Disclosed are techniques for system for controlling components in a facility based on energy hedges. The system can include a controller to control the components in the facility. The controller can perform a process including: receiving pre-purchased energy hedge information for a period of time, monitoring real-time energy market conditions based on real-time energy information from an energy grid data source, generating component control instructions based on current operating conditions, energy capacity of the facility, the pre-purchased energy hedge information, and the monitored real-time energy market conditions, and executing the component control instructions to cause the components in the facility to perform the operational tasks. The pre-purchased energy hedge information can be determined based on predicting block energy hedges for the period of time and purchasing at least a portion of the predicted block energy hedges for that time.
G05B 13/04 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques impliquant l'usage de modèles ou de simulateurs
G06Q 40/04 - TransactionsOpérations boursières, p. ex. actions, marchandises, produits dérivés ou change de devises
Disclosed are systems and methods for determining swap and replenishment opportunities in a pick area of a storage facility. A method can include receiving, by a computer system, current stock levels for bays in the pick area, identifying a subset of the bays as having a replenishment or swap opportunity based on determining that the current stock levels for the subset of the bays is less than a threshold stock level, and determining, for each bay in the subset of the bays, whether the bay has a swap opportunity or a replenishment opportunity. The method can also include determining whether each bay is a static bay based on pick area build information, which can include a pick area layout, current SKUs in the pick area, date of layout build, static location assignments for the bays, and dynamic location assignments for the bays.
Disclosed is a system for interpolating ambient conditions across a facility, the system including: sensors to generate sensor data indicating ambient conditions in a facility and a computer system that can: receive the sensor data from the sensors, determine real-time temperature information for different locations of the facility based on processing the received sensor data, retrieve a machine learning model that was trained using historic facility data to interpolate ambient conditions across a facility using temperature information that corresponds to a portion of the facility, apply the model to the real-time temperature information for the different locations of the facility, determine, based on applying the machine learning model, real-time temperature information for the facility, and return the real-time temperature information for the facility.
G06F 30/18 - Conception de réseaux, p. ex. conception basée sur les aspects topologiques ou d’interconnexion des systèmes d’approvisionnement en eau, électricité ou gaz, de tuyauterie, de chauffage, ventilation et climatisation [CVC], ou de systèmes de câblage
4.
AUTOMATED COMPUTER MODELING OF PALLET COSTS IN A STORAGE FACILITY AND PRESENTATION THEREOF IN GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES
Disclosed are techniques for modeling costs per pallet in a facility. A computer system can: receive, from a warehouse management system (WMS) and/or a refrigeration control system (RCS), time series data for a period of time for pallets in a facility, retrieve, from a data store, pallet movement data, changes in temperature data, labor usage data, and energy consumption data for each pallet amongst the pallets, determine costs per pallet over the period of time based on correlating the time series data with the retrieved data for each pallet amongst the pallets, the costs per pallet including at least one of energy costs per pallet or labor costs per pallet, determine projected costs per pallet based on modeling the costs per pallet over the period of time, the projected costs being determined for future time periods, and generate output indicating the projected costs per pallet for the future time periods.
G06Q 10/0637 - Gestion ou analyse stratégiques, p. ex. définition d’un objectif ou d’une cible pour une organisationPlanification des actions en fonction des objectifsAnalyse ou évaluation de l’efficacité des objectifs
G06Q 10/087 - Gestion d’inventaires ou de stocks, p. ex. exécution des commandes, approvisionnement ou régularisation par rapport aux commandes
Disclosed is a system for interpolating ambient conditions across a facility, the system including: sensors to generate sensor data indicating ambient conditions in a facility and a computer system that can: receive the sensor data from the sensors, determine real-time temperature information for different locations of the facility based on processing the received sensor data, retrieve a machine learning model that was trained using historic facility data to interpolate ambient conditions across a facility using temperature information that corresponds to a portion of the facility, apply the model to the real-time temperature information for the different locations of the facility, determine, based on applying the machine learning model, real-time temperature information for the facility, and return the real-time temperature information for the facility.
F25D 13/02 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec plusieurs compartiments de refroidissement, p. ex. casiers frigorifiques
F25D 11/02 - Dispositifs autonomes déplaçables associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. réfrigérateurs ménagers avec compartiments de refroidissement à des températures différentes
Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatuses for automatically and optically determining structural integrity and catch weight information for a pallet. The apparatus can include: a conveyor belt to route a pallet having cases in a facility once the pallet is ingested into the facility, a turntable to receive the pallet from the conveyor belt and rotate the pallet, at least one imaging device proximate the turntable to capture optical data of the pallet, a partial enclosure to enclose the turntable, the at least one imaging device, and at least a portion of the conveyor belt, and an edge computing device in network communication with the at least one imaging device. The edge computing device can: receive the optical data from the at least one imaging device, process the optical data to determine structural integrity and catch weight information for the pallet, and determine routing or storage information for the pallet.
G06V 10/774 - Génération d'ensembles de motifs de formationTraitement des caractéristiques d’images ou de vidéos dans les espaces de caractéristiquesDispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique utilisant l’intégration et la réduction de données, p. ex. analyse en composantes principales [PCA] ou analyse en composantes indépendantes [ ICA] ou cartes auto-organisatrices [SOM]Séparation aveugle de source méthodes de Bootstrap, p. ex. "bagging” ou “boosting”
G06V 10/94 - Architectures logicielles ou matérielles spécialement adaptées à la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos
This document generally describes warehousing systems that can, in certain instances, improve the efficiency of warehousing operations and improve utilization of available space in a warehousing facility. The warehousing system may be implemented in an automated warehouse, such as an automated cold-storage facility, that uses programmable equipment to automate tasks associated with warehousing operations, such as transporting inbound storage items to specified storage positions of storage racks in the warehouse and removing outbound storage items from storage so that they may be loaded onto trucks for delivery away from the warehouse.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
F25D 13/06 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec transporteurs faisant traverser la chambre de refroidissement aux produits à refroidir
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
This specification generally discloses technology for optimizing the loading of pallets on trucks and other sorts of vehicles. A pallet loading technique includes receiving pallet information for a shipment, the pallet information describing pallets to be included in the shipment, receiving vehicle constraint information for a vehicle, the vehicle constraint information describing rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and determining candidate solutions for loading the pallets on the vehicle, each candidate solution (i) satisfying the rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and (ii) defining, for each pallet to be included in the shipment, a respective position and orientation of the pallet on the vehicle. At least some of the candidate solutions are evaluated, one of the candidate solutions is selected, and the vehicle is loaded according to the selected candidate solution.
