Portal crane and IGV collaborative operation method and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of port operation, more particularly, to a method for coordinated operation of a portal crane and an IGV and a storage medium. The present application provides a method for coordinated operation of a portal crane and an IGV and a storage medium, the portal crane comprising a trolley, a driver's cab and a lifting appliance, the method comprising: confirming an IGV operation position, the IGV comprising one or more; setting an operation interval of adjacent portal cranes; obtaining a portal crane operation task and an IGV operation task; performing the IGV operation task and locking the IGV; performing the portal crane operation task and unlocking the IGV.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of port operations, and more specifically, to a method and storage medium for the coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of modern logistics in recent years, the volume of goods and labor costs are also rising. As a result, automated terminals are becoming increasingly popular. Compared with traditional terminals, automated terminals have significant advantages in terms of intelligence, reliability, stability, equipment utilization, and operating costs.

[0003] According to incomplete statistics, there are as many as 30 automated container terminals under construction worldwide. However, to date, no automated terminal has incorporated gantry cranes into its port machinery fleet. Compared with traditional quay container cranes, gantry cranes have advantages such as high cost-effectiveness, high utilization rate, strong versatility, and wide operating range. They are especially suitable for river-sea intermodal automated terminals with high barge transshipment rates. Therefore, applying gantry cranes to automated terminals is a current industry trend.

[0004] Current research on gantry cranes in automated ports mainly focuses on artificial intelligence cargo handling systems, while the collaborative operation of gantry cranes with intelligent guided vehicles (IGVs) still needs improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the defects of the prior art and provide a method and storage medium for the coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV, so as to solve the problem of coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV.

[0006] This invention provides a method for coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV (Integrated Gas Ventilation Vehicle), wherein the gantry crane includes a trolley, a driver's cab, and a lifting device, characterized in that the method includes:

[0007] Confirm the location of the IGV operation, wherein the IGV includes one or more;

[0008] Set the working distance between adjacent gantry cranes;

[0009] Obtain gantry crane operation tasks and IGV operation tasks;

[0010] Once the IGV operation task is completed, the IGV is locked.

[0011] Once the gantry crane operation is completed, the IGV is unlocked.

[0012] The method for confirming the IGV operation location includes:

[0013] Obtain the relative position of the large vehicle and the IGV;

[0014] The position of the trolley is obtained and updated in real time. Magnetic nails are provided next to the trolley track, and the trolley is equipped with an absolute position encoder.

[0015] Confirm the IGV operation location.

[0016] Furthermore, when the gantry crane is in operation, if the distance between it and an adjacent gantry crane is less than or equal to the working distance between the adjacent gantry cranes, the trolley operation will be stopped and an alarm device will be triggered.

[0017] Furthermore, the locking and unlocking methods can be any one or more of the following: a foot pedal in the driver's cab, control via a mobile APP, or control via a TOS terminal;

[0018] Before the IGV is locked, the lowering height of the spreader must not exceed the safe height;

[0019] The IGV cannot be unlocked when the lifting device is lowered beyond the safe height.

[0020] Furthermore, an IGV follow button is provided in the driver's cab, which is used to perform re-alignment of the trolley and the IGV.

[0021] Furthermore, the collaborative operation method also includes an IGV target location determination method:

[0022] Identify the target gantry crane corresponding to the IGV, which includes multiple work lanes and multiple temporary parking areas;

[0023] When the work lane is empty, the IGV takes the parking point of the work lane as its target location. The work lane being empty means that there is no IGV in the work lane or no IGV heading to the work lane.

[0024] When the work lane is not idle, the IGV uses the temporary parking area as its target location.

[0025] Furthermore, the gantry crane can be associated with multiple IGVs, and the gantry crane and the multiple IGVs can work collaboratively. The collaborative operation state includes a work area and a waiting area, and includes the following steps:

[0026] Step 1: The multiple IGVs acquire the associated gantry crane operation tasks;

[0027] Step 2: Assign sequence numbers to the multiple IGVs. The sequence numbers are ordered according to the acquisition time, and the starting value of the sequence number is 1.

