A three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module and its application method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, which includes a routing controller, a central service controller, a WCS platform, a wireless optical communication module installed on the shuttle vehicle, and a plurality of wireless optical communication modules installed on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves. The shuttle vehicle exchanges data and transmits information with the central service controller through the optical communication module thereon; the plurality of wireless optical communication modules on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves are bridged and aggregated to the central service controller by a plurality of routing controllers through networking; during the traveling process of the shuttle vehicle, the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle continuously communicates and interacts with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves passed by; the central service controller communicates with the WCS platform, realizing precise positioning and real-time navigation of the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle as well as monitoring and optimization of warehouse operations. The present invention also discloses an application method of a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an intelligent management system for a three-dimensional warehouse in the logistics industry, and particularly to a navigation system for a shuttle vehicle in a three-dimensional warehouse based on a wireless optical communication module and an application method thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, the rapid development of the logistics industry requires more efficient and intelligent management and operation methods, such as automated and intelligent three-dimensional warehouses. A three-dimensional warehouse is a widely used facility in the modern logistics industry. It realizes the maximum utilization of space through multi-layer high-rise shelves, improving storage and distribution efficiency. In a traditional three-dimensional warehouse, a shuttle vehicle is responsible for transporting goods. Its accurate positioning and high-speed communication and data transmission are crucial. It usually uses communication technologies such as RFID, wifi, and Bluetooth for positioning and navigation to complete tasks such as goods receiving, storage, and outbound in the warehouse. However, these traditional communication technologies have problems such as large positioning errors, low stability, susceptibility to interference, and information security risks, which impose certain limitations on the intelligent management of the warehouse.

[0003] Wireless optical communication technology is a new type of wireless communication technology that can transmit data through spatial light rays. It has advantages such as rich spectrum resources, high security, and strong anti-interference ability, and is very suitable for application in the communication control and positioning navigation of shuttle vehicles in a three-dimensional warehouse. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a navigation system for a shuttle vehicle in a three-dimensional warehouse based on a wireless optical communication module, which realizes precise positioning and real-time navigation of the shuttle vehicle in the three-dimensional warehouse as well as monitoring and optimization of warehouse operations. It has advantages such as high precision, high stability, and fast data interaction speed, and can improve warehouse operation efficiency and system reliability.

[0005] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an application method for a navigation system for a shuttle vehicle in a three-dimensional warehouse based on a wireless optical communication module.

[0006] One technical solution to achieve the above purpose is: A navigation system for a shuttle vehicle in a three-dimensional warehouse based on a wireless optical communication module, including a routing controller, a central service controller, a WCS (Warehouse Control System) platform, a wireless optical communication module installed on the shuttle vehicle, and a plurality of wireless optical communication modules installed on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves, wherein:

[0007] The wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle sends and receives data through optical signals. A data exchange protocol is established between the optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle and the shuttle vehicle to achieve consistent data formats / types. The shuttle vehicle exchanges data and transmits information with the central service controller through the optical communication module thereon;

[0008] Multiple wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse rack correspond to the spatial grid coordinates on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse rack, are distributed at different positions on the warehouse rack and the running track of the shuttle vehicle, and construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response, and the multiple wireless optical communication modules are aggregated to the central service controller by multiple routing controllers through network bridging;

[0009] During the progress of the shuttle vehicle, the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle continuously conducts communication interaction with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse rack passed by; the central service controller realizes the precise positioning and navigation functions of the shuttle vehicle by analyzing and processing the information data collected by each wireless optical communication module;

[0010] The central service controller communicates with the WCS platform, and the central service controller conducts data exchange with the WCS platform through a data interface for the shuttle vehicle status and position information data obtained; the WCS platform issues control commands to the central service controller to control the operation of the shuttle vehicle; the WCS platform monitors the operation status and fault conditions of the central service controller, discovers problems in time and notifies maintenance personnel for handling; the WCS platform conducts real-time monitoring on the running track and cargo position information of the shuttle vehicle forwarded by the central service controller.

[0011] In the above-mentioned stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on wireless optical communication modules, the wireless optical communication module includes an LED optical transceiver integrated device and a signal processor, the LED optical transceiver integrated device includes an LED light source and a detector, and the LED optical transceiver integrated device is used to realize the two-way communication function of optical signals; the signal processor is used to analyze and process the received signal data to realize data exchange, communication or control command transmission between the shuttle vehicle and the central service controller.

[0012] In the above-mentioned stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on wireless optical communication modules, the shuttle vehicle is internally provided with multiple sensors, which are used to detect the position, shape and size information of the goods, and transmit this information through the wireless optical communication module on it to the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse rack for communication transmission to the central service controller for processing, so as to realize the positioning and tracking of the goods by the central service controller;

[0013] The status information of the shuttle vehicle itself is transmitted to the central service controller through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on it and the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse rack, and the central service controller realizes the real-time monitoring and management of the shuttle vehicle through this status information;

[0014] The operation instructions sent by the central service controller are sent to the shuttle vehicle through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf and the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle.

