Crown Equipment Corporation

Sebastian Theos

Andreas Simon

Christian Molnar

Juergen Buchmann

Johannes Nachtigal

René Konzack

Alfonso Costas

James V Kraimer

Philip W Swift

Lewis Henry Manci

Luying Sun

Alexander Peters

Timothy William Fanselow

Karan Purohit

Processes and systems for calibrating a distance and range measurement device coupled to an industrial vehicle are disclosed. The calibration requires no physical movement of the distance and range measurement device. Instead, actual measurements from the device are used with nominal detection zones and nominal measurements to create modified detection zones to detect objects within the modified detection zones.

Industrial vehicle distance and range measurement device calibration

A method is provided for operating a materials handling vehicle comprising: monitoring, by a processor, vehicle acceleration in a direction of travel of the vehicle during a manual operation by an operator of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling in a first vehicle orientation; collecting and storing, by the processor, data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration; receiving, by the processor, a request to implement a semi-automated driving operation; calculating, by the processor, a maximum vehicle acceleration based on acceleration data comprising the stored data, wherein the data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration used in calculating the maximum vehicle acceleration comprises only the vehicle acceleration data in the direction of travel of the vehicle collected when the vehicle is traveling in the first vehicle orientation. Based at least in part on the maximum vehicle acceleration, controlling, by the processor, implementation of the semi-automated driving operation.

Adaptive acceleration for materials handling vehicle

A method for operating a materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: monitoring, by a controller, a first vehicle drive parameter corresponding to a first direction of travel of the vehicle during a first manual operation of the vehicle by an operator and concurrently monitoring, by the controller, a second vehicle drive parameter corresponding to a second direction different from the first direction of travel during the first manual operation of the vehicle by an operator. The controller receives, after the first manual operation of the vehicle, a request to implement a first semi-automated driving operation. Based on the first and second monitored vehicle drive parameters during the first manual operation, the controller controls implementation of the first semi-automated driving operation.

A process for automating control of an industrial vehicle based on location comprises scanning an environment, by using an optical scanner affixed to the industrial vehicle. A marker defined by a series of tags is identified by recursively receiving a reflection of the optical scanner; determining if the reflection is indicative of an optical tag; and concatenating the indication of an optical tag to the marker. Once the marker is identified, the marker is transformed into an environmental condition and a status of the vehicle is determined, where the status correlates to the environmental condition. Further, an automated control is applied on the industrial vehicle based on the environmental condition and the status of the industrial vehicle.

Automating control of an industrial vehicle

A method is provided for controlling a light source device associated with a materials handling vehicle, wherein the materials handling vehicle includes one or more sensing devices, comprising: sensing via the one or more sensing devices a first distance from a left side of the vehicle to a first boundary object and a second distance from a right side of the vehicle to a second boundary object; controlling the light source device to designate a first area to the left side of the vehicle as either a limited operation area or a non-limited operation area and to designate a second area to the right side of the vehicle as either a limited operation area or a non-limited operation area.

Lighting floor on sides of material handling vehicle to indicate limited or non-limited area

A process for calibrating a distance and range measurement device coupled to an industrial vehicle comprises taking a first measurement of an emission from the device at a first yaw angle relative to a roll axis of the device. A second measurement of the emission at a second yaw angle relative to the roll axis is taken. The second yaw angle is within an angular tolerance of the first yaw angle but in an opposite direction. The device is calibrated relative to the roll axis when the first and second measurements are within a tolerance of each other.

A materials handling vehicle includes: a power unit including: a steered wheel, and a steering device for generating a steer control signal; a load handling assembly coupled to the power unit; a controller located on the power unit for receiving the steer control signal; and a sensing device on the power unit and coupled to the controller. The sensing device monitors areas in front of and next to the vehicle. Based on sensing device data, the controller may modify at least one of the following vehicle parameters: a maximum allowable turning angle or a steered-wheel-to-steering-device ratio.

