Method for the dynamic traffic routing of external transportation means in a high-bay warehouse
Patent Information
- Application Number
- IL293928
- Authority / Receiving Office
- IL · IL
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2019-12-16
- Filing Date
- 2020-11-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-01
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-11-09
AI Technical Summary
Current methods for transshipping standardized goods between external means of transport in high-bay warehouses are inefficient, leading to prolonged turnaround times due to fixed traffic flow and limited transfer points, which affects profitability, especially with increasing seagoing vessel capacities and port congestion.
A dynamic traffic management method that adjusts routes, loading/unloading times, and transfer point assignments based on warehouse operation parameters, allowing for flexible route determination within the traffic level, temporary blocking of areas for safety, and use of multiple transfer points, enabling autonomous and manual transport types to operate freely without additional reloading, and utilizing a control system with optimization algorithms to adapt to changing conditions.
This approach significantly reduces handling times, increases throughput, and avoids traffic jams by optimizing traffic flow and interaction between external and internal transport systems, allowing for more efficient use of high-bay warehouse capacity and adapting to external logistics conditions.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] Title:
[0002] Methods for the dynamic traffic management of external vehicles in a high-bay warehouse
[0003] Area:
[0004] The invention relates to a method for the dynamic traffic management of external means of transport in a high-bay warehouse, comprising at least two storage levels, at least one traffic level with at least one access or departure option for an external means of transport.
[0005] State of the art:
[0006] For the transshipment of standardized goods between different external modes of transport, particularly when transferring from sea to land transport, it is necessary to decouple the different goods flows and, if necessary, to temporarily store the standardized goods. Warehouses, especially high-bay warehouses, with appropriate internal transport systems are typically used for this purpose. Various external modes of transport deliver the standardized goods to and from the high-bay warehouse. These can include both autonomous and manually operated external transport systems.
[0007] The transfer of standardized goods from an external transport vehicle to the warehouse's internal transport system takes place at a pre-defined transfer point. This transfer point is typically accessible via a designated route for the external transport vehicle. Transfer points are usually located at one or two outer edges of the high-bay warehouse, and the transfer occurs at these interfaces using an intermediate transshipment facility. The efficiency of the transshipment process from the external transport vehicle to the storage location depends on the time required for each individual step involved in handling the standardized goods. With the currently increasing capacities of seagoing vessels and the limited space available in existing seaports, there is a need to further reduce transshipment times and thus increase efficiency.Up to now, the achievable handling time has been determined by the traffic flow of external means of transport to the transfer point, the distribution of the transfer points on the outer edges of the high-bay warehouse, and the travel times of the warehouse's internal transport system between the transfer point and the storage location. Object of the invention:
[0008] The object of the invention is therefore to optimize the traffic flow of external means of transport and the interaction between the external means of transport and the internal transport system of the warehouse in such a way as to reduce handling times.
[0009] Invention:
[0010] The object of the invention is achieved by the features of the method according to claim 1. Each transfer point in the traffic plane can be reached by the external means of transport along a route. The dynamic determination of the route of the external means of transport in the traffic plane, a time for loading or unloading, and the assignment of a transfer point are adapted depending on the parameters relevant for the operation of a warehouse. In the context of the invention, a route means that an external means of transport can reach or leave the transfer point in the traffic plane by means of the route. According to the invention, the route can also connect two transfer points and does not necessarily have to include the outer edge.The dynamic definition of a route also includes the temporary closure of accessible areas of the traffic level to a single external vehicle and / or multiple external vehicles. This is particularly relevant when, for example, possible routes of different types of external vehicles need to be temporarily separated from each other for safety reasons. This can preferably be achieved using barriers, visual signals, gates, movable fences, and / or similar devices. Parameters relevant to the operation of a warehouse include, for example, specifications for the storage of standardized goods, especially safety requirements and / or necessary power connections, or specifications for onward transport to external customers.Because the routes within the traffic level are variable, more routes can be used independently for external transport in parallel, thus avoiding congestion. Furthermore, no additional transshipment operations are necessary at the outer edges of the high-bay warehouse. This reduces handling time and / or increases the number of transshipments within a given time period. Since the transfer point can vary almost freely within the traffic level, the route of the internal transport vehicle between the transfer point and the storage location of the standardized goods can be shortened.
