AGV Deep Lane Navigation Using Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser-guided Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) struggle to navigate when their primary navigation laser is blocked by stacked products, leading to inaccurate location determination and navigation failures in high-stacked warehouse environments.
Innovation Solution
The deep lane navigation system employs additional lasers, such as safety bumper lasers, to detect reflections from surrounding surfaces, processing this data with a processor to filter out errors and determine the vehicle's location, allowing accurate navigation even when the primary navigation laser is obstructed, utilizing sensor fusion with the main laser system for dynamic warehouse layouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional laser-based navigation is used, then navigation accuracy is maintained in open areas, but navigation fails when the primary navigation laser is blocked by stacked products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple laser sources (primary navigation laser and secondary safety bumper lasers) into a unified navigation system. The control software integrates data from both lasers, allowing the AGV to switch between or combine navigation methods depending on which sensors have clear line-of-sight, thereby maintaining navigation reliability in blocked environments
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between navigation methods based on real-time sensor data. When the primary navigation laser is blocked, the system automatically transitions to using safety bumper lasers for navigation, adapting to changing environmental conditions to maintain continuous navigation capability
2Reliability
If magnetic guidance navigation system is used, then navigation is possible in blocked areas, but the system requires substantial installation of magnets and does not allow easy path changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical installation of magnets in the floor with an optical system using lasers and sensors. This substitution eliminates the need for substantial physical installation while maintaining navigation capability in blocked areas, as the laser-based system can detect reflective targets without requiring floor modifications
3Reliability
If wire guidance navigation system is used, then navigation is possible in blocked areas, but the system requires substantial installation of cables and does not allow easy path changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical installation of cables in the floor with an optical system using lasers and sensors. This substitution eliminates the need for substantial physical installation while maintaining navigation capability in blocked areas, as the laser-based system can detect reflective targets without requiring floor modifications
4Measurement precision
If gyroscopic navigation system is used, then accurate heading information is provided, but the sensor is expensive and requires periodic calibration and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses relatively simple and inexpensive laser sensors and reflective targets instead of expensive gyroscopic sensors. The system achieves adequate navigation accuracy through optical detection methods that do not require costly hardware with drift and calibration issues, thereby reducing system cost and maintenance requirements
5Adaptability or versatility
If natural feature navigation system is used, then navigation is possible without installed features, but the system requires many static structures which are not available in open warehouse environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses reflective targets that are pre-installed at known locations in the warehouse. These targets serve as predetermined navigation features that the laser system can detect and use for triangulation, providing reliable navigation in open warehouse environments without requiring numerous static structures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables AGVs to navigate accurately down high-stacked aisles without relying on buried magnets, cables, or fixed features, allowing for flexible warehouse layouts and maintaining navigation accuracy by using sensor fusion with the main navigation system.
Implementation Method 1
detect reflections from the surfaces of the product
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
Figure 4
AI summary
A method for automatically guiding a vehicle along at least a first of a plurality of rows comprising predefined centerlines. At least a second of the rows comprises a number of objects of known dimensions positioned at known locations along the centerline thereof. The method comprises the steps of scanning the objects from the vehicle, generating a set of data points representative of the locations of the objects relative to the vehicle, determining a sensed position and heading of the vehicle from the data points, comparing the sensed position and heading of the vehicle to a position and direction of the first row centerline, and generating offset and heading errors for the vehicle based on differences between the sensed position and heading of the vehicle and the position and direction of the first row centerline.