Handcart management system

Abstract

Provided is a trolley management system capable of improving work productivity. The trolley management system includes: a trolley on which commodities taken out from a work area by a worker are placed and conveyed; a display for displaying work instruction information to a worker; and a cart management unit that selects a combination of a predetermined number of order information from the plurality of order information, and generates work instruction information on the basis of the order information included in the selected combination. The cart management unit selects a combination of order information on the basis of work productivity-related information derived on the basis of work load-related information and processing time-related information. The information related to the workload is derived from the number of products included in the selected order information of the predetermined number. The information related to the processing time is information related to the processing time when the operator processes the number of products included in the order information of the predetermined number.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a trolley management system, which manages trolleys carrying and transporting commodities. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a known system in which a work instruction generated by a management device based on a plurality of orders is provided to an operator who uses a cart that moves in a work area and carries and transports commodities, thereby causing the operator to pick commodities from the work area and sort commodities to the work area. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-269860) discloses a system in which a management device provides a work instruction to an operator who uses a cart that carries and transports commodities that the operator has taken out from the work area, thereby causing the operator to collect commodities based on a plurality of orders in the cart.

[0003] Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-269860) describes that a management device determines a combination of a plurality of orders so as to maximize the overlap of commodities between the orders, and based on this, provides a work instruction to a worker, thereby improving picking efficiency.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-269860 Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0006] However, in the structure of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-269860), the operator's moving distance becomes longer according to the work instruction, or a work instruction with a large amount of work is provided to an inexperienced operator, which may cause the work productivity (the amount of work per unit time) to deteriorate. There is room for improvement in improving the work productivity.

[0007] Technical solutions to solve problems

[0008] A cart management system related to the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a cart, a display unit, and a cart management unit. The cart is operated by an operator to move in a work area, and carries and transports commodities taken out from the work area by the operator. The display unit shows the operator the operation instruction information related to the removal of commodities provided to the cart. The cart management unit selects a combination of a predetermined number of order information from a plurality of order information, and generates operation instruction information provided to the cart based on the predetermined number of order information included in the selected combination. The cart management unit selects a combination of order information based on information related to operation productivity, and the information related to operation productivity is derived based on information related to operation load and information related to processing time. The information related to operation load is information derived based on the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of selected order information. The information related to processing time is information related to the processing time when the operator processes the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of order information.

[0009] In the cart management system involved in the first viewpoint, since the work instruction information is generated based on the information related to the work productivity, the work productivity can be improved. The information related to the work productivity is derived based on the work load related to the number of goods assigned to the operator and the processing time of the operator to process the work load.

[0010] The cart management system related to the second aspect of the present invention is the cart management system of the first aspect, and the information related to the processing time includes at least information related to the travel time of the operator moving in the work area to take out the goods. The cart management unit derives information related to the work productivity based on the information related to the travel time as the information related to the processing time.

[0011] In the cart management system according to the second aspect, it is possible to improve work productivity according to the worker's travel time.

[0012] The cart management system related to the third aspect of the present invention is the cart management system of the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the information related to the processing time at least includes information related to the operation time from when the operator takes out the commodity from the operation area and places the taken-out commodity on a predetermined position of the cart. The cart management unit derives information related to the operation productivity based on the information related to the operation time as the information related to the processing time.

[0013] In the cart management system according to the third aspect, it is possible to improve work productivity based on the work time required for the worker to take out the product and place it at a predetermined position on the cart.

[0014] The cart management system related to the fourth viewpoint of the present invention is a cart management system from any viewpoint from the first viewpoint to the third viewpoint, and the cart management unit selects a predetermined number of ordering information with the largest value related to the work productivity obtained by dividing the work load by the processing time as a combination of ordering information.

[0015] In the cart management system according to the fourth aspect, each work instruction provided to the cart can be an instruction that maximizes the value related to the work productivity.

[0016] A cart management system related to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a cart management system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, further comprising an acquisition unit. The acquisition unit acquires information related to a processing speed of an operator. The cart management unit derives information related to a processing time based on the information related to the processing speed of the operator acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0017] In the cart management system according to the fifth aspect, it is possible to obtain the processing speed for each worker and provide each worker with a work instruction that provides high work productivity for the worker.

[0018] A cart management system related to the sixth aspect of the present invention includes a cart, a display unit, and a cart management unit. The cart is operated by an operator to move in a work area, and carries and transports goods in order for the operator to classify the goods. The display unit shows the operator the work instruction information related to the classification of goods provided to the cart. The cart management unit selects a combination of a predetermined number of classification information from multiple classification information, and generates work instruction information provided to the cart based on the predetermined number of classification information included in the selected combination. The cart management unit selects a combination of classification information based on information related to work productivity, and the information related to work productivity is derived based on information related to work load and information related to processing time. The information related to work load is information related to work load derived from the number of goods included in the predetermined number of classification information. The information related to processing time is information related to processing time when the operator processes the number of goods included in the predetermined number of classification information.

