Automatic truck loading and unloading system

• US 10,815,080 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2017
• Issued: 10/27/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Anderson, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/404,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20180194575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/16 Special arrangements of articles in storage spaces
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/046 RFID
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/02 Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/02 Loading or unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/04 Loading land vehicles loading or unloading boats to or from land vehicles B60P3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an automatic loading and unloading system that is adaptable for an array of freight sizes, trucks and/or trailers. In some examples, the automatic loading and unloading may inventory the parcels scheduled for delivery, identify the dimensions of the parcels, and plot a loading configuration that maximizes the use of the truck or trailer. Based on the plotting, the automatic loading and unloading system may direct the automated guided vehicles (e.g., automatic forklifts) to the parcels scheduled for delivery. The automated guided vehicles may utilize the information received from the automatic loading and unloading system to identify a route from the parcel'"'"'s storage location in the warehouse, for example, to the plotted position in the truck or trailer.

Claims

1. A method for automated loading and unloading of a trailer, comprising:

receiving, at a network entity, inventory of one or more parcels scheduled for delivery;

determining, at the network entity, a configuration of the trailer;

determining a placement location for each of the one or more parcels in the trailer based on the configuration of the trailer,

wherein the one or more parcels includes a first parcel of a first size and a second parcel of a second size that is different from the first size;

controlling an automated guide vehicle, using plot information received from the network entity, to load each of the one or more parcels into each placement location; and

verifying, at the network entity, the loading of the one or more parcels by the automated guide vehicle based on a vision system in the trailer, wherein the verifying the loading of the one or more parcels comprises determining an error in the loading based on the verification by the vision system and transmitting instructions, from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle, to correct the error in the loading,

wherein the automated guide vehicle obtains the one or more parcels outside of the trailer and loads the one or more parcels inside of the trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more parcels include a tracking identifiers to identify and enable tracking of a location of each of the one or more parcels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer comprises:

identifying a route for the automated guide vehicle from a current location of the one or more parcels to the corresponding placement location inside the trailer; and

transmitting the route from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle,

wherein the route is included in the plot information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer comprises:

determining an orientation and an angle of entry into the trailer for the automated guide vehicle;

transmitting the orientation and the angle of entry information to the automated guide vehicle for loading the trailer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the placement location for each of the one or more parcels in the trailer based on the configuration of the trailer comprises:

determining dimensions of each of the one or more parcels; and

determining each placement location based on the dimensions of each of the one or more parcels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises the vision system in the trailer identifying a package location based on triangulating signals from the parcel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the verifying the loading of the one or more parcels by the automated guide vehicle based on the vision system comprises:

receiving, at the network entity, visual data from the vision system;

identifying the one or more parcels being transported by the automated guide vehicle based on the visual data;

determining a loading location of the one or more parcels; and

determining whether the loading location exceeds a predetermined threshold from a planned location.

8. An apparatus for automated loading and unloading of a trailer, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to;

receive, at a network entity, inventory of one or more parcels scheduled for delivery;

determine, at the network entity, a configuration of the trailer;

determine a placement location for each of the one or more parcels in the trailer based on the configuration of the trailer,

wherein the one or more parcels includes a first parcel of a first size and a second parcel of a second size that is different from the first size;

control an automated guide vehicle, based on plot information received from the network entity, to load each of the one or more parcels into each placement location; and

verify, at the network entity, the loading of the one or more parcels by the automated guide vehicle based on a vision system in the trailer, wherein the verify the loading of the one or more parcels comprises

determining an error in the loading based on the verification by the vision system and transmitting instructions, from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle, to correct the error in the loading, wherein the automated guide vehicle obtains the one or more parcels outside of the trailer and loads the one or more parcels inside of the trailer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more parcels include a tracking identifiers to identify and enable tracking of a location of each of the one or more parcels.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions for controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer are further executable by the processor to:

identify a route for the automated guide vehicle from a current location of the one or more parcels to the corresponding placement location inside the trailer; and

transmit the route from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle,

wherein the route is included in the plot information.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions for controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer are further executable by the processor to:

determine an orientation and an angle of entry into the trailer for the automated guide vehicle;

transmit the orientation and the angle of entry information to the automated guide vehicle for loading the trailer.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the verification comprises the vision system in the trailer identifying a package location based on triangulating signals from the parcel.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium for automated loading and unloading of a trailer, comprising code for:

receiving, at a network entity, inventory of one or more parcels scheduled for delivery;

determining, at the network entity, a configuration of the trailer;

determining a placement location for each of the one or more parcels in the trailer based on the configuration of the trailer,

wherein the one or more parcels includes a first parcel of a first size and a second parcel of a second size that is different from the first size;

controlling an automated guide vehicle, based on plot information received from the network entity, to load each of the one or more parcels into each placement location; and

verifying, at the network entity, the loading of the one or more parcels by the automated guide vehicle based on a vision system in the trailer, wherein the verifying the loading of the one or more parcels comprises determining an error in the loading based on the verification by the vision system and transmitting instructions, from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle, to correct the error in the loading, wherein the automated guide vehicle obtains the one or more parcels outside of the trailer and loads the one or more parcels inside of the trailer.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more parcels include a tracking identifiers to identify and enable tracking of a location of each of the one or more parcels.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the code for controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer further includes code for:

identifying a route for the automated guide vehicle from a current location of the one or more parcels to the corresponding placement location inside the trailer; and

transmitting the route from the network entity to the automated guide vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the code for controlling the automated guide vehicle to load each of the one or more parcels into the trailer further includes code for:

determining an orientation and an angle of entry into the trailer for the automated guide vehicle;

transmitting the orientation and the angle of entry information to the automated guide vehicle for loading the trailer.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the verifying comprises the vision system in the trailer verifying a package location based on triangulating signals from the parcel.