[0011] Preferred embodiments of the method are further described in the features of claims 2 to 14. Preferably, a means of transport is loaded or unloaded at more than 8, more preferably at more than 16, and even more preferably at more than 32 transfer points in the traffic level. With an increasing number of transfer points or transfer areas where a transfer can take place, the number of parallel handling operations increases, and consequently the individual handling time for a standardized stored good decreases.
[0012] Preferably, a means of transport can be loaded or unloaded at more than 8, more preferably more than 16, and even more preferably more than 32 transfer points along an aisle of a transport system in the traffic level. With an increasing number of transfer points within an aisle of a transport system, the routes of the transport system can be shortened. This makes it possible to guide an external means of transport precisely to a transfer point where the route of the transport system is short. The route is preferably not substantially restricted by unalterable structural conditions within the traffic level. Structural devices for traffic control, such as barriers, gates, movable barriers, optical signal devices, etc., are not considered unalterable structural conditions in the context of the invention.Structural conditions that restrict the travel routes within the traffic corridors due to the design of the high-bay warehouse and / or building regulations should, according to the invention, be reduced to a minimum. The advantage here is that the external transport vehicle should have a maximum number of possible travel routes to reach a transfer point, and the route can therefore be freely adapted.
[0013] Standardized storage containers are preferably used, even more preferably sea containers, and most preferably 20-foot and / or 40-foot sea containers. The use of such containers is preferred because it allows for the automation of corresponding lifting operations on the crane and securing work on the transporting external vehicle.
[0014] Ideally, the traffic level used for loading and unloading standardized stored goods is served by at least two different types of external transport vehicles, preferably trucks, autonomous tractors, and / or rail-bound vehicles. Both external transport vehicles can move freely within this traffic level with essentially no restrictions. In this case, both external transport vehicles represent typical external transport vehicles used in the logistics of large high-bay warehouses.
[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable if, when determining the route of the external transport vehicle in the traffic plane, the orientation of the standardized goods on the external transport vehicle is taken into account during loading. Particularly when loading trucks that travel on public roads, it is necessary for safety reasons to consider, for example, the position of a container's loading opening. Additionally, for coils or similar goods, the orientation must be taken into account according to the load securing options available on the transport vehicle.
[0016] Ideally, the route, loading / unloading time, and / or transfer point are determined by a control system. This control system includes at least one algorithm that, based on predefined target variables, specifies parameters relevant to warehouse operation, the route, loading / unloading time, and / or the transfer point. This allows the processes and specifications to be dynamically adapted to requirements and / or changing conditions. This is particularly advantageous when external influences, such as delays in the delivery of goods and / or short-notice requests for standardized goods, disrupt the normally regulated handling of these goods. The algorithm, preferably an optimization algorithm, allows the system to dynamically improve the process.The algorithm can preferably determine and / or optimize the following target variables for optimization: processing time, high-bay warehouse utilization, traffic volume, traffic flow distribution, vehicle allocation, traffic area utilization, utilization of internal transport systems, warehouse strategy, disruptions, and / or maintenance. The algorithm preferably uses the following parameters relevant to warehouse operation: traffic volume, traffic flow distribution, vehicle allocation, traffic area utilization, utilization of internal transport systems, warehouse strategy, disruptions, and / or maintenance.
[0017] Furthermore, it is preferred that the control system exchanges data with the external means of transport, preferably location, speed, route, the time of loading or unloading, and / or the transfer point. The more extensive the communication between the control system and the external means of transport, the more accurately and effectively the control system can react to potential deviations. It is also preferred that the control system uses interfaces to a higher-level control system, preferably a higher-level control system of a seaport, and that data exchange takes place between the systems, preferably regarding target variables and / or relevant parameters.This also offers the advantage that the high-bay warehouse's internal control system and its associated optimization can adapt to external conditions within a higher-level logistics or goods flow system. Particularly in the vicinity of seaports, delays can occur that are significantly greater than those experienced with truck transport. A suitable interface to a higher-level control system allows the high-bay warehouse's control system to react to these delays and adjust the traffic flow accordingly.
