Warehouse vehicle navigation system and method

• US 9,317,037 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Byford, Roger Graham, Solanki, Anshul
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kleinman, Lail
• Application Number:
  US13/644,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A system and method for the operation and navigation of a moving vehicle in a warehouse environment includes a controller for controlling operation of the vehicle and an imaging device configured to capture an image representing a view from the vehicle. Location labels are configured for being positioned in the warehouse environment and include location indicia.

A navigation processor is operatively coupled to the imaging device and configured to determine a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the image of the location label, the navigation processor further coupled with the controller to control the movement of the vehicle based on the determined location.

Claims

1. A system for the operation and navigation of a moving vehicle in a warehouse environment, the system comprising:

a controller for controlling operation of the vehicle;

an imaging device configured to capture an image representing a view from the vehicle;

a location label configured for being positioned in the warehouse environment and including a location indicia, the location label positioned so that the image captured by the imaging device includes an image of the location label when the vehicle is in proximity to the location label; and

a navigation processor operatively coupled to the imaging device and configured to determine a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the image of the location label, the navigation processor further coupled with the controller to control the movement of the vehicle based on the determined location and a next location specified in an item order;

wherein the navigation processor is configured for autonomously moving the vehicle to the next location specified in the item order if the next location specified in the item order is not greater than a predetermined walking distance from the determined location of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a voice-directed system configured for providing a speech dialog with a user regarding the location of items in the warehouse environment, the voice-directed system configured for communicating with the navigation processor for controlling the movement of the vehicle based on location of items in the warehouse environment for the processing of the items using the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the location label further includes a target datum having predetermined dimensions, and the navigation processor is further configured to determine the position of the vehicle based at least in part on a dimension of the target datum in the image of the location label.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the warehouse environment includes at least one structure, the navigation processor operable for using a target datum for determining the distance between the vehicle and the at least one structure, the navigation processor controlling the movement of the vehicle using the determined distance.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the navigation processor is configured to determine a speed of the vehicle based at least in part on the images of sequentially captured location labels, the navigation processor further coupled with the controller to control the movement of the vehicle based on the determined speed.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an inventory map that includes information on a location of an item in a warehouse environment, the navigation processor being further configured to access the inventory map information and autonomously move the vehicle from the determined location of the vehicle to the location of the item.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the navigation processor is integrated with the voice-directed system to provide speech instructions to the user regarding at least one of interacting with the vehicle or processing items.

8. The system of claim 5 further comprising a map of a warehouse environment, the navigation processor configured to use the determined speed and determined location of the vehicle for comparison to the warehouse environment map to control the movement of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the voice-directed system is configured to obtain verification information associated with an item, the system further configured to verify that the verification information correlates with the determined location of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 2 further configured for using the determined location to direct a user with a speech dialog to maintain a record of an item loaded onto the vehicle by capturing an image of the item with the imaging device.

11. The system of claim 1 further configured to monitor an amount of time that the vehicle remains at the determined location, and to determine if the amount of time at the determined location is outside an expected value or range of values.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein the voice-directed system configured for providing a speech dialog with a user regarding the replenishment of items to a location in the warehouse, the system further configured to use the image captured by the image device to verify that items are being delivered to a correct location.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the navigation processor is further configured to evaluate at least one of the number of items loaded onto the vehicle or the determined location and to determine a maximum allowable speed of the vehicle and using the controller to control maximum speed of the vehicle.

14. A method of operating and navigating a vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing using an imaging device an image representing a view from the vehicle;

identifying using a navigation processor a location label in the image;

detecting using a navigation processor a location indicia on the location label;

determining using a navigation processor a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the detected location indicia;

controlling using a navigation processor the movement of the vehicle based on the determined location and a next location specified in an item order;

accessing an inventory map including information on a location of an item;

retrieving a location of an item to be obtained;

determining whether the location of the item to be obtained is not greater than a predetermined walking distance from the determined location of the vehicle; and

in response to the location of the item being obtained being not greater than a predetermined walking distance from the determined location of the vehicle autonomously moving the vehicle toward the location of the item.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing a speech dialog with a user regarding the location of items in the warehouse;

controlling the movement of the vehicle based on the location of items in the warehouse for the processing of the items using the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

detecting a target datum of the location label in the image;

determining a dimension of the target datum image; and

based at least in part on the determined dimension of the target datum image, controlling the movement of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

obtaining spoken verification information associated with the location of an item to be loaded onto the vehicle;

verifying that the spoken verification information correlates with the determined location of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising using the determined location and directing a user with a speech dialog to maintain a record of an item loaded on the vehicle by capturing an image of the item with the imaging device.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising monitoring an amount of time that the vehicle remains at the determined location, and determining if the amount of time at the determined location is outside an expected value or range of values.