[0028] Step 3: The IGV with serial number 1 completes the parking operation in the work lane and locks the IGV with serial number 1.

[0029] Step four, the gantry crane completes the task of grabbing and placing the box;

[0030] Step 5: Unlock the IGV with serial number 1. When unlocking, the spreader is raised to a height above the safe height.

[0031] Step 6: Decrement all IGV allocation sequence numbers in the waiting area by 1; terminate the collaborative operation when there are no IGVs in the waiting area.

[0032] Step 7: Repeat steps 3 through 6.

[0033] Furthermore, the method for coordinated operation of the gantry crane and the multiple IGVs also includes manual control operations, which take precedence over the coordinated operation of the gantry crane and the multiple IGVs. The manual control includes:

[0034] The IGVs are requeued, which is used to interrupt the parking task in the work area lane. The IGVs performing the parking task then move to the temporary parking area and continue to perform the collaborative work task of the multiple IGVs.

[0035] Prioritize quay crane operations. The IGV corresponding to the priority quay crane operations is in the waiting area. Modify the IGV sequence number of the priority quay crane operations to the minimum sequence number of the waiting area, and at the same time, add 1 to the sequence number of all IGVs with a sequence number smaller than the original sequence number of the priority quay crane operations.

[0036] The IGV is set to wait in the buffer zone. When the IGV is in the work area and its sequence number is the smallest in the work area, the collaborative operation status of the IGV is changed to the waiting zone. When the buffer tag is removed, the IGV is in the work area and the collaborative operation process is carried out normally. When the IGV is in the waiting zone, the priority task of the quay crane operation is executed.

[0037] Furthermore, the relative position between the large vehicle and the IGV is 8-12 meters;

[0038] The working distance between adjacent gantry cranes is 20-30 meters.

[0039] The present invention also includes a computer-readable storage medium storing program code for execution, the program code including the method for implementing the collaborative operation of the gantry crane and IGV in the present invention.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0041] 1. Solve the problem of coordinated operation between gantry cranes and IGVs. By acquiring and calculating the working positions of gantry cranes and IGVs, it is easier for drivers to carry out loading and unloading operations, and at the same time improves the accuracy of operations.

[0042] 2. Set the spacing between adjacent gantry cranes to ensure that there is a certain working distance between them and that the IGV has enough distance to turn in and out, so that different gantry cranes and the IGVs under the gantry cranes do not interfere with each other during operation.

[0043] 3. Regarding the locking and unlocking relationship of the gantry crane, the locking indicator light in the gantry crane operator's cab can display the current locking status between the IGV and the gantry crane in real time; and to ensure the safe operation of the gantry crane with the IGV, the spreader cannot be lowered below the safe height in the loading and unloading lane before the gantry crane is locked with the IGV; when the gantry crane spreader is below the safe height in the working lane, it cannot be unlocked.

[0044] 4. To address the coordination issues of IGV, a follow mechanism has been added. A follow button is installed in the driver's cab, which allows the gantry crane to reposition itself when the trolley moves, thus enhancing operational flexibility.

[0045] 5. The equipment has a manual control mode, which can easily handle flexible work tasks. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a method for coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV according to the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process of the multiple IGV collaborative operation method of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the IGV operating position according to the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gantry crane of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of multiple IGV scheduling according to the present invention.