A refrigerated transport container includes a refrigeration unit and an airflow guidance structure for distributing cooled air throughout the refrigerated transport container. The airflow guidance structure includes a front panel section that is affixed at a front end of an interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container, and that receives cooled air from a fan outlet of the refrigeration unit. A series of additional panel sections are affixed along the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container from the front panel section to the back of the refrigerated transport container. The panel sections together form an air channel at the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container that conducts air from the front end to the back end, and allows for passage of cooled air from the air channel out to an interior of the refrigerated transport container.
Described are systems and methods for identifying an item in a storage facility to fulfill a pick request. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, a request for a physical item of a particular type, identifying a set of available physical items of the particular type from a plurality of physical items stored in storage locations in the storage facility, determining a score for each respective available physical item based on multiple sub-scores specific to the respective available physical item, to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available physical items, selecting a selected physical item from among the set based on the selected physical item having a most favorable score, identifying a selected storage location of the selected physical item, and providing instructions to cause a mechanical moving system to route the selected physical item from the selected storage location to a destination picking location.
Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.
Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting phase state information of objects in a facility. An apparatus can include a case with sensors. The sensors can detect environmental conditions related to an object and generate signals based on the detected conditions. The sensors can include temperature sensors, acoustic sensors, ultrasonic transducers, and/or humidity sensors. The apparatus can include a wireless transceiver to transmit the signals to a computer system. The computer system can process the signals using machine learning models to determine temperature and/or phase state information of the object, such as food products that are retained in/by the object. The apparatus can be removably affixed to the object. Sometimes, the apparatus can be positioned amongst many objects, such as multiple item cases on a pallet to determine an overall temperature and/or phase of the items on the pallet. The temperature/phase information can be used to optimize facility cooling operations.
Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting phase state information of objects in a facility. An apparatus can include a case with sensors. The sensors can detect environmental conditions related to an object and generate signals based on the detected conditions. The sensors can include temperature sensors, acoustic sensors, ultrasonic transducers, and/or humidity sensors. The apparatus can include a wireless transceiver to transmit the signals to a computer system. The computer system can process the signals using machine learning models to determine temperature and/or phase state information of the object, such as food products that are retained in/by the object. The apparatus can be removably affixed to the object. Sometimes, the apparatus can be positioned amongst many objects, such as multiple item cases on a pallet to determine an overall temperature and/or phase of the items on the pallet. The temperature/phase information can be used to optimize facility cooling operations.
G01K 7/42 - Circuits pour la compensation de l’inertie thermiqueCircuits pour prévoir la valeur stationnaire de la température
G01K 11/24 - Mesure de la température basée sur les variations physiques ou chimiques, n'entrant pas dans les groupes , , ou utilisant la mesure d'effets acoustiques de la vitesse du son
15.
MICROGRID CONTROL SYSTEMS AND ALGORITHMS FOR OPTIMIZING ENERGY PERFORMANCE FOR FACILITIES
A disclosed system for dynamically controlling energy performance operations in a facility includes: energy sources, energy sources controllers, and a centralized controller. The centralized controller can: receive signals indicating performance of the energy sources in real-time, retrieve at least one model that is iteratively trained using machine learning techniques and training data including (i) at least a portion of the received signals and (ii) decisions made by the centralized controller, provide at least a portion of the received signals as input to the model, and receive, as output from the model, control operations for one or more of the energy sources for a predetermined period of time, and return the control operations to respective controllers of the one or more energy sources for execution during the predetermined period of time.
H02J 3/46 - Dispositions pour l’alimentation en parallèle d’un seul réseau, par plusieurs générateurs, convertisseurs ou transformateurs contrôlant la répartition de puissance entre les générateurs, convertisseurs ou transformateurs
B60L 53/31 - Colonnes de charge spécialement adaptées aux véhicules électriques
H02J 3/32 - Dispositions pour l'équilibrage de charge dans un réseau par emmagasinage d'énergie utilisant des batteries avec moyens de conversion
H02J 7/00 - Circuits pour la charge ou la dépolarisation des batteries ou pour alimenter des charges par des batteries
16.
MICROGRID CONTROL SYSTEMS AND ALGORITHMS FOR OPTIMIZING ENERGY PERFORMANCE FOR FAC I LU I FS
A disclosed system for dynamically controlling energy performance operations in a facility includes: energy sources, energy sources controllers, and a centralized controller. The centralized controller can: receive signals indicating performance of the energy sources in real-time, retrieve at least one model that is iteratively trained using machine learning techniques and training data including (i) at least a portion of the received signals and (ii) decisions made by the centralized controller, provide at least a portion of the received signals as input to the model, and receive, as output from the model, control operations for one or more of the energy sources for a predetermined period of time, and return the control operations to respective controllers of the one or more energy sources for execution during the predetermined period of time.
H02J 7/35 - Fonctionnement en parallèle, dans des réseaux, de batteries avec d'autres sources à courant continu, p. ex. batterie tampon avec des cellules sensibles à la lumière
An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
G05D 1/00 - Commande de la position, du cap, de l'altitude ou de l'attitude des véhicules terrestres, aquatiques, aériens ou spatiaux, p. ex. utilisant des pilotes automatiques
G05D 1/646 - Suivi d’une trajectoire prédéfinie, p. ex. d’une ligne marquée sur le sol ou d’une trajectoire de vol
G05D 1/692 - Commande coordonnée de la position ou du cap de plusieurs véhicules impliquant une pluralité de véhicules disparates
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
This document generally describes warehousing systems that can, in certain instances, improve the efficiency of warehousing operations and improve utilization of available space in a warehousing facility. The warehousing system may be implemented in an automated warehouse, such as an automated cold-storage facility, that uses programmable equipment to automate tasks associated with warehousing operations, such as transporting inbound storage items to specified storage positions of storage racks in the warehouse and removing outbound storage items from storage so that they may be loaded onto trucks for delivery away from the warehouse.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
F25D 13/06 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec transporteurs faisant traverser la chambre de refroidissement aux produits à refroidir
Systems and methods for profiling a pallet in a warehouse can include a turntable that rotates the pallet, conveyor belts that move the pallet, and a vertical profiling structure, having cameras mounted at different locations, in a stationary position proximate to a side of the turntable. A photo booth can also be used to provide uniform lighting. A computing system can instruct a conveyor belt to automatically route the pallet onto the turntable, instruct the cameras to capture image data of the pallet as it rotates on the turntable, receive the image data, and retrieve image-based models of the pallet that were trained using images of pallets having unique identifiers. The computing system can determine, based on applying the image-based models to the image data, whether the pallet's unique identifier is identifiable, and transmit, to a warehouse management system, a notification indicating whether the unique identifier is identifiable.
