Agv traffic management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019172005-A1
Application number	US-201916268445-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 18, 2016
Publication date	Jun 6, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for providing a signal processing feature in an inventory management system are described herein. For example, instructions may be received by a computer system of an autonomous vehicle that identify a path to move inventory within a materials handling facility. Further, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may reduce a current traveling speed of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a first signal that is provided by a transmitter coupled with an entity moving within the materials handling facility. The first signal may be span a first distance. In embodiments, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may stop movement of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a second signal provided by the transmitter coupled with the entity. The second signal may span a second distance from the entity that is less than the first distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inventory management system, comprising:
a transmitter device configured to transmit a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; and an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) configured to move within a workspace, the AGV comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive the first signal at the first frequency from the transmitter device;
execute a first operation at the AGV to reduce a speed of the AGV based at least in part on receiving the first signal at the first frequency;
receive the second signal at the second frequency from the transmitter device; and
execute a second operation at the AGV to halt motion of the AGV based at least in part on receiving the second signal at the second frequency.

2 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the inventory management system further comprises a management system computer configured to manage a plurality of AGVs within the inventory management system, and wherein the one or more processors of the AGV are further configured to:
transmit, to the management system computer, an indication that the first signal was received or a second indication that the second signal was received, wherein the management system generates a new path for at least one AGV within the inventory management system based at least in part on receiving the first indication or the second indication.

3 . The inventory management system of claim 2 , wherein the transmitter device is a wearable device.

4 . The inventory management system of claim 2 , wherein the first signal is associated with a first signal range, wherein the second signal is associated with a second signal range, and wherein the first signal range is greater than the second signal range.

5 . A computer-implemented method performed by a computing system of an autonomous vehicle operating within a workspace, comprising:
receiving first instructions identifying a path to move within the workspace; during execution of the first instructions, receiving a first signal from a transmitter device of the workspace, the first signal having a first transmission range of a first distance from the transmitter device; executing a first operation at the autonomous vehicle to reduce a speed of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on receiving the first signal; while operating at a reduced speed, receiving a second signal from the transmitter device of the workspace, the second signal having a second transmission range of a second distance from the transmitter device, the first distance being greater than the second distance; and executing a second operation at the autonomous vehicle to halt motion based at least in part on receiving the second signal.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the first signal corresponds to a first frequency and the second signal corresponds to a second frequency that differs from the first frequency.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitter device is affixed to a wearable article of clothing.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
altering a path of execution associated with the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on receiving the first signal or the second signal.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
causing another path of execution associated with another autonomous vehicle within the workspace to be altered based at least in part on receiving the first signal or the second signal.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
identifying a zone of the workspace based at least in part on receiving the first signal or the second signal; and transmitting data to a management system that causes the management system to generate paths for other autonomous vehicles within the workspace based at least in part on avoiding the zone.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitter device is portable.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
presenting an audible notification that the autonomous vehicle is operating in a slow mode based at least in part on receiving the first signal.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
presenting a visual indication that the autonomous vehicle is operating in a slow mode based at least in part on receiving the first signal.

14 . An inventory management system, comprising:
a plurality of autonomous vehicles configured to move within a workspace according to generated paths, an autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a first signal of a first frequency and a second signal of a second frequency; and
a transmitter configured to communicate with a management computer system,
the management computer system configured to:
receive a first indication from a particular autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles, the first indication indicating reception of the first signal by the receiver;
based at least in part on receiving the first indication, instruct the particular autonomous vehicle to reduce a travelling speed;
receive a second indication from the particular autonomous vehicle, the second indication indicating reception of the second signal by the receiver; and
based at least in part on receiving the second indication, instruct the particular autonomous vehicle to stop moving within the workspace.

15 . The inventory management system of claim 14 , wherein the management computer system is further configured to:
generate location information defining an area of the workspace associated with the first signal; and modify a path of at least one autonomous vehicle of the inventory management system based at least in part on the location information .

16 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , further comprising:
generating new paths for the plurality of autonomous vehicles based in part on receiving the first indication or the second indication.

17 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , wherein the signals received by the receiver include wireless network signals.

18 . The inventory management system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a wearable device comprising a first transmitter configured to generate the first signal; a second transmitter configured to generate the second signal; and a communications transmitter configured to communicate with the management computer system, wherein the management computer system is further configured to:
receive, from the communications transmitter, an immediate stop indication, wherein receiving the immediate stop indication causes the management computer system to halt all autonomous vehicles within the workspace.

19 . The inventory management system of claim 18 , wherein the first transmitter transmits the first signal at the first frequency having a first range of a first distance, and wherein the second transmitter transmits the second signal at the second frequency having a second range of a second distance.

20 . The inventory management system of claim 19 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Shydo Jr Robert Michael
• Kaufman Seth
• Alagic Fahrudin
• Tierney Gregory
• Caldara Stephen
• Pu Jianfeng
• Shah Ashish

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06K17/0022

  arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L) · CPC title

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G05D1/0291 Primary

  Fleet control (monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127) · CPC title

• G05D1/104

  involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying (traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00) · CPC title