[0019] In the cart management system involved in the sixth viewpoint, since the work instruction information is generated based on the information related to the work productivity, the work productivity can be improved. The information related to the work productivity is derived based on the work load related to the number of goods assigned to the operator and the processing time of the operator to process the work load.

[0020] In the cart management system of the present invention, since the operation instruction information is generated based on the information related to the operation productivity, the operation productivity can be improved. The information related to the operation productivity is derived based on the operation load related to the number of goods assigned to the operator and the processing time of the operator to process the operation load. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the cart management system according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a trolley of the trolley management system.

[0023] Figure 3 It is the control block diagram of the trolley management system.

[0024] Figure 4 is an example of a top view of a distribution center using a cart management system.

[0025] Figure 5 This is an example of order information stored in the server of the cart management system.

[0026] Figure 6 This is an example of a flow chart of a job performed using a cart management system.

[0027] Figure 7 This is an example of a flowchart of the process of generating work instruction information performed by the cart management unit.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a control block diagram of the cart management system according to the second embodiment.

[0029] Description of Reference Numerals

[0030] 1, 1A: cart management system; 100: cart; 60: display (display unit); 200: server; 202: acquisition unit; 204, 204A: cart management unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Embodiments of the cart management system will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are specific examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0032] <First Embodiment>

[0033] (1) Overall structure

[0034] The outline of the cart management system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Here, the cart management system 1 used in a delivery center will be described as an example.

[0035] A distribution center is a facility that has multiple shelves that store multiple types of merchandise at assigned locations, and that takes out a specified number of ordered merchandise based on orders (order lists) from stores and delivers them to the stores that placed the orders.

[0036] The distribution center has an operation area with multiple shelves. In the operation area, for example, Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of shelves S are arranged along a first direction D1, and the rows of shelves S are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to the first direction D1. A passage C is provided between the rows of shelves S for workers to take out commodities placed on the shelves S. Although not limited, when a plurality of carts 100 are used to operate in a distribution center, each passage C is a one-way passage so that a cart 100 does not hinder the movement of other carts 100 or the operation of workers (see Figure 4 The arrows depicted in each channel C).

[0037] In the distribution center, the operator performs the following operations: put the specified quantity of multiple types of goods included in an order (order list) into a cargo box (collecting multiple types of goods in the cargo box), and send the cargo box with the goods to the store that has placed the order. Specifically, the operator places multiple (three in this embodiment) cargo boxes on the cart 100, puts the specified quantity of multiple types of goods into each cargo box based on other orders, and sends the goods placed in the cargo box to the store that has placed the order (here, the series of operations performed by the operator is called picking operations).

[0038] The cart management system 1 improves the efficiency of picking work by instructing the worker on the work to be performed (by providing appropriate instructions with high work productivity).

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the cart management system 1 includes a server 200 and a plurality of carts 100. The server 200 and each cart 100 are communicatively connected via a wireless communication device. In addition, the server 200 is connected to terminals 300 of a plurality of stores via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0040] (2) Server

[0041] The server 200 of the cart management system 1 is a computer having a CPU, a memory, an auxiliary storage device, an input / output interface, etc. The server 200 may be composed of a single computer or a plurality of computers.

[0042] The memory and auxiliary storage device of the server 200 function as a storage unit 206 that stores various information. In addition, the CPU of the server 200 functions as a cart management unit 204 described later, for example, by executing a program stored in the storage unit 206.

[0043] Furthermore, the CPU of the server 200 executes a program stored in the storage unit 206 to function as an acquisition unit 202 that acquires information input to an input device (keyboard, etc.) (not shown) and information transmitted from other computers.

[0044] (2-1) Storage unit

[0045] The storage unit 206 stores, in addition to the programs, information on the locations where various commodities are stored in the delivery center (the numbers of shelves storing commodities and the locations where commodities are placed in the shelves) (hereinafter referred to as storage location information).

[0046] In addition, the storage unit 206 stores the order (order list) of the goods sent from the terminal 300 of the store to the server 200. Specifically, the storage unit 206 does not store the order list of goods sent from the terminal 300 itself, but stores the order list of goods combined with the storage location information of the goods included in the order list as the order information. The order information stored in the storage unit 206 is not limited, but Figure 5 As shown, including the ordering information ID ( Figure 5 ), the name and quantity of the ordered product, the number of rows of the detail (in other words, the number of types of ordered products), and the storage location information of the ordered products ( Figure 5 'Location' in the .

[0047] Furthermore, the storage unit 206 stores information on the processing speed of the operator and information on the incidental time of the operator, which will be described later.