[0018] It is preferred that the xy-coordinate system used to describe the transfer points within the traffic plane covers at least 60%, preferably at least 80%, and even more preferably at least 90% of the traffic plane. The use of an xy-coordinate system allows for a simple division of a traffic plane into a comprehensible structure. The route of an external vehicle is preferably described to or from a transfer point by a sequence of xy-coordinates, preferably GPS coordinates. This allows even a very complex route to be described comprehensibly by means of a sequence of points. Such a route description can be processed by autonomously driving external vehicles using existing technologies, as well as transmitted to manually operated external vehicles.In conjunction with suitable navigation software and / or navigation systems, the route can be displayed to an operator of an external means of transport and guided to the transfer point. For this purpose, GPS coordinates or modified GPS coordinates can be transmitted to the navigation system of the manual means of transport. Furthermore, it is preferred that the route of a means of transport to or from a transfer point is described by a sequence of xy coordinates and other specifications, preferably times or time intervals. By combining route and time as specifications, stopping points and dwell times can be used strategically to avoid congestion. This allows the throughput of external means of transport to be increased without the risk of congestion.
[0019] Preferably, switchable means are used within the traffic level to display and / or restrict at least one route for the external vehicle. Particularly when operating autonomously and manually controlled external vehicles simultaneously within a single traffic level, this allows for easy separation and / or safeguarding of the routes.
[0020] The following three figures are included with the description:
[0021] Fig 1: Side view of a high-bay warehouse
[0022] Fig. 2: Top view of a traffic level
[0023] Fig 3: Control system of the high-level storage
[0024] The invention is described in detail below with reference to the figures mentioned, including examples of form and embodiment. All figures have the same technical elements and are designated with the same reference numerals. Figure 1 shows a section through a high-bay warehouse 1 with a traffic level 2 and 12 storage levels 11 above it. 24 different internal storage
[0025] Transport systems 13 move the standardized goods 4 within the high-bay warehouse 1 in storage aisles 14 along the storage rows 15 of the high-bay warehouse 16 to a specific storage location 12 of the standardized goods 4 in the high-bay warehouse 16. Furthermore, the internal transport systems 13 can transfer standardized goods 4 below the storage levels 11 from an external means of transport 3 traveling on the traffic level 2. In the example shown, the high-bay warehouse 1 is designed for handling standardized shipping containers.
[0026] Figure 2 shows a top view of a traffic level 2 below a high-bay warehouse 1. Standardized goods 4 can be transferred to external transport systems 3 in parallel storage aisles 14 of internal transport systems 13. The transfer point 5 within the storage aisle 14 can be freely varied. This results in a multitude of possible transfer points 5 within the storage aisle 14. Arrows indicate possible routes 6 of an external transport system 3 to a transfer point 5. Similarly, the departure route 6 of the external transport system 3 is shown. In this case, in addition to access by trucks 31 or autonomous tractors 32, a storage aisle 14 is shown that can be reached by a rail-bound transport system 33. Here, the rail 61 is aligned so that it runs along the storage aisle 14.This allows the rail-bound transport vehicle 33 to reach a large number of transfer points 5 within a storage aisle 14. It can also be seen here that trucks 3 have a preferred orientation during loading.
[0027] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of the control system of the high-bay warehouse 1. A higher-level control system transmits data to the high-bay warehouse 1's control system via an interface. An optimization algorithm within the control system processes this data and transmits it to the higher-level system and to the external transport vehicles 3. The trucks 31 are provided with the corresponding access options 21, GPS coordinates of the transfer point 5 and route 6, and a transfer time. An autonomously driving tractor 32 is also provided with stopping times within the high-bay warehouse 1 and its speed. The control system receives information from the truck 31 about its location and arrival at the transfer point 5, as well as its entry into and exit from traffic level 2.The internal transport system 13, for example, reports the transfer of the standardized stored goods 4 to the external transport vehicle 3 to the control system. In addition to the data mentioned above, the autonomous transport vehicle 32 also sends data describing the autonomous transport vehicle 32 in relation to the environment of the high-bay warehouse 1. This could include, for example, its load status, its location outside the high-bay warehouse 1, its speed, its availability, and / or its fuel level.