[0015] The above-mentioned stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, wherein the construction process of the time domain / space domain grid map based on point response is as follows:

[0016] First, arrange multiple optical communication nodes on the warehouse shelves on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf and on the running track of the shuttle vehicle. A wireless optical communication module is deployed at each node position, and the position coordinates of each node are address-encoded, and this address encoding is the node module IP of the corresponding wireless optical communication module;

[0017] Secondly, use the time synchronization technology of the IEEE 802.1AS protocol to configure the time sequence numbers of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the network topology according to the time synchronization tree, forming a one-way self-increasing timing feature architecture in which each layer of nodes is consistent;

[0018] Finally, bundle the address encoding of each node with the time sequence number correspondingly to form a unique ID of the corresponding wireless optical communication module. This ID includes the node module IP, time stamp, and the layer time sequence number in the time synchronization tree, which indicates the characteristic marks of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the time domain / space domain; construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response;

[0019] The routing controller performs network configuration and security settings on the wireless optical communication module of each node, and bridges and aggregates the ID information of the wireless optical communication modules on each node to the central service controller for unified monitoring and management.

[0020] The above-mentioned stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, wherein the shuttle vehicle parses the optical signals sent by the wireless optical communication modules of each received node to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can navigate autonomously during driving;

[0021] At the same time, the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf encapsulates its own ID information on the received shuttle vehicle data packet, and forwards it to the central service controller through the routing controller; the central service controller realizes the tracking and updating of the shuttle vehicle position information and timing data by decoding the ID information, and the central service controller judges the task completion situation of the shuttle vehicle and schedules the shuttle vehicle for the next step, realizing the precise positioning and navigation function of the shuttle vehicle.

[0022] The present invention also provides an application method of a stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, including the following steps:

[0023] S1, Deploy the wireless optical communication system: Install the wireless optical communication modules on the shuttle vehicles, the warehouse shelves on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves, and the running track of the shuttle vehicles respectively according to the communication density requirements and the spatial structure of the stereoscopic warehouse. Use wireless optical signals as the transmission medium for data communication to ensure that data and information can interact and be transmitted between the upper and lower ends of the communication in terms of precise positioning and navigation functions. At the same time, each wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves is networked and bridged by multiple routing controllers and gathered to the central service controller to form a complete communication network;

[0024] S2, Design the data encapsulation format: Based on the wireless duplex optical communication technology, design a wireless optical communication data packet format suitable for the operation and maintenance management of the stereoscopic warehouse. Adopt a method of describing the time / space dimension using a communication data frame format, construct a point response-based time domain / space domain grid map. Combine the spatial grid coordinates of each node in the map and the time sequence number on the time synchronization tree to generate a node ID data frame, which is encoded at the position of the data packet header. By decoding the header information, the specific position of each node and the time sequence data for monitoring the device status of each node can be accurately and real-time obtained. The node ID data frame format is: [position, timestamp, time sequence number], where the position represents the three-dimensional coordinates of the node in the stereoscopic warehouse; the timestamp represents the current time when the data packet is generated, in microseconds; the time sequence number represents the hierarchical time sequence in the time synchronization tree where the data packet is located;

[0025] S3, Develop the communication control platform: The communication control platform mainly consists of two parts: the routing controller and the central service controller. The routing controller is responsible for the networking and communication functions of each wireless optical communication module, and supports the sending of remote instructions to the central service controller and operation adjustment operations; The central service controller communicates with the WCS platform, has path planning and job scheduling functions, and can simultaneously monitor various operation situations and abnormal situations of the stereoscopic warehouse in real time; The shuttle vehicle continuously conducts communication interaction with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the shelves along the way during the traveling process; The shuttle vehicle analyzes the data packets by receiving the optical signals sent by the wireless optical communication modules of each node to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can navigate autonomously during the driving process; At the same time, the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves encapsulate their own ID data frames on the received shuttle vehicle data packets, and are forwarded and fed back to the central service controller by the routing controller. The central service controller realizes the tracking and update of the shuttle vehicle position information and time sequence data by decoding the ID data frame in the shuttle vehicle data packet, and the central service controller judges the task completion situation of the shuttle vehicle and conducts the next scheduling for the shuttle vehicle;

[0026] S4. Implement data sharing: The central service controller establishes data sharing with the WCS platform, and shares warehouse data and information with the staff in real time, so as to realize the monitoring and analysis of the management of the automated warehouse.