[0048] (2-2) Acquisition section

[0049] The acquisition unit 202 acquires information related to the processing speed of each operator, which is information inputted to an input device of the server 200 (not shown) by a manager or the like who manages the operators of the distribution center, or information on the operator's workload and processing time maintained by the server 200 itself as the operation history of each operator, and stores the information in the storage unit 206. Preferably, the acquisition unit 202 acquires information related to the operator's processing speed for each operator working in the distribution center, and stores the information in the storage unit 206 in association with the operator's ID.

[0050] The information related to the processing speed of the operator includes, for example, information related to the moving speed of the operator. The information related to the moving speed of the operator is, for example, the moving speed when the operator pushes the cart 100 to move it. However, it is not limited to this, and the information related to the moving speed of the operator may also be information equivalent to the moving speed of the operator, such as the distance that the operator can walk per unit time, and the time required for the operator to walk a predetermined distance. In addition, the information related to the moving speed of the operator may not be quantitative information, for example, it may be qualitative information such as "slow", "normal", "fast", etc.

[0051] Instead of or in addition to the information about the operator's moving speed, the information about the operator's processing speed may include information about the operator's taking-out speed. The information about the operator's taking-out speed is, for example, the time from when the operator moves the cart 100 to the shelf where the commodity to be taken out is placed, to when the operator takes out the commodity from the shelf and carries it to the cart 100, to when the barcode attached to the commodity is read by the scanner 80 of the cart 100. In addition, the information about the operator's taking-out speed may be other quantitative values ​​equivalent to the above-mentioned time other than the above-mentioned time, or may be information qualitatively indicating the operator's taking-out speed.

[0052] Instead of or in addition to these, the information on the processing speed of the operator may include information on the operator's input speed. The information on the operator's input speed is, for example, the time from when the operator reads the barcode of the commodity that can be transported to the cart 100 with the scanner 80 and puts the commodity into the cargo box placed on the placing parts 21, 22, and 23 until the operator completes the measurement inspection described later. In addition, the information on the operator's input speed may be other quantitative values ​​equivalent to the above-mentioned time other than the above-mentioned time, or may be information qualitatively indicating the operator's take-out speed.

[0053] In addition, the acquisition unit 202 may also acquire information related to the incidental time of the operator input by the manager or the like to an input device (not shown) or sent from another computer, and store it in the storage unit 206 as a part of the processing speed of the operator. Preferably, the acquisition unit 202 acquires information related to the incidental time of the operator for each operator working in the distribution center, and stores the information in the storage unit 206 in association with the ID of the operator. The information related to the incidental time of the operator refers to the time obtained by subtracting the moving time of the operator moving in the working area when taking out the goods to be taken out and the working time until the operator takes out the goods and puts the taken out goods on the loading parts 21, 22, 23 of the cart (puts them in the cargo box on the loading parts 21, 22, 23) from the time required for the picking operation. In addition, the information related to the incidental time of the operator may also be information qualitatively indicating the length of the incidental time of the operator.

[0054] (2-3) Trolley Management Department

[0055] If the server 200 receives a request to send operation instruction information from the cart 100, the cart management unit 204 selects a predetermined number (three in this embodiment) of combinations of ordering information from multiple ordering information stored in the storage unit 206, and generates operation instruction information to be provided to the cart 100 based on the ordering information included in the selected combination.

[0056] Specifically, the cart management unit 204 selects a combination of order information based on information related to work productivity derived from information related to work load derived from the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of order information and information related to processing time when an operator processes the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of order information. The selection process of the combination of order information by the cart management unit 204 will be described later.

[0057] If a combination of order information is selected, the cart management unit 204 generates a name of the product to be taken out (hereinafter referred to as the taken out product), an ID of the order information ( Figure 5 The server 200 then sends the operation instruction information to the cart 100 that has sent the request to send the operation instruction information.

[0058] (3) Trolley

[0059] The cart 100 is a truck for transporting commodities that moves together with the operator who operates the cart 100. The cart 100 carries and transports commodities taken out by the operator from a commodity group including a plurality of kinds of commodities arranged in the operation area of ​​the distribution center (from a plurality of kinds of commodities placed on the shelves S in the operation area). Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the cart 100 includes a cart body 10 , a plurality of placing portions 21 , 22 , 23 , a plurality of weighing devices 31 , 32 , 33 , a communication unit 40 , a control device 90 , a display 60 , a label printer 70 , and a scanner 80 .

[0060] (3-1) Trolley body

[0061] The trolley body 10 is a truck that is operated by an operator and moves in a work area. In particular, here, the trolley body 10 is a trolley that is pushed and moved by a person.

[0062] A plurality of scales 31 , 32 , and 33 , a communication unit 40 , a control device 90 , a display 60 , a label printer 70 , and a fixed scanner 80 are mounted on the cart body 10 .