H04N 23/73 - Circuits de compensation de la variation de luminosité dans la scène en influençant le temps d'exposition
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
B66C 19/00 - Ponts roulants ou portiques fixes ou mobiles, portant un chariot ou un treuil mobile
F25D 17/04 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle
Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
24.
Point cloud annotation for a warehouse environment
A system is provided for automatic identification and annotation of objects in a point cloud in real time. The system can automatically annotate a point cloud that identifies coordinates of objects in three-dimensional space while data is being collected for the point cloud. The system can train models of physical objects based on training data, and apply the models to point clouds that are generated by various point cloud generating devices to annotate the points in the point clouds with object identifiers. The solution of automatically annotated point cloud can be used for various applications, such as blueprints, map navigation, and determination of robotic movement in a warehouse.
G06T 7/521 - Récupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la télémétrie laser, p. ex. par interférométrieRécupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la projection de lumière structurée
B60R 11/00 - Autres aménagements pour tenir ou monter des objets
B60R 11/04 - Montage des caméras pour fonctionner pendant la marcheDisposition de leur commande par rapport au véhicule
G01S 7/481 - Caractéristiques de structure, p. ex. agencements d'éléments optiques
G01S 17/89 - Systèmes lidar, spécialement adaptés pour des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou l'imagerie
G06T 7/70 - Détermination de la position ou de l'orientation des objets ou des caméras
Methods and systems for determining a pallet build sequence include receiving a pick order request, identifying candidate pick items in a warehouse to fulfill the request, grouping the items based on aisles and generating aisle-based lists per group, and sorting each list based on location of each of the items per group from front to back of the warehouse. For each list, the method includes selecting a first item at a top of the list, adding the first item to a bottom layer of a pallet, determining an amount of weight of items from the list that can be layered on top of the first item and determining whether the first item can support the determined amount of weight. If the first item can support the determined weight, the first item can be kept in a pick sequence as the pallet's bottom layer and removed from the list.
A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/04 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
This document generally describes warehousing systems that can, in certain instances, improve the efficiency of warehousing operations and improve utilization of available space in a warehousing facility. The warehousing system may be implemented in an automated warehouse, such as an automated cold-storage facility, that uses programmable equipment to automate tasks associated with warehousing operations, such as transporting inbound storage items to specified storage positions of storage racks in the warehouse and removing outbound storage items from storage so that they may be loaded onto trucks for delivery away from the warehouse.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
F25D 13/06 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec transporteurs faisant traverser la chambre de refroidissement aux produits à refroidir
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
This specification describes systems and methods for generating a mapping of a physical space from point cloud data for the physical space. The methods can include receiving the point cloud data for the physical space, filtering the point cloud data to, at least, remove sparse points from the point cloud data, aligning the point cloud data along x, y, and z dimensions that correspond to an orientation of the physical space, and classifying the points in the point cloud data as corresponding to one or more types of physical surfaces. The methods can also include identifying specific physical structures in the physical space based, at least in part, on classifications for the points in the point cloud data, and generating the mapping of the physical space to identify the specific physical structures and corresponding contours for the specific physical structures within the orientation of the physical space.
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.
G03B 17/08 - Corps d'appareils ou boîtiers étanches à l'eau
H04N 23/45 - Caméras ou modules de caméras comprenant des capteurs d'images électroniquesLeur commande pour générer des signaux d'image à partir de plusieurs capteurs d'image de type différent ou fonctionnant dans des modes différents, p. ex. avec un capteur CMOS pour les images en mouvement en combinaison avec un dispositif à couplage de charge [CCD] pour les images fixes
H04N 23/52 - Éléments optimisant le fonctionnement du capteur d'images, p. ex. pour la protection contre les interférences électromagnétiques [EMI] ou la commande de la température par des éléments de transfert de chaleur ou de refroidissement
H04N 23/54 - Montage de tubes analyseurs, de capteurs d'images électroniques, de bobines de déviation ou de focalisation
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
Disclosed are techniques for determining and controlling automated layer pick operations. A computer system can receive, from a warehouse management system, a layer pick planning request for at least one order and determine an initial feasible solution for completing the request. The computer system can determine: initial batches of pallets based on grouping destination pallets that require layers of items from same source pallets, corresponding batch scores, initial locations of the pallets based on assigning locations in a pick area to the source and destination pallets, corresponding location scores, initial schedules for the initial batches based on determining an order of tasks to complete each batch, and corresponding shedule scores. For each batch, the computer system can iteratively adjust the initial schedule, initial locations based on the adjusted schedule, and initial batches based on the adjusted schedule and adjusted locations. The computer system can then identify a heuristic solution.
G05B 19/418 - Commande totale d'usine, c.-à-d. commande centralisée de plusieurs machines, p. ex. commande numérique directe ou distribuée [DNC], systèmes d'ateliers flexibles [FMS], systèmes de fabrication intégrés [IMS], productique [CIM]
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for time shifting when a cold storage facility is cooled that includes determining a thermal model of a cold storage facility, obtaining an energy cost model that describes a schedule of variable energy costs over a predetermined period of time in the future, determining an operational schedule for at least a portion of a refrigeration system based on the thermal model, the energy cost model, and a maximum allowed temperature, and powering on the portion the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, cooling, by the powered portion of the refrigeration system to a temperature below the maximum allowed temperature, reducing power usage of the powered portion of the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, and permitting the facility to be warmed by ambient temperatures toward the maximum allowed temperature.
