Autonomous Vehicle Queuing and Loading for Fleet Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The distribution of a fleet of vehicles is inefficient due to the reliance on human drivers for moving and loading vehicles, which increases logistics costs and reduces efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for autonomous vehicle distribution using infrastructure and vehicle sensors to control the queuing and loading/unloading of vehicles onto trailers or train cars, facilitated by a fleet-management system that optimizes vehicle movement based on location, destination, and traffic conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If human drivers are used to move and load vehicles, then vehicles can be transported from parking lots to loading stations, but logistics efficiency decreases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Vehicles autonomously navigate from parking lots to loading stations using onboard sensors and processors to detect obstacles, determine routes, and execute movement without human drivers. The system enables vehicles to self-service the transportation task, eliminating the need for manual driving while improving logistics efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human drivers physically moving vehicles with an automated control system that uses sensor data processing and electronic signals to control vehicle movement. This substitution of mechanical human operation with automated electronic control resolves the contradiction by improving efficiency while reducing manual involvement
2Productivity
If human drivers manually load vehicles onto trailers, then vehicles can be loaded onto transportation carriers, but the process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Vehicles autonomously queue up at loading stations in advance and position themselves ready for loading before the actual loading process begins. This preliminary autonomous positioning reduces waiting time and accelerates the overall loading operation by eliminating the time needed for manual vehicle retrieval and positioning
Solution Approach 2:
Vehicles autonomously perform the loading process by driving themselves onto trailers without manual intervention. This self-service capability increases loading speed while reducing the time vehicles spend waiting in queues, as the autonomous system efficiently coordinates movement and loading operations
3Ease of operation
If vehicles are parked in vast logistics parking lots, then vehicles can be stored and queued for transport, but the large space requirement and manual management reduce operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses infrastructure sensors and onboard vehicle sensors to continuously monitor vehicle locations, queue status, and loading station availability. This feedback mechanism enables efficient space utilization in parking lots by dynamically directing vehicles to optimal positions, reducing the overall area needed while improving management efficiency through real-time coordination
Data Source
AI summary
A method for vehicle distribution of a fleet of vehicles includes: receiving signals from a set of infrastructure sensors; receiving signals from one or more sensors on-board the vehicles; processing the signals from the set of infrastructure sensors and the signals from the one or more sensors on-board the vehicles; controlling autonomous queuing of the vehicles using the processed signals; and controlling autonomous loading and unloading of the vehicles onto a transportation vehicle according to the queuing of the vehicles.