Abstract: An automated guided vehicle system and method includes providing at least one automated-guided vehicle (AGV) and a pathway for the AGV. A sensor assembly on the AGV senses magnet assemblies on the pathway as the AGV is transported over that magnet assembly. A navigation and guidance system determines the location of the maximum magnitude of the magnetic field by mathematically fitting a curve to the magnitude of portions of the magnetic field sensed by said magnetic sensors and determines a maximum value of the curve. At least some of the said magnet assemblies each produce a bipolar magnetic field extending generally transverse to the pathway and the sensor assembly produces an output indicative of magnitude and polarity of respective portions of the bipolar magnetic field. The navigation and guidance system determines a location of maximum magnitude of the opposite polarities of the bipolar magnetic field and a correction factor.

Abstract: A conveyor induct system includes a control point subsystem for measuring the point at which control of an article transitions from one conveyor to another. The induct system also includes a subsystem for accurately creating or controlling the gaps between articles on the conveyor system. The control point subsystem monitors the location, and changes in the speed, of an article as it passes between two conveyors operating at different speeds. The gap control subsystem provides real time monitoring and measuring of the package gaps. The measured package gaps are fed into a feedback control system which alters the speed of a conveyor in order to change the gapping as desired.

Abstract: An automated guided vehicle includes a body, at least one driver wheel for propelling the body along a surface, at least one steered wheel for directing the body with respect to the surface and a body-based inertial navigation system. The inertial navigation system senses actual movement of the body in at least three degrees of freedom. Such sensing is accomplished notwithstanding the presence of side slippage of the vehicle. This can be embodied in an automated guided vehicle having a ground track sensor which continuously senses relative movement of the vehicle with respect to the surface being traversed in order to determine an actual velocity vector of the vehicle. The ground track sensor may physically contact the surface in order to sense the relative movement or may be a non-contact sensor. The disclosed navigation system is especially useful with tugger automated guided vehicles.