Patent Description:
Industrial trucks are well known in the art, for use e.g. in an industrial or logistic site for handling and transporting ware. Known types of industrial trucks include forklift trucks, towing tractors, tugger trains and the like.

There is currently a desire to provide industrial trucks with an autonomous driving function for a certain environment in which the industrial truck will operate. In order to assess whether an industrial truck may be provided with an autonomous driving function and to develop such an autonomous driving function, it is considered to mount a sensor kit on an existing manually-driven industrial truck for collecting data relating to the operation of the industrial truck in the given environment (such as an industrial site). The collected data may then be used to further assess the autonomous driving function.

However, industrial trucks can have substantially different shapes and dimensions, depending on the model of the industrial truck and also depending on the way of operating/configuring the truck, e.g. in association with different trailers and/or material handling devices. Considering for example a towing tractor, a different number of successive trailers can be towed by the towing tractor, this leading to considerably different lengths of the vehicle to be driven in the industrial site; accordingly, a sensor kit for data collection of the known art cannot properly collect the data of the industrial site in which the industrial truck operates, because e.g. optical sensors of the sensor kit may not be capable to sense the environment properly due to the variable configuration of the industrial truck. Hence, there is a need to develop a modular sensor kit suitable for the collection of environmental data that can be operated with a wide range of industrial trucks, regardless of possible different configurations of the industrial truck.

<CIT> discloses a multi-sensor fusion intelligent integrated vehicle, including a wire-controlled chassis vehicle, a sensor installation and adjustment platform, a perception system, a decision-making system, and a power supply.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a sensor kit suitable to properly collect operational data related to an environment of an industrial site in which an industrial truck operates, irrespective of the different configurations of the industrial truck on which the sensor kit is mounted. A further object of the invention is to provide a sensor kit that can be easily mounted on a variety of different industrial trucks.

In view of the above objects, the present invention proposes a sensor kit according to claim <NUM>. In an aspect, the sensor kit is configured to be mounted on an industrial truck for the collection of operational data related to an environment of an industrial site in which the industrial truck operates during the collection,.

The above and other advantages of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to an example embodiment of the invention, described with reference to the appended drawings listed as follows.

<FIG> shows an example of an industrial truck <NUM> on which a sensor kit according to the invention can be mounted. The industrial truck <NUM> is in the illustrated example a towing tractor configured to tow one or more trailers <NUM>, <NUM>. However, the sensor kit may be mounted also on other types of industrial trucks, such as a forklift truck or the like. The sensor kit <NUM> is preferably mounted on the roof of the industrial truck <NUM>; however, also other mounting positions could be conceived. The sensor kit <NUM> is equipped with a plurality of sensors for collecting operational data related to an environment of an industrial site in which the industrial truck operates during the collection. In particular, the sensor kit includes optical sensors, such as a LIDAR, a camera, a stereo camera, an infrared sensor or the like, that collects operational data related to the environment around the industrial truck. Also other types of sensors may be used, in addition or in alternative to the optical sensors, such as radar and/or ultrasound sensors. As shown in <FIG>, the boundary of the spatial field sensed by an optical sensor in the sensor kit <NUM> can vary depending on the configuration of the industrial truck; specifically, when only one trailer <NUM> is towed by the towing tractor <NUM>, the boundary of the spatial field sensed by an optical sensor in the sensor kit <NUM> is represented by the dashed line <NUM>; when two trailers <NUM>, <NUM> are towed by the towing tractor <NUM>, the boundary of the spatial field sensed by an optical sensor in the sensor kit <NUM> is represented by the dashed line <NUM>. Accordingly, the space <NUM> between the two boundaries <NUM>, <NUM> is sensed or not by the optical sensor depending on the different operational configurations of the industrial truck. Thus, the capacity of the sensor kit to collect properly operational data relating to the environment surrounding the industrial truck is highly variable depending on the configurations of the industrial truck.

In view of this finding, the present invention proposes a sensor kit <NUM> that is capable of properly collecting operational data irrespective of the possibly different configurations of the industrial truck.