F25D 29/00 - Disposition ou montage de l'appareillage de commande ou de sécurité
F25D 13/00 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides
G05B 13/04 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques impliquant l'usage de modèles ou de simulateurs
Disclosed are techniques for determining and controlling automated layer pick operations. A computer system can receive, from a warehouse management system, a layer pick planning request for at least one order and determine an initial feasible solution for completing the request. The computer system can determine: initial batches of pallets based on grouping destination pallets that require layers of items from same source pallets, corresponding batch scores, initial locations of the pallets based on assigning locations in a pick area to the source and destination pallets, corresponding location scores, initial schedules for the initial batches based on determining an order of tasks to complete each batch, and corresponding schedule scores. For each batch, the computer system can iteratively adjust the initial schedule, initial locations based on the adjusted schedule, and initial batches based on the adjusted schedule and adjusted locations. The computer system can then identify a heuristic solution.
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06Q 10/087 - Gestion d’inventaires ou de stocks, p. ex. exécution des commandes, approvisionnement ou régularisation par rapport aux commandes
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
37.
MULTI-LEVEL CONVEYING SYSTEMS FOR STORAGE FACILITIES
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in a multi-level pallet-conveying system for a storage facility. The conveying system includes a first-level conveying system, a first-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a first-level station of a storage lifting system, and a first-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the first-level conveying system. The conveying system also includes a second-level conveying system, a second-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a second-level station of the storage lifting system, and a second-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the second-level conveying system.
Disclosed are systems and methods for determining a pick area arrangement for a storage facility. A method can include retrieving, by a computer system, historic pallet information for pallet SKUs and pick area information, determining, based on the information, a number of bays to allocate for each pallet SKU, determining, based on the information, a number of dynamic bays to allocate in the pick area, which receive pallet SKUs in high demand during a particular time, determining, based on the information, quantities of aisles to allocate as pick aisles in the pick area by simulating aisle arrangements with pallet SKUs from the historic pallet information and determining average travel times to complete pick orders having the pallet SKUs in the aisle arrangements, selecting the quantity of aisles providing a lowest average travel time, and assigning each pallet SKU from the historic pallet information to bays in the quantity of aisles.
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
39.
Multi-level conveying systems for storage facilities
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in a multi-level pallet-conveying system for a storage facility. The conveying system includes a first-level conveying system, a first-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a first-level station of a storage lifting system, and a first-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the first-level conveying system. The conveying system also includes a second-level conveying system, a second-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a second-level station of the storage lifting system, and a second-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the second-level conveying system.
B65G 1/06 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des moyens pour que les objets se présentent à l'enlèvement dans des positions ou à des niveaux prédéterminés
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in a pallet-conveying system. The pallet-conveying system includes a vehicle-traversing loop, multiple vehicles configured to travel around the vehicle-traversing loop and move pallets around the vehicle-traversing loop, an inbound conveying lane arranged to move inbound pallets from a docking area to the vehicle-traversing loop, multiple outbound conveying lanes arranged to transfer pallets from the vehicle-traversing loop to the docking area, an into-storage conveying lane arranged to move pallets from the vehicle-traversing loop to a storage area, a from-storage conveying lane arranged to move pallets from the storage area to the vehicle-traversing loop, and multiple pallet stands located within an interior of the vehicle-traversing loop to receive pallets from the multiple vehicles.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
Disclosed are systems and methods for determining a pick area arrangement for a storage facility. A method can include retrieving, by a computer system, historic pallet information for pallet SKUs and pick area information, determining, based on the information, a number of bays to allocate for each pallet SKU, determining, based on the information, a number of dynamic bays to allocate in the pick area, which receive pallet SKUs in high demand during a particular time, determining, based on the information, quantities of aisles to allocate as pick aisles in the pick area by simulating aisle arrangements with pallet SKUs from the historic pallet information and determining average travel times to complete pick orders having the pallet SKUs in the aisle arrangements, selecting the quantity of aisles providing a lowest average travel time, and assigning each pallet SKU from the historic pallet information to bays in the quantity of aisles.
G06Q 10/087 - Gestion d’inventaires ou de stocks, p. ex. exécution des commandes, approvisionnement ou régularisation par rapport aux commandes
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G06F 30/13 - Conception architecturale, p. ex. conception architecturale assistée par ordinateur [CAAO] relative à la conception de bâtiments, de ponts, de paysages, d’usines ou de routes
A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.
F25D 13/02 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec plusieurs compartiments de refroidissement, p. ex. casiers frigorifiques
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/08 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée en utilisant des conduits
A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/04 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for routing items in a warehouse. A computing system receives a request to assign an inbound truck to a transport bay and determines an available subset of unloading paths, by removing any unloading path directed from a transport bay or inbound storage area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system determines an available subset of loading paths, by removing any loading path directed to a transport bay or outbound staging area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system identifies multiple available path combinations that each include an unloading path from the available subset of unloading paths and a loading path from the available subset of loading paths. The computing system determines a selected path combination based on the selected path combination having a most favorable score.
A system is provided for automatic identification and annotation of objects in a point cloud in real time. The system can automatically annotate a point cloud that identifies coordinates of objects in three-dimensional space while data is being collected for the point cloud. The system can train models of physical objects based on training data, and apply the models to point clouds that are generated by various point cloud generating devices to annotate the points in the point clouds with object identifiers. The solution of automatically annotated point cloud can be used for various applications, such as blueprints, map navigation, and determination of robotic movement in a warehouse.
G06T 7/521 - Récupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la télémétrie laser, p. ex. par interférométrieRécupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la projection de lumière structurée
G06T 7/70 - Détermination de la position ou de l'orientation des objets ou des caméras
G01S 7/481 - Caractéristiques de structure, p. ex. agencements d'éléments optiques
G01S 17/89 - Systèmes lidar, spécialement adaptés pour des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou l'imagerie
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.
G03B 17/55 - Parties constitutives des appareils ou corps d'appareilsLeurs accessoires avec des dispositions pour chauffer ou réfrigérer, p. ex. avion
H04N 23/52 - Éléments optimisant le fonctionnement du capteur d'images, p. ex. pour la protection contre les interférences électromagnétiques [EMI] ou la commande de la température par des éléments de transfert de chaleur ou de refroidissement
H05K 7/20 - Modifications en vue de faciliter la réfrigération, l'aération ou le chauffage
G02B 7/02 - Montures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour lentilles
G02B 27/00 - Systèmes ou appareils optiques non prévus dans aucun des groupes ,
H04N 23/45 - Caméras ou modules de caméras comprenant des capteurs d'images électroniquesLeur commande pour générer des signaux d'image à partir de plusieurs capteurs d'image de type différent ou fonctionnant dans des modes différents, p. ex. avec un capteur CMOS pour les images en mouvement en combinaison avec un dispositif à couplage de charge [CCD] pour les images fixes
A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
This specification generally discloses technology for optimizing the loading of pallets on trucks and other sorts of vehicles. A pallet loading technique includes receiving pallet information for a shipment, the pallet information describing pallets to be included in the shipment, receiving vehicle constraint information for a vehicle, the vehicle constraint information describing rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and determining candidate solutions for loading the pallets on the vehicle, each candidate solution (i) satisfying the rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and (ii) defining, for each pallet to be included in the shipment, a respective position and orientation of the pallet on the vehicle. At least some of the candidate solutions are evaluated, one of the candidate solutions is selected, and the vehicle is loaded according to the selected candidate solution.
Described are systems and methods for identifying an item in a storage facility to fulfill a pick request. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, a request for a physical item of a particular type, identifying a set of available physical items of the particular type from a plurality of physical items stored in storage locations in the storage facility, determining a score for each respective available physical item based on multiple sub-scores specific to the respective available physical item, to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available physical items, selecting a selected physical item from among the set based on the selected physical item having a most favorable score, identifying a selected storage location of the selected physical item, and providing instructions to cause a mechanical moving system to route the selected physical item from the selected storage location to a destination picking location.
Described herein are systems and methods for storing items in storage facilities. The method can include receiving, by a computing system, a request to identify a destination location for a storage item, identifying a set of available storage locations from among a plurality of storage locations, and determining a score for each respective storage location of the set of available storage locations based on multiple sub-scores specific to the respective storage location, to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available storage locations. The method also includes selecting a selected storage location from among the available storage locations based on the selected storage location having a most favorable score from among the set of scores corresponding to the set of available storage locations, and providing instructions to cause a mechanical moving system to route the storage item to the selected storage location.
Described herein are systems and methods for ordering item-movement tasks in storage facilities. Item-movement tasks are distributed amongst queues of operators in a first state of the queues. A first value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues in the first state is determined. A first task from a first queue is swapped with a second task from a second queue, forming a second state of the queues, such that the first queue to be performed by a first operator includes the second task and the second queue to be performed by a second operator includes the first task. A second value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues having the second state is determined. Based on determining that utilization is greater when the queues have the first state, the first task is swapped with the second task to revert the queues to the first state.
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
52.
Determining locations at which to store items in a storage facility
Described herein are systems and methods for storing items in storage facilities. The method can include receiving, by a computing system, a request to identify a destination location for a storage item, identifying a set of available storage locations from among a plurality of storage locations, and determining a score for each respective storage location of the set of available storage locations based on multiple sub-scores specific to the respective storage location, to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available storage locations. The method also includes selecting a selected storage location from among the available storage locations based on the selected storage location having a most favorable score from among the set of scores corresponding to the set of available storage locations, and providing instructions to cause a mechanical moving system to route the storage item to the selected storage location.
G06Q 10/04 - Prévision ou optimisation spécialement adaptées à des fins administratives ou de gestion, p. ex. programmation linéaire ou "problème d’optimisation des stocks"
G06Q 10/047 - Optimisation des itinéraires ou des chemins, p. ex. problème du voyageur de commerce
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06Q 10/087 - Gestion d’inventaires ou de stocks, p. ex. exécution des commandes, approvisionnement ou régularisation par rapport aux commandes
53.
SWAPPING TASK ASSIGNMENTS TO DETERMINE TASK SELECTION
Described herein are systems and methods for ordering item-movement tasks in storage facilities. Item-movement tasks are distributed amongst queues of operators in a first state of the queues. A first value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues in the first state is determined. A first task from a first queue is swapped with a second task from a second queue, forming a second state of the queues, such that the first queue to be performed by a first operator includes the second task and the second queue to be performed by a second operator includes the first task. A second value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues having the second state is determined. Based on determining that utilization is greater when the queues have the first state, the first task is swapped with the second task to revert the queues to the first state.
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
B66F 9/06 - Dispositifs pour lever ou descendre des marchandises volumineuses ou lourdes aux fins de chargement ou de déchargement se déplaçant, avec leurs charges, sur des roues ou sur un dispositif analogue, p. ex. chariots élévateurs à fourche
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
Described are systems and methods for identifying an item in a storage facility to fulfill a pick request. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, a request for a physical item of a particular type, identifying a set of available physical items of the particular type from a plurality of physical items stored in storage locations in the storage facility, determining a score for each respective available physical item based on multiple sub-scores specific to the respective available physical item, to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available physical items, selecting a selected physical item from among the set based on the selected physical item having a most favorable score, identifying a selected storage location of the selected physical item, and providing instructions to cause a mechanical moving system to route the selected physical item from the selected storage location to a destination picking location.
Methods and systems for determining a pallet build sequence include receiving a pick order request, identifying candidate pick items in a warehouse to fulfill the request, grouping the items based on aisles and generating aisle-based lists per group, and sorting each list based on location of each of the items per group from front to back of the warehouse. For each list, the method includes selecting a first item at a top of the list, adding the first item to a bottom layer of a pallet, determining an amount of weight of items from the list that can be layered on top of the first item and determining whether the first item can support the determined amount of weight. If the first item can support the determined weight, the first item can be kept in a pick sequence as the pallet's bottom layer and removed from the list.
Methods and systems for determining a pallet build sequence include include receiving a pick order request, identifying candidate pick items in a warehouse to fulfill the request, grouping the items based on aisles and generating aisle-based lists per group, and sorting each list based on location of each of the items per group from front to back of the warehouse. For each list, the method includes selecting a first item at a top of the list, adding the first item to a bottom layer of a pallet, determining an amount of weight of items from the list that can be layered on top of the first item and determining whether the first item can support the determined amount of weight. If the first item can support the determined weight, the first item can be kept in a pick sequence as the pallet's bottom layer and removed from the list.
