Material handling vehicle scheduling method and device, storage medium and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a material handling vehicle scheduling method and device, a storage medium and a vehicle. The method comprises the steps that vehicle demand information of to-be-executed target material carrying operation is obtained, and the vehicle demand information is at least used for representing loading performance and / or lifting performance allowing execution of the target material carrying operation; in response to the matched target material handling vehicle meeting the vehicle demand information, obtaining operation point position information of to-be-executed target material handling operation; based on the operation point position information, a driving route for executing the target material carrying operation is determined; and in response to a scheduling instruction corresponding to the driving route, scheduling the target material handling vehicle to execute the target material handling operation. The technical problem of low scheduling accuracy of the material handling vehicle is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of logistics automation, and in particular to a scheduling method, device, storage medium and vehicle for material handling vehicles. Background Art

[0002] Currently, dispatching material handling vehicles (such as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)) to perform material handling operations is a key link.

[0003] In the related art, the use of material handling vehicles to perform material handling operations usually relies on a preset driving route (for example, a fixed driving route planned with a fixed starting point, waypoints and end point), that is, in the above case, the material handling vehicle needs to move in a warehouse or factory according to a fixed procedure to perform material handling operations. However, although the above method can realize the automated operation of material handling vehicles, it can only be used for fixed working conditions and fixed routes, so that in the process of performing material handling operations, there may be collisions with other material handling vehicles, thereby affecting the accuracy and safety of performing material handling operations. Therefore, there is still a technical problem of low scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles.

[0004] Currently, no effective solution has been proposed for the above-mentioned technical problem of low scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles. Summary of the invention

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, device, storage medium and vehicle for dispatching material handling vehicles, so as to at least solve the technical problem of low dispatching accuracy of material handling vehicles.

[0006] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a method for dispatching a material handling vehicle is provided. The method may include: obtaining vehicle demand information for a target material handling operation to be performed, wherein the vehicle demand information is at least used to indicate the load performance and / or lifting performance that allows the target material handling operation to be performed; in response to a target material handling vehicle that matches the vehicle demand information, obtaining operation point location information for the target material handling operation to be performed; based on the operation point location information, determining a driving route for performing the target material handling operation; and in response to a dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation.

[0007] Optionally, obtaining vehicle demand information for a target material handling operation to be performed includes: obtaining vehicle demand information in response to an input instruction on a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is connected to at least one material handling vehicle performing the material handling operation in a target area.

[0008] Optionally, the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a vehicle setting control, wherein in response to an input instruction on the terminal device, vehicle requirement information is obtained, including: responding to a click operation on the vehicle setting control to enter an interface for inputting vehicle requirement information; in the interface for inputting vehicle requirement information, executing an input instruction to input vehicle requirement information corresponding to executing a target material handling operation; the method also includes: in response to successfully inputting the vehicle requirement information, adjusting the color of the vehicle setting control to a target color.

[0009] Optionally, the method also includes: in response to obtaining vehicle demand information from a terminal device, matching a material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information as a target material handling vehicle; adjusting the autonomous operation state of the target material handling vehicle to an on-the-go picking state, wherein the autonomous operation state is a state of executing a preset material handling operation according to a preset route in addition to the vehicle demand information.

[0010] Optionally, the operation point location information includes a starting point location, and the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a starting point setting control, wherein, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed includes: in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, responding to a click operation of the starting point setting control, entering an interface for determining the starting point location; in response to the interface for determining the starting point location, receiving coded information from a target area for performing the material handling operation, and determining the starting point location based on the coded information; the method also includes: dispatching the target material handling vehicle to travel to the starting point location; in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the starting point location, adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to the target color.

[0011] Optionally, the operation point location information includes at least one waypoint location, the graphical user interface includes a waypoint setting control, the target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, wherein, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed includes: in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, and adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to the target color, in response to a click operation of the waypoint setting control, entering an interface for determining the waypoint location; in response to receiving coded information in the interface for determining the waypoint location, determining the waypoint location based on the coded information; based on the operation point location information, determining a driving route for performing the target material handling operation, including: determining a driving route from the starting point location to the waypoint location based on the starting point location and the waypoint location; the method also includes: dispatching the target material handling vehicle to travel to the waypoint location along the driving route; in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the waypoint location, adjusting the color of the waypoint setting control to the target color.

