US 11,960,300 B2Granted

Systems and methods for using human-operated material-transport vehicles with fleet-management systems

AssigneeClearpath Robotics Inc.

InventorsRyan Christopher Gariepy, Matthew Allen Rendall, Simon Drexler, Roydyn Clayton, Shahab Kaynama

Life of this patent

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Abstract

There is provided a driver-support system for use with a human-operated material-transport vehicle, and methods for using the same. The system has at least one sensor, a human-vehicle interface, and a transceiver for communicating with a fleet-management system. The system also has a processor that is configured to provide a mapping application and a localization application based on information received from the sensor. The mapping application and localization application may be provided in a single localization-and-mapping (“SLAM”) application, which may obtain input from the sensor, for example, when the sensor is an optical sensor such as a LiDAR or video camera.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of using a human-operated material-transport vehicle with a fleet-management system, comprising:

operating a driver-support system, the driver-support system comprising a processor and at least one sensor, the processor operable to:
receive a mission definition from the fleet-management system, wherein the mission definition comprises one or more tasks to be conducted by the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
plan a path based on the mission definition;
display the path via a human-vehicle interface to assist the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle to conduct the one or more tasks;
monitor and collect, using at least one of the human-vehicle interface or the at least one sensor, a vehicle-mission information associated with an operation of the human-operated material-transport vehicle by the operator within an industrial facility associated with the fleet-management system;
and
transmit the vehicle-mission information to the fleet-management system during the operation by the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
and
during the operation by the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle for completing the one or more tasks:
operate the fleet-management system to:
monitor, based on the received vehicle-mission information, a task status of each task of the one or more tasks being conducted by the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
and
in response to detecting a change in a task status of at least one task, generate and transmit an updated mission definition to the human-operated material-transport vehicle based on the change in the task status;
and
operate the driver-support system to:
in response to receiving the updated mission definition, update the path based on the updated mission definition;
and
display the updated path via the human-vehicle interface.

15 more elements

A system for using a human-operated material-transport vehicle with a fleet-management system, the system comprising:

the fleet-management system;
and
a driver-support system comprising:
at least one sensor;
a human-vehicle interface;
a transceiver for communicating with a fleet-management system;
and
a processor operable to communicate with the at least one sensor, the human-vehicle interface and the transceiver, the processor being operable to:
receive a mission definition from the fleet-management system, wherein the mission definition comprises one or more tasks to be conducted by the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
plan a path based on the mission definition;
display the path via the human-vehicle interface to assist the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle to conduct the one or more tasks;
monitor and collect, using at least one of the human-vehicle interface or the at least one sensor, a vehicle-mission information associated with an operation of the human-operated material-transport vehicle by the operator within an industrial facility associated with the fleet-management system;
and
transmit the vehicle-mission information to the fleet-management system during operation by the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
and
during the operation by the operator of the human-operated material-transport vehicle for completing the one or more tasks,
the fleet-management system being operable to:
monitor, based on the received vehicle-mission information, a task status of each task of the one or more tasks being conducted by the human-operated material-transport vehicle;
and
in response to detecting a change in a task status of at least one task, generate and transmit an updated mission definition to the human-operated material-transport vehicle based on the change in the task status;
and
the processor of the driver-support system being further operable to:
in response to receiving the updated mission definition, update the path based on the updated mission definition;
and
display the updated path via the human-vehicle interface.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/325,298Filed 20 May 2021 · continuation
Priority: 23 Jan 2017
Published: US 2021/0382500 A19 Dec 2021
Granted: 16 Apr 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

B66F 17/003
Safety devices, e.g. for limiting or indicating lifting force: for fork-lift trucks
G05D 1/693
Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles: for avoiding collisions between vehicles
B66F 9/07581
Constructional features or details: remote controls
B66F 9/24
Means for actuating or controlling masts, platforms, or forks: electrical devices or systems

Family

Application62/449,264Us provisional application · filed 23 Jan 2017
Application15/877,299Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Jan 2018
Application16/778,090Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Jan 2020
US 10,585,440 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Mar 2020
US 2021/0382500 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Dec 2021
US 11,054,840 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0241560 A1Published application
US 11,960,300 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.