UWB Tile Grid Communication for Dynamic Safety in Cargo Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing goods transporting systems face challenges with complex and costly field wiring for communication between grid elements, labor-intensive maintenance, and safety concerns due to the need for physical barriers and shutdowns during maintenance, which reduce operational flexibility and increase resource usage.
Innovation Solution
A communication, safety, and location system utilizing Ultra Wide Band Radio (UWB) transceivers to enable efficient communication and location tracking between tile units and cargo carrier units, allowing for dynamic safety zones and reduced downtime, with UWB transceivers configured for short pulses and wide frequency bands to ensure precise positioning and safety monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If field wiring is used for communication between grid elements, then reliable communication is achieved, but the amount of cabling required increases significantly and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical field wiring system with a wireless communication system using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transceivers. This eliminates the need for extensive physical cabling between grid elements and cargo carrier units, reducing installation complexity and maintenance requirements while maintaining communication reliability through established wireless protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the communication function from the physical infrastructure by implementing wireless transceivers in both stationary grid elements and mobile cargo carrier units. This allows communication to be decoupled from physical connections, enabling flexible system configuration and easier reconfiguration without re-wiring.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If physical barriers are installed for safety, then personnel safety is improved, but operational flexibility decreases and resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical barrier systems with an electronic safety monitoring system using wireless transceivers and sensors. The system continuously tracks the positions of cargo carrier units and personnel, automatically generating safety zones and issuing warnings or shutdown commands when potential hazards are detected. This eliminates the need for fixed physical barriers while maintaining safety and preserving operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety system implements dynamic safety zones that automatically adjust based on the real-time positions of cargo carrier units and personnel. Unlike static physical barriers, these virtual safety boundaries can move and reshape continuously, providing adaptive protection that maintains operational flexibility while ensuring personnel safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the entire operation is shut down for maintenance, then safety is ensured, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic safety monitoring that allows selective shutdown of individual cargo carrier units or specific grid zones while maintaining operation of other units. The wireless communication system continuously monitors positions and can isolate problematic areas without affecting overall system productivity, enabling maintenance to be performed on individual components while the rest of the system remains operational.
4Measurement precision
If UWB transceivers are configured for short pulses and wide frequency bands, then location precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UWB transceivers are configured to transmit short periodic pulses rather than continuous signals. This pulsed transmission mode achieves precise location measurement through time-of-flight calculations while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous transmission, as the transceivers remain idle between pulses.
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
The UWB-based system reduces cabling needs, simplifies maintenance by enabling dynamic safety zones and continuous operation, enhances safety by monitoring personnel and cargo carrier locations, and improves operational flexibility by allowing higher speeds and reduced resource allocation for safety measures.
Implementation Method 1
A number of the tile units at locations spaced within the grid are equipped with UWB transceivers... to communicate and locate personnel and objects within a goods transporting system
Data Source
AI summary
A communication, safety, and location system for use as part of a goods transporting system comprises a plurality of tile units 2, the tile units 2 configured to tesselate to form a substantially continuous grid with a substantially flat upper surface and to enable movement of cargo carrying units positioned on the surface in use; a number of the tile units at locations spaced within the grid equipped with UWB transceivers.