Bin handling methods, devices, equipment, warehousing systems and storage media

Abstract

This disclosure provides a method, apparatus, equipment, warehousing system, and storage medium for handling bins. The method includes: acquiring the volumetric water level of a bin to be processed; determining, based on the volumetric water level, whether the bin needs to be sorted; if it is determined that the bin needs to be sorted, generating a first conveyor line transmission command to control the bin to flow through the conveyor line to a sorting workstation, wherein the sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins. This disclosure establishes an integrated picking and sorting workstation, where picking and sorting are performed simultaneously without increasing processing time, thus improving bin handling efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of intelligent warehousing technology, and in particular to a bin handling method, apparatus, equipment, warehousing system and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] An Autonomous Case-Handling Robot (ACR) system refers to a robotic system used in industrial and logistics warehousing that uses crates / boxes as handling units and possesses autonomous mobility. Generally, an ACR system consists of handling robots, storage racks, charging devices, a multi-functional workstation, and a robot intelligent management platform. The multi-functional workstation is the work area for transferring goods from crates to order boxes; that is, the handling robot retrieves crates from the storage area, and at the workstation, in conjunction with human operators, removes the goods from the crates and places them into the order boxes.

[0003] Currently, the workstations are primarily designed for picking and outbound operations. When there is a need for sorting, the workstation's attributes must be changed after picking and outbound operations are completed, and the operator must select the sorting task before sorting can proceed. For e-commerce scenarios with a large number of sorting tasks due to the wide and shallow depth of the StockKeeping Unit (SKU), a separate workstation is required.

[0004] However, existing bin handling methods require extending working hours for sorting by changing workstation attributes, resulting in a waste of human resources. If a separate sorting workstation is set up, it is impossible to carry out bin picking and sorting simultaneously, resulting in low work efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a bin handling method, apparatus, equipment, warehousing system, and storage medium to solve the problems of existing bin handling methods, which require extending working hours for sorting due to changes in workstation attributes, resulting in a waste of human resources. Furthermore, if a separate sorting workstation is set up, it is impossible to simultaneously pick and sort bins, leading to low work efficiency.

[0006] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a method for handling a material bin, the method comprising:

[0007] Obtain the volume and water level of the material bin to be processed;

[0008] Determine whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume and water level.

[0009] If it is determined that the bin to be processed needs to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission command is generated to control the bin to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line, wherein the sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bin to be processed.

[0010] Here, the bin handling method provided in this disclosure can monitor the bin status according to the bin volume level and automatically determine whether sorting is required. If sorting is required, the bin will automatically flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line. The sorting workstation and the picking workstation can transfer the bins through the return conveyor line, integrating picking and sorting. Picking and sorting can be carried out simultaneously without increasing the operation time, thus improving the bin handling efficiency.

[0011] In one possible design, after generating a first conveyor line transfer instruction to control the material bins to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line if it is determined that the material bins to be processed need to be sorted, the design further includes: if it is detected that a processed material bin is placed in the buffer area, then taking a picture of the electronic tag of the processed material bin.

[0012] In one possible design, photographing the electronic tag of the processed bin includes: photographing the electronic tag of the processed bin using a barcode scanner located in the buffer area.

[0013] The workbench of this disclosure is equipped with a buffer area, which is used by the operator to place the processed bins in the buffer area after the sorting is completed. The electronic tag of the processed bin can be photographed in the buffer area, realizing the automated registration and processing of the processed bins. There is no need to manually record the information of the processed bins, which further improves the bin processing efficiency.

[0014] In one possible design, the buffer area includes an empty box buffer area; correspondingly, after the step of photographing the electronic tag of the processed box if it is detected that a processed box is placed in the buffer area, the method further includes: if it is determined that the processed box is placed in the empty box buffer area, generating a first empty box transfer instruction based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed box from the empty box buffer area to the warehousing workstation.

[0015] Here, this disclosure sets up an empty box buffer area. When a box is detected to be placed in the empty box buffer area, a first empty box transfer instruction can be generated based on the electronic tag of the empty box buffer area, that is, a robot control instruction for moving empty boxes, so as to control the robot to move the processed box from the empty box buffer area to the inbound workstation, reducing the need for the inbound workstation to retrieve empty boxes, and automatically realizing the handling of empty boxes, improving the automation of sorting. Moreover, the picking and sorting share the same robot, without the need for additional robot resource investment, reducing the cost of box handling and improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0016] In one possible design, the buffer area includes a full-box buffer area; correspondingly, after the step of photographing the electronic tag of the processed box if it is detected that a processed box is placed in the buffer area, the method further includes: if it is determined that the processed box is placed in the full-box buffer area, generating a full-box delivery prompt based on the picking instruction of the picking station and the electronic tag to prompt the operator to place the processed box on the conveyor line; generating a full-box delivery instruction to control the processed box to flow to the target picking station through the conveyor line.

