Systems and methods for managing powered industrial vehicles

• US 7,613,617 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/417,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• 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 managing powered industrial vehicles are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes an analyzer module configured to determine route data based on facility layout data. The system also includes a dispatch management module configured to receive a request to transport cargo from a first location to a second location in the warehouse, and a surface visibility module configured to track the cargo after it is transferred from the first location to the second location by receiving scanned barcode data from the cargo via a scanner connected to a wireless network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing the use of powered industrial vehicles (PIVs) comprising:

receiving a request to transport cargo from a first location to a second location;

selecting a PIV to carry out the request, the selection of the PIV being based on at least one of;

a current location of the PIV, and

a maintenance schedule of the PIV;

sending a notification to the PIV about the request, the notification including a current, substantially optimal route determined at least in part by at least one of workload data and routing data, and at least one of a cargo identification code, a cargo location, and a cargo destination;

receiving an acknowledgement from the PIV of receipt of the notification,

communicating to the PIV, via a computer, a modification to the route of the PIV, while the PIV is in transit, in response to a change in cargo handling circumstances.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the PIV is operated by an operator.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the request is further based on a status of the operator of the PIV.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the cargo identification code is a barcode.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

scanning, upon delivery of the cargo to the destination, the barcode; and

associating the cargo with the cargo location based on the scan of the barcode.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a notification of delivery of the cargo to the destination; and

sending, upon receiving the notification of the delivery, a second notification to the PIV, the notification comprising at least one of;

a second cargo identification code, a second cargo location,

a second cargo destination, and a second optimal route for delivering the cargo.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the optimal route is selected at least in part based on an analysis of route layout data for a region of PIV operation.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the optimal route is selected at least in part based on a location of another PIV in the region of PIV operation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising displaying the optimal route on a user interface of the PIV.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises a display and an input device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the notification is displayed on the display.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the acknowledgement is created by receiving input from the input device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the input device comprises a keypad.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the input device comprises a touch screen.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification is displayed on a user interface of the PIV.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification is transmitted to the PIV over a computer network.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the PIV receives, the notification through a wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver being in communication with a user interface of the PIV.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the current location of the PIV is provided by an REID tag associated with the PIV.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

collecting PIV usage data; and

determining the maintenance schedule of the PIV based on the collected PIV usage data.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the PIV usage data includes collision data.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein collecting PIV usage data includes detecting collisions of the PIV and storing data about the collisions.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the detecting collisions is performed by a sensor of the PIV.

23. A networked PIV management system comprising:

a PIV data analysis module configured to determine PIV route data through a facility based on at least one of facility layout data, workload data and routing data, the PIV route data substantially comprising optimization data indicating a route between two points in the facility;

a PIV dispatch management module configured to receive a request to transport a cargo from a first location to a second location in the facility, the PIV dispatch management module being further configured to receive route data from a PIV analyzer tool and to select, based at least in part on the route data and a location of the first location, a PIV for transporting the cargo; and

a surface visibility module configured to track the cargo after it is transferred from the first location to the second location by receiving scanned barcode data from the cargo via a scanner connected to the network and to communicate to the PIV, via a computer, a modification to the route of the PIV, while the PIV is in transit, in response to a change in cargo handling circumstances.

24. The networked PIV management system of claim 23, wherein the facility layout data is electronically generated by a software mapping tool.

25. The networked PIV management system of claim 23, further comprising a PIV interface module configured to receive a notification of a request to transport the cargo from the first location to the second location, the PIV interface module being further configured to display the notification to an operator of the PIV.

26. The networked PIV management system of claim 23, further comprising:

a maintenance management module configured to receive PIV usage data from the PIV, and further being configured to generate a PIV maintenance schedule for the PIV based at least in part on the PIV usage data.

27. The networked PIV management system of claim 23, further comprising a labor scheduling module configured to receive PIV demand data and location labor data, the labor scheduling module being further configured to generate PIV personnel scheduling data based at least in part on the PIV demand data.

28. The networked PIV management system of claim 27, wherein the labor scheduling module receives the PIV demand data from the PIV analyzer module, and wherein the PIV analyzer module generates the PIV demand data based in part on workload profile data received into the PIV analyzer module.

29. The networked PIV management system of claim 23 further comprising a facility access and shipment tracking module configured to receive a notification of an incoming irregular cargo, the facility access and shipment tracking module being further configured to generate workload profile data based on one or more attributes of the incoming irregular cargo, and to transmit the workload profile data to the PIV data analysis module.

30. The networked PIV management system of claim 29, wherein the PIV data analysis module is further configured to generate a predictive PIV demand scheduling data based at least in part on the workload profile data.

31. The networked PIV management system of claim 23, wherein the PIV dispatch management module is further configured to determine a status of a PIV based at least in part on a status of an operator of the PIV.

32. The networked PIV management system of claim 31, wherein the status of the operator of the PIV is based in part on a tour start time and a tour end time.

33. The networked PIV management system of claim 31, wherein the status of the PIV is based at least in part on a battery charge status.

34. A networked PIV management system comprising:

means for determining, based on facility layout data, PIV route data substantially comprising optimization data indicating a route between two points in the facility;

means for receiving a request to transport a cargo from a first location to a second location in the warehouse;

means for receiving route data;

means for selecting a PIV for transporting the cargo, based at least in part on the received route data and a location of the first location; and

means for tracking the cargo after it is transferred from the first location to the second location by receiving scanned barcode data from the cargo via a scanner connected to the network and for communicating to the PIV, via a computer, a modification to the route of the PIV, while the PIV is in transit, in response to a change in cargo handling circumstances.

35. The networked PIV management system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for receiving a notification of the request to transport the cargo from the first location to the second location, and

means for displaying the notification to an operator of the PIV.

36. The networked PIV management system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for receiving PIV usage data from the PIV; and

means for generating a PIV maintenance schedule for the PIV based at least in part on the received PIV usage data.

37. The networked PIV management system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for receiving PIV demand data and location labor data; and

means for generating PIV personnel scheduling, data based at least in part on the PIV demand data.

38. The networked PIV management system of claim 34 further comprising:

means for receiving a notification of an incoming irregular cargo;

means for generating workload profile data based on one or more attributes of the incoming irregular cargo; and

means for transmitting the workload profile data.

39. The networked PIV management system of claim 38, further comprising means for generating predictive PIV demand scheduling data based at least in part on the workload profile data.

40. The networked PIV management system of claim 34, further comprising means for determining a status of a PIV based at least in part on a status of an operator of the PIV.

41. The networked PIV management system of claim 40, wherein the status of the operator of the PIV is based in part on a tour start time and a tour end time.

42. The networked PIV management system of claim 41, wherein the status of the PIV is based at least in part on a battery charge status.