Auto guided vehicle system and operating method thereof

• US 10,705,538 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metal Industries Research and Development Centre
• Original Assignee: Metal Industries Research and Development Centre
• Inventors: Yang, Kuang-Shine, Chang, Chih-Ming, Chiou, Chih-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US15/884,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20190235522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling

Abstract

An auto guided vehicle system adapting for carrying an object is provided. The auto guided vehicle system includes a plurality of auto guided vehicles. Each of the auto guided vehicles has a vehicle body and an omnidirectional wheel set, and further includes a driving device, a wireless communication module, and a processing device. The driving device drives the omnidirectional wheel set. The wireless communication module communicates with a control module of an electric device. The processing device transmits a position information to the control module through the wireless communication module. The control module determines an arrangement pattern of the auto guided vehicles on a movement plane according to an object information and the respective position information of the auto guided vehicles, such that the auto guided vehicles carry and transport the object in the arrangement pattern. Besides, an operating method is also provided.

Claims

1. An auto guided vehicle system, adapted to transport an object, wherein the auto guided vehicle system comprises:

a plurality of auto guided vehicles and each having a vehicle body and an omnidirectional wheel set, and each of the auto guided vehicles further comprising;

a driving device, configured to drive the omnidirectional wheel set;

a wireless communication module, configured to communicate with a control module of an electronic device; and

a processing device, coupled to the driving device and the wireless communication module, and configured to transmit a position information to the control module by the wireless communication module,

wherein the control module determines an arrangement pattern of the auto guided vehicles on a movement plane according an object information of the object and the respective position information of the auto guided vehicles, such that the auto guided vehicles carry and transport the object in the arrangement pattern,

wherein each of the auto guided vehicles further comprises;

at least one coding feature element, disposed on a lateral side of the vehicle body, and configured to at least provide a coding information, a direction information and a facing information of the vehicle body; and

at least one image sensor, disposed on the lateral side of the vehicle body, and coupled to the processing device, such that each of the auto guided vehicles senses the at least one coding feature elements of other auto guided vehicle among the auto guided vehicles by the at least one image sensor,

wherein the coding feature element includes a coding pattern having N×

N dot array, wherein N is a positive integer larger than or equal to 3,

wherein the N×

N dot array includes a first pair of dots distributed along a first direction to provide a base line and a second pair of dots distributed along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to provide the direction information and the facing information with respect to the base line.

2. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object information comprises at least one of a volume, a weight and a shape of the object.

3. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auto guided vehicles are classified into a first vehicle and at least one second vehicle, and the at least one second vehicle tracks a moving trail of the first vehicle using the control module, such that a moving trail of the at least one second vehicle is simultaneously adjusted along with the first vehicle.

4. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 3, wherein an error is generated between the moving trails of the at least one second vehicle and the first vehicle, the at least one second vehicle determines the moving trail of each of the at least one second vehicle and the first vehicle respectively to correct the moving trail of each of the at least one second vehicles respectively.

5. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving device is a motor, and each of the auto guided vehicles further comprises:

a motor sensor, coupled to the processing device and the driving device, the processing device senses a driving state of the omnidirectional wheel set by the motor sensor, thereby obtaining a moving trail of the vehicle body.

6. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the motor sensor generates a sensing signal according to the driving state of the omnidirectional wheel set, and the processing device analyzes the sensing signal and a driving signal provided by the driving device for driving the omnidirectional wheel set to generate an error signal, such that the processing device further determines whether to adjust the driving signal according to the error signal.

7. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the auto guided vehicles further comprises:

an inertial sensor, coupled to the processing device, and configured to sense a movement state of the vehicle body; and

a range sensor, coupled to the processing device, and configured to sense a distance between the auto guided vehicle and other auto guided vehicle among the auto guided vehicles,

wherein when the auto guided vehicles perform the transporting operation, each of the auto guided vehicles further adjusts a relative position of the auto guided vehicle in the arrangement pattern respectively according to the inertial sensor and the range sensor.

8. The auto guided vehicle system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the auto guided vehicles further comprises:

a laser scanner, coupled to the processing device, and configured to scan a spatial distribution information surrounding the vehicle body, such that the processing device guides a moving trail of the vehicle body according to the spatial distribution information.

9. An operating method of an auto guided vehicle system, adapted for an auto guided vehicle system, and the auto guided vehicle system comprising a plurality of auto guided vehicles each having an omnidirectional wheel set, wherein the operating method comprises:

transmitting a position information of each of the auto guided vehicles to a control module of an electronic device through a wireless communication method; and

determining an arranging pattern of the auto guided vehicles on a movement plane according to an object information of an object and the respective position information of the auto guided vehicles by using the control module, such that the auto guided vehicles carry and transport the object based on the arrangement pattern,

wherein the step of performing transporting operation on the object comprises;

sensing at least one coding feature element of other auto guided vehicle among the auto guided vehicles by using at least one image sensor of each of the auto guided vehicles, so as to obtain at least one of a coding information, a direction information and a facing information of the other auto guided vehicle,

wherein the coding feature element includes a coding pattern having N×

N dot array, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 3,

wherein the N×

N dot array includes a first pair of dots distributed along a first direction to provide a base line and a second pair of dots distributed along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to provide the direction information and the facing information with respect to the base line.

10. The operating method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the object information comprises at least one of a volume, a weight and a shape of the object.

11. The operating method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the auto guided vehicles are classified into a first vehicle and at least one second vehicle, and the step of performing the transporting operation on the object comprises:

tracking a moving trail of the first vehicle by the at least one second vehicle, such that a moving trail of the at least one second vehicle is simultaneously adjusted along with the first vehicle.

12. The operating method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of performing the transporting operation on the object further comprises:

when an error is generated between moving trails of the at least one second vehicle and the first vehicle, determining the error between the moving trails of each of the at least one second vehicle and the first vehicle respectively to correct the moving trail of each of the at least one second vehicle respectively.