[0017] Here, this disclosure also sets up a full-box buffer area. For full boxes that have been sorted, if there is still space to continue sorting, they are placed in the full-box buffer area of ​​the buffer shelf. The box information is uploaded according to the captured electronic tag. If the system prompts that there is a box in the full-box buffer area that has been hit by the current picking workstation, it prompts the operator to place the box that has been processed on the conveyor line and generates an automatic transfer instruction to transport the full box to the designated picking workstation. This realizes the automated management of full boxes that have been sorted. Moreover, the integrated picking and sorting workstation setting allows for direct transfer of boxes via the conveyor line without the need for additional robot transportation, further reducing the cost of box handling and improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0018] In one possible design, generating a full-box delivery instruction to control the flow of the processed boxes to the target picking station via the conveyor line includes: determining the target picking station based on the picking instruction; and generating a full-box delivery instruction based on the target picking station to control the flow of the processed boxes to the target picking station via the conveyor line.

[0019] This disclosure can automatically generate a full box transfer instruction containing the target picking workstation for the picking instruction, so that the full box can be correctly transferred without the operator having to perform additional selection operations, thereby further improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0020] In one possible design, after detecting that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area and taking a picture of the electronic tag of the processed bin, the design further includes:

[0021] If a processed bin is detected placed at the bin retrieval port, a bin return command is generated to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the inbound workstation.

[0022] In the event that the cache shelf is full of empty boxes, this invention provides an empty box retrieval port. Operators can place the empty boxes at the port, and a robot will retrieve the boxes and return them to the warehouse. This enables automatic warehousing of empty boxes and further improves the efficiency of box handling.

[0023] In one possible design, if it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, a first conveyor line transfer instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line. The design further includes: detecting whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty; if the processed bins are detected to be empty, a second empty bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bins to flow to the empty bin buffer area via the conveyor line; if a processed bin is detected placed in the empty bin buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed, and a third empty bin transfer instruction is generated based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed bins to the receiving workstation.

[0024] Here, this disclosure can automatically detect whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty after the bin sorting is completed, and automatically generate a second empty bin transfer instruction for the empty bins. The processed bins that have been processed and become empty are automatically transported to the empty bin buffer area through the conveyor line without the need for manual picking by the operator. After the empty bins are transported to the empty bin buffer area, the electronic tags of the empty bins are automatically photographed, and the robot is controlled to perform the handling operation based on the electronic tags. This realizes the automation of empty bin processing after sorting and further improves the bin processing efficiency.

[0025] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0026] Obtain the quantity of items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin to be processed based on the preset total quantity of the bin and the quantity of items.

[0027] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the quantity of items, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be sorted.

[0028] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0029] Obtain the types of items in the bin to be processed and the weight of the bin; determine the volume level of the bin based on the weight of each type of item and the weight of the bin.

[0030] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the weight of the items, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be emptied.

[0031] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0032] Obtain the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin based on the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed and the load-bearing capacity of the bin to be processed.

[0033] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the weight of the goods, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be emptied. This disclosure allows for different methods of determining the volumetric water level for different situations, improving the flexibility of volumetric water level determination and further enhancing the accuracy and flexibility of hopper handling.

[0034] In one possible design, prior to obtaining the volume water level of at least one hopper to be processed, the following is also included:

[0035] The bins placed in the preset area are designated as bins to be processed.

[0036] Here, the present invention sets a preset area, which can be used to detect the material boxes to be processed based on the sensors in the preset area, so as to realize the automatic identification and processing trigger of the material boxes to be processed, without the need for operators to perform unnecessary manual operations, thereby further improving the material box processing efficiency.

[0037] In one possible design, determining whether the material bin needs to be sorted based on its volume level includes:

[0038] If the volume level of the bin to be processed is less than a preset threshold, then the bin to be processed is determined to need to be sorted.

[0039] It is understood that the preset threshold here can be determined according to the actual situation, and this disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on it. This disclosure can automatically identify the material bins to be processed when the volume water level is less than the preset threshold. For material bins with excessively small volume water levels, it automatically triggers sorting processing, thereby improving the utilization rate and processing efficiency of the material bins.

[0040] In one possible design, after determining whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume level, the method further includes: if it is determined that the material bin to be processed does not need to be sorted, generating a first conveyor line transmission instruction to control the material bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line.

[0041] In this invention, once it is determined that the bin does not require handling, an instruction can be automatically generated to control the bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line, without the need for manual handling, thus further improving the bin processing efficiency.

[0042] Secondly, this disclosure provides a bin handling apparatus, comprising:

[0043] The water level detection module is used to obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed;

[0044] The demand determination module is used to determine whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on the volume and water level of the bin to be processed.

[0045] The sorting and conveying module is used to generate a first conveyor line conveying command if it is determined that the bin to be processed needs to be sorted, so as to control the bin to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation through the conveyor line, wherein the sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bin to be processed.

[0046] In one possible design, after the sorting and transfer module generates a first conveyor line transfer command to control the flow of the bins to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line if it determines that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, the device further includes a camera module for:

[0047] If a processed bin is detected placed in the buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed.

[0048] In one possible design, the shooting module is specifically used for:

[0049] The electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed by a barcode scanner installed in the buffer area.

[0050] In one possible design, the cache area includes an empty box cache area;

[0051] Accordingly, after the imaging module is configured to photograph the electronic tag of the processed bin if it detects that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the above-mentioned device further includes a first generation module, configured to:

[0052] If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the empty bin buffer area, a first empty bin transfer instruction is generated according to the electronic tag to control the robot to move the processed bin from the empty bin buffer area to the warehousing workstation.