[0028] Table 1: Labels in Figures
[0029] Number Description
[0030] 1 high-bay warehouse
[0031] 11 storage levels
[0032] 12 Storage location
[0033] 13 Internal warehouse transport system
[0034] 14 storage aisles
[0035] 15 bearing rows
[0036] 16 high-bay racking, 2 traffic levels, 21 access and exit options
[0037] 3 means of transport
[0038] 31 trucks
[0039] 32 Autonomous driving tractor
[0040] 33 Rail-bound means of transport
[0041] 4 Stored goods
[0042] 5 Handover point
[0043] 6 Route 61 Rail
Claims
Patent claims:
1. Method for the dynamic traffic management of external means of transport (3) in a high-bay warehouse (1), comprising at least two storage levels (11) with a plurality of storage locations (12), at least one below the Storage levels (11) arranged traffic level (2) with at least one access or exit option (21) for an external means of transport (3), at least one internal transport system (13) for transporting a standardized stored good (4) between two storage locations (12) or the storage location (12) and a transfer point (5) by horizontal and / or vertical movements; for loading or unloading the standardized stored good (4) onto the external means of transport (3) at a transfer point (5) by a vertical movement of the stored good (4), wherein the internal transport system (13) moves along parallel storage aisles (14) and has a plurality of transfer points (5) in the traffic level (2) and each The transfer point (5) can be described using an xy coordinate system within the traffic plane (2), characterized in that - each transfer point (5) in the traffic level (2) by the external means of transport (3) along a route (6) in the traffic level (2) can be achieved; and - the dynamic determination of the routes (6) of the external means of transport (3) in the traffic level (2), a time for loading or unloading and the assignment of a transfer point (5) is adapted depending on the parameters relevant for the operation of a high-bay warehouse (1).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at more than 8, preferably more than 16, even more preferably more than 32 transfer points (5) in the transport level (2) an external means of transport (3) can be loaded or unloaded.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that an external means of transport (3) can be loaded or unloaded at more than 8, preferably more than 16, even more preferably more than 32 transfer points (5) along a storage aisle (14) of an internal transport system (14) in the traffic level (2).
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determination of the transfer point (5) within the storage aisle (14) of the in-store transport means (14) is not limited by structural conditions for fixing a transfer point (5).
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the standardized storage goods (4) are containers, preferably sea containers, more preferably 20-foot sea containers and / or 40-foot sea containers.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two different types of external means of transport (3), preferably trucks ' s (31), autonomously driving tractors (32) and / or rail-bound means of transport (33) travel on the traffic level (2) for loading and unloading the standardized stored goods (4).
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when determining the route (6) of the external means of transport (3) in the traffic plane (2), an alignment of the standardized stored goods (4) on the external means of transport (3) is taken into account when loading the external means of transport (3) with the standardized stored goods (4).
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the determination of the route (6), the time for loading or unloading and / or the transfer point is carried out by a control or regulation system; and - the control or regulation system has at least one algorithm which, based on previously defined target variables, determines and / or optimizes specifications for the parameters relevant for the operation of a warehouse, the travel route (6), the time for loading or unloading and / or the transfer point (5).
9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the following are used as target variables: processing time, utilization of the high-bay warehouse, traffic volume, distribution of traffic flows, distribution of means of transport, utilization of traffic areas, utilization of the internal transport system, storage strategy, disruption situations and / or maintenance.
10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that The parameters relevant for the operation of a high-bay warehouse, such as traffic volume, distribution of traffic flows, distribution of means of transport, utilization of traffic areas, utilization of the internal transport system, storage strategy, disruption situations and / or maintenance, are determined and / or optimized.
11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the control or regulation system exchanges data with the external means of transport (3), preferably location, speed, route, the time of loading or unloading and / or the transfer point (5).
12. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that - the control or regulation system uses interfaces to a higher-level control system, preferably a seaport control system; and - a data exchange takes place between the systems, preferably of the target variables and / or the relevant parameters.
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the xy-coordinate system for describing the transfer points (5) covers at least 60%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90% of the traffic plane.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the route (6) of an external means of transport (3) to a The transfer point (5) to or from a transfer point is described by a sequence of xy coordinates, preferably GPS coordinates or modified GPS coordinates.
15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that the route (6) of an external means of transport (3) leads to a Transfer point (5) to or from a transfer point (5) by a sequence of xy coordinates and further specifications, preferably Points of time or time periods are described.
16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that switchable means for displaying and / or restricting at least one route (6) for the external means of transport (3) are used within the traffic level (2).