SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTONOMOUS LINESIDE PARTS DELIVERY TO AN ASSEMBLY LINE PROCESS

1 . A method for autonomous lineside parts delivery to an assembly-line process, comprising:

receiving a part-supply schedule comprising a part identifier identifying a part to be supplied to the assembly-line process;

receiving one or more reference point locations, the one or more reference point locations identifying a location;

in response to receiving the one or more reference point locations, automatically generating at least one mission comprising picking up the part from a pick-up location and delivering the part to a drop-off location, wherein the drop-off location is associated with the assembly-line process and at least one of the pick-up location or drop-off location is associated with the one or more reference point locations;

selecting a self-driving material-transport vehicle for executing the at least one mission;

receiving the at least one mission at a vehicle processor on the vehicle; and

executing the at least one mission with the vehicle to supply the part to the assembly-line process, comprising:

controlling, by the vehicle processor, the self-driving vehicle to drive to the pick-up location to pick-up the part, comprising:

scanning an area around the pick-up location, via one or more sensors coupled to the vehicle processor, to automatically locate the part identified in the part-supply schedule; and

in response to failing to locate the part:

detecting, via the one or more sensors, a visual indicia located on an object that is placed in proximity of the one or more sensors;

identifying, by the vehicle processor, a part identifier associated with the visual indicia;

determining that the part identifier matches the part identifier in the part-supply schedule; and

receiving the object on the vehicle; and

controlling, by the vehicle processor, the self-driving vehicle to drive to the assembly-line location to drop-off the part.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one reference point location of the one or more reference point locations is received from a user.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pick-up location is associated with a reference point location of the one or more reference point locations, and the part-supply schedule further comprises an assembly-line location in the assembly-line process to be supplied with the part, and generating the at least one mission further comprises:

selecting the pick-up location to be a location in proximity of the reference point location and accessible to the vehicle; and

selecting the drop-off location to correspond to the assembly-line location.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the reference point location associated with the pick-up location is one of a delivery-truck dock assigned to receiving the part or an inventory shelf location assigned for storing the part.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after receiving the part-supply schedule, the method further comprises waiting to receive the one or more reference point locations.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a fleet-management system generates the at least one mission, selects the vehicle for executing the at least one mission, and transmits the at least one mission to the vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the part-supply schedule further comprises a delivery time for supplying the part to the drop-off location, and wherein generating the at least one mission comprises generating the mission to deliver the part to the drop-off location by the delivery time, and wherein executing the at least one mission comprises supplying the part to the drop-off location in accordance with the delivery time in the part-supply schedule.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one mission further comprises generating at least one mission comprising one or more waypoints, and the method further comprises receiving a user input which corresponds to one or more of generating, approving and modifying at least one of the one or more waypoints.

9 . A method for autonomous lineside parts delivery to an assembly-line process, comprising:

receiving a part-supply schedule comprising a part identifier identifying a part to be supplied to the assembly-line process;

receiving one or more reference point locations, the one or more reference point locations identifying a location;

in response to receiving the one or more reference point locations, automatically generating at least one mission comprising picking up the part from a pick-up location and delivering the part to a drop-off location, wherein the drop-off location is associated with the assembly-line process and at least one of the pick-up location or drop-off location is associated with the one or more reference point locations;

receiving an identification of a designated zone within the environment having one or more associated traffic conditions;

determining a vehicle path in the environment, between the pick-up location and the assembly-line location, that accommodates the one or more associated traffic conditions in the designated zone;

selecting a self-driving material-transport vehicle for executing the at least one mission, wherein the self-driving vehicle is located in an environment;

receiving the at least one mission at a vehicle processor on the vehicle; and

executing the at least one mission with the vehicle to supply the part to the assembly-line process, comprising:

controlling, by the vehicle processor, the self-driving vehicle to drive to the pick-up location to pick-up the part, comprising:

controlling, by the vehicle processor, the self-driving vehicle to drive to the assembly-line location to drop-off the part.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the self-driving material-transport vehicle is located in an environment, and the method further comprises:

receiving an identification of a designated zone within the environment having one or more associated traffic conditions; and

determining a vehicle path in the environment, between the pick-up location and the assembly-line location, that accommodates the one or more associated traffic conditions in the designated zone.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the pick-up location is associated with a reference point location of the one or more reference point locations, and the part-supply schedule further comprises an assembly-line location in the assembly-line process to be supplied with the part, and generating the at least one mission further comprises:

selecting the pick-up location to be a location in proximity of the reference point location and accessible to the vehicle; and

selecting the drop-off location to correspond to the assembly-line location.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the reference point location associated with the pick-up location is one of a delivery-truck dock assigned to receiving the part or an inventory shelf location assigned for storing the part.

13 . A system for lineside parts delivery to an assembly-line process, comprising:

a fleet-management system having a fleet-management processor configured to:

receive a part-supply schedule comprising a part identifier identifying a part to be supplied to the assembly-line process, wherein the part-supply schedule comprises an assembly-line location in the assembly-line process to be supplied with the part;

receive one or more reference point location, the one or more reference point locations identifying a location;

in response to receiving the one or more reference point locations, automatically generate at least one mission comprising:

picking up the part from a pick-up location and delivering the part to a drop-off location, wherein the drop-off location is associated with the assembly-line process and at least one of the pick-up location or drop-off location is associated with the one or more reference point locations, wherein the pick-up location is associated with a reference point location of the one or more reference point locations;

selecting the pick-up location to be a location in proximity of the reference point location and accessible to the vehicle; and

selecting the drop-off location to correspond to the assembly-line location;

select a self-driving material-transport vehicle for executing the at least one mission; and

transmit the at least one mission to the vehicle; and

the self-driving vehicle having a vehicle processor configured to:

receive the mission; and

execute the at least one mission to supply the part to the assembly-line process.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein at least one reference point location of the one or more reference point locations is received by the fleet-management processor from a user.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the reference point location associated with the pick-up location is one of a delivery-truck dock assigned to receiving the part, or an inventory shelf location assigned for storing the part.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein after receiving the part-supply schedule, the fleet-management processor is further configured to wait to receive the one or more reference point locations.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein executing the at least one mission comprises the vehicle processor being further configured to:

control the self-driving vehicle to drive to the pick-up location to pick-up the part; and

control the self-driving vehicle to drive to the assembly-line location to drop-off the part.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more sensors coupled to the vehicle processor, and at the pick-up location the vehicle processor is further configured to:

scan an area around the pick-up location, via the one or more sensors, to automatically locate the part identified in the part-supply schedule; and

in response to failing to locate the part:

detect, via the one or more sensors, a visual indicia located on an object that is placed in proximity of the one or more sensors;

identify a part identifier associated with the visual indicia; and

determine that the part identifier matches the part identifier in the part-supply schedule.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the self-driving vehicle is located in an environment, and the fleet-management processor is further configured to:

receive an identification of a designated zone within the environment having one or more associated traffic conditions; and

determine a vehicle path in the environment, between the pick-up location and the assembly-line location, that accommodates the one or more associated traffic conditions in the designated zone; and

generate the at least one mission to include the vehicle path; and

the vehicle processor is further configured to:

execute the at least one mission by controlling the vehicle to follow the vehicle path.

20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein generating the at least one mission further comprises the fleet-management processor being further configured to:

generate the at least one mission to comprise one or more waypoints; and

receive a user input which corresponds to one or more of generating, approving and modifying at least one of the one or more waypoints.