by selecting the cycle for emitting an identification code according to a time slice principle in order to prevent information from being falsified if several tools and/or testing devices (3; 4; 5) are tracked; by disposing position receiving systems (8) on both sides of the processing line (1) in the tracking area so as to detect the emitted identification codes, provide said identification codes with a time stamp, and store the identification codes; and by coupling the position receiving systems (8) to each other via a bus system. Each position receiving system (8) is characterized by its own identification code while a base station (7) calculates the signal propagation time and the position of the tool and/or the testing device that is/are to be tracked from the emission times of the infrared emitting diode and the reception times in one of the position receiving systems (8).