Remote Forklift Pallet Detection for Automatic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In forklift-truck remote operation systems, operators face difficulties in moving the forklift truck to the position of a desired pallet and inserting the fork into pallet holes due to the complexity of navigating using a camera-mounted view.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a camera on the forklift truck for image capture, a display for image processing, a pallet detector for image recognition, and a travel controller to automatically move the forklift truck to the selected pallet, with features like pop-up boxes or highlighted outlines for easy selection and automatic fork insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If operators manually navigate the forklift truck using camera view, then the system maintains simple structure, but the time required to reach pallet position increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical navigation with an automated vision-based navigation system. The camera captures images of the warehouse environment, the image processing unit automatically identifies pallet positions through image analysis, and the travel controller autonomously guides the forklift to the target location, substituting operator manual control with an automated optical-mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The forklift truck's navigation system performs self-service by autonomously determining its own position and calculating the optimal path to the pallet without external intervention. The onboard camera and image processing unit enable the vehicle to independently identify targets and navigate, reducing reliance on human operators for position finding.
2Ease of operation
If the system displays only raw camera images, then the display system remains simple, but the ease of selecting and navigating to the desired pallet decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing unit applies color-based visual indicators to highlight detected pallets in the camera feed. Different colors or color intensities are used to mark pallet locations, making them stand out from the background environment. This visual enhancement allows operators to quickly identify and select target pallets without manually searching through the raw camera image.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing unit acts as an intermediary between the raw camera input and the operator's selection interface. It processes the camera images to extract and highlight relevant information (pallet positions), presenting processed visual data that facilitates easier operator decision-making while maintaining the simplicity of the original camera system.
3Productivity
If automatic travel control is implemented, then the productivity increases, but the reliability of manual override capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control system implements dynamic switching capability, allowing seamless transition between automatic travel control mode and manual override mode. The system can adapt its level of automation based on operational needs, maintaining high productivity through automatic navigation while preserving the ability to switch to manual control when reliability or flexibility is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the automatic navigation process and provide status information to the operator. This feedback loop ensures that the automatic control system remains reliable by allowing operator oversight and intervention when necessary, maintaining trust and control while benefiting from automated efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A forklift-truck remote operation system includes a forklift truck and a remote operation device. The forklift-truck remote operation system further includes: a camera mounted to the forklift truck and configured to capture an image of an area around the forklift truck; a display disposed in the remote operation device and configured to display the image captured by the camera; a pallet detector configured to perform image recognition processing of the image captured by the camera and detect a plurality of pallets; a display controller configured to control the display to display the image captured by the camera with an indication for pallet selection from the pallets detected by the pallet detector; and a travel controller configured to control the forklift truck to move to a position of the selected pallet.