TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY PROVIDING A PUZZLE-TYPE STORAGE SYSTEM

Abstract

A puzzle-type storage system (10) operated on a floor area and a method for providing the same includes a set (25) of individual transport assemblies (20) arranged together in a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration that occupies a minimal amount of floor space. Each transport assembly (20) includes a rolling structure connected to a carrier (30) for moving the transport assembly (20) on the floor area, each transport assembly (20) carrying and transporting a storage device (15). The rolling structure connected to each carrier (30) includes at least four interchangeable autonomous rolling devices (40), each rolling device (40) including a rolling element (60), a drive means, a sensor, a control, a communication means, and a rechargeable power source. The floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system (10) is operated is provided with charging means for providing power to the rechargeable power sources. The position of each transport assembly (20) is controlled by a central control unit (50) equipped with transmitting and receiving means and wirelessly connected to at least one of the replaceable autonomous rolling devices (40) of each transport assembly (20).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to transport systems and methods, and more particularly to a moving puzzle-type system suitable for supporting and moving objects to desired locations on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space. [Background technology]

[0002] Storing goods requires the allocation of space. Real estate is limited and prices are high in areas close to urban areas. At the same time, businesses want to reduce lead times, especially in online sales. The space required for storage, combined with fast retrieval, comes at a high cost, which poses challenges especially for small and medium-sized stores. Inventory management is usually a trade-off between compact storage and easy access to goods.

[0003] Another perspective is that order picking operations are labor intensive. Typically, order picking represents 55% of all operating costs in a typical warehouse. This has motivated the use of various kinds of automated picking systems. One example of this is a picking system where inventory is handled by a robot and handed over to a picker at a picking station, instead of the picker spending most of their time picking the inventory on more time-consuming shelf-to-shelf transports.

[0004] Currently, there are various large-scale storage systems in which the containers are stacked and stored in rows in a grid structure. The containers are picked and handled by robots that run along the grid structure and deliver them to picking stations. Such systems are expensive and suitable for large-scale storage.

[0005] There are also storage systems aimed at smaller scale storage, which generally have limited storage space. Examples of such systems include robotic mobile fulfillment systems based on a moving platform that transports packages, and puzzle-type storage systems. Puzzle-type storage systems are inspired by the well-known game 15-puzzle, in which the objective is to arrange 15 numbered tiles in a 4×4 grid in a sequential order so that the tile adjacent to the only free slot can be slid into place.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes an example of a puzzle-type storage system based on moving platforms for handling cargo such as palletized or containerized goods. Each platform contains several complex mechanical parts. Each platform is guided on the floor by roller guides attached to the platform or to the floor. The movement and guidance of the platform is made possible by a set of guide rollers and drive gears attached to two edges and a set of guideways and racks on the other edge. Each platform contains several complex mechanical parts.

[0007] US Patent No. 5,399,633 describes an example of a robotic system with mobile platforms running on tracks. Each platform, called a pallet, is equipped with a first set of wheels adapted to move in a first direction and a second set of wheels adapted to run in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this solution, the tracks are installed in the area in which the pallets operate, and the pallets cannot move outside the tracks.

[0008] Prior art puzzle-type storage systems for transporting storage devices on a floor area are complicated and generally require the installation of fixed framework facilities to guide the moving platforms that transport the containers and the like. In the event of damage to the moving platform, the entire platform must be replaced. It is even more cumbersome to reconfigure the system by expanding it with more moving platforms. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2003 / 068657 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 1998 / 31579 [Patent Document 3] Norwegian Patent Application No. 20201025 [Patent Document 4] European Patent No. 3355148 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention alleviates the shortcomings of prior art systems by providing a more flexible and cost-effective solution for carrying, storing and transporting objects and transport assemblies, which can be operated without the need for pre-installed frame structures, grids or markings within which the mobile platform is restricted in motion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Each transport assembly contains autonomous rolling devices that can be easily replaced as needed, for example to replace a failed rolling device or to upgrade to a new version with new features. It is easier to reconfigure a particular puzzle-type configuration, i.e., by adding or removing individual transport assemblies, without the need to add or remove other corresponding infrastructure, such as physical tracks or markings. This makes the system cost-effective and adaptable, making it suitable for small to medium sized containment facilities.

[0012] The present invention is defined by a puzzle-style storage system operated on a floor area that includes a set of individual transport assemblies arranged together in a two-dimensional puzzle-style configuration that occupies a minimal amount of floor space.

[0013] Each transport assembly includes a rolling structure connected to the carrier for moving the transport assembly over the floor area, and each transport assembly carries and transports a storage device.

[0014] The rolling structure comprises at least four interchangeable autonomous rolling devices, each of which comprises a rolling element, a drive means, a sensor, a control unit, a communication means and a rechargeable power source.

[0015] A charging means is provided in the floor area in which the puzzle storage system operates for powering the rechargeable power supply.