In more detail, as illustrated in <FIG>, the sensor kit comprises:.

The control unit <NUM> is supported by a main body <NUM> of the frame. For example, the main body <NUM> may be a box-shaped structure and the control unit <NUM> may be mounted inside the main body <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> may control the operation of the sensors. The control unit <NUM> e.g. may receive the operational data from the sensors and store them in a local memory. In an alternative embodiment, the control unit <NUM> might control the transmission of the operational data to a remote location by means of a transmitting unit of the sensor kit. Preferably, the frame is formed as a modular metal structure. The modular metal structure can be mounted on site by the final user, whereas the sensor kit can be disassembled to have a reduced size during shipping.

The plurality of sensors includes at least:.

The positioning sensors can include one or more receivers, such as GSNN receivers <NUM>, <NUM> or the like. The optical sensor can include one or more of a LIDAR (or LIDAR sensor), an infrared sensor, a camera or a stereo camera. The sensor kit may further include other types of sensors, such as a radar and/or an ultrasound sensor.

The frame includes a main body <NUM> for supporting the control unit <NUM> and one or more adjustable elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> configured to provide a plurality of different mounting positions with respect to the main body <NUM> for at least one of the optical sensor <NUM> and the positioning sensor <NUM>, <NUM>. Preferably, the adjustable elements are adjustable to vary the distance between at least two of the plurality of sensors. As shown by the arrows in <FIG>, the sensor kits includes adjustable elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> supporting respective sensors <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>.

The adjustable elements <NUM>, <NUM> are formed as lateral arms protruding laterally from opposite sides of the main body <NUM>. The adjustable elements <NUM>, <NUM> are configured to offer different mounting positions for a sensor in a horizontal direction, when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck. The position of the lateral arms <NUM>, <NUM> is also adjustable in a vertical direction with respect to the main body <NUM>, so as to allow a vertical displacement of the respective sensors, when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck.

The adjustable element <NUM> protrude substantially vertically above the main body <NUM>. The adjustable element <NUM> is configured to offer different mounting positions for a sensor in a vertical direction, when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck.

In a preferred embodiment, the two lateral arms <NUM>, <NUM> support each a positioning sensor <NUM>, <NUM>, such as GNSS receiver or a GPS receiver. The adjustable element <NUM> supports a LIDAR <NUM> and optionally a camera or a stereo camera.

In <FIG> the main body <NUM> contains also a further sensor <NUM>, such as IMU. The main body <NUM> contains preferably a battery <NUM> configured to supply power to the sensors and to the control unit <NUM> (such as an Electronic Control Unit, ECU). The sensor kit is provided with detachable fastening means, e.g. in the form of one or more magnets <NUM>, to be fixed to the industrial truck, e.g. to the roof of a user cabin. Since the sensor kit is equipped with an independent battery <NUM>, there is no need for connection to the power supply of the industrial truck, thus easing the mounting operation of the kit on the truck.

