Systems and methods for creating on-demand routes for powered industrial vehicles

• US 8,880,416 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• 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:
  US13/615,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 705 11-912
• 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 creating in a facility on-demand routes for powered industrial vehicles to transport cargo efficiently. In one embodiment, an on-demand route generation module receives receiving a request to move cargo. The module analyzes data about the current location, the current tasking, and the driver availability of PIVs in operation. Based on the information, the module creates an on-demand route through the facility and sends a notification to an assigned PIV to pick up the cargo and carry it on the defined on-demand route.

Claims

1. A powered industrial vehicle (PIV) configured to increase safety while transporting an item from a first location to a second location, the PIV comprising:

an odometric sensor configured to determine a distance traveled by the PIV;

a speedometer configured to determine the PIV speed;

a weight sensor configured to determine a load applied to the PIV;

a collision sensor configured to detect a collision;

an interface module connected to the odometric sensor, the speedometer, and the weight sensor, the interface module comprising;

a processor;

a memory; and

a user interface configured to provide information to the a user and to receive inputs from the user;

wherein the interface module is configured to receive information from the odometric sensor, the speedometer, and the weight sensor, and the collision sensor to identify a collision and to determine a pre-collision operating characteristic of the PIV.

2. The PIV in claim 1, wherein the interface module is configured to determine the distance traveled by the PIV under a first load condition.

3. The PIV of claim 2, wherein the first load condition occurs when the PIV is transporting the item.

4. The PIV of claim 2, wherein the first load condition occurs when the PIV is not transporting the item.

5. The PIV of claim 1, wherein the user interface module is configured to determine a PIV speed-under a first load condition.

6. The PIV of claim 5, wherein the first load condition occurs when the PIV is transporting the item.

7. The PIV of claim 5, wherein the first load condition occurs when the PIV is not transporting the item.

8. The PIV of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor comprises a first weight sensor and a second weight sensor.

9. The PIV of claim 8, wherein the first weight sensor is configured to determine the load applied to the PIV by an item that is supported by the PIV and the second weight sensor is configured to determine the load applied to the PIV by an item that is pulled by the PIV.

10. A method of generating routing data for a powered industrial vehicle (PIV) configured to transport an item from a first location to a second location, the method comprising:

receiving, an indicator of a distance traveled by a first PIV;

receiving an indicator of a speed of the first PIV;

receiving an indicator of a position of a first load applied to the first PIV;

determining, by a processor, an operating characteristic of the first PIV based on a combination of the indicator of distance traveled by the first PIV, the indicator of the first PIV speed, and the indicator of the position of the first load applied to the first PIV;

receiving an operating characteristic of a second PIV;

generating routing data based on the operating characteristics of the first and second PIVs.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an indicator of a position of a second load applied to the first PIV.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator of the position of the first load corresponds to the first PIV load condition arising when the first PIV supports the item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indicator of the position of the second load corresponds to the first PIV load condition arising when the first PIV pulls the item.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first operating characteristic relates to the indicator of the position of the first load.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a second operating characteristic of the first PIV based on a combination of the indicator of distance traveled by the first PIV, the indicator of the first PIV speed, and the indicator of the position of the second load applied to the first PIV.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting the second operating characteristic of the first PIV.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the first operating characteristic of the first PIV.

18. A system configured to manage the transport of an item from a first location to a second location, the system comprising:

means for determining a distance traveled by a first powered industrial vehicle (PIV);

means for determining a first PIV location;

means for determining a speed of the PIV vehicle;

means for determining a position of a load applied to the first PIV;

means for the determining an operating characteristic of the first PIV based on a combination of the distance traveled by the first PIV, the first PIV location, the first PIV speed, and the position of the load applied to the first PIV; and

a PIV interface module comprising;

means for receiving an operating characteristic of the first PIV and of a second PIV;

means for generating routing data based on the operating characteristics of the first and second PIVs.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for determining a load applied to the first PIV is configured to determine a load applied to the first PIV by pulling the item.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for determining a position of a load applied to the first PIV is configured to determine a load applied to the first PIV by supporting the item.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for determining the distance traveled by the first PIV while transporting the item and for determining the distance traveled by the first PIV while not transporting the item, wherein the distance traveled by the first PIV while transporting the item and the distance traveled by the first PIV while not transporting the item are used in determining an operating characteristic of the first PIV.