Autonomous transport vehicle and method for evaluating its soundness

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport vehicle comprising: a frame forming a transport payload region of the autonomous transport vehicle, the payload region including a payload contact support surface defining a payload support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle that supports a payload held in the transport payload region when the vehicle is passing; a payload handling system connected to the frame, the payload handling system comprising: a payload transport unit that engages with a payload and is arranged to transport the payload in at least one direction relative to the frame; and a drive section having at least one degree of freedom that drives the payload transport unit in at least one direction; and a controller operably connected to the drive section, the controller configured to register predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section that brings about a predetermined operation that defines a predetermined common operation manifold of the payload.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application is a non - provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 381,443, filed on October 28, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and for which priority is claimed.

[0002] [Technical Field] The disclosed embodiments generally relate to material handling systems, and more specifically to conveying devices for automated storage and retrieval systems.

Background Art

[0003] Unexpected downtime due to component failures in mechatronics devices such as storage and retrieval systems is a common problem that often imposes a significant cost burden on end - users of mechatronics devices.

[0004] Numerous health assessment methods have been developed for industrial, automotive, and aerospace applications. Existing systems typically implement fault detection to suggest that there is a problem with the monitored system, fault isolation to determine the exact location of the fault, i.e., the component that is malfunctioning, and fault identification to determine the magnitude of the fault. The isolation task and the identification task are often collectively referred to as fault diagnosis. Many of the existing systems implement only the fault detection and fault isolation stages.

[0005] While such fault diagnosis schemes are useful for fault detection, fault isolation, and adaptive recovery, they still fail to operate devices, tools, or other automated equipment in a substantially responsive manner with limited or virtually no predictive range. Predictive methods are known that attempt to increase the predictive range for fault diagnosis systems, such as mathematical modeling of automated equipment, where sensor measurements of variables in a mechatronic device are compared to analytically calculated values ​​of each variable (e.g., generated from a Newtonian dynamics model of the automated equipment, or a neural network dynamics model in a measurement space that is generally created without considering specific knowledge or operation of the mechatronic device, such as whether the mechatronic device is manipulating an object or whether the load is fluctuating), where the mathematical model represents nominal conditions. Generally, the sensor measurements used to generate dynamic models include a large amount of labeled data from mechatronic devices operating in a known (i.e., healthy) state.

[0006] Having a health assessment and fault diagnosis scheme that is independent of the manipulation or mounting of objects on mechatronic devices, and which is triggered by objects manipulated by mechatronic devices, would be advantageous. It would also be advantageous in reducing the amount of data required to determine the boundaries of normal mechatronic device operation for fault modeling purposes. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0007] The aforementioned aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are described in the following description made in relation to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an exemplary automated storage and retrieval system incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 1A] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical controller for the automated storage and retrieval system. [Figure 2A] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous transport vehicle for the automated storage and retrieval system incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 2B] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous transport vehicle for the automated storage and retrieval system incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 2C] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous transport vehicle for the automated storage and retrieval system incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 3A] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the autonomous transport vehicle shown in Figures 2A to 2C, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 3B] This is a plan view of a part of the autonomous transport vehicle shown in Figure 2A, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 3C] Figures 3A and 3B are plan views of a portion of the autonomous guidance vehicle shown in the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 4A] Figures 2A-2C show schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly of the autonomous transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 4B] Figures 2A-2C show schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly of the autonomous transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 5A] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 5B] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 5C] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6A] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6B] These are schematic perspective views of a portion of the case handling assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6C] A schematic perspective view of a part of the case handling assembly of FIGS. 4A and 4B according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 7] An exemplary diagram of a predetermined common operation manifold for a predetermined operation of the autonomous transport vehicle of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram of exemplary base state performance data for a predetermined operation of the autonomous transport vehicle of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 9] An exemplary diagram of data points embedded on the surface of a predetermined common operation manifold according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 10] An exemplary representative Gaussian distribution of the data points of FIG. 9 according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 11] A schematic diagram of exemplary operation performance data for a predetermined operation of the autonomous transport vehicle of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 12] An exemplary diagram of the transition of the operation predetermined characteristics of the operation performance data with respect to the base predetermined characteristics of the base state performance data regarding anomaly detection and determination of remaining useful life according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 13] An exemplary diagram of anomaly determination of a storage and retrieval system according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 14] An exemplary flow diagram for an exemplary method according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary automated storage and retrieval system 100 according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. The aspects of the disclosed embodiment are described with reference to the drawings, but it should be understood that the aspects of the disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. Further, any suitable size, shape, or type of element or material can be used.

[0010] As will be described in more detail herein, aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide a health assessment of the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. For illustrative purposes only, the components of the automated storage and retrieval system are described herein in relation to the autonomous transport vehicle 110 of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, but such components may be any suitable components of the storage and retrieval system described herein. For example, the health assessment of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 is performed by detecting anomalies in the components of the autonomous transport vehicle (e.g., drive sections, transport arms, payload platforms, positioning bars, pushers / pullers, etc., as described herein) while the autonomous transport vehicle 110 is operating in the automated storage and retrieval system 100. As described herein, the autonomous transport vehicle 110 includes one or more linear and rotary mechanisms used to manipulate objects (such as cases) in the automated storage and retrieval system 100. The linear motion and rotary motion mechanisms are driven by controllers 1220 of each autonomous transport vehicle 110, where controller 1220 utilizes a feedback control algorithm to calculate at least the motor current of the motors used to drive the linear motion and / or rotary motion mechanisms with desired force, acceleration, and / or velocity. A feedback control signal (for example, by or generated as a result of the feedback control algorithm) provides operational information about the components controlled by the feedback control algorithm, where this operational information is used by controller 1220 (or other suitable controllers, such as a control server 120 and / or a warehouse management system 2500 communicating with the autonomous transport vehicle 110) for health assessment and diagnosis of the autonomous transport vehicle 110.

[0011] As can be understood, the linear motion mechanism and the rotational motion mechanism of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 are subject to wear as a result of their operations. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments can identify an indicator of this wear (e.g., an abnormality in the operations of the linear motion mechanism and the rotational motion mechanism) and an impending failure (e.g., remaining service life) of the linear motion mechanism and the rotational motion mechanism. As described above, in aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a feedback control signal is used for the soundness evaluation diagnosis of the linear motion mechanism and the rotational motion mechanism. The feedback control algorithm is configured to substantially cancel out variations between mechanical components due to manufacturing differences of the components and / or deterioration and wear characteristics of the mechanical components over time. By identifying the characteristics of the feedback control signal for controlling sound mechanical components, it is possible to determine when the soundness of the mechanical components has deteriorated based on deviations from the identified characteristics.

[0012] It is noted that the feedback control signal for any given operation (e.g., that can be repeated multiple times) of the mechanical components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 can include a control portion where the linear motion mechanism and / or the rotational motion mechanism interface with an object (i.e., the control portion that results in the operation of an object having a known or unknown mass) and a control portion where the linear motion mechanism and the rotational motion mechanism do not interact with an object (i.e., a control portion that results in a desired operation independent of the operation of the object, which can be referred to as a maintenance operation as further defined herein). Aspects of the disclosed embodiments identify the maintenance operation without disturbing the operation of the object, where the maintenance operation is used for the soundness evaluation of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. Further, aspects of the disclosed embodiments can determine an operating abnormality with less data than conventional soundness evaluation methods because they utilize the maintenance operation without the operation of the object.

[0013] While the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described in relation to an autonomous transport vehicle 110 of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, it should be understood that the aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any component of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 capable of determining maintenance operation components. Furthermore, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any suitable mechatronic device having one or more operating axes from which maintenance operations can be determined.

[0014] An automated storage and retrieval system 100, on which an autonomous transport vehicle 110 operates, is illustrated in Figure 1 and may be located in a retail distribution center or warehouse to fulfill orders received from retailers for replenishment shipped in cases, packages, and / or parcels. The terms case, package, and parcel are used interchangeably herein and may refer to any container that may be used for shipping and which may be filled by a manufacturer in the form of a case or multiple product units, as described above. A case (one or more) as used herein means a unit of cases, packages, or parcels that are not stored (e.g., not contained) in a tray, on a tote, etc. It should be noted that a case unit CU (also referred to herein as a mixed case, case, and shipping unit) may include a case of goods / units (e.g., a case of soup cans, a box of cereal, etc.) or individual goods / units adapted to be removed from or placed on a pallet. According to exemplary embodiments, a shipping case or case unit (e.g., a carton, barrel, box, crate, jug, shrink-wrapped tray or group, or any other suitable device for holding a case unit) may have a variable size, be used to hold a case unit during shipping, and may be configured to be palletized for shipping. A case unit may also include totes, boxes, and / or containers of one or more individual goods (generally referred to as break-pack goods) that have been unpacked / released from their original packaging, and may be placed in a tote, box, and / or container (collectively referred to as a tote) together with one or more other individual goods of a mixed or common type at an order filling station. For example, it should be noted that when incoming bundles or pallets (e.g., from a manufacturer or supplier of case units) arrive at the automated storage and retrieval system 100 for replenishment, the contents of each pallet may be uniform (e.g., each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items, i.e., one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds cereal).As can be understood, the cases in such a pallet load may be substantially similar, or in other words, homogeneous cases (e.g., similar dimensions) and may have the same SKU (otherwise, as mentioned above, the pallet may be a “rainbow” pallet with layers formed of homogeneous cases). When the pallet leaves the automated storage and retrieval system, with the cases or totes filled with replenishment orders, the pallet may contain various case units in any appropriate number and combination (for example, each pallet may hold different types of case units, i.e., the pallet may hold combinations of canned soups, cereals, beverage packs, cosmetics, and household detergents). The cases assembled on a single pallet may have different dimensions and / or different SKUs.

