公开(公告)号：US11975744B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-07

申请号：US17251760

申请日：2019-06-11

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Ragnar Stuhaug ,  Karl Hatteland ,  Ingvar Fagerland ,  Øystein Gjerdevik ,  Trond Austrheim ,  Synnøve Matre

IPC: B65G1/137 ,  B61B13/00 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/06 ,  B65G47/06 ,  B65G47/52 ,  B65G57/03 ,  B65G63/06 ,  B65G65/23 ,  B65G67/24 ,  B66F9/06 ,  B66F9/19 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B60W50/00 ,  B65G43/00 ,  B65G63/00

CPC classification number: B61B13/00 ,  B65G1/0414 ,  B65G1/0457 ,  B65G1/0464 ,  B65G1/0471 ,  B65G1/0478 ,  B65G1/0485 ,  B65G1/0492 ,  B65G1/065 ,  B65G1/1375 ,  B65G47/06 ,  B65G47/52 ,  B65G57/03 ,  B65G63/06 ,  B65G65/23 ,  B65G67/24 ,  B66F9/063 ,  B66F9/19 ,  G05D1/0011 ,  G05D1/021 ,  G05D1/0291 ,  B60W50/0098 ,  B60W2710/06 ,  B60W2720/10 ,  B60W2720/24 ,  B65G1/1378 ,  B65G43/00 ,  B65G63/004 ,  B65G2201/0235 ,  B65G2201/0258 ,  B65G2203/0283 ,  B65G2203/042 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G05D1/0229 ,  G05D1/0231 ,  G05D1/0259 ,  G05D1/0289 ,  G05D2201/0216

Abstract: The operation of container handling vehicles and remotely operated specialized container handling vehicles are controlled by a method such that total elapsed time or waiting time cost for transferring specified storage containers between them is minimal or optimal. The specialized container handling vehicles are operating at a level below an automated storage and retrieval system having a framework structure defining a storage grid for storing storage containers in grid cells. The storage containers are stored and retrieved by container handling vehicles running on top of the storage grid. At least one operational controller, which is in communication with a first type of controller in each container handling vehicle and a second type of controller in each specialized container handling vehicle, performs the followings steps: when a specified storage container is to be transferred from a storage column and its corresponding grid cell to a specialized container handling vehicle: assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to pick up the storage container from the grid cell and lower it to a selected port, located at the lower end of an identified free delivery column by transmitting instructions to the first type of controller of the assigned container handling vehicle, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; moving the container handling vehicle to the grid cell, picking up the storage container and transporting it to a grid cell of the delivery column where the port is; transmitting a signal to the specialized container handling vehicles comprising information of the selected port at a first location and when the storage container will be available at the port; based on responses from the specialized container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a specialized container handling vehicle to retrieve the specified storage container at the selected port; moving the assigned specialized container handling vehicle to the selected port at the first location, picking up the storage container and bringing it to a second location; and/or, when a specified storage container is to be transferred to a grid cell, for storage in its corresponding storage column, by a specialized container handling vehicle: determining which port at a first location that is to be used, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; transmitting instructions to the second type of controller of the specialized container handling vehicle, to transport the storage container from its current location representing the second location, to said determined port at the first location; moving the specialized container handling vehicle from the second location to the determined port at the first location; transmitting a signal to the container handling vehicles comprising information of the determined port to retrieve the storage container from; based on responses from the container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to lift and retrieve the specified storage container from the determined port to be used at the first location; lifting the storage container from the determined port through the delivery column and moving the container handling vehicle for transporting the storage container to a grid cell corresponding to the storage column the specified storage container is to be transferred to.

公开(公告)号：US20220388772A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-08

申请号：US17756014

申请日：2020-11-19

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Karl Hatteland

IPC: B65G1/04 ,  G05D1/00

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for controlling operation of an automated storage and retrieval system during rebuilding a physical design. The method includes a planning and designing phase that establish a new design. Storage columns with a rail system that is affected by the rebuilding are excluded from a selection of available routes for container handling vehicles operating on the storage system. In a relocation phase, storage containers located in excluded storage columns are relocated to other storage columns. In a rerouting phase, traffic flow of container handling vehicles are rerouted according to available routes. A master controller is instructed to control the vehicles according to the available routes. In a rebuilding phase, the storage system is rebuilt according to the new physical design. In a final routing phase, the routing planner controls traffic flow of the vehicles according to available routes on the rail system of the rebuilt physical design.

