AGV parking system and method

Abstract

The present invention discloses an AGV parking system and method. The system utilizes components such as a laser transmitter, a laser scanner, an auxiliary positioning unit and a processing unit. The processing unit controls the laser transmitter to emit a laser array. The laser scattered point lines formed on the laser array guide the AGV to park. The auxiliary positioning unit provides fine calibration for the AGV parking process, so that the AGV can be precisely controlled during the parking process. The laser scattered point lines on the laser array control the AGV to park quickly. The auxiliary positioning unit fine-tunes the AGV parking process to ensure the accuracy of the AGV parking process, clarifies the AGV's own positioning and the body position, and solves the defect of the AGV in the prior art that the AGV is not accurately positioned and touches when parking in a vertical warehouse. The laser scattered point lines can adjust the parking angle of the AGV by changing the angle, can adapt to the complex environment in the vertical warehouse, and can make adaptive adjustments according to the differences in the environment. The system has the adaptability of adjustment, and improves the wide application of the AGV parking system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle driving control systems, and in particular to an automatic operation method for parking, and in particular to an AGV parking system and method. Background Art

[0002] AGV, which means "Automated Guided Vehicle", is an unmanned automated vehicle. It is equipped with an electromagnetic or optical automatic guidance device, can travel along a specified guidance path, and has safety protection and various transfer functions. AGV can work continuously for 24 hours, greatly improving the operational efficiency of the warehouse. At the same time, they can complete the tasks of picking up, moving and placing goods in a very short time, reducing the operation time.

[0003] Vertical warehouse, also known as automated three-dimensional warehouse or high-bay warehouse, is a large-scale automated three-dimensional storage facility built using the space of high-rise buildings. Its main feature is to use shelves with several, dozens or even dozens of layers to store unit goods, and use corresponding material handling equipment to carry out goods warehousing and outbound operations. As an efficient storage facility, vertical warehouse is gradually becoming an indispensable facility in the logistics industry with its small footprint, high storage efficiency, and flexible access.

[0004] AGV parking in automated warehouses is the application of automated guided vehicles to parking operations in automated warehouses, which realizes the automation of transportation, greatly improves the efficiency of storing and retrieving vehicles, alleviates traffic congestion, and improves the level of automation in automated warehouses.

[0005] Prior art CN 113404356 B discloses an automatic parking system and method based on AGV, including an internal system and an external system, wherein the external system is used to receive and process external information; the internal system includes: an AGV module, which is used to carry the user's vehicle and control the user's vehicle to park in all directions and control the vehicle to walk up and downhill according to the control signal of the server module; a server module, which is used to manage and control the AGV module and terminal equipment; a terminal equipment module, which is used to obtain user vehicle information and transmit it to the server for processing; an indoor and outdoor positioning system module, which is used to locate the vehicle according to the environment, and then guide the vehicle to park according to the positioning information. However, in the process of parking, positioning by using GPS and other methods, when applied to a vertical warehouse, because the vertical warehouse is a closed space and has a large number of goods, the AGV body cannot be accurately positioned, and positioning errors are prone to occur during parking, causing contact with other AGVs or buildings, causing damage.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the AGV parking system in the prior art to solve the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides an AGV parking system and method, aiming to solve the defect in the prior art that the AGV is not accurately positioned and thus encounters a collision when parking in a vertical warehouse.

[0008] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an AGV parking system, comprising: a laser transmitter for guiding the path of the AGV, the laser transmitter being arranged on the top of the vertical warehouse, capable of emitting laser signals and forming a laser array, each array point on the laser array being capable of emitting laser and turning off the laser;

[0009] A laser scanner, used to receive the laser signal of the laser transmitter, and arranged on the top of the AGV;

[0010] Auxiliary positioning unit, used for secondary positioning and precise docking of AGV, capable of collecting accurate information on the AGV exterior;

[0011] Time window unit, used to adjust the time window of AGV parking midway;