[0053] In one possible design, the cache area includes a solid-box cache area;

[0054] Accordingly, after the imaging module is configured to photograph the electronic tag of the processed bin if it detects that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the above-mentioned device further includes a second generation module, configured to:

[0055] If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the full-box buffer area, a full-box delivery prompt is generated according to the picking instructions of the picking workstation and the electronic tag to prompt the operator to place the processed bin on the conveyor line; a full-box delivery instruction is generated to control the processed bin to flow to the target picking workstation through the conveyor line.

[0056] In one possible design, the second generation module is specifically used for:

[0057] Based on the picking instruction, a target picking workstation is determined; based on the target picking workstation, a full box transfer instruction is generated to control the processed boxes to flow to the target picking workstation via the conveyor line.

[0058] In one possible design, after the capturing module captures the electronic tag of the processed bin if it detects that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the device further includes a third generation module for:

[0059] If a processed bin is detected placed at the bin retrieval port, a bin return command is generated to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the inbound workstation.

[0060] In one possible design, after the sorting and transfer module generates a first conveyor line transfer instruction to control the bins to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line if it determines that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, the above-mentioned device further includes a first processing module for:

[0061] The system detects whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty. If an empty bin is detected, a second empty bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bin to flow to the empty bin buffer area via the conveyor line. If a processed bin is detected in the empty bin buffer area, the system photographs the electronic tag of the processed bin and generates a third empty bin transfer instruction based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the receiving workstation.

[0062] In one possible design, the water level detection module is specifically used for:

[0063] Obtain the quantity of items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin to be processed based on the preset total quantity of the bin and the quantity of items.

[0064] In one possible design, the water level detection module is further specifically used for:

[0065] Obtain the type of items in the bin to be processed and the weight of the bin to be processed;

[0066] The volume level of the material bin to be processed is determined based on the weight of each type of item and the weight of the bin to be processed.

[0067] In one possible design, the water level detection module is further specifically used for:

[0068] Obtain the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed;

[0069] The volume level of the material bin to be processed is determined based on the total volume of the items in the bin and the bin's capacity.

[0070] In one possible design, before the water level detection module is used to obtain the volume water level of at least one hopper to be processed, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0071] The bin identification module is used to identify bins placed in a preset area as bins to be processed.

[0072] In one possible design, the requirements determination module is specifically used for:

[0073] If the volume level of the bin to be processed is less than a preset threshold, then the bin to be processed is determined to need to be sorted.

[0074] In one possible design, after the demand determination module determines whether the bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume level, the device further includes a fourth generation module for:

[0075] If it is determined that the bin to be processed does not require sorting, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line.

[0076] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a bin handling device, including: at least one processor and a memory;

[0077] The memory stores computer-executed instructions;

[0078] The at least one processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0079] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a warehousing system, including: a handling robot, an operating table, and a bin handling device, wherein the bin handling device is used to perform the method described in any of the first aspects.

[0080] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method described in any of the first aspects.

[0081] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0082] The material bin handling method, apparatus, equipment, warehousing system, and storage medium disclosed herein can monitor the status of the material bins based on their volume and water level, automatically determine whether sorting is required, and if sorting is required, the material bins automatically flow to the sorting workstation via the return conveyor line. The sorting workstation and the picking workstation can transfer the material bins through the return conveyor line, integrating picking and sorting, allowing picking and sorting to be carried out simultaneously without increasing the operation time, thus improving the material bin handling efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0083] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0084] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of a bin processing method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0085] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating a bin processing method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0086] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin processing method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0087] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart illustrating another bin processing method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0088] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin processing method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0089] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin handling method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0090] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart illustrating another bin processing method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0091] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart illustrating another bin processing method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0092] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bin handling device provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0093] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a material bin processing device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0094] The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this disclosure, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this disclosure to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0095] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0096] Existing box-type warehousing robot systems primarily employ two design approaches for their workstations: one system is mainly designed for picking and outbound operations. When there is a need for sorting, the workstation must change its attributes after picking and outbound operations are completed, and the operator must select the sorting task before sorting can begin. This can easily lead to operator fatigue due to prolonged work hours, and is particularly problematic for e-commerce scenarios with a wide range of SKUs but shallow depth, requiring a large number of sorting tasks. The other system uses a separate workstation, but sorting boxes requires additional robot resources for handling boxes. When a sorting box is picked up by the outbound workstation, it cannot be retrieved. Existing methods for handling boxes by changing workstation attributes require extended working time for sorting, resulting in a waste of human resources. Furthermore, using a separate sorting workstation cannot achieve simultaneous box picking and sorting, leading to low work efficiency.

[0097] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a bin handling method, apparatus, equipment, warehousing system, and storage medium. It adds a sorting workstation to the existing picking and outbound workstation of a bin-type warehousing robot system. The status of the bins can be monitored based on their volume and water level, automatically determining whether sorting is required. If sorting is needed, the bins automatically flow to the sorting workstation via a conveyor line. The sorting workstation and the picking workstation can transfer bins via a return conveyor line, integrating picking and sorting.

[0098] First, the application scenarios of the embodiments of this disclosure will be explained:

[0099] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of a bin handling method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure, such as... Figure 1As shown, the bin handling method provided in this embodiment can be executed by bin handling equipment, which can be a scheduling device of a warehousing system, and its form can be a computer or a server. The warehousing system typically includes a sorting workstation 101, a picking workstation 102, a conveyor line 103, and a scheduling device 104. The scheduling device 104 monitors the bin status based on its volume level after the bins have been picked at the picking workstation 102, automatically determining whether sorting is required. If sorting is required, it controls the bins to automatically flow to the sorting workstation 101 via the conveyor line 103.