[0015] The automated storage and retrieval system 100 can generally be described as a storage and retrieval engine 190 coupled to a palletizer 162. More specifically here, and still referring to Figure 1, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 can be configured, for example, to be installed in an existing warehouse structure or adapted to a new warehouse structure. As previously mentioned, the system 100 shown in Figure 1 is representative and may include, for example, infeed and outfeed conveyors terminating at their respective transfer stations 170, 160, (one or more) lift modules 150A, 150B, storage structures 130, and several autonomous transport vehicles 110 (also referred to herein as “bots”). It should be noted that the storage and retrieval engine 190 is formed by at least the storage structure 130 and the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (and in some embodiments also by lift modules 150A, 150B, but in other embodiments the lift modules 150A, 150B may form a vertical sequencer in addition to the storage and retrieval engine 190, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 091,265, filed November 6, 2020, titled “Pallet Building System with Flexible Sequencing,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). In alternative embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system may include a robot or a transport station for the autonomous transport vehicle (not shown) that can provide an interface between the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and (one or more) lift modules 150A, 150B. The storage structure 130 may include multiple (stacked) levels 130L1 to Ln of storage rack modules (see Figures 1 and 16, generally referred to as storage level 130 or storage level 130, where n is an integer indicating the upper number of storage levels present in the automated storage and retrieval system 100), where each level 130L includes its respective picking aisle 130A and a transport deck 130B for transporting case units between any of the storage areas of the storage structure 130 and the shelves of (one or more) lift modules 150A, 150B.In one embodiment, the picking passage 130A is configured to allow the guided movement of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (such as along the rail 1600 - see Figure 1), while in other embodiments, the picking passage is configured to allow the unrestricted movement of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (for example, the picking passage is open and non-deterministic to the guidance / movement of the autonomous transport vehicle 110). The transport deck 130B has an open, non-deterministic autonomous transport vehicle support / movement surface VRS along which the autonomous transport vehicle 110 moves under guidance and control provided by steering suitable for the autonomous transport vehicle (such as by drive wheels 261W or by differential torque applied by steerable wheels). In one or more embodiments, the transport deck 130B has multiple lanes between which the autonomous transport vehicle 110 moves freely to access the picking passage 130A and / or lift modules 150A, 150B. The picking aisle 130A and transport deck 130B also enable the autonomous transport vehicle 110 to place case units CU into the picking stock and retrieve ordered case units CU. In an alternative embodiment, each level 130L may include a transport station 140 for each autonomous transport vehicle. The autonomous transport vehicle 110 may be configured to place the case units, such as the retail goods, into the picking stock at one or more levels 130L of the storage structure 130, and then selectively retrieve ordered case units to ship the ordered case units, for example, to a store or other suitable location.

[0016] The infeed transfer station 170 and the outfeed transfer station 160 may operate in conjunction with (one or more) respective lift modules 150A, 150B to transfer case units CU bidirectionally to and from one or more levels 130L of the storage structure 130. While the lift modules 150A, 150B may be described as dedicated inbound lift module 150A and outbound lift module 150B, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, each of the lift modules 150A, 150B may be used for both inbound and outbound transfers of case units from the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Although the embodiments of the disclosed models are described in relation to multi-level storage arrays, it should be noted that the embodiments of the disclosed models may equally apply to single-level storage arrays located on or above the equipment floor.

[0017] To be understood, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 may include, for example, a plurality of infeed and outfeed lift modules 150A, 150B accessible by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, so that one or more case units that are not included (e.g., one or more case units not held in a tray) or one or more case units that are included (in a tray or tote) can be transported from lift modules 150A, 150B on each level 130L (see Figure 1) to each storage space 130S, and from each storage space on each level 130L to any one of the lift modules 150A, 150B. The autonomous transport vehicle 110 may be configured to transport case units between the storage space 130S (e.g., located along the picking aisle 130A or other suitable storage space / case unit buffer arranged along the transport deck 130B) and the lift modules 150A, 150B. Generally, the lift modules 150A, 150B include infeed and outfeed transfer stations 160, 170 and at least one movable payload support capable of moving (one or more) case units between each level 130L of the storage space 130S where (one or more) case units CU are stored and retrieved. The (one or more) lift modules may have any suitable configuration, such as a reciprocating lift configuration, or any other suitable configuration. The (one or more) lift modules 150A, 150B may include any suitable controller (such as controller 120, or other suitable controllers connected to controller 120, warehouse management system 2500, and / or palletizer controllers 164, 164') and may form a sequencer or classifier in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 444,592, filed June 18, 2019, titled "Vertical Sequencer for Product Order Fulfillment" (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0018] The automated storage and retrieval system 100 may include a control system comprising one or more control servers 120 that are communicably connected to, for example, infeed and outfeed conveyor and transfer stations 170, 160, lift modules 150A, 150B, and autonomous transport vehicles 110 via a suitable communication and control network 180. The communication and control network 180 may have any suitable architecture, which may incorporate various programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for, for example, commanding the automated operation of the infeed and outfeed conveyor and transfer stations 170, 160, lift modules 150A, 150B, and other suitable systems. The control servers 120 may include high-level programming to enable a case management system (CMS) 120 that manages the case flow system. The network 180 may further include suitable communication to provide a bidirectional interface with the autonomous transport vehicles 110. For example, the autonomous transport vehicles 110 may include an onboard processor / controller 1220. Network 180 may include a suitable bidirectional communication suite that enables the controller 1220 of the autonomous transport vehicle to request or receive commands from the control server 120 to bring about the desired transport of the case unit (e.g., placement to or retrieval from storage location) and to transmit desired autonomous transport vehicle 110 information and data, including the ephemeris, status, and other desired data of the autonomous transport vehicle 110, to the control server 120. As seen in Figure 1, the control server 120 may be further connected to a warehouse management system 2500 for providing, for example, inventory management and customer order fulfillment information to a CMS 120 level program. A suitable example of an automated storage and retrieval system arranged for holding and storing the case unit is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,096,375, issued August 4, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0019] Referring to Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, the autonomous transport vehicle or bot 110 may have any suitable configuration, examples of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,944, filed May 25, 2022, titled “Autonomous Transport Vehicle”; U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,948, filed May 25, 2022, titled “Autonomous Transport Vehicle with Synergistic Vehicle Dynamic Response”; U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,838, filed May 24, 2022, titled “Autonomous Transport Vehicle with Steering”; and “Automated Bot with Transfer” published July 26, 2012. The specification, titled "Arm," is a U.S. patent pre-grant publication number 2012 / 0189416 (U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326, filed on December 15, 2011).U.S. Patent No. 7,591,630, issued on September 22, 2009, titled "Materials-Handling System Using Autonomous Transfer and Transport Vehicles" (No. 952); U.S. Patent No. 7,991,505, issued on August 2, 2011, titled "Materials-Handling System Using Autonomous Transfer and Transport Vehicles"; U.S. Patent No. 9,561,905, issued on February 7, 2017, titled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle"; U.S. Patent No. 9,082,112, issued on July 14, 2015, titled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle Charging System"; U.S. Patent No. 9,850,079, issued on December 26, 2017, titled "Storage and Retrieval System Transport Vehicle" (Bot Payload Alignment and This is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,187,244, issued November 17, 2015, titled "Sensing"; U.S. Patent No. 9,499,338, issued November 22, 2016, titled "Automated Bot Transfer Arm Drive System"; U.S. Patent No. 8,965,619, issued February 24, 2015, titled "Bot Having High Speed ​​Stability"; U.S. Patent No. 9,008,884, issued April 14, 2015, titled "Bot Position Sensing"; U.S. Patent No. 8,425,173, issued April 23, 2013, titled "Autonomous Transports for Storage and Retrieval Systems"; and U.S. Patent No. 8,696,010, issued April 15, 2014, titled "Suspension System for Autonomous Transports".

[0020] The autonomous transport vehicle 110 includes a frame 200F having a front end 200E1 and a back end 200E2 that define the longitudinal axis LAX of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. The frame 200 includes a case handling assembly (also called a payload handling system) 210 configured to handle cases / payloads transported by the autonomous transport vehicle 110. The frame 200F of the case handling assembly 210 forms a transport payload area (also called a payload platform or payload area) 210B. As described herein, the payload platform 210B includes any suitable payload contact support surface 610 that defines a payload support surface 610P (see Figures 3B and 3C) of the vehicle 110 that supports a payload (e.g., a case unit CU) held in the payload bay 210B when the vehicle passes over it (for example, illustrated for illustrative purposes as being formed by a projection 620 of a positioning tray 600).

[0021] The autonomous transport vehicle also includes an optional suitable transport arm 210A (also called the payload transport arm) driven by the drive section of the payload handling system 210 (see Figure 2B), the drive section having at least one degree of freedom (see motors 226, 275, 390, 776) for driving the transport arm 210A in at least one direction. The transport arm 210A is configured to engage with the payload against the payload support surface 610P (see Figures 3B and 3C) to pick it up, extend and retract toward the payload bay 210B, and bring about the transfer of the payload to and from the payload bay 210B, thereby unloading and loading into the payload bay 210B. The transport arm 210A is configured to transfer the payload between the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and a payload holding position (such as any suitable payload storage position, the shelves of the lift modules 150A, 150B, and / or any other suitable payload holding position). The transfer arm 210A may be configured to extend laterally (LAT) and / or vertically (VER) to transport a payload to and from the case handling assembly 210. In embodiments illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, the case handling assembly 210 includes at least one lift tower 211, 212 configured to move the transfer arm 210A and / or payload platform 210B vertically (VER), but in other embodiments, the case handling assembly 210 may not have at least one lift tower 211, 212. Examples of suitable payload platforms 210B and transfer arm 210A and / or autonomous transport vehicles to which embodiments of the disclosed embodiments may be applied are referenced in the pre-grant publication number 2012 / 0189416 of the U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326, filed on December 15, 2011, entitled "Automated Bot with Transfer Arm," published on 26 July 2012, the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.U.S. Patent No. 7,591,630, issued on September 22, 2009, titled "Materials-Handling System Using Autonomous Transfer and Transport Vehicles" (No. 952); U.S. Patent No. 7,991,505, issued on August 2, 2011, titled "Materials-Handling System Using Autonomous Transfer and Transport Vehicles"; U.S. Patent No. 9,561,905, issued on February 7, 2017, titled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle"; U.S. Patent No. 9,082,112, issued on July 14, 2015, titled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle Charging System"; U.S. Patent No. 9,850,079, issued on December 26, 2017, titled "Storage and Retrieval System Transport Vehicle" (Bot Payload Alignment and This can be seen in U.S. Patent No. 9,187,244, issued November 17, 2015, titled "Sensing"; U.S. Patent No. 9,499,338, issued November 22, 2016, titled "Automated Bot Transfer Arm Drive System"; U.S. Patent No. 8,965,619, issued February 24, 2015, titled "Bot Having High Speed ​​Stability"; U.S. Patent No. 9,008,884, issued April 14, 2015, titled "Bot Position Sensing"; U.S. Patent No. 8,425,173, issued April 23, 2013, titled "Autonomous Transports for Storage and Retrieval Systems"; and U.S. Patent No. 8,696,010, issued April 15, 2014, titled "Suspension System for Autonomous Transports".

[0022] The frame 200 includes one or more suitable idler wheels 250 positioned adjacent to the front end 200E1. The idler wheels 250 may be substantially similar to those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,948, filed May 25, 2022, entitled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle with Synergistic Vehicle Dynamic Response," and U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,838, filed May 24, 2022, entitled "Autonomous Transport Vehicle with Steering," which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The frame also includes one or more drive wheels 260 positioned adjacent to the rear end 200E2. The drive wheels 260 may be substantially similar to those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,948, filed May 25, 2022, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In other embodiments, the positions of the idler wheel 250 and the drive wheel 260 may be reversed (for example, the drive wheel 260 is located at the front end 200E1 and the idler wheel 250 is located at the rear end 200E2).