[0012] Optionally, the target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, the operation point location information includes a terminal location, and the graphical user interface includes a terminal setting control, wherein, in response to a dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle is dispatched to perform the target material handling operation, including: at the waypoint location, the target material handling vehicle is dispatched to perform the material picking operation; the method also includes: in response to completing the material picking operation, in response to a click operation of the terminal setting control, entering an interface for determining the terminal location; in response to receiving coding information on the interface for determining the terminal location, determining the terminal location based on the coding information; based on the operation point location information, determining the driving route for performing the target material handling operation, including: based on the waypoint location and the terminal location, determining the driving route from the waypoint location to the terminal location.

[0013] Optionally, the target material handling operation includes a material placement operation, wherein, in response to a dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle is dispatched to perform the target material handling operation, including: at the terminal position, the target material handling vehicle is dispatched to perform the material placement operation; the method also includes: in response to completing the material placement operation, adjusting the color of the terminal setting control to the target color.

[0014] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a scheduling device for material handling vehicles is also provided. The device may include: a first acquisition unit, used to acquire vehicle demand information for a target material handling operation to be performed, wherein the vehicle demand information is at least used to indicate the load performance and / or lifting performance that allows the target material handling operation to be performed; a second acquisition unit, used to obtain the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed in response to a target material handling vehicle that matches the vehicle demand information; a determination unit, used to determine a travel route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information; and a scheduling unit, used to respond to a scheduling instruction corresponding to the travel route and schedule the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which includes a stored program, wherein when the program is executed, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute the material handling vehicle scheduling method of the present invention.

[0016] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a processor is further provided, wherein the processor is used to run a program, wherein when the program is run, the method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention is executed.

[0017] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product is provided, which includes a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the scheduling method of material handling vehicles of the embodiment of the present application is implemented.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, if it is necessary to dispatch a material handling vehicle to perform a material handling operation, the vehicle demand information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. When a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched, the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. According to the operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined. According to the dispatching instructions corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the target material handling operation. In this embodiment, the operator can set the operation point location of the material handling operation according to his own handling needs. According to different operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined to complete the work of the target material handling operation. Since the non-fixed operation point location, such as the starting point, the end point, and the passing point, will affect the non-fixed driving route, and the operation point location is set according to the operator's needs, so as to flexibly set the driving route, the limitations of the accuracy of the material handling operation can be avoided, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle and solving the technical problem of low dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a flexible operation method adapted to AMR according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a dispatching device for a material handling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a scheduling method for material handling vehicles is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that shown here.

[0026] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the method may include the following steps:

[0027] Step S102, obtaining vehicle demand information for the target material handling operation to be performed.

[0028] In the technical solution provided in the above step S102 of the present invention, the vehicle may be a material handling vehicle, such as an AMR, which may also be referred to as an automatic material handling robot. The vehicle requirement information is at least used to indicate the load performance and / or lifting performance that allows the target material handling operation to be performed. The vehicle requirement information may also be used to match a suitable AMR according to the requirements of the operation. The load performance is the range of material weights that the AMR can safely carry, and AMRs of different models or configurations have different load capacities. The load performance can be used to screen out AMRs that can meet the material weight requirements, ensuring that safety issues or damage to the AMR will not occur due to overloading during the material handling operation. The lifting performance can ensure that the selected AMR has the ability to complete the required lifting operations and can operate stably at a specific height.

[0029] In this embodiment, obtaining the vehicle demand information for the target material handling operation to be performed is the key starting point of the material handling operation scheduling process. By obtaining accurate vehicle demand information, the specific requirements of the material handling task can be analyzed, such as load capacity, lifting height, material type, handling time, etc. Based on the results of the demand analysis, AMRs that at least meet the load capacity and lifting performance requirements can be intelligently selected to perform specific material handling tasks.

[0030] Step S104, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtaining location information of an operation point for a target material handling operation to be performed.

[0031] In the technical solution provided in the above step S104 of the present invention, after obtaining the vehicle demand information of the target material handling operation to be performed, the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained when the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched. The operation point location information may include the starting point, the end point, and the waypoint location. The operation point location information can be obtained by radio frequency identification (RFID), QR code, barcode, laser positioning, etc. The operation point location information may include the starting point, the end point, and the waypoint. The waypoint may include multiple, not just one.

[0032] Optionally, the corresponding starting point, end point and waypoint can be set according to the material handling operation requirements. For example, the operator can scan the QR code at the starting point, end point and waypoint of the target material handling operation by operating the terminal device to obtain the coordinates or identification information of the operation point, thereby obtaining the location information of the operation point of the target material handling operation.

