Integration of an autonomous industrial vehicle into an asset management system

• US 9,547,945 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: McCabe, Paul P., Donahue, Timothy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEEKS, MARTIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/372,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/16, 701/25, 701/28, 701/50, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/42 Fork lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A control system operates an industrial vehicle that includes a propulsion drive system and a guidance and navigation system operatively connected to the propulsion drive system to control motion of the industrial vehicle along a path, in an unmanned, autonomous mode. A wireless communicator transmits vehicle operational data to an asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle, and receives commands from the asset management computer for remotely controlling operation of the industrial vehicle. For example, when the vehicle encounters an obstacle in the path a message indicating that event is sent to the asset management computer where a human operator can send a command which instructs the industrial vehicle how to avoid the obstacle.

Claims

1. A control system, for operating an industrial vehicle to carry objects inside a building, comprising:

a propulsion drive system for propelling the industrial vehicle;

sensors for gathering operational data regarding operation of the industrial vehicle while carrying the objects;

a guidance and navigation system onboard the industrial vehicle and connected to the propulsion drive system to control motion of the industrial vehicle along a path in an unmanned, autonomous mode, wherein the guidance and navigation system is operable to receive an indication that an energy storage device onboard the industrial vehicle requires recharging, and to respond to that indication by autonomously directing the industrial vehicle along a path to a recharging area in the building;

a wireless communicator coupled to the guidance and navigation system and operable to transmit wirelessly the vehicle data and receive wirelessly commands from an asset management computer for controlling operation of the industrial vehicle in a remote control mode, and wirelessly transmit an alert message in response to one of the sensors detecting that the industrial vehicle has become incapacitated; and

the asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle and receiving the operational data and the alert message transmitted by the wireless communicator, and comprising an input device for a person to respond to the operational data and the alert message by producing a command that is transmitted from the asset management computer for remotely controlling operation of the industrial vehicle to overcome the incapacity.

2. The control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an additional sensor for detecting an obstacle in the path of the industrial vehicle, wherein in response to the sensor detecting the obstacle, the wireless communicator transmits an indication of the obstacle to the asset management computer.

3. The control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a video camera for producing an image of an area adjacent to the industrial vehicle, wherein the wireless communicator transmits the image to the asset management computer.

4. The control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a local area network inside the building and connected to the asset management computer, and comprising a plurality of wireless signal transceivers each for bidirectional communication with the wireless communicator.

5. The control system as recited in claim 4 further comprising a charging equipment for replenishing energy in the energy storage device that is onboard the industrial vehicle, wherein the charging equipment is connected to the local area network.

6. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein in the remote control mode, the wireless communicator receives commands for controlling the propulsion drive system.

7. The control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising operator controls onboard the industrial vehicle for manual operation by a person, wherein the control system has a manual mode in which the propulsion drive system operates in response to manual operation of the operator controls.

8. A method for controlling an industrial vehicle that carries objects inside a building, wherein the industrial vehicle includes a guidance and navigation system that, in an unmanned, autonomous mode, controls motion of the industrial vehicle along a first path inside the building, said method comprising:

gathering operational data regarding the industrial vehicle operating in the unmanned, autonomous mode;

determining, from the operational data, that the industrial vehicle has become incapacitated;

when the vehicle has become incapacitated, transmitting the operational data and an alert message, via a wireless communicator onboard the industrial vehicle, to an asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle, wherein the operational data and the alert message relate to a rechargeable energy source onboard the industrial vehicle requiring recharging;

when the operational data indicates that the industrial vehicle is incapacitated inside the building, transitioning from the unmanned, autonomous mode to a remote control mode; and

in the remote control mode, in response to the alert message, transmitting a command from the asset management computer to the wireless communicator, wherein the command from the asset management computer directs the industrial vehicle to a recharging area in the building.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the operational data further indicates that the industrial vehicle became incapacitated by an obstacle in the first path and an additional command directs the industrial vehicle to travel around the obstacle.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the operational data indicates presence of an obstacle in the first path and the additional command directs the industrial vehicle along a second path that avoids the obstacle.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the guidance and navigation system, in the unmanned, autonomous mode, directs the industrial vehicle to travel to the recharging area.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising employing the operational data to determine when the rechargeable energy source requires recharging;

and transmitting a recharging required message via a wireless communicator to the asset management computer.

