Method and system for detecting position of a vehicle relative to tracks the vehicle is running on
AssigneeAutostore Technology AS
InventorsIngvar Hognaland, Ivar Fjeldheim, Jørgen Djuve Heggebø
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Abstract
A vehicle for an automated storage and retrieval system is configured to follow a route relative to tracks of the automated storage and retrieval system. The route includes one or more track crossings. The vehicle includes a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction; a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction.
Claims19
A vehicle for an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the vehicle is configured to follow a route relative to tracks of the automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the route includes one or more track crossings, and wherein the vehicle comprises:
- a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction;
- a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction;
- wherein a first sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction, wherein a second sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the second direction, wherein the first sensor of the one or more sensors is directed in the second direction, and wherein the second sensor of the one or more sensors is directed in the first direction.
A method for tracking a position of a vehicle following a route relative to tracks of an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the route includes one or more track crossings, and
- wherein the vehicle comprises:
- a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction;
- a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction;
- wherein the method comprises:
- moving the vehicle in the first direction while detecting the one or more track crossings by a first sensor of the one or more sensors, and wherein the first sensor of the one or more sensors is directed in the second direction.
A vehicle for an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the vehicle is configured to follow a route relative to tracks of the automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the route includes one or more track crossings, and wherein the vehicle comprises:
- a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction;
- a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction;
- a receiver configured to receive a total number of track crossings between a start position and a stop position of the route;
- drives configured to drive the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels;
- and
- a controller configured to control the drives based on a number of track crossings detected by at least one sensor of the one or more sensors.
A vehicle for an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the vehicle is configured to follow a route relative to tracks of the automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the route includes one or more track crossings, and wherein the vehicle comprises:
- a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction;
- a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction;
- and
- a first wheel support supporting the first set of wheels, wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is attached to the first wheel support, wherein the first wheel support is operable between an active state, in which the first set of wheels are engaged with the tracks, and a passive state, in which the first set of wheels are disengaged from the tracks, wherein the at least one sensor attached to the first wheel support is configured to detect the one or more track crossings when the first wheel support is in the active state and wherein the at least one sensor attached to the first wheel support does not detect the one or more track crossings when the first wheel support is in the passive state.
A method for tracking a position of a vehicle following a route relative to tracks of an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the route includes one or more track crossings, and
- wherein the vehicle comprises:
- a first set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a first direction;
- a second set of wheels capable of moving the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- one or more sensors attached to the vehicle and configured to detect the one or more track crossings while the vehicle is moving in the first direction or the second direction;
- a receiver;
- drives configured to drive the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels;
- and
- a controller configured to control the drives;
- wherein the method comprises:
- moving the vehicle in the first direction or the second direction while detecting the one or more track crossings by at least one sensor of the one or more sensors;
- receiving a total number of track crossings between a start position and a stop position of the route;
- and
- controlling the drives of the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels based on the total number of track crossings and a number of track crossings detected by the at least one sensor of the one or more sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.