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US 5,780,826 AGranted
Container handling apparatus and management system
AssigneeToyo Umpanki Co., Ltd.
InventorsSoichi Hareyama, Takao Serizawa, Hideki Hamada, Takayuki Ban
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-propelled container handling apparatus handles a container in a container yard. The container handling apparatus reads an identification code borne on the container and senses a position of the container to be handled. On the basis of the container identification code read by the container handling apparatus and the container position sensed by the container handling apparatus, the inventory data for the containers stored in the container yard are updated.
Claims19
A self-propelled container handling apparatus for handling a container in a container yard, comprising:
- means for reading a container identification code borne on the container;
- a lift capable of vertically shifting the container so that the container can be stacked;
- a horizontal position sensing means for sensing a horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a position of the container handling apparatus itself by signals from artificial satellites;
- a vertical position sensing means for sensing a vertical position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a vertical shifting distance of the container vertically shifted by the lift;
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the horizontal position sensing means;
- and
- a second horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of the position of the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- this self-propelled container handling apparatus can sense the stocking position of the container to be carried at the container yard and read the identification code of the container at the stocking position in the container yard;
- wherein
- the position of the container handling apparatus itself can be sensed by the second horizontal position sensing means, when the first horizontal position sensing means fails in the position sensing precision;
- wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means senses the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using an azimuth sensor and a self-propelling distance sensing apparatus provided in the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means is provided, this means assesses the precision on the basis of whether the position sensing time exceeds a preset time or not;
- and wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means can sense the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using a reference position information readable at a known reference position as an initial value, when both the first horizontal position sensing means and the second horizontal position sensing means fail in position sensing precision.
14 more elements
A self-propelled container handling apparatus for handling a container in a container yard, comprising:
- means for reading a container identification code borne on the container;
- a lift capable of vertically shifting the container so that the container can be stacked;
- a shifting apparatus for horizontally shifting the container without propelling the container handling apparatus itself;
- a horizontal position sensing means for sensing a horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a position of the container handling apparatus itself by signals from artificial satellites;
- an additional horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a horizontal shifting distance of the container shifted by the shifting apparatus;
- a vertical position sensing means for sensing a vertical position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a vertical shifting distance of the container vertically shifted by the lift;
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the horizontal position sensing means;
- and
- a second horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of the position of the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- this self-propelled container handling apparatus can sense the stocking position of the container to be carried at the container yard and read the identification code of the container at the stocking position in the container yard;
- wherein
- the position of the container handling apparatus itself can be sensed by the second horizontal position sensing means, when the first horizontal position sensing means fails in the position sensing precision;
- wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means senses the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using an azimuth sensor and a self-propelling distance sensing apparatus provided in the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means is provided, this means assesses the precision on the basis of whether the position sensing time exceeds a preset time or not;
- and wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means can sense the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using a reference position information readable at a known reference position as an initial value, when both the first horizontal position sensing means and the second horizontal position sensing means fail in position sensing precision.
16 more elements
A self-propelled container handling apparatus for handling a container in a container yard, comprising:
- means for reading a container identification code borne on the container;
- a lift capable of vertically shifting the container so that the container can be stacked;
- a horizontal position sensing means for sensing a horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a position of the container handling apparatus itself by signals from artificial satellites;
- a vertical position sensing means for sensing a vertical position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a vertical shifting distance of the container vertically shifted by the lift;
- a second horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of the position of the container handling apparatus itself;
- and
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means;
- wherein
- this self-propelled container handling apparatus can sense the stocking position of the container to be carried at the container yard and read the identification code of the container at the stocking position in the container yard;
- wherein
- the position of the container handling apparatus itself can be sensed by the second horizontal position sensing means, when the first horizontal position sensing means fails in the position sensing precision;
- wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means senses the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using an azimuth sensor and a self-propelling distance sensing apparatus provided in the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means is assessed on the basis of whether the position sensing time exceeds a preset time or not;
- wherein
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the first horizontal position sensing means is provided;
- and wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means can sense the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using a reference position information readable at a known reference position as an initial value, when both the first horizontal position sensing means and the second horizontal position sensing means fail in position sensing precision.
16 more elements
A self-propelled container handling apparatus for handling a container in a container yard, comprising:
- means for reading a container identification code borne on the container;
- a lift capable of vertically shifting the container so that the container can be stacked;
- a shifting apparatus for horizontally shifting the container without propelling the container handling apparatus itself;
- a horizontal position sensing means for sensing a horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a position of the container handling apparatus itself by signals from artificial satellites;
- an additional horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a horizontal shifting distance of the container shifted by the shifting apparatus;
- a vertical position sensing means for sensing a vertical position of the container, on the basis of sensing of a vertical shifting distance of the container vertically shifted by the lift;
- a second horizontal position sensing means for sensing the horizontal two-dimensional position of the container, on the basis of sensing of the position of the container handling apparatus itself;
- and
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means;
- wherein
- this self-propelled container handling apparatus can sense the stocking position of the container to be carried at the container yard and read the identification code of the container at the stocking position in the container yard;
- wherein
- the position of the container handling apparatus itself can be sensed by the second horizontal position sensing means, when the first horizontal position sensing means fails in the position sensing precision;
- wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means senses the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using an azimuth sensor and a self-propelling distance sensing apparatus provided in the container handling apparatus itself;
- wherein
- the position sensing precision of the second horizontal position sensing means is assessed on the basis of whether the position sensing time exceeds a preset time or not;
- wherein:
- means for assessing the position sensing precision of the first horizontal position sensing means is provided;
- and wherein
- the second horizontal position sensing means can sense the position of the container handling apparatus itself, by using a reference position information readable at a known reference position as an initial value, when both the first horizontal position sensing means and the second horizontal position sensing means fail in position sensing precision.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.