US 10,649,446 B2Granted

Techniques for conveyance device control

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsBrandon William Porter, Jon Stuart Battles, William George Bowes, David Henry Clark, Scott Dresser

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Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein for operating a conveyance system (e.g., a conveyor belt, tilt plane, robotic arm) of a mobile drive unit (MDU) independent of the MDU's navigation system. The MDU may be configured to obtain, convey, and deliver items within the workspace. Navigation information related to navigating the MDU within a workspace may be obtained. Operations of a navigational system of the MDU may be performed to move the MDU to various locations within the workspace in accordance with the navigation information. Conveyance information related to physically obtaining and/or delivering an item within the workspace may be obtained by the MDU (e.g., via conveyance-related fiducial markers and/or sensors of the MDU). At least one operation of a conveyance system of the MDU may be executed which may cause the item to be physically relocated based at least in part on the conveyance information.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mobile drive unit (MDU) configured for item conveyance within a workspace, the MDU comprising:

a sensor mounted to the MDU;
a guidance system configured to control motion of the MDU, the guidance system comprising a first processor and a first memory storing a first set of computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the first processor, configured the guidance system to:
obtain, utilizing the sensor, location information related to navigating within the workspace, the location information being obtained utilizing a first fiducial marker within the workspace;
and
navigate the MDU to a delivery location within the workspace according to the location information obtained utilizing the first fiducial marker;
and
a conveyance system configured to operate a conveyance device attached to the MDU, the conveyance system comprising a second processor;
and
a second memory storing a second set of computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the second processor, configure the conveyance system to:
receive, via the conveyance device, an item to be delivered to the delivery location within the workspace;
obtain, utilizing the sensor, conveyance information related to operating the conveyance device, the conveyance information being obtained utilizing a second fiducial marker, the second fiducial marker being different from the first fiducial marker;
and
execute at least one operation of the conveyance device to deliver the item to the delivery location, the at least one operation of the conveyance system being executed based at least in part on the conveyance information obtained utilizing the second fiducial marker, and
wherein the at least one operation of the conveyance system is executed independent of navigation of the MDU.

11 more elements

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining, by a guidance system of a mobile drive unit (MDU), navigation information related to navigating the MDU within a workspace, the MDU being configured to obtain, convey, and deliver an item within the workspace;
executing, by the guidance system, at least one operation to move the MDU to a plurality of locations within the workspace based at least in part on the navigation information;
obtaining, by a conveyance system of the MDU, conveyance information related to physically obtaining or delivering the item within the workspace using a conveyance device attached to the MDU, the conveyance system being different from the guidance system;
and
executing, by the conveyance system, at least one operation of the conveyance device to physically relocate the item based at least in part on the conveyance information, wherein the at least one operation of the conveyance device is executed independent of navigating the MDU.

2 more elements

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by a mobile drive unit (MDU), configure the MDU to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a guidance system of the MDU from a remote system, navigation information related to navigating the MDU within a workspace, the MDU being configured to obtain and deliver an item within the workspace;
identifying, by the guidance system, a location of the MDU based at least in part on a navigation-related fiducial marker;
executing, by the guidance system, at least one operation to move the MDU within the workspace based at least in part on the navigation information and the location of the MDU;
obtaining, by a conveyance system of the MDU, conveyance information related to physically obtaining or delivering the item within the workspace using a conveyance device attached to the MDU, the conveyance information being obtained based at least in part on a plurality of conveyance-related fiducial markers that are different from the navigation-related fiducial marker;
and
executing, by the conveyance system, at least one operation of the conveyance device to obtain or deliver the item based at least in part on the conveyance information, wherein the at least one operation of the conveyance device is executed independent of navigation of the MDU.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/967,359Filed 30 Apr 2018
Published: US 2019/0332096 A131 Oct 2019
Granted: 12 May 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

G05B 19/41895
Characterised by the transport system: using automatic guided vehicles [AGV]
G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
B65G 1/0492
Mechanical: with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
B65G 1/065
With means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level: with self propelled cars