Method and apparatus for mapping a warehouse rack structure for a storage and retrieval machine
First Claim
1. A method of mapping a rack structure having a plurality of racks, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing information pertaining to the locations of said plurality of racks, and said logical matrix forming an initial map of said rack structure;
updating said logical matrix, said updating step including the steps ofcausing a moveable device to travel to a first rack, said first rack being one of said plurality of racks,producing a first machine-readable distance measurement output, said producing step including the step of using a first sensor which produces said first machine-readable distance measurement output, said first machine-readable distance measurement output representing a first distance, said first distance being a distance between said first sensor and a first position on said rack structure,and wherein said logical matrix is updated based on said first machine-readable distance measurement output; and
repeating said updating step for additional racks of said plurality of racks so as to create an updated map of said rack structure, said updated map being more accurate than said initial map.
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Abstract
A method of mapping a warehouse rack structure having a plurality of racks comprises the steps of creating a logical matrix and updating the logical matrix. The updating step further includes the steps of causing a moveable device to travel to a first one of the plurality of racks, and producing a first machine-readable distance measurement output. The machine-readable distance measurement output is produced using a first sensor and represents a distance between the first sensor and a first position on the warehouse rack structure. A system for mapping a warehouse rack structure comprises a storage and retrieval machine; a rack structure; a logical matrix; and a computer. The storage and retrieval machine has first and second ultrasonic sensors mounted thereon. The rack structure includes a plurality of racks. The logical matrix stores horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of the plurality of racks. The computer updates the logical matrix based on distance measurements made by the first and second ultrasonic sensors.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of mapping a rack structure having a plurality of racks, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing information pertaining to the locations of said plurality of racks, and said logical matrix forming an initial map of said rack structure; updating said logical matrix, said updating step including the steps of causing a moveable device to travel to a first rack, said first rack being one of said plurality of racks, producing a first machine-readable distance measurement output, said producing step including the step of using a first sensor which produces said first machine-readable distance measurement output, said first machine-readable distance measurement output representing a first distance, said first distance being a distance between said first sensor and a first position on said rack structure, and wherein said logical matrix is updated based on said first machine-readable distance measurement output; and repeating said updating step for additional racks of said plurality of racks so as to create an updated map of said rack structure, said updated map being more accurate than said initial map. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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2. A method of mapping a warehouse rack structure having a plurality of racks, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing information pertaining to the locations of said plurality of racks; updating said logical matrix, said updating step including the steps of causing a moveable device to travel to a first one of said plurality of racks, producing a first machine-readable distance measurement output, said producing step including the step of using a first sensor which produces said first machine-readable distance measurement output, said first machine-readable distance measurement output representing a first distance, said first distance being a distance between said first sensor and a first position on said warehouse rack structure, producing a second machine-readable distance measurement output, said producing step including the step of using a second sensor which produces said second machine-readable distance measurement output, said second machine-readable distance measurement output representing a second distance, said second distance being a distance between said second sensor and a second position on said warehouse rack structure, and wherein said logical matrix is updated based on said first and second machine-readable distance measurement outputs. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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9. The method according to claim I, wherein the step of using a first sensor comprises the step of reflecting an ultrasonic sound wave off said first position on said rack structure.
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10. A mapping system comprising:
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a storage and retrieval machine, said storage and retrieval machine having first and second ultrasonic sensors mounted thereon, said first and second ultrasonic sensors being adapted for making distance measurements; a rack structure, said rack structure including a plurality of racks; a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks, and said logical matrix forming an initial map of said rack structure; and a computer, said computer updating said horizontal position information and said vertical position information stored in said logical matrix based on distance measurements made by said first and second ultrasonic sensors, said logical matrix being updated so as to form an updated map which is more accurate than said initial map. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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11. A mapping system comprising:
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a storage and retrieval machine, said storage and retrieval machine having first, second, third and fourth ultrasonic sensors mounted thereon; a rack structure, said rack structure including a plurality of racks; a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks; and a computer, said computer updating said logical matrix based on distance measurements made by said first and second ultrasonic sensors; and wherein said first and second ultrasonic sensors make horizontal distance measurements and said third and fourth ultrasonic sensors make vertical distance measurements.
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12. A mapping system comprising:
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a storage and retrieval machine, said storage and retrieval machine having first, second, third and fourth ultrasonic sensors mounted thereon; a rack structure, said rack structure including a plurality of racks, said rack structure including first and second sets of racks, said first and second sets of racks being on opposing sides of said storage and retrieval machine; a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks; and a computer, said computer updating said logical matrix based on distance measurements made by said first and second ultrasonic sensors; and wherein said first and second ultrasonic sensors are disposed adjacent said first set of racks; and wherein said third and fourth ultrasonic sensors are disposed adjacent said second set of racks. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A mapping system comprising:
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a storage and retrieval machine, said storage and retrieval machine having first and second ultrasonic sensors mounted thereon; a rack structure, said rack structure including a plurality of racks; a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks; a reference rack; and a computer, said computer updating said logical matrix based on distance measurements made by said first and second ultrasonic sensors, said computer defining a means for imitating, said means for imitating updating at least one of said horizontal position information and said vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks so as to imitate at least one of horizontal position information and vertical position information pertaining to said reference rack.
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16. A method of mapping a warehouse rack structure having a plurality of racks, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a logical matrix, said logical matrix storing horizontal position information and vertical position information for each of said plurality of racks; updating said logical matrix, said updating step including the steps of causing a storage and retrieval machine to travel to a first one of said plurality of racks, measuring a first distance, said first distance being a horizontal distance between a first ultrasonic sensor and a first position on said warehouse rack structure, said measuring step including the step of using said first ultrasonic sensor to reflect an ultrasonic sound wave off said first position on said warehouse rack structure, and measuring a second distance, said second distance being a horizontal distance between a second ultrasonic sensor and a second position on said warehouse rack structure, said measuring step including the step of using said second ultrasonic sensor to reflect an ultrasonic sound wave off said second position on said warehouse rack structure, and wherein said logical matrix is updated based on said first distance measurement and said second distance measurement. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of mapping a rack structure having a plurality of racks, the method comprising the steps of:
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mapping a position of a first rack within said rack structure, said first rack being one of said plurality of racks, said mapping step including the steps of causing a moveable device to travel to said first rack, automatically generating position information for said first rack, including the steps of producing a first machine-readable distance measurement output, said producing step including the step of using a sensor which produces said first machine-readable distance measurement output, said first machine-readable distance measurement output representing a first distance, said first distance being a distance between said sensor and a first position on said rack structure, and producing a second machine-readable distance measurement output, said second machine-readable distance measurement output representing a second distance, said second distance being a distance between said sensor and a second position on said rack structure, and storing said position information in a memory; and repeating said mapping step for additional racks of said plurality of racks so as to create a map of said rack structure which contains said position information for said first rack and for said additional racks. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification