Automated guided vehicle and method of use

Abstract

A storage system comprises one or more automated guided vehicles, one or more centralized supervisory systems, one or more parts container storage spaces disposed within a defined two dimensional space comprising one or more addressable parts container spaces and parts bins which comprise a part identifier and which are configured to fit at least partially within the parts container storage space. The automated guided vehicles comprise a controllable autonomous parts container base and one or more position sensors operatively in communication with a controller and operative to determine a coordinate location of the automated guided vehicle within a defined two dimensional space in real time without relying on a map stored in the controller.

1 . An automated guided vehicle, comprising:
 a. a controllable autonomous parts container base, comprising:
 i. a housing; 
 ii. a controller disposed at least partially within the housing; 
 iii. a position sensor operatively in communication with the controller, the position sensor operative to determine a coordinate location of the housing within a defined two dimensional space in real time without relying on a map stored in the controller; 
 iv. a transceiver operatively in communication with the controller; and 
 v. a motive assembly operatively in communication with the controller, the motive assembly operative to move the controllable autonomous parts container base autonomously within the defined two dimensional space under directives from the controller without the need for a map stored in the controller; 
   b. a part container storage space receiver disposed about predefined portion of the controllable autonomous parts container base, the part container storage space receiver operatively in communication with the controller; and   c. a part container identifier operatively in communication with the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the motive assembly comprises an omnidirectional motive assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the part container storage space receiver is disposed about an upper surface or proximate a first end portion of the controllable autonomous parts container base. 
     
     
         4 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the storage space receiver further comprises a selectively movable part container handler disposed proximate the first end portion of part container, the part container handler operatively in communication with the controller and operative to move along a vertical axis with respect to the controllable autonomous parts container base. 
     
     
         5 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the part container storage space receiver comprises:
 a. a first end;   b. a second end displaced from the first end along a horizontal axis of the controllable autonomous parts container base, the first end and the second end defining a parts container; and   c. a selectively movable part container handler disposed at least partially within the parts container, the part container handler operatively in communication with the controller and operative to move along a vertical axis with respect to the controllable autonomous parts container base within which the part parts container.   
     
     
         6 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the parts container is configured to selectively, removably accept a pallet . 
     
     
         7 . The automated guided vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a. a part container handler disposed within a predetermined portion of the part container storage space receiver, the part container handler comprising a plurality of part container storage space receiver spaces, each part container storage space receiver space configured to selectively accept a part container; and   b. the part container handler comprises a part container handler movable in two dimensions, the part container handler commandable to select a specific part container accepted into a specific part container storage space receiver space of the plurality of part container storage space receiver spaces.   
     
     
         8 . A storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle, comprising:
 a. a centralized supervisory system, the centralized supervisory system comprising:
 i. a processor; 
 ii. a transceiver; and 
 iii. a supervisory system transceiver operatively in communication with the processor; 
   b. a parts container storage space disposed within a defined two dimensional space, the parts container storage space comprising an addressable parts container space;   c. a parts bin comprising a part identifier, the parts container configured to fit at least partially within the parts container storage space;   d. an automated guided vehicle, comprising:
 i. a controllable autonomous parts container base, comprising:
 1. a housing; 
 2. a controller disposed at least partially within the housing; 
 3. a position sensor operatively in communication with the controller, the position sensor operative to determine a coordinate location of the housing within a defined two dimensional space in real time without relying on a map stored in the controller; 
 4. a transceiver operatively in communication with the controller; and 
 5. a motive assembly operatively in communication with the controller, the motive assembly operative to move the controllable autonomous parts container base autonomously within the defined two dimensional space under directives from the controller without the need for a map stored in the controller; 
 
 ii. a part container storage space receiver disposed about predefined portion of the controllable autonomous parts container base, the part container storage space receiver operatively in communication with the controller; and 
 iii. a part container identifier operatively in communication with the controller.; and 
   e. software operatively executable in the controller, the software comprising:
 i. a location module adapted to identify a real-time location of the controllable autonomous parts container base in the two dimensional space; 
 ii. a motive assembly module adapted to provide a set of navigation commands to the controllable autonomous parts container base in the two dimensional space in real time; and 
 iii. a parts container module adapted to identify a parts container using a parts container identifier and to provide a set of commands to the part container handler to perform a predetermined function with respect to the identified parts container. 
   
     
     
         9 . The storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the motive assembly module is adapted to provide a set of navigation commands to the automated guided vehicle to navigate the automated guided vehicle to an addressable parts container space using an address for that addressable parts container space within the two dimensional space. 
     
     
         10 . The storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the parts container storage space comprises a plurality of individually addressable parts container spaces. 
     
     
         11 . A method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using a storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle, comprising:
 a. using an analytic software module operative in the centralized system supervisor to identify a vehicle opportunity to perform a required task and optimize selection of an autonomous guided vehicle for the required task;   b. using a vehicle selection optimization module to notify the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle of its selection for a task;   c. using the vehicle positioning module to provide the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with an address of an addressable parts container space within the two dimensional space and with a set of commands related to the required task and to a specific parts container which comprises a part container identifier;   d. providing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with a destination location within a two dimensional space;   e. allowing software executing in the controller to allow the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to an addressable parts container space within the two dimensional space comprising the address using the motive assembly of the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle;   f. allowing software executing in the controller to allow the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to use its selectively movable part container handler to perform a specifically commanded operation on a parts container with respect to the parts container space which comprises the part container identifier; and   g. allowing software executing in the controller to cause the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to the destination location within a two dimensional space.   
     
     
         12 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising executing software in the controller independently of the storage system's safety functions, thereby maintaining the failsafe nature of the storage system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising executing software in the controller to oversee and control health and well-being of all automated guided vehicles in the storage system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising taking an automated guided vehicle out of normal operation and placing the automated guided vehicle into maintenance mode. 
     
     
         15 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the autonomous guided vehicle comprises a plurality of autonomous guided vehicles and the optimized selection is of an autonomous guided vehicle of the plurality of autonomous guided vehicles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the specifically commanded operation on a parts container from the parts container space which comprises the part container identifier comprises commanding the selectively movable part container handler to move to a position proximate the parts container, obtain the parts container, and position the parts container in the part container storage space receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a. using the vehicle positioning module to provide the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with an address for an addressable parts container space within a two dimensional space and with a set of commands related to a specific parts container which comprises a part container identifier further comprises:
 i. providing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with a plurality of addresses, each address being for a specific addressable parts container space within the two dimensional space; and 
 ii. providing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with a set of commands related to a plurality of specific parts containers, each specific parts container located at a predetermined address of the plurality of addresses; and 
   b. allowing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to an addressable parts container space comprising the address using the motive assembly of the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle further comprises allowing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to each addressable parts container space of the plurality of addresses.   
     
     
         18 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a. providing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with a destination location within a two dimensional space further comprises providing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle with a set of destination locations; and   b. allowing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to the destination location within a two dimensional space further comprises allowing the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to navigate to a specific destination location of the set of destination locations, each destination location of the set of destination locations being associated with a predetermined set of specific parts containers of the plurality of specific parts containers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the software operatively executable in the controller further comprises a timer module, the method further comprising using the timer module to perform a set of steps at a predetermined set of times. 
     
     
         20 . The method of obtaining a parts container from a parts container storage space using the storage system comprising an automated guided vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising using the identified controllable autonomous guided vehicle to perform a predetermined set of inventory functions.