Methods, systems and apparatus for controlling movement of transporting devices

• US 10,901,404 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2019
• Issued: 01/26/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Inventors: Stadie, Robert, Whelan, Matthew, Brett, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US16/575,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20200012268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0421 with control for stacker crane operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0464 with access from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0478 for matrix-arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• 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 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A system and method for controlling movement of transporting devices arranged to transport containers stored in stacks arranged in a facility having pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the transporting devices being configured to operate on the grid-like structure. A movement optimisation unit is configured to determine a route of a transporting device from one location on a grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for each transporting device. A reservation unit is configured to reserve a path on the grid-like structure for each transporting device based on the determined route. A clearance unit is configured to provide clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path.

Claims

1. A system for controlling movement of transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in stacks arranged in a facility, the facility having pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the transporting devices being configured to operate on the grid-like structure, the system comprising:

a movement optimisation unit configured to determine a route of a transporting device from one location on a grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for each transporting device;

a reservation unit configured to reserve a path on the grid-like structure for each transporting device based on the determined route, wherein the path reserved for each transporting device is provided such that no two transporting devices have locations on the grid-like structure which would cause transporting devices to overlap at a same time; and

a clearance unit configured to provide a clearance instruction for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path,

wherein the clearance instruction is provided for execution by a control unit on each transporting device at a future time.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the time between the time the clearance instruction is provided and the future time is a configurable parameter.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is further configured such that the clearance instruction is not provided until a last issued clearance instruction is acknowledged by a transporting device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is further configured for each transporting device, to cancel an existing reserved path when the last issued clearance instruction is not acknowledged by a transporting device within a predetermined period of time.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the system is further configured to re-plan an operation for the transporting device when communication is re-established with the transporting device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured to grant or withhold providing the clearance instruction for a transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path in response to a status report received from each transporting device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured as a passive collision avoidance system, wherein each transporting device is operated in a manner without impacting system performance.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured to grant or withhold providing the clearance instruction for a transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path based on at least one of:

dimensions of the grid-like structure, positions on the grid-like structure, commands to move the transporting device, cancellation of commands to move the transporting device, a current position of the transporting device, a speed of the transporting device, a braking ability of the transporting device, and the clearance instructions provided to the transporting device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the clearance unit, and the movement optimisation unit is configured to dynamically re-plan a route of at least one transporting device.

10. The system according to claim 1, when at least one message is not received by the system from the transporting device, the movement optimisation unit is configured to calculate a route for a transporting device that traverses a portion of the reserved path to resolve or avoid conflicts.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured to provide the clearance instruction based upon a set of tolerances, including at least one of:

missed messages, a processing time, a clock sync, and transporting device discrepancies with a physics model.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured to calculate a set of safe entry times for at least one position on the grid-like structure based upon at least one of transporting device position, speed updates, and the clearance instructions given and withheld.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the clearance unit is configured to provide the clearance instructions for a predetermined period of time.

14. The system according to claim 1, comprising:

a control unit configured to control movement of the transporting devices,

wherein the clearance unit is configured to provide to the control unit at least one of;

the clearance instructions required to traverse a reserved path, notification of when the clearance instruction is issued, notification of when the clearance instruction is withheld, and problems with a transporting device,

wherein the control unit is configured to control movements of the transporting devices based on the information received from the clearance unit.

15. A storage system comprising:

a facility arranged to store containers in a plurality of stacks, the facility comprising a plurality of pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks;

transporting devices arranged to transport containers and arranged to operate on the grid-like structure; and

the system according to claim 1.

16. The storage system according to claim 15, wherein each transporting device has a footprint of a single grid position on the grid-like structure.

17. The storage system according to claim 15, wherein each transporting device is configured to ignore a received clearance instruction when the clearance instruction is not received before a scheduled start time.

18. The storage system according to claim 15, wherein the transporting device is further configured to return a status message indicating that the clearance instruction was received too late when the clearance instruction is not received before a scheduled start time.

19. The storage system according to claim 18, wherein the system is further configured to cancel an existing reserved path for a transporting device and to re-plan tasking for the transporting device when the clearance instruction was received too late by the transporting device.

20. A method for controlling movement of transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in stacks arranged in a facility, the facility having pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the transporting devices configured to operate on the grid-like structure, the method comprising:

determining a route from one location on the grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for each transporting device;

reserving a path on the grid-like structure for each of the transporting devices based on the determined route, wherein the path reserved for each transporting device is provided such that no two transporting devices have locations on the grid-like structure which would cause transporting devices to overlap at a same time; and

providing a clearance instruction for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path, wherein the clearance instruction is provided for execution by each transporting device at a future time.