[0027] In the application method of the above automated warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, in step S2, the position and timestamp in the ID data frame are represented by binary values. The binary values use 32-bit integers and 64-bit long integers. The sequence number in the ID data frame is represented by a natural number and increases by 1 each time it is transmitted. Assuming that the position coordinates of the current node are (100, 200, 50), the timestamp is 1630362073034000, and the sequence number is 50 at this time, then the corresponding data packet encoding is:

[0028] |00000000 00000000 00000000 01100100

[0029] |00000000 00000000 00000000 11001000

[0030] |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010

[0031] |00000000 00000101 11001010 11001110 01000000 00110111 11101101 00010000

[0033] |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010|

[0034] Among them, the first three values represent position parameters, the fourth value represents the timestamp, and the last value represents the sequence number. By reading different parts of the data packet, the position of the node, relevant time information, and the hierarchical timing of the data packet in the time synchronization tree can be known at the same time. The automated warehouse time domain / space domain grid map constructed by this ID data frame format realizes the accurate and detailed description of the space of the automated warehouse, and provides support for the coordination and timeliness of the operation of the automated warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system.

[0035] Adopting the technical solution of the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention and its application method, the wireless duplex optical communication technology is adopted, combined with the timing synchronization technology and the position perception technology, to construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response type. Through steps such as deploying the wireless optical communication system, designing the data encapsulation format, developing the communication control platform, and realizing data sharing, the precise positioning and real-time navigation of the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle and the monitoring and optimization of the warehouse operation are realized. This solution has the advantages of high precision, high stability, and fast data interaction speed, and can improve the warehouse operation efficiency and system reliability. At the same time, this solution can also be applied to various different types of three-dimensional warehouses, with a certain degree of generality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0037] In order to enable those skilled in the art of this technical field to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the following will describe its detailed implementation manners in conjunction with the drawings:

[0038] Please refer to Figure 1 , an embodiment of the present invention, a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, includes a routing controller 2, a central service controller 3, a WCS platform 4, a wireless optical communication module 11 installed on the shuttle vehicle 5, and a plurality of wireless optical communication modules 12 installed on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves. A group of wireless optical communication modules are installed between the shuttle vehicle and the three-dimensional warehouse shelves. The wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle sends and receives data through optical signals, conducts data interaction and information transmission with devices such as the routing controller and the central service controller on the shelf side, and further networks multiple wireless optical communication modules and distributes them corresponding to the three-dimensional warehouse space grid coordinates at various positions on the shelf. By parsing and processing the information data collected by each module, the precise positioning and navigation functions can be realized in the three-dimensional warehouse, enhancing the information transmission and management efficiency of the entire intelligent logistics system.

[0039] The wireless optical communication module 11 on the shuttle vehicle 5 sends and receives data through optical signals. A data exchange protocol is established between the optical communication module 11 on the shuttle vehicle 5 and the shuttle vehicle 5 to achieve consistent data formats / types. The shuttle vehicle 5 conducts data exchange and information transmission with the central service controller 3 through the optical communication module 11 thereon. The optical communication module 11 on the shuttle vehicle 5 and the central service controller 3 communicate wirelessly.

[0040] A plurality of wireless optical communication modules 12 on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf correspond to the spatial grid coordinates on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf, are distributed at different positions on the warehouse shelf and the running track of the shuttle vehicle, and construct a time domain / spatial domain grid map based on point response, and the plurality of wireless optical communication modules 12 are aggregated to the central service controller 3 through networking bridging by a plurality of routing controllers 2.

[0041] During the traveling process of the shuttle vehicle 5, the wireless optical communication module 11 on the shuttle vehicle 5 continuously communicates and interacts with the wireless optical communication modules 12 on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf passed by; the central service controller 3 realizes the precise positioning and navigation functions of the shuttle vehicle 5 through parsing and processing the information data collected by each wireless optical communication module. Specifically, the shuttle vehicle 5 parses the optical signals sent by the wireless optical communication modules 12 of each node received to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can navigate autonomously during the driving process; at the same time, the wireless optical communication modules 12 on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf encapsulate their own ID information on the received shuttle vehicle data packet, and are forwarded and fed back to the central service controller 3 through the routing controller 2; the central service controller 3 realizes the tracking and updating of the position information and timing data of the shuttle vehicle by decoding the ID information, the central service controller 3 judges the task completion situation of the shuttle vehicle and schedules the shuttle vehicle for the next step, and realizes the precise positioning and navigation functions of the shuttle vehicle 3.

[0042] The central service controller 3 communicates with the WCS platform 4, and the central service controller 3 exchanges data with the WCS platform 4 through the data interface for the shuttle vehicle status and position information data obtained; the WCS platform 4 issues control commands to the central service controller 3 to control the operation of the shuttle vehicle 5; the WCS platform 4 monitors the operation status and fault conditions of the central service controller 3, discovers problems in time and notifies the maintenance personnel for handling; the WCS platform 4 monitors the running track and cargo position information of the shuttle vehicle forwarded by the central service controller 3 in real time.

[0043] In the stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention, the wireless optical communication module 11 includes an LED optical transceiver integrated device and a signal processor. The LED optical transceiver integrated device includes an LED light source and a detector. The LED optical transceiver integrated device is used to realize the bidirectional communication function of the optical signal; the signal processor is used to parse and process the received signal data to realize the data exchange, communication or control command transmission between the shuttle vehicle and the central service controller.

