Warehouse mapping tools

• US 10,429,188 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Robinson, Callum, Philip, Amit, Estep, Ryan, Wong, Lisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/938,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20180283872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3807 characterised by the type of data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3833 characterised by the source of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Warehouse mapping tools according to the present disclosure comprise a mobile mapping interface and a mobile computing device in communication with the mobile mapping interface. The mobile computing device can be configured to access waypoint data comprising location coordinates of a set of mapping waypoints, present graphical representations of the set of mapping waypoints at discrete locations in a representation of a warehouse environment, access mobile mapping data representing an elapsed travel path, access error metric data, present a graphical representation of the error metric data, and indicate a validation state of the elapsed travel path segment. In other embodiments, a warehouse mapping tool comprises a remote computer that is configured to communicate with a mapping vehicle and that can be used to facilitate navigation, localization, or odometry correction with respect to an industrial vehicle in the warehouse. In still other embodiments, mapping vehicles comprising warehouse mapping tools are provided.

Claims

1. A warehouse mapping tool comprising a mobile mapping interface and a mobile computing device in communication with the mobile mapping interface, wherein:

the mobile mapping interface comprises

a waypoint display window comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of a warehouse environment,

an error metric indicator, and

a validation portal that is configured to transfer “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands from a user to the mobile computing device; and

the mobile computing device is configured to

access waypoint data comprising location and heading coordinates of a set of mapping waypoints,

present graphical representations of the set of mapping waypoints at discrete locations in the representation of the warehouse environment in the waypoint display window of the mobile mapping interface,

access mobile mapping data comprising location and heading coordinates representing an elapsed travel path segment associated with the mobile computing device, the mobile mapping interface, or both, in relation to the warehouse environment,

present the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window of the mobile mapping interface,

access error metric data representing a comparison of the mobile mapping data and the waypoint data,

present a graphical representation of the error metric data at the error metric indicator of the mobile mapping interface, and

indicate a validation state of the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window in response to the transfer of the “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands to the mobile computing device.

2. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein:

the warehouse mapping tool further comprises a mapping vehicle; and

the error metric data accessed by the mobile computing device represents a comparison of the location and heading coordinates of the set of mapping waypoints to the location and heading coordinates of the mapping vehicle.

3. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 2, wherein the mobile mapping interface and the mobile computing device are secured to, positioned to move with, or integrated with hardware of the mapping vehicle.

4. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 3, wherein:

the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine configured to generate the mobile mapping data that is accessed by the mobile computing device mobile mapping interface; and

the mapping engine is secured to, positioned to move with, or integrated with hardware of the mapping vehicle.

5. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 2, wherein:

the mobile mapping interface and the mobile computing device are displaced from the mapping vehicle;

the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine configured to generate the mobile mapping data that is accessed by the mobile computing device mobile mapping interface; and

the mapping engine resides in a complementary remote computer.

6. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 5, wherein the complementary remote computer is configured as a warehouse management system.

7. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein:

the graphical representation of the warehouse environment comprises a set of display pixels; and

the set of mapping waypoints are defined by selected pixels in the set of display pixels forming the representation of the warehouse environment.

8. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the error metric data at the error metric indicator includes quantitative and qualitative components.

9. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the error metric indicator of the mobile mapping interface comprises a plurality of distinct error metric fields, wherein the distinct error metric fields are selected from:

linear error, representing a linear distance between a terminal point of the elapsed travel path segment and the location coordinates of a selected waypoint of the set of mapping waypoints;

heading error, representing a heading measurement at a terminal point of the elapsed travel path segment and the heading coordinates of a selected waypoint of the set of mapping waypoints;

distance traveled, representing cumulative travel distance along the elapsed travel path segment;

angular displacement, representing cumulative angular displacement along the elapsed travel path segment;

or

combinations thereof.

10. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile mapping interface further comprises a mapping status indicator; and

the mobile computing device is configured to access mapping status data and present the mapping status data at the mapping status indicator.

11. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the waypoint data resides on the mobile computing device.

12. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the warehouse mapping tool comprises a mapping engine and the waypoint data resides in the mapping engine.

13. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 12, wherein:

the waypoint data residing in the mapping engine is dynamic; and

the user interface comprises prompts for editing the waypoint data.

14. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein:

the mapping tool further comprising a mapping engine; and

the mapping engine is configured to generate the mobile mapping data that is accessed by the mobile computing device.

15. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 14, wherein the mapping engine is configured to generate the mobile mapping data by tracking movement of the mobile mapping interface, the mobile computing device, or both, along the elapsed travel path segment.

16. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 14, wherein the mapping engine generates the error metric data by comparing location and heading coordinates of the mobile mapping data to location and heading coordinates of the waypoint data.

17. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 14, wherein the mapping engine generates the error metric data by calculating:

a linear error value representing a linear distance between a terminal point of the elapsed travel path segment and the location coordinates of a selected waypoint of the set of mapping waypoints;

a heading error value representing an angular difference between a heading measurement at a terminal point of the elapsed travel path segment and the heading coordinates of a selected waypoint of the set of mapping waypoints;

a distance traveled value representing cumulative travel distance along the elapsed travel path segment;

an angular displacement value, representing cumulative angular displacement along the elapsed travel path segment;

or

combinations thereof.

18. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 14, wherein:

the validation portal is configured to transfer a “

change waypoint”

command from a user to the mobile computing device; and

the mapping engine is configured to (i) cooperate with the validation portal to suggest entry of “

change waypoint”

command based on the error metric data, (ii) register a new waypoint for generation of the error metric data in response to the transfer of the “

change waypoint”

command, or (iii) both.

19. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 14, wherein the mapping engine is configured to process the “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands transferred from the mobile computing device and return instructions to the mobile computing device to indicate the validation state of the elapsed travel path segment based on whether an “

accept”

or “

reject”

command is transferred from the mobile computing device.

20. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine that is configured to:

generate the error metric data that is accessed by the mobile computing device; and

optimize the elapsed travel path segment to account for the error metric data.

21. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is configured to:

present the elapsed travel path segment as a line in the waypoint display window; and

indicate a validation state of the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window by changing the color, style, or visibility of the line.

22. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, further comprising a mapping engine, wherein the mobile mapping interface, the mobile computing device, and the mapping engine are configured to:

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to select a mapping waypoint;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to initiate mapping;

record a path segment in response to a “

record waypoint”

command at the mobile mapping interface;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to conclude mapping;

display the path segment in the waypoint display window;

present the error metric data at the error metric data indicator;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to transfer the “

accept”

command; and

store the elapsed travel path segment in response to the “

accept”

command.

23. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine, wherein the mobile mapping interface, the mobile computing device and the mapping engine are configured to:

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to select a mapping waypoint;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to initiate mapping;

record a path segment in response to a “

record waypoint”

command at the mobile mapping interface;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to conclude mapping;

display the path segment in the waypoint display window;

present the error metric data at the error metric data indicator;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to transfer the “

accept”

command; and

record a subsequent path segment in response to the “

accept”

command at the mobile mapping interface.

24. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine, wherein the mobile mapping interface, the mobile computing device and the mapping engine are configured to:

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to select a mapping waypoint;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to initiate mapping;

record a path segment in response to a “

record waypoint”

command at the mobile mapping interface;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to conclude mapping;

display the path segment in the waypoint display window;

present the error metric data with an error alert at the error metric data indicator;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to transfer the “

reject”

command; and

discard the elapsed travel path segment in response to the “

reject”

command.

25. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 1, wherein the mapping tool further comprises a mapping engine, wherein the mobile mapping interface, the mobile computing device and the mapping engine are configured to:

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to select a mapping waypoint;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to initiate mapping;

record a path segment in response to a “

record waypoint”

command at the mobile mapping interface;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to conclude mapping;

display the path segment in the waypoint display window;

present the error metric data with an error alert at the error metric data indicator;

present a graphical prompt at the mobile mapping interface to transfer the “

change waypoint”

command; and

resume recording the path segment in response to the “

Change Waypoint”

command and displaying the progressing path segment in the waypoint selection window.

26. A mapping vehicle comprising the warehouse mapping tool of claim 1.

27. An industrial environment mapping tool comprising a mobile mapping interface and a mobile computing device in communication with the mobile mapping interface, wherein:

the mobile mapping interface comprises

a waypoint display window comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of an industrial environment,

an error metric indicator, and

a validation portal that is configured to transfer “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands from a user to the mobile computing device; and

the mobile computing device is configured to

access waypoint data comprising location coordinates of a set of mapping waypoints,

present graphical representations of the set of mapping waypoints at discrete locations in the representation of the industrial environment in the waypoint display window of the mobile mapping interface,

access mobile mapping data representing an elapsed travel path segment associated with a mapping vehicle, the mobile computing device, or the mobile mapping interface in relation to the industrial environment,

access error metric data representing a comparison of the mobile mapping data and the waypoint data,

present a graphical representation of the error metric data at the error metric indicator of the mobile mapping interface, and

indicate a validation state of the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window in response to the transfer of the “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands to the mobile computing device.

28. A warehouse mapping tool comprising a complementary remote computer configured to communicate with a mapping vehicle, wherein:

the complementary remote computer comprises a mapping interface and a mapping engine;

the mapping interface comprises

a waypoint display window comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of a warehouse environment,

an error metric indicator, and

a validation portal that is configured to transfer “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands from a user to the mapping engine; and

the complementary remote computer is configured to

access waypoint data comprising location and heading coordinates of a set of mapping waypoints,

present graphical representations of the set of mapping waypoints at discrete locations in the representation of the warehouse environment in the waypoint display window of the mapping interface,

access mobile mapping data comprising location and heading coordinates representing an elapsed travel path segment associated with the mapping vehicle in relation to the warehouse environment,

present the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window of the mapping interface,

access error metric data representing a comparison of the mobile mapping data and the waypoint data,

present a graphical representation of the error metric data at the error metric indicator of the mapping interface, and

indicate a validation state of the elapsed travel path segment in the waypoint display window in response to the transfer of the “

accept” and

“

reject”

commands.

29. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 28 wherein the complementary remote computer is configured as a warehouse management system and is further configured to coordinate warehouse operations of industrial vehicles in the warehouse environment with one or more elapsed travel path segments validated by the mapping tool.

30. The warehouse mapping tool of claim 28 wherein the complementary remote computer is configured as a warehouse management system and is further configured to facilitate navigation, localization, or odometry correction with respect to an industrial vehicle in the warehouse environment by referring to one or more elapsed travel path segments validated by the mapping tool.