[0023] Each drive wheel 260 is provided with a drive unit 261 that is independently connected to the frame 200 in any suitable way, such as by a suspension system 280, so that each drive wheel 260 is movable independently of the frame, and any other drive wheels 260 (one or more) are also connected to the frame in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,948, filed May 25, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It should be noted that each drive unit 261 is provided with any suitable drive motor 261M and wheel 261W. The drive motor 261M is connected to the wheel 261W and rotates it to propel the autonomous transport vehicle 110 in the direction of movement. Here, the motors 261M of two drive wheels 260A, 260B may be operated simultaneously at substantially the same rotational speed to propel the autonomous transport vehicle 110 along a substantially linear path of movement. In other embodiments, the motors 261M of the two drive wheels 260A, 260B may be operated simultaneously (or at different times) at different rotational speeds to propel the autonomous transport vehicle 110 along a curved path of movement or to pivot the autonomous transport vehicle in direction 294 around a vehicle pivot axis 293. The vehicle pivot axis 293 may be located approximately midway between the two drive wheels 260A, 260B. The differential operation of the motors 261M of each drive wheel 260A, 260B resulting in the changes in direction and / or pivoting of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 as described above is referred to herein as differential drive wheel steering.

[0024] Still referring to Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, the payload platform 210B is movably connected to at least one lift tower 211, 212 for vertical movement VER, and the transport arm 210A is movably connected to the payload platform 210B for lateral movement LAT. The payload platform 210B includes a payload platform frame 210BF that forms a payload area where case units carried by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 are placed for transport throughout the automated storage and retrieval system 100. The payload platform frame 210BF includes longitudinal ends 210BE1, 210BE2, each connected to one of at least one lift tower 211, 212, where at least one lift tower includes lift tower 211 located at or adjacent to the front end 200E1 of the frame 200 and lift tower 212 located at or adjacent to the back end 200E2 of the frame 200. Here, each lift tower 211, 212 includes a movable carriage or carrier 290 to which one of each of its longitudinal ends 210BE1, 210BE2 is fixed and connected by any suitable method such as mechanical or chemical fasteners (i.e., as the movable carrier 290 moves, the payload platform frame 210BF moves with the movable carrier 290).

[0025] A drive section 390S (which may be part of a drive section 110DS having motion in at least one degree of freedom) is connected to the carrier 290 by an optional suitable transmission 330, where the flexible transmission connects the carrier 290 to at least one lift tower 211, 212 so as to be movable, and the drive section 290S is configured to move the carrier 290 relative to at least one lift tower 211, 212. For example, the carrier 290 moves vertically VER under the driving force of an optional suitable drive motor 390 of the drive section 390S, where, for example, the drive motor 390 is connected to the carrier 290 by the transmission 330. In one embodiment, the drive motor 390 is a rotary motor connected to the carrier 290 via a flexible transmission 330 (e.g., a belt, chain, and / or cable), while in other embodiments, the drive motor 390 may be a linear motor (e.g., any suitable electric, hydraulic, and / or pneumatic linear actuator) connected to the carrier 290 to move the carrier 290 in direction VER.

[0026] Referring again to Figures 2A and 2B, and Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C, as described above, the payload platform frame 210BF is connected to the lift towers 211 and 212 (for example, via the carrier 290) and extends between the lift towers 211 and 212. In other embodiments, the payload platform frame 210BF is cantilevered from one lift tower or connected to two or more lift towers. A positioning tray 600 is mounted on the payload platform frame 210BF. The positioning tray 600 includes a base 630 and at least one case unit support surface 610 connected to (or integrally formed with) the base 630 in any suitable manner. At least one case unit support surface 610 forms a case unit support surface 610P, along which a case unit CU carried by an autonomous transport vehicle 110 can be moved laterally and / or longitudinally to position / reposition the case unit CU on a payload table 210B, as described herein. In one or more embodiments, the at least one case unit support surface 610 is one or more projections 620 extending from a base 630, where each projection 620 has an arc-shaped surface 621 on which the case unit is supported. In other embodiments, the at least one case unit support surface 610 is one or more laterally extending rollers 620A extending in direction LAT, while in yet another embodiment, the at least one case unit support surface 610 is formed by a plurality of ball bearings 620B forming a ball transfer table, while in yet another embodiment, the at least one case unit support surface 610 may be formed by a combination of projections, rollers, and ball bearings.

[0027] Referring to Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C, the base 630 of the positioning tray 600 is connected to the payload platform frame 210BF in any suitable manner, such as the method described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,944 (which has been incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), so that as the payload platform frame 210BF moves in the VERT direction relative to the frame 200F of the autonomous transport vehicle 110, the positioning tray 600 moves with the payload platform frame 210BF. For example, the payload platform frame 210BF includes guide members 666P (e.g., posts, rods, etc.) that capture and hold the positioning tray to the payload platform frame 210BF, along which the positioning tray slides in the VERT direction. In one or more embodiments, one or more suitable biasing members 666 (e.g., springs, elastic / rubber bushings, etc.) are provided to bias the positioning tray 600 away from the payload base frame 210BF (in direction VERL), while in other embodiments, gravity and / or the biasing members 666 may bias the positioning tray 600 in direction VERL. When the positioning tray 600 is biased away from the payload base frame 210BF (see Figure 3B), the case unit support surface 210AFS of the tine or finger 210AF of the transfer arm 210A (as described herein) is positioned on the payload support surface 610P of the positioning tray 600. When the positioning tray 600 is moved toward the payload base frame 210BF (for example, by contact between the positioning tray 600 and the frame 200F, against the biasing force of (one or more) biasing members 666 and / or against gravity), the case unit support surface 210AFS of the tine or finger 210AF of the transfer arm 210A is positioned below the payload support surface 610P so that the case unit CU is transferred from the case unit support surface 210AFS of the finger 210AF to the (one or more) support surfaces 610 of the positioning tray 600 (see Figure 3C).

[0028] As illustrated in Figures 3A and 3C, at least a portion of the payload platform frame 210BF and at least a portion of the base 630 of the positioning tray 600 are shaped and sized to fit within the frame 200F of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and to be recessed therein. The positioning tray 600 is configured such that a projection 620 (or, in the case of rollers 620A and ball bearings 620B, any suitable tab or portion of the base 630) extends onto the frame 200F (in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6A, the projection extends in the lateral direction LAT, but in other embodiments, any suitable tab may extend in the longitudinal direction LON and / or lateral direction LAT), so that when a portion of the payload platform frame 210BF is lowered / recessed into the opening 670 of the frame 200F (for example by lift towers 211, 212) in direction VERL, the projection 620 contacts the frame 200F (or any other suitable rigid stop surface of the autonomous transport vehicle 110), seating the positioning tray 600 on the frame 200F (or any other suitable rigid stop surface of the autonomous transport vehicle 110) and moving toward the payload platform frame 210BF. As the payload platform frame 210BF continues to move in direction VERL (and the frame 200F stops the movement of the positioning tray 600 in direction VERL), the payload support surface 610P is positioned above the case unit support surface 210AFS of the tine or finger 210AF to transfer the case unit CU from the finger 210AF to the positioning tray 600 (for example, the support of the case unit is transferred from the transfer arm 210A to the positioning tray 600 for positioning / repositioning in directions LON, LAT). Any suitable elastic material (e.g., rubber (or other elastomer / elastic material) bushings, pads, etc.) may be placed between the positioning tray 600 and the frame 200F to substantially dampen vibrations from the frame 200F to the positioning tray 600 and vice versa.

[0029] Once the case unit is positioned / repositioned, the lift towers 211, 212 move the payload platform 210B in direction VERU so that the biasing member 666 and / or gravity bias the positioning tray 600 away from the payload platform frame 210BF (for example, in direction VERL). The continued movement of the payload platform 210B in direction VERU causes the case unit support surface 210AFS of the finger 210AF to move across (for example, onto) the payload support surface 610P of the positioning tray 600 to transfer support of the case unit CU from the positioning tray 600 to the finger 210AF. As can be understood, the case unit CU can be transported by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 while supported on the positioning tray and / or on the finger 210AF.

[0030] Referring to Figures 2A, 2B, 4A, and 4B, as described above, the transport arm 210A is movably connected to the payload platform frame 210BF in any suitable way such that the fingers 210AF of the transport arm 210A are separated from the payload platform frame 210BF by any suitable distance 667 in direction VER (Figure 2B). For example, the transport arm 210A includes an extension shaft 270 connected to the payload platform frame 210BF and configured to result in the movement of the fingers 210AF relative to the payload platform frame 210BF in direction LAT. Here, the extension shaft 270 includes a linear guide rail 271 connected to the payload platform frame 210BF at or adjacent to end 210BE1 of the payload platform frame 210BF, and another linear guide rail 272 connected to the payload platform frame 210BF at or adjacent to end 210BE2 of the payload platform frame 210BF. The finger 210AF is connected to the finger support rail 273 of the transfer arm 210A, where the finger support rail 273 straddles and is movably connected to the linear guide rails 271, 272 for reciprocating motion (e.g., extension and retraction) along the linear guide rails 271, 272 in the direction LAT. The transfer arm 210A includes any suitable motor 275 (e.g., rotary motor, linear motor, etc.) and transmission 276 (e.g., belt, gear, etc.) for driving the finger support rail 273 along the linear guide rails 271, 272, resulting in the reciprocating motion of the finger 210AF in the direction LAT. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the transport arm 210A extends and retracts from one side of the frame 200F of the autonomous transport vehicle 110, but in other embodiments, the transport arm 210A is configured for bidirectional extension (for example, extending and retracting from both sides of the frame 200F of the autonomous transport vehicle 110).

[0031] In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 2A, 2B, 4A, and 4B, there are three fingers 210AF1, 210AF2, and 210AF3 connected to the finger support rail 273 (see Figures 4A and 4B), but in other embodiments, there are more or fewer than three fingers connected to the finger support rail 273. Here, one or more of the fingers 210AF1, 210AF2, and 210AF3 are movably connected to the finger support rail 273 so as to be movable along the finger support rail 273 in direction LON to at least change / alter the pitch or distance between the fingers 210AF1, 210AF2, and 210AF3. In one or more embodiments, one or more of what are called the outer fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 are movable relative to one or more of what are called the inner fingers 210AF2. For example, finger 210AF2 may be stationary and fixed in a predetermined position on a finger support rail, such as on or along the laterally extending centerline 777 of the payload platform 210B (e.g., not moving relative to finger support rail 273), or finger 210AF2 may be driven in direction LON independently of one or more of the outer fingers 210AF1, 210AF3.

[0032] At least fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 are connected to the finger support rail 273 so as to move toward each other and toward finger 210AF2 in direction LON, but in other embodiments, each of finders 210AF1, 210AF2, 210AF3 is connected to the finger support rail 273 so as to move toward each other. The finger support rail 273 includes any suitable number of linear actuators 776 to bring about the movement of fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 or fingers 210AF1, 210AF2, 210AF3 toward direction LON. Fingers 210AF1, 210AF2, 210AF3 may be movable toward direction LON independently of each other, or as a single unit. The linear actuator is any suitable actuator, which may include, but is not limited to, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a ball screw drive, a feed screw drive, a rack and pinion drive, a rotary arm linkage drive, a belt drive, a chain drive, or any other suitable drive configured to bring about the linear movement of a finger along a finger support rail to a directional LON.

