Method and system for guiding autonomous mobile vehicles within a logistic facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339663-B2
Application number	US-202016932994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Oct 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

An autonomous mobile vehicle system includes machines at different locations within a facility processing parts, a docking station within the facility, an autonomous mobile vehicle movable within the facility between the machines and the docking station, and a system control module for guiding the autonomous mobile vehicle within the facility between the machines and the docking station. The system control module includes a system communication module communicatively coupled to the autonomous mobile vehicle. The system control module includes a system controller including one or more processors configured to control operation of the autonomous mobile vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous mobile vehicle system for moving one or more autonomous mobile vehicles within a structure of a parts processing facility used for manufacturing parts and having one or more rooms within the structure defining a location within the facility, the facility being one of a warehouse, a distribution center, and manufacturing plant, or a retail facility, the autonomous mobile vehicle system comprising:
part manufacturing machines for performing manufacturing processes on the parts to transform physical characteristics of the parts, the part manufacturing machines located within the location within the structure of the facility;
a docking station within the location within the structure of the facility;
an autonomous mobile vehicle movable within the location within the structure of the facility between the part manufacturing machines and the docking station to pick up the parts processed by the part manufacturing machines and drop off the parts at a drop off location;
a monitoring station in the location within the structure of the facility to monitor operation of the autonomous mobile vehicle; and
a system control module for guiding the autonomous mobile vehicle within the location within the structure of the facility between the part manufacturing machines and the docking station to pick up and drop off the parts, the system control module includes a system communication module communicatively coupled to the monitoring station and the autonomous mobile vehicle, the system control module located within the structure to communicate wirelessly with the autonomous mobile vehicle as the autonomous mobile vehicle moves within the structure to control movement of the autonomous mobile vehicle within the structure, the system control module including a system controller comprising:
one or more processors configured to determine a finishing time of a machine process of a first machine of the part manufacturing machines within the location within the structure of the facility, the finishing time being a time of completion of the machine process of the first machine;
one or more processors configured to determine a travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle within the location within the structure of the facility to the first machine;
one or more processors configured to send a request to the autonomous mobile vehicle based on the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine and the travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the first machine and placing the request in the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle;
one or more processors configured to sort the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle, wherein the request is initially sorted into the queue based on the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine and wherein the request is moved higher in the queue to control the autonomous mobile vehicle based on priority of the pick up of the part or drop off of the part associated with the first machine.

2. The autonomous mobile vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller sends the request when the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine is less than the travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the first machine.

3. The autonomous mobile vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller includes one or more processors configured to determine if the autonomous mobile vehicle is available, the system controller sending the request if the autonomous mobile vehicle is available.

4. The autonomous mobile vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller includes one or more processors configured to determine if the autonomous mobile vehicle is sufficiently charged.

5. The autonomous mobile vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller includes one or more processors configured to determine if the autonomous mobile vehicle has other requests in the queue, wherein if the autonomous mobile vehicle does not have other requests in the queue, then the system controller sends the autonomous mobile vehicle to the first machine.

6. The autonomous mobile vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller comprises:
one or more processors configured to determine a finishing time of a machine process of a second machine of the part manufacturing machines, the finishing time being a time of completion of the machine process of the second machine;
one or more processors configured to determine a travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the second machine;
one or more processors configured to send a request to the autonomous mobile vehicle based on the finishing time of the machine process of the second machine and the travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the second machine and placing the request in the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle;
one or more processors configured to sort the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle, wherein the request from the second machine is initially sorted into the queue based on the finishing time of the machine process of the second machine and wherein the request is moved higher in the queue based on priority of the pick up of the part or drop off of the part associated with the second machine.

7. A method of operating an autonomous mobile vehicle between part manufacturing machines within a structure of a logistic facility used for performing manufacturing processes on the parts to transform physical characteristics of the parts and having one or more rooms within the structure defining a location within the facility, the facility being one of a warehouse, a distribution center, and manufacturing plant, or a retail facility, the method comprising:
monitoring operation of the autonomous mobile vehicle in the location within the structure of the logistic facility including movement of the autonomous mobile vehicle between the part manufacturing machines in the location within the logistics facility;
determining a finishing time of a machine process of a first machine of the part manufacturing machines within the location within the structure of the logistics facility, the finishing time being a time of completion of the machine process of the first machine;
determining a travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle in the location within the structure of the logistics facility to the first machine;
sending a request to the autonomous mobile vehicle based on the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine and the travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the first machine and placing the request in the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle;
determining if the request from the first machine is a high priority request based on priority of the pick up of the part or drop off of the part associated with the first machine;
sorting the queue of the autonomous mobile vehicle to control the autonomous mobile vehicle within the location within the structure of the facility, wherein the request is initially sorted into the queue based on the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine and wherein the request is moved higher in the queue if the request is a high priority request.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said sending the request occurs when the finishing time of the machine process of the first machine is less than the travel time of the autonomous mobile vehicle to the first machine.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining if the autonomous mobile vehicle is available, said sending the request comprises sending the request if the autonomous mobile vehicle is available.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said determining if the autonomous mobile vehicle is available comprises determining if the a

Assignees

• TE Connectivity Services Gmbh
• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Deng Xinping
• Solanki Swapnilsinh
• Lu Roberto Francisco-Yi

Classifications

• G06Q10/06316

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• G05D1/226

  Communication links with the remote-control arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/644

  Optimisation of travel parameters, e.g. of energy consumption, journey time or distance · CPC title

• G05D1/661

  Docking at a base station (delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667) · CPC title

• G05D1/667

  Delivering or retrieving payloads · CPC title