[0012] The processing unit is used for controlling the AGV parking process, and is respectively connected to and controls the laser emitter, the laser scanner, the auxiliary positioning unit and the time window unit. The laser array includes an avoidance mode and a parking mode. When in the parking mode, the laser array forms at least one scattered point line, and the angle of the scattered point line is related to the AGV parking adjustment angle. The processing unit collects the parking status of the AGV and controls the laser emitter according to the parking status so that the laser line is adjusted in real time.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the laser array includes a plurality of laser cells, each laser cell is provided with a plurality of laser emitting points, each laser emitting point is provided with a laser emitting device, and there is a central laser emitting point among the plurality of emitting points on each laser cell, and the central laser emitting point is used to guide the travel direction of the AGV.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in each of the laser cells, except for the central laser emitting point, the remaining laser emitting points are parking signal emitting points, and the parking signal emitting points and the central laser emitting point form a scattered point connection line.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processing center prioritizes parking AGVs and task-performing AGVs, with parking AGVs being low priority and task-performing AGVs being high priority. When the movements of the low-priority AGV and the high-priority AGV conflict, the low-priority AGV should slow down or stop to avoid interfering with the movement of the high-priority AGV.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the laser array is in the avoidance mode, the processing unit controls the time window unit to calculate and adjust the time window parameters, and the time window is used to calculate the parking stop duration of the AGV. In the time window, the paths of high-priority AGVs and low-priority AGVs are prevented from overlapping; the parking signal emission point and the central laser emission point form a scattered ring structure, and the scattered ring structure has at least 3 layers of different radius structures. As the radius increases from small to large, the associated time window remaining amount of each layer of radius is 10%, 50% and 80% respectively.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary positioning unit includes but is not limited to a visual positioning system, an ultrasonic positioning system and a magnetic induction positioning system.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the laser transmitter is capable of adjusting the laser frequency, and the laser scanner on each AGV corresponds to a laser of a certain frequency.

[0019] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the second technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a method for using an AGV parking system, based on an AGV parking system, comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1: The processing unit assigns priorities to the parking AGV and the task execution AGV according to the current task load and AGV status, with the parking AGV being of low priority and the task execution AGV being of high priority;

[0021] S2: the processing unit performs path planning for the parking AGV and the task execution AGV respectively, the time window unit plans the time window, and the parking AGV stops parking in the time window;

[0022] S3: The AGV parks, the auxiliary positioning unit and the laser transmitter adjust the parking process of the AGV, and monitor and collect the parking status information of the AGV in real time;

[0023] S4: the processing unit receives the AGV parking status information, adjusts the laser array, and performs AGV parking by connecting scattered points;

[0024] S5: The AGV parks at the designated position, and the parking process is completed after the position is accurately adjusted by the auxiliary positioning unit.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in S2, when performing path planning, the speed of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV and the turning radius of the parking AGV are combined and calculated to reduce the frequency of overlap between the paths of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in S4, the laser array includes a passing array and a parking array, and the passing array and the parking array work alternately.

[0027] The present invention solves the defects existing in the background technology and has the following beneficial effects:

[0028] (1) The present invention provides an AGV parking system and method, which utilizes components such as a laser transmitter, a laser scanner, an auxiliary positioning unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit controls the laser transmitter to emit a laser array. The laser scattered point lines formed on the laser array guide the AGV to park. The auxiliary positioning unit provides fine calibration for the AGV parking process. Compared with the AGV parking system in the prior art, the AGV parking process can be precisely controlled. The laser scattered point lines on the laser array control the AGV to park quickly. The auxiliary positioning unit fine-tunes the AGV parking process to ensure the accuracy of the AGV parking process, clarify the AGV's own positioning and the body position, and solve the defect of the prior art that the AGV is not accurately positioned and touches when parking in a vertical warehouse.

[0029] (2) The processing unit in the present invention respectively allocates paths and priorities to the parking AGV and the task execution AGV, thereby reducing the path overlap between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV. The high-priority task execution AGV is operated by the parking AGV with a higher priority than the low-priority one. Compared with the prior art, the operating efficiency of the entire AGV can be ensured while avoiding task conflicts between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV. Priorities are allocated to ensure smooth operation of the entire AGV, thereby avoiding collisions or path blockages caused by path conflicts between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV.

[0030] (3) The processing unit in the present invention controls the time window unit to calculate and adjust the time window parameters. The adjustment of the time window parameters makes the time when the parking AGV stops working and the overlapping path time of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV clear. The time window parameters are adjusted according to the AGV movement state and parking progress. Compared with the prior art, the time window can be made clear, and time information support can be provided for the overall operation of the AGV to ensure the smooth operation of the AGV as a whole. It can also adjust the parameters of the time window according to the overall operation state of the AGV to improve the smoothness of the AGV operation.

