Industrial Truck Marker Detection for Precise Loading Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems for industrial trucks, such as GNSS, fail to provide accurate positioning relative to loading/unloading apparatuses, especially during loading/unloading operations, and struggle with movable apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
The industrial truck uses a camera to detect an optical marker, such as a QR code, associated with the loading/unloading apparatus, allowing it to precisely determine and reach a target position for loading/unloading operations. The information related to the marker can be encoded in the marker itself or received from a remote management system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GNSS-based navigation systems are used for industrial truck positioning, then the system can provide general navigation capability, but the positioning accuracy relative to loading/unloading apparatus is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
An optical marker is introduced as an intermediary element between the industrial truck and the loading/unloading apparatus. The marker serves as a reference object that the camera can detect to determine the truck's position and orientation with high precision relative to the apparatus, resolving the positioning accuracy issue while maintaining adaptability through flexible marker placement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/GNSS-based navigation system with an optical detection system using a camera to capture images of the optical marker. This substitution enables high-precision positioning by using optical field characteristics rather than satellite-based mechanical navigation, achieving the required measurement precision for loading/unloading operations
2Adaptability or versatility
If the optical marker is placed on a movable portion of the loading/unloading apparatus, then the system can adapt to dynamic positions, but the marker detection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The optical marker is preliminarily positioned on the movable portion of the loading/unloading apparatus before the industrial truck arrives. By pre-placing the marker at the target location, the system enables the truck to detect and navigate to the correct position without difficulty, even when the apparatus is movable, thus resolving both adaptability and detection difficulty issues
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the industrial truck to reliably and accurately reach a precise position relative to the loading/unloading apparatus, improving the efficiency and safety of loading/unloading operations, even in dynamic environments with movable apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
at least a camera (12) configured to capture images of an environment of the industrial truck
Data Source
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AI summary
An industrial truck is configured to carry a load and having an autonomous/assisted driving function for approaching an apparatus configured to interact with the industrial truck for performing loading/unloading operations of the truck. The industrial truck comprises a control unit configured for controlling the autonomous/assisted driving function; at least a camera configured to capture images of an environment of the industrial truck, the at least one camera being connected to the control unit for providing the control unit with an image signal related to the captured images. The control unit is configured to detect, based on the image signal, an optical marker in the environment, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a relative position of the industrial truck with respect to the detected marker based on the image signal. The control unit is further configured to acquire information related to the optical marker, the information defining a target position to be reached by the industrial truck relative to the optical marker for performing the loading/unloading operations, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the autonomous/assisted driving function based on the determined relative position of the industrial truck with respect to the detected optical marker and on the information related to the optical marker, in order to reach the target position.