US 11,378,968 B2 · Autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) cart for item distribution

Abstract

A disclosed system for transporting items to destination locations, for example when receiving inventory at large retail locations, includes an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) having at least one shelf; a shelf elevator operable to raise and lower the at least one shelf; a drive unit operable to move the AGV between a docking location and a destination location; the AGV able to position the at least one shelf at a different heights for loading and offloading items first height and a second height different from the first height, autonomously navigate between the docking location and the first destination location, and bid on delivery tasks. Some examples are further able to use a cartridge unit to expand cargo capacity. An AGV could analyze the currently-loaded weight and the remaining available space, and dynamically adjust the heights of the shelves according to the dimensions of the assigned items.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for transporting items to destination locations, the system comprising:

an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) comprising:
at least one shelf;
a shelf elevator operable to raise the at least one shelf and lower the at least one shelf;
a drive unit operable to move the AGV between a docking location and a first destination location;
a navigation module;
a wireless communication module;
and
a controller in communication with the shelf elevator, the drive unit, the navigation module, and the wireless communication module to:
generate a bid for a delivery task, the bid including a time required to deliver an item of the delivery task and estimated power to be used to deliver the item;
transmit the bid;
position the at least one shelf at a first height and a second height different from the first height;
autonomously navigate the AGV between the docking location and the first destination location;
and
receive delivery instructions corresponding to the delivery task from an orchestrator.

11 more elements

One or more computer storage devices having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for transporting items to destination locations, which, on execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

docking, by an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV), with a conveyor assembly;
adjusting, on the AGV, a first shelf to a first height for receiving a first item from the conveyor assembly;
receiving, onto the AGV, the first item from the conveyor assembly;
after receiving the first item from the conveyor assembly, actuating, on the AGV, at least one selected from the list consisting of:
a roller brake and a conveyor gate;
receiving, by the AGV, delivery instructions for the first item;
autonomously navigating, by the AGV, to a first destination location;
sensing, by the AGV, a pending collision;
performing, by the AGV, a collision avoidance maneuver;
adjusting, on the AGV, the first shelf to a second height for unloading the first item at the first destination location;
wirelessly receiving, by the AGV, a notification of a delivery task for a second item;
monitoring at least one parameter of the AGV selected from the list consisting of:
load status, remaining load capacity, weight, remaining operational capacity, and position;
based at least on the at least one parameter of the AGV, generating a bid for the delivery task, the bid including a time required to deliver the second item and estimated power to be used to deliver the second item;
wirelessly transmitting the bid;
and
receiving instructions for the delivery task.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) cart for item distribution

Life of this patent

Autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) cart for item distribution

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20