[0031] (4) In the present invention, when the laser array is in parking mode, the line connecting the laser scattered points passes through the central laser emission point. The line connecting the laser scattered points can adjust the parking angle of the parking AGV by changing the angle. Compared with the prior art, the parking angle of the parking AGV is controlled, which can adapt to the complex environment in the vertical warehouse and make adaptive adjustments according to the differences in the environment. It has the adaptability of adjustment, thereby improving the wide application of the AGV parking system.

[0032] (5) In the present invention, the shape of the laser array parking signal emission points in the parking mode and the avoidance mode displays the parking operation of the parking AGV. The parking signal emission points form a scattered point connection line or a scattered point ring structure to respectively determine the closing and opening of the time window. Compared with the prior art, whether the parking process of the AGV is working or not is determined, the safety of the AGV parking process is ensured, and the possibility of collision with the task execution AGV and buildings is reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 is a system structure diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a laser array parking mode of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the laser array avoidance mode of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0040] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood by specific circumstances.

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an AGV parking system and method include: a laser transmitter for guiding the path of the AGV, the laser transmitter is arranged on the top of the vertical warehouse, can emit laser signals and form a laser array, and each array point on the laser array can emit laser and turn off the laser;

[0042] A laser scanner is used to receive laser signals from a laser transmitter and is installed on top of the AGV;

[0043] Auxiliary positioning unit, used for secondary positioning and precise docking of AGV, capable of collecting accurate information on the AGV exterior;

[0044] Time window unit, used to adjust the time window of AGV parking midway;

[0045] The processing unit is used to control the AGV parking process, and is connected to and controls the laser emitter, laser scanner, auxiliary positioning unit and time window unit respectively. The laser array includes an avoidance mode and a parking mode. When in the parking mode, the laser array forms at least one scattered point line, and the angle of the scattered point line is related to the AGV parking adjustment angle. The processing unit collects the parking status of the AGV and controls the laser emitter according to the parking status so that the laser line can be adjusted in real time.

[0046] The connection between the processing unit and the laser transmitter, laser scanner, auxiliary positioning unit and time window unit uses the Zigbee network. The Zigbee network is a low-rate wireless network technology, mainly used for short-range wireless connections, with low power consumption, low cost, high reliability, multi-node communication and real-time characteristics. The Zigbee network has the ability of self-organization and self-repair, ensuring that the entire network can still operate when a node in the network fails. In the complex environment of the warehouse, the AGV can also reliably receive and execute instructions, with fault tolerance to avoid failures.

[0047] Laser emitters include but are not limited to frequency modulated lasers and dye lasers. Frequency modulated lasers are devices that can modulate laser frequency by changing their operating current or voltage. Such lasers can emit lasers with frequencies that continuously change within a certain range. Dye lasers are lasers that use dyes as gain media. Since dyes have a wide range of absorption and emission spectra, dye lasers can cover a wide wavelength range and can emit lasers of different frequencies by changing the dyes.

[0048] The time window unit is different from the processing unit. It is a component specially set up to collect, analyze and calculate the time window parameters in the AGV parking process. It includes computers, surveillance cameras, speed meters and other components. It can analyze the estimated time of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV in the overlapping path, and adjust the time window according to the speed and specific circumstances of the task execution AGV when passing through the overlapping path, to ensure that the parking AGV and the task execution AGV cooperate in using the overlapping path while maximizing the time utilization and improving the AGV operation efficiency.

[0049] The processing unit is a component that collects and processes data and controls the movement of the equipment connected to it according to the data obtained after processing and analysis. It can be a computer and a processing system, etc. The processing system can obtain data from the components connected to it, such as optimizing the path according to the speed data of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV collected by the time window unit, so that the parking AGV and the task execution AGV can work separately without affecting the task execution AGV, such as accelerating the parking AGV before the task execution AGV reaches the overlapping path, reducing the turning radius of the parking AGV; or changing the path of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV to reduce or cancel the overlapping path area of ​​the parking AGV and the task execution AGV.

[0050] The laser scanner can capture the laser lines emitted by the laser transmitter, receive and identify the laser signals from the laser transmitter. When the laser array guides the AGV to park, the laser array forms a laser scattered point connection line, and the scattered point connection line forms an angle, the size of which is related to the turning angle of the AGV during parking.