[0063] Although the structure is not limited, the cart body 10 is provided with cargo loading platforms at upper and lower levels. The upper cargo loading platform is used for the loading portion 21 , and the lower cargo loading platform is used for the loading portions 22 and 23 .

[0064] (3-2) Loading section

[0065] The placing units 21, 22, and 23 are portions where boxes are placed (placed). When an operator performs a picking operation, a box corresponding to one of a plurality of order information used by the server 200 to generate the operation instruction information is placed on each of the placing units 21, 22, and 23.

[0066] In addition, in the present embodiment, the server 200 selects a combination of three order information from a plurality of order information and generates the operation instruction information based on the three order information because the cart 100 has three loading sections. The number of loading sections can be appropriately designed, and the number of order information selected as a combination by the server 200 can be changed according to the number of loading sections provided on the cart 100.

[0067] An identification code for identifying the placement section is assigned to the placement sections 21, 22, and 23. The identification code is attached as a front width barcode 21a, 22a, and 23a near each placement section 21, 22, and 23 (see Figure 2 ).

[0068] (3-3) Meter

[0069] A weighing device (weighing device 31, 32, 33) for weighing the weight of the cargo box and the goods in the cargo box placed on the placing parts 21, 22, 23 is installed below each of the plurality of placing parts 21, 22, 23. The weighing devices 31, 32, 33 are weighing devices having a weight sensor of a load cell type, for example.

[0070] (3-4) Display

[0071] The display 60 is an example of a display unit. The display 60 shows the operator work instruction information related to taking out the product provided to the cart 100.

[0072] Here, the display 60 is a touch panel type liquid crystal display screen. The display 60 displays various information and receives various inputs from the operator. For example, the operator receives input of the operator's ID and the like.

[0073] (3-5) Label printer

[0074] The label printer 70 is a printer for printing shipping labels. The shipping labels are labels attached to the containers corresponding to one of the plurality of order information used in generating the operation instruction information by the server 200 and placed on the placement units 21, 22, and 23, and are printed with information specifying the shipping destination of each container (e.g., a barcode indicating an ID of the order information).

[0075] (3-6) Scanner

[0076] The scanner 80 reads the ID barcode indicating the order information printed on the shipping label printed by the label printer 70, the face width barcodes 21a, 22a, 23a attached to the placement sections 21, 22, 23, and the product barcode attached to the product.

[0077] The scanner 80 includes, for example, a fixed scanner fixed to the frame of the cart body 10 and a wireless scanner (not shown) not fixed to the cart body 10 .

[0078] (3-7) Ministry of Communications

[0079] The communication unit 40 is a communication device used by the control device 90 to communicate with the server 200 , and performs wireless communication with the server 200 via a wireless communication device installed in the delivery center.

[0080] (3-8) Control device

[0081] The control device 90 includes a CPU, a memory, an auxiliary storage device, an input / output interface, various electronic circuits, and the like.

[0082] The memory and the auxiliary storage device function as a storage unit 94 that stores various information. The CPU also functions as a control unit 92 that controls the operation of each unit of the cart 100 or performs various calculations by executing a program stored in the storage unit 94.

[0083] The control device 90 is electrically connected to the communication unit 40, the weighing devices 31, 32, 33, the display 60, the scanner 80, and the label printer 70. The control unit 92 communicates with the server 200 via the communication unit 40 as needed. In addition, the control unit 92 receives the weighing signals sent from the weighing devices 31, 32, 33, the barcode information sent from the scanner 80, and various inputs input to the touch panel display 60. In addition, the control unit 92 performs display control of the display 60 and printing control of the label printer 70.

[0084] For example, if the operator's ID is input to the touch panel display 60, the control unit 92 transmits a request to transmit the operation instruction information together with the operator's ID to the server 200 via the communication unit 40. In addition, the control unit 92 receives the operation instruction information transmitted from the server 200 and stores the operation instruction information in the storage unit 94. The control unit 92 controls the operation of the label printer 70 based on the operation instruction information, and prints a shipping label on the label.

[0085] In addition, the control unit 92 displays the operation instruction information related to the removal of the commodity provided to the cart 100 on the display 60 in order to show the operator. In addition, here, displaying the operation instruction information on the display 60 means: not limited to the method of displaying the operation instruction information itself sent by the server 200, but also includes a method of displaying information equivalent to the operation instruction information sent by the server 200 (information that allows the operator to understand the operation content indicated by the operation instruction information). In addition, displaying the operation instruction information on the display 60 means: not limited to the method of displaying all the operation instruction information on the display 60 at once, but a method of displaying part of the operation instruction information according to the progress of the operation, the instruction of the operator, etc.

