U.S. patent application number 10/844420 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-09 for industrial vehicle fleet management system.
Invention is credited to Ding, Steven A., Mallonee, Donald L. JR., Manz, Damon M..
Application Number | 20050125247 10/844420 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33476679 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050125247 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ding, Steven A. ; et
al. |
June 9, 2005 |
Industrial vehicle fleet management system
Abstract
Embodiments consistent with the invention are an apparatus for
and method of generating data on current utilization of powered
industrial vehicles, generating preferred routing assignments for
powered industrial drivers, and presenting preferred routing
assignments for powered industrial vehicle drivers.
Inventors: |
Ding, Steven A.;
(Woodbridge, VA) ; Manz, Damon M.; (Alexandria,
VA) ; Mallonee, Donald L. JR.; (Huntingtown,
MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER
LLP
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4413
US
|
Family ID: |
33476679 |
Appl. No.: |
10/844420 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60470037 |
May 13, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/338 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C 5/085 20130101;
G06Q 10/08355 20130101; G06Q 10/047 20130101; G07C 5/008
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/001 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of generating data on current utilization of powered
industrial vehicles comprising: recording the driver, time, and
location, of the start of any motion of a powered industrial
vehicle; recording the time and location of a subsequent stop of
the powered industrial vehicle; recording the instantaneous speed
of or total distance traveled by the powered industrial vehicle
between the recorded start and stop locations; recording the path
driven by the powered industrial vehicle between pick-up and
drop-off locations. recording an identifier of any pallet or
container that is being picked up at a start location and whether
the pallet or container is carrying a load; recording the
identifier of any pallet or container that is being dropped off at
a stop location; measuring the preferred minimum distance between
all expected pick-up or drop-off locations; and storing the above
recorded data in a database for tabular or graphical presentation
for use in calculating desired utilization indicators by powered
industrial vehicle and driver.
2. The method of claim 1, where the data is recorded manually by
the driver.
3. The method of claim 1, where the data is recorded manually by
another person riding with or observing the driver and stored
electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial vehicle and
is downloaded at the end of the shift into the database.
4. The method of claim 1, where the data is automatically recorded
and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial
vehicle and is downloaded at the end of the shift into the
database.
5. The method of claim 1, where the data is automatically recorded
and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial
vehicle and is transmitted frequently during the shift to a shift
supervisor's computer.
6. The method of claim 1, where the data is automatically recorded
and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial
vehicle and is transmitted frequently during the shift to the
database.
7. A method of calculating desired utilization indicators by
vehicle and driver, using data generated according to any of claims
1 through 6 comprising: determining time in motion divided by time
in shift for each driver; determining time transporting a pallet or
container between expected pick-up and drop-off locations divided
by time in shift for each driver; determining time transporting a
loaded pallet or container between expected pick-up and drop-off
locations divided by time in shift for each driver; determining the
number of pallets or containers picked-up and dropped-off per shift
by driver; determining the numbers of loaded pallets or containers
picked-up or dropped-off per shift by driver; and determining the
distance driven between a pick-up and a drop-off location in excess
of the preferred minimum distance by driver.
8. A method of generating preferred routing assignments for powered
industrial vehicle drivers, comprising: establishing an average
time to safely drive a powered industrial vehicle on each of a
preferred minimum distance between all expected pick-up and
drop-off locations; developing statistics on the time each mail
processing station requires to process an incoming pallet or
container as well as generate an outgoing pallet or container;
estimating the amount of incoming mail based on the number of
pallets and containers on incoming trucks; using the average time,
developed statistics, and estimated incoming mail to simulate the
work flow of the incoming mail; determining the number and timing
of loaded pallets and containers to be removed from and delivered
to each mail processing station and the number and timing of empty
pallets and containers to be removed from and delivered to each
mail processing station; calculating a minimum number of powered
industrial vehicles that is needed to timely distribute and process
the mail through the mail processing facility; generating
assignments for each of the minimum number of powered industrial
vehicles, including expected pathways and time schedules.