A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
Systems and methods for profiling a pallet in a warehouse includes a turntable that rotates the pallet, conveyor belts that move the pallet, and a vertical profiling structure, having cameras mounted at different locations, in a stationary position proximate to a side of the turntable. A photo booth can also provide uniform lighting. A computing system can instruct a conveyor belt to automatically route the pallet onto the turntable, instruct the cameras to capture image data of the pallet as it rotates on the turntable, receive the image data, and retrieve image-based models of the pallet that were trained using images of pallets having unique identifiers. The computing system can determine, based on applying the image-based models to the image data, whether the pallet's unique identifier is identifiable, and transmit, to a warehouse management system, a notification indicating whether the unique identifier is identifiable.
This specification describes systems and methods for generating a mapping of a physical space from point cloud data for the physical space. The methods can include receiving the point cloud data for the physical space, filtering the point cloud data to, at least, remove sparse points from the point cloud data, aligning the point cloud data along x, y, and z dimensions that correspond to an orientation of the physical space, and classifying the points in the point cloud data as corresponding to one or more types of physical surfaces. The methods can also include identifying specific physical structures in the physical space based, at least in part, on classifications for the points in the point cloud data, and generating the mapping of the physical space to identify the specific physical structures and corresponding contours for the specific physical structures within the orientation of the physical space.
Systems and methods for profiling a pallet in a warehouse can include a turntable that rotates the pallet, conveyor belts that move the pallet, and a vertical profiling structure, having cameras mounted at different locations, in a stationary position proximate to a side of the turntable. A photo booth can also be used to provide uniform lighting. A computing system can instruct a conveyor belt to automatically route the pallet onto the turntable, instruct the cameras to capture image data of the pallet as it rotates on the turntable, receive the image data, and retrieve image-based models of the pallet that were trained using images of pallets having unique identifiers. The computing system can determine, based on applying the image-based models to the image data, whether the pallet's unique identifier is identifiable, and transmit, to a warehouse management system, a notification indicating whether the unique identifier is identifiable.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
G01S 7/00 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , ,
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
This specification describes systems and methods for generating a mapping of a physical space from point cloud data for the physical space. The methods can include receiving the point cloud data for the physical space, filtering the point cloud data to, at least, remove sparse points from the point cloud data, aligning the point cloud data along x, y, and z dimensions that correspond to an orientation of the physical space, and classifying the points in the point cloud data as corresponding to one or more types of physical surfaces. The methods can also include identifying specific physical structures in the physical space based, at least in part, on classifications for the points in the point cloud data, and generating the mapping of the physical space to identify the specific physical structures and corresponding contours for the specific physical structures within the orientation of the physical space.
Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.
An image sensing assembly includes an enclosure that defines a first viewport aperture in a front wall of the enclosure. The image sensing assembly includes a first image sensor attached within the enclosure, the first image sensor aligned with the first viewport aperture in the front wall of the enclosure to capture image data representative of a scene viewed through the first viewport aperture. The image sensing assembly includes a bracket attached to the enclosure at a first portion of the bracket and attached to a first mounting plate at a second portion of the bracket. The image sensing assembly includes a vibration dampening mount located between the bracket and the first mounting plate to at least partially isolate the enclosure from vibration of the first mounting plate.
H04N 5/232 - Dispositifs pour la commande des caméras de télévision, p.ex. commande à distance
H04N 5/208 - Circuits pour la commande de la courbe de réponse en amplitude pour corriger l'amplitude en fonction de la caractéristique de fréquence pour compenser l'atténuation des composantes haute fréquence, p. ex. accentuation des contrastes, correction de la distorsion d'ouverture
This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for time shifting when a cold storage facility is cooled that includes determining a thermal model of a cold storage facility, obtaining an energy cost model that describes a schedule of variable energy costs over a predetermined period of time in the future, determining an operational schedule for at least a portion of a refrigeration system based on the thermal model, the energy cost model, and a maximum allowed temperature, and powering on the portion the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, cooling, by the powered portion of the refrigeration system to a temperature below the maximum allowed temperature, reducing power usage of the powered portion of the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, and permitting the facility to be warmed by ambient temperatures toward the maximum allowed temperature.
F25D 29/00 - Disposition ou montage de l'appareillage de commande ou de sécurité
F25D 13/00 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides
G05B 13/04 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques impliquant l'usage de modèles ou de simulateurs
An image sensing assembly includes an enclosure that defines a first viewport aperture in a front wall of the enclosure. The image sensing assembly includes a first image sensor attached within the enclosure, the first image sensor aligned with the first viewport aperture in the front wall of the enclosure to capture image data representative of a scene viewed through the first viewport aperture. The image sensing assembly includes a bracket attached to the enclosure at a first portion of the bracket and attached to a first mounting plate at a second portion of the bracket. The image sensing assembly includes a vibration dampening mount located between the bracket and the first mounting plate to at least partially isolate the enclosure from vibration of the first mounting plate.
G08B 13/196 - Déclenchement influencé par la chaleur, la lumière, ou les radiations de longueur d'onde plus courteDéclenchement par introduction de sources de chaleur, de lumière, ou de radiations de longueur d'onde plus courte utilisant des systèmes détecteurs de radiations passifs utilisant des systèmes de balayage et de comparaison d'image utilisant des caméras de télévision
An image sensing assembly includes an enclosure that defines a first viewport aperture in a front wall of the enclosure. The image sensing assembly includes a first image sensor attached within the enclosure, the first image sensor aligned with the first viewport aperture in the front wall of the enclosure to capture image data representative of a scene viewed through the first viewport aperture. The image sensing assembly includes a bracket attached to the enclosure at a first portion of the bracket and attached to a first mounting plate at a second portion of the bracket. The image sensing assembly includes a vibration dampening mount located between the bracket and the first mounting plate to at least partially isolate the enclosure from vibration of the first mounting plate.