[0051] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings of this invention are as follows: 10: trolley; 11: driver's cab; 12: lifting device; 13: magnetic nail; 14: absolute position encoder; 111: alarm device; 112: foot pedal; 15: gantry crane rail. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the invention. To better illustrate the following embodiments, some parts in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual product dimensions; it is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 This describes a process flow for collaborative operation between a gantry crane and an IGV (Integrated Gas Ventilation Vehicle). Gantry cranes mostly run along crane tracks on the ground or buildings for lifting and loading / unloading operations, and are widely used in ports, including for loading and unloading cargo. A gantry crane includes a trolley 10, a driver's cab 11, and a spreader 12. The trolley 10 runs on the gantry crane track 15 and is equipped with the driver's cab 11. The driver's cab 11 controls the operation and interactive functions of the gantry crane, such as controlling the trolley 10's travel speed and position, operating the spreader 12 to grab and place cargo, and controlling the trolley's movement. The method for collaborative operation with an IGV includes:

[0054] Confirm the location of the IGV operation, wherein the IGV includes one or more;

[0055] Set the working distance between adjacent gantry cranes;

[0056] Obtain gantry crane operation tasks and IGV operation tasks;

[0057] Once the IGV operation task is completed, the IGV is locked.

[0058] Once the gantry crane operation is completed, the IGV is unlocked.

[0059] This invention addresses the basic interaction and safety protection mechanisms between gantry cranes and IGVs, proposing equipment-level requirements to ensure the safety of local operators during automated IGV operations. Through data interaction processing between the gantry crane equipment control system, intelligent tallying system, and terminal operating system (TOS), it effectively solves the data interaction problems caused by the uncertainties faced by gantry crane operators during operation. The gantry crane equipment control system is typically located in the operator's cab 11 and also interacts with the gantry crane and IGV via a visual device, connecting and interacting with them via wired or wireless means. This invention not only ensures the safety of collaborative operations between gantry cranes and IGVs but also provides a reference for integrating gantry cranes into automated terminal construction and the transformation of traditional terminals.

[0060] In this embodiment, the IGV operation position is confirmed by obtaining the relative position of the trolley 10 and the IGV, obtaining the position of the trolley 10, and updating the position of the trolley 10 in real time. Magnetic nails 13 are provided next to the track of the trolley 10, and the trolley 10 is equipped with an absolute position encoder 14.

[0061] Specifically, through on-site operation tests of the gantry crane, the distance between the position of the IGV (Inlet Portal Vehicle) and the position of the gantry crane's trolley 10 during loading and unloading operations is calculated. This distance is called the relative position between the gantry crane and the IGV, which is approximately 8-12 meters. During operation, the position of the trolley 10 typically changes, causing the relative position between the trolley 10 and the IGV to also change. In this invention, magnetic nails 13 are installed beside the gantry crane's track 15 where the trolley 10 runs. When the trolley 10 reaches the position of the magnetic nail 13, its current position can be identified. An absolute position encoder 14 is installed on each side of the trolley 10 mechanism. These encoders provide real-time feedback on the absolute position of the trolley 10 and send it to the equipment control system for updates. In other words, after the gantry crane's trolley 10 moves, the system automatically records its position.

[0062] The working position of the IGV can be determined based on the relative position of the gantry crane and the IGV, and the position of the trolley 10.

[0063] In this embodiment, there can be one or more IGVs.

[0064] In this embodiment, as Figure 4The system sets the operating distance between adjacent gantry cranes. When a gantry crane is operating, if the distance between it and an adjacent gantry crane is less than or equal to the set operating distance, the trolley 10 stops operating and the alarm device 111 is triggered. Based on the IGV's movement trajectory when moving into and out of the operating position, a minimum distance between the two gantry cranes is set. When the distance is less than this minimum distance, the operation of the trolley 10 is restricted, or the trolley 10's operating speed is limited, for example, by reducing the original speed by 20%, and an alarm is issued. The alarm is triggered by installing the alarm device 111 in the driver's cab 11, ensuring that the operation of adjacent gantry cranes does not interfere with each other. For example, the distance between the corners of the two gantry cranes is 10 meters, the center distance between the gantry cranes is 28 meters, the width of the gantry cranes is 18 meters, and a 3-meter margin is reserved. If it is required that the operation of the IGV of the rear gantry crane is completed without falling into the working projection range of the front gantry crane, then the minimum distance between the operation of two adjacent gantry cranes is 35 meters. At the same time, considering that the luffing angle of the rake needs to be easy for the driver to observe and operate during operation, the minimum distance between the corners of two adjacent gantry cranes during normal operation is 20 meters, and the center distance is 38 meters. In addition, to ensure the safety of the gantry crane and IGV working together, a 5-meter margin is reserved. Finally, the working distance between gantry cranes is set at 25 meters.

