Method and System for Auto Safety Verification of AGV Sensors

• US 20160084737A1
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swisslog Logistics, Inc (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Swisslog Logistics, Inc (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Moore, Brad, Bailey, Horace, Reynolds, Isaiah, Evans, Arsenio
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4972 Alignment of sensor

Abstract

A method and system for auto safety verification of automatic guided vehicle (AGV) sensors is presented. An auto safety verification test can be performed autonomously by the AGV to ensure that sensors on the AGV are configured correctly and working properly. The auto safety verification test avoids human errors that exist in manual verification tests and significantly reduces the amount of time required to verify sensors on the AGV.

Claims

1. A method for verifying one or more fields of one or more sensors on an automatic guided vehicle (AGV), the method comprising:

driving, by a control module, from a starting location towards a first test object at a first speed;

detecting, by a sensor module communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, the first test object in the one or more fields;

recording, by a processor module, a detection location indicative of a location of the AGV at which the sensor module detected the first test object;

calculating a distance from the AGV to the first test object by comparing the detection location to a location of the first test object;

comparing the calculated distance to a configuration distance stored in a memory module;

outputting, by the processor module, a data message indicating whether the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV have been verified.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

placing the AGV in a test insert zone; and

driving, by the control module, the AGV to the starting location before verifying the one or more fields of the one or more sensors.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising downloading a configuration file to the memory module on the AGV, the configuration file specifying the configuration distance for the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising preventing, by the control module, the AGV from operating in an automatic mode outside of the verifying the one or more fields of the one or more sensors, upon (i) downloading the configuration file, (ii) replacing the one or more sensors, (iii) replacing the memory module, or (iv) physically accessing the control module or the memory module, until the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV have been verified.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fields comprise a warning field and a protective field,

an object detected in the warning field by the sensor module causes, by the control module, the AGV to slow down, and

an object detected in the protective field by the sensor module causes, by the control module, the AGV to come to a stop.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises a front bumper sensor on the AGV, the first test object is a forward test object in front of the AGV, and the first speed is a maximum speed of the AGV.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises a front bumper sensor on the AGV, the first test object is a forward test object in front of the AGV, and the first speed is a speed less than a maximum speed of the AGV.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one side sensor on the AGV, and the first test object is a rear test object behind the AGV.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one side sensor on the AGV, and the first test object is a right or left test object in front of the AGV and to the right or left of the AGV, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a report to a computer external to the AGV, the report comprising an identification of the AGV (AGVId) and the location of the AGV at which the sensor module detected the first test object in the one or more fields.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code to perform the acts of the method of claim 1.

11. A system for verifying one or more fields of one or more sensors on an automatic guided vehicle (AGV), the system comprising at least one processor and:

a control module configured to drive the AGV from a starting location towards a first test object at a first speed;

a sensor module communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to detect the first test object in the one or more fields;

a processor module configured to;

record a detection location indicative of a location of the AGV at which the sensor module detected the first test object;

calculate a distance from the AGV to the first test object by comparing the detection location to a location of the first test object;

compare the calculated distance to a configuration distance stored in a memory module, and

output a data message indicating whether the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV have been verified.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control module is further configured to drive the AGV to the starting location before verifying the one or more fields of the one or more sensors.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processor module is further configured to download a configuration file to the memory module on the AGV, the configuration file specifying the configuration distance for the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the control module is further configured to prevent the AGV from operating in an automatic mode outside of the verifying the one or more fields of the one or more sensors, upon (i) downloading the configuration file, (ii) replacing the one or more sensors, (iii) replacing the memory module, or (iv) physically accessing the control module or the memory module, until the one or more fields of the one or more sensors on the AGV have been verified.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more fields comprise a warning field and a protective field, and the control module is further configured to:

slow the AGV down upon the sensor module detecting an object in the warning field, and stop the AGV upon the sensor module detecting an object in the protective field.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors comprises a front bumper sensor on the AGV, the first test object is a forward test object in front of the AGV, and the first speed is a maximum speed of the AGV.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors comprises a front bumper sensor on the AGV, the first test object is a forward test object in front of the AGV, and the first speed is a speed less than a maximum speed of the AGV.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one side sensor on the AGV, and the first test object is a rear test object behind the AGV.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one side sensor on the AGV, and the first test object is a right or left test object in front of the AGV and to the right or left of the AGV, respectively.