Service Grid Vehicle Identification for Accurate Robot State Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

In automated storage and retrieval systems, manually registering vehicle states can lead to errors, and there is a risk of vehicles having incorrect system statuses that can result in dangerous situations, such as collisions or operational hazards.

Innovation Solution

An automated system that includes a control system with data records for vehicle states, a main grid for operation, a service grid for maintenance, and readers to identify and update vehicle states automatically when vehicles enter or exit the service grid.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual registration of vehicle states is used, then the system structure is simple, but errors occur and vehicle safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle state accuracyVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle automatically updates its own state information by equipping it with a reader that detects service grid entry/exit conditions and autonomously communicates state changes to the control system, eliminating manual registration and ensuring accurate real-time tracking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The control system receives automatic feedback from vehicle readers about service grid entry and exit events, creating a closed-loop system that continuously updates vehicle state records without human intervention, thereby improving reliability through real-time verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If automatic vehicle state detection is implemented, then vehicle safety improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision riskVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A magnetic sensor serves as an intermediary element embedded in the service grid that detects vehicle presence through magnetic field changes, automatically triggering state updates without requiring complex vehicle-side detection systems or manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical registration processes with automated electronic detection using readers and magnetic sensors, substituting human-operated mechanical switches with electronic field-based detection to reduce collision risks while managing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12286295B2Robot position detection system

Publication Date: 2025.04.29 AUTOSTORE TECH AS

AI summary

An automated storage and retrieval system includes remotely operated vehicles, a main grid in which the vehicles operates, a service grid for placement of vehicles for service, and a control system for controlling the vehicles. The control system includes a data record for the status of a vehicle state for each vehicle. Each remotely operated vehicle includes a label and the service grid includes a reader for reading the label so as to identify each vehicle passing the reader. The control system receives a signal from the reader and, upon receipt, compares the data record with an observed vehicle state of the identified vehicle and either updates the data record with the observed vehicle state or indicates to an operator that a difference exists between the observed vehicle state and the vehicle state on the control system.