[0065] In some embodiments, the working distance between adjacent gantry cranes is 20-30 meters.

[0066] The gantry crane equipment control system is used to control operational tasks, including gantry crane operations and IGV operations. Both the gantry crane and IGV can receive and report the completion status of operational tasks, such as the gantry crane receiving corresponding IGV information, moving to a target location, or receiving loading instructions, and then feeding back this information to the gantry crane equipment control system. Similarly, the IGV can receive information about the corresponding gantry crane and move to a target location at a specific time.

[0067] In this embodiment, after the IGV acquires and executes the work task, it is locked. Once locked, the IGV cannot move and waits for the gantry crane to complete the work task. For example, if the goods on the IGV are picked up or put down, the IGV is unlocked after the task is completed. After unlocking, the IGV can leave the work lane and move to a temporary parking area or other areas.

[0068] In this embodiment, locking and unlocking the IGV is achieved by installing a locking function foot pedal 112 and a locking indicator light in the driver's cab 11. When the gantry crane operator depresses the locking foot pedal 112, the indicator light illuminates, and the gantry crane and IGV are interactively locked. The gantry crane can then perform loading and unloading operations on the IGV, but the IGV will not move. After the IGV receives a task and enters the gantry crane's loading and unloading lane, it will read the current actual position of the gantry crane and park. If the relative position of the IGV and the gantry crane meets the parking position standard, the driver initiates locking the IGV. Only after successful locking is the gantry crane allowed to operate on the IGV. Loading instructions require confirmation of cargo information before locking, and the operating IGV will no longer receive new tasks or instruction updates.

[0069] An unlocking foot pedal 112 is installed in the driver's cab 11. After the gantry crane finishes working on the IGV, the unlocking indicator light in the gantry crane driver's cab 11 will light up. After the driver steps on the unlocking foot pedal 112, the IGV can leave automatically.

[0070] To ensure the safe operation of the gantry crane with the IGV, the spreader 12 cannot be lowered below a safe height in the loading and unloading lane before the gantry crane is locked to the IGV. When the spreader 12 of the gantry crane is below a safe height in the working lane, it cannot be unlocked.

[0071] The above locking and unlocking methods can be any one or more of the following: a foot pedal 112 is installed in the driver's cab 11, controlled by a mobile APP, or controlled by a TOS terminal.

[0072] This embodiment also includes an IGV target location determination method:

[0073] Identify the target gantry crane corresponding to the IGV, which includes multiple work lanes and multiple temporary parking areas;

[0074] When the work lane is empty, the IGV takes the parking point of the work lane as its target location. The work lane being empty means that there is no IGV in the work lane or no IGV heading to the work lane.

[0075] When the work lane is not idle, the IGV uses the temporary parking area as its target location.

[0076] like Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the IGV operating positions according to the present invention. The diagram shows three IGVs corresponding to the same target gantry crane. There are also three different target locations within the operating lane. The corresponding IGVs move to their respective target locations according to the work tasks and then lock onto the target location. In this invention, movement between different operating lanes or from the operating lane to the temporary parking area is achieved by crossing the operating lane.

[0077] In some embodiments, an IGV follow button is provided in the driver's cab 11. The IGV follow button is used to realign the gantry crane 10 and the IGV. If the gantry crane 10 and the IGV are not accurately aligned, pressing the button will initiate the IGV follow operation, and the corresponding button light will illuminate. The IGV will follow the position of the gantry crane at the time the follow was triggered. After successful parking, the button light will turn off, completing the automatic alignment. The added IGV follow function can be controlled, including but not limited to, by providing a follow button in the driver's cab 11, or by clicking the IGV follow button on a mobile APP or TOS terminal.

