US 11,884,487 B2
Autonomous transport vehicle with position determining system and method therefor
Robert Sullivan, Wilmington, MA (US); Michael Cyrulik, Hollis, NH (US); and Stephen C. Toebes, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed by Symbotic, LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/655,378.
Application 17/655,378 is a continuation of application No. 16/917,555, filed on Jun. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,279,557.
Application 16/917,555 is a continuation of application No. 16/292,611, filed on Mar. 5, 2019, granted, now 10,696,479, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Application 16/292,611 is a continuation of application No. 16/107,068, filed on Aug. 21, 2018, granted, now 10,221,014, issued on Mar. 5, 2019.
Application 16/107,068 is a continuation of application No. 15/094,214, filed on Apr. 8, 2016, granted, now 10,053,286, issued on Aug. 21, 2018.
Application 15/094,214 is a continuation of application No. 14/684,715, filed on Apr. 13, 2015, granted, now 9,309,050, issued on Apr. 12, 2016.
Application 14/684,715 is a continuation of application No. 13/327,035, filed on Dec. 15, 2011, granted, now 9,008,884, issued on Apr. 14, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/423,206, filed on Dec. 15, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212869 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06G 7/70 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC B65G 1/0492 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0272 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0216 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous transport vehicle for a storage and retrieval system having a storage structure with storage shelves, the vehicle comprising:
a frame and drive section for autonomous traverse of the storage structure;
a vehicle position determining system connected to the frame configured so as to interface a redundant positioning system including positioning determining features having at least one of radio devices disposed at predetermined locations on supports of the storage structure and reference targets connected to the storage shelves that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, wherein:
the position determining system includes at least one sensor that includes at least an antenna, for interrogating the radio devices and obtaining position information based on the predetermined location of an interrogated radio device, and is configured to sense each of the reference targets and output a signal indicating when the reference target is sensed; and
a controller for determining, based on the position information from the interrogated radio device of the redundant positioning system, a location of the autonomous transport vehicle, and verifying the location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.