Path planning for determining routes for container handling vehicles

A method of determining a route for a container handling vehicle to a target area of a grid system, the grid system is arranged at least partially across a framework structure of an automated storage and retrieval system, a plurality of container handling vehicles are operable on the grid system to retrieve storage containers from, and deliver storage containers into storage columns arranged in rows between upright members of the framework structure, and to move the storage containers to and from one or more grid cells on the grid system corresponding to storage columns, wherein the following steps are performed by a central control system which is in communication with a local controller of each container handling vehicle:

• determining the target area to be two or more connected grid cells;
• setting a task of moving a container handling vehicle to the target area;
• selecting a container handling vehicle to be moved to the target area;
• searching for and determining an optimal route for the selected container handling vehicle to the target area;
• and
• instructing the selected container handling vehicle to move along the determined route to the target area.

A system of determining a route for a container handling vehicle to a target area of a grid system, the rail system is arranged at least partially across a framework structure of an automated storage and retrieval system, a plurality of container handling vehicles are operable on the grid system to retrieve storage containers from, and deliver storage containers into storage columns arranged in rows between upright members of the framework structure, and to move the storage containers to and from one or more grid cells on the grid system corresponding to storage columns, a central control system configured to communicate with a local controller of each container handling vehicle, wherein the central control system is configured to:

• determine the target area to be two or more connected grid cells,
• set a task of moving a container handling vehicle to the target area,
• select a container handling vehicle to be moved to the target area,
• search for and determine an optimal route for the selected container handling vehicle to the target area, and
• instruct the selected container handling vehicle to move along the determined route to the target area.

A computer program product for a central control system of a system of determining a route for a container handling vehicle to a target area of a grid system, wherein the rail system is arranged at least partially across a framework structure of an automated storage and retrieval system, a plurality of container handling vehicles are operable on the grid system to retrieve storage containers from, and deliver storage containers into storage columns arranged in rows between upright members of the framework structure, and to move the storage containers to and from one or more grid cells on the grid system corresponding to storage columns, and wherein the central control system is configured to communicate with a local controller of each container handling vehicle, wherein the computer program product comprises instructions that, when performed on the central control system, perform:

• determining the target area to be two or more connected grid cells;
• setting a task of moving a container handling vehicle to the target area;
• selecting a container handling vehicle to be moved to the target area;
• searching for and determining an optimal route for the selected container handling vehicle to the target area;
• and
• instructing the selected container handling vehicle to move along the determined route to the target area.