A logistics scheduling method, system, device and storage medium

Abstract

The present application provides a logistics scheduling method, system, device and storage medium, which relates to the field of automated logistics and can effectively solve the problem that empty shelves in the storage area occupy storage positions, resulting in the inability of goods to be warehoused. The method is applied to a server, and the server is used for a warehousing system, which further includes a workbench, an exchange area and a storage area; the method includes: determining a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store empty shelves from the storage area and to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; instructing a robot to carry the target shelf to the workbench so as to load goods onto the target shelf; determining a target empty storage position in the storage area, and instructing the robot to carry the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage position. The present application can be used in the process of automated logistics goods warehousing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated logistics, and particularly to a logistics scheduling method, system, device, and storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the rise of emerging industries such as e-commerce, in order to build an automated logistics with high efficiency and high liquidity, enterprises currently often use robots to achieve automatic handling and storage of goods. When goods need to be handled and stored in the warehouse, the robot transports an empty shelf (or called a shelf to be used) from the storage area to the workbench. After the goods are placed on the shelf, the robot transports the shelf to the storage area to find an empty storage location for placement.

[0003] In the current logistics scheduling scheme, the storage area in the warehouse is divided according to the type of goods. Usually, a usage order is configured for the storage area. When there is a need to store goods, an empty shelf in the storage area is selected for loading according to the usage order. During the process of goods storage, when the type of goods to be stored does not correspond to the type of the storage area providing the empty shelf, and the quantity of goods to be stored is large, it will affect the operation of the automated logistics and cannot ensure liquidity. For example, area A stores vegetables and area B stores fruits, and the usage order is to first use the empty shelves in area A and then use the empty shelves in area B. When the robot transports an empty shelf from area A to the workbench for loading, if it is determined that the goods are fruits, they need to be transported to area B for placement and storage. In this way, the empty shelves in area A are always used, loaded and then placed in area B, while the original empty shelves in area B occupy storage positions, resulting in the situation that there are no empty storage positions in area B for placing shelves, but a large number of empty shelves in area B are not used. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a logistics scheduling method, system, device, and storage medium. This method can effectively solve the problem that the empty shelves in the storage area occupy storage positions, resulting in the inability to store goods.

[0005] In a first aspect, the logistics scheduling method provided in this application is applied to a server, and the server is used for a warehousing system. The warehousing system further includes a workbench, an exchange area, and a storage area. The method includes: determining a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store empty shelves from the storage area that are to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; instructing the robot to transport the target shelf to the workbench so that the target shelf can be loaded; determining a target empty storage position in the storage area, and instructing the robot to transport the loaded target shelf to the target empty storage position.

[0006] The logistics scheduling method provided by this application first sets up an exchange area for supplying empty shelves in the storage area to the workbench. When goods need to be stored in the warehouse, a target shelf is determined from the exchange area and transported to the workbench for loading. Then, a target empty storage location is determined in the storage area, and the loaded target shelf is transported to the target empty storage location. In this solution, the transfer of empty shelves between the storage area and the workbench is achieved through the exchange area, so that when goods are stored in the warehouse, there will be no situation where the empty storage locations are occupied by empty shelves, resulting in insufficient empty storage locations for goods to be stored. Moreover, when storing goods, it is not necessary to predict the types of goods to be loaded subsequently, and empty shelves can be replenished to the exchange area in advance, greatly improving the exchange efficiency and ensuring the high fluidity of automated logistics.

[0007] In a possible implementation, after loading the target shelf, the above method further includes: determining a first shelf to be used, and instructing the robot to transport the first shelf to be used to the exchange area; the first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area.

[0008] In another possible implementation, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; determining the first shelf to be used includes: determining the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf; determining an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used.

[0009] In still another possible implementation, the storage area further includes a spare area where there is no corresponding type of goods; determining the first shelf to be used includes: in the case where there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area, determining an empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used.

[0010] In still another possible implementation, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas and a spare area; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; determining a target empty storage location in the storage area includes: determining the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf, and determining an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location.

[0011] In still another possible implementation, determining a target empty storage location in the storage area includes: in the case where there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, determining the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location, and the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area. After loading the target shelf, the above method further includes: instructing the robot to transport the second shelf to be used to the exchange area.