13. A method for controlling an industrial vehicle that carries objects inside a building, wherein the industrial vehicle includes a propulsion drive system, a guidance and navigation system, and a wireless communicator for bidirectional communication with an asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle, said method comprising:

(a) operating the industrial vehicle in an unmanned, autonomous mode that comprises;

the guidance and navigation system sensing environmental conditions outside the vehicle and in response thereto controlling the propulsion drive system to direct the industrial vehicle to travel along a first path inside the building,

gathering operational data regarding the industrial vehicle, and

transmitting the operational data and an alert message, from the wireless communicator onboard the industrial vehicle to the asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle in response to a sensor detecting that the industrial vehicle has become incapacitated;

(b) operating the industrial vehicle in manual mode that comprises;

the industrial vehicle receiving control signals from operator controls that are manipulated by human operator onboard the industrial vehicle, and

controlling the propulsion drive system in response to the control signals to direct the industrial vehicle to travel along a second path inside the building; and

(c) operating the industrial vehicle in a remote control mode that comprises;

the industrial vehicle receiving commands from the asset management computer in response to the operational data and the alert message from the wireless communicator, wherein the operational data and the alert message relate to a rechargeable energy source onboard the industrial vehicle requiring recharging, wherein the commands comprise a command that directs steering of the industrial vehicle and another command specifies a velocity at which a wheel propels the industrial vehicle to overcome the incapacity, and

controlling the propulsion drive system in response to the commands, without an onboard operator, wherein the commands specify that the industrial vehicle is to travel along a third path, the third path directing the industrial vehicle to a recharging area in the building, wherein when the industrial vehicle reaches the recharging area, the commands instruct the industrial vehicle to terminate the remote control mode and commence the autonomous mode.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the commands received from the asset management computer are produced in response to real-time inputs from a person.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising in response to the operational data and the alert message transmitted from the wireless communicator, the asset management computer generating an alert indication to personnel.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the commands in the remote control mode comprise a command that instructs the industrial vehicle to terminate the autonomous mode and commence the remote control mode.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the commands that are transmitted from the asset management computer to the industrial vehicle comprise a command that instructs the industrial vehicle to terminate the autonomous mode and commence the remote control mode.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the command that is transmitted from the asset management computer to the industrial vehicle comprises a command that instructs the industrial vehicle to terminate the remote control mode and commence the autonomous mode.

19. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the operational data indicates an obstacle in the first path, and the commands received from the asset management computer direct the industrial vehicle to travel around the obstacle.

20. A method for controlling an industrial vehicle that carries objects inside a building, wherein the industrial vehicle includes a propulsion drive system, a guidance and navigation system, and a wireless communicator for bidirectional communication with an asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle, said method comprising:

(a) operating the industrial vehicle in an unmanned, autonomous mode that comprises;

the guidance and navigation system sensing environmental conditions outside the vehicle and in response thereto controlling the propulsion drive system to direct the industrial vehicle to travel along a first path inside the building,

gathering operational data regarding the industrial vehicle,

transmitting the operational data and an alert message, from the wireless communicator onboard the industrial vehicle to the asset management computer located remotely from the industrial vehicle in response to a sensor detecting that the industrial vehicle has become incapacitated, wherein the operational data and the alert message relate to a rechargeable energy source onboard the industrial vehicle requiring recharging, and

directing the industrial vehicle along a second path to a recharging area in the building in response to the operational data and the alert message from the wireless communicator;

(b) operating the industrial vehicle in manual mode that comprises;

the industrial vehicle receiving control signals from operator controls that are manipulated by human operator onboard the industrial vehicle, and

controlling the propulsion drive system in response to the control signals to direct the industrial vehicle to travel along a third path inside the building; and

(c) operating the industrial vehicle in a remote control mode that comprises;

the industrial vehicle receiving commands from the asset management computer in response to the operational data and the alert message from the wireless communicator, wherein the commands comprise a command that directs steering of the industrial vehicle and another command specifies a velocity at which a wheel propels the industrial vehicle to overcome the incapacity, and

controlling the propulsion drive system in response to the commands, without an onboard operator.