[0033] In one or more embodiments, each finger 210AF1, 210AF3 has its own linear actuator 776 such that the fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 move independently of each other in direction LON, while in other embodiments, there is a single linear actuator 776 common to each finger 210AF1, 210AF3 such that a single actuator 776 moves each of the fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 in direction LON in a fixed relationship. As an example, the linear actuator 776 is common to both fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 and includes a stepper motor 776M (or other suitable motor) and a lead screw 776S having a right-hand lead screw section 776R and a left-hand lead screw section 776L, where the lead screw 776S is connected to the stepper motor. One of the fingers 210AF1, 210AF3 is connected to the right-hand lead screw section 776R, and the other of the fingers 210AF1, AF3 is connected to the left-hand lead screw section 776L, so that when the stepper motor rotates both the left-hand and right-hand lead screw sections 776L, 776R simultaneously in a first rotational direction, the fingers 210AF1, 210AF2 move away from each other and away from finger 210AF2, increasing the distance between the fingers 760A, 760B to any appropriate increasing distance 760A', 760B'. When the stepper motor 776M rotates both the left-hand and right-hand lead screw sections 776L and 776R simultaneously in a second rotational direction (opposite to the first rotational direction), the fingers 210AF1 and 210AF2 move toward each other and toward finger 210AF2, reducing the distance between the fingers 760A', 760B' to the distance 760A, 760B. The distances 460A, 760B, 760A', 760B' correspond to the size of the case unit being picked / transported, the spacing between the protrusions 620 of the positioning tray 600 (Figures 7A and 7B), and / or the spacing between the slats of the case unit support in the case unit holding position.

[0034] Referring to Figures 2A, 2B, 4A, and 4B, in one or more embodiments, the case handling assembly 210 includes case unit positioning. Here, at least one positioning bar 222, 223 is movable to the payload platform frame 210B in any suitable manner so as to move in direction LON to position the case unit CU in a predetermined position within the payload platform 210B relative to the longitudinal axis LAX of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. In the illustrated example, there are two positioning bars 222, 223, both of which move in direction LON so as to move at least toward and away from each other, but in other embodiments, one of the positioning bars 222, 223 is stationary and fixed in direction LON, while the other positioning bar 222, 223 moves toward and away from the other positioning bar 222, 223 in direction LON. As described herein, the positioning bars 222, 223 may be driven independently. By independently driving each positioning bar 222, 223, the case unit can be positioned at any position within the payload bay 210B. The case unit CU can be positioned off-center (for example, with respect to the centerline of the payload platform 210B in direction LAT). Positioning the case unit CU off-center in the payload bay 210B provides continuous, equal spacing between the case units on the storage rack, which improves storage density.

[0035] In one or more embodiments, the positioning bars 222, 223 are connected to one or more linear guide rails 225 of the payload platform frame 210BF (see Figure 2B). In one embodiment, the positioning bars 222, 223 are connected to any suitable (one or more) drive motors 226 and (one or more) transmissions 227, similar to the drive motors 275 and transmissions 276 that drive the movable finger segments described herein. For example, in one or more embodiments, a single drive motor 226 drives the motion of both positioning bars 222, 2223, where the drive motor 226 is a stepper motor or any other suitable motor connected to a lead screw in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the finger segments, where one end of the lead screw (e.g., transmission 227) is right-handed threaded and the other end of the lead screw is left-handed threaded. Each positioning bar 222, 223 includes a nut that engages with one of the right-hand threads and one of the left-hand threads of the lead screw, respectively, so that when the drive motor 275 rotates the lead screw in a first rotational direction, the positioning bars 222, 223 move toward each other (and toward the longitudinal centerline CL of the payload platform 210B), and when the drive motor 275 rotates the lead screw in a second opposite rotational direction (i.e., opposite to the first rotational direction), the positioning bars 222, 223 move toward each other (for example, positioning bar 222 moves toward the end 200BE1 of the payload platform 210B and positioning bar 223 moves toward the end 200BE2 of the payload platform 210B).Here, both positioning bars 222, 223 are driven by a single (i.e., the same) drive motor 226 and transmission 227 (the drive motor and transmission are common to both positioning bars 222, 223). In other embodiments, the autonomous transport vehicle 110 includes two drive motors 226 and at least one transmission 227 (i.e., one transmission for each positioning bar 222, 223 or a common (i.e., one) transmission for each positioning bar 222, 223), so that each positioning bar 222, 223 is driven by its respective motor and transmission to move in direction LON independently of the movement of the other positioning bar 222, 223 (where the positioning of the case unit is not limited to "center positioning" with respect to the centerline CL of the payload platform, but rather the case unit can be positioned at any position between the ends 210BE1, 210BE2 of the payload platform 210B).

[0036] Referring to Figures 5A-5C and 6A-6C, each positioning bar 222, 223 includes a case pusher assembly 1110 and a case puller assembly 1120. The case pusher assembly 1110 and the case puller assembly 1120 are described in relation to positioning bar 222, and it should be noted that the case pusher assembly 1110 and the case puller assembly 1120 for positioning bar 223 are substantially similar. Here, positioning bar 222 includes slots 1130, 1131, which are positioned vertically and extend along positioning bar 222 in the direction LAT. In Figure 11A, the case pusher assembly 1110 is associated with slot 1130 and the case puller assembly 1120 is associated with slot 1131, but in other embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6A, the case pusher assembly 1110 is associated with slot 1131 and the case puller assembly 1120 is associated with slot 1130. The case pusher assembly 1110 and the case puller assembly 1120 are used in combination in one or more embodiments to grip a case unit being transported by an autonomous transport vehicle 110. In one or more embodiments, one or more of the case pusher assembly 1110 and the case puller assembly 1120 are used for positioning the case unit CU in direction LAT, where the case unit is supported by fingers 210AF and / or positioning tray 600. The case puller assembly 1120 is used to pull the case unit CU into the payload platform 210B to substantially prevent the case unit from overhanging (for example, a portion of the case unit extending outside the payload platform 210B through the transport opening 1199 of the payload platform 210B).

[0037] The pusher assembly 1110 includes any suitable linear actuator 1210 (e.g., a lead screw drive, belt drive, piston, etc., driven by any suitable actuator such as a stepper motor, servo motor, pneumatic device, hydraulic device, etc.) (see Figures 6A, 6B), a slider 1211 connected to the linear actuator 1210 (see Figures 6A, 6B), and a pusher arm or tab 1150 connected to the slider 1211 via a slot 1131 (or 1130, depending on whether the pusher assembly is associated with slot 1131 or slot 1130). The linear actuator 1210 is configured to move the slider 1211 in direction LAT along the channel or slot 1131 in any suitable manner. The pusher arm 1150 is connected to (or integrally formed with) the slider 1211 using any suitable mechanical or chemical fasteners and has a case interface surface 1150S that contacts the side of the case unit CU to push the case unit CU toward the transfer opening 1199 of the payload platform 210B through which the case unit CU passes for transfer to and from the payload platform 210B.

[0038] The puller assembly 1120 includes an optional suitable linear actuator 1225 (e.g., a lead screw drive, belt drive, piston, etc., driven by any suitable actuator such as a stepper motor, servo motor, pneumatic device, hydraulic device, etc.), a rotary slider assembly 1230 coupled to the linear actuator 1225, and a pusher arm or tab 1250 coupled to the rotary slider assembly 1230. The linear actuator 1210 is configured to move the rotary slider assembly 1230 in direction LAT along the slot 1131 in any suitable manner. The rotary slider assembly 1230 includes a non-rotating plug 1231 and a rotary carrier 1232. A suitable example of the rotary slider assembly is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,944, filed May 25, 2022, titled “Autonomous Transport Vehicle,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety previously disclosed. The puller arm or tab 1250 is connected to the rotary carrier 1232 in any suitable way, such as by using appropriate fasteners. The non-rotating plug 1231 is configured to slide linearly in the direction LAT within the channel 1277 of the positioning bar 222 under the thrust of the linear actuator 1225. The rotary carrier 1232 includes a tab mounting portion 1260 which is movably connected to the non-rotating plug 1231 by a cammed engagement configured to cause rotation of the rotary carrier 1232 relative to the non-rotating plug 1231 when the non-rotating plug 1231 is moved in the direction LAT relative to the rotary carrier 1232. For example, Figure 6A illustrates the tab 1250 in the retracted position, and Figure 6B illustrates the tab 1250 in the deployed position. The tab 1250 is rotated from the deployed position by driving the actuator 1225 to move the non-rotating plug 1231 in the direction LAT 1.As the non-rotating plug 1231 moves in the LAT1 direction, the cammed engagement rotates the tab 1250 in direction 1291B, where the rotating carrier 1232 is held stationary in direction LAT by the engagement of at least partially the stop surface 1260S1 of the rotating carrier 1232 with the stop surface 1269 of the channel 1277. The channel 1277 includes a slot or opening 1270 located adjacent to the ends 222E, 223E of the positioning bars 222 (and 223) closest to the transfer opening 1199 of the payload platform 210B. The slot 1270 intersects with the slot 1130. Here, the movement of the non-rotating plug 1231 in direction LAT1 under the thrust of the linear actuator 1225 causes rotation of the stop surfaces 1260S1, 1260S2 (and the tab 1250 of the rotary carrier 1232) toward the slot 1130 in direction 1291A (via cam engagement between one or more protrusions 1263P and corresponding recesses 1235R), where the rotary carrier 1232 is restricted from moving in direction LAT1 by the engagement of the stop surface 1260S1 of the rotary carrier 1232 with the stop surface 1269 of the channel 1277. The continued rotation of the rotary carrier 1232 resulting from the movement of the non-rotating plug 1231 in direction LAT1 causes the disengagement of the stop surfaces 1260S1, 1269 and the alignment of the stop surfaces 1260S1, 1260S2 with the slot 1130. With the stop surfaces 1260S1 and 1260S2 aligned with the slot 1130, the rotation of the rotary carrier 1232 is prevented (via contact between the stop surfaces 1260S1 and 1260S2 and the sides 1130S1 and 1130S2 of the slot 1130), and the rotary carrier 1232 moves in direction LAT1 together with the non-rotating plug 1231. The rotation of the tab 1250 in direction 1291B is performed in substantially the reverse manner of the above method, and the non-rotating plug 1231 moves in direction LAT2, and the stop surface 1260S2 of the rotary carrier 1232 engages with the stop surface 1268 of the channel 1277. The stop surfaces 1260S1 and 1260S2 extend from the rotary carrier 1232 to engage with one of the stop surfaces 1268 and 1269 of the channel 1277, respectively.The tab mounting portion 1260 is shaped and sized to slide or otherwise pass through the channel 1277. The tab 1250 extends away from the tab mounting portion 1260 and is connected to the tab mounting portion 1260 at the connecting portion 1262 so as to be cantilevered away from the tab mounting portion 1260.

