公开(公告)号：US20230066866A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-02

申请号：US17897327

申请日：2022-08-29

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew F. Smith ,  Lawrence S. Klein ,  Stephen A. Langenderfer ,  Martin E. Sotola ,  Vikas Bahl ,  Mark H. Rosenblum ,  Peter James ,  Dale Dee Rowley ,  Matthew S. Johannes ,  Gary Michael Seminara ,  Jeremy M. Nett

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  E05C17/02 ,  E05B81/54 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B60D1/62 ,  B60L58/12 ,  B60L53/36 ,  B62D53/08 ,  B60R25/25 ,  B60R25/23 ,  B60R25/102 ,  B60R25/04 ,  B25J9/16 ,  B60D1/26 ,  B60D1/64 ,  B62D13/06 ,  B62D15/02 ,  B62D33/02 ,  B65G69/00 ,  B60D1/01 ,  B60R1/00 ,  B62D53/12

Abstract: A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

公开(公告)号：US20220410986A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-29

申请号：US17848152

申请日：2022-06-23

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Tessa Ronan ,  Vittorio Ziparo ,  Lawrence Klein ,  Ky Woodard

IPC: B62D49/00 ,  B62D53/12 ,  B62D53/08

Abstract: A method detects and prevents stall of a drive motor of an autonomous electric tractor. A stall detector receives, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor, determines when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold and applies brakes, inhibits a throttle controlling the drive motor, and sets a motor stall flag. A method determines a height above the ground of a landing gear of a trailer coupled with a tractor. A lift detector controls a hydraulic pump to pump a hydraulic fluid into a chamber of a piston coupled to a fifth wheel of the tractor to raise the fifth wheel. The lift detector senses, at intervals as the fifth wheel rises, a pressure value of the hydraulic fluid in the chamber and processes the pressure value to determine when the landing gear is lifted off the ground.

公开(公告)号：US20220371199A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-24

申请号：US17729305

申请日：2022-04-26

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Jarvis A. Schultz ,  Matthew S. Johannes ,  William L. Spies, II ,  Daniel R. Wahl ,  Lawrence S. Klein

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  B25J5/00

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for allowing motion of a robotic manipulator on an AV truck in connecting to a native gladhand on a trailer front that represents and constructs a model of this free space on-the-fly, in the manner of an Obstacle Detection and Obstacle Avoidance (OD/OA) system and process. A robotic arm on an AV truck is adapted to connect a pneumatic line to a gladhand on the trailer front. A first 3D sensor generates a pointcloud, and is located at an elevated position on the truck to image the trailer front. A second 3D sensor also generates pointclouds at during robot motion, located adjacent to an end of the robotic arm. An occlusion mapping process generates an occlusion map of the trailer front, and a map update process updates the occlusion map to add and remove voxels therefrom to allow safe guidance of the robot.

公开(公告)号：US20220180281A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17525630

申请日：2021-11-12

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Harry Philip Walton

IPC: G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q10/04 ,  G06Q10/08

Abstract: This invention provides system and method for optimizing the operation of a shipping facility having trailers that are handled using AV yard trucks. The optimization can be focused on critical time periods where demand for AV yard trucks is high. In non-critical times the AV yard truck(s) can “recover” and “re-stage” within the yard to prepare for future critical times. Unlike human drivers who typically need to remember where to deposit empty trailers for a particular OTR carrier, the zones established with an automated yard system and optimization techniques herein can allow for freer placement of trailers in a manner that best serves the overall schedule of the yard facility. The optimization can be based upon time/overhead costs for differing tasks and determining how to minimize such costs by optimizing assignment of tasks to AV yard trucks on a truck-by-truck basis and in an order that minimizes such costs.

公开(公告)号：US20220155782A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-19

申请号：US17409623

申请日：2021-08-23

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew F. Smith ,  Lawrence S. Klein ,  Stephen A. Langenderfer ,  Martin E. Sotola ,  Vikas Bahl ,  Mark H. Rosenblum ,  Peter James ,  Dale Rowley ,  Matthew S. Johannes ,  Gary Seminara ,  Jeremy M. Nett

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  E05C17/02 ,  E05B81/54 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B60D1/62 ,  B60L58/12 ,  B60L53/36 ,  B62D53/08 ,  B60R25/25 ,  B60R25/23 ,  B60R25/102 ,  B60R25/04 ,  B25J9/16 ,  B60D1/26 ,  B60D1/64 ,  B62D13/06 ,  B62D15/02 ,  B62D33/02 ,  B65G69/00 ,  B60D1/01 ,  B60R1/00 ,  B62D53/12

Abstract: A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

公开(公告)号：US11325795B1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-10

申请号：US16937368

申请日：2020-07-23

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew F. Smith ,  Lawrence S. Klein ,  Joseph A. Welsh ,  JohnDavid A. Arnott ,  Chandler R. Deimund

IPC: B65G69/28

Abstract: Systems and methods for the modification of loading dock environments are provided that allow trailers and shipping containers on chassis' to park at a loading dock with closed doors and have these doors opened into the loading dock environment and resealed while the trailer remains at the loading dock.

公开(公告)号：US20220017110A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-20

申请号：US17332474

申请日：2021-05-27

Applicant: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew F. Smith ,  Joseph A. Welsh ,  William N. Klarquist ,  Peter James ,  Geoffrey W. Johnson ,  Kayla M. Holcomb ,  Lawrence S. Klein ,  Jason L. Williams ,  Floyd C. Henning ,  Jeremy M. Nett

IPC: B60W60/00 ,  H04W4/44

Abstract: This provides a system and method for handling the interchange of trailers between an over the road (OTR) truck and an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck in a facility yard includes an interchange zone (IZ) that is bounded by a predetermined boundary structure, having an OTR entry gate and an OTR exit gate on a first side and an AV entry gate and an AV exit gate on a second side. The system and method further includes a management process that selectively opens and closes each of the OTR entry gate, the OTR exit gate, the AV entry gate and the AV exit gate according to a predetermined set of rules.