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US 12,649,647 B2Granted
Automated hitch for automated vehicle
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsEdward F. Houston, Leung Man Shiu, Michael Joseph Goldberg, Mark David Bittenbender, William Patrick McConnell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for towing, hitching, and connecting devices are described. An autonomous guided vehicle includes an automated hitch capable of connecting to a variety of types of containers.
Claims14
An automatic coupling system for an automated guided vehicle (AGV), the system comprising:
- a coupling hitch assembly comprising
- a frame adapted to attach to the AGV;
- a rotational shaft rotationally connected to the frame;
- a coupling hitch connected to the rotational shaft, the coupling hitch configured to rotate relative to the AGV, the coupling hitch comprising a plurality of coupling features, each of the plurality of coupling features configured to couple to a different type of connection feature;
- and
- a sensor coupled to the coupling hitch;
- and
- one or more processors configured to
- receive sensor input from the sensor;
- generate a digital representation of an item container based on the received sensor input;
- extract a point cloud of a connection feature of the item container from the digital representation of the item container;
- determine, based on the extracted point cloud, a location of the connection feature;
- determine, based on the extracted point cloud, a type of the item container;
- identify, based on the determined type of item container, one of the plurality of coupling features configured to couple to the coupling feature on the determined type of item container;
- and
- rotate, based on the determined location of the coupling feature and the identified one of the plurality of coupling features, the coupling hitch relative to the AGV to align the identified one of the plurality of coupling features of the coupling hitch with the connection feature of the item container.
13 more elements
A method of automatically coupling an automated guided vehicle (AGV) to an item container, the method comprising:
- scanning the item container with a sensor on a coupling hitch of an AGV, wherein the coupling hitch on the AGV comprises a plurality of coupling features, each of the plurality of coupling features configured to couple to a different type of connection feature;
- receiving sensor input from the scanning of the item container;
- generating a digital representation of the item container based on the received sensor input;
- extracting a point cloud of a connection feature of the item container from the digital representation of the item container;
- measuring, in the extracted point cloud, the connection feature of the item container;
- identifying, based on the measuring, a type of the item container;
- determining, based on the extracted point cloud, a location of the connection feature of the item container;
- identifying, based on the determined type of item container, one of the plurality of coupling features configured to couple to the coupling feature on the determined type of item container;
- and
- directing movements of the coupling hitch relative to the AGV to couple the identified one of the plurality of coupling features of the coupling hitch with the connection feature of the item container.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.