US 12,420,643 B1
Wireless powering and control of conveyors on shuttles
Vivek S. Narayanan, Franklin, TN (US); Ganesh Krishnamoorthy, Seattle, WA (US); Michael Alan Bray, Elkhorn, NE (US); Rajeev Dwivedi, Sammamish, WA (US); Mohit Malik, Seattle, WA (US); and Shahid Azad, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/165,410.
Application 18/165,410 is a continuation of application No. 17/404,362, filed on Aug. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,590,849.
Int. Cl. B60L 9/00 (2019.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01); B65G 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 9/00 (2013.01) [H02J 50/10 (2016.02); B65G 1/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system configured to transport items, the system comprising:
a track;
a first data transmitter module disposed along the track, the first data transmitter module configured to transmit command data;
a shuttle configured to move along the track, the shuttle comprising:
a conveyor; and
a first induction coil;
a second induction coil disposed at a first location along the track, wherein the second induction coil is configured to interact with the first induction coil to power the conveyor; and
a controller configured to:
determine that the shuttle is positioned near the first location;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at an optimal inductive coupling location near the first location;
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a forward direction;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at the optimal inductive coupling location after completing the incremental movement; and
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a reverse direction.