H04N 5/232 - Dispositifs pour la commande des caméras de télévision, p.ex. commande à distance
H04N 5/208 - Circuits pour la commande de la courbe de réponse en amplitude pour corriger l'amplitude en fonction de la caractéristique de fréquence pour compenser l'atténuation des composantes haute fréquence, p. ex. accentuation des contrastes, correction de la distorsion d'ouverture
A system is provided for automatic identification and annotation of objects in a point cloud in real time. The system can automatically annotate a point cloud that identifies coordinates of objects in three-dimensional space while data is being collected for the point cloud. The system can train models of physical objects based on training data, and apply the models to point clouds that are generated by various point cloud generating devices to annotate the points in the point clouds with object identifiers. The solution of automatically annotated point cloud can be used for various applications, such as blueprints, map navigation, and determination of robotic movement in a warehouse.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
G06T 7/521 - Récupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la télémétrie laser, p. ex. par interférométrieRécupération de la profondeur ou de la forme à partir de la projection de lumière structurée
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.
A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
A computer-based system (100) is provided to optimize a warehouse space (102) with racks (106). The system determines (step D) a storage duration of a pallet (114) in the warehouse (102), and further determines (step E) an optimal storage location (108) for the pallet (114) in the warehouse (102) based on the excepted duration of storage and the height of the pallet (114). Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole.
This specification generally discloses technology for optimizing the loading of pallets on trucks and other sorts of vehicles. A pallet loading technique includes receiving pallet information for a shipment, the pallet information describing pallets to be included in the shipment, receiving vehicle constraint information for a vehicle, the vehicle constraint information describing rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and determining candidate solutions for loading the pallets on the vehicle, each candidate solution (i) satisfying the rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and (ii) defining, for each pallet to be included in the shipment, a respective position and orientation of the pallet on the vehicle. At least some of the candidate solutions are evaluated, one of the candidate solutions is selected, and the vehicle is loaded according to the selected candidate solution.
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for routing items in a warehouse. A computing system receives a request to assign an inbound truck to a transport bay and determines an available subset of unloading paths, by removing any unloading path directed from a transport bay or inbound storage area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system determines an available subset of loading paths, by removing any loading path directed to a transport bay or outbound staging area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system identifies multiple available path combinations that each include an unloading path from the available subset of unloading paths and a loading path from the available subset of loading paths. The computing system determines a selected path combination based on the selected path combination having a most favorable score.
G06Q 10/04 - Prévision ou optimisation spécialement adaptées à des fins administratives ou de gestion, p. ex. programmation linéaire ou "problème d’optimisation des stocks"
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
This specification generally discloses technology for optimizing the loading of pallets on trucks and other sorts of vehicles. A pallet loading technique includes receiving pallet information for a shipment, the pallet information describing pallets to be included in the shipment, receiving vehicle constraint information for a vehicle, the vehicle constraint information describing rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and determining candidate solutions for loading the pallets on the vehicle, each candidate solution (i) satisfying the rules for loading pallets on the vehicle, and (ii) defining, for each pallet to be included in the shipment, a respective position and orientation of the pallet on the vehicle. At least some of the candidate solutions are evaluated, one of the candidate solutions is selected, and the vehicle is loaded according to the selected candidate solution.
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
In one implementation, a system for controlling defrost of a chilled environment includes a camera configured to capture images of one or more objects located in the chilled environment and a defrost control unit. The defrost control unit is configured to: receive an image of the one or more objects from the camera, analyze the image of the one or more objects to quantify an amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, determine when to initiate a defrost cycle in the chilled environment based on the amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, and in response to determining to initiate the defrost cycle, initiating the defrost cycle by sending a defrost control signal to a defroster. The defroster is configured to perform the defrost cycle within the chilled environment in response to receiving the defrost control signal.
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for routing items in a warehouse. A computing system receives a request to assign an inbound truck to a transport bay and determines an available subset of unloading paths, by removing any unloading path directed from a transport bay or inbound storage area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system determines an available subset of loading paths, by removing any loading path directed to a transport bay or outbound staging area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system identifies multiple available path combinations that each include an unloading path from the available subset of unloading paths and a loading path from the available subset of loading paths. The computing system determines a selected path combination based on the selected path combination having a most favorable score.
G06Q 10/04 - Prévision ou optimisation spécialement adaptées à des fins administratives ou de gestion, p. ex. programmation linéaire ou "problème d’optimisation des stocks"
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
In one implementation, a system for controlling defrost of a chilled environment includes a camera configured to capture images of one or more objects located in the chilled environment and a defrost control unit. The defrost control unit is configured to: receive an image of the one or more objects from the camera, analyze the image of the one or more objects to quantify an amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, determine when to initiate a defrost cycle in the chilled environment based on the amount of frost formation on the one or more objects, and in response to determining to initiate the defrost cycle, initiating the defrost cycle by sending a defrost control signal to a defroster. The defroster is configured to perform the defrost cycle within the chilled environment in response to receiving the defrost control signal.
In one implementation, a system for automatically profiling pallets includes a frame defining an opening that is sized and shaped for a pallet to pass through, and cameras mounted to the frame, the cameras being configured to capture images of a pallet as it passes through the frame. The system further includes a profiling computer system that is configured to receive the images captured by the cameras and to automatically profile the pallet based, at least in part, on analysis of the images. Automatically profiling the pallet includes generating a point cloud representing the pallet based on the images, determining a size of the pallet based on the point cloud generated from images of the pallet, identifying contents of the pallet based on the images, and providing pallet information identifying, at least, the size and contents of the pallet to a warehouse management system in association with the pallet.
G06Q 10/04 - Prévision ou optimisation spécialement adaptées à des fins administratives ou de gestion, p. ex. programmation linéaire ou "problème d’optimisation des stocks"
85.
Profiling pallets and goods in a warehouse environment
In one implementation, a system for automatically profiling pallets includes a frame defining an opening that is sized and shaped for a pallet to pass through, and cameras mounted to the frame, the cameras being configured to capture images of a pallet as it passes through the frame. The system further includes a profiling computer system that is configured to receive the images captured by the cameras and to automatically profile the pallet based, at least in part, on analysis of the images. Automatically profiling the pallet includes generating a point cloud representing the pallet based on the images, determining a size of the pallet based on the point cloud generated from images of the pallet, identifying contents of the pallet based on the images, and providing pallet information identifying, at least, the size and contents of the pallet to a warehouse management system in association with the pallet.
