METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSIGNING MATERIAL TRANSPORT VEHICLE IDLE LOCATIONS
First Claim
1. A method for determining parking assignments for material handling vehicles in a manufacturing system, the manufacturing system being operable to perform fabrication processes on a plurality of loads, the method comprising:
- identifying at least one idle material handling vehicle;
determining a first cost factor associated with expected transit times for the idle material handling vehicle to available parking locations in the manufacturing system;
determining a second cost factor based on a number of loads available to be serviced by the at least one idle material handling vehicle in the parking locations and relative priorities assigned to the loads;
determining a parking location for the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the first and second cost factors; and
issuing a parking request to the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the determined parking location.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining parking assignments for material handling vehicles in a manufacturing system is provided. The manufacturing system is operable to perform fabrication processes on a plurality of loads. The method includes identifying at least one idle material handling vehicle. A first cost factor associated with expected transit times for the at least one idle material handling vehicle to available parking locations in the manufacturing system is determined. A second cost factor based on a number of loads available to be serviced by the at least one idle material handling vehicle in the parking locations and relative priorities assigned to the loads is determined. A parking location for the at least one idle material handling vehicles is determined based on the first and second cost factors. A parking request is issued to the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the determined parking locations.
23 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for determining parking assignments for material handling vehicles in a manufacturing system, the manufacturing system being operable to perform fabrication processes on a plurality of loads, the method comprising:
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identifying at least one idle material handling vehicle; determining a first cost factor associated with expected transit times for the idle material handling vehicle to available parking locations in the manufacturing system; determining a second cost factor based on a number of loads available to be serviced by the at least one idle material handling vehicle in the parking locations and relative priorities assigned to the loads; determining a parking location for the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the first and second cost factors; and issuing a parking request to the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the determined parking location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for determining parking assignments for material handling vehicles in a manufacturing system, the manufacturing system being operable to perform fabrication processes on a plurality of loads, the method comprising:
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identifying at least one idle material handling vehicle; determining a first cost factor associated with expected transit times for the at least one idle material handling vehicle to available parking locations in the manufacturing system; determining a second cost factor based on a number of loads available to be serviced by the at least one idle material handling vehicle in the parking locations and relative priorities assigned to the loads; determining a third cost factor associated with variabilities in the expected transit times; employing an objective function that seeks to minimize the first and third cost factors and maximize the second cost factor to determine a parking location for the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the first, second, and third cost factors subject to a plurality of constraints, the constraints including a first constraint that considers numbers of non-idle material transport vehicles destined for the parking locations, a second constraint defining a maximum number of material transport vehicles assignable to particular parking locations, and a third constraint defining a minimum number of material transport vehicles assignable to the particular parking locations; and issuing a parking request to the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the determined parking location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A system, comprising:
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a plurality of control areas for performing fabrication processes on a plurality of loads; a plurality of material handling vehicles for moving the loads; a material handling controller operable to identify at least one idle material handling vehicle, determine a first cost factor associated with expected transit times for the at least one idle material handling vehicle to available parking locations in the control areas;
determine a second cost factor based on a number of loads available to be serviced by the at least one idle material handling vehicle in the control areas and relative priorities assigned to the loads, determine a parking location in one of the control areas for the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the first and second cost factors, and issue a parking request to the at least one idle material handling vehicle based on the determined parking location. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification