Overhead Sensor Scheduling for Automated Guided Cart Tasks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing material handling systems face challenges in efficiently managing tasks for automated guided carts (AGCs) due to labor-intensive and time-consuming processes, necessitating the need for flexible and automated systems to optimize task generation and scheduling.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of overhead sensor systems in conjunction with a control system that includes a warehouse management system, order management system, traffic controller, and Optimized AGC Task Scheduler (OATS) to generate and schedule tasks for AGCs based on real-time data from sensor systems and warehouse management data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If labor-intensive processes are used to manage AGC tasks, then operational flexibility can be maintained, but productivity and speed of material handling processes deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of material handling processesVSAvoidautomation of task generation and scheduling

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service through automated task generation and scheduling where the AGC system autonomously creates and schedules its own tasks based on sensor data and warehouse management information, eliminating the need for manual labor while maintaining operational flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual labor-intensive processes are replaced with an automated control system that uses sensor data, warehouse management systems, and optimization algorithms to generate and schedule AGC tasks, substituting mechanical human operations with automated electronic control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of time

If manual task scheduling is used for AGCs, then system complexity can be kept low, but time consumption and efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime consumption in task managementVSAvoidcomplexity of task generation and scheduling system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-generating and pre-scheduling tasks based on sensor data and warehouse management information before AGCs need to execute them, reducing time consumption during actual operation while managing complexity through advance planning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from overhead sensor systems and warehouse management systems to continuously monitor and adjust task generation and scheduling, optimizing performance while managing complexity through data-driven decision making

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If automated sensor systems are implemented, then measurement precision and operational precision improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of real-time data collectionVSAvoidcomplexity of overhead sensor systems and control architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The overhead sensor systems and control architecture serve multiple functions including task generation, task scheduling, real-time monitoring, and optimization, reducing the need for separate specialized systems while maintaining high measurement precision through multi-purpose sensor deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12299610B2Optimized task generation and scheduling of automated guided carts using overhead sensor systems

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

Systems and methods to generate and schedule tasks for automated guided carts (AGCs) may include an overhead sensor system, a warehouse management system, an order management system, and a traffic controller. The overhead sensor system may detect trolleys and totes positioned at various trolley locations within a material handling facility. Based on the sensor data and data associated with states of portions of the material handling facility, the order management system may generate logically feasible tasks to transport trolleys and totes within the facility, and may also sequence the tasks in a temporally feasible order. Then, the traffic controller may instruct execution of the sequence of tasks by AGCs to facilitate various material handling processes within the facility.