公开(公告)号：US20210130090A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-06

申请号：US17251760

申请日：2019-06-11

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Ragnar Stuhaug ,  Karl Hatteland ,  Ingvar Fagerland ,  Øystein Gjerdevik ,  Trond Austrheim ,  Synnøve Matre

IPC: B65G1/04

Abstract: The operation of container handling vehicles and remotely operated specialized container handling vehicles are controlled by a method such that total elapsed time or waiting time cost for transferring specified storage containers between them is minimal or optimal. The specialized container handling vehicles are operating at a level below an automated storage and retrieval system having a framework structure defining a storage grid for storing storage containers in grid cells. The storage containers are stored and retrieved by container handling vehicles running on top of the storage grid. At least one operational controller, which is in communication with a first type of controller in each container handling vehicle and a second type of controller in each specialized container handling vehicle, performs the followings steps: when a specified storage container is to be transferred from a storage column and its corresponding grid cell to a specialized container handling vehicle: assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to pick up the storage container from the grid cell and lower it to a selected port, located at the lower end of an identified free delivery column by transmitting instructions to the first type of controller of the assigned container handling vehicle, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; moving the container handling vehicle to the grid cell, picking up the storage container and transporting it to a grid cell of the delivery column where the port is; transmitting a signal to the specialized container handling vehicles comprising information of the selected port at a first location and when the storage container will be available at the port; based on responses from the specialized container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a specialized container handling vehicle to retrieve the specified storage container at the selected port; moving the assigned specialized container handling vehicle to the selected port at the first location, picking up the storage container and bringing it to a second location; and/or, when a specified storage container is to be transferred to a grid cell, for storage in its corresponding storage column, by a specialized container handling vehicle: determining which port at a first location that is to be used, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; transmitting instructions to the second type of controller of the specialized container handling vehicle, to transport the storage container from its current location representing the second location, to said determined port at the first location; moving the specialized container handling vehicle from the second location to the determined port at the first location; transmitting a signal to the container handling vehicles comprising information of the determined port to retrieve the storage container from; based on responses from the container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to lift and retrieve the specified storage container from the determined port to be used at the first location; lifting the storage container from the determined port through the delivery column and moving the container handling vehicle for transporting the storage container to a grid cell corresponding to the storage column the specified storage container is to be transferred to.

公开(公告)号：US20240246578A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-25

申请号：US18627225

申请日：2024-04-04

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Ragnar Stuhaug ,  Karl Hatteland ,  Ingvar Fagerland ,  Øystein Gjerdevik ,  Trond Austrheim ,  Synnøve Matre

IPC: B61B13/00 ,  B60W50/00 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/06 ,  B65G1/137 ,  B65G43/00 ,  B65G47/06 ,  B65G47/52 ,  B65G57/03 ,  B65G63/00 ,  B65G63/06 ,  B65G65/23 ,  B65G67/24 ,  B66F9/06 ,  B66F9/19

CPC classification number: B61B13/00 ,  B65G1/0414 ,  B65G1/0457 ,  B65G1/0464 ,  B65G1/0471 ,  B65G1/0478 ,  B65G1/0485 ,  B65G1/0492 ,  B65G1/065 ,  B65G1/1375 ,  B65G47/06 ,  B65G47/52 ,  B65G57/03 ,  B65G63/06 ,  B65G65/23 ,  B65G67/24 ,  B66F9/063 ,  B66F9/19 ,  B60W50/0098 ,  B60W2710/06 ,  B60W2720/10 ,  B60W2720/24 ,  B65G1/1378 ,  B65G43/00 ,  B65G63/004 ,  B65G2201/0235 ,  B65G2201/0258 ,  B65G2203/0283 ,  B65G2203/042

Abstract: A method controls the operation of container handling vehicles and remotely operated specialized container handling vehicles. A specified storage container is to be transferred from a storage column and its corresponding grid cell to a specialized container handling vehicle. The method includes determining, by an operational controller, which container handling vehicle shall be assigned for the job; sending instructions to a first controller in the selected container handling vehicle instructing the selected container handling vehicle to pick up the storage container from the grid cell and to lower the storage container to a selected port; assigning a specific specialized container handling vehicle of the remotely operated specialized container handling vehicles to retrieve the specified storage container from the port; and transmitting instructions from the operational controller to a second controller in the specific specialized container handling vehicle to retrieve the specified storage container at the selected port. The specific specialized container handling vehicle is selected based on minimizing the total elapsed time for transferring the storage container between the selected container handling vehicle and the specific specialized container handling vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US20230222431A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-13

申请号：US18001524

申请日：2021-06-23

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Karl Hatteland ,  Ragnar Stuhaug ,  Kristian Berge Nessa

IPC: G06Q10/08 ,  B65G1/04

CPC classification number: G06Q10/08 ,  B65G1/0464

Abstract: A system for allocating jobs and/or targets to robots in an automated storage and retrieval system includes a plurality of robots and a framework structure forming a three-dimensional storage grid structure for storing storage containers. The framework structure includes a rail system. The rail system provides available routes for the robots handling and transferring the storage containers to and from the storage columns. At least one robot includes a first set of wheels configured to move the robot along a first horizontal direction of the grid-based rail system and a second set of wheels configured to move the robot along a second horizontal direction of the grid-based rail system. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The movement of the robots is controlled by a central computer system including a warehouse management system that includes a router and an assigner. The router decides which routes the robots travel and the assigner has control over which jobs are to be done and which targets to reach. The assigner is configured to create a list of job options of jobs to be done and a list of target options of targets to be reached by each robot, which lists of job options and target options are made accessible to the router. The router is configured to decide which job and target to be assigned to the robot using a multi-position search algorithm. The decision is based on the location of the robot in question and the route it has to travel to reach the job and the target.