[0051] The laser array includes a plurality of laser cells, each of which is provided with a plurality of laser emission points, and each of which is provided with a laser emission device. The specifications of the plurality of laser cells are consistent, and the plurality of laser cells and the plurality of laser emission points on each laser cell have a multi-symmetric structure. There is a central laser emission point among the plurality of emission points on each laser cell, and the central laser emission point is used to guide the direction of travel of the AGV.

[0052] There are two central laser emission points on the laser cells adjacent to each laser cell, which are in the turned-on state. When the central laser emission point is turned on, the AGV is guided to move in the direction of the turned-on central laser emission point. A laser guide line is formed between the turned-on central laser emission point and the central laser emission point of the adjacent laser cell. The AGV moves in the direction of the scattered point guide line. In the multiple symmetrical structure on the laser cell, each laser cell is a square, which can enable the AGV to maintain an average angle in multiple directions during the movement.

[0053] In each laser cell, except for the central laser emission point, the other laser emission points are parking signal emission points. The parking signal emission point and the central laser emission point form a scattered point line. When the parking signal emission point is turned on, it guides the AGV to perform parking movement in the opposite direction of the scattered point line. The scattered point line is a straight line formed by several parking signal emission points. The angle of the scattered point line refers to the angle between the scattered point line formed by the central laser emission point and the parking signal emission point on the laser cell and the straight line in the direction of AGV movement. The angle of the laser scattered point line is adjusted in real time, which can control the AGV to make real-time adjustments, and the parking process of the AGV is finely controlled. Using a laser array to guide the AGV to park can enable the AGV to park in complex venues and complex situations, enable the AGV to park sideways and diagonally, and can reduce the parking time, relieve traffic pressure, and increase the AGV operation rate.

[0054] The scanning range of the laser scanner includes at least the range formed by the laser cell and the adjacent laser cells, and can timely scan the connection line formed between the central laser emission points on the laser cells, collect the AGV parking direction signal, including the signal between adjacent central laser emission points and the signal between the central laser emission point and the parking signal emission point on each laser cell.

[0055] Using components such as laser emitters, laser scanners, auxiliary positioning units and processing units, the processing unit controls the laser emitter to emit a laser array. The laser scattered point lines formed on the laser array guide the AGV to park. The auxiliary positioning unit provides fine calibration for the AGV parking process, which can enable precise control of the AGV parking process. The laser scattered point lines on the laser array control the AGV to park quickly. The auxiliary positioning unit fine-tunes the AGV parking process to ensure the accuracy of the AGV parking process, clarify the AGV's own positioning and body position, and solve the defect of inaccurate positioning and collision of AGVs when parking in a vertical warehouse in the prior art.

[0056] When the laser array is in parking mode, the line connecting the laser scatter points passes through the central laser emission point. The line connecting the laser scatter points can adjust the parking angle of the parking AGV by changing the angle. The parking angle of the parking AGV can be controlled, and it can adapt to the complex environment in the vertical warehouse and make adaptive adjustments according to the differences in the environment. It has the adaptability of adjustment, which improves the wide application of the AGV parking system.

[0057] The central laser emission point is located in the center of the laser scattered point line, and the parking signal emission points on both sides of the central laser emission point are symmetrical about the central laser emission point, and the scattered laser line forms a straight line or curve. It helps to simplify the navigation algorithm of the AGV, making it easier to understand and follow the path. It may also help to achieve more efficient parking in a warehouse with limited space, and adapt to different warehouse layouts and parking requirements, improving the flexibility and applicability of the system.

[0058] When the laser array is in parking mode, the adjacent laser cells and the central laser emission points in the laser cells and the parking signal emission points jointly control the parking direction of the AGV. The scattered point connection line formed by the central laser emission points in the laser cells and the parking signal emission points on the turned-on laser cells is consistent. The connection line of the central laser emission points in the adjacent laser cells guides the rough direction of the AGV parking, and the scattered point connection line formed by the central laser emission points in the laser cells and the parking signal emission points guides the detailed direction of the AGV parking.