[0016] The position of each transport assembly within the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system is operating is controlled by a central control unit having a transmitting and receiving means, the central control unit being wirelessly connected to at least one of the interchangeable autonomous rolling devices.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, an interface element is mounted to each carrier and adapted to receive and connect each rolling device to the carrier. The interface element may include a click-on pull-out mechanism that allows easy replacement of the rolling device while securing the rolling device to the carrier assembly.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the storage devices carried by each transport assembly are one or more bins, shelving systems, or combinations thereof. The heights of the various storage devices may vary and can be modified as needed.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the storage device is a rotating shelving system that allows access to all shelves at floor level.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the transport assembly includes connection means for fastening the storage device to the carrier, which positions and holds the storage device fastened to the transport assembly.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the control device is connected to a central controller. The control device is a device capable of receiving input from an operator. The operator can, for example, request a particular product, and a transport assembly having a storage device containing that product can be accessed by rearranging the transport assembly in the puzzle-type storage system. The rearranging operation is controlled by the central controller.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, one of the autonomous rolling devices connected to the carrier of the carrier assembly acts as a master device and is wirelessly connected to the other autonomous rolling devices connected to the same carrier. In this embodiment, the central control unit transmits a control command to the master device, and the other autonomous rolling devices connected to the same carrier receive the control command from the master device.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the charging means on the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system is operating is a charging track located at a position below the footprint of the autonomous rolling device.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the charging means on the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system is operating is an electromagnetic induction charging device positioned below the footprint of each autonomous rolling device of one or more transport assemblies of the set of transport assemblies.

[0025] According to another embodiment, an inductive charging device is positioned beneath the footprint of each autonomous rolling device of two or more transport assemblies of the set of transport assemblies.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the inductive charging device is a charging mat with individually controllable inductive charging zones for each autonomous rolling device of one or more transport assemblies. In this embodiment, the autonomous rolling device acting as the master device may receive more charging power than the others. It may also adjust the charging power depending on the current charge level of each autonomous rolling device.

[0027] According to one embodiment, each inductive charging zone includes an NFC device, which may help provide easy detection and location of the autonomous rolling devices.

[0028] To place items in the storage device and pick items from the storage device, the system may further comprise an automated picking system according to one embodiment.

[0029] In one embodiment, the automated picking system is located in the same area where the puzzle-type storage system is operating. For example, it may be a transport assembly where the storage device is replaced with a picking system such as a robot. In this embodiment, the transport assembly with the picking system can pick a specified item and depart the puzzle-type configuration to transport the picked item to a specified destination.

[0030] According to another embodiment, the automated picking system is located outside of the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system is operating, for example, it may be an automated picking system that operates within reach of storage devices carried by a transport assembly located adjacent to the puzzle-type configuration.

[0031] To keep track of the current location of each transport assembly, one embodiment of the puzzle-type storage system includes one or more cameras connected to a central controller to determine the location of each transport assembly based on visual input.

[0032] In one embodiment, one or more cameras are connected to the top of each storage device and pointed at the ceiling above the puzzle-style storage system to detect patterns on the ceiling. The ceiling may be painted or coated with a specific recognizable pattern that is used for location guidance. The specific pattern may be projected onto the ceiling above the puzzle-style storage system.

[0033] In one embodiment, one or more cameras are attached to the ceiling and pointed at the enclosure to detect the identification given to the enclosure.

[0034] The invention is further defined by a method of providing a puzzle-type storage system that is operated on a floor area by providing a set of transport assemblies and arranging the transport assemblies together in a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration to occupy a minimal amount of floor area; Each transport assembly is provided by connecting a rolling structure to the carriers of the transport assembly to enable movement of the transport assembly over a floor area, and providing a storage device on each transport assembly.

[0035] This method is providing autonomy to each transport assembly by using as a rolling structure at least four interchangeable autonomous rolling devices, each of which comprises a rolling element, a drive means, a sensor, a control unit, a communication means and a rechargeable power source; providing a charging means on a floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system is operating to provide charging power to the rechargeable power source; providing a central control unit comprising a transmitting / receiving means and a computer program product, the central control unit controlling the operation of each transport assembly by transmitting control commands to at least one of the interchangeable autonomous rolling devices according to the received input instructions; The method further includes a step of positioning and repositioning each transport assembly in the set of transport assemblies based on position information of each transport body stored in a database connected to the central control unit and control commands sent to the rolling device.

