Warehouse Vehicle Intersection Control Using Road Rules and Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

In warehouse environments, traffic management systems for materials handling vehicles face challenges in navigating intersections safely and efficiently, particularly in scenarios involving multiple autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, manual drivers, and obstacles, leading to delays and potential deadlocks.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a materials handling vehicle with an obstacle detection subsystem and navigation subsystem that cooperates with traction control, braking, and steering systems to navigate intersections using warehouse navigation maneuvers and obstacle avoidance techniques, while also considering pre-positioned warehouse object data and road rules, and a remote or local traffic management server that grants permission to proceed through intersections based on clearance of prior requests.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple autonomous or semi-autonomous materials handling vehicles operate in a warehouse environment, then productivity increases, but traffic conflicts and deadlocks at intersections increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle operation efficiencyVSAvoidintersection safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A centralized traffic management server acts as an intermediary to coordinate vehicle movements through intersections. The server receives navigation requests from multiple vehicles, processes them sequentially, and grants permission based on clearance of prior requests, preventing conflicts and deadlocks while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Vehicles must submit navigation requests to the traffic management server before entering intersections. The server processes these requests in advance, granting permission only when the intersection is clear, thereby preventing conflicts before they occur rather than reacting to them

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If vehicles navigate intersections using traditional road rules, then simplicity is maintained, but traffic flow efficiency decreases due to conservative stopping and waiting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation system simplicityVSAvoidintersection waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The traffic management server provides real-time feedback to vehicles about intersection status and permission to proceed. This feedback mechanism allows vehicles to maintain motion and only stop when necessary, reducing waiting time while keeping the navigation logic relatively simple through centralized coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts traffic flow by granting permission based on real-time conditions rather than static road rules. Vehicles receive dynamic permission to proceed when the intersection is clear, allowing adaptive traffic flow that maintains simplicity while reducing unnecessary stopping and waiting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If obstacle detection subsystem is continuously active, then collision detection reliability improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision detection accuracyVSAvoidobstacle detection energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The obstacle detection subsystem operates periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The navigation subsystem activates obstacle detection when approaching intersections or when navigation decisions are required, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable collision detection at critical moments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11609578B2Traffic management for materials handling vehicles in a warehouse environment

Publication Date: 2023.03.21 CROWN EQUIP CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods for a materials handling vehicle to navigate a vehicle transit surface in a warehouse environment including a navigation subsystem configured to cooperate with a traction control unit, a braking system, a steering assembly, and an obstacle detection subsystem to: determine whether the materials handling vehicle is approaching, or has arrived at, a potentially contested intersection; associate with the intersection pre-positioned warehouse object data, a set of road rules, and obstacle data; and navigate the materials handling vehicle through the intersection utilizing warehouse navigation maneuvers in combination with the associated set of road rules, obstacle avoidance maneuvers, or both, the warehouse navigation maneuvers accounting for the associated pre-positioned warehouse object data and the obstacle avoidance maneuvers accounting for the obstacle data derived from the obstacle detection subsystem.