[0044] A data exchange protocol is established between the wireless optical communication module 11 on the shuttle car 5 and the shuttle car 5 to achieve consistent data formats / types, enabling the shuttle car 5 to effectively use the wireless optical communication module 11 for data exchange and communication. Multiple optical communication modules 12 on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves are networked through the routing controller 2 and connected to the central service controller 3 to achieve the identification, tracking, and communication control of the shuttle car 5 by the central service controller 3.

[0045] Compared with traditional communication technologies such as RFID, wifi, and Bluetooth, the wireless optical communication solution has the following technical advantages:

[0046] (1) High-precision positioning ability: Multiple wireless optical communication modules are distributed at various positions on the stereoscopic warehouse shelves to form a spatial grid coordinate, and precise spatial positioning is achieved by analyzing and comparing the optical signal data emitted by each module. In a stereoscopic warehouse, the shuttle car needs to accurately locate the shelf positions, and the wireless optical communication technology can achieve high-precision positioning at the sub-millimeter level, effectively improving the efficiency and accuracy of warehouse management;

[0047] (2) High speed and low latency: The wireless optical communication technology uses an LED light source to achieve a data transmission rate of several megabits per second or even higher. At the same time, compared with traditional wireless communication technologies, it avoids spectrum resource competition and can meet the needs of real-time data transmission, especially suitable for control application scenarios that require high precision and low latency;

[0048] (3) Strong anti-interference ability: Traditional communication technologies such as RFID, wifi, and Bluetooth are easily affected by electromagnetic interference, signal shielding, etc., which affect the communication quality and accuracy. However, the wireless optical communication technology is not affected by these interference factors and has stronger anti-interference performance;

[0049] (4) High security: The communication signal of the wireless optical communication technology is transmitted through light waves, which has natural confidentiality and security in terms of the channel and will not be easily stolen or attacked by hackers, with higher security.

[0050] (5) Green and environmentally friendly: Using the wireless optical communication technology does not cause problems such as electromagnetic radiation and environmental pollution, and also meets the environmental protection requirements.

[0051] In the stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module of the present invention, a wireless optical communication module 11 is equipped on the shuttle vehicle 5 for realizing the optical communication function. The wireless optical communication module has a duplex communication function and can simultaneously realize the functions of data sending and receiving. The shuttle vehicle 5 conducts data interaction and information transmission with the central service controller 3 through the wireless optical communication module 11 to realize precise positioning and navigation functions. In the operation of intelligent logistics, the intelligent control of the shuttle vehicle 5 is crucial. The self-control software system of the shuttle vehicle is responsible for driving the shuttle vehicle to run and configuring and adjusting the relevant parameters of the communication between the shuttle vehicle and other devices (such as sensors like wireless optical communication modules, ultrasonic sensors, cameras, lidar, etc.). The stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle based on the wireless optical communication module can make the warehouse management more intelligent and efficient. Specifically:

[0052] (1) Sensor data transmission: The stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle is equipped with multiple sensors, such as photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc., for detecting information such as the position, shape, and size of goods, and transmitting this information to the central service controller for processing through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle and the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf;

[0053] (2) Operation instruction transmission: Through the wireless optical communication module, the central service controller can send operation instructions to the shuttle vehicle in the stereoscopic warehouse, such as moving forward, backward, turning left, turning right, and adjusting the running speed, etc., to control it to complete tasks such as goods receiving, storage, and outbound; The operation instructions sent by the central service controller are sent to the shuttle vehicle through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelf and the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle;

[0054] (3) Real-time monitoring: The wireless optical communication module can also transmit the status information of the stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle, such as vehicle speed, cargo situation, remaining power, etc., back to the central service controller for real-time monitoring and management of the shuttle vehicle;

[0055] (4) Goods tracking: By using the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle, the tracking and tracing of goods can be realized. After the goods enter the stereoscopic warehouse, the position information of the goods is detected by sensors, and then this information is transmitted to the central service controller through the wireless optical communication module for positioning and tracing of the goods, improving the operation efficiency and accuracy.

[0056] In summary, the application method of the wireless optical communication module in the stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle is very flexible and diverse, which can effectively improve the operation efficiency and accuracy of the shuttle vehicle, reduce the error rate caused by transmission failures, and thus better serve the logistics operation of the stereoscopic warehouse.

