Forklift-Mounted LiDAR and Vision for Live Inventory Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional warehouse management systems lack real-time data accuracy, particularly when large quantities of identical goods arrive and are stored together, leading to inaccuracies in inventory tracking and potential delays in distribution due to incorrect entry of item quantities.
Innovation Solution
Employing a data gathering apparatus with lidar and visual image capture devices mounted on vehicles like forklifts to create a digital twin of the warehouse, providing up-to-the-minute information on storage locations and product quantities by processing lidar and visual image data in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional warehouse management systems manually log item quantities on pallets, then the system is simple to operate, but inventory accuracy deteriorates due to reliance on supplier-provided numbers and potential human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical counting and data entry processes with automated optical scanning systems. Barcode scanners and image capture devices automatically capture product information, while computer vision algorithms process images to count and identify items on pallets, eliminating reliance on supplier-provided numbers and manual logging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of physical inventory data through scanning and image capture. By generating digital twins or virtual representations of warehouse contents from captured images and barcode data, the system maintains accurate real-time inventory records without manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If warehouse staff manually count and log each item on arriving pallets, then inventory data accuracy improves, but the time required for processing deteriorates causing delays in distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning system operates continuously as pallets move through the warehouse, capturing data in real-time during normal operations rather than requiring separate manual counting processes. This continuous automated data collection eliminates downtime and maintains accurate inventory records without interrupting workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary scanning and data capture at the point of goods receipt, before items are moved to storage locations. This preliminary action ensures inventory data is recorded immediately upon arrival, eliminating the need for subsequent manual verification and enabling immediate distribution planning.
3Productivity
If large quantities of identical goods are stored together on pallets, then storage efficiency improves, but tracking accuracy deteriorates as individual items become difficult to verify
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the tracking process by capturing data at multiple hierarchical levels: pallet-level information from barcodes, individual item identification through image recognition, and location-specific tracking. This multi-level segmentation enables verification of individual items even when stored in large quantities on consolidated pallets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds visual dimensionality to inventory tracking by using image capture devices and computer vision to create two-dimensional visual records of three-dimensional pallet contents. This dimensional approach allows verification of item quantities and arrangements without physically examining each item, maintaining tracking accuracy while preserving storage efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures accurate, live monitoring of warehouse contents, optimizing space utilization, and preventing delays by ensuring precise inventory tracking and efficient distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a data gathering apparatus including lidar and visual image capture devices
Implementation Method 2
visual image capture devices
Data Source
AI summary
A warehouse management system and a method of using such a system are disclosed. A data gathering apparatus including lidar and visual image capture devices is attached to a vehicle such as a forklift. The data gathering apparatus gathers lidar and visual image data as it moves around a warehouse with storage locations such as shelves. The lidar and visual image data are processed to produce processed data in the form of a digital twin representing the storage area and accessible using a computer device to provide information about the storage locations and information about products stored on the shelves. In particular that information includes product information, visual images, percentage volume of the stored location filled and percentage of product present compared to a previous quantity.