[0086] If the operation instruction information is displayed on the display 60, the operator moves to the shelf indicated by the operation instruction information in order to take out the commodity indicated by the operation instruction information from the commodity group arranged in the operation area. Then, the operator reads the bar code of the commodity taken out from the indicated position of the shelf indicated by the operation instruction information through the scanner 80. Based on this, the control unit 92 determines whether the commodity that the operator should take out next (the commodity indicated by the operation instruction information displayed on the display 60) is consistent with the commodity taken out by the operator based on the information read by the scanner 80, and displays the determination result on the display 60.

[0087] When the commodities to be taken out are consistent with the commodities taken out, the operator puts the commodities into the cargo box of the cart 100 based on the operation instruction information (information on how many commodities to put into which cargo box (cargo box associated with which order information)) displayed on the display 60. Accordingly, the control unit 92 grasps the weight of the commodities put into the cargo box based on the measurement results of the scales 31, 32, and 33, determines whether the increase in the weight of the commodities put in corresponds to the number of commodities put in (whether the increase in weight is consistent with the product of the weight of one commodity and the number of commodities to be put in), and displays the determination result on the display 60.

[0088] (4) Picking operations

[0089] Reference Figure 6 , the process of picking operation is described. The picking operation starts, for example, when the operator inputs the operator's ID into the display 60 of the cart 100 (step S1). The control device 90 transmits the operator ID input into the display 60 together with the request to transmit the operation instruction information to the server 200 via the communication unit 40.

[0090] When the server 200 acquires the operator ID transmitted from the cart 100, the cart management unit 204 generates operation instruction information based on the acquired operator ID, the order information stored in the storage unit 206, and information related to the processing speed (processing time) of the operator (step S3). The generation of the operation instruction information will be described later. The cart management unit 204 transmits the generated operation instruction information to the cart 100 that has transmitted the transmission request of the operation instruction information in step S1.

[0091] Next, when the control unit 92 acquires the work instruction information, it controls the operation of the display 60 and causes the display 60 to display the work instruction information (step S4 ).

[0092] Furthermore, when the control unit 92 acquires the operation instruction information, it controls the operation of the label printer 70 and issues the same number of shipping labels as the number of the placing units 21, 22, and 23 (step S5). Information specifying the shipping destination of each container (a barcode indicating an ID of the order information) is printed on each of the three shipping labels.

[0093] If three shipping labels are issued, the operator attaches a shipping label to each of the three boxes. Next, the operator uses the scanner 80 to perform an associative operation of reading the barcode printed on the shipping label attached to the box and the front width barcode 21a, 22a, 23a attached to the loading section (any of the loading sections 21, 22, 23) on which the box is loaded. Through this associative operation, the control device 90 associates each box (in other words, one of the order information is selected) with one loading section 21, 22, 23 (loading place) (step S6).

[0094] Next, the operator moves to the place where the product to be taken out next is placed (the shelf S where the product is placed) according to the work instruction information (storage location information of the product to be taken out next) displayed on the display 60 (step S7 ).

[0095] Next, the operator takes out the required number of commodities to be taken out according to the work instruction information displayed on the display 60 (the commodity name, storage location information, and number of commodities to be taken out next) (step S8 ).

[0096] Next, in step S9, the operator uses the scanner 80 to read the barcode of the product taken out, and the control unit 92 determines (compares) whether the product that the operator should take out is consistent with the product taken out by the operator based on the information read by the scanner 80, and displays the determination result on the display 60. Here, it is assumed that the product that the operator should take out is consistent with the product taken out by the operator. In addition, although detailed description is omitted, if the product that the operator should take out is inconsistent with the product taken out by the operator, an error is displayed on the display 60, so it is necessary to add operations such as moving to the position where the product to be taken out next is placed and taking out the product.

[0097] Next, in step S10, according to the operation instruction information displayed on the display 60 (determining the information of the cargo box (loading section) where the taken-out goods should be placed, and the number of goods to be placed in the cargo box), the goods taken out from the shelf are placed into the cargo box (loaded on the loading section) according to the number of goods to be placed (step S10).

[0098] Next, in step S11, the control unit 92 grasps the weight of the goods put into the cargo box based on the measurement results of the weighing instruments 31, 32, and 33, determines whether the increase in the weight of the goods put into the cargo box corresponds to the number of goods put into the cargo box (whether the increase in weight is consistent with the product of the weight of one commodity and the number of goods to be put into the cargo box) (performs a measurement check), and displays the determination result on the display 60. Here, it is assumed that the number of goods that the operator should put into the cargo box is consistent with the number of goods that the operator actually puts into the cargo box. In addition, although detailed description is omitted, if the number of goods that the operator should put into the cargo box is inconsistent with the number of goods that the operator actually puts into the cargo box, an error is displayed on the display 60, and the operator needs to perform additional operations.

