AGV Pickup Control Across Multiple E-Commerce Servers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport systems using unmanned vehicles like AGVs and drones do not fully meet diverse user needs for efficient package delivery and pickup operations.

Innovation Solution

A transport system comprising one or more management servers, AGVs with accommodation parts for products, and user terminals that enable users to instruct the management server or AGV for product pickup, allowing seamless transfer of control between management servers for multi-server e-commerce transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple management servers are used to handle diverse e-commerce transactions, then the system can meet more diverse user needs, but the control transfer complexity between servers increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to meet diverse user needsVSAvoidcontrol transfer complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The AGV control system is designed to universally interface with multiple different management servers through a standardized instruction response mechanism. The AGV can receive and execute pickup instructions from any management server in the plurality, making the vehicle multi-functional in terms of server compatibility. This resolves the contradiction by enabling diverse e-commerce transactions across multiple servers while maintaining a unified control interface that prevents complexity escalation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the AGV executes pickup operations for multiple products from different management servers, then the productivity increases, but the instruction coordination between servers becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepickup operation efficiencyVSAvoidinstruction coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The AGV implements a feedback mechanism where it responds to instructions from management servers and reports its status and execution results. This feedback loop allows multiple management servers to coordinate pickup operations efficiently, as each server can receive real-time status updates from the AGV and adjust their instructions accordingly. The feedback system resolves the coordination complexity by providing a standardized communication channel that maintains productivity while managing multi-server interactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4202811B1Transport system and program
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 FUJISAWA KAZUNORI
  • EP4202811B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4202811B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP4202811B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4A

AI summary

Provided is a transport system that can meet diverse user needs. The transport system is provided with one or more management servers, an AGV having an accommodation part with which to accommodate, at a nearest location, a product purchased in an e-commerce transaction, and a user terminal that instructs the management server or the AGV to transport the product, wherein the user terminal is provided with an instruction interface for issuing an instruction to pick up the product using the AGV as a pickup method in a case in which the product is purchased in an e-commerce transaction with the management server, and the AGV is controlled, based on control by the management server according to the instruction issued through the instruction interface, to execute pickup of the product.