[0039] Illustrative diagrams of the rotation and linear motion of the tabs 1250 described above are illustrated in Figures 5A-5C. The positioning bars 222, 223 are moved toward each other in direction LON so as to substantially contact (one or more) case units CU held at least partially within the payload platform 210B. As seen in Figure 5A, the tabs 1250 of each of the respective positioning bars 222, 223 are rotated in direction 1291 around their respective axis of rotation 1290 (for example, via relative movement between the non-rotating plug 1231 and the rotating carrier 1232 brought about by the respective linear actuators 1225) from a retracted position (Figure 5A) to an extended position (Figure 5B). The linear actuators 1225 of each of the respective positioning bars 222, 223 continue to operate so that the non-rotating plug 1231 and the rotating carrier 1232 (e.g., the rotating slider assembly 1230) are moved as a unit in direction LAT1 so as to pull the case unit into the payload platform 210B. The movement of the rotating slider assembly to direction LAT2 and the rotation of the tab 1250 from the extended position to the retracted position are performed in substantially opposite manner. It should be noted that the configuration of the puller assembly 1120 is illustrative only, and the puller assembly may have any other suitable configuration, such as the configuration described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 664,944, which is incorporated herein by reference as stated above.

[0040] As described above, aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide a health assessment of components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, such as the autonomous transport vehicle 110 or other suitable components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, in which maintenance operations can be determined. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments utilize, for example, existing control loops (such as feedback control loops) of the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 for health assessment, thereby not requiring the use of additional sensors (such as sensors dedicated to acquiring health assessment data) (however, it should be noted that in some embodiments, additional sensors may be provided to determine maintenance operations). Aspects of the disclosed embodiments enable any suitable controller of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (represented by the typical controller REPCON in Figure 1A) to determine maintenance operations of the components controlled by the controller. These maintenance operations can be compared to maintenance operations in a base state (see Figure 11A illustrating typical maintenance operations in a base state and Figure 11B illustrating typical maintenance operations of an unhealthy component) to determine the health of the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. As a result, in the manner of the disclosed embodiments, the controller of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 will be able to make predictions based on any appropriate trend analysis, and the controller will be able to make preventive maintenance recommendations based on maintenance operations.

[0041] Referring again to Figures 1 and 1A, aspects of the disclosed embodiments may operate in hardware or software. For example, aspects of the disclosed embodiments may reside in a computer controller, a controller that directs the operation of multiple components, a controller that controls component subsystems, or a system controller. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments may also be implemented in dedicated hardware or software. The controller is any suitable controller of the automated storage and retrieval system, and is described with respect to a representative controller REPCON for illustrative purposes only. It should be understood that each component of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 has its own controller (which may be substantially similar to the representative controller REPCON). For example, each autonomous transport vehicle 110 includes its own controller 1220. The lift module 150A, palletizer 162, and other automated mechatronic components of the storage and retrieval system may also include their respective controllers 150CON, 164, 164'. These controllers 1220, 150CON, 164, and 164' communicate with a control server 120 via any suitable wired and / or wireless network 180 (which may also be similar to a typical controller REPCON). The control server 120 communicates with a warehouse management system 2500 via the network 180 (which may also be similar to a typical controller REPCON). According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, component health assessments may be performed by the respective controllers 1220, 150CON, 164, and 164', where the results of the health assessments are communicated to one or more of the control server 120 and the warehouse management system 2500 for presentation to a user via any suitable user interface.According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, component health assessment may be performed at least partially by the respective controllers 1220, 150CON, 164, 164', and at least partially by one or more of the control server 120 and warehouse management servers 2500, where one or more of the control servers and warehouse management servers 2500 collect health assessment data from one or more components and determine health assessment trends and health prediction / preventive maintenance for one or more components. As described herein, health assessment data may be collected "passively" (i.e., without dedicated sensors) from a feedback control loop of the automated system being evaluated (which may be any suitable automated feature of an automated storage and retrieval system, including but not limited to an autonomous transport vehicle 110, palletizers, depalletizers, automated conveyors, lifts, etc.) and / or "actively" collected using at least one sensor 110DN connected to a controller REPCON configured to sense predetermined operational data of each component of the autonomous transport vehicle (for example, at least one sensor 110DN may include at least one motion sensor for transmitting predetermined operational data of the transport arm 210A for at least one degree of freedom of motion of the transport arm 210A).

[0042] As described above, the controller is any suitable controller for the automated storage and retrieval system 100, and a representative controller, REPCON, will be described. Controller REPCON generally includes a processor 101, read-only memory 102, random access memory 103, program storage 104, a user interface 105, and a network interface 106. The processor 101 includes an onboard cache 101C and is generally capable of reading information and programs from computer-readable media such as computer program products, e.g., the onboard cache 101C, read-only memory 102, random access memory 103, and program storage 104.

[0043] When power is applied, the processor 105 begins the operation of programs located in the read-only memory 102, and after initialization, loads instructions from the program storage 104 into the random access memory 103, which can then operate under the control of those programs. Frequently used instructions may be temporarily stored in the onboard cache 101C. Both the read-only memory 102 and the random access memory 115 may utilize semiconductor technology or any other suitable materials and technologies. The program storage 104 may include one or more of any other devices capable of storing programs in the form of diskettes, memory cards, computer hard drives, compact disks, digital multipurpose disks, optical disks, chips, semiconductors, or non-temporary computer-readable code.

[0044] The onboard cache 101C, read-only memory 110, random access memory 115, and program storage 120 may contain an operating system program, individually or in any combination. The operating system program may be supplemented with a real-time operating system of choice, improving the quality of data provided by the controller REPCON and enabling the controller REPCON to provide guaranteed response times.

[0045] In particular, the onboard cache 101C, read-only memory 102, random access memory 103, and program storage 104 may individually or in any combination include programs to cause the processor 101 to perform a health assessment as described herein. The network interface 106 may generally be adapted to provide an interface between controllers and to transmit data between controllers. Controller REPCON may also include any suitable user interface UI with any suitable display and any suitable input device (e.g., keyboard), where the display and input device are present on the device of which the controller is part, or the input device and display may be detachably coupled to an input port of the user interface. In other embodiments, the user interface is a graphical user interface present on the device or detachably coupled to the device. The user interface US may be configured to guide the user through one or more of the troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance processes based on the health assessment.

[0046] While aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described herein with respect to the autonomous transport vehicle 110, it should be noted that they may be applicable to any automated component of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 described herein. Referring to Figures 1, 1A, and 2A-2C, as described above, the autonomous transport vehicle 110 includes a controller 1220 (see also Figure 1A). The controller 1220 is connected to a drive section DS (see Figure 1A), such as a drive section 110DS of the autonomous transport vehicle 110, where the drive section 110DS has at least one degree of freedom and may include one or more motor / drive units 226, 261, 275, 390, 776. The controller 1220 is operably connected to the drive section 110DS and is configured to register (for example, store in a memory record) predetermined operational data (for example, of the drive section) that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section 110DS, which results in a predetermined operation (which may also be referred to herein as a component event - see Figure 8) of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. The at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section 110DS may be one or more of position, velocity, acceleration, torque (for example, determined by back electromotive force (EMF)), force (for example, determined by back electromotive force (EMF)), and time. See also Figure 7, the at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section 110DS forms an operational space 7000 into which a predetermined common operation (or convergence) manifold 7020 is defined and embedded. For illustrative purposes only, the given common operation manifold 7020 illustrated in Figure 7 is a two-dimensional manifold (for example, embedded in a three-dimensional space corresponding to dynamic performance variable outputs A, B, and 3 for times T1, T2, T3, ...), but in other embodiments, the given common operation manifold 7020 may be higher or lower than two dimensions.With respect to Figure 7, it should be noted that the three-dimensional output forms the operation / measurement space 7000, the three operations / trajectories 7001-7002 are included in the operation space 7000, and between point A and point B, all operations 7001-7002 are on or near the embedded manifold 7020, and the embedded manifold 7020 is a two-dimensional plane within the operation / measurement space 7000.

[0047] A predetermined common motion manifold 7020 illustrated in Figure 7 represents a predetermined motion / trajectory of the payload transport unit or transport arm 210A in at least one direction, but a predetermined common motion manifold may be generated for each (or any one or more) degrees of freedom of the drive section 110DS. A predetermined motion of the transport arm 210A (also referred herein as a component event - see Figure 8) from which a save motion or maintenance motion component is derived, such as extension of the transport arm 210A in one or more of directions LAT1, LAT2 (see Figure 2A), movement of one or more positioning bars 222, 223 in one or more of directions LON1, LON2 (see Figure 2B), raising or lowering of the payload platform 210B in direction VER (see Figures 2B and 2C), and transport arm 210 in direction LON (e.g., one or more of directions LON1, LON2 - see Figures 4A and 4B). The predetermined operation event or component event may be one or more of the following: movement of one or more tines 210AF of A, movement of tab 1250 from an extended position to a retracted position (or vice versa) (see Figures 5A-5B and 6A-6C), movement of tab 1250 in one or more directions LAT1, LAT2 (see Figures 5C and 6A-6C), movement of tab 1150 in one or more directions LAT1, LAT2 (see Figures 5C and 6A-6C), steady-state operation (such as the operation of the drive wheel 261W / drive wheel motor 261M where friction is a dynamic performance variable), or any other operation that the autonomous guided vehicle can perform. In other embodiments, the predetermined operation event or component event may be any suitable operation event of the autonomous guided vehicle 110, including, but not limited to, the operation of those transport arms 210A as described above, the operation of the drive motor 261M resulting in the passage of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 within the automated storage and retrieval system 100, and / or any other suitable operation or combination of operations.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1A, the controller 1220 (represented by the representative controller REPCON) includes a resolver 108 configured to resolve the maintenance operation component 7010 of a given operation from a given common operation manifold 7020 (by any appropriate method, e.g., pattern recognition, image analysis, numerical processing). For example, trajectories 7001-7002 for the transport arm 210A collapse onto the lower-dimensional manifold 7020 in the operation space 7000. The resolver is then applied to the manifold 7020 to simplify anomaly detection. Here, the maintenance operation component 7010 is substantially common (e.g., shared) across each operation within the given common operation manifold 7020. For example, as seen in Figure 7, three actions / trajectories 7001-7003 are plotted in the action space 7000, and these actions converge to a predetermined common action (convergence) manifold 7020, substantially overlapping each other, where the predetermined common action manifold 7020 represents the maintenance action component 7010 of the predetermined action. For clarity and simplicity, only three actions are illustrated, but it should be understood that the number of actions in the action space 7000 and converging to the predetermined common action manifold 7020 is sufficient to statistically characterize the actions so that the maintenance action component 7010 forms a baseline created from a sufficient number of maintenance action components collected to define a statistically meaningful unit (batch). Here, each operation 7001-7003 of a given common operation manifold 7020 includes a maintenance operation component 7010 (for example, each operation / track 7001-7003 includes a portion near or on the given common operation manifold 7020 in which the operation / track 7001-7003 is embedded), and the maintenance operation component 7010 substantially coincides with each operation 7001-7003 of a given common operation manifold 7000 (for example, occurring in the same region or area of ​​the manifold). In the provided example of the operation of the transfer arm 210A, the maintenance operation component 7010 characterizes the payload-independent component of each operation 7001-7003 of the given common operation manifold 7020.