[0099] Next, in step S12, the control unit 92 determines whether all the commodities included in the operation instruction information have been taken out from the shelf and put into the cargo box to be put (whether they are placed on the loading part to be placed). If the operation is not completed, the processing of steps S7 to S12 is performed again. On the other hand, if the operation is completed, the operator moves the cart 100 to the predetermined shipping operation site in the distribution center and transfers the cargo box transported by the cart 100 to the shipping operation (step S13).

[0100] (5) Generation and processing of job instruction information

[0101] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 6 The details of the process of generating the work instruction information in step S3 of the flowchart will be described.

[0102] First, the features of the process of generating work instruction information in this embodiment will be summarized.

[0103] The generation process of the work instruction information of the present embodiment is characterized in that the cart management unit 204 selects a combination of order information based on information related to work productivity derived from information related to a work load derived from the number of commodities included in a predetermined number (three in the present embodiment) of order information and information related to processing time when an operator processes the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of order information, and generates work instruction information to be provided to the cart 100 based on a predetermined number of order information included in the selected combination. Here, in simple terms, work productivity refers to an indicator indicating how much work load an operator can handle per unit time.

[0104] In the past, the operator's moving time, the operator's operating time (the time to take out the goods from the shelf, the time to put the goods into the cargo box), and the incidental time were not reflected in the generation of the operation instructions. However, in reality, these times vary according to the characteristics of the operator and the experience so far. Therefore, if these times are not taken into account, the workload processed per unit time may become smaller. For example, if the operation instructions are given without considering the moving distance, the operation instructions with a long moving distance may be provided to the operator with a slow moving speed. In addition, if the operation instructions are given without considering the number of times the goods are taken out from the shelf and the number of times the goods are put into the cargo box, the operation instructions with a large number of times of taking out and putting in may be provided to the operator with a slow operating speed. Moreover, in such a case, the operation productivity of the operator may become lower.

[0105] In contrast, according to the structure of this embodiment, for example, when there are two operation instructions with the same operation load but different moving distances, an operation instruction with a short moving distance can be provided to an operator with a slow moving speed. In addition, according to the structure of this embodiment, for example, when there are two operation instructions with the same operation load but different numbers of times of putting goods into the cargo box, an operation instruction with a small number of times of putting goods into the cargo box can be provided to an operator with a slow operation. Thus, a decrease in operation productivity can be suppressed (operation productivity can be improved).

[0106] Furthermore, the configuration of this embodiment is effective even when there are no individual differences in the processing speed of operators. This is because, in the configuration of this embodiment, a work instruction with high work productivity can be provided to each operator, thereby improving the overall work productivity.

[0107] Reference Figure 7 Here, an example of a specific process of generating the work instruction information is described. In addition, here, the description is based on the premise that there are N combinations of a predetermined number (here, three) of order information according to the order information stored in the storage unit 206.

[0108] In step S31, the cart management unit 204 obtains the Figure 6 The information related to the processing speed of the operator associated with the operator ID obtained in step S2. Figure 7 The flowchart of exemplifies the case where all the information related to the moving speed, the information related to the product taking-out speed, and the information related to the product input speed are stored in the storage unit 206 in association with the operator ID, but the information related to the operator's processing speed and associated with the operator ID may be part of them. For example, when there is no difference in the product taking-out speed between operators, the value may be a value shared by all operators.

[0109] In addition, in step S31, the cart management unit 204 obtains Figure 6 The server 200 obtains information related to the incidental time α in association with the operator ID in step S2.

[0110] Next, in step S32, the cart management unit 204 derives the time conversion count X, the time conversion count Y, and the time conversion count Z, respectively, based on the information related to the moving speed, the information related to the product taking-out speed, and the information related to the product putting-in speed. The time conversion count X is the (hypothetical) time for the operator to move from one shelf S to the adjacent shelf S in the first direction D1. The time conversion count Y here is the (hypothetical) time from when the operator is in front of the shelf S where the product to be taken out is placed, taking out the product from the shelf S and moving it to the cart 100, to when the scanner 80 of the cart 100 reads the barcode of the product. The time conversion count Z here is the (hypothetical) time from when the operator reads the barcode of the product with the scanner 80 and puts the product into the cargo box, until the control unit 92 finally determines that the number of products put in indicated by the operation instruction information is consistent with the number of products actually put into the cargo box (the measurement check is completed). The derivation of the time conversion counts X, Y, and Z from the information related to the speed can be performed using a mathematical expression (conversion formula) or using a correspondence table between the information related to the speed and the time conversion counts X, Y, and Z. In addition, when there is no difference in the moving speed or the working speed between the operators, the same time conversion counts X, Y, and Z can be used for all the operators. In this case, since information about each operator is not required, steps S31 and S32 can be omitted and predetermined values ​​can be used for the time conversion counts X, Y, and Z.