[0036] The present invention is further defined by a computer program product which, when executed on a central control unit, controls the movement of autonomously operating rolling devices connected to carriers and which together constitute a transport assembly of a transport system, the transport assemblies being arranged as a set of transport assemblies in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, wherein the movement of the rolling devices is controlled by the computer program based on position information stored in a database and input commands received from the control device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a puzzle-type storage system with a storage device mounted on a transport assembly. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 shows a two-dimensional 4×4 puzzle-type configuration with a set of carrier assemblies and connection means for securing the storage device to the carrier. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a conveying body included in a conveying assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an embodiment using a charging track as a charging means. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a charging track for an autonomous rolling device 40. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 shows a charging pin extending from the body of the autonomous rolling device to contact the charging track. [Figure 7]FIG. 13 shows an example of an embodiment in which the charging means is a charging mat having an electromagnetic induction charging zone at a position adapted to charge the autonomous rolling device. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 illustrates a two-dimensional 3×3 puzzle-type configuration with a set of transport assemblies operating on a charging mat. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an automated picking system in which a robot is connected to a transport assembly to pick and place items in a storage device. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a communication configuration between the autonomous rolling device of the transport assembly and a central control unit. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the communication configuration between an autonomous rolling device acting as a master device of a transport assembly and a central control unit, as well as between the master device and other autonomous rolling devices connected to the same transport assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show examples of embodiments within the scope of the claims.The present invention relates to a puzzle-type storage system for handling storage devices that occupy a minimum of floor area.

[0039] The storage system is configured by providing a set of transport assemblies, each adapted to carry and transport a storage device. Each transport assembly is given a unique ID, and the set of transport assemblies comprises at least four autonomously driven rolling devices arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration and connected to a carrier. Each autonomous rolling device is given a unique ID and linked to the transport assembly to which it is connected. In this way, every transport assembly is individually controlled by sending unique movement instructions to the corresponding autonomous rolling device and individual status information from the autonomous rolling device.

[0040] Control of the autonomous rolling devices is performed by a central control unit which sends control commands to the autonomous rolling devices to move and rearrange each transport assembly within the puzzle-type storage system.

[0041] A relocation of a transport assembly is initiated by requesting that a particular storage device carried by the transport assembly be accessible at a particular delivery point. The particular storage device is linked to the requested object or item stored in the storage device. An algorithm in the central control unit is configured to provide an optimal path for the transport assembly carrying the requested storage device to reach the delivery point via a puzzle-type configuration. The algorithm can define a pattern to be followed according to the current location of the requested storage device.

[0042] A delivery point may be an accessible area or location at the boundary of the puzzle configuration where picking is possible, or it may be a specific location outside the puzzle configuration, in which case a transport assembly carrying the requested storage device will depart the puzzle configuration and travel to the requested location.

[0043] 1 shows an example of a puzzle-type storage system 10 having storage devices 15 connected to transport assemblies 20 that are arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration to form a set of transport assemblies 20. By mounting and maintaining the transport assemblies 20 in close proximity to one another as shown in this example, minimal floor space is occupied.

[0044] The storage device 15 mounted on the transport assembly 20 can be any type of storage device for holding and storing items. Examples of such storage devices include bins, drawer systems, and shelving systems. These can also be combined, for example, the storage device 15 mounted on the transport assembly 20 can be a combination bin system and drawer system, as shown in FIG.

[0045] If the storage device in the transport assembly has drawers, each drawer may be tagged or marked with an ID so that the picking robot can identify which drawer contains the requested product.

[0046] Each transport assembly 20 includes a rolling device connected to a transport body 30. An example of a transport body 30 is shown in Figure 3 showing a frame structure in which replaceable autonomous rolling devices 40 are connected to the frame structure to provide the rolling structure.

[0047] 1 further shows a camera 95 pointed at the storage device 15. The camera can identify the location of the storage device 15 within the puzzle-type storage system. For easy identification, various markings 17 can be applied to the storage device 15, which are linked to the ID of the storage device.

[0048] 2 shows a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration with a set 25 of transport assemblies 20. This view more clearly illustrates how the transport assemblies 20 can be closely packed together in a two-dimensional configuration. As can be seen, one transport assembly 20 is missing, i.e., one slot is empty. This allows each transport assembly 20 in the set 25 of transport assemblies 20 to be repositioned to any position within the two-dimensional configuration. This is known as a puzzle-type configuration.

[0049] The puzzle-type configuration shown has 15 numbered transport assemblies 20 in a 4×4 grid, with one slot empty, allowing a transport assembly 20 adjacent to the empty slot to be slid into the empty slot. The objective is to arrange the numbered transport assemblies 20 according to a sequence that defines which transport assemblies 20 move into the empty slots and in what order. How the various sequences are established is well known from prior art puzzle-type systems and will not be described further here.

[0050] Removing one or more transport assemblies 20 from the puzzle-type configuration allows for moving and repositioning more than one transport assembly 20 at a time, which requires fewer repositioning steps of the transport assemblies 20 and results in faster access to the requested storage device 15. This may be advantageous for larger puzzle-type configurations that include autonomous transport assemblies 20. Removing two or more transport assemblies 20 carrying storage devices from the puzzle-type configuration provides space for a transport assembly 20 carrying a dedicated picking robot.

[0051] Removing more than one transport assembly 20 from the puzzle type configuration reduces the number of iterative steps required for a requested transport assembly to get from its current position to the requested position.

