Transport Vehicle Command Assignment for Higher Load Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transportation systems face challenges in ensuring a sufficient number of loads transported per unit time due to prioritized transportation commands taking longer than expected, leading to inefficiencies and idling vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A transportation system and control method that preferentially assign transportation commands with shorter transportation times or distances to vehicles, using specific assignment processing to maximize the number of loads transported per unit time, while suspending commands that exceed a certain time or distance threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prioritized transportation commands are executed first, then high-priority loads are transported, but the number of loads transported per unit time becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transportation command queue into multiple processing stages: high-priority commands are processed first, followed by medium-priority, then low-priority commands. This segmentation allows the system to fulfill priority requirements while maintaining overall throughput by preventing any single priority level from monopolizing the transport vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller implements periodic re-evaluation of command priorities and re-assignment of transport vehicles. Instead of executing commands in a single static priority order, the system periodically reassesses the queue and reassigns vehicles to commands that can be completed quickly, creating a rhythmic pattern of priority fulfillment and throughput optimization.
2Reliability
If transportation commands with long transportation time are executed, then complete transportation is achieved, but vehicle idling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary assessment of command transportation times before assignment. Commands with excessively long transportation times are identified in advance and either broken into smaller segments or rescheduled, preventing vehicles from being assigned to time-consuming commands that would result in prolonged idling after completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of command priorities based on real-time vehicle availability and command characteristics. Commands with long transportation times are dynamically deprioritized in favor of shorter commands that can be executed quickly, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions and minimize vehicle idle time while still completing all necessary transportation tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
A transportation system includes a plurality of transport vehicles and a controller configured or programmed to assign a transportation command to the transport vehicles and to execute specific assignment processing to preferentially assign the transportation command having a relatively short transportation time or transportation distance to the transport vehicles.