A system for managing shipping containers and twist lock connectors is described. The system includes multiple stations. Each station includes a container platform and a pallet station. The container platform is able to accommodate various container sizes and/or multiple containers at one time. The container platform includes connector changers, handlers, and gantries that are able to automatically engage connectors with a container and disengage connectors from a container. The station includes a shuttle able to transfer connectors between the platform handlers and pallet station handlers and gantries. The pallet station includes a pallet with multiple receptacles for storing connectors. The pallet station and/or the container platform may include one or more magazines and/or one or more conveyors.

A crane hook positioning method, apparatus and system, and piece of engineering machinery. The method comprises: acquiring current state information and a first image of a crane; determining a hoisting path according to the current state information and the relative position of a hook and a target to be positioned, wherein the relative position is determined according to the first image; and controlling the crane to execute hook positioning according to the hoisting path. An image of directly beneath a lifting arm is collected in real time, and a target is extracted by image processing to obtain three-dimensional coordinates of a hook, a hoisted object and a target in-position point, to determine the positional relationship between the hook, the hoisted object and the target in-position point; and hoisting path planning and hoisting work are realized according to current state information of a crane.

A crane hook positioning method, apparatus and system, and piece of engineering machinery. The method comprises: acquiring current state information and a first image of a crane; determining a hoisting path according to the current state information and the relative position of a hook and a target to be positioned, wherein the relative position is determined according to the first image; and controlling the crane to execute hook positioning according to the hoisting path. An image of directly beneath a lifting arm is collected in real time, and a target is extracted by image processing to obtain three-dimensional coordinates of a hook, a hoisted object and a target in-position point, to determine the positional relationship between the hook, the hoisted object and the target in-position point; and hoisting path planning and hoisting work are realized according to current state information of a crane.

Various example embodiments relate to motion control of a target such as a suspended load. An apparatus may comprise: a floating base comprising an exteroceptive observation system configured to measure a position or velocity of at least one target with respect to a reference coordinate frame moving with the floating base. The floating base may further comprise an inertial measurement unit configured to measure at least one inertial state of the floating base with respect to an inertial reference coordinate frame. Position or velocity compensation for the at least one target may be performed based on the at least one inertial state of the floating base.

A simulator is provided which can reduce a standby time of a construction machine, enable a process plan for construction machine work to be executed, and enable an unskilled operator to improve work efficiency of a construction machine. A simulator for work by using a construction machine transporting a material includes a construction machine characteristic information acquisition unit which acquires construction machine characteristic information as information about a characteristic of the construction machine, a material information acquisition unit which acquires material information as information about a material to be transported by the construction machine, and a transportation route information acquisition unit which acquires transportation route information including a transportation route in transportation of the material, and a transportation time for the material is generated based on the construction machine characteristic information, the material information, and the transportation route information.

A method for operating a conveying system is provided. An overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle is provided, wherein the OHT vehicle includes a gripping member configured to grip and hold a carrier, and a receiver configured to receive a signal. The signal is transmitted to the receiver of the OHT vehicle. The OHT vehicle is moved toward the carrier, and the carrier is gripped by the gripping member of the OHT vehicle. A lifting force is determined based on a weight of a carrier, a number of workpieces in the carrier, or a vertical distance between the OHT vehicle and the carrier, and the lifting force is applied to the carrier.

A method for operating a conveying system is provided. An overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle is provided, wherein the OHT vehicle includes a gripping member configured to grip and hold a carrier, and a receiver configured to receive a signal. The signal is transmitted to the receiver of the OHT vehicle. The OHT vehicle is moved toward the carrier, and the carrier is gripped by the gripping member of the OHT vehicle. A lifting force is determined based on a weight of a carrier, a number of workpieces in the carrier, or a vertical distance between the OHT vehicle and the carrier, and the lifting force is applied to the carrier.

An overhead system assists an operator in moving an object when the operator imparts a manual force to the object in a shared workspace characterized by overlapping ranges of motion of the robot and operator. The system includes an articulated serial robot, a cable, sensors, and a control system. One end of the cable connects to a distal end link of the robot. Another end of the cable connects to the object to suspend the object. The sensors measure a cable force and/or angle. The control system regulates operation of the robot by translating vertically and horizontally in response to the cable force and/or angle. The control system limits the position and/or velocity of the end link according to corresponding work space rules, including respective position and velocity limits, such that the system is immune to a single-point failure.

Systems and methods for remote control and automatization of tower cranes are provided herein. One system may include: a first sensing unit comprising a first image sensor configured to generate a first image sensor dataset; a second sensing unit comprising a second image sensor configured to generate a second image sensor dataset; wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit are adapted to be disposed on a jib of a tower crane at a distance with respect to each other such that a field-of-view of the first sensing unit at least partly overlaps with a field-of-view of the second sensing unit; and a control unit comprising a processing module configured to: determine a real-world geographic location data indicative at least of a real-world geographic location of a hook of the tower crane.

For the automated loading of a load by a crane system, a camera system of the crane system generates at least one image data stream. The at least one image data stream is analyzed by a computer unit with the assistance of an artificial neural network. On the basis of the analysis, a first marker and a second marker are recognized by the computer unit in respective single images of the at least one image data stream. Positions of the markers are determined, and the load is loaded automatically by a lifting device of the crane system dependent upon the positions of the markers.