[0052] By allocating a floor area to the puzzle-type storage system 10 that is larger than the footprint of the set 15 of individual transport assemblies 20 that make up the puzzle-type storage system 10, other movement patterns of the transport assemblies 20 can be implemented, for example, two or more transport assemblies 20 can be moved simultaneously as a group, thereby providing a shorter route for a requested transport assembly 20.

[0053] The storage device 15, as well as other devices such as a picking robot, are preferably secured to the transport assembly 20 by a connection means. The connection means can be any type of mechanism that secures the storage device 15 in a fixed position on the transport assembly 20. As an example, a gripper 55a is attached to the transport assembly 20 to provide a secure connection of the storage device 15 to the transport assembly 20 and to hold the storage device 15 in a fixed position on the transport assembly. Other examples of connection and holding means are screws, magnets 55b, frames 55c, or combinations thereof.

[0054] According to the present invention, the transport assembly 20 includes a transport body 30 and at least four autonomous rolling devices 40 connected to the transport body 30. Each rolling device 40 is autonomously controlled.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows an example of the carrier 30 of the carrier assembly 20, in which the autonomous rolling devices 40 are connected to interface elements 45 at each corner of the rectangular carrier 30. By connecting the autonomous rolling devices 40 to each corner of the carrier 30, the carrier assembly 20 can move autonomously under its own power, independent of an external means for carrying the carrier assembly 20, and does not have the carrier assembly 20 with complex mechanical parts and drive means. The interface elements 45 are adapted to connect and disconnect each autonomous rolling device 40 to the carrier 30. The interface elements 45 can be, for example, of a click-on pull-out type for easy replacement of the rolling devices 40 as needed.

[0056] This figure shows four autonomous rolling devices 40 connected to the vehicle, however, different configurations are feasible, for example, six or eight connected autonomous rolling devices 40. More than four autonomous rolling devices 40 can be used to handle heavier loads and larger vehicles 30.

[0057] Further details of carrier 30 and interface element 45 are described in applicant's own US Pat. No. 6,233,363, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0058] Charging the autonomous rolling device 40 is a key feature for the continued operation of the puzzle-type storage system 10.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows an example of an embodiment for powering the rechargeable power source included in the autonomous rolling device 40. In this embodiment, tracks 34 are used to power the charging means. The tracks 34 can be placed directly on the floor 36 or can be integrated in mats connected to each other. The figure shows a pair of tracks 34 placed on the floor area where the puzzle-type storage system is operated. Each track is connected to a power source, and the pair of tracks provides direct current (DC) charging power for the rechargeable power source. The figure shows tracks covering the floor area where the transport assemblies 20 are operating. In this way, all the autonomous rolling devices 40 can be charged simultaneously and in all possible positions within the floor area where they are operating. However, it is sufficient to have a pair of tracks on the floor area covering only one transport assembly 20. For such a solution, all the transport assemblies 20 need to stay one at a time in the position where the track is present in order to be charged.

[0060] 5 shows an example of the arrangement of the charging tracks 34 for the autonomous rolling devices 40 of the transport assembly 20. In this embodiment, each autonomous rolling device 40 is provided with a pair of charging pins 32, as shown in FIG.

[0061] 6 shows an example in which the charging pins 32 extend from the body of the autonomous rolling device 40 and contact the charging track. The charging pins 32 are connected to the positive and negative poles of the charging device included in the autonomous rolling device 40, respectively, to charge the rechargeable power source. The charging pins 32 are disposed on each side of the rolling elements of the autonomous rolling device 40, and contact the positive and negative current-carrying tracks when the autonomous rolling device 40 is being charged.

[0062] The power supplied to the tracks 34 can be controlled by switching the power supply on or off, or by controlling how much power each pair of tracks carries at any one time.

[0063] In one embodiment, when a track is used to provide charging power, the autonomous rolling devices 40 include an elevation mechanism for raising and lowering the rolling elements 60, thereby connecting and disconnecting the charging pins 32 to the track 34. When the carrier 30 is moving, all of the autonomous rolling devices 40 are in the upper position, and the charging pins 34 are disconnected from the track 34. When charging, the autonomous rolling devices 40 are in the lower position, and the charging pins 32 are connected to the track 34.

[0064] In another embodiment, the charging pins 32 are extendable and the rolling elements 60 are in a fixed position. During charging, the charging pins 32 extend from the autonomous rolling devices 40 and connect to the track 34. During the movement of the carrier 30, all charging pins 32 of the rolling devices 40 connected thereto are in a retracted position, thereby disconnecting the charging pins 34 from the track 34.

[0065] FIG. 7 shows another example of a charging means. In this example, a charging mat 38 with an electromagnetic induction charging zone 35, for example, located directly under the autonomous rolling device 40 when the autonomous rolling device 40 is stationary, provides charging power for the autonomous rolling device 40. This example shows an electromagnetic induction charging zone for each autonomous rolling device 40. However, this is not necessary, since only one charging mat 38 with an electromagnetic induction charging zone 35 is sufficient to charge all the autonomous rolling devices 40 of the transport assembly 20. This may result in charging queues, since only one transport assembly 20 is charged at a time. More charging mats 38 or a larger charging mat with more charging zones would reduce the charging time for all the transport assemblies 20.