[0033] It should be noted that the above-mentioned method of obtaining the operation point location information is only an example and is not specifically limited here. As long as it is a method that can be used to obtain the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, it is within the protection scope of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Step S106, based on the location information of the operation point, determine the driving route for executing the target material handling operation.

[0035] In the technical solution of step S106 of the present invention, after matching the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information and obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined based on the operation point location information.

[0036] In this embodiment, the AMR can achieve high-precision self-positioning through built-in sensors such as lidar, cameras, ultrasonic sensors and positioning technology. This function can ensure that the AMR can accurately move to the designated operation point, whether it is the starting point, passing point or end point, thereby improving the accuracy and automation level of the target material handling operation. The AMR can dynamically adjust the driving route according to different operation scenarios and operation requirements through path planning.

[0037] For example, when an obstacle is detected on a route or other AMRs are performing work tasks, the route can be replanned immediately and an unaffected route can be selected to avoid collisions and waiting time, thereby maintaining the smoothness of the target material handling operation process.

[0038] Step S108, responding to the dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation.

[0039] In the technical solution provided in the above step S108 of the present invention, after determining the driving route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the target material handling operation according to the dispatching instruction corresponding to the driving route.

[0040] In this embodiment, different dispatching instructions are determined based on the driving route of the work point location information, which can realize the intelligent, efficient and safe operation of the AMR and significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of the target material handling operation.

[0041] Optionally, the scheduling instructions can be used to schedule AMR to perform material handling operations. The scheduling instructions may include operations such as starting, stopping, turning, accelerating, decelerating, and avoiding obstacles. These are only examples and are not specifically limited here.

[0042] In the above steps S102 to S108 of the present application, if it is necessary to dispatch a material handling vehicle to perform a material handling operation, the vehicle demand information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. When the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched, the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. According to the operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined. According to the dispatching instructions corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the target material handling operation. In this embodiment, the operator can set the operation point location of the material handling operation according to his own handling needs, and according to the different operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined to complete the work of the target material handling operation. Since the non-fixed operation point location, such as the starting point, the end point, and the passing point, will affect the non-fixed driving route, and the operation point location is set according to the operator's needs, so as to flexibly set the driving route, the limitations of the accuracy of the material handling operation can be avoided, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle and solving the technical problem of low dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle.

[0043] The above method of this embodiment is further introduced below.

[0044] As an optional implementation method, step S102, obtaining vehicle demand information for the target material handling operation to be performed, includes: responding to input instructions on a terminal device to obtain vehicle demand information, wherein the terminal device is connected to at least one material handling vehicle performing the material handling operation in the target area.

[0045] In this embodiment, in the process of obtaining vehicle demand information for the target material handling operation to be performed, the vehicle demand information can be obtained according to the input instructions on the terminal device. The terminal device can be connected to at least one material handling vehicle that performs the material handling operation in the target area. The terminal device can be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or a dedicated dispatching console. The input instructions may include the type of operation, the weight and volume of the material, the number of materials to be transported, specific lifting or carrying requirements, etc. The target area can be a warehouse, place, etc. where the handling task is performed, which is only for example and is not specifically limited here.

[0046] Optionally, by establishing a connection between the terminal device and the material handling vehicles in the target area, vehicle demand information can be obtained instantly, improving the flexibility and efficiency of material handling operations, making material handling operations in logistics or production environments more intelligent and automated, reducing dependence on operators, and improving the safety and accuracy of material handling operations.

[0047] As an optional embodiment, the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a vehicle setting control, wherein in response to an input instruction on the terminal device, vehicle requirement information is obtained, including: responding to a click operation on the vehicle setting control to enter an interface for inputting vehicle requirement information; in the interface for inputting vehicle requirement information, executing an input instruction to input vehicle requirement information corresponding to executing a target material handling operation; the method also includes: in response to successfully inputting the vehicle requirement information, adjusting the color of the vehicle setting control to a target color.

[0048] In this embodiment, in the process of obtaining vehicle demand information according to the input instruction on the terminal device, the interface for inputting vehicle demand information can be entered by clicking the vehicle setting control; in the interface for inputting vehicle demand information, the input instruction can be executed to input the vehicle demand information corresponding to the target material handling operation. When the vehicle demand information is successfully input, the color of the vehicle setting control can be adjusted to the target color. Among them, the graphical user interface (GUI) on the terminal device can include a vehicle setting control.