9. A method of presenting preferred routing assignments for powered
industrial vehicle drivers, comprising: generating assignments for
each of the minimum number of powered industrial vehicles,
including expected pathways and time schedules according to the
method of claim 8; and transmitting an assignment to each the
minimum number of powered industrial vehicles for graphical display
to the driver.
10. An apparatus for optimizing usage of a powered industrial
vehicle, said apparatus comprising: a transmitter on said vehicle
transmitting data therefrom; at least one load sensor operatively
coupled to said transmitter, said load sensor being on said vehicle
and generating data from which the presence of a pallet or
container being transported by said vehicle can be determined; a
receiver disposed to receive transmissions of data from said
transmitter from which the location of said vehicle and the
presence of a pallet or container being transported can be
determined; a computer programmed to determine the optimal path of
said vehicle and generate data commands; a transmitter operatively
coupled to said computer to transmit said data commands to said
vehicle; and a display disposed to display said commands in a form
readable by a human operator of said vehicle.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one
sensor operatively coupled to said transmitter, said sensor
generating data from which the number of pallets being transported
can be determined.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one
sensor operatively coupled to said transmitter, said sensor
generating data from which the number of containers being
transported can be determined.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 is claimed based on U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/470,037, filed on May 13, 2003, the
disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of
generating data for calculating current utilization of powered
industrial vehicles and a method of generating assignments, which
if followed may approximate optimal utilization of the powered
industrial vehicles.
[0003] A powered industrial vehicle ("PIV") is a vehicle used in
transporting heavy loads. Examples of powered industrial vehicles
are forklifts and jitneys, sometimes referred to as tuggers.
Forklifts have an "L-shaped" structure with two projections
extending in front of the PIV, which may be raised and lowered from
the floor (level with the bottom surface of the wheels of the PIV
to many feet above the floor (twelve to fifteen), depending on the
design. Forklifts are most often used to transport things strapped
or otherwise attached to pallets. Other vehicles, such as a
"tugger," may have at least one, and up to six, trailers or wheeled
rolling containers attached to the back of the vehicle.
[0004] As used in the United States Postal Service mail processing
facilities, PIVs transport pallets or rolling containers which
either do, or will contain mail. The U.S. Postal Service mail
processing facilities are laid out with work areas and aisleways.
The work areas contain mail processing stations which are operated
by personnel. The aisleways are often shared by both PIVs and
personnel, however, in some instances, dedicated PIV aisles may be
utilized.
[0005] When mail trucks arrive at predetermined times each day at
the docks with the mail picked up from other sites, PIVs are used
to remove the mail transport equipment (MTE) from the trucks and to
transport it (either a pallet or a container) to the appropriate
mail processing station. Then, to process the mail, it is removed,
as stored in mail trays, from the pallet or container and after
processing, the mail trays containing mail are placed in another
container or on another pallet. Each processing station typically
has an input and output staging area of a predetermined size where
incoming or processed mail may accumulate. When, or before, the
processed mail staging area is full, PIVs are used to transport the
pallets or containers of processed mail from one processing station
to the next. At predetermined times, when the processed mail needs
to be available for loading onto an outbound truck, PIVs are used
to transport the pallets or containers with processed mail, even if
not full, from the last processing station to the staging area near
the dock for the truck.
[0006] The current utilization of the PIVs and PIV drivers depends
on decisions made by the PIV drivers and the number of properly
working PIVs. The PIV drivers learn the proper route of mail from
the inbound trucks through the mail processing stations to the
outbound trucks, for each approved mail process. The PIV drivers
are also aware of the regular schedule of inbound and outbound mail
trucks at the docks. PIV drivers make the routing decision for each
pallet or container of mail unless a supervisor communicates with
them while driving via a paging system to give instructions to
remove or deliver a pallet or container at a particular mail
processing station. The routing decision includes the start time,
drop-off location, and path of the route to transport a pallet or
container from any location in the facilities to where it is or
will be needed.
[0007] While the driver is enroute, the supervisor may visually
locate the particular PIV the driver is using within 100 feet. As
U.S. Postal Service facilities are large, but the mail processing
stations and aisles are less than 100 feet apart, the current
system, Asset Management and Tracking System as provided by I.D.