[0066] When having several charging zones for powering the rechargeable power supplies of the autonomous rolling devices, each inductive charging zone 35 can be individually controlled to provide adapted and regulated power according to the current charge level and requirements of each autonomous rolling device 40. For example, the master device may be equipped with a rechargeable battery with a larger capacity than the other devices and therefore requires more charging power to provide sufficient power for the connected electronics and sensors.

[0067] FIG. 8 shows a two-dimensional 3×3 puzzle-type configuration with a set of transport assemblies operating on a charging mat 38. This is a smaller configuration than the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The smaller puzzle-type storage system is suitable for private use in homes and apartment buildings. This figure further shows an example where the charging means is wireless and charging occurs when the wheels are positioned at the marked places. The charging mat 38 is placed in the floor area where the puzzle-type storage system operates. The charging mat 38 is provided with charging means 35 for charging the autonomous rolling device 40.

[0068] 9 shows an example of an automated picking system in which a robot 90 is connected to a transport assembly 20 to pick and place items within a storage device 15. The transport assembly 20 with the robot 90 can operate within the floor area or outside the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system 10 is operating.

[0069] The diagram shows a typical industrial robotic arm that can be used to pick and place objects from storage device 15. How objects are picked from and placed into storage device 15 depends on what solution is preferred and the size of the puzzle type storage system.

[0070] The picking system may be installed as a stationary system operating on an area of ​​floor adjacent to the puzzle-type storage system 10.

[0071] Prior to picking an object from or placing an object in storage device 15, storage device 15 is made accessible for interaction by moving to a predetermined or required position. Contents in an open container are accessible from above, whereas in a drawer system, the drawer must first be opened.

[0072] For a storage device 15 mounted on a shelf system, the picking system is adapted to first remove the storage device 15, e.g., a storage container, from the shelf before picking the requested object from the storage container.

[0073] If the storage device 15 is a carousel system, the requested object may be stored in a top shelf position, but a particular bin or drawer mounted on the shelf may be accessed from floor level. In this case, the shelf having the requested object may be rotated while the transport assembly 20 carrying the carousel system moves to the requested position for picking the requested object. In this embodiment, the carousel system includes a receiver, controller, and circuitry for receiving rotation commands.

[0074] FIG. 10 shows a communication configuration between the autonomous rolling device 40 of the transport assembly 20 described above and a central control unit 50 included in the puzzle-type storage system 10.

[0075] In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 50 controls the movement of the transport assembly 20 by sending control signals to each rolling device 40. Each rolling device 40 is equipped with power means, drive means, communication means, and sensors, and is autonomously operated and controlled by the central control unit 50, making it possible to control the movement of each rolling device 40. The rolling devices 40 can rotate 360 ​​degrees around their own axes and can be driven in any direction. Furthermore, input from sensors and machine learning algorithms can be used to sense the environment.

[0076] FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment in which communication is performed between the central control unit 50 and only one of the autonomous rolling devices 40 of the transport assembly 20 .

[0077] In this embodiment, a particular autonomous rolling device 40 is a master device that controls the movement of other rolling devices 40 connected to the transport assembly 20 to be moved. At this time, the other rolling devices 40 act as slave devices and respond to commands from the master device. The master device then sets a particular movement pattern for the slave devices according to the control signals received from the central control server 50, and sends control signals to the slave devices included in the same transport assembly 20 to instruct them to follow the movement of the master device. This configuration significantly reduces signal activity between the rolling devices 40 and the central control unit 50.

[0078] Controlling the movement of each rolling device 40 can be done via a cloud computing system that can coordinate multiple rolling devices 40 included in the transport assembly 20. A suitable algorithm can be used to rearrange the transport assemblies of the puzzle-type storage system within the operating floor area. The coordination of the transport assemblies 20 can be performed by any suitable algorithm, for example, by using swarm intelligence, where all the transport assemblies 20 are treated as a system having a collective behavior with the environment, and the interaction between the rolling devices 40 connected to the same carrier 30 of the transport assembly 20 is coordinated and controlled.

[0079] An example of an autonomous rolling device 40 with drive and communication means and power supply means is described in the applicant's US Pat. No. 6,399,433, which is incorporated herein by reference. Each rolling device 40 comprises a rolling element 60, for example a wheel, which is located at an end of the housing of the rolling device 40, typically at the lower end of the housing, when in an installed position connected to the carrier 30 to be moved.

[0080] The central control unit 50 comprises a computer program product and communication means and controls the movement of each rolling device 40 according to the position information of each carrier 30 stored in a database 70 connected to the central control unit 50 and the control commands sent to the rolling devices 40 to position and reposition each carrier assembly 20 of the set of carrier assemblies 20 in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration. The central control unit 50 is further connected to a control device 80.