[0059] The control range of the AGV parking angle steering force of the central laser emission point connection line in adjacent laser cells is 70%-90%, and the control range of the AGV parking angle steering force of the scattered point connection line formed by the central laser emission point in the laser cell and the parking signal emission point is 10%-30%. Under the joint action of different control forces, the parking AGV can make fine angle adjustments to achieve precise parking while maintaining the correct general direction, and can perform large-scale directional guidance under the rough direction control of the central laser emission point connection line in adjacent laser cells, and the scattered point connection line formed by the central laser emission point in the laser cell and the parking signal emission point can perform small-scale directional guidance. The AGV can perform precise directional guidance while quickly adjusting the parking direction, combining efficiency and accuracy.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, when the laser array is in avoidance mode, the AGV stops parking, and the parking signal emission points on the scattered line formed by the parking signal emission points are turned off. When in avoidance mode, the parking AGV fails to recognize the laser signal formed by the scattered line between the central laser emission point and the parking signal emission point, stops parking movement and waits until it is turned on again. Compared with the parking mode, the central laser emission points on several laser cells in the avoidance mode are turned on in the same position, and the scattered line formed by the central laser emission point and the parking signal emission points around it is released, and the parking signal emission points are turned on around the turned-on central laser emission point, forming a scattered ring structure.

[0061] The function of the scattered point ring structure is to distinguish from the scattered point lines formed in the parking mode. When the laser scanner scans the scattered point lines formed in the parking mode, it obtains the signal to park the AGV. When scanning the scattered point ring structure, it obtains the avoidance mode and pauses parking to wait for the time window to end. The central laser emission point is consistent, which can avoid the need to redetermine the parking direction when switching between the avoidance mode and the parking mode, improve the efficiency of switching between the avoidance mode and the parking mode, and improve the overall parking efficiency.

[0062] The auxiliary positioning unit includes but is not limited to the visual positioning system, the ultrasonic positioning system and the magnetic induction positioning system. The auxiliary positioning unit can play an important role in AGV positioning and AGV body positioning during the AGV parking process. The visual positioning system can perform visual correction through components such as cameras, and make the AGV position accurate through methods such as cross-shaped mark positioning. The visual positioning system can also perform visual correction to ensure that the AGV travels along the predetermined path and avoids collisions. The ultrasonic positioning system includes components such as ultrasonic transmitters, ultrasonic receivers, and control units. It can detect the body through ultrasonic waves and avoid contact with the body. The ultrasonic positioning system emits ultrasonic waves through the transmitter, and these sound waves will generate echoes when they encounter obstacles. The receiver captures these echoes and calculates the distance between the AGV and the obstacle based on the time difference of the echoes. During the AGV parking process, the ultrasonic system can help the AGV detect the surrounding environment, avoid collisions, and ensure safe parking; the magnetic induction system magnetic induction sensors, magnetic strips or magnetic markers, control units and other components can use magnetic lines of induction to provide feedback when the AGV body or components reach the predetermined position, so that the AGV can be accurately positioned for parking.

[0063] The processing center prioritizes parking AGVs and task-performing AGVs, with parking AGVs being low priority and task-performing AGVs being high priority. When the movements of low-priority AGVs and high-priority AGVs conflict, the low-priority AGV should slow down or stop to avoid interfering with the movement of the high-priority AGV.

[0064] The processing unit assigns paths and priorities to the parking AGV and the task execution AGV respectively, reducing the path overlap between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV. The high-priority task execution AGV is operated by the parking AGV with a higher priority than the low-priority one. This can ensure the operating efficiency of the entire AGV while avoiding task conflicts between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV. Priorities are assigned to ensure smooth operation of the entire AGV, avoiding collisions or path blockages caused by path conflicts between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV.

[0065] When the laser array is in avoidance mode, the processing unit controls the time window unit to calculate and adjust the time window parameters. The time window is used to calculate the parking stop duration of the AGV. In the time window, the paths of high-priority AGVs and low-priority AGVs are prevented from overlapping.

[0066] The processing unit controls the time window unit to calculate and adjust the time window parameters. The adjustment of the time window parameters makes the time when the parking AGV stops working and the overlapping path time of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV clear. According to the AGV movement status and parking progress, the time window parameters are adjusted to make the time window clear, provide time information support for the overall operation of the AGV, ensure the smooth operation of the AGV as a whole, and can adjust the parameters of the time window according to the overall operation status of the AGV to improve the smoothness of the AGV operation.

