AMR Lane Grid Layout for Bidirectional Route Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for setting up lanes for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in material handling environments are complex, require precise manual setup, lack flexibility, and involve significant duplication in training routes, making it difficult to scale and optimize lane operations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating lane grids using sensor data to create a network of route segments that can be navigated in both forward and reverse directions, incorporating lane grids with selectable options based on real-time data, and enabling flexible load placement and intersection management through spatial mutexes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual setup of lanes for AMRs is performed with precise positioning, then manufacturing precision of lane layout is improved, but device complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital twin or virtual model of the physical environment where lane grids and routes are designed and simulated before deployment. This virtual copy allows precise lane layout planning without the complexity of direct manual setup in the physical space, enabling precision through software-based design and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary route validation and simulation in the virtual environment before actual AMR deployment. Lane grids, intersections, and routes are pre-configured and tested for conflicts, ensuring manufacturing precision is achieved during the design phase rather than during complex manual setup operations.
2Reliability
If duplicate training routes are created for forward and reverse directions, then reliability of bidirectional navigation is improved, but loss of time and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates universal route definitions that automatically serve both forward and reverse directions. A single route configuration in the virtual model generates bidirectional navigation capabilities, eliminating the need for separate duplicate training routes while maintaining reliability through comprehensive validation of both directions during the preliminary design phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges forward and reverse route training into a unified process. By validating routes bidirectionally during virtual setup, the system combines what would traditionally require separate training operations into a single integrated configuration process, reducing time loss while ensuring reliable bidirectional navigation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible load placement options are enabled through lane grids, then adaptability of material handling operations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the continuous physical space into discrete lane grid cells with defined properties. This segmentation enables flexible load placement by allowing AMRs to stop at any valid grid location within lanes, while the modular grid structure keeps the underlying system manageable through standardized cell definitions and automated conflict detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual environment acts as an intermediary between the simple physical lane markings and the complex navigation logic. It provides a layer of abstraction where flexible load placement options are configured and validated before deployment, enabling adaptability without directly increasing physical system complexity.
4Reliability
If spatial mutexes are implemented for intersection management, then reliability of traffic flow control is improved, but device complexity and computation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification and configuration of spatial mutexes during virtual route validation. Intersections and potential conflict zones are pre-marked with mutex definitions before deployment, allowing reliable traffic flow control through simple runtime checks rather than complex real-time computation, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, comprising at least one autonomous mobile robot (AMR); a lane grid generation system configured to generate a lane grid including route segments of the at least one AMR comprising computer program code executable by at least one processor to: drive the AMR in a first direction to demonstrate a route in a second direction opposite the first direction of the at least one AMR during an autonomous mode of the AMR; and determine a plurality of lanes for the AMR to provide loads within a full range of each of the plurality of lanes; and a navigation system configured to direct the movement of the at least one AMR based on the route segments.