In <FIG> the sensor kit <NUM> is shown when mounted on the roof of an industrial truck, specifically on the mounting surface <NUM> of the industrial truck. The sensor kit <NUM> includes a plurality of spacers <NUM> mounted on a bottom wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, for example four spacers <NUM> placed at the corners of the main body <NUM>. The spacers have an adjustable length for adjusting the distance between the bottom wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM> and a mounting surface <NUM> of the industrial truck. The function of the adjustable spacers <NUM> is to ensure the possibility of mounting the sensor kit <NUM> in a correct desired position irrespective of the inclination and/or shape of the roof of the industrial truck. For example, a correct desired position of the sensor kit <NUM> may be a position in which the lateral arms <NUM>, <NUM> are substantially horizontal, or a position in which the bottom wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM> is horizontal. A flange element <NUM>, <NUM> (also well-illustrated in <FIG>) is attached to a lateral wall of the main body <NUM> for supporting at least a magnet <NUM> spaced away from the bottom wall <NUM>. The magnet <NUM> has the function of fixing the sensor kit to the mounting surface of the industrial truck. The position of the at least one magnet <NUM> is adjustable in a vertical direction with respect to the main body <NUM> of the frame; this allows to further improve the adaptability of the sensor kit to different shapes and inclinations of the mounting surface of the industrial truck.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes two lateral extendible arms protruding from opposite sides of the main body, wherein each of the two lateral extendible arm supports a positioning sensor. The extendible arm <NUM> is composed by an inner component 23b and an outer component 23a. The extendible arm <NUM> is composed by an inner component 24b and an outer component 24a. The outer component 23a supports the sensor <NUM>. The outer component 23a can be mounted in different positions with respect to the inner component 23b by means of the fastening elements <NUM> (e.g. two screws) inserted in respective elongated holes <NUM> formed in the outer element 23a. A similar arrangement is foreseen for the extension of the lateral arm 24a and 24b. Hence, the lateral arms <NUM>, <NUM> have an adjustable length in a horizontal direction when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck. Preferably, the sensors <NUM>, <NUM> are mounted on the distal end of the arms <NUM>, <NUM>, specifically of the elements 23a, 24a. This allows to adapt the position of the respective sensor depending on the configuration of the truck and/or the kind of environment in which the data are to be collected. For example, the GNSS receivers <NUM>, <NUM> mounted on the arms <NUM>, <NUM> in configurations with multiple antennas can be positioned at distances from <NUM> to <NUM> in order to maximize signal quality and avoid interference with other sensors. However, the lateral arms could also be used to support an optical sensor, such as one or more cameras.

The inner components 23b and 24b of the lateral arms are also adjustable in the vertical direction with respect to the man body <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the height of the inner component 23b can be adjusted by means of the elongated holes <NUM> (or grooves) in which the fastening means is mounted (e.g. screws) to connect the component to the main body <NUM> of the frame. The same arrangement is foreseen for the other lateral arm <NUM>.

As shown in the figure, the extendible tower <NUM> is configured to support at least one of the optical sensor and the positioning sensor, and the extendible tower <NUM> has an adjustable length in a vertical direction when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck. The extendible tower <NUM> consists of an inner component 25b and an outer component 25a. The outer component 25a can be in the form of a C-shaped element. The inner component 25b can be in the form of a couple of vertical plates. The inner component 25b is fixed to the upper wall of the main body <NUM> of the sensor kit. The outer component 25a supports the optical sensor <NUM>, e.g. a LIDAR. The inner component 25b can support a stereo camera <NUM>. The inclination of the camera <NUM> can be adjusted by varying the mounting angle of the related supporting element with respect to the inner component 25b; this allows to properly direct the camera depending on the height of the mounting position on the industrial truck. The outer component 25a can be mounted with different vertical positions with respect to the inner component 25b so as to vary the position of the optical sensor <NUM>. The adjustment is made possible thanks to the vertical grooves <NUM> formed in the inner element 25b in which the fastening means (e.g. a screw) is mounted. Thanks to the adjustable vertical position of the optical sensors, it is possible to adapt the position of the sensor depending on the different possible configurations of the industrial truck and of the environment, thus enabling a proper collection of the operational data irrespective of the configuration of the industrial truck.

In <FIG> the lateral arms and the vertical tower are shown in a retracted position, i.e. with the sensors <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> as close as possible to the main body <NUM>. In <FIG>, the lateral arms and the vertical tower are shown in an extended position, i.e. with the sensors <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> as far as possible from the main body <NUM>.

The sensor kit further comprises a memory connected to the control unit <NUM> and configured for storing operational data collected by the plurality of sensors. The memory may be embedded in the ECU <NUM> or may be provided as external memory storage. Hence, the sensor kit is capable of collecting the operational data in a fully independent manner, without the need of an external power supply and/or the need of establishing a transmission channel for exporting the collected data in real time. Once the data collection is terminated (i.e. after a collection session in which the industrial truck operates with the sensor kit switched on and mounted on the truck), the sensor kit may be shipped back to the supplier and the operational data may be analysed, for example to assess whether an autonomous driving function can be applied to an industrial truck operating in the environment in which the data collection was performed. Furthermore, the collected operational data may be used to determine which type of sensor is particularly suitable for performing autonomous driving of an industrial truck in the referred environment. According to an alternative embodiment, the collected operational data may be extracted on site from the memory by means of a wired or wireless communication.