[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process for a method of coordinated operation of multiple IGVs according to the present invention. A gantry crane can be associated with multiple IGVs, and the gantry crane and the multiple IGVs can work collaboratively. The collaborative operation state includes a work area and a waiting area, and includes the following steps:

[0079] Step 1: The multiple IGVs acquire the associated gantry crane operation tasks;

[0080] Step 2: Assign sequence numbers to the multiple IGVs. The sequence numbers are ordered according to the acquisition time, and the starting value of the sequence number is 1.

[0081] Step 3: The IGV with serial number 1 completes the parking operation in the work lane and locks the IGV with serial number 1.

[0082] Step four, the gantry crane completes the task of grabbing and placing the box;

[0083] Step 5: Unlock the IGV with serial number 1. When unlocking, the lifting device 12 is raised to a safe height or above.

[0084] Step 6: Decrement all IGV allocation sequence numbers in the waiting area by 1; terminate the collaborative operation when there are no IGVs in the waiting area.

[0085] Step 7: Repeat steps 3 through 6.

[0086] The steps for the gantry crane and the multiple IGVs to work together are executed sequentially. If the condition for ending the collaborative operation is met when step six is ​​reached, the entire task is completed. Otherwise, step seven is executed, that is, the task from steps three to six is ​​repeated.

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, a total of 5 IGVs are associated with the gantry crane in this embodiment. The equipment control system of the gantry crane can control the operation tasks of the corresponding 5 IGVs. When assigning serial numbers, the 5 IGVs are assigned serial numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. IGV with serial number 1 belongs to the work area, and the other 4 IGVs are in the waiting area. After IGV with serial number 1 moves to the target position, that is, the target position of work lane 2, it parks. At this time, it can check whether the alignment is successful. If the alignment is unsuccessful, the follow function in the above embodiment is executed. If the alignment is successful, IGV with serial number 1 is locked, and IGV with serial number 1 cannot move. The corresponding gantry crane completes the grabbing and releasing box operation task. At this time, the grabbing and releasing splice 12 must meet the requirement of the gantry crane splice 12 being above the safe height of the work lane in the above embodiment, so it is unlocked. After unlocking, IGV with serial number 1 leaves the work area. Decrement the sequence number of each IGV from 2 to 5 by 1. That is, change sequence number 2 to sequence number 1, sequence number 3 to sequence number 2, sequence number 4 to sequence number 3, and sequence number 5 to sequence number 4. At this time, sequence number 1 is the next IGV to enter the operation. Repeat step 3 to move the latest sequence number 1 IGV to the target position until all IGVs in the waiting area are moved out. At this time, all collaborative operations end.

[0088] In some embodiments, the method for coordinated operation of the gantry crane and the plurality of IGVs further includes manual control, which takes precedence over the coordinated operation of the gantry crane and the plurality of IGVs. The manual control includes IGV requeuing and prioritizing quay crane operations in a buffer zone, as detailed below:

[0089] The IGVs are requeued, which is used to interrupt the parking task in the work area lane. The IGVs performing the parking task then move to the temporary parking area and continue to perform the collaborative work task of the multiple IGVs.

[0090] Prioritize quay crane operations. The IGV corresponding to the priority quay crane operations is in the waiting area. Modify the IGV sequence number of the priority quay crane operations to the minimum sequence number of the waiting area, and at the same time, add 1 to the sequence number of all IGVs with a sequence number smaller than the original sequence number of the priority quay crane operations.

[0091] The IGV is set to wait in the buffer zone. When the IGV is in the work area and its sequence number is the smallest in the work area, the collaborative operation status of the IGV is changed to the waiting zone. When the buffer tag is removed, the IGV is in the work area and the collaborative operation process is carried out normally. When the IGV is in the waiting zone, the priority task of the quay crane operation is executed.