[0067] The time window unit has a high correlation with the laser array. When the time window unit starts working, the AGV is in the avoidance mode, and the parking signal emission point forms a scattered ring structure. As the remaining time of the time window decreases, the radius of the scattered ring structure gradually decreases. The radius of the scattered ring structure is related to the time parameter of the time window. The reduction of the radius of the scattered ring structure symbolizes the remaining amount of the time window, and the relevant work of continuing parking is carried out according to the change of the radius structure of the scattered ring structure, such as pre-starting and pre-retrieval of parking paths, which can improve the parking efficiency of the AGV in the entire parking process. Through the scattered ring structure of different radii, the AGV can intuitively identify the remaining amount of the time window. This visual feedback enables the operator or system of the AGV to quickly understand the current parking progress and remaining time, so as to make more reasonable decisions. The reduction of the radius of the scattered ring structure intuitively shows the remaining amount of the time window, which can intuitively respond to the working progress of the processing unit. The scattered ring structure has at least 3 layers of different radius structures. As the radius increases from small to large, the associated remaining amount of the time window of each layer of radius is 10%, 50% and 80% respectively. By performing more refined time management based on the percentage of remaining time, the AGV can take different actions according to the different stages of the remaining time, improving the responsiveness of the AGV system to environmental changes. When the time window changes, the AGV can quickly adjust its behavior to adapt to the new parking conditions.

[0068] The shape of the laser array parking signal emission points in the parking mode and avoidance mode displays the parking work of the parking AGV. The parking signal emission points form a scattered line or a scattered ring structure to determine the closing and opening of the time window respectively, and determine whether the parking process of the AGV is working or not, which ensures the safety of the AGV parking process and reduces the possibility of collision with the task execution AGV and buildings.

[0069] The laser frequency at the central laser emission point can be adjusted, and the laser scanner on each AGV corresponds to a laser of a certain frequency. Each AGV is equipped with a laser of a corresponding frequency, and the central laser emission point emits a laser of a specific frequency to guide the AGV to work. When the working paths of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV overlap, the AGV work of the repeated path is coordinated by alternating the laser frequency.

[0070] By assigning a specific frequency of laser to each AGV, it is ensured that they do not interfere with each other when working. This is especially important for operating multiple AGVs in a small space or high-density environment, as it can reduce communication errors or navigation errors caused by frequency conflicts. The frequency-based control method allows the system to be easily expanded because new laser frequencies can be simply assigned to new AGVs without requiring large-scale modifications to the existing system. When a problem occurs with a certain AGV, since the laser frequency of each AGV is known, maintenance personnel can more easily identify and locate the problem, thereby speeding up the troubleshooting process.

[0071] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the second technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a method for using an AGV parking system, based on an AGV parking system, comprising the following steps:

[0072] S1: The processing unit assigns priorities to the parking AGV and the task execution AGV according to the current task load and AGV status. The parking AGV is assigned a low priority and the task execution AGV is assigned a high priority.

[0073] S2: The processing unit plans the paths of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV respectively, the time window unit plans the time window, and the parking AGV stops parking in the time window;

[0074] S3: The AGV parks, and the auxiliary positioning unit and laser transmitter adjust the parking process of the AGV, monitor and collect the AGV parking status information in real time;

[0075] S4: The processing unit receives the AGV parking status information, adjusts the laser array, and performs AGV parking by connecting scattered points;

[0076] S5: The AGV parks at the designated location and completes the parking process after precise position adjustment through the auxiliary positioning unit.

[0077] In S2, when planning the path, the speed of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV and the turning radius of the parking AGV are combined for calculation to reduce the frequency of the paths of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV overlapping. Path planning needs to ensure that there is enough space for the AGV to pass safely at all turning points to avoid the parking AGV turning too large and being placed horizontally on the passage path, hindering the work of the task execution AGV and causing traffic jams; and according to the speed of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV, the appropriate path is determined to avoid the use of repeated paths due to speed mismatch. The speed of the task execution AGV is too fast, causing the cargo to fall or causing the risk of traffic accidents. The load state of the task execution AGV should also be considered during path planning. When the task execution AGV is unloaded or has a small load, the speed of the task execution AGV can be increased and the path can be changed. However, when the task execution AGV has a large load or is fully loaded, the speed should be reduced and the original path should be maintained as much as possible.