[0100] Understandable, Figure 1 This is merely illustrative; in actual applications, there are no specific restrictions on the structure, location, form, or quantity of sorting workstations, picking workstations, conveyor lines, and scheduling equipment.

[0101] Optionally, embodiments of this disclosure also include multiple robots, also referred to as handling robots. These handling robots are used to move material boxes from their current location to a designated location according to instructions from the scheduling device 104, enabling operations such as material box storage and retrieval. The handling robots can be robots equipped with forks or robotic arms, capable of retrieving items from raw material storage shelves. Furthermore, the handling robots can be equipped with multiple carrying baskets to hold multiple material boxes and move them to the raw material picking station in one go.

[0102] In some embodiments, the handling robot can transport bins via a bin transport line.

[0103] In some embodiments, the conveyor line may be a unidirectional conveyor belt.

[0104] In some embodiments, the conveyor line may be a bidirectional or flexibly oriented conveyor belt.

[0105] In some embodiments, the sorting workstation 101 and the picking workstation 102 are connected by a conveyor line 103. The conveyor line 103 can be a driveable device, or the sorting workstation 101 and the picking workstation 102 can be a portion of the conveyor line 103. When the scheduling device 104 determines that the picking of the bins at the picking workstation 102 has been completed, it can transfer the bins to the sorting workstation 101 via the driveable device or the conveyor line 103 after determining that the bins need to be sorted.

[0106] In one possible design, this disclosure embodiment also includes an abnormality bin / item rejection port, used to convey the abnormality bin or item to the abnormality bin / item rejection port via a conveyor belt after the operator has finished picking. This disclosure embodiment does not impose specific limitations on the specific location and structure of the abnormality bin / item rejection port.

[0107] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this disclosure is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Where there is no conflict between the embodiments, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0108] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a bin processing method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. In this embodiment, the executing entity of the method can be a bin processing device, which can be either a server or a scheduling device 104. Figure 2 As shown, the bin processing method in this embodiment may include:

[0109] Step 201: Obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed.

[0110] In one possible design, prior to obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed, the following is also included:

[0111] The bins placed in the preset area are designated as bins to be processed.

[0112] Here, the present invention sets a preset area, which can be used to detect the material boxes to be processed based on the sensors in the preset area, so as to realize the automatic identification and processing trigger of the material boxes to be processed, without the need for operators to perform unnecessary manual operations, thereby further improving the material box processing efficiency.

[0113] In some embodiments, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin processing method provided in this application embodiment. The preset area can be as follows: Figure 3 As shown, in Figure 1 On this basis, Figure 3 The system also includes a preset area 105. When a material bin is detected in the preset area 105, a volumetric water level detection operation is triggered. It is understandable that... Figure 3 This is only an example; in actual application, the preset area 105 can be in other locations.

[0114] Optionally, if a bin is detected to require sorting, it is transported via the lower conveyor belt of the preset area to the upper conveyor belt, where an operation to determine whether the bin requires sorting is performed. Alternatively, if a bin is detected to require sorting, it is transported via the upper conveyor belt of the preset area to the lower conveyor belt, where an operation to determine whether the bin requires sorting is performed. This embodiment does not specifically limit the execution order and function of the two conveyor belts. If the preset area includes two conveyor belts (upper and lower), one conveyor belt transports the bin to the sorting workstation, and the other conveyor belt transports it to the return storage location. If the preset area includes one conveyor belt, a diversion area is provided to separately transport the bin to the sorting workstation and to the return storage location.

[0115] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0116] Obtain the quantity of items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin to be processed based on the preset total quantity and the quantity of items.

[0117] In some embodiments of this disclosure, an infrared camera may be set at a first preset position to determine the quantity of items in the bin to be processed based on the image captured by the infrared camera.

[0118] It is understood that the preset total quantity here can be determined according to the actual situation, and the embodiments of this application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0119] In some embodiments, the present disclosure can receive user input to determine or update a preset total quantity, thereby enabling more flexible bin handling and meeting different user needs.

[0120] In some embodiments, the ratio of the preset total number of bins to be processed, the first preset position, and the number of items is determined as the volumetric water level.

[0121] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the quantity of items, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be sorted.

[0122] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0123] Obtain the types of items in the bin to be processed and the weight of the bin; determine the volume level of the bin based on the weight of each item type and the weight of the bin.

[0124] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a weight detection device, such as an electronic scale or a gravity sensor, may be set at a second preset location to determine the weight of the bin to be processed based on the detection results of the weight detection device.

[0125] In some embodiments, the type of items in the bin to be processed can be identified by an electronic tag on the bin. The type of items in the bin can be one or more.

[0126] It is understood that the preset total quantity here can be determined according to the actual situation, and the embodiments of this application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0127] In some embodiments, the present disclosure can receive user input to determine or update a preset total quantity, thereby enabling more flexible bin handling and meeting different user needs.

[0128] In some embodiments, if there is only one type of item in the bin, the ratio of the weight of the single item type to the weight of the bin to be processed is determined as the volume level.