[0012] Second aspect, a warehousing system, characterized in that the warehousing system includes: a server, a workbench, an exchange area and a storage area; the server is configured to determine a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store empty shelves from the storage area and to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; the server is further configured to instruct a robot to carry the target shelf to the workbench so as to load goods onto the target shelf; the server is further configured to determine a target empty storage location in the storage area and instruct the robot to carry the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage location.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the server is further configured to determine a first shelf to be used, and instruct the robot to carry the first shelf to be used to the exchange area; the first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area

[0014] In another possible implementation, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; the server is specifically configured to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf; and determine an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used.

[0015] In yet another possible implementation, the storage area further includes a spare area, and there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; the server is specifically configured to, when there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area, determine an empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used.

[0016] In yet another possible implementation, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas and a spare area; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; the server is specifically configured to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf and determine an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location.

[0017] In yet another possible implementation, the server is specifically configured to, when there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, determine the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location, and the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area. The server is further configured to instruct the robot to carry the second shelf to be used to the exchange area.

[0018] Third aspect, the present application provides a logistics scheduling device, which includes: a processor and a memory; the memory stores instructions executable by the processor; when the processor is configured to execute the instructions, the logistics scheduling device implements the method of the first aspect above.

[0019] Fourthly, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which includes: computer software instructions; when the computer software instructions run on a computer, the computer is enabled to implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0020] Fifthly, the present application provides a computer program product, when the computer program product runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to execute the steps of the related method described in the first aspect above to implement the method of the first aspect.

[0021] For the beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects above, reference may be made to the corresponding descriptions of the first aspect, and details will not be repeated here. Description of the Drawings

[0022] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a traditional solution provided by the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the application environment of a logistics scheduling method provided by the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the process of a logistics scheduling method provided by the present application;

[0025] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the process of a system solution provided by the present application;

[0026] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the composition of a warehousing system provided by the present application;

[0027] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the composition of a logistics scheduling device provided by the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0028] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0029] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to represent examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be construed as being more preferred or having more advantages than other embodiments or design solutions. Exactly speaking, using words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a specific manner.

[0030] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish identical or similar items with basically the same functions and roles. Those skilled in the art can understand that the terms "first", "second", etc. do not limit the quantity and execution order.

[0031] To facilitate an understanding of the technical solutions of the present application, the terms involved in the present application will be briefly introduced below.

[0032] 1. iWMS: Intellectual Warehouse Management System, which manages the inventory of the warehouse, configures the basic information of the warehouse, and is responsible for processing the tasks and data generated by the inbound and outbound operations of the warehouse.

[0033] 2. CMS: Content Management System, which is responsible for managing information such as maps and shelves in the warehouse. After receiving a task order, it parses the task and transfers the task to the RCS.

[0034] 3. RCS: Robot Control System, which is responsible for selecting robots and scheduling robots to complete instructions.

[0035] 4. Shelf: A container for loading goods, which can be lifted from the bottom by a robot and has a unique number.

[0036] 5. Storage location: A location in the robot operation area where a shelf can be placed, which has a unique number, and one shelf can be placed on each storage location.

[0037] 6. Area: A grouping of storage areas. Each area can contain one or more storage locations, and the areas are usually divided according to the type of goods (or business type).

[0038] With the development of Internet technology, online shopping has become increasingly convenient. For users, the shorter the time spent from placing an order to receiving the goods, the better the user experience. Therefore, to ensure the user experience and increase the market share, major companies have established warehouses in most cities to be closer to the user side, thereby shortening the time for goods to reach the hands of users.

[0039] Traditional warehouses use manual replenishment, which is too inefficient. Therefore, to improve the replenishment efficiency and reduce the human resource cost, automated warehouses have emerged. Automated warehouses generally use robots to achieve operations such as the handling of goods into and out of the warehouse.

[0040] In an automated warehouse, there are a storage area and a workbench. As Figure 1Schematic diagram of the traditional solution shown. The storage area includes multiple storage locations, and a shelf can be placed on each storage location. The traditional storage area is divided according to the size of the shelves. For example Figure 1 In area A of the middle, all the shelves have the same size, and all the shelves in area B have the same size. When the robot is handling goods, it finds the shelf to be used in the storage area, lifts it from the bottom of the shelf to be used and transports it to the workbench for loading operations. When returning to the warehouse from the workbench, it selects an idle storage location for storage by calculating the distance cost and other methods.