[0057] In the stereoscopic warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention, due to the complex layout and multi-layer superimposed structure inside the stereoscopic warehouse, in order to achieve data transmission and control between shuttle vehicles, a wireless optical communication network covering the entire warehouse needs to be established. The shuttle vehicle based on the wireless optical communication module can use wireless optical signals to achieve data exchange between shuttle vehicles and between shuttle vehicles and other devices. Networking multiple wireless optical communication modules can greatly enhance the information transmission and management efficiency of the entire intelligent logistics system. The networking technical solution in the present invention adopts a distributed architecture according to the specific architecture of the stereoscopic warehouse, shuttle vehicle navigation, and network topology structure requirements, distributes each wireless optical communication module at different positions to form a multi-level topology structure, and connects them through routing protocols and data exchange technologies. The construction process of the point response-based time domain / space domain grid map is as follows:

[0058] First, arrange multiple optical communication nodes on the warehouse shelves on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves and on the running track of the shuttle vehicle. Deploy a wireless optical communication module at each node position, and perform address encoding on the position coordinates (x, y, z) of each node. This address encoding is the node module IP of the corresponding wireless optical communication module;

[0059] Secondly, use the time synchronization technology of the IEEE 802.1AS protocol to configure the sequence numbers of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the network topology (star-shaped) according to the time synchronization tree, forming a one-way self-increasing sequential feature architecture in which each layer of nodes is consistent;

[0060] Finally, bundle the address encoding of each node with the sequence number, forming the unique ID of the corresponding wireless optical communication module. This ID includes the node module IP, timestamp, and layer sequence number in the time synchronization tree, which indicates the characteristic markers of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the time domain / space domain; construct a point response-based time domain / space domain grid map;

[0061] The routing controller performs network configuration and security settings on the wireless optical communication module of each node, and bridges and aggregates the ID information of the wireless optical communication modules on each node to the central service controller for unified monitoring and management. This networking technology combined with the application solutions of time sequence synchronization technology and space address encoding technology provides a high-speed, stable, reliable, and accurate network connection for the efficient control of warehouse logistics and the real-time transmission of data.

[0062] During the network formation process, the network topology is planned and designed according to the application scenarios and requirements. The routing controller 2 configures the network and sets security for each node, and bridges and aggregates information such as the data, data payload, target address, and clock of the nodes to the central service controller for unified monitoring and management, so as to obtain the optimal transmission efficiency and reliable control. Specifically, the network formation function of the wireless optical communication module can make the intelligent logistics production process and management process more intelligent and efficient. For example:

[0063] (1) More efficient data collection and transmission: When multiple shuttles work together in a logistics scenario, comprehensive data collection and transmission of various information such as materials, goods, warehousing, and transportation are required. The wireless optical communication module, through its network formation function, quickly processes the information collected by different devices in a timely and sequential manner, thereby improving the efficiency of data collection and transmission;

[0064] (2) More accurate task allocation and tracking: The central service controller based on the wireless optical communication module can, through its network formation function, track the task allocation and execution status of the shuttles, and conduct real-time monitoring and adjustment, improving the management level and efficiency of the logistics system;

[0065] (3) More accurate device status monitoring: After networking, the status information of each shuttle can be transmitted to the central service controller in real time through the wireless optical communication module, so as to more accurately grasp the operation status of the device and promptly handle possible failures.

[0066] (4) More intelligent automated management: The large-scale application of wireless optical communication technology and network formation function can promote the development of intelligent logistics systems, enabling more intelligent and efficient collaborative work among automated devices, robots, and personnel to achieve better production efficiency and accuracy.

[0067] In summary, the network formation function of the wireless optical communication module can improve the information transmission and management efficiency of the entire intelligent logistics system, bringing more efficient and reliable industrial communication and logistics services to fields such as manufacturing and warehousing logistics.

[0068] In the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention, in addition to supporting the network communication and data governance of the wireless optical communication system, the central service controller 3 can also cooperate with the WCS (Warehouse Control System) platform 4 to realize functions such as task allocation, scheduling, and monitoring of the entire warehousing and logistics system by the WCS platform 4 through the wireless optical communication system.

[0069] The central service controller 3 is the core of the wireless duplex optical communication system. Through the management and networking of each wireless optical communication module, it realizes the automatic operation and intelligent scheduling of the shuttle cars in the warehouse. In the present invention, the central service controller 3 is modularly designed in an embedded mode based on chips such as ARM and DSP, and has the characteristics of high performance, low power consumption, and miniaturization, realizing functions such as data acquisition, processing, storage, and communication transmission. In terms of communication protocols, the central service controller 3 comprehensively considers various factors such as system requirements, device compatibility, and security, and constructs a bottom-layer environment that supports multiple types of protocols such as TCP / IP protocol and CAN bus protocol. The central service controller 3 needs to obtain data such as the status and position information of each wireless optical communication module in real time, and perform algorithm processing and synchronous recording and archiving. To ensure the real-time and accuracy of data, the central service controller 3 uses the method of identifying, parsing, and classifying the data packet headers with ID tags to ensure that the data is transmitted to the WCS platform 4 in a real-time and stable manner. The central service controller 3 establishes a communication interface and a data sharing mechanism with the WCS platform 4, and exchanges data with the WCS platform through the data interface for the obtained device status and position information and other data. At the same time, the WCS platform 4 can also send control commands such as path planning instructions to the central service controller 3 to control the operation of the shuttle car 5, including operations such as speed, direction, and docking. The WCS platform 4 can monitor the operation status and fault conditions of the central service controller 3 at any time, discover problems in time and notify the maintenance personnel for handling. At the same time, the WCS platform 4 can also monitor in real time the operation trajectories, cargo positions, etc. of the shuttle cars forwarded by the central service controller 3, and provide data analysis and prediction services. In summary, the central service controller 3 uses a variety of technical means and network protocols for the networking and management plan of each wireless optical communication module, and is closely nested with the WCS platform 4 to realize functions such as data synchronization, motion control, and fault troubleshooting, so as to realize an efficient and intelligent automated warehousing management system.

