US 12,595,126 B2Granted

Controller and method for transporting devices

AssigneeOcado Innovation Limited

InventorsRobert Stadie, Andrzej Czarny, Thomas Oliver, Gareth Siret, Christopher Richard James Brett

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Abstract

A controller is provided to control movement of a plurality of transporting devices. In particular, the controller provides improved robot shunting. More specifically, the controller delays the planning of a shunt path for an idle robot until closer to the time the idle robot needs to move out of the way. Advantageously this avoids the computing burden of planning shunts in advance that are never performed because the idle robot is subsequently tasked before the shunt were due to start. In particular, shunt paths can be planned very close to the time at which they need to be executed thereby providing a more efficient solution to robot shunting because very close to the execution time there is a very small probability that the plan will change in a way that the shunt needs to be recalculated.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A controller configured to control movement of a plurality of transporting devices, the controller comprising:

a route determination unit configured to determine a plurality of routes from one location on a grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for a first transporting device;
a waypoint generation unit configured to generate at least one leg for each of the plurality of routes determined by the route determination unit;
a shunt calculation unit configured to calculate a shunt path for a second transporting device so as to shunt the second transporting device, wherein the shunt path is calculated at a predetermined time before which the second transporting device must commence movement to permit an uninterrupted passage of the first transporting device;
and
a clearance unit configured to provide clearance for the first transporting device to traverse a leg of a determined route,
wherein the controller is configured to control the first transporting device to traverse the at least one leg of the determined route, wherein a portion of the at least one leg includes the uninterrupted passage.

3 more elements

A method for controlling movement of a plurality of transporting devices, the method comprising:

(1) determining a plurality of routes from one location on a grid-like structure to another location on the grid-like structure for a first transporting device;
(2) generating at least one leg for each of the plurality of routes determined by the determining step;
(3) calculating a shunt path for a second transporting device so as to shunt the second transporting device, wherein the shunt path is calculated at a predetermined time before which the second transporting device must commence movement to permit uninterrupted passage of the first transporting device;
(4) providing clearance for the first transporting device to traverse a leg of a determined route;
and
(5) controlling the first transporting device to traverse the at least one leg of the determined route, wherein a portion of the at least one leg includes the uninterrupted passage.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/005,471Filed 15 Jul 2021
Priority: GB 201100016 Jul 2020
Published: US 2023/0264897 A124 Aug 2023
Granted: 7 Apr 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B65G 1/1373
With arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed: for fulfilling orders in warehouses
G05B 19/4189
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
B65G 1/0464
Mechanical: with access from above
G05D 1/0289
Involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling: with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles

Family

US 2023/0264897 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Aug 2023
US 12,595,126 B2This patent

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

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