[0041] However, in most project scenarios, the storage area is divided according to the type of goods (for example, area A stores vegetables and area B stores fruits), which is convenient for on-site management of outbound or inbound operations. In this scenario, when the workbench replenishes empty shelves in advance, it cannot predict the type of goods to be shelved next time. After the goods are shelved, it is necessary to determine which area should be stored according to the type information of the currently shelved goods, and transport them to the empty storage location in the corresponding area by the robot for storage.

[0042] Combined with Figure 1 To illustrate. If area A is used to store vegetables and area B is used to store fruits, the preset order is to use the empty shelves in area A first. However, in the case where most of the goods to be shelved are fruits, there will be a situation where the robot transports empty shelves from area A and transports fruits to area B for storage. Back and forth like this, there will be no extra empty storage locations in area B to place the shelves, but there are still a large number of empty shelves in area B that are not used. This greatly affects the continuous operation and high throughput of the automated logistics.

[0043] Under this background art, the embodiment of the present application provides a logistics scheduling method. This method adds an exchange area between the storage area and the workbench. Only empty shelves are stored in this exchange area, which is used to provide the empty shelves in the storage area for the workbench to load goods, and then transport the shelved shelves to the storage area to complete the goods warehousing. By using the exchange area as a transfer, the empty shelves in the storage area can be continuously replenished to the exchange area for subsequent use, effectively solving the problem that the empty shelves in the storage area occupy the storage locations and cause the goods to be unable to be warehoused.

[0044] The logistics scheduling method provided by the present application can be applied to a warehousing system such as Figure 2 As shown. As Figure 2 Shown, this warehousing system may include: a workbench, an exchange area and a storage area. In addition, this warehousing system also includes a server ( Figure 2 Not shown in the figure), including at least one of iWMS, CMS, and RCS, which is used to coordinate Figure 2 The interaction between each part shown.

[0045] Among them, the server mentioned here can be a server cluster composed of multiple servers, or a single server, or a computer. The server can be a processor, etc. The specific device form of the above-mentioned server is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0046] The workbench is used to load empty shelves, and the exchange area is used to provide the empty shelves in the storage area for the workbench to load. There are also multiple storage positions in the exchange area, which are only used to place empty shelves. The storage area is used to store goods, and can be grouped according to the types of goods to obtain different areas.

[0047] As Figure 2 shown, the storage area includes three areas (only an example, not a specific limitation), namely Area A, Area B and a spare area. Area A and Area B are dedicated areas, which are respectively used to store goods of a certain type of goods. For example, Area A stores vegetables and Area B stores fruits. The spare area is similar to Area A and Area B, but does not specifically represent a certain type of goods. When any dedicated area is full, the subsequent shelves for loading can be returned to this area for placement. That is, the spare area is the last guarantee area to cope with the problem of excessive storage of a certain type of goods. The dedicated area and the spare area include multiple storage positions, and each storage position can place a shelf. For example, Figure 2 the black squares in it are shelves carrying goods, and the white squares are empty shelves.

[0048] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a logistics scheduling method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Exemplarily, the logistics scheduling method provided by the present application can be applied to Figure 2 the storage system shown.

[0049] As Figure 3 shown, the logistics scheduling method provided by the present application may specifically include the following steps:

[0050] S301. The server determines a target shelf in the exchange area.

[0051] Among them, the exchange area is used to store the empty shelves from the storage area to be provided to the workbench. The target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area.

[0052] As mentioned above, the exchange area serves as a transfer station between the workbench and the storage area, and provides the empty shelves in the storage area for the workbench to load. The position of the exchange area can be set close to the workbench to facilitate quickly replenishing the empty shelves to the workbench for loading. Initially, a certain number of empty shelves can be stored in the exchange area in advance, which is beneficial to improving the exchange efficiency.

[0053] In some embodiments, when goods need to be stored in the warehouse, the server can select an empty shelf in the exchange area as the target shelf. The method of selecting the empty shelf can be to select it in a preset order, randomly, or other selection schemes. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific method of selection.

[0054] Specifically, as described above, iWMS is responsible for managing the inbound and outbound operations of the warehouse and generating relevant task sheets. CMS is used to parse the task sheets and manage information such as the map and shelves in the warehouse. Therefore, when goods need to be stored in the warehouse, iWMS can select an empty shelf in the exchange area as the target shelf. For example, identify the number of the selected empty shelf, generate a shelf task and send it to CMS for subsequent scheduling and handling operations. This shelf task is used to instruct the handling of the target shelf to the workbench.

[0055] S302. The server instructs the robot to move the target shelf to the workbench so as to load goods onto the target shelf.