According to the invention, a transportable, independent sensor kit that can be installed on a wide variety of industrial trucks to collect data in new environments is provided. The kit consists of a removable and modular metal structure in which all the components can be fixed in a modular manner; in addition to the sensors, the other components in the kit are: an embedded PC (embodying the control unit), and a battery for power supply of all components on board. Furthermore, the system is not invasive in any way either for the vehicle or for the operator as it is mounted on the vehicle roof and does not require external power. The proposed sensor kit is a highly modular structure both from a structural point of view and for the sensors with which it can be equipped.

As shown above, in the frame of the sensor kit different mounting points have been provided for the sensors (depending on the visibility or reception needs of each component) which can be secured by means of fasteners based on screws or other known fastening systems. The two lateral arms are adjustable both in extension and in height; the box-shaped structure containing the battery and ECU can be kept open or made completely sealed (depending on the protection and insulation needs of the internal components). The sensor kit rests on a system of height-adjustable feet (or spacers), allowing installation even on a non-flat roof, while the magnets (which are also adjustable in height), on the other hand, ensure fastening.

The structural components of the sensor kit are fixed to each other through the use of screws and other fastening systems, which allow to easily disassemble the sensor kit and store it in a compact container, thus facilitating transport.

The system was designed to be able to accommodate a wide range of different sensors. In addition to these components, the sensor kit also houses the embedded board, the battery; the box-shaped body of the sensor kit contains the least resistant components.

The transportability of the system is guaranteed by the weight and small dimensions (weight less than <NUM>). Furthermore, it does not require an external power supply or any other interface with the outside and is therefore able to operate in total autonomy and can be installed on a wide variety of different vehicles thanks to a permanent or removable fixing.

The functioning of the sensor kit can be summarized as follows:.

The proposed solution allows to obtain useful data to evaluate the possibility of using self-driving vehicles in the analyzed environments. The collected data can be used for the creation of datasets with the purpose of carrying out simulations and testing or development activities. Furthermore, it allows to evaluate which are the most effective sensors in the analyzed environments and to test and develop the algorithms based on the data collected through the kit, allowing an initial estimate of the results that can be obtained once the real vehicle is installed in the field.

As a data collection kit, the present invention can guarantee cost savings as it allows to accelerate the development of the autonomous driving system thanks to the real data to work on before the actual availability of a vehicle on site.

The above description of embodiments applying the innovative principles of the invention is provided solely for the purpose of illustrating said principles and must thus not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention claimed herein.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of fastening the sensor kit to the industrial truck by means of one or more permanent magnets, the fastening means may include one or more suction cups and/or other mechanical means suitable to engage with the roof of the industrial truck to fix the sensor kit thereto.

Claim 1:
A sensor kit (<NUM>) configured to be mounted on an industrial truck (<NUM>) for the collection of operational data related to an environment of an industrial site in which the industrial truck operates during the collection,
the sensor kit comprising:
- a frame provided with fastening means (<NUM>) for connecting the frame to the industrial truck,
- a plurality of sensors (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) mounted on the frame for collecting the operational data,
- a control unit (<NUM>) connected to the sensors to receive the operational data from the sensors,
wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least:
- a positioning sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>),
and
- at least an optical sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the frame includes a main body (<NUM>) for supporting the control unit (<NUM>) and one or more adjustable elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to provide a plurality of different mounting positions with respect to the main body (<NUM>) for at least one of the optical sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the positioning sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>),
the sensor kit (<NUM>) being characterised in that the adjustable elements comprise at least one lateral extendible arm (<NUM>) configured to support at least one of the optical sensor and the positioning sensor, the lateral arm having an adjustable length in an horizontal direction when the sensor kit is mounted on the industrial truck,
wherein the adjustable elements comprise two lateral extendible arms (<NUM>, <NUM>) protruding from opposite sides of the main body, wherein each of the two lateral extendible arms supports a positioning sensor.