Systems and methods for using sensor fusion in determining the position of materials handling vehicles

A materials handling vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle transceiver for receiving a first communication from a plurality of transceiver anchors that are placed on respective stationary objects within a covered environment;
• a vehicle sensor for detecting at least one of a plurality of guidewires, wherein each of the plurality of guidewires is placed between a plurality of dividers;
• and
• a computing device that includes a processor and a memory component, the memory component storing vehicle position logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the materials handling vehicle to perform the following:
• determine a recent location of the materials handling vehicle from data received from at least a portion of the plurality of transceiver anchors;
• determine a proximity of the materials handling vehicle to a proximate guidewire of the plurality of guidewires;
• engage with the proximate guidewire;
• determine a first dimension of a position of the materials handling vehicle based on a known location of the proximate guidewire;
• receive, via the vehicle transceiver, data from a first transceiver anchor and second transceiver anchor of the plurality of transceiver anchors;
• determine a second dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle based on the received data from the first transceiver anchor and the second transceiver anchor;
• determine the position of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment from the first dimension and the second dimension;
• and
• alter operation of the materials handling vehicle, based on the position.

A method comprising:

• determining, by a computing device, a recent location of a materials handling vehicle from data received from at least a portion of a plurality of transceiver anchors, wherein the materials handling vehicle includes a vehicle transceiver for communicating with the plurality of transceiver anchors;
• determining, by the computing device, a proximity of the materials handling vehicle to a proximate guidewire of a plurality of guidewires located in a covered environment, wherein the covered environment further includes the plurality of transceiver anchors and a plurality of dividers;
• engaging, by the computing device, with the proximate guidewire;
• determining, by the computing device, a first dimension of a position of the materials handling vehicle based on a known location of a proximate guidewire of the plurality of guidewires;
• receiving, via the vehicle transceiver, data from a first transceiver anchor and second transceiver anchor of the plurality of transceiver anchors;
• determining, by the computing device, a second dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle based on the received data from the first transceiver anchor and the second transceiver anchor;
• determining, by the computing device, the position of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment from the first dimension and the second dimension;
• and
• altering, by the computing device, operation of the materials handling vehicle, based on the position.