[0111] The processing of step S36 and step S37 performed after the processing of step S33 and step S35 is for causing the cart management unit 204 to execute the processing of step S34 and step S35 for all the combinations (N) of order information. Here, for the sake of simplicity, the detailed description of the processing of step S33, step S36, and step S37 is omitted.

[0112] In step S34, for the i-th combination (i is an integer less than N) among the combinations of N order information (here, it is assumed that the trolley management unit 204 marks serial numbers for the combinations of N order information and processes them in sequence), the trolley management unit 204 refers to the order information contained in the combination, obtains the total W of the number of rows of each order information contained in the combination (in other words, the number of goods (the number of types of goods) contained in each order information) (the calculation of W does not take into account the duplication of goods between order information), the position P1 of the first product to be taken out in the combination of order information (the position of the shelf S where the first product to be taken out is placed), the position P2 of the last product to be taken out in the combination of order information (the position of the shelf S where the last product to be taken out is placed), the total G of the number of goods (the number of types of goods) contained in the combination of order information (the calculation of G takes into account the duplication of goods between order information), and the total A of the number of each product in each combination of order information (not the number of types of goods, but the number of goods taken out). The total number W of lines of each order information included in the combination is an example of information on the workload derived from the number of products included in the predetermined number of order information.

[0113] In addition, it is assumed here that a rule is determined in the movement of the cart 100. For example, the passage C in the work area is a one-way passage as described above (see Figure 4 ), in addition, the operator, for example, Figure 4 The rule that the cart 100 must move one by one from the leftmost channel to the adjacent (rightmost) channel until the last product is taken away is determined in the . Therefore, if the products included in the combination of order information are known, the path for the cart 100 to move is determined. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, if the circle marked in the shelf S represents the shelf S where the products included in the combination of order information are placed, the operator follows Figure 4 The goods are taken out in the order of the numbers shown in . Therefore, here, if the goods included in the combination of order information are determined, the path from the above-mentioned position P1 and position P2, and the path from position P1 to position P2 are determined. In addition, the rules for moving the cart 100 are not limited to the rules exemplified here, and can be determined appropriately.

[0114] Next, in step S35 , the work productivity C(i) is calculated by the following formula 1 for the i-th combination among the N combinations of order information using the information obtained in steps S31 , S32 , and S34 .

[0115] Formula 1

[0116] C(i) = W ÷ (((number of shelves between position P1 and position P2) × X) + (G × Y + A × Z) + α)

[0117] In addition, if there is no impact on the evaluation of work productivity, one or two of ((the number of shelves between position P1 and position P2)×X), (G×Y+A×Z), and the incidental time α in Formula 1 may be omitted.

[0118] The processing of step S34 and step S35 is repeated until it is determined in step S36 that i=N (in other words, until the work productivity C(i) (i=1 to N) is calculated for all combinations of order information).

[0119] Here, the value obtained by ((the number of shelves between position P1 and position P2) × X) is an example of information on the travel time of the operator moving in the work area to take out the product. In addition, the value obtained by (G × Y + A × Z) is an example of information on the work time of the operator taking out the product from the work area and placing the taken-out product on the predetermined position (loading section 21, 22, 23) of the cart 100.

[0120] That is, here, the cart management unit 204 derives information about the work productivity based on the information about the moving time as information about the processing time. Also, here, the cart management unit 204 derives information about the work productivity based on the information about the working time as information about the processing time. Furthermore, here, the cart management unit 204 derives information about the work productivity based on the information about the incidental time as information about the processing time.

[0121] In addition, the value obtained by ((the number of shelves located between the position P1 and the position P2) × X) is information about the processing time calculated based on the information about the processing speed (here, the moving speed) of the operator acquired by the acquisition unit 202. In addition, the value obtained by (G×Y+A×Z) is information about the processing time calculated based on the information about the processing speed (here, the taking-out speed and the putting-in speed) of the operator acquired by the acquisition unit 202.

[0122] If it is determined in step S36 that i=N (if the work productivity is calculated for all combinations of order information), the process proceeds to step S38. In step S38, the cart management unit 204 selects a predetermined number of order information (here, three) for which the value related to the work productivity obtained by dividing the work load by the processing time (movement time+work time+additional time in the case of Formula 1) is the largest as a combination of order information.

[0123] Moreover, if a combination of ordering information is selected, the cart management unit 204 generates operation instruction information (including information such as the type of goods taken out from the operation area, the order in which the goods are taken out from the operation area, the number of each goods taken out, the storage location information of the taken out goods, the ID of the ordering information associated with the taken out goods (the ID of the cargo box into which the taken out goods are placed)) based on the selected ordering information (step S39).

[0124] <Second Embodiment>

[0125] In the first embodiment, the case of performing a picking operation using the cart management system 1 is described. However, the cart management system using the technology described in the first embodiment can also be used in a sorting operation in which an operator in a warehouse or the like places a plurality of boxes containing a plurality of types of goods (each box is different) on a cart 100 and moves the boxes to a work area in the warehouse to sort the goods in the boxes into positions (e.g., shelves) determined for each product.