[0049] Maintenance operations are included in and embodied in the maintenance operation component 7010 derived from the programmed movements of the transport arm 210A that result in the transport of the case CU (such as movements 7001-7003, shown in Figure 1), or the maintenance operations may be standalone programmed movements of the transport arm 210A (e.g., additional maintenance operations separate from the transport operations) that can be added (i.e., performed) before or after the programmed movements 7001-7003 (in known unloaded conditions). Referring to the extension of the transport arm 210A in direction LAT in Figure 2B, the controller 1220 is programmed to bring about the operation of the motor 275 to drive the finger support rail 273 along the linear guide rails 271, 272 in order to extend and retract the finger 210AF (i.e., extension and retraction of the transport arm for picking or positioning the case unit). Standalone programmed maintenance operations may be initiated by the controller after the placement of the case CU or before the picking of the case CU, where the motor 275 is commanded by the controller to perform movement in one or more directions LAT1, LAT2 with the transport arm 210A unloaded (not carrying a payload). Standalone programmed maintenance operations may be performed while the autonomous transport vehicle 110 is in transit along the picking aisle 130A or transport deck 130B immediately before or after the picking / placement action, so as not to interfere with the transport time and travel time of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (i.e., the time required for picking / placement and / or transit).

[0050] According to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment, an anomaly detector 197 (see Figure 1A) is trained to identify unhealthy operation data of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 based on maintenance operations in the base state. An anomaly detector 197 may be generated for each degree of freedom of the operation of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and may be stored in any suitable memory of the controller 1220 (see REPCON, a typical controller in Figure 1A). The anomaly detector 197 may be trained for pattern matching to compare unhealthy operation data of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 with healthy operation data of the autonomous transport vehicle 110.

[0051] During the training phase of the anomaly detector 197, motion data is collected for one or more or each of the degrees of freedom (i.e., one or more motion axes) of one or more autonomous guided vehicles 110 that are known to be healthy, while one or more autonomous guided vehicles 110 are operating within the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., transporting case CU during the course of normal order fulfillment). For example, as described herein, the controller 1220 is configured to monitor and collect motion data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable, including, but not limited to, force, torque, position, acceleration, velocity, and time from the feedback control loops corresponding to various motors 226, 261, 275, 390, 776 of the drive section 110DS. As described herein, the dynamic performance variable can be measured directly (i.e., continuously monitored by dedicated sensors) or derived from available measurements / data (such as feedback control loop data). Examples of dynamic performance variables that can be derived or measured include, but are not limited to:

[0052] Motor Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Duty Cycle: The PWM duty cycle of a motor is the percentage of the input voltage supplied to each motor phase at any given time. The duty cycle for each motor phase is available to the health monitoring and anomaly detection systems described herein.

[0053] Motor Current: Motor current represents the current flowing through each phase of a motor. Motor current can be obtained as an absolute value or as a percentage of the maximum current. When obtained as an absolute value, it has units in amperes (amps). The motor current value can, in turn, be used to calculate the motor's torque using the motor's torque-current relationship.

[0054] Actual position, velocity, and acceleration: These are the position, velocity, and acceleration of each motor axis. For a rotating axis, the values ​​for position, velocity, and acceleration are in degrees, degrees / second, and degrees / second, respectively. 2 The units are mm, mm / sec, and mm / sec. For a translational axis, the values ​​for position, velocity, and acceleration are mm, mm / sec, and mm / sec, respectively. 2 It becomes the unit of measurement.

[0055] Desired position, velocity, and acceleration: These are the values ​​of position, velocity, and acceleration that the controller commands the motor to have. These characteristics have units similar to the actual position, velocity, and acceleration described above.

[0056] Position and velocity tracking errors: These are the differences between the desired and actual values, respectively. These properties have units similar to the actual position, velocity, and acceleration mentioned above.

[0057] As can be understood, the force and torque on any given axis can be determined from at least the motor current.

[0058] During operation, the autonomous transport vehicle 110 transports a variety of payloads, and it should be noted that at least the weight of the cargo being transported may be unknown. This transport of diverse payloads provides a Gaussian distribution of motion data points (for each degree of freedom / axis of motion) that embody at least one dynamic performance variable (see Figure 9 for an example of data points embedded on the surface of a given common motion manifold 900, and Figure 10 for a typical Gaussian distribution of those data points). As described above, these data points are sufficient to provide a statistically meaningful standard deviation (see Figures 9 and 10), and the at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section 110DS leads to the definition of a given common motion manifold 900, from which a statistically meaningful number of maintenance / maintenance components for a given degree of freedom / axis of motion can be derived. While a predetermined common operating manifold 900 is exemplified as being formed by dynamic performance variable data points from three exemplary degrees of freedom of the drive section 110DS, it should be noted that in other embodiments, a predetermined common operating manifold may be formed by dynamic performance variable data points from one or more operating axes / degrees of freedom of the drive section 110DS (see Figure 7, where a predetermined common operating manifold 7000 is generated with dynamic performance variables A, B, and time relating to a single degree of freedom / operating axis).

[0059] See also Figure 8, a predetermined common operation manifold 900, 7000 from which a base state maintenance operation 7010 is elucidated may be generated from at least one dynamic performance variable output from one or more autonomous transport vehicles 110. Figure 8 illustrates several dynamic performance variables output from a base state component event (i.e., an event performed by an autonomous transport vehicle 110 known to be healthy), also referred herein to as a predetermined operation, such as the extension of the transport arm 210A in direction LAT2. Dynamic performance variables include, but are not limited to, position, velocity, acceleration, force (and / or torque), and time. If there are one or more (healthy) autonomous transport vehicles 110 that provide data for generating a predetermined common operation manifold 7000, the controller 1220 of each autonomous transport vehicle 110 may communicate performance variables to the control server 120 (or warehouse management system 2500), where the performance variables are registered by the control server 120 in one or more base state dynamic performance variable output logs (each log corresponding to each autonomous transport vehicle 110).

[0060] As can be understood, a predetermined common operation manifold 888 may be generated for and correspond to the movement of different components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (e.g., the transport arm 210A or other suitable component) in each different direction of at least one direction of movement of the component, determined by the different degrees of freedom of each of the at least one degrees of freedom of the drive section 110DS (for example, the component events in Figure 8 may be the movement of the transport arm in direction VER1, direction VER2 (see Figure 2B), direction LAT1, and / or direction LAT2, where each predetermined common operation manifold is generated for the movement in each respective direction). Here, the deciphering of base state maintenance operation components 889, 7010 at the control server 120 (for example, for each different corresponding predetermined common operation manifold) may result in minimizing the processing power of the controller 1220 to reduce the cost of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. In other embodiments, the controller 1220 may receive performance variables from one or more different autonomous transport vehicles 110, where the performance variables from the other autonomous transport vehicles 110 and the transport vehicle 110 of which the controller 1220 is part are stored in one or more onboard base state dynamic performance variable output logs of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (in any suitable memory, such as those described herein) for processing in the manner described herein with respect to the control server 120.

[0061] Dynamic performance variable data registered in one or more base state dynamic performance variable output logs are used by the control server 120 to generate a predetermined common operation manifold 888. For illustrative purposes only, the predetermined common operation manifold 888 is a two-dimensional manifold into which force data points for one or more autonomous transport vehicles BOT1 to BOTn are embedded (where autonomous transport vehicles BOT1 to BOTn are substantially similar to autonomous transport vehicle 110, and n is an integer indicating an upper limit on the number of autonomous transport vehicles). It should be understood that the predetermined common operation manifold may be generated for each of force (or torque), acceleration, velocity, and position against time, from which the maintenance operation components are derived in the manner described herein. In other embodiments, more than one force (or torque), acceleration, velocity, and position against time may be used to generate the predetermined common operation manifold.

[0062] The control server 120 includes a resolver 108 (see Figure 1A - note that a typical controller REPCON represents any of the controller 1220, the control server 120, the palletizer control units 164, 164', the warehouse management system 2500, and any other controllers of the automated storage and retrieval system 100) that elucidates a maintenance operation component 889 of a predetermined operation in a predetermined common operation manifold 888 from a predetermined common operation manifold 888. As described above, a predetermined common operation manifold 888 may be generated for each different transport operation of each component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110, thereby the control server 120 is configured to elucidate each maintenance operation (defined, for example, by a maintenance operation component 889) of each component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (e.g., transport arm 210A or other components) in each different direction (e.g., with respect to the directions VER1, VER2, LAT1, LAT2, etc. of the transport arm 210A) determined by each different degree of freedom (for each component of the autonomous transport vehicle being moved / operated) of the drive section 110DS.

[0063] It should be noted that since the common operation manifold 888 is generated from data received from a healthy autonomous transport vehicle 110, the maintenance operation component 889 may be referred to as being in a base state (e.g., baseline data that provides a comparison with operation data for health assessment as described herein). As seen in Figure 8, the maintenance operation component 889 for a given operation is substantially common across each of the given operations in the common operation manifold 888, illustrating that the maintenance operation component 889 is an ideal or basic behavior (e.g., payload-independent and not disrupted by the operation of an object), repeatable, detectable, and therefore a characteristic of the health of the component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 that brings about the given operation. Each maintenance operation component 889 is based on one or more torque commands in at least one degree of freedom of the drive section 110DS and position commands in at least one direction of operation of a component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (such as the transport arm 210A or other components). Here, at least the dynamic performance variables output as a result of one or more torque and position commands are decoupled from the presence of the payload (such as the case CU carried by the transport arm 210A) or the payload engaged by the components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 during operation.

[0064] Once one or more maintenance operation elements 889 are identified, the control server 120 (or another suitable controller of the automated storage and retrieval system 100) is configured to determine a base predetermined characteristic 890 from registered predetermined operation data (such as data in the dynamic performance variable output log - see Figure 8) that characterizes each of at least one dynamic performance variable (e.g., force or torque, acceleration, velocity, position, time, etc.) of the maintenance operation of a component of the autonomous transport vehicle 1110 (e.g., transport arm 210A) in a base state. For example, the control server 120 is configured to generate a base state statistical model (see Figure 8) from the data points of the maintenance operation component 889 in a base state, where the statistical model is a model of a given dynamic performance variable of a healthy component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 to which a given dynamic performance variable belongs. The data points of the maintenance operation component 889 in a base state are statistically modeled in any suitable way so that the statistical model provides a comparison (as described herein) between the base predetermined characteristic 890 and the corresponding operation characteristics. The statistical model embodies the base predetermined characteristic 890. In the example illustrated in Figure 8, the statistical model is generated for the dynamic performance variables from the data points of the conservative operating component 889 in the base state (it should be noted that the statistical model is also generated for each of the other different dynamic performance variables from the data points of each conservative operating component in the base state), and the base predetermined characteristic 890 is a probability density plot, a box plot, or a histogram (e.g., a display of the distribution of numerical data) illustrated in Figure 8 as another dataset demarcated by known boundaries of the "healthy" data points of the conservative operating component 889 in the base state.