Systems, Inc., of Hackensack, N.J. does not provide insight as to
the exact location of the PIV and driver within a 100 foot radius
circle. Thus the existing graphical display capabilities from radio
frequency transmitters on each PIV and receivers spread through out
the facility, just show each PIV appearing at a location that is
accurate within 100 feet of its actual location. The transmitted
location data is updated approximately every 30 seconds, and thus
graphically, each PIV appears to "hop" throughout the building, but
no particular path is depicted.
[0008] Moreover, there is no planned assignment or expected time
that any particular trip should take. Experienced PIV drivers
develop an estimate of how long it will take them to drive a PIV
from one location to another, and use that in making the routing
decisions. But a supervisor has no way of knowing whether the time
that it takes a PIV driver to transport a pallet or container from
point A to point B is more or less time than it takes to safely
transport a pallet or container from point A to point B. Currently
optimal routes between mail processing stations have not been
prescribed, nor is there knowledge whether or not the current
utilization of PIVs and PIV drivers is the optimal one. Thus the
work flow may not be as efficient as it could be and a supervisor
does not have a very accurate indication of how many PIV vehicles
and associated drivers he or she should use in a day to have
optimal utilization of these assets and optimal labor
efficiency.
[0009] There is a need for data on current PIV utilization and
labor efficiency. There is a need to obtain this information as
inexpensively as possible. There is a need to predict how many PIVs
and associated drivers are needed for any given amount of mail and
number of pallets and containers in need of transporting. There is
a need for generating assignments, with expected time schedules and
pathways, to efficiently use the labor force, PIVs, and mail
processing stations.
SUMMARY
[0010] As embodied and broadly described herein, an embodiment
consistent with the invention is a method of generating data on
current utilization of powered industrial vehicles which includes
recording the driver, time, and location, of the start of any
motion of a powered industrial vehicle as well as the time and
location of a subsequent stop of the powered industrial vehicle,
the path driven by or the instantaneous speed of or total distance
traveled by the powered industrial vehicle between the recorded
start and stop locations, an identifier of any pallet or container
that is being picked up at a start location and whether the pallet
or container is carrying a load, and the identifier of any pallet
or container that is being dropped off at a stop location. The
preferred minimum distance may be measured between all expected
pick-up or drop-off locations. The above recorded data and
measurements may be stored in a database for tabular or graphical
presentation for use in calculating desired utilization indicators
by powered industrial vehicle and driver.
[0011] As embodied and broadly described herein, another embodiment
consistent with the invention is an apparatus for optimizing usage
of a powered industrial vehicle. The apparatus may include a
transmitter on the vehicle transmitting data therefrom and at least
one load sensor operatively coupled to the transmitter. The load
sensor is on the vehicle and generates data from which the presence
of a pallet or container being transported by the vehicle can be
determined. The apparatus may also include a receiver disposed to
receive transmissions of data from the transmitter from which the
location of the vehicle and the presence of a pallet or container
being transported can be determined, a computer programmed to
determine the optimal path of the vehicle and generate data
commands, a transmitter operatively coupled to the computer to
transmit the data commands to the vehicle, and a display disposed
to display the commands in a form readable by a human operator of
the vehicle.
[0012] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several
embodiments consistent with the invention and together with the
description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In
the drawings,
[0014] FIG. 1 is a chart with example values recorded;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a floor plan of an example U.S. Postal Service
mail processing facility; and
[0016] FIG. 3 is an example assignment for a PIV driver with
expected route and times, indicating whether a pallet should be
picked up or dropped-off.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary
embodiments consistent with the invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to
refer to the same or like parts.
[0018] A method for generating data on current utilization of
powered industrial vehicles, consistent with the invention, may
comprise recording for each PIV, the driver of that PIV, and the
time and location within the facility when the PIV begins to move.
