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US 11,537,119 B2Granted
Voice controlled material handling mobile robotic system
AssigneeBastian Solutions, LLC
InventorsWilliam A. Bastian, II, Mitchel H Szazynski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An AMU system includes an Autonomous Mobile Unit (“AMU”), base station, lanyard, and Warehouse Management System (“WMS”) configured to communicate with one another over a network. The AMU includes a microphone configured to receive verbal commands from an individual. The individual can further provide verbal commands through the base station and the lanyard when worn by the individual. The lanyard can also provide a geo-fence around the individual where the AMU slows down to enhance safety.
Claims22
A system, comprising:
- a warehouse management system (WMS);
- an autonomous mobile unit (AMU) that is responsive to one or more voice commands, wherein the AMU includes
- a controller,
- a microphone operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the microphone is configured to receive the voice commands,
- wherein the controller is configured to differentiate between the voice commands that are safety control commands and non-safety control commands,
- wherein the safety control commands are requests for an action to be performed by the AMU that prevent imminent harm or damage,
- wherein the non-safety control commands are requests not concerning the prevention of imminent harm or damage,
- wherein the controller is configured to process the safety control commands locally in the AMU,
- wherein the controller is configured to cause the AMU to act in response to the safety control commands,
- a transceiver operatively coupled to the controller, and
- wherein the controller is configured to transmit via the transceiver the non-safety control commands to the WMS:
- wherein the WMS is configured to decode the non-safety control commands;
- wherein the WMS is configured to send instructions concerning the non-safety control commands to the transceiver of the AMU:
- wherein the AMU is configured to perform a first material handling task,
- wherein the voice commands include a second task voice command providing instructions to perform a second material handling task,
- wherein the AMU is configured to interrupt performance of the first material handling task in favor of the second material handling task;
- and
- wherein the AMU is configured to resume the first material handling task upon completion of the second material handling task.
15 more elements
A method, comprising:
- operating an autonomous mobile unit (AMU), wherein the AMU includes a controller, a microphone operatively coupled to the controller, and a transceiver operatively coupled to the controller;
- receiving voice commands with the microphone;
- processing the voice commands locally with the controller of the AMU;
- determining with the controller that some of the voice commands are safety control commands, wherein the safety control commands are requests for an action to be performed by the AMU that prevent imminent harm or damage;
- sending a command from the controller for the AMU to perform a safety action to avoid the harm or damage;
- determining with the controller that some of the voice commands are non-safety control commands, wherein the non-safety control commands are requests not concerning the prevention imminent harm or damage;
- transmitting via the transceiver the non-safety control commands to a warehouse management system (WMS);
- decoding the non-safety control commands with the WMS;
- transmitting instructions concerning the non-safety control commands from the WMS to the transceiver of the AMU in response to the decoding:
- initiating performance of a first material handling task with the AMU;
- interrupting the performance of the first material handling task with the AMU upon the receiving the voice commands;
- performing a second material handling task with the AMU in response to the receiving the voice commands;
- and
- resuming the performance of the first material handling task with the AMU after the performing the second material handling task.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.