Autonomous Delivery Robot Scheduling for Flexible Item Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous robot delivery systems are inflexible and inefficient, as they require specifically designed store rooms and assume consistent stock availability, making them unsuitable for handling items of unknown size, shape, weight, and orientation, and not adaptable to varying stock levels.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an order management system, a transmitter, a verification terminal, and an autonomous delivery robot, which schedules robot availability at a delivery interchange to receive items from a transport entity and navigate to destinations, allowing for flexible delivery of items from various product providers to clients through a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If store room racks are specifically designed to deliver known articles into known positions on the robot, then delivery precision is improved, but adaptability to articles of unknown size, shape, weight and orientation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the delivery process by first scanning articles with imaging devices to determine their size, shape, weight and orientation, then using control logic to calculate optimal placement positions on the robot based on actual article characteristics rather than predetermined positions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of article placement by using sensors and imaging devices to detect actual article properties, then dynamically adjusting placement positions and robot loading configurations based on detected parameters rather than fixed predetermined positions
2Ease of operation
If the robot assumes the store room contains sufficient stock, then operational simplicity is improved, but reliability of delivery is worsened when store rooms do not routinely carry relevant articles
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where sensors and imaging devices detect actual article availability and characteristics in real-time, and the control logic adjusts robot scheduling and routing decisions based on this feedback to ensure reliable delivery only when articles are actually available
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary scanning and detection of articles in the store room before the robot arrives to collect them, using imaging devices and sensors to verify article availability and characteristics in advance, then schedules robot visits based on this preliminary information
3Productivity
If store rooms are configured with fixed racks for specific products, then delivery efficiency is improved, but flexibility to handle varying stock levels and different product types deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes the delivery process dynamic by using sensors to detect actual article positions and characteristics, then using control logic to dynamically calculate and adjust optimal pickup positions and robot routes based on current stock levels and article configurations rather than following fixed predetermined paths
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system for managing item delivery. The system includes an order management system, comprising an order terminal for receiving an order, a transmitter for receiving the order from the order terminal and sending the order to one or more product providers, a verification terminal by which a recipient can verify completion of delivery of items associated with the order, and a scheduler. The scheduler schedules a robot to be available at an interchange to receive the one or more items, and the order management system provides a delivery destination to the robot by which, or so that, the robot can autonomously navigate to the destination.