[0081] Various devices for controlling the rolling elements 60 may be disposed within the housing of the rolling device 40, including a wireless receiver and control electronics. The wireless receiver and the control electronics are in signal communication with each other, with the receiver configured to receive wireless control signals from the central control unit 50.

[0082] Before a transport assembly 20 can be moved in the two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, its current position must be known, which may be its position relative to other transport assemblies 20 in the puzzle-type configuration, or its position relative to the floor area in which it is operating.

[0083] There are various ways to detect and obtain the location of the rolling devices 40 and therefore the transport assembly 20 to which they are connected. One method is to use internal means, such as a motion detection sensor, installed on the rolling device 40. Another method is to use external means, such as a camera 95, or Lidar to measure the distance of the rolling device 40 from a reference point. Another example is to use an RFID chip connected to the rolling device 40 or the transport assembly 20. Yet another method is to use an ultrasonic or Bluetooth transmitter connected to the rolling device 40 to determine the location of the rolling device 40. The exact location can then be determined by triangulation.

[0084] Internal sensors and position detection devices keep track of the position of the rolling device 40 within the area in which it is moving. Wheel encoders and inertial measurement units (IMUs) can be used as motion detection sensors, and odometry can be used to determine the current position based on the generated data from the sensors.

[0085] The wheel encoders are used to detect the rotation of the rolling elements 60, allowing estimation of the distance traveled from the starting position. The IMU is used to estimate the orientation and therefore the direction / angle of the rolling device elements.

[0086] Odometry is used to estimate the change in position over time based on data generated from the wheel encoders and IMU sensors. In this way, the current position of the rolling device 40 relative to a starting point can be estimated. The current position of the rolling device can be calculated using a predefined position, direction, and distance traveled. This is known as dead reckoning.

[0087] A more accurate method for determining the position of the rolling device 40 is achieved by combining the above internal methods with external methods to determine the position. Combining data from various navigation systems with different physical principles can increase the accuracy and robustness of the overall solution. Combining physical and mathematical methods can reduce problems with noise and drift. For example, inertial measurement units (IMU and wheel IMU) can be combined with simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) with a monocular camera.

[0088] To determine the distance between the rolling devices 40 of different transport assemblies 20, an ultra-wideband (UWB) chip integrated into each rolling device 40 can be used. UWB is a very low energy required wireless technology that is typically used for short distance communication. Signals from the rolling devices 40 can be detected, for example, when they are 12 cm away from each other. The sensitivity of the detection can be set, and therefore the exact distance between the rolling devices upon detection.

[0089] Combining sensor data derived from separate sources is known as sensor fusion, and the resulting data has less uncertainty than is possible when each source is used individually.

[0090] Since not all sensors are the same and will further generate some noise, the noise and variance can be modeled and the noise can be compounded into a Kalman filter to reduce the noise and improve the accuracy of the odometry. In the first step, the camera odometry and the relative angle, i.e., the running direction of the rolling device 40, are derived from the IMU and fused through the Kalman filter to get the best angle. At the same time, the wheel encoder is fused along with the wheel rotation provided by the wheel IMU to drive the best translation distance. In the second step, the output from the two methods is fused to get the final filtered overall odometry, resulting in a more accurate determination of the position of the rolling device 40.

[0091] The database 70 connected to the central control server 50 may be a local database 70 located at the central control server 50 or a remotely located database 70 connected to the central control server 50 via the Internet, i.e., a cloud computing system. The database stores location information of each transport assembly 20 included in the storage system as well as the identity of the connected storage device 15. This information is accessed by the control server 50.

[0092] As an example, in a storage system with a total of 15 transport assemblies 20 arranged in a 4×4 puzzle-type configuration, each position occupied by a transport assembly 20 within the 4×4 floor area is given an x,y coordinate, i.e. 1.1, 1.2, ..., 4.3, 4.4. Each transport assembly 20 is given a unique identity and location. This identity and location information is stored in a database 70 and used to reposition the transport assemblies 20 according to movement instructions sent from a central controller 50 to the rolling device 40. The instructions may be in the form of a sequence indicating the order and in which direction the different transport assemblies should move. This sequence depends on the current location of the requested storage device 15 and its transport assembly 20 as well as the set delivery points. The request is typically initiated by an operator via a controller 80 in communication with the controller 50.

[0093] Commands sent from the central control unit 50 to the rolling devices 40 may be controlled from a controller 80, such as a PC or tablet, in communication with the central controller 50, as previously described.

[0094] The controller 80 runs software to keep track of the various storage devices 15 and input commands can control which storage devices 15 are accessed at the distribution point, for example by requesting access to a particular storage device 15. More complex systems keep track of the items stored in each storage device 15 and allow a user to search and select an item for retrieval. This requires that items stored in a storage device 15 be linked to the storage device 15 and / or its transport assembly 20 and this information be entered into a database.

