IP Library Granted Patent US 12,073,357
Granted Patent B2
US 12,073,357 · App. 18/096,647 · Granted Aug 27, 2024

Systems and methods for autonomous provision replenishment

Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy (Kitchener, CA); Simon Drexler (Puslinch, CA); Roydyn Clayton (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G06Q10/087G05B19/4184G05B19/41865G05B19/41895G05D1/0238G05D1/0291G05D1/0297Y02P90/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,073,357
App. No.
18/096,647
Granted
Aug 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for autonomous provision replenishment are disclosed. Parts used in a manufacturing process are stored in an intermediate stock queue. When the parts are consumed by the manufacturing process and the number of parts in the queue falls below a threshold, a provision-replenishment signal is generated. One or more self-driving material-transport vehicles, a fleet-management system, and a provision-notification device.

Claims (39)

1. A system for autonomous provision replenishment, the system comprising:

one or more self-driving vehicles operable to:

count a number of items at a stocking queue of a manufacturing process;

generate a provision-replenishment signal in response to determining that the number of items at the stocking queue does not satisfy a replenishment threshold, the provision-replenishment signal comprising a count indicator corresponding to the number of items at the stocking queue;

share the count indicator at the one or more self-driving vehicles; and

execute a replenishment mission received from a fleet-management system; and

the fleet-management system having a processor operable to:

receive the provision-replenishment signal from the one or more self-driving vehicle;

generate the replenishment mission involving at least a pick-up location associated with the items and a drop-off location associated with the stocking queue;

transmit the replenishment mission to the one or more self-driving vehicles; and

receive a confirmation signal from the one or more self-driving vehicles following completion of the replenishment mission.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles is operable to count the number of items at the stocking queue using at least one sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of an optical sensor, a camera, a barcode scanner, a QR code scanner, and an RFID reader.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles is operable to count the number of items at the stocking queue by detecting identification information associated with each item.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles is operable to count the number of items at the stocking queue by monitoring a mass of the items at the stocking queue.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles comprises a self-driving vehicle operable to count the number of items at the stocking queue and to execute the replenishment mission.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles comprises a first self-driving vehicle operable to count the number of items at the stocking queue and a second self-driving vehicle operable to execute the replenishment mission.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles is operable to generate the provision-replenishment signal in response to an activation of a user-input device at an assembly location associated with the stocking queue.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the replacement threshold is adjusted based on a replenishment time buffer associated with the replenishment threshold.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the replacement time buffer is determined based on a consumption rate of the stocking queue.

11. A method for autonomous provision replenishment, the method comprising:

operating one or more self-driving vehicles to:

count a number of items at a stocking queue of a manufacturing process;

generate a provision-replenishment signal in response to determining that the number of items at the stocking queue does not satisfy a replenishment threshold, the provision-replenishment signal comprising a count indicator corresponding to the number of items at the stocking queue;

share the count indicator at the one or more self-driving vehicles; and

execute a replenishment mission received from a fleet-management system;

receiving the provision-replenishment signal from the at least one self-driving vehicle;

generating the replenishment mission involving at least a pick-up location associated with the items and a drop-off location associated with the stocking queue;

transmitting the replenishment mission to the one or more self-driving vehicles; and

receiving a confirmation signal from the one or more self-driving vehicles following completion of the replenishment mission.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprises operating the one or more self-driving vehicles to count the number of items at the stocking queue using at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprises operating the one or more self-driving vehicles to count the number of items at the stocking queue by detecting identification information associated with each item.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprises operating the one or more self-driving vehicles to count the number of items at the stocking queue by monitoring a mass of the items at the stocking queue.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles comprises a self-driving vehicle operating to execute the replenishment mission and to count the number of items at the stocking queue.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more self-driving vehicles comprise a first self-driving vehicle operating to count the number of items at the stocking queue and a second self-driving vehicle operating to execute the replenishment mission.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprises operating the one or more self-driving vehicles to generate the provision-replenishment signal in response to an activation of a user-input device at an assembly location associated with the stocking queue.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprises adjusting the replacement threshold based on a replenishment time buffer associated with the replenishment threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprises determining the replacement time buffer based on a consumption rate of the stocking queue.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprises transmitting the provision-replenishment signal to an external monitoring system for resource planning.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY'S NAME FROM CLEARPATH ROBOTICS, INC. TO CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC. (WITHOUT THE COMMA) PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67944 FRAME 916. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 25, 2024
From: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
To: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 068233/0542 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS, INC.
To: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 067944/0916 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC.
To: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067944/0982 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2023
From: GARIEPY, RYAN CHRISTOPHER; DREXLER, SIMON; CLAYTON, ROYDYN
To: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
Reel/Frame 062374/0290 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17105816 · Nov 27, 2020
Continuation 15936874 · Mar 27, 2018
Provisional Application 62476960 · Mar 27, 2017
Related Publication 20230237429A1 · Jul 27, 2023