[0065] A statistical model embodying the base predetermined characteristics 890 can be transmitted from the control server 120 to each of the autonomous transport vehicles 110 operating within the automated storage and retrieval system 110. Here, each autonomous transport vehicle 110 may perform a “self” health assessment by comparing its respective operational dynamic performance variable data with the base predetermined characteristics in the manner described herein. In other embodiments, each autonomous transport vehicle 110 may communicate its respective operational dynamic performance variable data to the control server 120, where the control server performs a health assessment of each autonomous transport vehicle 110 from which the operational dynamic performance variable data has been received. For illustrative purposes, the comparison of health assessments is described as being performed at least partially onboard the autonomous transport vehicle 110, but it should be understood that the health assessment at the control server 120 is performed in a substantially similar manner.

[0066] Referring to Figures 1, 1A, 2A-2C, and 11, the controller REPCON (in this example, controller 1220) is configured to collect predetermined operational data 1100 of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 in operation (for example, a statistical model has been created and registered in the memory of the controller 1220, and the autonomous transport vehicle 110 is operating in the storage and retrieval system 100 in an unknown or awaiting determination of health). The predetermined operational data 1100 is collected by the controller 1220 in a manner similar to the method described above during the training phase of the anomaly detector 197, from the feedback control loop of the component whose health is being evaluated and / or from the sensor 110DN configured to sense the predetermined operational data of the component whose health is being evaluated. The collected predetermined operational data 1100 is registered in any suitable memory of the controller 1220 (such as the one described herein with respect to the controller REPCON) in a manner similar to the method described herein. For example, controller 1220 has a registry (such as one or more operation dynamic performance variable output logs stored in one or more memories in Figure 1A) configured to register a histogram 890AH of a predetermined operation brought about by a component of the autonomous transport vehicle (such as a transport arm 210A) and a defined predetermined common operation manifold 888A thereof, and controller 12220 elucidates the maintenance operation component 889A from repeated access to the histogram 890AH.

[0067] The controller 1220 is configured to determine, from registered predetermined operation data 1100, predetermined operation characteristics 890A that characterize each of at least one output dynamic performance variables (e.g., force or torque, acceleration, velocity, position, time, etc.) of the maintenance operation component 889A of a component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (e.g., transport arm 210A) in operation. With respect to the training phase, in a manner similar to the method described above, the controller 1220 includes a resolver 108 configured to elucidate the maintenance operation component 889A of a predetermined operation of the drive section 110DS (e.g., operation of the transport arm 210A) from a predetermined common operation manifold 888A (e.g., generated from registered operation dynamic performance variables). As described above, the maintenance operation component 889A in operation is substantially common across each operation in the predetermined common operation manifold 888A.

[0068] The controller 1220 is configured to compare the base predetermined characteristic 890 and the operation predetermined characteristic 890A for each of the at least one dynamic performance variables output by the drive section 110DS, and to evaluate the health of the components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 (in this example, the transport arm 210A) based on the comparison. As shown in Figure 11, the data points of the operation predetermined characteristic 890A may be superimposed on the base predetermined characteristic 890, where the health data points of the operation predetermined characteristic 890A remain within the boundaries of the base predetermined characteristic 890, and the unhealth data points of the operation predetermined characteristic 890A exist outside the boundaries of the base predetermined characteristic 890. For illustrative purposes only, the operational predetermined characteristic 890A corresponds to the dynamic performance variables output by the drive section 110DS during the operational component event of the extension of the transport arm 210A in direction LAT1, and the base predetermined characteristic 890 corresponds to the dynamic performance variables output by the drive section 110DS during the base component event of the extension of the transport arm 210A in direction LAT1. Here, if the controller 1220 determines from the comparison that the operational predetermined characteristic 890A is healthy, it continues to monitor the operational performance data for the component events (as described herein) via repeated access to the histogram 890AH (which may be updated to include operational data for each additional or new movement for the component events) until and / or beyond the point in time when an anomaly (e.g., unhealthy data) is detected. If the controller 1220 determines from the comparison that the predetermined operating characteristic 890A is unhealthy, it communicates to the user of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (for example, via the user interface UI of the controller 1220, the control server 120, the warehouse management system 2500, or any other suitable user interface of the storage and retrieval system 100 communicating with the controller 1220, including but not limited to a laptop, mobile phone, or tablet computer) that the autonomous transport vehicle 110 requires maintenance, and in particular the drive system for extending the transport arm 210A.As can be understood, the extension of the transport arm 210A is merely illustrative, and the integrity assessment of any suitable component of the autonomous guidance vehicle 110 (such as those described herein) can be assessed in a manner substantially similar to that described above.

[0069] If the autonomous transport vehicle 110 is determined to require maintenance, it may travel along one or more of the transport deck 130B and picking passages 130A to the maintenance zone MZ of each storage structure level 130L of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. In one embodiment, the maintenance zone MZ is configured to provide guidance and removal of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 from the automated storage and retrieval system. The maintenance zone MZ may include an autonomous transport vehicle guidance / removal interface substantially similar to the rover interface described in U.S. Patent No. 9,656803, published May 23, 2017, titled "Storage and Retrieval System Rover Interface," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other embodiments, the maintenance zone MZ may also include (or may have instead of an induction / removal interface) a user workstation that allows the autonomous transport vehicle 110 to undergo maintenance such as swapping / replacement of field-replaceable units (e.g., motor modules, actuators, transport arm components) without removing the autonomous transport vehicle 110 from the automated storage and retrieval system 100.

[0070] As described herein, maintenance operation components 889 (one or more) (and corresponding maintenance operations, whether they are part of a predetermined operation for transporting a payload or a standalone programmed movement) are determined for each degree of freedom of movement of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. For example, if the autonomous transport vehicle 110 has a traverse axis (provided by, for example, a drive unit 261), a transport arm lift axis (provided by a motor 390), a transport arm extension axis (provided by a motor 275), lateral traverse axes of positioning bars 222 and 223 (provided by their respective motors 226), and lateral traverse axes of transport arm fingers 210AF (provided by, for example, an actuator 776), then base maintenance operations 889 and base predetermined characteristics 890 are determined for each direction of movement for each operation axis. The base maintenance operations 889 and base predetermined characteristics 890 identify, or otherwise form, a set of base maintenance operations 181 (registered in the memory of the controller REPCON) that represent the complete set of operations of the autonomous transport vehicle 110. As described herein, each maintenance operation within the set of base maintenance operations 181 is independent of object manipulation operations, reproducible and detectable, and thus characterizes the health of the components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 that result in predetermined operations.

[0071] Referring to Figures 1, 1A, 2A-2C, and 12, the controller REPCON is configured to determine, in any appropriate manner, the remaining service life of the components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 corresponding to a maintenance operation. For example, as seen in Figure 12, the operation characteristic 890A may transition to the base characteristic 890 over time. As illustrated in Figure 12, the operation characteristic 890A remains within the boundaries of the base characteristic 890 during times 1, 2, and 3, but transitions to direction 1200. At time 4, the operation characteristic 890A has transitioned to direction 1200, outside the boundaries of the base characteristic 890, suggesting that the component of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 corresponding to the operation characteristic 890A is unhealthy and requires maintenance. The controller REPCON may be programmed using any suitable remaining service life estimator (including, but not limited to, artificial neural networks, degradation profile comparisons (e.g., comparison of data from execution to failure), survival function plots (e.g., lifetime data analysis algorithms), threshold data analysis algorithms, etc.) that correlates the transition of predetermined operating characteristics 890A over time in order to determine the remaining service life and provide a preventive / predictive maintenance schedule 1210 for the components of the autonomous transport vehicle 110.

[0072] Aspects of the disclosed embodiments may also mechanically determine the integrity of the structure of the storage and retrieval system 100 (such as picking aisles, storage shelves, transport decks, or any other structure with which the autonomous transport vehicle interacts) by utilizing data collected from the autonomous transport vehicle 110. For example, the interaction between the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and the transport deck 130B or picking aisle 130A may indicate an anomaly on the travel surface VRS (see Figure 1) of the transport deck 130B or picking aisle 130A or an anomaly of the travel surface VRS. Referring to Figure 13, the drive system 110DS (with the autonomous transport vehicle 110 moving along the transport deck 130B), and in some embodiments, dynamic performance variables output by the position sensors of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 and received by the controller 1220 may include the speed and position of the drive wheels 261W of the autonomous transport vehicle on the transport deck 130B. These dynamic performance variables are transmitted by the controller 1220 to the control server 120 and can be registered in one or more transport deck data logs 1300 stored in any suitable memory of the control server 120 (see various memories 102-104 illustrated in Figure 1A for a typical controller REPCON). The dynamic performance variables of one or more autonomous transport vehicles are communicated from the controller 1220 to the control server 120 (for example, via the network 180). The control server 120 consists of any suitable data analysis algorithm (e.g., image processing algorithm, numerical analysis algorithm, artificial neural network, etc.) configured to compare the dynamic performance variables of one or more autonomous transport vehicles 110 with respect to anomaly data provided by the dynamic performance variables, such as sharp increases and decreases in wheel speed (i.e., spikes) that suggest slippage of the wheels 261W on the travel surface VRS of the transport deck 130B at a position on the transport deck 130B.If the control server 120 determines that repeated wheel slips are occurring (indicating a tendency) at approximately the same location on the transport deck 130B, the control server may communicate a maintenance message to the user of the automated storage and retrieval system 110 (via the user interface UI) (via the network 180) indicating that contaminants (e.g., leaked or spilled material from a transported payload) may be present at a given location on the transport deck 130B.

[0073] As another example, the torque of the drive motor 261M of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 may be output relative to the position of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 on the transport deck 110B (or picking passage 110A). Repeated (e.g., trending) spikes of motor torque at substantially the same location on the transport deck 130B may indicate an anomaly on the transport deck (wear or damage to the moving surface or guide) that is hindering (stopping or slowing) the movement of the autonomous transport vehicle 110 along the transport deck 130B. If the control server 120 determines that repeated (e.g., trending) increases in torque at substantially the same location on the transport deck 130B have occurred, the control server may communicate a maintenance message to the user of the automated storage and retrieval system 110 (via the user interface UI) (via the network 180) indicating that maintenance of the transport deck 130B is required at a given location on the transport deck 130B. As can be understood, a similar trend analysis may be provided by the control server 120 for the picking / placement of payloads by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 into the storage space 130S or other case CU holding areas, where an increase in motor torque in the extension motor 275 of the transport arm repeatedly occurs in substantially the same location in the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., substantially the same location in the picking aisle), which may indicate a curvature of the shelf support surface or other anomaly in the case support surface that may require maintenance (for example, the fingers 210AF of the transport arm 210A may interact with / rub against a curved support surface, causing an increase in the torque of the motor 275).

