SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CREATING ON-DEMAND ROUTES FOR POWERED INDUSTRIAL VEHICLES

• US 20130006442A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Williams, David E., McElroy, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating in a facility on-demand routes for powered industrial vehicles to transport cargo efficiently. In one embodiment, an on-demand route generation module receives receiving a request to move cargo. The module analyzes data about the current location, the current tasking, and the driver availability of PIVs in operation. Based on the information, the module creates an on-demand route through the facility and sends a notification to an assigned PIV to pick up the cargo and carry it on the defined on-demand route.

Claims

1. A vehicle configured to increase safety while transporting an item from a first location to a second location, the vehicle comprising:

an odometric sensor configured to determine a distance traveled by the vehicle;

a speedometer configured to determine the vehicle speed;

a weight sensor configured to determine a load applied to the vehicle;

a collision sensor configured to detect a collision;

an interface module connected to the odometric sensor, the speedometer, and the weight sensor, the interface module comprising;

a processor;

a memory; and

a user interface configured to provide information to a user and to receive inputs from the user;

wherein the interface module is configured to receive information from the odometric sensor, the speedometer, the weight sensor, and the collision sensor to identify a collision and to determine an operating characteristic of the vehicle existing during the collision.

2. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the interface module is configured to determine the distance traveled by the vehicle under a first load condition.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first load condition occurs when the vehicle is transporting the item.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first load condition occurs when the vehicle is not transporting the item.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the user interface module is configured to determine a vehicle speed under a first load condition.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first load condition occurs when the vehicle is transporting the item.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first load condition occurs when the vehicle is not transporting the item.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor comprises a first weight sensor and a second weight sensor.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the first weight sensor is configured to determine the load applied to the vehicle by an item that is supported by the vehicle and the second weight sensor is configured to determine the load applied to the vehicle by an item that is pulled by the vehicle.

10. A method of generating routing data for a vehicle configured to transport an item from a first location to a second location, the method comprising:

receiving an indicator of a distance travelled by a first vehicle;

receiving an indicator of a speed of the first vehicle;

receiving an indicator of a first load applied to the first vehicle;

determining an operating characteristic of the first vehicle based on a combination of the indicator of distance travelled by the first vehicle, the indicator of the first vehicle speed, and the indicator of the first load applied to the first vehicle;

receiving an operating characteristic of a second vehicle;

generating routing data based on the operating characteristics of the first and second vehicles.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an indicator of a second load applied to the first vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator of the first load corresponds to the first vehicle load condition arising when the first vehicle transports the item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indicator of the second load corresponds to the first vehicle load condition arising when the first vehicle does not transport the item.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first operating characteristic relates to the indicator of the first load.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a second operating characteristic of the first vehicle based on a combination of the indicator of distance travelled by the first vehicle, the indicator of the first vehicle speed, and the indicator of the second load applied to the first vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting the second operating characteristic of the first vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the first operating characteristic of the first vehicle.

18. A system configured to manage the transport of an item from a first location to a second location, the system comprising:

means for determining a distance traveled by a first vehicle;

means for determining a first vehicle location;

means for determining a speed of the first vehicle;

means for determining a load applied to the first vehicle;

means for the determining an operating characteristic of the first vehicle based on a combination of the distance travelled by the first vehicle, the first vehicle location, the first vehicle speed, and the load applied to the first vehicle; and

a PIV interface module comprising;

means for receiving an operating characteristic of the first vehicle and of a second vehicle;

means for generating routing data based on the operating characteristics of the first and second vehicles.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for determining a load applied to the first vehicle is configured to determine a load applied to the first vehicle by pulling the item.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for determining a load applied to the first vehicle is configured to determine a load applied to the first vehicle by supporting the item.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for determining the distance travelled by the first vehicle while transporting the item and for determining the distance travelled by the first vehicle while not transporting the item, wherein the distance travelled by the first vehicle while transporting the item and the distance travelled by the first vehicle while not transporting the item are used in determining an operating characteristic of the first vehicle.