[0056] In some embodiments, after determining the target shelf in the exchange area, the server can instruct the robot to move the target shelf to the workbench so as to load goods onto the target shelf. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific form of the robot, as long as it can receive instructions to achieve the function of automatic handling. For example, the robot can be an automated guided vehicle (AGV).

[0057] As described above, the workbench is used to load goods onto the empty shelf. The loading operation can be in the form of manual loading or automatic loading using automated equipment such as robotic arms and conveyor lines. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this either. It can be understood that using automated equipment can more efficiently improve the storage efficiency.

[0058] Specifically, RCS is responsible for selecting the robot and scheduling the robot to complete the task instructions. Therefore, after parsing the shelf task of moving the target shelf from iWMS, CMS can parse the shelf task and send the shelf task to RCS. According to the parsed shelf task, RCS schedules the robot to the exchange area to lift the target shelf, and then moves the target shelf to the workbench for loading goods.

[0059] S303. The server determines a target empty storage location in the storage area and instructs the robot to move the loaded target shelf to the target empty storage location.

[0060] In some embodiments, the server may determine a target empty storage location in the storage area. After the goods loading on the target shelf is completed, the server instructs the robot to carry the loaded target shelf to the target empty storage location in the storage area for placement and storage. Specifically, iWMS may determine the target empty storage location in the storage area, generate a shelf task and send it to CMS. CMS parses the shelf task to obtain a scheduling robot task and sends it to RCS. RCS selects a robot based on the scheduling robot task, instructs the robot to carry the loaded target shelf into the storage area, and place and store the target shelf at the target empty storage location.

[0061] In a possible implementation manner, the above-mentioned logistics scheduling method further includes the following steps: after the goods loading on the target shelf, the server determines a first shelf to be used, and instructs the robot to carry the first shelf to be used to the exchange area. The first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area. The process of determining the empty shelf and carrying the empty shelf to the exchange area is also realized through the mutual cooperation of iWMS, CMS and RCS, which will not be repeated here.

[0062] Exemplarily, the server may periodically determine the first shelf to be used in the storage area. That is, the process of determining the first shelf to be used and carrying the shelf to be used can be automatically executed periodically. For example, the warehouse administrator can set a fixed preset period. Within the preset period, the server determines the shelf to be used in the storage area and instructs the robot to carry the shelf to be used to the exchange area. After a period of time, the next period is entered, and the above process is repeated to automatically replenish the empty shelves in the storage area to the exchange area.

[0063] Another exemplarily, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store the corresponding type of goods. Determining the first shelf to be used includes: the server determines the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf, and determines an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used.

[0064] As mentioned above, the storage area is generally grouped according to the type of goods. Therefore, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas, one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods, and the dedicated area is used to store the goods of the corresponding type of goods. Figure 2Among them, area A is a dedicated area, and area B is a dedicated area, which are respectively used to store different types of goods. For the convenience of management, when the goods are put into storage, it is necessary to determine the type of the goods to determine which area the goods need to be placed in for storage. The server can determine the type of the goods either by receiving the type information input manually by the operator or by setting up automated devices such as radio frequency identification (RFID) detection gates and industrial camera recognition gates to automatically detect the type information of the goods. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific implementation manner of determining the type of the goods, as long as the server can obtain the type of the goods to determine the dedicated area to be put into storage. After determining the first dedicated area, the server can select an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used, and instruct the robot to move the first shelf to be used to the exchange area.

[0065] In addition, the storage area further includes a spare area. As mentioned above, there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area, which is a guarantee area set to cope with the situation where too many goods of a certain type are put into storage. Therefore, in the case where there is no empty shelf in the aforementioned first dedicated area, the server determines the empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used, and instructs the robot to move the first shelf to be used to the exchange area to meet the demand for replenishing the empty shelf.

[0066] Moreover, after determining the first dedicated area, the server can also determine a target empty storage location in the first dedicated area, and instruct the robot to move the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage location to place the target shelf for storing goods.

[0067] Specifically, determining the target empty storage location in the storage area specifically includes: the server determines the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target goods, and determines an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location. In the case where there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located is determined as the target empty storage location.

[0068] Exemplarily, after the goods are loaded onto the target shelf, the server can determine the first dedicated area based on the type of the goods. The method of determining the type of the goods is as described above and will not be repeated here. Further, the server can determine an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location for placing the target shelf after loading goods. If there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, the server determines the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location.

[0069] Among them, the second shelf to be used can be the aforementioned first shelf to be used, that is, the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area that is to be moved to the exchange area by the robot. Therefore, there are the following two situations.

[0070] Situation 1: The second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area. After the target shelf is stocked, the server can instruct the robot to move the second shelf to be used in the first dedicated area to the exchange area, and instruct the robot to move the stocked target shelf to the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located, that is, the target empty storage location is the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located in the first dedicated area.

[0071] Situation 2: The second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the spare area. When determining the second shelf to be used, there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area, so the server determines an empty shelf in the spare area as the second shelf to be used. When there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, after the target shelf is stocked, the server can instruct the robot to move the second shelf to be used in the spare area to the exchange area, and instruct the robot to move the stocked target shelf to the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located, that is, the target empty storage location is the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located in the spare area.

[0072] It can be seen that the logistics scheduling solution provided by this application takes the first dedicated area as the highest priority, that is, it tries to ensure that goods can be stored in the right place, and will timely judge whether there is an empty shelf occupying the storage location in the first dedicated area, which can make full use of the storage locations in the first dedicated area to store goods and avoid the problem of unsmooth warehousing caused by the failure to remove the empty shelf in time.

[0073] It should be noted that the above process is described by taking the incoming goods occupying one shelf as an example. If there are multiple shelves for incoming goods, for each shelf, the above steps S301 - S303 can be repeated. That is, for one incoming shelf, one empty shelf is replenished to the exchange area. If two shelves are incoming, two empty shelves are replenished to the exchange area to ensure the continuity of logistics scheduling.

[0074] The following describes the logistics scheduling method provided by this application in combination with the complete process.

[0075] Step 1: When the workbench starts working, that is, when goods need to be warehoused, the server selects an empty shelf in the exchange area and schedules the robot to move the empty shelf to the workbench for stocking.

[0076] Step 2: After the goods loading is completed, trigger the robot to carry the shelf after goods loading from the workbench into the warehouse. Here, the server automatically determines which dedicated area (such as the first dedicated area) the goods need to be stored in according to the type of goods loaded. For this first dedicated area, the following operations are performed: Step a: The server first determines an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the shelf to be used (i.e., the shelf that needs to be carried to the exchange area mentioned above). If there is no empty shelf, select an empty shelf from the spare area as the shelf to be used. Step b: The server queries for empty storage locations in the first dedicated area. If there is no empty storage location, determine whether the shelf to be used in Step a is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area. If it is determined that the shelf to be used in Step a is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area, after the shelf to be used is carried away, instruct the robot to carry the shelf after goods loading to the first dedicated area and place it in the storage location where the shelf to be used was originally located. If it is determined that the shelf to be used in Step a is not an empty shelf in the first dedicated area, instruct the robot to carry the shelf after goods loading to the spare area and place it in the storage location where the shelf to be used was originally located.

[0077] Step 3: Instruct the robot to carry the shelf to be used in Step 2 to the exchange area. Thus, a cycle is completed. During the execution of Step 2, after the robot carries the shelf after goods loading away from the workbench, immediately trigger the execution of Step 1, thereby forming an efficient cycle of Steps 1 - 3. Multiple robots can cooperate to cyclically implement processes such as goods warehousing and replenishing empty shelves to the exchange area.

[0078] Figure 4 It is a flowchart of a system scheduling solution provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 4 shown. First, the workbench triggers the start of warehousing, and iWMS is responsible for finding an empty shelf in the exchange area (i.e., the target shelf in the foregoing embodiment). Then, generate a shelf task based on the number of the target shelf and send it to CMS. CMS parses the shelf task, determines that the target shelf needs to be carried to the workbench, obtains a scheduling robot task, and sends it to RCS. RCS, based on the scheduling robot task, schedules the robot to complete the task (i.e., carry the target shelf to the workbench). Then, at the workbench, after the goods are placed on the shelf, iWMS matches the dedicated area and the empty shelf according to the type of goods placed on the shelf again, and sends a shelf task to CMS. This shelf task includes the warehousing area and the exchange shelf (i.e., the shelf to be used mentioned above) to the exchange area. CMS parses and sends a scheduling robot task to RCS. This scheduling robot task includes: a. carrying the warehousing shelf to the storage area; b. carrying the exchange shelf to the exchange area. Finally, RCS, based on the scheduling robot task, schedules multiple robots to complete the tasks (i.e., multiple robots respectively execute the tasks of carrying the warehousing shelf to the storage area and carrying the exchange shelf to the exchange area).

