A mobile sensor frame (aka StorTRACK) for warehouse inventory management is provided. The mobile sensor frame has forklift sleeves to allow handling by a forklift truck. A vertically oriented frame is mounted and has multiple cameras distributed thereon. A motor-controlled translation system is onboard for moving the vertically oriented frame in vertical direction along with the platform. An on-board computer is used for controlling operational control of the mobile sensor frame by monitoring the direction of motion of the mobile sensor frame relative to a ground surface, and performing data acquisition of the multiple cameras. The mobile sensor frame allows for faster cycle counting at a larger footprint than e.g. a drone system.
Autonomous vehicle inventory inspection and management is provided for a GPS-denied indoor warehouse with the objective of achieving fast, yet accurate warehouse inventory assessment. The warehouse stores inventory organized in a distributed and substantially parallel fashion. Passive identification markers are located on the racks for aiding navigation of the autonomous vehicle. Travel paths for the autonomous vehicle are predefined. They are relatively straight paths in between the racks, substantially constant and lateral first distance relative to at least one of two racks along its row, a substantially constant first height relative to a warehouse floor and a substantially constant speed for the autonomous vehicle. These requirements are important to attain the objective of faster, yet accurate inventory inspection and management. During travel, acquisition systems capture information of the inventory, which is synchronized with a digital management system. Inventory is reconstructed providing a digital twin of the warehouse inventory.
Tracking and digitization method and system for warehouse inventory management is provided to greatly increase the visibility of the events at a warehouse, provide a comprehensive cataloging of every single event, compare that event against the expected event, and report any discrepancies immediately so that they can be fixed prior to causing costly mistakes. Further, it reduces the need for costly quality control personnel in the warehouse. Embodiments of this invention greatly enhance the accuracy of inventory, at a vastly reduced cost. In an indoor environment, GPS cannot be used to track the location of the forklifts or vehicles in the warehouse because most warehouses have metal constructions and present a "GPS denied" environment. Hence one must resort to vision, lidar, or inertial, or a combination of such sensors to accurately track location.
Tracking and digitization method and system for warehouse inventory management is provided to greatly increase the visibility of the events at a warehouse, provide a comprehensive cataloging of every single event, compare that event against the expected event, and report any discrepancies immediately so that they can be fixed prior to causing costly mistakes. Further, it reduces the need for costly quality control personnel in the warehouse. Embodiments of this invention greatly enhance the accuracy of inventory, at a vastly reduced cost. In an indoor environment, GPS cannot be used to track the location of the forklifts or vehicles in the warehouse because most warehouses have metal constructions and present a “GPS denied” environment. Hence one must resort to vision, lidar, or inertial, or a combination of such sensors to accurately track location.
Autonomous vehicle inventory inspection and management is provided for a GPS-denied indoor warehouse with the objective of achieving fast, yet accurate warehouse inventory assessment. The warehouse stores inventory organized in a distributed and substantially parallel fashion. Passive identification markers are located on the racks for aiding navigation of the autonomous vehicle. Travel paths for the autonomous vehicle are predefined. They are relatively straight paths in between the racks, substantially constant and lateral first distance relative to at least one of two racks along its row, a substantially constant first height relative to a warehouse floor and a substantially constant speed for the autonomous vehicle. These requirements are important to attain the objective of faster, yet accurate inventory inspection and management. During travel, acquisition systems capture information of the inventory, which is synchronized with a digital management system. Inventory is reconstructed providing a digital twin of the warehouse inventory.
A vehicle is provided having at least one control motor that includes a drive motor having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion, where the drive motor rotatable portion is coupled to a rotor shaft, where the drive motor is configured to rotate the rotor shaft, where the rotor shaft is coupled to a rotor, at least one pitch motor having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion, where the stationary portion of the pitch motor is a stator, where each pitch motor rotatable portion includes a pitch control linkage, where the pitch motor rotatable portion is connected to the rotor through the pitch control linkage, and at least one variable pitch blade holder connected to the pitch control linkage, where a pitch angle of the blade holder is capable of being adjusted by the pitch motor within each revolution of the rotor through the use of control signals.
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