Systems and methods for material handling vehicle travel control based on object detection systems
AssigneeThe Raymond Corporation
InventorsRobert P. McLachlan, Anthony V. D'Accolti, Joseph T. Yahner, Joel N. Sunny
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Abstract
Systems and methods provide a travel control system to augment a supplemental object detection system of a material handling vehicle. Speed limits can be calculated for material handling vehicles based on properties of the vehicle, and a field of view of the object detection systems of the material handling vehicle. For given steer angles or ranges of steer angles, the speed of the material handling vehicle can be limited to ensure that the vehicle could stop before contact with a newly-detected object that was previously outside the field of view of the object detection system.
Claims20
A travel control system to augment a supplemental object detection system of a material handling vehicle, the travel control system comprising:
- a material handling vehicle;
- a steer angle sensor;
- a speed sensor;
- a motor control unit;
- and
- a processor operatively connected to the steer angle sensor, the speed sensor, and the motor control unit, the processor being configured to:
- determine, based on intrinsic aspects of the material handling vehicle, a first speed limit associated with a first breakpoint angle;
- receive from the steer angle sensor, a first steer angle;
- receive, from the speed sensor, a first vehicle speed;
- when the first steer angle exceeds the first breakpoint angle and is less than a pivot breakpoint angle, and the first speed exceeds the first speed limit, generate a signal to the motor control unit to decrease a speed of the material handling vehicle, and
- when the first steer angle equals or exceeds the pivot breakpoint angle, reduce or remove a limit on a speed of the material handling vehicle.
A method in a computer-implemented system for controlling travel of a material handling vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a control system of the material handling vehicle, intrinsic aspects of the material handling vehicle;
- determining, based on the intrinsic aspects of the material handling vehicle and a configuration of a scanner mounted on the material handling vehicle, at least one speed limit associated with at least one steering angle range of the material handling vehicle;
- receiving, at the control system, a current speed of the material handling vehicle;
- receiving, at the control system, a current steering angle of the material handling vehicle;
- when the current steering angle is within the at least one steering angle range and the current speed exceeds the at least one speed limit associated with the at least one steering angle range, generating a signal to a motor control unit to reduce a speed of the material handling vehicle, and
- when the current steering angle equals or exceeds a pivot breakpoint angle, reducing or removing a speed limit of the material handling vehicle.
A computerized control system for a material handling vehicle, the computerized control system comprising:
- an object detection system of the material handling vehicle including at least one scanner having a field of view defined between a first boundary and a second boundary;
- a motor control unit;
- one or more processors;
- a memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for performing a method for controlling a travel of the material handling vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the one or more processors, a current speed of the material handling vehicle and a current steering angle of the material handling vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on the current speed and current steering angle, a stopping distance of the material handling vehicle;
- determining if the stopping distance is within the scanner field of view;
- determining if a distance between the stopping distance and either of the first boundary and the second boundary is less than a buffer distance;
- and
- if either of the distance between the stopping distance and either of the first boundary and the second boundary is less than a buffer distance, and the stopping distance is outside of the scanner field of view, generating a signal to the motor control unit to reduce a speed of the material handling vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.