[0049] Optionally, a vehicle setting control is provided on the GUI of the terminal device, and the vehicle setting control can be presented in the form of a specific icon or button. The initial setting color of the vehicle setting control can be blue to prompt the operator to set the vehicle requirements. When the operator needs to dispatch a vehicle to carry out a target material handling operation, the operator can trigger an instruction to enter the vehicle requirement information input interface by clicking the blue vehicle setting control. In the vehicle requirement information input interface, the operator can input the vehicle characteristics required to perform the target material handling operation, such as vehicle model, load capacity, lifting height, running speed, etc., as well as detailed requirements of the operation, including starting point, end point, waypoints, material type and quantity, etc., through the touch screen. After successfully entering the vehicle requirement information, the color of the vehicle setting control on the PDA can be automatically adjusted from blue to the target color (for example, green).

[0050] As an optional implementation method, in response to obtaining vehicle demand information from a terminal device, a material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched as a target material handling vehicle; the autonomous operation state of the target material handling vehicle is adjusted to an on-the-go picking state, wherein the autonomous operation state is a state of executing a preset material handling operation according to a preset route in addition to the vehicle demand information.

[0051] In this embodiment, if the vehicle demand information is obtained from the terminal device, a material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information can be matched as the target material handling vehicle; the autonomous operation state of the target material handling vehicle can be adjusted to the accompanying picking state. The autonomous operation state, which can also be called the automatic operation state, can be a state in which a preset material handling operation is performed according to a preset route other than the vehicle demand information.

[0052] Optionally, the vehicle dispatching platform can screen and match the material handling vehicles currently in autonomous operation based on the acquired vehicle demand information, and find material handling vehicles that meet the vehicle demand information. The AMR in the autonomous operation state can automatically perform material handling operations without operator intervention. Once a suitable AMR is matched as the target material handling vehicle, the vehicle dispatching platform can send instructions to the target material handling vehicle, and the target material handling vehicle can be adjusted from the autonomous operation state to the accompanying picking state. In the accompanying picking state, the AMR can perform material handling operations, such as picking and transporting, according to the real-time instructions issued by the operator through the PDA, rather than just following the preset driving route and material handling operations, thereby realizing flexible handling and picking of materials.

[0053] As an optional implementation method, the operation point location information includes a starting point location, and the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a starting point setting control, wherein step S104, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtains the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, including: in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, responding to a click operation of the starting point setting control, entering an interface for determining the starting point location; in response to the interface for determining the starting point location, receiving coded information from a target area for performing the material handling operation, and determining the starting point location based on the coded information; the method also includes: dispatching the target material handling vehicle to travel to the starting point location; in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the starting point location, adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to the target color.

[0054] In this embodiment, in the process of matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information and obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, when the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched, the interface for determining the starting point location can be entered by clicking the starting point setting control; when the interface for determining the starting point location receives coded information from the target area for performing the material handling operation, the starting point location can be determined based on the coded information. The target material handling vehicle can be scheduled to travel to the starting point location, and if the target material handling vehicle travels to the starting point location, the color of the starting point setting control can be adjusted to the target color. Among them, the operation point location information includes the starting point location, and the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes the starting point setting control.

[0055] Optionally, when a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched, the starting point setting control on the GUI can become activated, and the operator can enter an interface specifically used to determine the starting point position by clicking on this setting control. On the interface for determining the starting point position, the operator can use a PDA to scan the coded information, which can be pre-arranged at a specific location in the target area to identify the coordinate data and environmental information of the location, and can be a QR code / ground code. The starting point position can be determined by automatic parsing based on the scanned coded information. When the target material handling vehicle accurately arrives at the starting point position, the GUI on the terminal device will update the status, and the color of the starting point setting control (e.g., blue) can be adjusted to the target color (e.g., green) through the vehicle dispatch platform.

[0056] As an optional implementation method, the operation point location information includes at least one waypoint location, the graphical user interface includes a waypoint setting control, and the target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, wherein step S104, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, including: in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, and adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to the target color, in response to a click operation of the waypoint setting control, entering an interface for determining the waypoint location; in response to receiving coded information in the interface for determining the waypoint location, determining the waypoint location based on the coded information; step S106, determining a driving route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information, including: determining a driving route from the starting point location to the waypoint location based on the starting point location and the waypoint location; the method also includes: dispatching the target material handling vehicle to travel to the waypoint location along the driving route; in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the waypoint location, adjusting the color of the waypoint setting control to the target color.

[0057] In this embodiment, in the process of matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information and obtaining the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed, when the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched and the color of the starting point setting control is adjusted to the target color, the interface for determining the waypoint location can be entered by clicking the waypoint setting control; when the interface for determining the waypoint location receives the coding information, the waypoint location can be determined based on the coding information. In the process of determining the driving route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information, including: determining the driving route from the starting point location to the waypoint location based on the starting point location and the waypoint location, the driving route from the starting point location to the waypoint location can be determined based on the starting point location and the waypoint location. The target material handling vehicle can be scheduled to travel to the waypoint location according to the driving route, and if the target material handling vehicle travels to the waypoint location, the color of the waypoint setting control can be adjusted to the target color. Among them, the operation point location information includes at least one waypoint location, the graphical user interface includes the waypoint setting control, and the target material handling operation includes the material picking operation.

[0058] Optionally, after the AMR has been successfully matched and dispatched to the starting position, and the color of the starting setting control has been adjusted to the target color, the operator can find the waypoint setting control through the GUI on the terminal device and click it to enter the interface for determining the waypoint location. The waypoint location can be automatically parsed and determined by scanning the QR code or ground code of the waypoint using the terminal device. The color of the waypoint setting control can be adjusted to the target color (e.g., green) through the vehicle dispatch platform.

[0059] Optionally, the ground codes at the waypoints can be scanned repeatedly, allowing operators to update the vehicle's route at any time during the operation without having to return to the starting point or the dispatch center for re-planning, which can improve the flexibility and responsiveness of the target material handling operation.

[0060] As an optional implementation method, the target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, the operation point location information includes a terminal location, and the graphical user interface includes a terminal setting control, wherein step S108, in response to a scheduling instruction corresponding to the driving route, dispatches the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation, including: at the waypoint location, dispatches the target material handling vehicle to perform the material picking operation; the method also includes: in response to completing the material picking operation, responding to a click operation of the terminal setting control, entering an interface for determining the terminal location; in response to receiving coding information on the interface for determining the terminal location, determining the terminal location based on the coding information; step S106, based on the operation point location information, determining the driving route for performing the target material handling operation, including: based on the waypoint location and the terminal location, determining the driving route from the waypoint location to the terminal location.

[0061] In this embodiment, in the process of dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation through the dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the material picking operation at the waypoint location. When the material picking operation is completed, the interface for determining the terminal position can be entered by clicking the terminal setting control. If the interface for determining the terminal position receives coding information, the terminal position can be determined based on the coding information. Among them, the target material handling operation includes the material picking operation, the operation point location information includes the terminal position, and the graphical user interface includes the terminal setting control.

[0062] Optionally, after arriving at the waypoint, the AMR performs specific material picking operations, such as lifting shelves, picking items, placing items, or performing other types of logistics operations, according to the dispatch instructions issued by the operator through the terminal device. When the material picking operation is completed, the operator can click the end point setting control on the GUI to enter the interface for determining the end point location. On the interface for determining the end point location, the operator can use the terminal device to scan the coded information such as the QR code or ground code of the end point location. The above coded information can be pre-arranged at a specific location in the warehouse or production line, and can contain the precise coordinate data of the end point location. Based on the scanned coded information, the end point location is automatically parsed and determined, and a complete driving route for the material handling operation can be constructed to ensure that the vehicle can complete the driving route from the starting point through the waypoint to the end point.

[0063] As an optional embodiment, the target material handling operation includes a material placement operation, wherein step S108, in response to the dispatching instruction corresponding to the driving route, dispatches the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation, including: at the terminal position, dispatches the target material handling vehicle to perform the material placement operation; the method also includes: in response to completing the material placement operation, adjusting the color of the terminal setting control to the target color.

[0064] In this embodiment, in the process of dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation through the dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the material placement operation at the terminal position. When the material placement operation is completed, the color of the terminal setting control can be adjusted to the target color.

[0065] Optionally, the color of the destination setting control can be adjusted to a target color (eg, green) through the vehicle dispatch platform, providing intuitive feedback to the operator that the vehicle has reached the designated destination and is ready for unloading or other operations.

[0066] In an embodiment of the present invention, if it is necessary to dispatch a material handling vehicle to perform a material handling operation, the vehicle demand information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. When a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information is matched, the operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed can be obtained. According to the operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined. According to the dispatching instructions corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle can be dispatched to perform the target material handling operation. In this embodiment, the operator can set the operation point location of the material handling operation according to his own handling needs. According to different operation point location information, the driving route for performing the target material handling operation can be determined to complete the work of the target material handling operation. Since the non-fixed operation point location, such as the starting point, the end point, and the passing point, will affect the non-fixed driving route, and the operation point location is set according to the operator's needs, so as to flexibly set the driving route, the limitations of the accuracy of the material handling operation can be avoided, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle and solving the technical problem of low dispatching accuracy of the material handling vehicle.