Modify vehicle parameter based on vehicle position information

A method for operating a materials handling vehicle is provided and comprises: monitoring, by a controller, a first vehicle drive parameter during a manual operation of the vehicle by an operator; storing, by the controller, data related to the monitored first vehicle drive parameter. The controller is configured to use the stored data for implementing a semi-automated driving operation of the vehicle subsequent to the manual operation of the vehicle. The method further comprises: detecting, by the controller, operation of the vehicle indicative of a start of a pick operation occurring during the manual operation of the vehicle; and based on detecting the start of the pick operation, resetting, by the controller, the stored data related to the monitored first vehicle drive parameter.

Based on detected start of picking operation, resetting stored data related to monitored drive parameter

Operating a materials handling vehicle includes monitoring, by a controller, a first vehicle drive parameter during a first manual operation of the vehicle by an operator; monitoring, by the controller, the first vehicle drive parameter during a second manual operation of the vehicle by the operator; receiving, by the controller after the first manual operation of the vehicle and the second manual operation of the vehicle, a request to implement a semi-automated driving operation; calculating, by the controller, a first weighted average based on the monitored first vehicle drive parameter during the first manual operation of the vehicle and the monitored first vehicle parameter during the second manual operation of the vehicle; and based at least in part on the calculated first weighted average, controlling, by the controller, implementation of the semi-automated driving operation.

A materials handling vehicle includes: a power unit including: a steered wheel, and a steering device for generating a steer control signal; a load handling assembly coupled to the power unit; a controller located on the power unit for receiving the steer control signal; and a sensing device on the power unit and coupled to the controller. The sensing device monitoring areas in front of and next to the vehicle. Based on sensing device data, the controller may modify at least one of the following vehicle parameters: a maximum allowable turning angle or a steered-wheel-to-steering-device ratio.

A process for calibrating a distance and range measurement device coupled to an industrial vehicle comprises taking a first measurement of an emission from the device at a first yaw angle relative to a roll axis of the device. A second measurement of the emission at a second yaw angle relative to the roll axis is taken. The second yaw angle is within an angular tolerance of the first yaw angle but in an opposite direction. The device is calibrated relative to the roll axis when the first and second measurements are within a tolerance of each other. A third measurement of the distance and range measurement device beam emitted from the distance and range measurement device at a pitch angle is taken. If the third measurement and a virtual emission length are within a tolerance, then the device is calibrated with respect to the pitch axis.

A process for automating control of an industrial vehicle based on location comprises scanning an environment in a travel direction of the industrial vehicle, by using an optical scanner affixed to the industrial vehicle. A marker defined by a series of tags is identified by recursively receiving a reflection of the optical scanner; determining if the reflection is indicative of an optical tag; and concatenating the indication of an optical tag to the marker. Once the marker is identified, the marker is transformed into an environmental condition and a status of the vehicle is determined, where the status correlates to the environmental condition. Further, an automated control is applied on the industrial vehicle based on the environmental condition and the status of the industrial vehicle.

A vehicle-initiated cadenced operator interaction system introduces an operational concept to a vehicle operator via a machine-initiated interaction. Thereafter, interaction is initiated by the industrial vehicle according to a cadence that provides a gap between interactions so that the operator can demonstrate the behavior associated with the introduced concept. Industrial vehicle data associated with the content of the interaction(s) is analyzed and evaluated against pre-defined operational criteria to determine whether the operator is demonstrating the appropriate skill/behavior associated with the interaction(s). Responsive to the operator's demonstrated ability, the system can modify operation of the vehicle to tune the industrial vehicle to the operator. The system can also extend to the operating environment, by interacting with electronic devices, vehicles, machines, etc., in the operating environment to tune the environment to the operator.

Vehicle-initiated cadenced operator interaction

A control system for an industrial vehicle includes a badge communicator and an information linking device. The badge communicator has a transceiver for short range communication with electronic badges that are within in a fixed short range of the badge communicator, defining a first zone. The information linking device is programmed to execute program code. The program code extracts a current state of an operating parameter read from an industrial vehicle network bus, generates a second zone within the first zone that is defined based upon the extracted industrial vehicle operating parameter, detects a presence of an electronic badge within the first zone, determines whether the electronic badge is within the second zone, performs a first action if the detected electronic badge is not within the second zone, and performs a second action if the electronic badge is within the second zone.

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Vaterstetten, Germany

Sebastian Theos