Automatic battery recharging station for AGVs
First Claim
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1. An automated guided vehicle system, comprising:
- a plurality of battery powered guided vehicles an automatic recharging station for recharging the guided vehicles; and
a central processor;
wherein the central processor receives task requests, monitors a charge status for the guided vehicles, and selects guided vehicles to perform the tasks.
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Abstract
The present invention provides AGV systems with automatic recharging and a central processor for control. The central processor monitors the charge states of the AGVs, assigns them to tasks, and can determines when to recharge the AGVs. The central processor can optimize the operation of the AGVs to achieve various objectives which can include, for example, maximizing AGV availability, maximizing battery life, and/or maximizing recharging station utilization. Systems and methods of the invention can maximize the utilization of AGV equipment and minimize the number of AGVs required to accomplish a given set of tasks.
189 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automated guided vehicle system, comprising:
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a plurality of battery powered guided vehicles an automatic recharging station for recharging the guided vehicles; and
a central processor;
wherein the central processor receives task requests, monitors a charge status for the guided vehicles, and selects guided vehicles to perform the tasks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An automated guided vehicle system, comprising.
a plurality of battery powered guided vehicles; -
means for automatically recharging the vehicles;
means for assigning tasks to the vehicles ; and
means for coordinating automatically recharging the vehicles with assigning tasks to the vehicles.
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13. A method of operating a plurality of battery powered guided vehicles, comprising:
using a central processor to assign tasks to the vehicles, monitor a charge status for the vehicles, and control recharging of the vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification