Parking systems and methods for pre-configuring bays to reduce vehicle retrieval time
AssigneeVolley Automation, Inc.
InventorTim Allan Wheeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A parking system including a plurality of trays, a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) configured to transport the plurality of trays, a plurality of bays, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a bay configuration ratio based on collected parking data, each bay being configured into one of an insert-ready state and a retrieve-ready state in accordance with the bay configuration ratio. When a bay is in the insert-ready state, a tray is placed within the bay and an outward-facing door of the bay is in an open position. When a bay is in the retrieve-ready state, the outward-facing door of the bay is in a closed position, an inward-facing door of the bay is in an open position, and no tray is positioned within the bay.
Claims20
A parking system comprising:
- a plurality of trays;
- a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) configured to transport the plurality of trays;
- a plurality of bays;
- and
- a controller configured to determine a bay configuration ratio based on collected parking data, each bay being configured into one of an insert-ready state and a retrieve-ready state in accordance with the bay configuration ratio,
- wherein when a bay is in the insert-ready state, a tray is placed within the bay and an outward-facing door of the bay is in an open position,
- wherein when a bay is in the retrieve-ready state, the outward-facing door of the bay is in a closed position, an inward-facing door of the bay is in an open position, and no tray is positioned within the bay.
A parking system comprising:
- a plurality of trays, each tray including a platform and a plurality of legs extending from the platform;
- a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) configured to engage a bottom surface of the platform of each tray and transport the tray;
- a plurality of bays, each bay including a base having a recess formed therein for receiving a tray;
- and
- a controller configured to determine a bay configuration ratio based on collected parking data, each bay being configured into one of an insert-ready state and a retrieve-ready state in accordance with the bay configuration ratio,
- wherein when a bay is in the insert-ready state, a tray is placed within the bay and an outward-facing door of the bay is in an open position,
- wherein when a bay is in the retrieve-ready state, the outward-facing door of the bay is in a closed position, an inward-facing door of the bay is in an open position, and no tray is positioned within the bay.
A method comprising:
- determining a bay configuration ratio based on collected parking data;
- and
- positioning a plurality of bays in one of an insert-ready state and a retrieve-ready state in accordance with the bay configuration ratio,
- wherein when a bay is in the insert-ready state, a tray is placed within the bay and an outward-facing door of the bay is in an open position,
- wherein when a bay is in the retrieve-ready state, the outward-facing door of the bay is in a closed position, an inward-facing door of the bay is in an open position, and no tray is positioned within the bay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.