[0067] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention is illustrated below in conjunction with preferred implementation modes.

[0068] At present, AMRs are all operated in a fully automated mode or a manual mode. Automated operation is in the form of programming, with a fixed starting point written in the vehicle dispatching system corresponding to a fixed location, and the handling process is triggered by signals from PDA or programmable logic controller (PLC), manufacturing execution system (MES) system, etc. Manual operation uses continuous direction signal input to control vehicle operation. However, automated operation can only dispatch vehicles to complete the handling process for fixed working conditions, fixed routes, and fixed signals. Manual operation requires continuous manual input of the running direction signal during the process, which will cause excessive personnel energy investment, and there is no judgment on the running route, which may lead to risks such as collisions.

[0069] In view of the current objective situation, the present invention provides a method of flexible scheduling adapted to AMR, which uses a flexible operation mode to solve the small-batch handling process with non-fixed operation routes, including operations such as multi-point sorting during the process, and can also solve the handling needs in emergency situations. Reduce the personnel input in the small-batch handling process and improve the operating efficiency of AMR. In order to meet the flexible operation needs in various scenarios, there is no fixed starting point and end point, and obstacles and route scheduling need to be automatically determined during the process. Thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles and solving the technical problem of low scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles.

[0070] The embodiments of the present invention are further described below.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a flow chart of a flexible operation method adapted to AMR according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the method may include the following steps:

[0072] Step S201, click on the vehicle setting control via the PDA.

[0073] In this embodiment, on the GUI of the PDA, the vehicle setting control is usually in a standby state. When it is necessary to start or adjust the operation task of the AMR, the vehicle setting control can be clicked to activate the vehicle setting function.

[0074] Step S202: Switch the designated AMR to flexible operation through the vehicle dispatching platform.

[0075] In this embodiment, the designated AMR can be converted from an automatic operation state to an accompanying picking state through a vehicle dispatching platform conversion.

[0076] Step S203, after the vehicle setting is completed, the control color is converted.

[0077] In this embodiment, before the vehicle setting control is clicked, the control color may be blue (the black text frame portion with a white background in the figure), and after the vehicle setting is completed, the control color may be converted to green (the white text frame portion with a black background in the figure).

[0078] Step S204, click the starting point setting control via the PDA.

[0079] In this embodiment, on the GUI of the PDA, the operator can activate the start point setting function by clicking on the start point setting control.

[0080] Step S205, scanning the starting point code via the PDA.

[0081] In this embodiment, after activating the function of setting the starting point, the operator can use the scanning function of the PDA to read the coded information such as the ground code or QR code at the starting point. The above coded information can be pre-arranged in the warehouse or the work site to identify the specific geographical location and environmental information, such as the shelf number, storage area type or obstacle location.

[0082] Step S206, dispatching the AMR to run to the designated starting point through the vehicle dispatching platform.

[0083] In this embodiment, the PDA sends the scanned coded information to the vehicle dispatching platform. The vehicle dispatching platform analyzes the coded information, confirms the valid starting position, matches it with the vehicle demand information, and dispatches the target AMR to the starting position.

[0084] Step S207, after arriving at the starting position, the control color is converted through the vehicle dispatching platform.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the AMR reaches the starting position accurately, the vehicle dispatching platform can send a confirmation signal to the PDA again, and the operator can receive visual feedback on the PDA and change the color of the starting point setting control (the part with black text on a white background in the figure) to green (the part with white text on a black background in the figure). At this time, the operator can confirm that the vehicle is in place and start to perform the operation task, such as picking operation or other material handling operations.

[0086] Step S208, click on the waypoint setting control via the PDA.

[0087] In this embodiment, on the GUI of the PDA, the operator clicks on the waypoint setting control to activate the waypoint setting function. The GUI can switch to a dedicated interface to display a list of currently settable waypoint locations or directly enter a scanning interface to wait for the operator to scan the ground code.

[0088] Step S209, scanning the code of the passing point through the PDA.

[0089] In this embodiment, after the waypoint setting function is activated, the operator uses the scanning function of the PDA to read the coded information of the ground or waypoint location.

[0090] Optionally, the waypoint code can be scanned repeatedly to perform picking operations at multiple waypoint locations.

[0091] Step S210, dispatching the AMR to run to the designated waypoint through the vehicle dispatching platform.

[0092] In this embodiment, the PDA sends the scanned coded information to the vehicle dispatching platform, and dispatches the AMR to run to the designated waypoint.

