Mobile Unit Schedule Integration for Collision-Free Updates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face inefficiencies when updating operation schedules for mobile units like AGVs, leading to potential collisions or disruptions due to discrepancies between original and new schedules, which can lower operational efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A management device and method that estimates future positions of mobile units, integrates old and new operation schedules, and generates control commands based on the integrated schedule, allowing seamless transitions without stopping the units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the mobile units are stopped during the creation of a new schedule, then the schedule can be updated without discrepancy, but the efficiency of the mobile units will be considerably lowered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveschedule consistencyVSAvoidmobile unit efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by estimating future positions of mobile units before the schedule update is applied, and prepares the new schedule in advance based on these predicted positions. This allows the schedule to be updated without stopping units, as the new schedule is already aligned with where units will be when it takes effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the schedule creation process by continuously tracking actual positions of mobile units and adjusting the new schedule based on deviations from predicted positions. This dynamic adjustment ensures schedule consistency without requiring static stopping of units

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If a new operation schedule is created without stopping the mobile units, then operational efficiency is maintained, but the new schedule cannot be used if there is a discrepancy between the original schedule and new schedule

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobile unit efficiencyVSAvoidschedule consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors actual positions of mobile units and uses this feedback to detect discrepancies between the original schedule and predicted future positions. This feedback loop enables the system to identify when units are deviating from their scheduled paths and adjust accordingly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the reference parameter for schedule creation from current positions to future predicted positions. By basing the new schedule on where units will be rather than where they are now, the system maintains consistency while allowing continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12559133B2Mobile unit management device, management method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a mobile unit management device includes a processor with hardware, configured to generate an operation schedule of at least one mobile unit, control an operation of the mobile unit based on the operation schedule, upon a need arising for updating of the operation schedule, estimate a future position of the mobile unit based on an old operation schedule that has not yet been executed on the mobile unit, generate a new operation schedule based on the future position, integrate the old operation schedule and the new operation schedule into an integrated operation schedule, and control the operation of the mobile unit based on the integrated operation schedule.