US 12,294,220 B2
Dynamic power management
Jørgen Djuve Heggebø, Olen (NO); and Helge Steinbru Lauvsnes, Suldalsosen (NO)
Assigned to AutoStore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Appl. No. 17/599,436
Filed by Autostore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
PCT Filed Mar. 19, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/057661
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/200821, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 20190430 (NO), filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0181882 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); H02J 3/32 (2006.01)
CPC H02J 3/32 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); H02J 2300/20 (2020.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system for managing power consumption of an automated storage and retrieval system, the automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
a container-handling vehicle, with a rechargeable power source, for handling storage containers in the automated storage and retrieval system;
a charging station for recharging the rechargeable power source of the container-handling vehicle;
a power supply for delivering power to the automated storage and retrieval system;
a power monitoring device coupled to the power supply and arranged to monitor available power from the power supply and communicate a signal to the control system indicative of the available power;
wherein the control system comprises a non-transitory readable memory storing instructions and a processor arranged to be responsive to that signal and manage the power consumption and configured to:
determine, in response to the signal that the available power has dropped below a threshold level;
determine an expected duration of time for the drop in the available power;
in response to the power dropping below the threshold level, reduce a charging power of the charging station to reduce the power consumption of the container-handling vehicle and the charging station; and
in response to the drop in the available power lasting longer than the expected duration of time, initiate a communication with the container-handling vehicle, causing a reduction in a speed of the container-handling vehicle.