[0070] The central service controller 3 combined with the WCS platform 4 has significant technical advantages and innovations in warehousing logistics:

[0071] (1) Realize real-time data synchronization: The central service controller adopts wireless optical communication technology, which can realize fast and efficient data transmission and processing. After being system-connected with the WCS platform, it can realize real-time data synchronization and accurately obtain the status and position information of each shuttle car;

[0072] (2) Enhance the management response ability: Based on the monitoring and alarm of the WCS platform, the central service controller can monitor the operation status and fault conditions at any time, and send alarm signals to the WCS platform, discover problems in time and notify the maintenance personnel for handling, thereby enhancing the management response ability and ensuring operation safety;

[0073] (3) Promote intelligent development: The central service controller combined with the WCS platform can promote the intelligent development of logistics warehousing and realize equipment networking. For example, by analyzing and predicting data, potential problems can be identified in advance and corresponding measures can be taken to avoid losses; by real-time monitoring the movement trajectory and cargo status of the shuttle vehicle, the accuracy and response speed of warehouse operations can be improved.

[0074] In summary, the central service controller combined with the WCS platform can achieve goals such as real-time data synchronization, efficient operation control, enhanced management response ability, and promotion of intelligent development in warehousing logistics, bringing new opportunities and challenges to the logistics warehousing industry.

[0075] The three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on the wireless optical communication module of the present invention has a wide application prospect in the field of intelligent management of three-dimensional warehouses. Compared with traditional communication technologies such as RFID, wifi, and Bluetooth, the wireless optical communication technology has advantages such as higher accuracy, stronger anti-interference ability, and higher security, which can effectively improve the efficiency and accuracy of warehouse management.

[0076] An application method of a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module includes the following steps:

[0077] S1, Deploy a wireless optical communication system: Install the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle, the warehouse shelves on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves, and the shuttle vehicle running track respectively according to the communication density requirements and the spatial structure of the three-dimensional warehouse, use the wireless optical signal as the transmission medium for data communication, ensure that the data and information can interact and transmit the precise positioning and navigation functions between the upper and lower ends of the communication, and at the same time, each wireless optical communication module on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves is networked and bridged by multiple routing controllers and gathered to the central service controller to form a complete communication network;

[0078] S2. Design the data encapsulation format: Based on the wireless duplex optical communication technology, design a wireless optical communication data packet format suitable for the operation and maintenance management of three-dimensional warehouses. That is, use a communication data frame format to describe the time / space dimension method, and construct a point-response-based time domain / space domain grid map (the spatial grid coordinates (x, y, z) of the node and the time sequence number on the time synchronization tree are combined to generate the node ID data frame [position, timestamp, time sequence number], which is encoded at the data packet header position. By decoding the header information, the specific position of each node and the timing data (the time sequence number corresponds to the actual position coordinates of each node in the network hierarchy order, and also represents the time when each node's data is generated and the hierarchical timing in the time synchronization tree. The position information and time information are in the same order in the dimension)) can be accurately and real-time obtained. Specifically, the node ID data frame format is: [position, timestamp, time sequence number], where the position represents the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) of the node in the three-dimensional warehouse; the timestamp represents the current time when the data packet is generated, in microseconds; the time sequence number represents the hierarchical timing of the data packet in the time synchronization tree.

[0079] The position and timestamp can be represented by binary values, such as 32-bit integers and 64-bit long integers. The time sequence number can be represented by natural numbers and increment by 1 each time it is transmitted. For example, assuming the current node's position coordinates are (100, 200, 50), the timestamp is 1630362073034000, and the time sequence number is 50, then the corresponding data packet encoding is:

[0080] |00000000 00000000 00000000 01100100

[0081] |00000000 00000000 00000000 11001000

[0082] |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010

[0083] |00000000 00000101 11001010 11001110 01000000 00110111 11101101 00010000

[0085] |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010|

[0086] Among them, the first three values represent position parameters, the fourth value represents a timestamp, and the last value represents a sequence number. In this way, by reading different parts of the data packet, we can simultaneously know the position of the node, the relevant time information, and the hierarchical timing in the time synchronization tree where the data packet is located. Finally, the three-dimensional warehouse time domain / space domain grid map constructed according to this data frame format not only realizes the accurate and detailed description of the three-dimensional warehouse space, but also provides collaborative and time-effective support for the operation of the warehouse system;