[0126] In a second embodiment, if Figure 8 As shown, the cart management system 1A includes a cart 100, a display 60, and a cart management unit 204A. The cart 100 is operated by an operator to move in a work area. The physical structure of the cart 100 is the same as that of the first embodiment. The display 60 shows the operator the work instruction information related to the classification of commodities provided to the cart 100. The physical structure of the display 60 is the same as that of the first embodiment. The cart management unit 204A selects a combination of classification information including a predetermined number of classification information from a plurality of classification information (information related to commodities put into each cargo box), and generates work instruction information provided to the cart 100 based on the predetermined number of classification information included in the selected combination. The cart management unit 204A selects the combination of the classification information of the commodities based on information related to work productivity, and the information related to work productivity is derived based on information related to work load derived from the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of classification information and information related to processing time when the operator processes the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of classification information.

[0127] In contrast to the first embodiment, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the commodity is placed on the shelf, and since the technology used is the same as that of the first embodiment, detailed description is omitted here. As long as there is no contradiction, the content of the first embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment.

[0128] <Modification>

[0129] (1) Modification A

[0130] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the acquisition unit 202 acquires information related to the processing speed of the operator, information related to the incidental time, etc. input / sent by the administrator, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the server 200 of the cart management system 1, 1A may also analyze the operation of the operator by photographing the operator's movements with a camera not shown, or may measure the moving time, operation time, incidental time, etc. based on the detection result of a sensor not shown, using the display 60 or the scanner 80, to obtain information related to the processing speed or processing time of the operator, and information related to the incidental time.

[0131] (2) Modification B

[0132] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the cart management unit 204, 204A selects the combination of order information with the largest value of the work productivity C (i) as the combination of order information used to generate the work instruction information, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cart management unit 204, 204A may select the combination with the value of the work productivity C (i) exceeding a predetermined reference value (which can be said to be a reference value with high work productivity) as the combination of order information used to generate the work instruction information.

[0133] (3) Modification C

[0134] In the above embodiment, the work productivity C(i) is calculated by Formula 1. However, the method of deriving the work productivity is not limited to using Formula 1 as long as the magnitude of the work load relative to the processing time can be comparatively understood.

Claims

1. A trolley management system, characterized in that: have: a communication unit that communicates with a cart that is operated by an operator and moves in a work area, and carries and transports the commodity taken out from the work area by the operator; as well as a cart management unit, which selects a combination of a predetermined number of order information from a plurality of order information, generates operation instruction information provided to the cart based on the predetermined number of order information included in the selected combination, and transmits the generated operation instruction information to the cart via the communication unit, The cart management unit selects a combination of the ordering information based on information related to work productivity, wherein the information related to work productivity is derived based on information related to a work load derived from the number of goods included in the predetermined number of ordering information and information related to a processing time when the operator processes the number of goods included in the predetermined number of ordering information.

2. The trolley management system according to claim 1, wherein: The information on the processing time includes at least information on the movement time of the operator moving to the work area in order to take out the product. The cart management unit derives the information on the work productivity based on the information on the moving time as the information on the processing time.

3. The trolley management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The information on the processing time includes at least information on the operation time from when the operator takes out the commodity from the operation area and places the taken-out commodity on a predetermined position on the cart. The cart management unit derives the information on the work productivity based on the information on the work time as the information on the processing time.

4. The trolley management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The cart management unit selects, as the combination of order information, the predetermined number of order information for which the value related to the work productivity obtained by dividing the work load by the processing time is maximized.

5. The trolley management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The cart management system further includes an acquisition unit for acquiring information related to the processing speed of the operator. The cart management unit derives the information about the processing time based on the information about the processing speed of the operator acquired by the acquisition unit.

6. A trolley management system, characterized in that: have: A trolley is operated by an operator to move in the work area, and is used to carry and transport commodities so that the operator can sort the commodities; a display unit for showing the operator operation instruction information related to the classification of the commodities provided to the cart; as well as a cart management unit that selects a combination of a predetermined number of classified information from a plurality of classified information, and generates the operation instruction information provided to the cart based on the predetermined number of classified information included in the selected combination, The cart management unit selects a combination of the classification information based on information related to work productivity, wherein the information related to work productivity is derived based on information related to a work load derived from the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of classification information and information related to a processing time when the operator processes the number of commodities included in the predetermined number of classification information.

7. A trolley, linked to the trolley management system according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: have: A communication unit, communicating various information with the trolley management system; a display unit that displays the information received by the communication unit to an operator; and The control unit causes the display unit to display the work instruction information when receiving the work instruction information via the communication unit.

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