Robot Shunt Path Timing for Lower Warehouse Control Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot shunting algorithms in storage and retrieval systems are inefficient due to pre-planned shunt paths that are often unnecessary, leading to suboptimal performance and increased computing burden, especially in systems with many robots.
Innovation Solution
The controller delays the planning of shunt paths for idle robots until closer to the time they need to move, using a route determination unit, waypoint generation unit, and shunt calculation unit to optimize robot movements and avoid unnecessary recalculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If shunt paths are planned in advance for idle robots, then greater visibility of potential path contention is achieved, but computing burden increases and suboptimal paths may be allocated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of idle robots that may need shunting, but delays the actual path calculation until closer to execution time. This allows early preparation of shunt candidates while avoiding premature computation of paths that may become unnecessary if robots are retasked.
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt path planning is made dynamic by continuously evaluating whether idle robots remain idle and actually need shunting. The system adapts the planning horizon based on real-time robot status, recalculating paths only for robots that are still idle when the shunt time approaches.
2Productivity
If shunt paths are planned further in advance, then more optimal paths can be selected against cost function, but more robots may be allocated paths around future shunts that are later deemed unnecessary
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of idle robots that may need shunting, but delays the actual path calculation until closer to execution time. This allows early preparation of shunt candidates while avoiding premature computation of paths that may become unnecessary if robots are retasked.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the timing parameter of shunt path calculation from fixed early planning to dynamic near-term planning. By adjusting when paths are calculated based on actual robot idle status, the system optimizes the balance between path quality and computational efficiency.
3Reliability
If pre-planned shunt paths are used, then robot coordination is improved, but unnecessary shunt paths increase computing burden and reduce efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt path planning is made dynamic by continuously evaluating whether idle robots remain idle and actually need shunting. The system adapts the planning horizon based on real-time robot status, recalculating paths only for robots that are still idle when the shunt time approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards pre-calculated shunt paths for robots that are retasked before their shunt time, avoiding unnecessary path execution. Computing resources are recovered and reallocated to robots that still require shunting, improving overall system efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller is provided to control movement of a plurality of transporting devices. In particular, the controller provides improved robot shunting. More specifically, the controller delays the planning of a shunt path for an idle robot until closer to the time the idle robot needs to move out of the way. Advantageously this avoids the computing burden of planning shunts in advance that are never performed because the idle robot is subsequently tasked before the shunt were due to start. In particular, shunt paths can be planned very close to the time at which they need to be executed thereby providing a more efficient solution to robot shunting because very close to the execution time there is a very small probability that the plan will change in a way that the shunt needs to be recalculated.