[0087] S3. Develop a communication control platform: The communication control platform mainly consists of a routing controller and a central service controller. The routing controller is responsible for the networking and communication functions of each wireless optical communication module, and supports the sending of remote instructions to the central service controller and the operation adjustment operation; The central service controller communicates with the WCS platform, has path planning and job scheduling functions, and can simultaneously monitor various operation conditions and abnormal conditions of the three-dimensional warehouse in real time; The shuttle continuously conducts communication interaction with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the shelves it passes by during the traveling process; The shuttle analyzes the data packets by the optical signals sent by the wireless optical communication modules of each node it receives to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can autonomously navigate during the driving process; At the same time, the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelves encapsulate their own ID data frames on the received shuttle data packets, and are forwarded and fed back to the central service controller through the routing controller. The central service controller realizes the tracking and update of the position information and timing data of the shuttle by decoding the ID data frames (with position and sequence number information) in the shuttle data packets, and the central service controller judges the task completion situation of the shuttle and conducts the next scheduling of the shuttle;

[0088] S4. Realize data sharing: The central service controller establishes data sharing with the WCS platform, and shares the warehouse data and information with the staff in real time to realize the monitoring and analysis of the management of the three-dimensional warehouse.

[0089] In summary, the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle navigation system and its application method based on wireless optical communication modules of the present invention adopt wireless duplex optical communication technology, combine timing synchronization technology and position perception technology, construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response, and realize the precise positioning and real-time navigation of the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle and the monitoring and optimization of warehouse operations through steps such as deploying a wireless optical communication system, designing a data encapsulation format, developing a communication control platform, and realizing data sharing. This solution has the advantages of high precision, high stability, and fast data interaction speed, and can improve the warehouse operation efficiency and system reliability. At the same time, this solution can also be applied to various different types of three-dimensional warehouses, with a certain degree of generality.

[0090] Those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. As long as they are within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module, characterized in that It includes a routing controller, a central service controller, a WCS platform, a wireless optical communication module installed on the shuttle vehicle, and multiple wireless optical communication modules installed on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves, where: The wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle sends and receives data through optical signals. A data exchange protocol is established between the optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle and the shuttle vehicle to ensure consistent data format / types. The shuttle vehicle exchanges data and transmits information with the central service controller through the optical communication module thereon; The multiple wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves correspond to the spatial grid coordinates on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves, are distributed at different positions on the warehouse shelves and the running track of the shuttle vehicle, construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response, and the multiple wireless optical communication modules are bridged and aggregated to the central service controller by multiple routing controllers through networking; During the movement of the shuttle vehicle, the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle vehicle continuously communicates and interacts with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves passed by; the central service controller realizes the precise positioning and navigation functions of the shuttle vehicle through parsing and processing the information data collected by each wireless optical communication module; The central service controller communicates with the WCS platform. The central service controller exchanges data with the WCS platform through a data interface for the shuttle vehicle status and position information data obtained; the WCS platform issues control commands to the central service controller to control the operation of the shuttle vehicle; the WCS platform monitors the operation status and fault conditions of the central service controller, discovers problems in time and notifies maintenance personnel for handling; the WCS platform monitors the running track and cargo position information of the shuttle vehicle forwarded by the central service controller in real time, The construction process of the time domain / space domain grid map based on point response is as follows: First, arrange multiple optical communication nodes on the warehouse shelves on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves and the running track of the shuttle vehicle. A wireless optical communication module is deployed corresponding to each node position, and the position coordinates of each node are address-encoded, and this address encoding is the node module IP of the corresponding wireless optical communication module; Secondly, use the time synchronization technology of the IEEE 802.1AS protocol to configure the time sequence numbers of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the network topology according to the time synchronization tree, forming a one-way incrementing timing feature architecture with consistency among the nodes layer by layer; Finally, bundle the address encoding of each node with the time sequence number correspondingly to form a unique ID of the corresponding wireless optical communication module. This ID includes the node module IP, time stamp, and layer time sequence number in the time synchronization tree, which indicates the characteristic marks of the wireless optical communication modules of each node in the time domain / space domain; construct a time domain / space domain grid map based on point response; The routing controller performs network configuration and security settings on the wireless optical communication module of each node, and bridges and aggregates the ID information of the wireless optical communication modules on each node to the central service controller for unified monitoring and management.

2. The three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless optical communication module includes an LED optical transceiver integrated device and a signal processor. The LED optical transceiver integrated device includes an LED light source and a detector, and is used to realize the two-way communication function of optical signals. The signal processor is used to analyze and process the received signal data to realize data exchange, communication or control command transmission between the shuttle car and the central service controller.