[0074] Referring to Figures 1, 1A, 2A-2C, 7, 8, and 14, an exemplary method for assessing the integrity of components of an automated storage and retrieval system 100 is shown. For illustrative purposes, the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 are described as autonomous transport vehicles, but it should be understood that the method is applicable to any component of the automated storage and retrieval system in which maintenance operating components can be determined. The method includes the step of providing an autonomous transport vehicle 110 having the features described herein (Figure 14, block 1400). A controller 1220 (or control server 120 or warehouse management system 2500) operably connected to the drive section 110DS registers predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section 110DS, which results in predetermined operation in at least one direction (e.g., extension of the transport arm in predetermined directions LAT1, LAT2, movement of the payload platform 210B in directions VER1, VER2) that defines a predetermined common operation manifold 888, 7000 for the transport arm 210A (also called the payload transport unit) in at least one direction (Figure 14, block 1410). The controller 1220 (or control server 120 or warehouse management system 2500) elucidates maintenance operation components 889, 7010 of a predetermined operation from predetermined common operation manifolds 888, 7000 (Figure 14, block 1420), where the maintenance operation components 889, 7010 are substantially common across each operation within the predetermined common operation manifolds 888, 7000.

[0075] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, an autonomous transport vehicle is provided for transporting a payload. The autonomous transport vehicle includes: a frame forming a transport payload region of the autonomous transport vehicle, the payload region including a payload contact support surface defining a payload support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle that supports a payload held within the transport payload region when the vehicle is passing; a payload handling system connected to the frame, the payload handling system comprising: a payload transport unit that engages with a payload and is arranged to transport the payload in at least one direction relative to the frame; and a drive section having at least one degree of freedom for driving the payload transport unit in at least one direction; and a controller operably connected to the drive section, the controller configured to register predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section that results in a predetermined operation defining a predetermined common operation manifold of the payload transport unit in at least one direction, wherein the controller has a resolver configured to elucidate a maintenance operation component of a predetermined operation from a predetermined common operation manifold, the maintenance operation component being substantially common across each operation within the predetermined common operation manifold.

[0076] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, each operation of a predetermined common operating manifold includes a maintenance operation component, and the maintenance operation component substantially corresponds to each operation of the predetermined common operating manifold.

[0077] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the maintenance operation component characterizes the payload-independent component of each operation of a given common operation manifold.

[0078] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to determine the respective maintenance operations of the payload transport section in each different corresponding predetermined common operation manifold, corresponding to different payload transport operations in each different direction of at least one direction, determined by each different degree of freedom of at least one degree of freedom of the drive section.

[0079] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to determine a base predetermined characteristic from registered predetermined operation data that characterizes each of at least one dynamic performance variable of the maintenance operation of the payload transport unit in the base state.

[0080] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to determine, from registered predetermined operation data, predetermined operation characteristics that characterize each of the output dynamic performance variables of the maintenance operation component of the payload transport unit in operation.

[0081] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to compare a base predetermined characteristic with an operation predetermined characteristic for each of at least one output dynamic performance variables and evaluate the health of the payload transport unit based on the comparison.

[0082] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, each maintenance operation component is based on one or more torque commands in at least one degree of freedom of the drive section and position commands in at least one direction of payload transport operation, and at least one dynamic performance variable output as a result of one or more of the torque commands and position commands is decoupled from the presence of the payload or the payload engaged by the payload transport unit during operation.

[0083] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller has a registry arranged to register a histogram of predetermined operations brought about by the payload transport unit and a defined predetermined common operation manifold, and the controller elucidates maintenance operation components from repeated access to the histogram.

[0084] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is communicably connected to at least one payload transport motion sensor that senses predetermined operation data.

[0085] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, a method for evaluating the integrity of an autonomous transport vehicle is provided. The method provides an autonomous transport vehicle, comprising: a frame forming a transport payload area of ​​the autonomous transport vehicle, the payload area including a payload contact support surface defining a payload support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle that supports a payload held within the transport payload area when the vehicle is passing; a payload handling system connected to the frame, the payload handling system comprising: a payload transport unit that engages with a payload and is arranged to transport the payload in at least one direction relative to the frame; and a drive section having at least one degree of freedom that drives the payload transport unit in at least one direction; a controller operably connected to the drive section, registering predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section that brings about a predetermined operation, defining a predetermined common operation manifold of the payload transport unit in at least one direction; and a resolver of the controller, elucidates a maintenance operation component of a predetermined operation from a predetermined common operation manifold, wherein the maintenance operation component is substantially common across each operation within the predetermined common operation manifold.

[0086] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, each operation of a predetermined common operating manifold includes a maintenance operation component, and the maintenance operation component substantially corresponds to each operation of the predetermined common operating manifold.

[0087] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the maintenance operation component characterizes the payload-independent component of each operation of a given common operation manifold.

[0088] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes the step of using a controller to determine the respective maintenance operations of the payload transport section in each different corresponding predetermined common operation manifold, which correspond to different payload transport operations in each different direction of at least one direction, determined by each different degree of freedom of at least one degree of freedom of the drive section.

[0089] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes a step of using a controller to determine a base predetermined characteristic that characterizes each of at least one dynamic performance variable of the maintenance operation of the transport unit in a base state from registered predetermined operation data.

[0090] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes a step of using a controller to determine, from registered predetermined operation data, a predetermined operation characteristic that characterizes each of the output dynamic performance variables of the maintenance operation component of the payload transport unit in operation.

[0091] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes the steps of: using a controller to compare a base predetermined characteristic with an operating predetermined characteristic for each of at least one output dynamic performance variables; and using the controller to evaluate the integrity of the payload transport unit based on the comparison.

[0092] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, each maintenance operation component is based on one or more torque commands in at least one degree of freedom of the drive section and position commands in at least one direction of payload transport operation, and at least one dynamic performance variable output as a result of one or more of the torque commands and position commands is decoupled from the presence of the payload or the payload engaged by the payload transport unit during operation.

[0093] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes registering in a controller registry a histogram of predetermined operations brought about by a payload transport unit and a defined predetermined common operation manifold, the controller further including elucidate maintenance operation components from repeated access to the histogram.

[0094] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes sensing predetermined operation data with at least one transport operation sensor that is communicably connected to a controller.

[0095] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various substitutions and modifications can be attempted by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended to encompass all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of any claims appended herein. Furthermore, the mere fact that different features are described in different dependent or independent claims does not imply that combinations of these features cannot be used to their advantage, or that such combinations remain within the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting a payload, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle is A frame forming the transport payload region of the autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the transport payload region includes a payload contact support surface that defines the payload support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle that supports the payload held within the transport payload region when the vehicle is moving, A payload handling system connected to the frame, wherein the payload handling system is A payload transport unit engaged with the payload and positioned to transport the payload in at least one direction relative to the frame, A drive section having at least one degree of freedom for driving the payload transport unit in at least one direction, A payload handling system having, A controller operably connected to the drive section, configured to register predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section that brings about a predetermined operation, defining a predetermined common operation manifold of the payload transport unit in at least one direction, Equipped with, An autonomous transport vehicle wherein the controller has a resolver configured to determine the maintenance operation component of a predetermined operation from the predetermined common operation manifold, and the maintenance operation component is substantially common across each operation within the predetermined common operation manifold.

2. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold includes the maintenance operation component, and the maintenance operation component substantially coincides with each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold.

3. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance operation component characterizes the payload-independent component of each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold.

4. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the maintenance operation of the payload transport section in each of the different corresponding predetermined common operation manifolds corresponding to different payload transport operations in each of the different directions of the at least one direction, determined by each of the different degrees of freedom of the drive section.

5. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine a base predetermined characteristic that characterizes each of the at least one dynamic performance variable of the maintenance operation of the payload transport unit in the base state from the registered predetermined operation data.

6. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine, from the registered predetermined operation data, predetermined operation characteristics that characterize each of the at least one dynamic performance variables output for the maintenance operation component of the payload transport unit in an operating state.

7. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to compare the base predetermined characteristic and the operation predetermined characteristic with respect to each of the at least one dynamic performance variable that is output, and to evaluate the health of the payload transport unit based on the comparison.

8. Each maintenance operation component is, Torque commands in at least one degree of freedom of the drive section, and Based on one or more of the position commands in at least one direction of the payload transport operation, The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dynamic performance variable output as a result of one or more of the torque command and the position command is decoupled from the payload or the payload engaged by the payload transport unit during operation.

9. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a registry configured to register a histogram of the predetermined operations brought about by the payload transport unit and a defined predetermined common operation manifold, and the controller elucidates the maintenance operation component from repeated access to the histogram.

10. The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is communicably connected to at least one payload transport operation sensor that senses the predetermined operation data.

11. A method for evaluating the integrity of an autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the method is The process of providing the autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle is A frame forming the transport payload region of the autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the transport payload region includes a payload contact support surface that defines the payload support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle that supports the payload held within the transport payload region when the vehicle is moving, A payload handling system connected to the frame, wherein the payload handling system is A payload transport unit engaged with the payload and positioned to transport the payload in at least one direction relative to the frame, A drive section having at least one degree of freedom for driving the payload transport unit in at least one direction, A payload handling system having, A process having, A step of registering predetermined operation data that embodies at least one dynamic performance variable output by the drive section that brings about a predetermined operation, defining a predetermined common operation manifold of the payload transport unit in at least one direction, using a controller operably connected to the drive section, A step of using the resolver of the controller to determine the maintenance operation component of a predetermined operation from the predetermined common operation manifold, wherein the maintenance operation component is substantially common across all operations within the predetermined common operation manifold. Methods that include...

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold includes the maintenance operation component, and the maintenance operation component substantially coincides with each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the maintenance operation component characterizes the payload-independent component of each operation of the predetermined common operation manifold.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of using the controller to determine the maintenance operation of the payload transport section in each of the different corresponding predetermined common operation manifolds that correspond to different payload transport operations in each of the different directions of the at least one direction, determined by each of the different degrees of freedom of the drive section.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of using the controller to determine a base predetermined characteristic that characterizes each of the at least one dynamic performance variable of the maintenance operation of the payload transport unit in the base state from the registered predetermined operation data.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of using the controller to determine, from the registered predetermined operation data, predetermined operation characteristics that characterize each of the at least one output dynamic performance variables of the maintenance operation component of the payload transport unit in operation.

17. A step of using the controller to compare the base predetermined characteristic and the operation predetermined characteristic for each of the at least one dynamic performance variable that is output, The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of using the controller to evaluate the integrity of the payload transport unit based on the comparison.

18. Each maintenance operation component is, Torque commands in at least one degree of freedom of the drive section, and Based on one or more of the position commands in at least one direction of the payload transport operation, The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one dynamic performance variable output as a result of one or more of the torque command and the position command is decoupled from the payload or the payload engaged by the payload transport unit during operation.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of registering in the controller registry the histogram of the predetermined operation brought by the payload transport unit and the defined predetermined common operation manifold, wherein the controller elucidates the maintenance operation component from repeated access to the histogram.

20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of sensing the predetermined operation data with at least one transport operation sensor that is communicably connected to the controller.

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