Method of controlling automatic guided vehicle system

• US 6,904,343 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Yeon-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/281,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/69, 701/210, 318/568.12, 318/587, 318/580, 318/652, 318/618, 180/167, 180/169, 180/168, 340/435, 340/989, 340/988, 340/992, 340/460, 700/245, 700/169, 700/9, 342/70, 320/107
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31003 Supervise route, reserve route and allocate route to vehicle, avoid collision
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes

Abstract

A method of controlling an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) system having a plurality of AGVs includes setting a moving path with task times of all the AGVs taken into account, and controlling the AGVs according to the set moving path. The setting the moving path includes calculating respective costs required for the AGVs to perform a plurality of tasks and calculating a number of cases occurring by allocation of each of the tasks to the AGVs. The setting the moving path also includes calculating respective total costs required for the AGVs to perform a corresponding task or corresponding tasks for all of the cases, determining a smallest and largest value out of the respective total costs for each of the cases, and setting the moving path of the AGVs according to the case having the smallest value.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) system, the AGV system having a plurality of AGVs, comprising:

setting a moving path of the AGVs with task performing times of all the AGVs taken into account; and

controlling the AGVs according to the set moving path;

wherein the setting the moving path comprises;

calculating an order of a plurality of tasks to be performed;

calculating respective costs required for the AGVs to perform all of the tasks;

calculating a number of cases occurring by allocating the tasks to the AGVs;

calculating respective total costs required for the AGVs to perform a corresponding task or corresponding task for each of the cases; and

determining a smallest and largest value out of the respective total costs of the AGVs for each of the cases, and setting the moving path of the AGVs according to a case having the smallest value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the respective costs are based on the task times required for the AGVs to perform the corresponding task or corresponding tasks.

3. An Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) system having a plurality of AGVs, comprising:

a control unit to control an overall operation of an AGV; and

an input unit connected to the control unit to set the operation of the AGV, wherein the AGV includes;

a first track sensing unit and a second track sensing unit provided on a front end and rear end of the AGV to detect guide tags installed on a moving path of which the AGV travels;

a moving distance sensing unit to detect a moving distance of the AGV;

a storage unit to store a control program, information inputted by the input unit, and data generated during the operation of the AGV;

a traveling unit to move the AGV by operating wheel located on the AGV according to control of the control unit; and

a robot operating unit to operate a robot of the AGV according to control of the control unit.

4. The AGV system according to claim 3, wherein the moving distance sensing unit comprises an encoder installed on the wheels of the AGV to allow the AGV to travel, and the control unit calculates the moving distance of the AGV by counting pulses outputted from the encoder.

5. The AGV system according to claim 3, wherein the guide tags are magnetic tapes having a certain length and are installed on the moving path at certain intervals.

6. The AGV system according to claim 5, wherein the guide tags are separated by a distance the same as a distance separating the first and second track sensing units.