3. The three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shuttle car is internally provided with a plurality of sensors, which are used to detect the position, shape and size information of the goods, and transmit this information to the central service controller for processing through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on it and the wireless optical communication module on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf, so as to realize the positioning and tracking of the goods by the central service controller. The status information of the shuttle car itself is transmitted to the central service controller through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on it and the wireless optical communication module on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf. The central service controller realizes the real-time monitoring and management of the shuttle car through this status information. The operation instructions sent by the central service controller are sent to the shuttle car through the communication between the wireless optical communication module on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf and the wireless optical communication module on the shuttle car.

4. The three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shuttle car analyzes the optical signals sent by the wireless optical communication modules of each node it receives to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can navigate autonomously during driving. At the same time, the wireless optical communication module on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf encapsulates its own ID information on the received shuttle car data packet, and forwards it to the central service controller through the routing controller. The central service controller realizes the tracking and updating of the shuttle car position information and timing data by decoding the ID information. The central service controller judges the task completion situation of the shuttle car and schedules the shuttle car for the next step, so as to realize the accurate positioning and navigation function of the shuttle car.

5. An application method of a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: S1, Deploy the wireless optical communication system: Install the wireless optical communication modules on the shuttle car, the warehouse shelves on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf and the running track of the shuttle car respectively according to the communication density requirements and the three-dimensional warehouse space structure, and use the wireless optical signal as the transmission medium for data communication, so as to ensure that data and information can be interacted and transmitted between the upper and lower ends of the communication with accurate positioning and navigation functions. At the same time, the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the three-dimensional warehouse shelf are networked and bridged by a plurality of routing controllers and gathered to the central service controller to form a complete communication network. S2. Design the data encapsulation format: Based on the wireless duplex optical communication technology, design a wireless optical communication data packet format suitable for the operation and maintenance management of the stereoscopic warehouse. Adopt a method of describing the time / space dimension using a communication data frame format, construct a point response-based time domain / space domain grid map, combine the spatial grid coordinates of each node in the map with the time sequence number on the time synchronization tree to generate a node ID data frame, which is encoded at the data packet header position. By decoding the header information, the specific position of each node and the time sequence data for monitoring the status of each node device can be accurately and real-time obtained. The node ID data frame format is: [position, timestamp, time sequence number], where the position represents the three-dimensional coordinates of the node in the stereoscopic warehouse; the timestamp represents the current time when the data packet is generated, in microseconds; the time sequence number represents the hierarchical time sequence in the time synchronization tree where the data packet is located. S3. Develop the communication control platform: The communication control platform mainly consists of a routing controller and a central service controller. The routing controller is responsible for the networking and communication functions of each wireless optical communication module, and supports remote instruction sending and operation adjustment operations to the central service controller; the central service controller communicates with the WCS platform, has path planning and job scheduling functions, and can simultaneously monitor various operation conditions and abnormal conditions of the stereoscopic warehouse in real-time; the shuttle continuously conducts communication and interaction with the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the shelves it passes by during the traveling process; the shuttle parses the data packets by the optical signals emitted by the wireless optical communication modules of each node it receives to continuously obtain the latest position information, so that it can navigate autonomously during the driving process; at the same time, the wireless optical communication modules on the side of the stereoscopic warehouse shelves encapsulate their own ID data frames on the received shuttle data packets, and are forwarded and feedback to the central service controller by the routing controller. The central service controller realizes the tracking and update of the shuttle position information and the time sequence data by decoding the ID data frames in the shuttle data packets, and the central service controller judges the task completion situation of the shuttle and conducts the next scheduling of the shuttle. S4. Realize data sharing: The central service controller establishes data sharing with the WCS platform, and shares the warehouse data and information with the staff in real-time to realize the monitoring and analysis of the stereoscopic warehouse management.

6. The application method of a three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system based on a wireless optical communication module according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S2, the position and timestamp in the ID data frame are represented by binary values. The binary values use 32-bit integers and 64-bit long integers. The time sequence number in the ID data frame is represented by a natural number and increases by 1 each time it is transmitted; when the position coordinates of the node are (100, 200, 50), the timestamp is 1630362073034000 at this time, and the time sequence number is 50, then the corresponding data packet encoding is: |00000000 00000000 00000000 01100100 |00000000 00000000 00000000 11001000 |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010 |00000000 00000101 11001010 11001110 01000000 00110111 11101101 00010000 |00000000 00000000 00000000 00110010| Among them, the first three numerical values represent position parameters, the fourth numerical value represents a timestamp, and the last numerical value represents a sequence number; by reading different parts of the data packet, the position of the node, relevant time information, and the hierarchical timing in the time synchronization tree where the data packet is located are known simultaneously; the three-dimensional warehouse time domain / space domain grid map constructed in this ID data frame format realizes an accurate and detailed description of the three-dimensional warehouse space, providing collaborative and time-effective support for the operation of the three-dimensional warehouse shuttle vehicle navigation system.

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