[0093] Step S211, after arriving at the waypoint, the control color is converted through the vehicle dispatching platform.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the AMR accurately arrives at the waypoint location, the vehicle dispatch platform can send a confirmation signal to the PDA again, and the operator receives visual feedback on the PDA, and can change the color of the waypoint setting control (the part with white background and black text in the figure) to green (the part with black background and white text in the figure), so that the operator can perform operations at the waypoint.

[0095] Step S212, click the endpoint setting control via the PDA.

[0096] In this embodiment, in the GUI of the PDA, the operator clicks the endpoint setting control to activate the endpoint setting function. The GUI can then switch to an interface dedicated to setting the endpoint, or directly pop up an input or scanning interface so that the operator can perform the next operation.

[0097] Step S213, scanning the destination code via the PDA.

[0098] In this embodiment, the operator can use the scanning function of the PDA to read the ground code or QR code at the destination location. The ground code or QR code can be pre-placed on the ground of the warehouse or work area, and contains the precise coordinate information of the destination location, as well as possible environmental characteristics (such as shelf type, storage capacity, etc.).

[0099] Step S214, dispatching the AMR to run to the end point through the vehicle dispatching platform and converting the control color.

[0100] In this embodiment, the PDA sends the scanned coded information to the vehicle dispatching platform. After receiving the above coded information, the vehicle dispatching platform can parse and confirm it to ensure that it is a valid terminal location information, and can associate the location information with the current work task. When the AMR arrives at the terminal location, the vehicle dispatching platform sends feedback to the operator through the PDA, and can change the color of the terminal setting control from the blue of the standby state (the part with black text on a white background in the figure) to the green of the completed state (the part with white text on a black background in the figure), confirming that the terminal task has been completed.

[0101] In an embodiment of the present invention, by setting controls for different vehicles and combining ground coding information, waypoints can be dynamically adjusted during material handling operations to adapt to changing production needs or material storage locations. For scenarios that require multi-point material picking or handling, the AMR's terminal position can be set in real time and flexibly, while reducing labor costs and maintaining high precision and safety of material handling operations, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles and solving the technical problem of low scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles.

[0102] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a scheduling device for a material handling vehicle is also provided. It should be noted that the scheduling device for a material handling vehicle can be used to execute the scheduling method for a material handling vehicle in the above embodiment.

[0103] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a dispatching device for material handling vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the scheduling device 300 for material handling vehicles may include: a first acquisition unit 302 , a second acquisition unit 304 , a determination unit 306 , and a scheduling unit 308 .

[0104] The first acquisition unit 302 is used to acquire vehicle requirement information for a target material handling operation to be performed, wherein the vehicle requirement information is at least used to indicate a load performance and / or a lifting performance that is allowed to perform the target material handling operation.

[0105] The second acquisition unit 304 is configured to acquire the location information of the operation point of the target material handling operation to be performed in response to matching the target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information.

[0106] The determination unit 306 is used to determine a travel route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information.

[0107] The dispatching unit 308 is used to respond to the dispatching instruction corresponding to the driving route and dispatch the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation.

[0108] In an embodiment of the present invention, vehicle demand information for a target material handling operation to be performed is acquired through a first acquisition unit 302, wherein the vehicle demand information is at least used to indicate the load performance and / or lifting performance that allows the target material handling operation to be performed; operation point location information of the target material handling operation to be performed is acquired through a second acquisition unit 304 in response to a target material handling vehicle matched to meet the vehicle demand information; a driving route for performing the target material handling operation is determined based on the operation point location information through a determination unit 306; and a scheduling unit 308 responds to a scheduling instruction corresponding to the driving route to schedule the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation, thereby solving the technical problem of low efficiency and achieving the technical effect of improving the scheduling accuracy of material handling vehicles.

[0109] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is further provided. The storage medium includes a stored program, wherein the program executes the method for scheduling material handling vehicles in the above embodiment.

[0110] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a processor is further provided, and the processor is used to run a program, wherein the method for scheduling material handling vehicles in the above embodiment is executed when the program is run.

[0111] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product. Optionally, in the present embodiment, the computer program product may include a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the scheduling method of the material handling vehicle of the embodiment of the present application is implemented.

[0112] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle is further provided. The vehicle is used to execute the method for dispatching a material handling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0113] In the above embodiments of the present invention, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0114] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed technical content can be implemented in other ways. Among them, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units can be a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of units or modules, which can be electrical or other forms.

[0115] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0116] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present invention may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0117] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, Read-Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), mobile hard disk, magnetic disk or optical disk, etc., various media that can store program codes.