If a pallet is being lifted or a container being pulled by the PIV,
that may be recorded as well as whether the pallet or container is
carrying a load of mail. The path driven may be recorded, as well
as the instantaneous speed or the total distance driven between a
start location and a stop location. The time that and location
where the PIV stops may be noted, as well as whether any pallet or
container is removed from (dropped-off by) the PIV and if any
pallet or container is connected to or picked-up by the PIV. When a
pallet or container is added or removed, the identifier of that
pallet or container may be recorded as well as whether it is
carrying mail.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a chart that could be used to gather the
needed data, except the path of the PIV. This chart could be filled
out by either the driver, if sufficient confidence in the data
exists, or by another person either riding with or following the
driver and PIV, if the loss of time to have the driver record his
or her information is unacceptable, or if there is not sufficient
confidence in the data recorded by the driver. Values that might be
generated from a hypothetical route and floor plan are present in
the chart in FIG. 1 to illustrate how such a chart might look in
use.
[0020] Due to the way fork lifts operate, there may be many starts
and stops as the driver positions the fork lift to align the forks
in the opening of the pallet. There may also be multiple starts and
stops at each staging area, if the location to be occupied by the
pallet to be dropped off is currently occupied by another pallet
that first needs to be removed. A fork lift driver must first
drop-off the current pallet and then maneuver to pick and remove
the blocking pallet, finding a location at which to drop it off,
before returning to pick up the desired pallet and drop it off at
the proper location in the staging area. This is illustrated in
rows 1 through 6 of the chart in FIG. 1. Here the fork lift driver
has picked up loaded pallet 204 from the dock and dropped it off at
station 1 input staging area. However, a previous pallet number
408, now empty, needs to be moved, before loaded pallet 204 may be
appropriately placed at station 1. Thus the driver must move from
pallet 204 to pallet 408, then pick up pallet 408 and move it out
of the way and drop it off. Then return to pallet 204 and pick it
up and place it in the staging area. The fork lift driver then
picks up and transports pallet 408 to the processed mail staging
area of station 1, where station 1 personnel will fill it with
processed mail.
[0021] Continuing at line 7 FIG. 1, the PIV driver returns to the
dock and picks up three containers (for use in this example, the
PIV is no longer a fork lift, but a tugger), numbers 205, 206 and
112. The PIV driver then transports these to station 1's input
staging area, where the first loaded pallet 204 was brought. All
three of the containers are dropped off at station 1 (see line 8 of
FIG. 1). As recorded in lines 9 and 10, the PIV driver travels to
station 4 processed mail staging area, where he picks up a loaded
container 323 and transports it to station 5's input staging area
and drops it off. From there, the PIV driver goes to station 3's
input staging area and picks up three empty containers, which used
to contain mail, and drops off one of them at station 5's processed
mail staging area, where it is needed to receive processed mail.
The other two empty containers are transported to station 1
processed mail staging area, where they will be positioned to
receive processed mail at a later time. As may be evident, keeping
track manually is time consuming and generates many pages if
recorded on paper. If handwritten, this data would need to be
entered into a database for use in utilization calculations.
[0022] To record the path, a copy of the floor plan would need to
be available for each complete motion. This too would generate many
pages if recorded on paper. FIG. 2 illustrates an example floor
plan which could be provided in conjunction with the chart
illustrated in FIG. 1, on which to record the path corresponding to
each line of FIG. 1.
[0023] A method of collecting the data faster than recording it by
hand by either the driver or another person, is to make a hand-held
device or a touch screen on the PIV, which has drop down menus from
which the driver or other person may select the appropriate
information. This data may be stored electronically and then
transferred or downloaded to the computer containing the database
and formulas for the desired calculations.
[0024] Alternatively, and preferably, the data may be automatically
generated and stored by the use of improvements over existing PIV
tracking products, such as Asset Management and Tracking System,
sold by I.D. Systems of Hackensack, N.J. Improvements would include
the use of sensors and appropriate electronics on each PIV that can
produce signals that allow the detection of 1) the presence and
quantity of a transported load (the number of pallets or
containers), 2) the identifiers of any pallets or containers which
it transports, and 3) the location of the PIV to an accuracy of 10
feet or preferably the path driven by the PIV. These load and
pallet or container identifier sensors and electronics would be
operatively coupled to a data transmitter installed on each PIV.
