AGV Charging Priority Management via Post-Charge Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In automated guided vehicles operating on the same traveling route, the battery capacity of some vehicles is lowered earlier than others due to varying loads, leading to inconsistent charging times and potential charging time shortages for vehicles with depleted batteries.
Innovation Solution
A charge managing system that includes an after-charging voltage recording unit, a charge priority setting unit, and a charging target value setting unit, which records and prioritizes charging based on post-charging voltage values to ensure each vehicle receives appropriate charging time within its orbiting cycle, adjusting charging times accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple automated guided vehicles operate on the same traveling route with varying loads, then productivity is improved through continuous operation, but battery capacity depletion becomes uneven across vehicles, causing charging time conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by recording after-charging voltages and predicting future battery states before actual charging needs arise. The charge priority setting unit proactively determines charging priorities based on predicted battery capacity depletion patterns, allowing the system to prepare charging schedules in advance and prevent charging time conflicts before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring after-charging voltages of multiple automated guided vehicles and using this information to dynamically adjust charging priorities. The charge priority setting unit receives feedback from voltage recordings and modifies charging schedules accordingly, ensuring that vehicles with faster-depleting batteries receive appropriate charging attention while maintaining overall system productivity.
2Reliability
If charging time is extended for vehicles with lower battery capacity, then battery reliability is improved, but the orbiting cycle of multiple vehicles is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing differentiated charging treatments to different vehicles based on their individual battery characteristics. The charge priority setting unit assigns different priorities to different vehicles, and the charging target value setting unit sets customized charging targets, ensuring that each vehicle receives the specific charging attention it needs without uniformly extending charging time for all vehicles, thus maintaining orbiting cycle consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters dynamically by adjusting charging target voltages based on after-charging voltage recordings. The charging target value setting unit modifies charging parameters (target voltages) according to predicted battery states, allowing the system to achieve reliable battery maintenance through parameter optimization rather than simply extending charging duration, thereby preserving productivity.
3Productivity
If charging priority is assigned based on after-charging voltage, then charging efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional recording and calculation units
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by designing a charging management approach where the same after-charging voltage recording mechanism serves multiple purposes: it provides data for predicting future battery states, determining charge priorities, and setting charging target values. This multi-functional use of voltage recording data improves charging efficiency without requiring separate complex systems for each function, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary approach by using after-charging voltage as a mediator between battery state monitoring and charging control decisions. Rather than directly measuring complex battery parameters or implementing sophisticated prediction algorithms, the system uses the easily obtainable after-charging voltage as an intermediary indicator to drive priority setting and target value determination, improving efficiency while avoiding excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing charging of each of a plurality of automated guided vehicles that travels on an orbiting route in an unmanned manner using a battery mounted thereon as a driving source, in which the battery is charged at a charging station installed at a predetermined position on the orbiting route, includes: an after-charging voltage recording unit for recording a voltage after charging at the charging station for each of the automated guided vehicles; a charge priority setting unit for setting up charge priority of each of the automated guided vehicles on the basis of voltage values of voltages after charging recorded in the after-charging voltage recording unit; and a charging target value setting unit for setting up a charging target value of each of the automated guided vehicles on the basis of the charge priorities set up by the charge priority setting unit.