[0118] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for dispatching material handling vehicles, characterized in that: include: Acquiring vehicle requirement information for a target material handling operation to be performed, wherein the vehicle requirement information is at least used to indicate a load performance and / or a lifting performance that is allowed to perform the target material handling operation; In response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information, acquiring location information of an operation point where the target material handling operation is to be performed; Determining a travel route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information; In response to the dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, the target material handling vehicle is dispatched to perform the target material handling operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Obtain vehicle demand information for the target material handling operation to be performed, including: The vehicle demand information is obtained in response to an input instruction on a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is connected to at least one material handling vehicle performing material handling operations in a target area.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a vehicle setting control, wherein, in response to an input instruction on the terminal device, obtaining the vehicle demand information includes: In response to a click operation of the vehicle setting control, an interface for inputting the vehicle requirement information is entered; In the interface for inputting the vehicle demand information, executing the input instruction, and inputting the vehicle demand information corresponding to the target material handling operation; The method further includes: in response to successfully inputting the vehicle requirement information, adjusting the color of the vehicle setting control to a target color.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The method further comprises: In response to acquiring the vehicle demand information from the terminal device, matching the material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information as the target material handling vehicle; The autonomous operation state of the target material handling vehicle is adjusted to a picking-on-the-go state, wherein the autonomous operation state is a state of executing a preset material handling operation according to a preset route in addition to the vehicle demand information.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The operation point location information includes a starting point location, and the graphical user interface on the terminal device includes a starting point setting control, wherein, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, obtaining the operation point location information for the target material handling operation to be performed includes: In response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, in response to a click operation of the starting point setting control, an interface for determining the starting point position is entered; In response to the interface for determining the starting position receiving coded information from a target area where a material handling operation is performed, the starting position is determined based on the coded information; The method further includes: scheduling the target material handling vehicle to travel to the starting position; and in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the starting position, adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to a target color.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The operation point location information includes at least one waypoint location, the graphical user interface includes a waypoint setting control, the target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, wherein, in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information, obtaining the operation point location information for the target material handling operation to be performed includes: In response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle requirement information, and adjusting the color of the starting point setting control to the target color, in response to a click operation on the waypoint setting control, entering an interface for determining the position of the waypoint; In response to receiving the coded information from the interface for determining the location of the waypoint, determining the location of the waypoint based on the coded information; Determining a driving route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information includes: determining the driving route from the starting position to the waypoint location based on the starting position and the waypoint location; The method further includes: scheduling the target material handling vehicle to travel to the waypoint location according to the travel route; and in response to the target material handling vehicle traveling to the waypoint location, adjusting the color of the waypoint setting control to the target color.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The target material handling operation includes a material picking operation, the operation point location information includes an end point location, and the graphical user interface includes an end point setting control, wherein in response to a scheduling instruction corresponding to the driving route, scheduling the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation includes: At the waypoint, dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the material picking operation; The method further includes: in response to completing the material picking operation, in response to a click operation of the endpoint setting control, entering an interface for determining the endpoint position; In response to receiving the coded information from the interface for determining the end position, determining the end position based on the coded information; Based on the work point location information, a travel route for performing the target material handling operation is determined, including: based on the waypoint location and the end point location, determining the travel route from the waypoint location to the end point location.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The target material handling operation includes a material placement operation, wherein, in response to a dispatch instruction corresponding to the driving route, dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation includes: At the end position, dispatching the target material handling vehicle to perform the material placement operation; The method further includes: in response to completing the material placement operation, adjusting the color of the endpoint setting control to the target color.

9. A dispatching device for material handling vehicles, characterized in that: include: A first acquisition unit is used to acquire vehicle demand information for a target material handling operation to be performed, wherein the vehicle demand information is at least used to indicate a load performance and / or a lifting performance that is allowed to perform the target material handling operation; A second acquisition unit, configured to acquire location information of an operation point where the target material handling operation is to be performed in response to matching a target material handling vehicle that meets the vehicle demand information; A determination unit, configured to determine a travel route for performing the target material handling operation based on the operation point location information; The dispatching unit is used to respond to the dispatching instruction corresponding to the driving route and dispatch the target material handling vehicle to perform the target material handling operation.

10. A processor, characterized in that: The processor is used to run a program, wherein the program, when run by the processor, executes the method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored program, wherein when the program is executed, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is scheduled to execute the method for scheduling material handling vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that: The method comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to execute the method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

13. A vehicle, characterized in that: A method for dispatching material handling vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images