Robotic vehicle navigation system and method
System is configured to receive article information corresponding to articles to be transported by computer-controlled vehicles, the articles comprising a first article and a second article, each having a maximum article dimension. System is also configured to assign travel routes about a grid comprising grid cells for the vehicles to travel thereon. The travel route of a first vehicle carrying the first article includes a turning maneuver at a first grid cell. System is configured to control the turning maneuver of the first vehicle in the first grid cell such that there is no contact between the first article carried on the first vehicle with a second article carried on a second vehicle present in a second grid cell that is adjacent to the first grid cell when the first vehicle is undertaking the turning maneuver.
1. A method of directing transport of articles by computer-controlled vehicles, the method comprising:
assigning, by a routing engine, travel routes about a grid comprising grid cells for a first computer-controlled vehicle and a second computer-controlled vehicle to travel thereon such that the second computer-controlled vehicle is not present at a second grid cell that is adjacent to a first grid cell during a period when the first computer-controlled vehicle is undertaking a turning maneuver in the first grid cell, and
transporting of a first article by the first computer-controlled vehicle and of a second article by the second computer-controlled vehicle.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at a control server, article information corresponding to the first and second articles.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling, by the routing engine, the turning maneuver of the first computer-controlled vehicle in the first grid cell such that there is no contact between the first article carried on the first computer-controlled vehicle with the second article carried on a second computer-controlled vehicle present in a second grid cell that is adjacent to the first grid cell when the first computer-controlled vehicle is undertaking the turning maneuver.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first article and a second article each have a first article dimension, wherein the first article dimension exceeds a predetermined range such that a turn radius of the first article carried on the first computer-controlled vehicle overlaps the turn radius of the second article carried on the second computer-controlled vehicle during simultaneous turning maneuvers of the first and second computer-controlled vehicles in the first and second grid cells respectively.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first article dimension comprises a first length L and a first width W, wherein C is a required clearance distance between the first and second articles when both the first and second computer-controlled vehicles are undertaking the turning maneuvers simultaneously, wherein a length G of each grid cell is calculated such that
G
≥
√
(
W
^
2
+
L
^
2
)
/
2
+
L
/
2
+
C
.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the turning maneuver by the first computer-controlled vehicle comprises a turn diameter that equals a length of a diagonal D formed by the first length L and the first width W.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning, by the routing engine, a value of C, wherein C is a required clearance distance between the first and second articles when both the first and second computer-controlled vehicles are undertaking the turning maneuvers simultaneously, such that C≥1 mm.
8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: calculating, by the routing engine, an area for each of the grid cells that the grid is comprised of based on the first article dimension.
9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: providing, to the routing engine, an area for each of the grid cells that the grid is comprised of based on the first article dimension.
10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first article dimension comprises at least one of a: first length, first width, first area, and first volume.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a minimum area of each of the grid cells that the grid is comprised of such that there is no contact between the first article and the second article when the first computer-controlled vehicle is undertaking the turning maneuver.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: directing, by the routing engine, a plurality of computer-controlled vehicles to transport a plurality of articles to a plurality of destination containers.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: controlling, by the routing engine, a travel path of the first computer-controlled vehicle such that the first computer-controlled vehicle does not deviate more than 10 mm of an intended travel path.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grid cell comprises a polygon shape.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grid cell comprises a square shape.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grid cell comprises a rectangle shape.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the turning maneuver by the first computer-controlled vehicle comprises a turn of at least 90-degrees.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the turning maneuver by the first computer-controlled vehicle comprises a turn of at least 180-degrees.
19. A method of directing transport of articles by computer-controlled vehicles, the method comprising:
assigning, by a routing engine, travel routes about a grid comprising grid cells for first and second computer-controlled vehicles to travel thereon such that the second computer-controlled vehicle at a second grid cell that is adjacent to a first grid cell does not undertake a turning maneuver at the second grid cell during a period when the first computer-controlled vehicle is undertaking the turning maneuver in the first grid cell, and
transporting of a first article by the first computer-controlled vehicle and of a second article by the second computer-controlled vehicle.