Automated guided vehicle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018129201-A1
Application number	US-201815864215-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	May 10, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

AGVs receive instructions regarding tasks to be performed via localized wireless I/O communication devices ( 604 ) onboard the AGVs from localized wireless communications units ( 600 ) positioned about the facility, for example, at conveyors ( 202 ). The wireless communications units ( 600 ) utilize I/O devices ( 604 ) which have a limited range so as to be truly localized in their operation. The AGVs have a sophisticated onboard control system ( 130 ) that includes a destination determination system ( 140 ), a routing system ( 142 ), a navigation system ( 144 ), and a crash avoidance system.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . A decentralized automated guided vehicle (AGV) system for a facility operating without a centralized host control system, comprising:
a. one or more AGVs into which functionalities of a facilities host control system have been incorporated; b. a control system onboard the AGV, said control system comprising:
a computer processor;
a communications unit utilizing wireless input/output (“I/O”) for receiving and sending operating communications over a limited distance, including task(s) to be performed to the AGV;
a routing system for determining travel routes for the AGV to perform the required task; and
a navigation system to direct the AGV along the determined travel route; and
c. a plurality of communications units operating over a limited distance at the facility, the communication units positioned at locations about the facility where tasks are to be performed, comprising utilizing wireless I/O to provide instructions directly to the AGVs for tasks to be performed by the AGVs, and also to receive instructions or information directly from the AGVs regarding the tasks assigned to the AGVs.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the onboard communications unit of the control system and/or the facility communications unit utilizes digital signals and comprising a processor or programmable logic controller (“PLC”) to interpret signals and logically filter signals to facilitate communications between the communications unit onboard the AGV and the communications unit of the facility.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the onboard communications unit and/or facility communications unit utilizes serial wireless I/O communications employing a predetermined messaging protocol.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said onboard control system further comprises a destination determination system to determine one or more destinations to which the AGV needs to travel to perform assigned task(s).

5 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein the destination determination system determines the one or more destinations to which the AGV needs to travel to perform designated tasks, by one or more of the following:
a. using the destination information provided in the instructions sent to the AGV communications unit by the facility communications unit; b. using a look-up table stored in the memory of the AGV control system that provides corresponding destination(s) based on the task communicated to the AGV; or c. querying a facility communications unit that has the capacity to provide the required destination information to the AGV.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the facility communications units are operably connected to one or more of the following facility locations or functions: a manually operable control wireless I/O unit; production machinery; conveyor; storage location; loading dock; battery charging station; battery exchange station; door; elevator; ramp; and gate.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the communications unit of the AGV control system optionally comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) receiver/transmitter capable of communicating with the facility wireless LAN (WLAN).

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said routing system comprises a collision avoidance procedure, whereby an AGV broadcasts a coded signal via its wireless I/O communications unit while traveling in a specific area to enable other AGVs in the vicinity to receive the coded signal and thereupon refrain from entering the specific area during the transmission of the coded signal by the AGV traveling through the restricted area.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the navigation system of the control system comprises one or both:
a. a laser navigation that transmits signals that are reflected back to the navigation system; and b. a natural navigation system using existing facility features that are mapped by the natural navigation system and then sensed by the natural navigation system during travel of the AGV, thereby to determine the location of the AGV.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the AGV control system is adapted to receive data pertaining to the task being performed from the facility wireless I/O communications unit when task instructions are provided to the AGV, the AGV transmitting the updated task data to a facility wireless I/O communications unit at the location of the completion of the task.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the task being performed is the pick and drop of a load, and the task instructions providing information about the load being transported.

12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless I/O used by the communications units operates in a radio frequency range.

13 . A method of operating a decentralized work facility operating without a centralized host control system utilizing one or more automated guided vehicles (AGVs), into which functionalities of a facilities host control system have been incorporated, the method comprising:
using facility based wireless I/O communications units to communicate over a limited distance to the AGVs information concerning tasks to be performed by the AGVs, said AGVs fitted with a wireless I/O communication unit; receiving the task information by the AGV through the AGV's wireless I/O communications units operating over a limited distance; using a route determination system onboard the AGV to determine a travel route for the AGV if the AGV is required to travel to one or more locations to perform an assigned task; using a navigation system onboard the AGV during travel to the one or more required locations via the determined route; and communicating via the wireless I/O communication unit of the AGV of information concerning the assigned task.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the wireless I/O communications units utilize digital signals and a processor or PLC to interpret said signals and logically filter said signals to facilitate communication between a wireless I/O communications unit on the AGV and wireless I/O communications units located at the facility.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the wireless I/O communications units utilize serial wireless communications employing predetermined messaging protocol.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising using a destination determining system onboard the AGV to determine the one or more destinations that the AGV needs to travel to perform its tasks.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the destination determining system determining the one or more destinations by:
a. using the destination information provided with the task instructions sent to the AGV by the wireless I/O communications unit of the facility; b. utilizing a look-up table stored on the AGV that provides destinations corresponding to specified task; and c. querying a facility wireless I/O communications unit that is capable of providing the required destination information for the AGV.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more facility based wireless I/O communications units are operationally connected to one or more of the following:
a control wireless I/O unit manually operable to send instructions to the AGV; facility production machinery; facility conveyor; facility storage location; loading dock; facility battery charging station; faci

Assignees

• John Bean Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Douglas Barry
• Weninger Mark

Classifications

• G05D1/0022

  characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0214

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0216

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0297 Primary

  by controlling means in a control room · CPC title

• G05D1/0231

  using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16) · CPC title