Method and apparatus for detecting position of pallet for truck unloading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344513-B2
Application number	US-202217715427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2022
Priority date	Jun 14, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A pallet position detection apparatus is provided. The detection apparatus and method checks information on a pallet disposed on a vehicle by recognizing an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag or a Quick Response (QR) code attached to the truck, and recognizes an exact position of the pallet by detecting a reflector positioned on the pallet by a Lidar sensor, and unloads the pallet from the truck using an unmanned forklift vehicle based on the recognized position of the pallet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet position detection apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
an information detector configured to receive information on a pallet disposed on a vehicle by reading a pallet information marker attached to the vehicle;
a position detector configured to receive information on a position of the pallet by reading a pallet position marker attached to a preset position on the pallet, wherein the pallet position marker includes a reflector positioned at the center of the pallet and is configured to reflect a laser, and the position detector includes a Lidar sensor configured to sense the laser; and
a controller configured to control an unmanned forklift vehicle based on at least one of a size of the pallet and the position of the pallet based on the received information on the pallet and the received information on the position of the pallet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pallet information marker is at least one of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag and a Quick Response (QR) code, and
wherein the information detector comprises at least one of an RFID reader configured to read the RFID tag, and a QR code reader configured to read the QR code.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the RFID tag and/or the QR code is disposed midway between a driver's seat and a cargo area and attached at a preset height.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the information on the pallet comprises data regarding at least one of the size of the pallet, a weight of the pallet, a position of a lifting hole of the pallet, a height at which the pallet is placed, and a preset position of the pallet position marker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a distance between two forks comprised in the unmanned forklift vehicle to correspond to the size of the pallet based on the information on the pallet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
locate a center of the pallet based on the information on the position of the pallet, and
control an operation of the unmanned forklift vehicle to move the unmanned forklift vehicle to the center of the pallet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a movement of the unmanned forklift vehicle to a side position of the vehicle to access the pallet.

8. A method performed by a pallet position detection apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving information on a pallet disposed on a vehicle by reading a pallet information marker attached to the vehicle;
adjusting a distance between two forks comprised in the unmanned forklift vehicle to correspond to a size of the pallet based on the received information on the pallet;
receiving, by a position detector, information on a position of the pallet on the vehicle by reading a pallet position marker attached to a preset position on the pallet, wherein the pallet position marker includes a reflector positioned at the center of the pallet and is configured to reflect a laser, and the position detector includes a Lidar sensor configured to sense the laser; and
controlling a movement of the unmanned forklift vehicle to the pallet based on the received information on the position of the pallet.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
receive information on a pallet disposed on a vehicle by reading a pallet information marker attached to the vehicle;
adjust a distance between two forks comprised in an unmanned forklift vehicle to correspond to a size of the pallet based on the received information on the pallet;
receive, by a position detector, information on a position of the pallet on the vehicle by reading a pallet position marker attached to a preset position on the pallet, wherein the pallet position marker includes a reflector positioned at the center of the pallet and is configured to reflect a laser, and the position detector includes a Lidar sensor configured to sense the laser; and
control a movement of the unmanned forklift vehicle to the pallet based on the received information on the position of the pallet.

Assignees

• Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Young Min

Classifications

• G05D2111/10

  Optical signals · CPC title

• G05D2111/34

  generated by transmitters powered by energy received from an external transceiver, e.g. generated by passive radio-frequency identification [RFID] tags · CPC title

• G05D1/667

  Delivering or retrieving payloads · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title