Systems, devices, and methods for automated pallet and receptacle relocation

A method for automatically relocating pallets and receptacles within a shipping motor vehicle, comprising:

• measuring a weight of a pallet or receptacle holding one or more items using a weight sensor located within a cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle;
• identifying available storage locations to store the pallet or receptacle within the cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle using an infrared location sensor;
• computing, with a computing device located on the shipping motor vehicle, a destination location for the pallet or receptacle from among the identified available locations, based, at least in part, on a weight of the pallet or receptacle measured by the weight sensor;
• raising the pallet or receptacle to match a height of the shipping motor vehicle using a lifting ramp included within an external conveyor system;
• conveying the pallet or receptacle, using the external conveyor system into the shipping motor vehicle;
• receiving the pallet or receptacle with an internal omnidirectional conveyor system located in the cargo area within the shipping motor vehicle, the internal ominidrectional conveyor system having a direction of operation that is controlled by the computing device;
• and
• relocating the pallet or receptacle to the destination location using the internal omnidirectional conveyor system based on instructions received from the computing device.

A shipping motor vehicle, comprising:

• a weight sensor within a cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle that is configured to measure a weight of a pallet or a receptacle;
• an infrared location sensor located within the cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle and configured to identify available storage locations within the cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle to store the pallet or receptacle;
• a computing device equipped with a processor and configured to compute a destination location within the cargo area for the pallet or receptacle from the identified available storage locations, based, at least in part, on the weight of the pallet or receptacle measured by the weight sensor;
• and
• an internal ominidrectional conveyor system located within the shipping motor vehicle that is communicatively coupled to the computing device and whose direction of operation is controlled by the computing device, the internal ominidrectional conveyor system configured to receive the pallet or receptacle from an external conveyor system and relocate the pallet or receptacle to the destination location within the cargo area of the shipping motor vehicle based on instructions received from the computing device.

A smart storage receptacle for use with a shipping motor vehicle or train, the smart storage receptacle comprising:

• a weight sensor located within the smart storage receptacle that is configured to measure a weight of a pallet or a receptacle;
• an infrared location sensor located within the smart storage receptacle and configured to identify available storage locations within the smart storage receptacle to store the pallet or receptacle;
• a computing device equipped with a processor and configured to compute a destination location within the smart storage receptacle for the pallet or receptacle from the identified available storage locations, based, at least in part, on the weight of the pallet or receptacle measured by the weight sensor;
• and
• an internal omnidirectional conveyor system located within the smart storage receptacle that is communicatively coupled to the computing device and whose direction of operation is controlled by the computing device, the internal omnidirectional conveyor system configured to receive the pallet or receptacle from an external conveyor system and relocate the pallet or receptacle to the destination location within the smart storage receptacle based on instructions received from the computing device,
• wherein the smart storage receptacle is configured to be transported by a shipping motor vehicle or train.