Materials Handling Vehicle Acceleration Adaptation for Stable Picking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing materials handling vehicles lack adaptive acceleration control, leading to inefficient semi-automated driving operations due to fixed maximum acceleration settings, which can result in unstable load handling during stock picking operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for monitoring and calculating adaptive maximum vehicle acceleration based on recent manual operation data, distinguishing between different vehicle orientations to adjust acceleration and deceleration parameters for semi-automated driving, ensuring stable load handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed maximum acceleration settings are used in semi-automated driving operations, then the control system is simple to implement, but load stability deteriorates due to inability to adapt to operator's driving behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring and collection of acceleration data during manual operation phases before transitioning to semi-automated mode. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-calculate adaptive maximum acceleration values based on the operator's demonstrated driving behavior, ensuring that when semi-automated mode activates, the acceleration settings are already optimized for load stability without requiring complex real-time adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle acceleration data during manual operation and using this information to adjust maximum acceleration settings in semi-automated mode. The processor compares actual acceleration patterns with predefined thresholds and adapts the control parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that improves load stability while maintaining operational simplicity
2Measurement precision
If acceleration data from all vehicle orientations is used to calculate maximum acceleration, then more data is available for calculation, but accuracy deteriorates due to different load handling requirements in different orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments acceleration data based on vehicle orientation by using sensors to detect whether the vehicle is in first or second orientation. This segmentation allows the processor to separately analyze and calculate maximum acceleration values for each orientation category, ensuring that the calculation only includes data from relevant operational contexts and improving the precision of the adaptive acceleration control
3Reliability
If semi-automated driving operation is implemented without adaptive acceleration control, then operational efficiency is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to unstable load handling
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the maximum acceleration parameter based on monitored operational data. By adjusting this critical parameter according to the operator's driving behavior and vehicle orientation, the system ensures safe and stable load handling in semi-automated mode while maintaining operational efficiency. The parameter adaptation occurs seamlessly without interrupting the picking operation workflow
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for operating a materials handling vehicle comprising: monitoring, by a processor, vehicle acceleration in a direction of travel of the vehicle during a manual operation by an operator of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling in a first vehicle orientation; collecting and storing, by the processor, data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration; receiving, by the processor, a request to implement a semi-automated driving operation; calculating, by the processor, a maximum vehicle acceleration based on acceleration data comprising the stored data, wherein the data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration used in calculating the maximum vehicle acceleration comprises only the vehicle acceleration data in the direction of travel of the vehicle collected when the vehicle is traveling in the first vehicle orientation. Based at least in part on the maximum vehicle acceleration, controlling, by the processor, implementation of the semi-automated driving operation.