US 11,703,861 B1
Inventory system with high-speed corridors for autonomous surface vehicles
Stephen Charles Paschall, Cambridge, MA (US); and Justin Croyle, Hampstead, NH (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/210,911.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC G05D 1/0088 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0214 (2013.01); G05D 1/0223 (2013.01); G05D 1/0268 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); G05D 1/0238 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) for operation within an inventory system of an environment, the ASV comprising:
a drive system;
a docking system configured to engage and transport an inventory holder through the environment;
a plurality of sensors comprising a location sensor and one or more proximity sensors;
a memory storing a map of the environment; and
one or more computer processors configured to:
detect, using the location sensor, a location of the ASV within the environment;
control the drive system to actuate the ASV from the location toward a corridor defined in the map, wherein a first speed setting is applied while actuating the ASV toward the corridor; and
control the drive system to actuate the ASV through the corridor along at least one barrier defined in the map, wherein a second speed setting greater than the first speed setting is applied when (i) the location sensor indicates that the ASV is within the corridor and (ii) one or more fiducials along the at least one barrier are visually detected by the one or more proximity sensors.