Patents Assigned to Lineage Logistics, LLC
-
Patent number: 11940198Abstract: A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Daniel Walet, Alexander Ming Zhang, Claire O'Connor, Ben Philipsen
-
Patent number: 11859892Abstract: A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2023Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventor: Alexander Ming Zhang
-
Patent number: 11807455Abstract: This document generally describes warehousing systems that can, in certain instances, improve the efficiency of warehousing operations and improve utilization of available space in a warehousing facility. The warehousing system may be implemented in an automated warehouse, such as an automated cold-storage facility, that uses programmable equipment to automate tasks associated with warehousing operations, such as transporting inbound storage items to specified storage positions of storage racks in the warehouse and removing outbound storage items from storage so that they may be loaded onto trucks for delivery away from the warehouse.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Elliott Gerard Wolf, Christopher Frank Eckman, Brian Gutschow
-
Patent number: 11790546Abstract: A system is provided for automatic identification and annotation of objects in a point cloud in real time. The system can automatically annotate a point cloud that identifies coordinates of objects in three-dimensional space while data is being collected for the point cloud. The system can train models of physical objects based on training data, and apply the models to point clouds that are generated by various point cloud generating devices to annotate the points in the point clouds with object identifiers. The solution of automatically annotated point cloud can be used for various applications, such as blueprints, map navigation, and determination of robotic movement in a warehouse.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Alexander Ming Zhang
-
Patent number: 11790292Abstract: Refrigeration management includes determining an optimal operational schedule to control a refrigeration system for a cold storage facility. Various approaches can be used to determine an operational schedule with an optimal operational outcome that satisfies constraints representative of a range of factors, such as thermal characteristics of a refrigeration management system, energy cost, and environmental factors external to the system, which can affect refrigeration management of a cold storage facility.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Elliott Gerard Wolf, Alexander James Woolf
-
Patent number: 11767168Abstract: A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2022Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Daniél Walet, Elliott Gerard Wolf, Frank Baijens, Sudarsan Thattai
-
Patent number: 11755994Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a pallet build sequence include receiving a pick order request, identifying candidate pick items in a warehouse to fulfill the request, grouping the items based on aisles and generating aisle-based lists per group, and sorting each list based on location of each of the items per group from front to back of the warehouse. For each list, the method includes selecting a first item at a top of the list, adding the first item to a bottom layer of a pallet, determining an amount of weight of items from the list that can be layered on top of the first item and determining whether the first item can support the determined amount of weight. If the first item can support the determined weight, the first item can be kept in a pick sequence as the pallet's bottom layer and removed from the list.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Thomas Eugene Murphy, Daniel Thomas Wintz
-
Patent number: 11734883Abstract: This specification describes systems and methods for generating a mapping of a physical space from point cloud data for the physical space. The methods can include receiving the point cloud data for the physical space, filtering the point cloud data to, at least, remove sparse points from the point cloud data, aligning the point cloud data along x, y, and z dimensions that correspond to an orientation of the physical space, and classifying the points in the point cloud data as corresponding to one or more types of physical surfaces. The methods can also include identifying specific physical structures in the physical space based, at least in part, on classifications for the points in the point cloud data, and generating the mapping of the physical space to identify the specific physical structures and corresponding contours for the specific physical structures within the orientation of the physical space.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Brady Michael Lowe
-
Patent number: 11734884Abstract: This specification describes systems and methods for refining point cloud data. Methods can include receiving point cloud data for a physical space, iteratively selecting points along an x, y, and z dimension, clustering the selected points into 2D histograms, determining a slope value for each 2D histogram, and removing, based on the slope value exceeding a predetermined value, points from the point cloud data. Methods can also include iteratively voxelizing each 2D histogram into predetermined mesh sizes, summating points in each voxelized 2D histogram, removing, based on determining the summation is below a predetermined sum value, points from the point cloud data, keeping, based on determining that a number of points in each voxelized 2D histogram exceeds a threshold value, a center point, selecting, for each histogram, a point, identifying, nearest neighbors in the point cloud data, removing the identified nearest neighbors from the data, and returning remaining points.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Brady Michael Lowe, Alexander Hall
-
Patent number: 11724882Abstract: An automated warehouse system can include automated pallet movers, a physical space in which the automated pallet movers operate, and a control system to provide commands to each of the automated pallet movers for operating in the physical space. The commands can include a pallet transportation command including a pallet identifier of a pallet to be transported by the automated pallet mover in the physical space, and a destination location to which the pallet is to be transported by the automated pallet mover. The commands can also include a control algorithm command that specifies a control algorithm for moving through the physical space. The automated pallet mover can be configured to transport the pallet to the destination location according to a route resulting from performance of the control algorithm, while other automated pallet movers concurrently transport other pallets to other destination locations.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Daniel Walet, Frank Baijens
-
Patent number: 11720003Abstract: In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2022Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventor: Christopher Frank Eckman