[0129] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the weight of the items, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be emptied.

[0130] In one possible design, obtaining the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed includes:

[0131] Obtain the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin based on the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed and the bin's capacity.

[0132] In some embodiments, the total volume of items in the bin to be processed can be obtained by devices such as infrared cameras or water level detection devices.

[0133] This disclosure enables the determination of the volumetric water level based on the weight of the goods, thereby accurately determining whether the hopper needs to be emptied. This disclosure allows for different methods of determining the volumetric water level for different situations, improving the flexibility of volumetric water level determination and further enhancing the accuracy and flexibility of hopper handling.

[0134] Step 202: Determine whether the material bins need to be sorted based on their volume and water level.

[0135] In one possible design, the determination of whether the bin needs to be sorted is based on its volume and water level, including:

[0136] If the water level in the bin to be processed is less than the preset threshold, then the bin to be processed needs to be sorted.

[0137] It is understood that the preset threshold here can be determined according to the actual situation, and this disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on it. This disclosure can automatically identify the material bins to be processed when the volume water level is less than the preset threshold. For material bins with excessively small volume water levels, it automatically triggers sorting processing, thereby improving the utilization rate and processing efficiency of the material bins.

[0138] It is understood that the preset threshold here can be determined according to the actual situation, and the present disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on it.

[0139] Step 203: If it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line.

[0140] The sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins of materials to be processed.

[0141] In one possible design, after determining whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume level, the process further includes: if it is determined that the material bin to be processed does not need to be sorted, generating a first conveyor line transmission instruction to control the material bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line.

[0142] In this invention, once it is determined that the bin does not require handling, an instruction can be automatically generated to control the bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line, without the need for manual handling, thus further improving the bin processing efficiency.

[0143] In some embodiments, it can be achieved through Figure 3 The preset area 105 realizes the diversion of material bins, and the material bins to be processed are returned to the warehouse through the conveyor line.

[0144] The bin handling method provided in this embodiment can monitor the bin status according to the bin volume level and automatically determine whether sorting is required. If sorting is required, the bin will automatically flow to the sorting workstation via a conveyor line. The sorting workstation and the picking workstation can transfer the bins via a return conveyor line, integrating picking and sorting. Picking and sorting can be carried out simultaneously without increasing the operation time, thus improving the bin handling efficiency.

[0145] This embodiment of the disclosure can also provide a buffer area for operators to place material bins after sorting, thereby achieving automated registration and processing of the material bins. Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of another bin processing method provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the method includes:

[0146] Step 401: Obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed.

[0147] Step 402: Determine whether the material bins to be processed need to be sorted based on their volume and water level.

[0148] Step 403: If it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line.

[0149] The sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins of materials to be processed.

[0150] The implementation methods of steps S401-S403 are similar to those of steps S201-S203, and will not be described in detail here.

[0151] Step 404: If a processed bin is detected in the buffer area, take a picture of the electronic tag of the processed bin.

[0152] Exemplary, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin processing method provided in this disclosure embodiment. Figure 3 In addition to this, there is also a buffer area 106. If a processed bin is detected to be placed in the buffer area 106, the electronic tag of the processed bin will be photographed.

[0153] In one possible design, photographing the electronic tag of the processed bin includes: photographing the electronic tag of the processed bin using a barcode scanner located in the buffer area.

[0154] The workbench of this disclosure is equipped with a buffer area, which is used by the operator to place the processed bins in the buffer area after the sorting is completed. The electronic tag of the processed bin can be photographed in the buffer area, realizing the automated registration and processing of the processed bins. There is no need to manually record the information of the processed bins, which further improves the bin processing efficiency.

[0155] In one possible design, to achieve efficient management of processed bins, embodiments of this disclosure divide the buffer area into an empty bin buffer area and an empty bin buffer area. Exemplarily, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of another bin handling method provided in this disclosure embodiment. Figure 3 In addition to this, buffer areas 1061 and 1062 are also included. Operators can sort and place the bins in buffer areas 1061 and 1062 after sorting, or the scheduling equipment can automatically detect the empty bin status and transport the bins to buffer areas 1061 and 1062. It is understandable that... Figure 6 This is just an illustration; cache areas 1061 and 1062 could also be... Figure 5 A portion of the cache area 106.

[0156] based on Figure 6 The diagram illustrates an application scenario for the bin handling method. This embodiment of the disclosure allows for subsequent bin processing based on the bin's placement location after the operator has completed the sorting process. Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of another bin processing method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown, the method includes:

[0157] Step 701: Obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed.

[0158] Step 702: Determine whether the material bins to be processed need to be sorted based on their volume and water level.

[0159] Step 703: If it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line.

[0160] The sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins of materials to be processed.

[0161] Step 704: If a processed bin is detected in the buffer area, take a picture of the electronic tag of the processed bin.

[0162] The implementation methods of steps S701-S704 are similar to those of steps S401-S404, and will not be described in detail here.

[0163] Step 705: If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the empty bin buffer area, the first empty bin transfer instruction is generated according to the electronic tag to control the robot to move the processed bin from the empty bin buffer area to the warehousing workstation.

