Systems and methods for automatically controlling loading dock equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081504-B2
Application number	US-201515305296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically controlling loading dock equipment, such as in response to a trailer approaching and docking at a docking station, are disclosed. The systems and methods can provide scanning devices and scanning operations which assist with, for example, properly aligning a trailer at a docking station and/or checking an interior area in front of the dock door for obstructions. The systems and methods can also transmit messages between components of the system and/or to users of the system regarding the status of components of the systems and/or the status of the overall docking process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated docking system for use with a loading dock station, comprising:
a first sensor system configured to detect the presence of a vehicle in an exterior area proximate a loading dock door;
a second sensor system configured to detect obstructions in an interior area proximate the loading dock door; and
a control unit communicatively coupled with the first sensor system and the second sensor system, the control unit being programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
automatically instruct the second sensor system to perform a scan of the interior area when the control unit receives a first signal from the first sensor system indicating that the vehicle is present in the exterior area; and
automatically enable operation of at least a portion of the loading dock station when the control unit receives a second signal from the second sensor system indicating that no obstructions have been detected in the interior area.

2. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system is further configured to assist with aligning the vehicle with the loading dock door.

3. The automated docking system of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor system comprises a first sensor located at one side of the loading dock door and a second sensor located at an opposite side of the loading dock door, and wherein the first sensor scans a first area extending perpendicularly away from the loading dock door and the second sensor scans a second area extending perpendicularly away from the loading dock door.

4. The automated docking system of claim 3 , wherein the first sensor further scans an area extending parallel to the loading dock door and towards the second sensor for the presence of the vehicle within the area.

5. The automated docking system of claim 2 , further comprising at least one communication light located exterior to the loading dock door, and wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
instruct the communication light to transmit a first warning message when the vehicle is not aligned with the loading dock door.

6. The automated docking system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
instruct the second sensor system to transmit a second warning message when an obstruction is detected in the interior area.

7. The automated docking system of claim 6 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
prohibit the vehicle restraint system from engaging the vehicle after the second warning message has been transmitted until a user manually instructs the vehicle restraint system to engage the vehicle.

8. The automated docking system of claim 6 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
after a predetermined period of time, instruct the vehicle restraint system to automatically engage with the vehicle after the second warning message has been transmitted.

9. The automated docking system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
prohibit the second sensor system from scanning the interior area after the first warning message has been transmitted until a user manually instructs the second sensor system to scan the interior area.

10. The automated docking system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
after a predetermined period of time, instruct the second sensor system to automatically scan the interior area after the first warning message has been transmitted.

11. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the loading dock station comprises a vehicle restraint system, and wherein automatically enablingoperation of at least a portion of the loading dock station includes automatically enabling operation of the vehicle restraint system to engage the vehicle.

12. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the loading dock station comprises a loading dock door opening system, and wherein automatically enabling operation of at least a portion of the loading dock station includes automatically enabling operation of the loading dock door opening system to open the loading dock door.

13. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system comprises at least one sensor configured to scan at least one area proximate and exterior to the loading dock door for the presence of the vehicle within the at least one area.

14. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor system comprises at least one sensor configured to scan at least one area proximate and interior of the loading dock door for the presence of obstructions within the at least one area.

15. The automated docking system of claim 14 , wherein the second sensor system comprises at least one sensor located above the loading dock door.

16. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system and the second sensor system each comprise at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of infrared sensors, laser sensors, microwave sensors, inductive loop sensors, photo sensors, pressure sensors, ultrasonic sensors, sonar sensors, thermal sensors, optical sensors, magnetic sensors, camera analytics sensors, or combinations thereof.

17. The automated docking system of claim 1 , wherein the loading dock station comprises a vehicle restraint system, a loading dock door opening system, and a dock leveler system, and wherein the control unit is communicatively coupled to the vehicle restraint system, the loading dock door opening system, and the dock leveler system.

18. The automated docking system of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is further programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
automatically instruct the loading dock door opening system to open the loading dock door when the control unit receives a signal from the vehicle restraint system indicating the vehicle has been engaged by the vehicle restraint system; and
automatically instruct the dock leveler system to position the dock leveler inside the vehicle when the control unit receives a signal from the loading dock door opening system indicating that that the loading dock door is open.

19. A method for automatically controlling operation of a loading dock station, the method comprising:
automatically activating a first sensor system when a vehicle approaches a loading dock door, wherein the first sensor system is configured to detect the presence of the vehicle in an exterior area proximate the loading dock door;
automatically activating a second sensor system when the vehicle is present in the exterior area, wherein the second sensor system is configured to scan an interior area of the loading dock door for obstructions; and
automatically activating at least a portion of the loading dock station when the scan of the interior area of the loading dock door indicates no obstructions are present in the interior area.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first sensor system is further configured to assist with aligning the vehicle with the loading dock door.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the loading dock station comprises a vehicle restraint system configured to engage a vehicle restraint with the vehicle aligned at the lo

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Ab

Inventors

• Walford Brett A
• Breen Eric

Classifications

• B65G69/2882 Primary

  operated by detectors or sensors · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• G06K9/00825

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0225

  involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027) · CPC title

• B65G69/003 Primary

  Restraining movement of a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle · CPC title