Systems and methods for relative pose determination and field enforcement of materials handling vehicles using ultra-wideband radio technology

A method for relative pose determination between a first materials handling vehicle and a second materials handling vehicle, each materials handling vehicle comprising a vehicle body, the first materials handling vehicle comprising a first ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna array mounted to the vehicle body, the first UWB antenna array comprising at least two antennas and a first UWB antenna array center, the second materials handling vehicle comprising a second UWB antenna array mounted to the vehicle body, the second UWB antenna array comprising at least two antennas and a second UWB antenna array center, the method comprising:

• transmitting respective UWB signals comprising vehicle information between respective UWB antenna arrays of the first and second materials handling vehicles;
• determining center information of the first UWB antenna array center and the second UWB antenna array center;
• and
• determining a relative pose comprising position and orientation of each of the first and second materials handling vehicles with respect to each other based on the respective transmitted UWB signals comprising the vehicle information and measurements and based on the center information of the first UWB antenna array center and the second UWB antenna array center.

A relative pose determination system comprising a first materials handling vehicle, and a second materials handling vehicle, each materials handling vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a vehicle position processor, wherein:

• the first and second materials handling vehicles are configured to navigate a vehicle transit surface in a warehouse environment;
• the first materials handling vehicle comprises a first ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna array mounted to the vehicle body, the first UWB antenna array comprising at least two antennas and a first UWB antenna array center;
• the second materials handling vehicle comprises a second UWB antenna array mounted to the vehicle body, the second UWB antenna array comprising at least two antennas and a second UWB antenna array center;
• and
• each vehicle position processor is configured to:
• transmit a first UWB signal from the first UWB antenna array of the first materials handling vehicle to the second UWB antenna array of the second materials handling vehicle;
• receive the first UWB signal at the second UWB antenna array of the second materials handling vehicle;
• determine a second materials handling vehicle set of information based on the first UWB signal and center information of the second USB antenna array center;
• transmit a second UWB signal comprising the second materials handling vehicle set of information from the second UWB antenna array of the second materials handling vehicle to the first UWB antenna array of the first materials handling vehicle;
• determine a first materials handling vehicle set of information based on the second UWB signal and center information of the first USB antenna array center;
• transmit a third UWB signal comprising the first materials handling vehicle set of information from the first UWB antenna array of the first materials handling vehicle to the second UWB antenna array of the second materials handling vehicle;
• determine a relative pose, comprising position and orientation, of each of the first and second materials handling vehicles with respect to each other based on the second UWB signal, the third UWB signal, and measurements based on the center information of the first UWB antenna array center and the second UWB antenna array center;
• and
• operate at least one of the first and second materials handling vehicles based on the relative pose.