[0164] Here, this disclosure sets up an empty box buffer area. When a box is detected to be placed in the empty box buffer area, a first empty box transfer instruction can be generated based on the electronic tag of the empty box buffer area, that is, a robot control instruction for moving empty boxes, so as to control the robot to move the processed box from the empty box buffer area to the inbound workstation, reducing the need for the inbound workstation to retrieve empty boxes, and automatically realizing the handling of empty boxes, improving the automation of sorting. Moreover, the picking and sorting share the same robot, without the need for additional robot resource investment, reducing the cost of box handling and improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0165] Step 706: If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the full bin buffer area, generate a full bin transfer prompt based on the picking instructions and electronic tags of the picking workstation to prompt the operator to place the processed bin on the conveyor line.

[0166] Step 707: Generate a full box transfer instruction to control the flow of processed boxes to the target picking workstation via the conveyor line.

[0167] In one possible design, generating a full-box delivery instruction to control the flow of processed boxes through a conveyor line to a target picking station includes: determining the target picking station based on the picking instruction; and generating a full-box delivery instruction based on the target picking station to control the flow of processed boxes through a conveyor line to the target picking station.

[0168] This disclosure can automatically generate a full box transfer instruction containing the target picking workstation for the picking instruction, so that the full box can be correctly transferred without the operator having to perform additional selection operations, thereby further improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0169] In one possible design, if a processed bin is detected placed at the bin retrieval port, a bin return command is generated to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the inbound workstation.

[0170] In some possible implementations, the container loading / unloading port can be set at... Figure 7 Position 1061 in the text.

[0171] In the event that the cache shelf is full of empty boxes, this invention provides an empty box retrieval port. Operators can place the empty boxes at the port, and a robot will retrieve the boxes and return them to the warehouse. This enables automatic warehousing of empty boxes and further improves the efficiency of box handling.

[0172] Here, this disclosure also sets up a full-box buffer area. For full boxes that have been sorted, if there is still space to continue sorting, they are placed in the full-box buffer area of ​​the buffer shelf. The box information is uploaded according to the captured electronic tag. If the system prompts that there is a box in the full-box buffer area that has been hit by the current picking workstation, it prompts the operator to place the box that has been processed on the conveyor line and generates an automatic transfer instruction to transport the full box to the designated picking workstation. This realizes the automated management of full boxes that have been sorted. Moreover, the integrated picking and sorting workstation setting allows for direct transfer of boxes via the conveyor line without the need for additional robot transportation, further reducing the cost of box handling and improving the efficiency of box handling.

[0173] based on Figure 6 The diagram illustrates an application scenario for the bin handling method. This embodiment of the disclosure can automatically transport empty bins to a designated location after the operator has finished sorting the goods. Correspondingly, Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating another bin processing method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, the method includes:

[0174] Step 801: Obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed.

[0175] Step 802: Determine whether the material bins to be processed need to be sorted based on their volume and water level.

[0176] Step 803: If it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line.

[0177] The sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins of materials to be processed.

[0178] Step 804: If a processed bin is detected in the buffer area, take a picture of the electronic tag of the processed bin.

[0179] The implementation methods of steps S801-S804 are similar to those of steps S401-S404, and will not be described in detail here.

[0180] Step 805: Check whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty.

[0181] Step 806: If an empty processed bin is detected, a second empty bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bins to flow to the empty bin buffer area via the conveyor line.

[0182] Step 807: If a processed bin is detected in the empty bin buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed, and a third empty bin transfer instruction is generated based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the warehousing workstation.

[0183] Here, this disclosure can automatically detect whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty after the bin sorting is completed, and automatically generate a second empty bin transfer instruction for the empty bins. The processed bins that have been processed and become empty are automatically transported to the empty bin buffer area through the conveyor line without the need for manual picking by the operator. After the empty bins are transported to the empty bin buffer area, the electronic tags of the empty bins are automatically photographed, and the robot is controlled to perform the handling operation based on the electronic tags. This realizes the automation of empty bin processing after sorting and further improves the bin processing efficiency.

[0184] In one possible implementation, after the operator picks the bins, the system automatically determines whether restocking is needed based on bin volume and water level monitoring. If restocking is required, the bins automatically flow to the restocking workstation via the return conveyor line. The operator restocks the bins, places empty bins in the empty bin slot on the buffer shelf, and scans the electronic tag to indicate that an empty bin is occupied. The outbound robot then retrieves the empty bin and takes it to the inbound workstation, reducing the need for the inbound workstation to retrieve empty bins. If there is still space for restocking after restocking, the full bins are placed in the full bin buffer slot on the buffer shelf. If the system indicates that a full bin in the buffer slot has been selected by the current picking workstation, the operator places the full bin on the left conveyor line, which then travels to the right outbound line and finally to workstation number one. Figure 6 (Right side) Picking workstation, if it is the second ( Figure 6 If a picking station (left side) is selected, the food passes through picking station 1 and is then transported by a transfer machine to picking station 2. When the buffer shelf is full, the operator places the food box at the food box retrieval port, where the outbound robot retrieves the food box and returns it to the warehouse. When there is a sorting bin at picking station 1, the conveyor line determines whether sorting is required. If so, the food box is transported back to the warehouse via a transfer machine to picking line 2, and then transported to the sorting station at the return point. If sorting is not required, the food box is directly transported back to the warehouse via an inclined conveyor to the second-floor conveyor line.

