Asset Carrier Path Tracking for Flexible Facility Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing asset tracking systems face challenges in efficiently tracking assets that move flexibly within facilities while minimizing computational resources, particularly in scenarios where assets are not stored in designated locations and require high granularity to avoid cross-contamination.
Innovation Solution
The system identifies starting and ending point events of asset carriers interacting with assets, determines paths based on asset carrier locations, and calculates asset positions relative to the carrier as needed, reducing continuous tracking data and computational resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous tracking data is collected for all assets at all times, then location accuracy is improved, but computational and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous tracking to periodic event-based tracking. Asset locations are determined only at specific events (pickup, drop-off, path calculations) rather than continuously monitoring all assets at all times. This periodic approach maintains necessary location accuracy while dramatically reducing computational and storage resource requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and tracks only the essential information needed for asset location determination - specifically event data (pickup, drop-off) and path information - rather than collecting all continuous tracking data. This extraction of necessary elements maintains location accuracy while minimizing resource consumption.
2Productivity
If assets are allowed to move flexibly to any location without predesignated storage areas, then storage efficiency is improved, but tracking complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores path information between locations before assets actually move. When an asset is picked up or dropped off, the system has already prepared the necessary path data, enabling efficient tracking of flexible asset movements without requiring complex real-time computation. This preliminary preparation reduces tracking complexity while maintaining storage flexibility.
3Measurement precision
If high granularity tracking is implemented to detect cross-contamination events, then measurement precision is improved, but computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses path information as an intermediary to detect cross-contamination events. Instead of directly monitoring all asset interactions, the system calculates and compares paths of different assets to identify potential cross-contamination. This intermediary approach maintains high detection precision while reducing computational resource requirements by focusing analysis on path data rather than all asset movements.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for asset tracking. A method includes identifying a starting point event based on an asset carrier interacting with an asset at a starting point location. An ending point event is identified. The ending point event is detected based on an ending point event activity of the asset carrier around an ending point location. The asset is identified with respect to the starting and ending point events. A path of the asset between the starting and ending point locations is determined based on locations occupied by the asset carrier between the starting point event and the ending point event. The path includes multiple locations of the asset at different times and the locations occupied by the asset carrier between the starting point event and the ending point event correspond to respective times. Locations of the assets at any of the different times may be determined based on the path.