[0079] The technical solutions provided by the above embodiments bring at least the following beneficial effects. The logistics scheduling method provided by the embodiments of the present application first sets up an exchange area for storing empty shelves from the storage area to be provided to the workbench. When goods need to be stored in the warehouse, a target shelf is determined from the exchange area and transported to the workbench for loading. Then, a target empty storage location is determined in the storage area, and the loaded target shelf is transported to the target empty storage location. In this solution, the empty shelf transfer between the storage area and the workbench is realized through the exchange area, so that when goods are stored in the warehouse, there will be no situation where the empty storage location is occupied by the empty shelf, resulting in insufficient empty storage locations and the inability to store goods. Moreover, when storing goods, it is not necessary to predict the types of goods to be loaded later, and empty shelves can be replenished to the exchange area in advance, greatly improving the exchange efficiency and ensuring the high liquidity of automated logistics.

[0080] Furthermore, this solution retains the method of corresponding one type of goods to one type of area, which is beneficial to meeting multiple functions such as on-site management, exception handling, and emergency outbound. Especially in the industrial manufacturing industry, it is closer to the original warehouse storage mode and is a hard requirement in most project scenarios. In addition, the spare area in this solution can exist or not, and users can choose according to specific scenario requirements. The spare area mainly provides fault tolerance when the replenishment plan exceeds the normal range. The larger the spare area, the stronger the fault tolerance. Finally, the logistics scheduling method provided by this solution can be combined with automated devices such as industrial camera recognition doors, robotic arms, and transmission lines to achieve more efficient automated operations and further improve the efficiency of automated logistics.

[0081] It can be seen that the above mainly introduces the solution provided by the embodiments of the present application from the perspective of the method. To implement the above functions, the embodiments of the present application provide the corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, combining the modules and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in the way of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present application.

[0082] In an exemplary embodiment, the present application also provides a warehousing system. The warehousing system may include one or more functional modules for implementing the logistics scheduling method of the above method embodiments.

[0083] For example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a warehousing system provided by the embodiments of the present application. As Figure 5As shown in the figure, the warehousing system includes: a server, a workbench, an exchange area, and a storage area. The server can issue instructions to achieve the interaction between the workbench, the exchange area, and the storage area.

[0084] The server is used to determine a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store the empty shelves from the storage area that are to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; the server is also used to instruct the robot to move the target shelf to the workbench so as to load goods onto the target shelf; the server is also used to determine a target empty storage location in the storage area and instruct the robot to move the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage location.

[0085] In some embodiments, the server is further used to determine a first shelf to be used and instruct the robot to move the first shelf to be used to the exchange area; the first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area

[0086] In some embodiments, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store the goods of its corresponding type of goods; the server is specifically used to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf; and determine an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used.

[0087] In some embodiments, the storage area further includes a spare area, and there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; the server is specifically used to, when there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area, determine an empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used.

[0088] In some embodiments, the storage area includes one or more dedicated areas and a spare area; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store the goods of its corresponding type of goods; there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; the server is specifically used to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf and determine an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location.

[0089] In some embodiments, the server is specifically used to, when there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, determine the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location, and the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area that is to be moved to the exchange area. The server is also used to instruct the robot to move the second shelf to be used to the exchange area.

[0090] In the case of implementing the functions of the above integrated modules in the form of hardware, the embodiment of the present application provides a schematic diagram of the composition of a logistics scheduling device, and the logistics scheduling device may be the above server. As Figure 6As shown, the logistics scheduling device 600 includes: a processor 602, a communication interface 603, and a bus 604. Optionally, the logistics scheduling device 600 may further include a memory 601.

[0091] The processor 602 may be a device that implements or executes various exemplary logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure of this application. The processor 602 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or other programmable logic device, transistor logic device, hardware component, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute various exemplary logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure of this application. The processor 602 may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0092] The communication interface 603 is used to connect to other devices through a communication network. The communication network may be an Ethernet, a radio access network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.

[0093] The memory 601 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM), or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions. It may also be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disk storage medium, or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto.

[0094] As a possible implementation, the memory 601 may exist independently of the processor 602. The memory 601 may be connected to the processor 602 through the bus 604 for storing instructions or program code. When the processor 602 calls and executes the instructions or program code stored in the memory 601, the logistics scheduling method provided in the embodiments of this application can be implemented.

[0095] In another possible implementation, the memory 601 may also be integrated with the processor 602.

[0096] The bus 604 can be an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus or the like. The bus 604 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For the sake of convenience of representation, Figure 6 only a thick line is used to represent it in Figure 6 , but it does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0097] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the above division of each functional module is used as an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be allocated to different functional modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the logistics scheduling device is divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0098] The embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be instructed by computer instructions to complete the relevant hardware. The program can be stored in the above computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it can include the processes of the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be the memory in any of the foregoing embodiments. The above computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the above server, such as a plug-in hard disk equipped on the above server, a Smart Media Card (SMC), a Secure Digital (SD) card, a Flash Card, etc. Further, the above computer-readable storage medium can also include both the internal storage unit of the above server and the external storage device. The above computer-readable storage medium is used to store the above computer program and other programs and data required by the above server. The above computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store the data that has been output or will be output.

[0099] The embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product. The computer product includes a computer program. When the computer program product runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to execute any one of the logistics scheduling methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0100] Although the present application has been described in connection with various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand and realize other variations of the disclosed embodiments by referring to the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims during the implementation of the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may implement several functions recited in the claims. Certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0101] Although the present application has been described in connection with specific features and their embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, the present specification and the drawings are only exemplary illustrations of the present application defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of the present application. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalent technologies, the present application is also intended to include these changes and modifications.

[0102] The above is only the specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be covered by the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A logistics scheduling method, characterized in that, Applied to a server, the server is used for a warehousing system, and the warehousing system further includes a workbench, an exchange area, and a storage area; the method includes: Determine a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store empty shelves from the storage area that are to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; Instruct the robot to move the target shelf to the workbench so that goods can be loaded onto the target shelf; The storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; Determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf; Determine an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used, and instruct the robot to move the first shelf to be used to the exchange area; the first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area; determine a target empty storage location in the storage area, and instruct the robot to move the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage location.

2. The logistics scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein, The storage area further includes a spare area, and there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; Determining the first shelf to be used includes: In the case where there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area, determine an empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used.

3. The logistics scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein The storage area further includes a spare area, and there is no corresponding type of goods in the spare area; Determining a target empty storage location in the storage area includes: Determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf, and determine an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location.

4. The logistics scheduling method according to claim 3, wherein Determining a target empty storage location in the storage area includes: In the case where there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, determine the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location, and the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area; After loading goods onto the target shelf, the method further includes: instructing the robot to move the second shelf to be used to the exchange area.

5. A warehousing system, characterized in that, The warehousing system includes: a server, a workbench, an exchange area, and a storage area; The server is used to determine a target shelf in the exchange area; the exchange area is used to store empty shelves from the storage area that are to be provided to the workbench; the target shelf is an empty shelf in the exchange area; The server is further used to instruct the robot to move the target shelf to the workbench so that goods can be loaded onto the target shelf; The storage area includes one or more dedicated areas; one dedicated area corresponds to one type of goods and is used to store goods of its corresponding type of goods; The server is further used to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf; determine an empty shelf in the first dedicated area as the first shelf to be used; The server is further used to instruct the robot to move the first shelf to be used to the exchange area; the first shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the storage area; The server is further configured to determine a target empty storage location in the storage area, and instruct the robot to move the target shelf after loading goods to the target empty storage location.

6. The warehousing system according to claim 5, wherein the storage area further includes a spare area where there is no corresponding type of goods; specifically, the server is configured to determine an empty shelf in the spare area as the first shelf to be used when there is no empty shelf in the first dedicated area; specifically, the server is configured to determine the first dedicated area corresponding to the type of goods on the target shelf, and determine an empty storage location in the first dedicated area as the target empty storage location; specifically, when there is no empty storage location in the first dedicated area, the server is configured to determine the storage location where the second shelf to be used is located as the target empty storage location, and the second shelf to be used is an empty shelf in the first dedicated area or the spare area; the server is further configured to instruct the robot to move the second shelf to be used to the exchange area.

7. A logistics scheduling device, characterized in that, The logistics scheduling device includes: a processor and a memory; the memory stores instructions executable by the processor; when the processor is configured to execute the instructions, the logistics scheduling device implements the logistics scheduling method according to any one of claims 1-4.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes: computer software instructions; when the computer software instructions run on a computer, the computer implements the logistics scheduling method according to any one of claims 1-4.

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