[0095] When a particular storage device 15 and stored items are requested, for example by selection from a menu or from a visual representation on the control device 80, all of the transport assemblies 20 reposition themselves until the requested storage device 15 is available at a designated delivery point, for example an opening in a wall of a room adjacent to the room in which the storage system 10 is installed.

[0096] Determining the current position of the rolling device 40, and therefore the x,y position of the transport assembly 20, is important for seamless relocation of the position of the transport assembly 20.

[0097] As mentioned above, there are various ways to determine the position of the rolling devices 40. One way is, for example, to use a camera 95 mounted above the storage system 10 shown in Figure 1. In this case, the movement and position of each transport assembly 20 can be recorded and x,y position information can be estimated by video tracking software running in the central control unit 50.

[0098] As mentioned above, another way of determining the location information of the transport assembly 20 is to have internal means within the rolling device 40 determine its location and transmit it along with its unique identification to the central control server 50. In this case, the identity of the rolling device 40 connected to each identified transport assembly 20 is registered in the database 70. From the location information transmitted from the rolling device 40, the central control unit 50 can calculate the x,y position.

[0099] As mentioned above, the central control unit 50 of the storage system 10 operates a computer program product which, when executed, controls the movement of the autonomously operating rolling device 40 connected to the carrier 30. The movement is controlled according to updated position information of the rolling device 40 as well as input commands received from a control device 80, for example a tablet.

[0100] The configuration of the storage system can be set and monitored from the controller 80. When the system is set up, the number of transport assemblies 20 in operation as well as the configuration of the storage system 10, e.g., the layout of the set of transport assemblies 20 in a square or rectangular formation, are registered.

[0101] Monitoring of the puzzle-type storage system during operation includes detection and warning of a faulty rolling device 40 or a low battery indication. A low battery warning may indicate that a particular battery, i.e., rolling device 40, must be replaced, or that the battery is not fully charged. This may be because there are not enough charging means 35 provided for the transport assembly, or the puzzle-type storage system has been active for a long time and the rolling device 40 has not been stationary in the charging zone for a sufficient time, etc.

[0102] The rechargeable power supply of the rolling device 30 may be charged by a power track installed on the floor on which the rolling device 40 is operating, as already described, or wirelessly, for example by electromagnetic induction means. When the rolling device 40 is placed on the power track or electromagnetic induction means, continuous charging of the battery is provided.

[0103] The high-capacity capacitor can act as a rechargeable power source for the autonomous rolling device 40. This solution buffers the power and ensures that the drive and communication means are provided with a continuous power supply for a period of time sufficient to move the autonomous rolling device 40 from one charging zone to another. A combination of a battery and a high-capacity capacitor is also possible.

[0104] The battery of the autonomously operating rolling device 40 may also be charged by moving the transport assembly 20 away from the puzzle-type configuration to interact with a nearby charging station upon detection. Near field communication (NFC) may be used as a detection means. This may be achieved by an NFC tape attached to the autonomous rolling device 40. When the charging station detects the NFC tape, it is activated and provides power to charge the autonomous rolling device 40.

[0105] Configuration of the puzzle-type storage system 10 described herein can be done via the controller 80. For example, if fifteen transport assemblies 20 with corresponding storage devices 15 are used in a 4×4 puzzle-type storage system, each transport assembly 20 and its initial x, y position are registered in the database 70. Pre-configured configurations can be selected via a screen on the controller, or a particular configuration can be drawn on the screen by dragging and dropping the transport assembly symbols to particular positions.

[0106] The registration step includes registering the IDs of the transport assemblies 20 and the IDs of the corresponding storage devices 15, as well as the IDs of the autonomous rolling devices 40 connected to each transport assembly 20. If these parameters are registered, the puzzle-type storage system is ready for operation.

[0107] An object stored in storage device 15 can be registered and linked via controller 80 to the storage device 15 in which it is stored.

[0108] When a particular object is to be retrieved from the puzzle-type storage system, the object can be selected via the control device 80. The system will know which storage device the item is stored in, the corresponding transport assembly carrying that storage device, and which autonomous rolling device 40 to send commands to. The corresponding storage container and transport assembly 20 with the requested object stored in it is retrieved from the database and requested to move to a particular x,y location in the puzzle-type storage system 10. For example, if the requested transport assembly is currently located at x,y location 3,3 in a 4×4 setup and the object is to be picked at x,y location 1,1, the transport assembly 20 will be shuffled and rearranged according to the control algorithm until the requested storage device 15 arrives at location 1,1 where the requested object can be picked by hand or by the picking system 90.

[0109] The storage system 10 described herein is suitable for use in smaller facilities, such as small storage rooms, garages, inside trucks, etc. Its relatively simple construction makes it cost effective compared to similar prior art systems. Additionally, it is easy to replace individual rolling devices 40 as needed. The storage system 10 can be easily moved to a different location or reconfigured by adding or removing transport assemblies 20. Storage devices of various types and heights can be mounted on the transport assemblies 20, and the storage devices 15 can be easily changed and reconfigured depending on the requirements and physical constraints of the room in which they are operated.