[0185] The method disclosed herein achieves the following technical effects: integrated picking and sorting, requiring no additional robot resource investment, with picking and sorting sharing robots; simultaneous picking and sorting operations, without increasing operation time; upon completion of sorting, if a material box is hit, it can flow to the picking and outbound workstation via a conveyor line, eliminating the need for additional box handling and improving picking and outbound efficiency.

[0186] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bin handling device provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 9As shown, the device includes: a water level detection module 901, a demand determination module 902, and a cargo handling and transfer module 903.

[0187] The water level detection module is used to obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed.

[0188] The demand determination module is used to determine whether the bins to be processed need to be sorted based on their volume and water level.

[0189] The sorting and conveying module is used to generate a first conveyor line transfer instruction if it is determined that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, so as to control the bins to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line. The sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bins to be processed.

[0190] In one possible design, after the sorting and transfer module generates a first conveyor line transfer instruction to control the flow of the bins to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line if it determines that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, the above-mentioned device further includes a camera module for:

[0191] If a processed bin is detected in the buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin will be photographed.

[0192] In one possible design, the shooting module is specifically used for:

[0193] The electronic tags of the processed bins are photographed using a barcode scanner installed in the buffer area.

[0194] In one possible design, the cache area includes an empty box cache area;

[0195] Accordingly, after the imaging module is used to photograph the electronic tag of the processed bin if it is detected that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the above-mentioned device further includes a first generation module for:

[0196] If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the empty bin buffer area, the first empty bin transfer instruction is generated based on the electronic tag to control the robot to move the processed bin from the empty bin buffer area to the receiving workstation.

[0197] In one possible design, the cache area includes a solid-box cache area;

[0198] Accordingly, after the imaging module is used to photograph the electronic tag of the processed bin if it detects that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the above device further includes a second generation module for:

[0199] If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the full-box buffer area, a full-box delivery prompt is generated based on the picking instructions and electronic tags of the picking workstation to prompt the operator to place the processed bin on the conveyor line; a full-box delivery instruction is generated to control the flow of the processed bin through the conveyor line to the target picking workstation.

[0200] In one possible design, the second generation module is specifically used for:

[0201] Based on the picking instructions, the target picking workstation is determined; based on the target picking workstation, a full box transfer instruction is generated to control the flow of processed boxes to the target picking workstation via the conveyor line.

[0202] In one possible design, after the imaging module captures the electronic tag of the processed bin if it detects that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area, the device further includes a third generation module for:

[0203] If a processed bin is detected placed at the bin retrieval port, a bin return command is generated to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the inbound workstation.

[0204] In one possible design, after the sorting and transfer module generates a first conveyor line transfer instruction to control the flow of the bins to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line if it determines that the bins to be processed need to be sorted, the above-mentioned device further includes a first processing module for:

[0205] The system detects whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty. If an empty bin is detected, a second empty bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bins to flow to the empty bin buffer area via the conveyor line. If a processed bin is detected in the empty bin buffer area, the system takes a picture of the electronic tag of the processed bin and generates a third empty bin transfer instruction based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the receiving workstation.

[0206] In one possible design, the water level detection module is specifically used for:

[0207] Obtain the quantity of items in the bin to be processed; determine the volume level of the bin to be processed based on the preset total quantity and the quantity of items.

[0208] In one possible design, the water level detection module is also specifically used for:

[0209] Obtain the type of items in the bin to be processed and the weight of the bin to be processed;

[0210] Determine the volume level of the hopper based on the weight of each item type and the weight of the hopper to be processed.

[0211] In one possible design, the water level detection module is also specifically used for:

[0212] Get the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed;

[0213] Determine the water level of the material bin based on the total volume of the items in the bin and the bin's capacity.

[0214] In one possible design, before the water level detection module acquires the volumetric water level of at least one hopper to be processed, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0215] The bin identification module is used to identify bins placed in a preset area as bins to be processed.

[0216] In one possible design, the requirements definition module is specifically used for:

[0217] If the water level in the bin to be processed is less than the preset threshold, then the bin to be processed needs to be sorted.

[0218] In one possible design, after the demand determination module determines whether the bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume level, the device further includes a fourth generation module for:

[0219] If it is determined that the bins to be processed do not require sorting, a first conveyor line transfer instruction is generated to control the bins to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line.

[0220] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a material bin processing device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 10 As shown, the bin processing equipment in this embodiment may include:

[0221] At least one processor 1001 and memory 1002;

[0222] Memory 1002 stores computer-executed instructions;

[0223] At least one processor 1001 executes computer execution instructions stored in memory 1002, causing at least one processor 1001 to perform the method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0224] Alternatively, the memory 1002 can be either standalone or integrated with the processor 1001.

[0225] The implementation principle and technical effects of the material bin processing equipment provided in this embodiment can be found in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0226] This disclosure also provides a warehousing system, including: a handling robot, an operating table, and an item handling device, wherein the item handling device is used in any of the methods described above.

[0227] The item handling equipment can be any one of a server, a hoist, an aerial robot, or a ground robot.

[0228] The specific working principle, process and beneficial effects of the item handling equipment in the warehousing system provided in this disclosure can be found in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0229] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method as described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0230] The computer-readable storage medium can be ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0231] This disclosure also provides a program product including an executable computer program stored in a readable storage medium. At least one processor of a bin handling device or storage system can read the computer program from the readable storage medium, and the at least one processor executes the computer program to cause the bin handling device to perform the bin handling methods provided in the various embodiments described above.