[0078] In S2, the central laser emission point located on the overlapping laser array guides the task execution AGV to work. The laser array includes a passage array and a parking array, and the passage array and the parking array work alternately. There is a work conflict between the parking AGV and the task execution AGV on the overlapping laser array, and the high-priority task execution AGV has priority over the low-priority parking AGV. At this time, the central laser emission point on the overlapping laser array is adjusted to the laser frequency corresponding to the laser scanner of the task execution AGV, while the remaining central laser emission points on the parking AGV guidance path are still the laser frequencies corresponding to the parking AGV laser scanner, and the laser cells of this part are in avoidance mode. By adjusting the laser frequency of the overlapping part, the working path of the task execution AGV can be provided preferentially, and the laser frequency of the remaining central laser emission points on the parking AGV guidance path remains unchanged, which can avoid the task execution AGV from misidentifying the frequency of the central laser emission point and performing the wrong path movement, and can maintain the central laser emission points on most of the parking AGV paths, which can reduce the adjustment time in the subsequent re-parking process and improve parking efficiency.

[0079] The above is based on the ideal embodiment of the present invention. Through the above description, relevant personnel can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the content in the specification, and the technical scope must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An AGV parking system, characterized in that: include: A laser transmitter is used for path guidance of the AGV. The laser transmitter is arranged on the top of the vertical warehouse and can emit laser signals and form a laser array. Each array point on the laser array can emit laser and turn off the laser. A laser scanner, used to receive the laser signal of the laser transmitter, and arranged on the top of the AGV; Auxiliary positioning unit, used for secondary positioning and precise docking of AGV, capable of collecting accurate information on the AGV exterior; Time window unit, used to adjust the time window of AGV parking midway; A processing unit, used for controlling the AGV parking process, connected to and controlling the laser emitter, the laser scanner, the auxiliary positioning unit and the time window unit respectively, wherein the laser array includes an avoidance mode and a parking mode. When in the parking mode, the laser array forms at least one scattered point connection line, and the angle of the scattered point connection line is related to the AGV parking adjustment angle. The processing unit collects the parking status of the AGV, and controls the laser emitter according to the parking status so that the laser connection line is adjusted in real time; The laser array includes a plurality of laser cells, each of which is provided with a plurality of laser emission points, each of which is provided with a laser emission device, and there is a central laser emission point among the plurality of emission points on each laser cell, and the central laser emission point is used to guide the travel direction of the AGV; In each of the laser cells, except for the central laser emitting point, the remaining laser emitting points are parking signal emitting points, and the parking signal emitting points and the central laser emitting point form a scattered point connection line.

2. The AGV parking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processing unit prioritizes parking AGVs and task-performing AGVs, with parking AGVs being low priority and task-performing AGVs being high priority. When the movements of low-priority AGVs and high-priority AGVs conflict, the low-priority AGV should slow down or stop to avoid interfering with the movement of the high-priority AGV.

3. The AGV parking system according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the laser array is in the avoidance mode, the processing unit controls the time window unit to calculate and adjust the time window parameters, and the time window is used to calculate the parking stop duration of the AGV. In the time window, the paths of high-priority AGVs and low-priority AGVs are prevented from overlapping; the parking signal emission point and the central laser emission point form a scattered ring structure, and the scattered ring structure has at least 3 layers of different radius structures. As the radius increases from small to large, the associated time window remaining amount of each layer of radius is 10%, 50% and 80% respectively.

4. The AGV parking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary positioning unit includes but is not limited to a visual positioning system, an ultrasonic positioning system and a magnetic induction positioning system.

5. The AGV parking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser transmitter can adjust the laser frequency, and the laser scanner on each AGV corresponds to a laser of one frequency.

6. A method for using an AGV parking system, based on an AGV parking system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1: The processing unit assigns priorities to the parking AGV and the task execution AGV according to the current task load and AGV status, with the parking AGV being of low priority and the task execution AGV being of high priority; S2: the processing unit performs path planning for the parking AGV and the task execution AGV respectively, the time window unit plans the time window, and the parking AGV stops parking in the time window; S3: The AGV parks, the auxiliary positioning unit and the laser transmitter adjust the parking process of the AGV, and monitor and collect the AGV parking status information in real time; S4: the processing unit receives the AGV parking status information, and adjusts the laser array to park the AGV by connecting scattered points; S5: The AGV parks at the designated position, and the parking process is completed after the position is accurately adjusted by the auxiliary positioning unit.

7. The method for using the AGV parking system according to claim 6, characterized in that: In S2, when performing path planning, the speeds of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV and the turning radius of the parking AGV are combined and calculated to reduce the frequency of overlap between the paths of the parking AGV and the task execution AGV.

8. The method for using the AGV parking system according to claim 6, characterized in that: In S4, the laser array includes a passing array and a parking array, and the passing array and the parking array work alternately.

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