[0092] In some embodiments, the present invention further includes a computer-readable storage medium storing program code for execution, the program code including the method for implementing the collaborative operation of the gantry crane and IGV in the present invention.

[0093] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the claims of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV (Integrated Gas Ventilation Vehicle), wherein the gantry crane includes a trolley, a driver's cab, and a lifting device, characterized in that, The methods include: Confirm the IGV operating position. The IGV includes one or more IGVs. The IGV operating position confirmation method includes: obtaining the relative position between the main trolley and the IGV; obtaining the position of the main trolley and updating the position of the main trolley in real time. Magnetic nails are installed next to the main trolley track, and the main trolley is equipped with an absolute position encoder; confirm the IGV operating position. Set the working distance between adjacent gantry cranes. When a gantry crane is operating, if the distance between it and an adjacent gantry crane is less than or equal to the set working distance between adjacent gantry cranes, stop the trolley operation and trigger the alarm device. Obtain gantry crane operation tasks and IGV operation tasks; Complete the IGV operation task and lock the IGV. Complete the gantry crane operation and unlock the IGV. The locking and unlocking methods are any one or more of the following: foot pedal in the driver's cab, mobile APP control, or TOS terminal control; Before the IGV locks, the sling must not be lowered beyond the safe height. The IGV cannot be unlocked when the spreader is lowered beyond the safe height. The collaborative operation method also includes an IGV target location determination method: identifying the target gantry crane corresponding to the IGV, which includes multiple work lanes and multiple temporary parking areas; when the work lane is empty, the IGV takes the parking point of the work lane as the target location, and the work lane being empty means that there is no IGV in the work lane or no IGV heading to the work lane; when the work lane is not empty, the IGV takes the temporary parking area as the target location. An IGV follow button is installed in the driver's cab. The IGV follow button is used to realign the trolley and the IGV. A gantry crane can be linked to multiple IGVs, and the gantry crane and multiple IGVs can work collaboratively. The collaborative operation includes a work area and a waiting area, and includes the following steps: Step 1: Multiple IGVs acquire associated gantry crane operation tasks; Step 2: Assign sequence numbers to multiple IGVs. The sequence numbers are ordered according to the acquisition time, with the starting value of the sequence number being 1. Step 3: IGV with serial number 1 completes the parking operation in the work lane and locks IGV with serial number 1. Step four: The gantry crane completes the task of grabbing and placing the box. Step 5: Unlock IGV with serial number 1. During unlocking, the spreader will be raised to a height above the safe level. Step 6: Decrement all IGV allocation numbers in the waiting area by 1. The collaborative operation ends when there are no IGVs in the waiting area. Step 7: Repeat steps 3 through 6; The method of coordinating gantry cranes with multiple IGVs also includes manual control operations, which take precedence over the coordinating operation of gantry cranes with multiple IGVs. Manual control includes: IGVs are re-queued. IGV re-queuing is used to interrupt the parking task in the work area. The IGVs performing the parking task will then drive to the temporary parking area and continue to perform multiple IGV collaborative work tasks. Prioritize quay crane operations. The IGV corresponding to quay crane operations priority is in the waiting area. Modify the IGV sequence number of quay crane operations priority to the minimum sequence number in the waiting area, and add 1 to the sequence number of IGVs with a sequence number lower than the original sequence number of quay crane operations priority. The IGV waits in the buffer zone by setting a buffer tag. When the IGV is in the work area and its sequence number is the smallest in the work area, the collaborative operation status of the IGV is changed to the waiting area. When the buffer tag is removed, the IGV is in the work area and the collaborative operation process proceeds normally. When the IGV is in the waiting area, the quay crane operation priority task is executed.

2. The method for coordinated operation of a gantry crane and an IGV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The relative position between the large vehicle and the IGV is 8-12 meters; The working distance between adjacent gantry cranes is 20-30 meters.

3. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer-readable storage medium stores program code for execution, the program code including methods for implementing any one of claims 1 to 2.

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