[0232] In the several embodiments provided in this disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0233] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0234] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this disclosure can be integrated into one processing unit, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one unit. The aforementioned modular unit can be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0235] The integrated modules described above, implemented as software functional modules, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. These software functional modules, stored in a storage medium, include several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute some steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0236] It should be understood that the aforementioned processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in this disclosure can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware processor, or execution by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0237] The memory may include high-speed RAM, and may also include non-volatile storage (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device, and may also be a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory, disk or optical disc, etc.

[0238] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0239] The aforementioned storage medium can be implemented from any kind of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The storage medium can be any available medium accessible to general-purpose or special-purpose computers.

[0240] An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. Both the processor and the storage medium can reside in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in an electronic device or host device.

[0241] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above-described method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program performs the steps of the above-described method embodiments; and the aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0242] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit them. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for handling a material bin, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the volume and water level of the material bin to be processed; Determine whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume and water level. If it is determined that the bin to be processed needs to be sorted, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bin to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line, wherein the sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bin to be processed. If a processed bin is detected placed in the buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed; the buffer area includes an empty bin buffer area and a full bin buffer area; If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the empty bin buffer area, a first empty bin transfer instruction is generated according to the electronic tag to control the robot to move the processed bin from the empty bin buffer area to the warehousing workstation; If it is determined that the processed bin is placed in the full bin buffer area, a full bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bin to flow to the target picking workstation through the conveyor line; If a processed bin is detected placed at the bin retrieval port, a bin return command is generated to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the inbound workstation.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of photographing the electronic tag of the processed bin includes: The electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed by a barcode scanner installed in the buffer area.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before generating the physical box delivery instruction, the following is also included: Based on the picking instructions from the picking workstation and the electronic tag, a box delivery prompt is generated to remind the operator to place the processed box on the conveyor line.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The generation of the full-box delivery instruction to control the flow of the processed boxes through the conveyor line to the target picking workstation includes: The target picking workstation is determined according to the picking instructions; Based on the target picking workstation, a full box transfer instruction is generated to control the flow of the processed boxes to the target picking workstation via the conveyor line.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If it is determined that the bin to be processed needs to be sorted, a first conveyor line transfer instruction is generated to control the bin to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation via the conveyor line. The instruction also includes: Check whether the processed bins on the sorting workstation are empty; If the processed bin is detected to be empty, a second empty bin transfer instruction is generated to control the processed bin to flow to the empty bin buffer area via the conveyor line; If a processed bin is detected in the empty bin buffer area, the electronic tag of the processed bin is photographed, and a third empty bin transfer instruction is generated based on the electronic tag to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the warehousing workstation.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the volume water level of at least one tank to be processed includes: Obtain the quantity of items in the bin to be processed; The volume level of the material bins to be processed is determined based on the preset total number of bins and the number of items.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the volume water level of at least one tank to be processed includes: Obtain the type of items in the bin to be processed and the weight of the bin to be processed; The volume level of the material bin to be processed is determined based on the weight of each type of item and the weight of the bin to be processed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the volume water level of at least one tank to be processed includes: Obtain the total volume of the items in the bin to be processed; The volume level of the material bin to be processed is determined based on the total volume of the items in the bin and the bin's capacity.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Before obtaining the volume water level of at least one tank to be processed, the method further includes: The bins placed in the preset area are designated as bins to be processed.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on its volume and water level includes: If the volume level of the bin to be processed is less than a preset threshold, then the bin to be processed is determined to need to be sorted.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining whether the material bin needs to be sorted based on its volume and water level, the method further includes: If it is determined that the bin to be processed does not require sorting, a first conveyor line transmission instruction is generated to control the bin to be processed to return to the warehouse via the conveyor line.

12. A material bin processing device, characterized in that, include: The water level detection module is used to obtain the volume water level of the material bin to be processed; The demand determination module is used to determine whether the material bin to be processed needs to be sorted based on the volume and water level of the bin to be processed. The sorting and conveying module is used to generate a first conveyor line conveying command if it is determined that the bin to be processed needs to be sorted, so as to control the bin to be processed to flow to the sorting workstation through the conveyor line, wherein the sorting workstation is used by operators to sort the bin to be processed; The camera module is used to capture the electronic tag of the processed bin if it is detected that a processed bin is placed in the buffer area; the buffer area includes an empty bin buffer area and a full bin buffer area. The first generation module is used to generate a first empty box transfer instruction based on the electronic tag if it is determined that the processed box is placed in the empty box buffer area, so as to control the robot to move the processed box from the empty box buffer area to the warehouse workstation. The second generation module is used to generate a full box delivery instruction if it is determined that the processed box is placed in the full box buffer area, so as to control the processed box to flow to the target picking workstation through the conveyor line; The third generation module is used to generate a return-to-warehouse instruction if it detects that a processed bin is placed at the bin retrieval port, so as to control the robot to transport the processed bin to the warehousing workstation.

13. A material bin processing device, characterized in that, include: At least one processor and memory; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; The at least one processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

14. A warehousing system, characterized in that, include: The sorting workstation, picking workstation, conveyor line, robot, and bin handling equipment as described in claim 13.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

16. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the bin processing method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

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