Claims

1. A puzzle-type storage system (10) operated on a floor area, the puzzle-type storage system (10) including a set (25) of individual transport assemblies (20) arranged together in a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration that occupies minimal floor space, Each transport assembly (20) includes a rolling structure connected to a carrier (30) for moving said transport assembly (20) over said floor area, each transport assembly (20) carrying and transporting a storage device (15); The rolling structure connected to each carrier (30) comprises at least four replaceable autonomous rolling devices (40), each of which comprises a rolling element (60), a drive means, a sensor, a control unit, a communication means and a rechargeable power source; A charging means is provided in the floor area where the puzzle-type storage system (10) is in operation to supply power to the rechargeable power source; A puzzle-type storage system (10), wherein the position of each transport assembly (20) within the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system (10) is operating is controlled by a central control unit (50) equipped with transmitting and receiving means, the central control unit being wirelessly connected to at least one of the interchangeable autonomous rolling devices (40) of each transport assembly (20).

2. 2. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 1, further comprising an interface element (45) mounted on each carrier (30), the interface element (45) adapted to receive and connect each rolling device (40) to the carrier (30).

3. 3. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage device (15) is one or more bins, a shelving system, or a combination thereof.

4. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 3, wherein the storage device (15) is a rotating shelf system.

5. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the carrier (30) is provided with connection means (55a, 55b, 55c) for fixing the storage device (15) to the carrier (30).

6. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a control device (80) connected to the central control unit (50).

7. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one of the autonomous rolling devices (40) connected to the carrier (30) acts as a master device and is wirelessly connected to other autonomous rolling devices (40) connected to the same carrier (30).

8. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the charging means is a charging track (34) arranged on the floor in an area corresponding to the installation area of ​​the autonomous rolling device (40).

9. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the charging means is an electromagnetic induction charging device arranged in an area corresponding to the installation area of ​​each autonomous rolling device (40) of one or more transport assemblies (20).

10. 10. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic inductive charging device is a charging mat (38) having an electromagnetic inductive charging zone that is individually controllable for each autonomous rolling device (40) of one or more transport assemblies (20).

11. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 10, wherein each inductive charging zone includes an NFC device.

12. The puzzle type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising an automated picking system (90) for picking an item from a requested storage device (15).

13. 13. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 12, wherein the automated picking system (90) is located within the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system (10) is operating.

14. 13. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 12, wherein the automated picking system (90) is located outside of the floor area in which the puzzle-type storage system (10) operates.

15. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 13 or 14, wherein the automated picking system (90) is disposed on one of the transport assemblies (20).

16. 16. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 14 or 15, wherein the picking system is movable along a boundary of the puzzle-type storage system (10) and adapted to pick objects from the storage device (15).

17. The puzzle-type storage system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein one or more cameras (95) are connected to a central controller (50) which determines the position of each transport assembly (20).

18. 18. The puzzle-type storage system (10) of claim 17, wherein the one or more cameras (95) are connected to the ceiling and pointed at the storage device (15) to detect an identification given to the storage device (15).

19. 1. A method of providing a puzzle-type storage system (10) that is operated on a floor area by providing a set (25) of transport assemblies (20) and arranging said transport assemblies (20) together in a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration to occupy a minimal amount of floor space, comprising: Each transport assembly (20) is provided by connecting a rolling structure to a carrier (30) of the transport assembly (20) to enable movement of the transport assembly (20) over the floor area, and providing a storage device (15) on each transport assembly (20), the method further comprising: at least four interchangeable autonomous rolling devices (40), each of which provides autonomy to each of the transport assemblies (20) by using the autonomous rolling device (40) as the rolling structure, the autonomous rolling device (40) comprising a rolling element (60), a drive means, a sensor, a control unit, a communication means and a rechargeable power source; providing a charging means on the floor area where the puzzle-type storage system (10) is operating to supply charging power to a rechargeable power source; a central control unit (50) comprising a transmitting / receiving means and a computer program product, for controlling the movement of each of the transport assemblies (20) by sending control commands to at least one of the interchangeable autonomous rolling devices (40) according to received input instructions; The method includes positioning and repositioning each transport assembly (20) in a set (25) of transport assemblies (20) based on position information of each transport body (30) stored in a database (70) connected to the central control unit (50) and control commands sent to the rolling device (40).

20. A computer program product which, when executed on a central control unit (50), controls movement of autonomously operating rolling devices (40) connected to carriers (30) and which together constitute transport assemblies (20) of a puzzle-type storage system (10), said transport assemblies (20) being arranged as a set (25) of transport assemblies (20) in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration; A computer program product, wherein the movement of the rolling device (40) is controlled by the computer program based on position information stored in a database (70) and input commands received from a control device (80).

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