METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF TRANSPORTING DEVICES
First Claim
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 clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path, wherein the clearance is provided for execution at a future start time.
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Accused Products
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.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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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:
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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 clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path, wherein the clearance is provided for execution at a future start time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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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:
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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 clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the reserved path, wherein the clearance is provided for execution at a future start time.
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Specification