Position assistance system for a materials handling vehicle
A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit, a load handling assembly and a positioning assistance system that provides assistance to an operator that is driving the vehicle. The assistance provided by the positioning assistance system includes at least one of an audible, tactile, or visual cue to indicate at least one of: a distance from the vehicle to a boundary object; or a heading of the vehicle with respect to the boundary object.
1. A materials handling vehicle comprising:
a power unit;
a load handling assembly; and
a positioning assistance system that provides assistance to an operator that is driving the vehicle, wherein the assistance provided by the positioning assistance system comprises:
a first cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is located at a distance that is equal to or greater than a desired distance from both a first boundary object located on a right side of the vehicle and a second boundary object located on a left side of the vehicle; or
the vehicle is located at a proper heading with respect to both the first boundary object and the second boundary object;
a second cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is not located at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the first boundary object; or
the vehicle is not located at a proper heading with respect to the first boundary object; and
a third cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is not located at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the second boundary object; or
the vehicle is not located at a proper heading with respect to the second boundary object;
wherein the first, second, and third cues are distinguishable from one another.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
when the vehicle is located both of: a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the first and second boundary objects; and at a proper heading with respect to the first and second boundary objects, the vehicle is able to be remotely controlled by an operator using a remote control device; and
when the vehicle is not located at least one of: a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from at least one of the first and second boundary objects; or the proper heading with respect to at least one of the first and second boundary objects, the vehicle is not able to be remotely controlled by an operator using the remote control device.
3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary object comprises a wall or a storage structure.
4. A method for operating a materials handling vehicle comprising:
determining at least one of:
a distance from the vehicle to a first boundary object located on a right side of the vehicle and a distance from the vehicle to a second boundary object located on a left side of the vehicle; or
a heading of the vehicle with respect to the first boundary object and a heading of the vehicle with respect to the second boundary object; and
providing assistance, via a positioning assistance system on the vehicle, to an operator that is driving the vehicle, the assistance comprising the positioning assistance system providing:
a first cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is located at a distance that is equal to or greater than a desired distance from both the first boundary object and the second boundary object; or
the vehicle is located at a proper heading with respect to both the first boundary object and the second boundary object;
a second cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is not located at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the first boundary object; or
the vehicle is not located at a proper heading with respect to the first boundary object; and
a third cue when at least one of:
the vehicle is not located at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the second boundary object; or
the vehicle is not located at a proper heading with respect to the second boundary object;
wherein the first, second, and third cues are distinguishable from one another.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, only once the vehicle is located at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the first and second boundary objects, and the vehicle is oriented at the proper heading with respect to the first and second boundary objects, permitting the vehicle to be remotely controlled by the operator using a wireless remote control device.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second cue is provided to indicate that the vehicle must be steered to the left by the operator that is driving the vehicle and the third cue is provided to indicate that the vehicle must be steered to the right by the operator that is driving the vehicle.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second cue is provided to indicate that the vehicle must be steered to the left by the operator that is driving the vehicle and the third cue is provided to indicate that the vehicle must be steered to the right by the operator that is driving the vehicle.
8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third cues comprise at least one of audible, tactile, or visual cues.
9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first, second, and third cues comprise at least one of audible, tactile, or visual cues.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third cues comprises a visual cue that is actuated by the positioning assistance system on at least one of: a display device; or a floor surface in front of the vehicle.
11. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third cues comprises a visual cue that is actuated by the positioning assistance system on at least one of: a display device; or a floor surface in front of the vehicle.
12. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
identifying position information of the vehicle relative to at least one of the first boundary object or the second boundary object; and
modifying at least one vehicle parameter based on the position information.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises at least one of: a maximum allowable travel speed of the vehicle; a maximum allowable turning angle of the vehicle; one or more vehicle lights; a lifting function of a load handling assembly of the vehicle; indicia used to indicate that the vehicle is located in a particular area; or an alert to indicate the presence of the vehicle.
14. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
after the positioning assistance system has provided the second cue:
turning off the second cue once the vehicle is located at least one of: at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the first boundary object; or at the proper heading with respect to the first boundary object; and
after the positioning assistance system has provided the third cue:
turning off the third cue once the vehicle is located at least one of: at a distance that is equal to or greater than the desired distance from the second boundary object; or at the proper heading with respect to the second boundary object.