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p. ex. forme, nature, code
G06T 7/62 - Analyse des attributs géométriques de la superficie, du périmètre, du diamètre ou du volume
Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for heating a lens to mitigate fogging. The methods can include identifying a temperature of the lens, identifying an ambient temperature of an environment of the lens, determining whether the lens is susceptible to fogging based at least on the temperature of the lens and the ambient temperature of the environment of the lens, and in response to determining that the lens is susceptible to fogging, causing a heating element to apply heat to the lens to mitigate fogging of the lens.
G02C 11/08 - Moyens antibuée, p. ex. ventilation, chauffageMoyens d'essuyage
G02B 27/00 - Systèmes ou appareils optiques non prévus dans aucun des groupes ,
G01K 7/00 - Mesure de la température basée sur l'utilisation d'éléments électriques ou magnétiques directement sensibles à la chaleur
H05B 3/86 - Dispositions pour le chauffage spécialement adaptées à des surfaces transparentes ou réfléchissantes, p. ex. pour désembuer ou dégivrer des fenêtres, des miroirs ou des pare-brise de véhicules les conducteurs chauffants étant noyés dans le matériau transparent ou réfléchissant
Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for heating a lens to mitigate fogging. The methods can include identifying a temperature of the lens, identifying an ambient temperature of an environment of the lens, determining whether the lens is susceptible to fogging based at least on the temperature of the lens and the ambient temperature of the environment of the lens, and in response to determining that the lens is susceptible to fogging, causing a heating element to apply heat to the lens to mitigate fogging of the lens.
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
A blast cell system (100) is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets (92) in blast cells (102). The blast cell (102) includes a plurality of suction channels (141) that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows (114) in the blast cell (102) into the fan (130).
F25D 13/02 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides avec plusieurs compartiments de refroidissement, p. ex. casiers frigorifiques
B65G 1/06 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des moyens pour que les objets se présentent à l'enlèvement dans des positions ou à des niveaux prédéterminés
B65G 1/20 - Objets disposés en couches avec des espaces entre les objets
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/08 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée en utilisant des conduits
Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.
G06Q 10/04 - Prévision ou optimisation spécialement adaptées à des fins administratives ou de gestion, p. ex. programmation linéaire ou "problème d’optimisation des stocks"
Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.
G06Q 10/06 - Ressources, gestion de tâches, des ressources humaines ou de projetsPlanification d’entreprise ou d’organisationModélisation d’entreprise ou d’organisation
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p. ex. entreposage, chargement ou distributionGestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.
G05D 1/00 - Commande de la position, du cap, de l'altitude ou de l'attitude des véhicules terrestres, aquatiques, aériens ou spatiaux, p. ex. utilisant des pilotes automatiques
A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G06Q 50/28 - Logistique, p.ex. stockage, chargement, distribution ou expédition
G01C 21/20 - Instruments pour effectuer des calculs de navigation
G05B 13/02 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques
An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.
B65G 1/137 - Dispositifs d'emmagasinage mécaniques avec des aménagements ou des moyens de commande automatique pour choisir les objets qui doivent être enlevés
Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for heating a lens to mitigate fogging. The methods can include identifying a temperature of the lens, identifying an ambient temperature of an environment of the lens, determining whether the lens is susceptible to fogging based at least on the temperature of the lens and the ambient temperature of the environment of the lens, and in response to determining that the lens is susceptible to fogging, causing a heating element to apply heat to the lens to mitigate fogging of the lens.
G02B 7/02 - Montures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour lentilles
G02B 7/18 - Montures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour prismesMontures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour miroirs
G02C 11/08 - Moyens antibuée, p. ex. ventilation, chauffageMoyens d'essuyage
G01K 7/00 - Mesure de la température basée sur l'utilisation d'éléments électriques ou magnétiques directement sensibles à la chaleur
G02B 27/00 - Systèmes ou appareils optiques non prévus dans aucun des groupes ,
H05B 3/86 - Dispositions pour le chauffage spécialement adaptées à des surfaces transparentes ou réfléchissantes, p. ex. pour désembuer ou dégivrer des fenêtres, des miroirs ou des pare-brise de véhicules les conducteurs chauffants étant noyés dans le matériau transparent ou réfléchissant
This specification generally discloses technology for tracking vehicle positions in a warehouse environment. A system receives stereoscopic image data from a camera on a forklift, in some implementations. The system recognizes an object that is represented in the stereoscopic image data, identifies a representation of the recognized object in a spatial model that identifies, for each of a plurality of objects in an environment, a corresponding location of the object in the environment, determines the location of the recognized object in the environment, determines a relative position between the forklift and the recognized object, based on a portion of the received stereoscopic image data that represents the recognized object, and determines a location of the forklift in the environment, based on the determined location of the recognized object in the environment, and the determined relative position between the forklift and the recognized object.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
G06T 7/73 - Détermination de la position ou de l'orientation des objets ou des caméras utilisant des procédés basés sur les caractéristiques
H04N 13/204 - Générateurs de signaux d’images utilisant des caméras à images stéréoscopiques
G01S 3/00 - Radiogoniomètres pour déterminer la direction d'où proviennent des ondes infrasonores, sonores, ultrasonores ou électromagnétiques ou des émissions de particules sans caractéristiques de direction
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.
F25D 17/06 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. convection naturelle par circulation d'air forcée
F25D 17/00 - Dispositions pour la circulation des fluides de refroidissementDispositions pour la circulation de gaz, p. ex. d'air, dans les enceintes refroidies
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for time shifting when a cold storage facility is cooled that includes determining a thermal model of a cold storage facility, obtaining an energy cost model that describes a schedule of variable energy costs over a predetermined period of time in the future, determining an operational schedule for at least a portion of a refrigeration system based on the thermal model, the energy cost model, and a maximum allowed temperature, and powering on the portion the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, cooling, by the powered portion of the refrigeration system to a temperature below the maximum allowed temperature, reducing power usage of the powered portion of the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, and permitting the facility to be warmed by ambient temperatures toward the maximum allowed temperature.
F25D 29/00 - Disposition ou montage de l'appareillage de commande ou de sécurité
F25D 13/00 - Dispositifs fixes associés à des machines frigorifiques, p. ex. chambres froides
G05B 13/04 - Systèmes de commande adaptatifs, c.-à-d. systèmes se réglant eux-mêmes automatiquement pour obtenir un rendement optimal suivant un critère prédéterminé électriques impliquant l'usage de modèles ou de simulateurs