Methods, systems and apparatus for controlling movement of transporting devices

• US 10,086,999 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Inventors: Stadie, Robert, Whelan, Matthew, Brett, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/316,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0421 with control for stacker crane operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0464 with access from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0478 for matrix-arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/223 Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/247 using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/693 for avoiding collisions between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-executable coded instruction sets for controlling the movement of transporting devices and/or operations conducted at various workstations are disclosed. In particular, the disclosure provides methods, systems and computer-readable media for controlling the movement of transporting devices configured for fully—and/or partly automated handling of goods and/or controlling operations conducted at various workstations.

Claims

1. A system for controlling movement of one or more transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in one or more stacks in a facility, wherein the facility has a plurality of pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the one or more transporting devices configured to operate on the grid-like structure, the system comprising:

a control unit configured to;

determine and reserve routes for moving one or more transporting devices through a plurality of pathways, and routes for moving the one or more transporting devices when transporting one or more of a plurality of containers

determine and control retrieval of at least one first container by the one or more transporting devices from within one or more of the stacks, wherein the retrieval of the at least one first container is achieved by moving at least one second container from a stack prior to accessing the at least one first container for retrieval;

control retrieval and movement of the at least one first container retrieved by a transporting device; and

instruct one or more of the transporting devices to move the at least one second container to an alternative position within the facility, wherein the control unit includes a product placement optimization unit configured to determine the alternative position from among empty locations within any one of the stacks other than the stack from which the at least one second container was removed.

2. The system according to claim 1, in which the alternative position is to be a location external to any stack but within the facility.

3. The system according to claim 1 in combination with containers in which each of the containers is configured to contain objects, where the objects are to be stored in the containers in the stacks for subsequent retrieval.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to:

determine and reserve routes, and

instruct a plurality or transporting devices to cooperate in transporting one or more of the containers.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine and reserve routes to move idle transporting devices from otherwise optimal routes for other transporting devices.

6. The system according to claim 1, in combination with the facility, wherein the facility is divided into a plurality of sub-grids.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to provide one or more control commands for controlling movement of the transporting devices to the transporting devices in advance of movement of the transporting devices.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a return of each container into a vacant positions in the stacks within the facility.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to substitute damaged or missing objects from alternative containers within the stack.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the product placement optimization unit is configured to determine the alternative position based on at least one of:

a layout of the grid-like structure, a frequency at which a particular item is requested, future ordering, predicted future ordering, a location of workstations, a location of charging stations, and a congestion level of particular areas and branches of the pathways.

11. The system according to claim 1, comprising:

a facility including one or more stacks for storing containers, and including one or more transporting devices for transporting the containers, in combination with;

the control unit.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to provide a clearance system for permitting or stopping movement of the one or more transporting devices to avoid collisions.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the placement of one or more of the containers within the facility by updating stock levels of the facility based on depletion of one or more of the plurality of objects within the facility.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust movement and actions of the one or more transporting devices through the plurality of pathways.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the movement and actions of any one of the transporting devices using one or more path finding algorithms.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the movement and actions of any one of the transporting devices using one or more congestion mitigation techniques.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control movement or operations of one or more of the containers conducted within one or more workstations.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the movement and actions of any one of the transporting devices using one or more machine learning techniques.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to control movement of the one or more of transporting devices based at least one throughput of the one or more workstations.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the product placement optimization unit is configured to determine the alternative position by scoring, with a configurable weighted cost function, each stack location based on an average distance from all workstations, distance from a closest workstation, and a dig cost.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the product placement optimization unit is configured to determine the alternative position based on a difference between the scoring of the configurable weighted cost function and a length of a path from a source to a stack location, and a duration of reservation of a stack.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the product placement optimization unit is configured to determine the alternative position based on at least one of:

a total weight of a stack, and a position of hazardous or particular substances.

23. A method for controlling the movement of one or more transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in one or more stacks in a facility, wherein the facility has a plurality of pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the one or more transporting devices operating on the grid-like structure, the method comprising:

determining and reserving routes for moving the one or more transporting devices through the plurality of pathways;

determining and reserving routes for moving the one or more transporting devices when transporting one or more of the plurality of containers;

determining and controlling at least one first container by the one or more transporting devices from within one or more of the stacks, wherein the retrieval of the at least one first container is achieved by moving at least one second container from a stack prior to accessing the at least one first container for retrieval; and

moving the at least one second container to an alternative position within the facility, wherein the alternative position is determined from among empty locations within any one of the stacks other than the stack from which the at least second container was removed.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the containers contain objects for storage and retrieval from within the facility.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

providing a clearance system for permitting or stopping movement of the one or more transporting devices to avoid collisions.

26. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

adjusting the placement of the plurality of containers within the facility, and updating stock levels of the facility is based on depletion of one or more of the plurality of objects within the facility.

27. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

instructing a plurality or transporting devices to cooperate in transporting one or more of the plurality of containers.

28. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

determining and reserving routes to move idle transporting devices from otherwise optimal routes for other transporting devices.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the facility is divided into a plurality of sub-grids.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein one or more control commands for controlling the movement of the plurality of transporting devices is provided to the plurality of transporting devices in advance of movement of the plurality of transporting devices.

31. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

determining the alternative position based on at least one of;

a layout of the grid-like structure, a frequency at which a particular item is requested, future ordering, predicted future ordering, a location of workstations, a location of charging stations, and a congestion level of particular areas and branches of the pathways.

32. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

controlling movement or operations of the one or more containers conducted within one or more workstations.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein controlling the movement of the one or more of transporting devices is based at least on throughput of the one or more workstations.

34. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

controlling movement and actions of the one or more transporting devices through the plurality of pathways.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling the movement and actions of the one or more transporting devices comprises:

using one or more path finding algorithms.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling the movement and actions of the one or more transporting devices comprises:

using one or more congestion mitigation techniques.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling the movement and actions of the one or more transporting devices comprises:

using one or more machine learning techniques.

38. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

determining the alternative position by scoring, with a configurable weighted cost function, each stack location based on the average distance from all workstations, distance from a closest workstation, and a dig cost.

39. The method according to claim 38, comprising:

determining the alternative position based on a difference between the scoring of the configurable weighted cost function and a length of a path from a source to a stack location, and a duration of reservation of a stack.

40. The method according to claim 38, comprising:

determining the alternative position based on at least one of;

a total weight of a stack, and a position of hazardous or particular substances.