This data would be transmitted from the PIV via the data
transmitter and received by receivers installed through out the
facility to be stored in the main computer/server available to the
supervisor and industrial engineers. Once available on this
computer/server, the values stored could be used by existing
graphical display programs to indicate to the supervisor the
historical record of any motion of a PIV and its associated
driver.
[0025] Separate from and in addition to the above activity, the
preferred routes between any two expected pick-up and drop-off
locations within the facilities may be established and measured.
Statistical descriptions of the time to safely drive a PIV along
any and all of the preferred routes may also be established and
stored in electronic memory. Statistical descriptions of the time
that each mail station takes to process a fully loaded pallet or
container of mail may be established and stored in electronic
memory. Statistics on times when the processing stations are
staffed or not staffed with mail personel [mail clerks] for
processing the mail may be established and stored in electronic
memory
[0026] The recorded, measured, and statistical data may be used in
calculations of utilization by vehicle and driver. Calculations
that may be of use in determining utilization of the PIVs and of
the PIV drivers on a per shift basis follow in Table 1:
1 TABLE 1 Desired information 1 time in motion 2 time transporting
a pallet or container between expected pick-up and drop-off
locations 3 time transporting a loaded pallet or container between
expected pick- up and drop-off locations 4 number of pallets or
containers picked-up and dropped-off between expected pick-up and
drop-off locations 5 number of loaded pallets or containers
picked-up and dropped-off between expected pick-up and drop-off
locations 6 distance driven between expected pick-up and drop-off
locations, in excess of preferred minimum distance, by discrete
trip 7 percent of time in motion spent transporting a pallet or
container between expected pick-up and drop-off locations.
[0027] Of course, until the maximum expected time transporting a
pallet or container between expected pick-up and drop-off locations
is calculated, these numbers only provide comparisons among
drivers, and not a true measure of utilization, unless 100 percent
of the time should be spent carrying a pallet or container between
expected pick-up and drop-off locations, which is unlikely.
[0028] The statistical data gathered, as described above, can be
used to simulate the progress and accumulation of full and empty
pallets and containers. The simulation may also provide the maximum
expected time transporting a pallet or container needed to
calculate true utilization numbers for the PIVs and PIV drivers.
The simulation may be calculated by hand, but may be much more
expeditiously accomplished by using a standard computer simulation
program for modeling manufacturing processes. Examples of such
programs are AutoMod sold by Brooks Automation/AutoMod Group and
Arena, sold by Rockwell Software. Also, the Micro Analytics school
bus routing model, logistics routing tools, such as Logistics
Laboratory as developed by Northwestern University Production and
U.S. Postal Service developed simulation models such as the
Transportation Optimization Planning and Scheduling system (TOPS)
and PostalCAD, as other examples, may be modified and used to
develop specific PIV routes. The shift supervisor's computer may
contain this program or the simulation program may be resident on a
server with which the shift supervisor's computer is networked.
Thus for a given amount of mail arriving in a predetermined number
of pallets and containers, optimal times and routes may be
established for a minimum number of PIVs to enable the processing
of that mail to proceed without delay.
[0029] From the simulation, routing assignments may be generated
for each of the minimum number of powered industrial vehicles,
including expected pathways, time schedules, and expected numbers
of pallets or containers to transport. A hypothetical routing
assignment is illustrated in FIG. 3. The routes are designated by
letters, but would be known to the PIV drivers, or available to
them in paper or in interactive graphical displays. These routing
assignments may be provided on paper printouts, but would more
likely be more useful as part of graphical displays available on
each PIV, with the ability for the PIV driver to indicate when he
or she has completed any discrete part of the assignment. Thus the
computer or server which generates the preferred routing
assignments may be operatively coupled to a transmitter that may
transmit the preferred routing assignments in the form of data
commands to the proper PIV, and the PIV would be equipped with a
data receiver and display to convert such data commands into a form
that a PIV driver may easily read.
[0030] Other embodiments consistent with the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the
specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is
intended that the specification and examples be considered as
exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being
indicated by the following claims.
* * * * *