-
Patent number: 11629908Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for time shifting when a cold storage facility is cooled that includes determining a thermal model of a cold storage facility, obtaining an energy cost model that describes a schedule of variable energy costs over a predetermined period of time in the future, determining an operational schedule for at least a portion of a refrigeration system based on the thermal model, the energy cost model, and a maximum allowed temperature, and powering on the portion the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, cooling, by the powered portion of the refrigeration system to a temperature below the maximum allowed temperature, reducing power usage of the powered portion of the refrigeration system based on the operational schedule, and permitting the facility to be warmed by ambient temperatures toward the maximum allowed temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Alexander James Woolf, Elliott Gerard Wolf, Daniel Thomas Wintz, Jesse Scott Tootell, Bryan Thomas Kaye, Jesse Dylan Crossno, Alexander Ming Zhang, Gabriel Len West, John Richardson Crawford, Tiara Lee Flewelling
-
Patent number: 11601594Abstract: An image sensing assembly includes an enclosure that defines a first viewport aperture in a front wall of the enclosure. The image sensing assembly includes a first image sensor attached within the enclosure, the first image sensor aligned with the first viewport aperture in the front wall of the enclosure to capture image data representative of a scene viewed through the first viewport aperture. The image sensing assembly includes a bracket attached to the enclosure at a first portion of the bracket and attached to a first mounting plate at a second portion of the bracket. The image sensing assembly includes a vibration dampening mount located between the bracket and the first mounting plate to at least partially isolate the enclosure from vibration of the first mounting plate.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2022Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Maxwell Micali, Richard Frederick Warlich, Antonio Rocha, Ricky Paul Chin
-
Patent number: 11566835Abstract: A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventor: Alexander Ming Zhang
-
Patent number: 11513370Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for heating a lens to mitigate fogging. The methods can include identifying a temperature of the lens, identifying an ambient temperature of an environment of the lens, determining whether the lens is susceptible to fogging based at least on the temperature of the lens and the ambient temperature of the environment of the lens, and in response to determining that the lens is susceptible to fogging, causing a heating element to apply heat to the lens to mitigate fogging of the lens.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventor: Christopher Frank Eckman
-
Patent number: 11508078Abstract: A system is provided for automatic identification and annotation of objects in a point cloud in real time. The system can automatically annotate a point cloud that identifies coordinates of objects in three-dimensional space while data is being collected for the point cloud. The system can train models of physical objects based on training data, and apply the models to point clouds that are generated by various point cloud generating devices to annotate the points in the point clouds with object identifiers. The solution of automatically annotated point cloud can be used for various applications, such as blueprints, map navigation, and determination of robotic movement in a warehouse.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Alexander Ming Zhang
-
Patent number: 11488076Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for routing items in a warehouse. A computing system receives a request to assign an inbound truck to a transport bay and determines an available subset of unloading paths, by removing any unloading path directed from a transport bay or inbound storage area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system determines an available subset of loading paths, by removing any loading path directed to a transport bay or outbound staging area that is currently occupied/assigned. The computing system identifies multiple available path combinations that each include an unloading path from the available subset of unloading paths and a loading path from the available subset of loading paths. The computing system determines a selected path combination based on the selected path combination having a most favorable score.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Daniel Walet, Daniel Thomas Wintz
-
Patent number: 11479411Abstract: A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Daniël Walet, Elliott Gerard Wolf, Frank Baijens, Sudarsan Thattai
-
Patent number: 11474417Abstract: In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in an anti-fogging apparatus for a camera assembly. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a camera affixed to a substrate, and a thermally conductive plate, the thermally conductive plate positioned in front of the substrate and defining a first aperture aligned with a lens of the camera. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a transparent plate positioned in front of the thermally conductive plate such that the transparent plate covers said first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes an insulating element positioned in front of the transparent plate and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a heating element affixed to the thermally conductive plate. The anti-fogging apparatus includes a case enclosing the camera, the thermally conductive plate, the transparent plate, the insulating element, and the heating element.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventor: Christopher Frank Eckman
-
Patent number: 11436560Abstract: A computer-based technology is provided to optimize a warehouse space, such as warehouse racks. The technology determines a storage duration of a pallet in a warehouse, and further determines an optimal storage location for the pallet in the warehouse. For example, the technology can determine how long an inbound pallet will stay in a warehouse, and locate an optimal area of the warehouse to store the pallet. Such an optimal pallet storage area is selected to reduce labor costs in transporting the pallet in, within, and out of the warehouse and further optimize the management of multiple pallets in the warehouse as a whole. In addition, the technology can consider the size of the pallet in determining the optimal storage location in the warehouse.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLCInventors: Daniel Thomas Wintz, Michael Lingzhi Li, Elliott Gerard Wolf, Chloe Mawer, Caitlin Voegele, Zhou Daisy Fang, Maya Ileana Choudhury, Julia Long, Sudarsan Thattai, Jeffrey Alvarez Rivera