Unmanned crown block intelligent control method and related equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned crown block intelligent control method and related equipment, and relates to the technical field of intelligent storage unmanned crown blocks, and the method comprises the steps: obtaining the current position information of a crown block, the target position information of the crown block, and the fixed obstacle region information; on the basis of the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, a crown block walking path is determined, and the crown block walking path is composed of path points; and re-planning the travelling path of the crown block under the condition of detecting that the travelling path of the crown block has the dynamic obstacle area, and continuously moving the crown block to the target position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of intelligent warehousing unmanned overhead cranes, and in particular to an unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method and related equipment. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of industrial automation and intelligent technology, the application of unmanned overhead cranes in steel production, warehousing and logistics has been gradually promoted. Traditional overhead crane operations usually rely on manual scheduling and operation, which not only requires operators to have a high degree of experience and skills, but also requires them to work in a high temperature, high noise, and high-risk environment. Such working conditions seriously affect production efficiency and personnel safety. In recent years, in order to solve this problem, intelligent unmanned overhead crane control systems have gradually become a research focus, providing more efficient and safe solutions for steel production and warehousing scenarios.

[0003] However, the current unmanned overhead crane system still faces many challenges. For example, in a complex warehouse environment, the overhead crane needs to handle operating personnel or mobile equipment as well as fixed obstacles to ensure the safety and efficiency of operation. In addition, during the operation of the overhead crane, the overhead crane may waste time due to frequent deceleration and acceleration, thereby reducing the overall operating efficiency. Therefore, an unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method is urgently needed to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the invention

[0004] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in the Summary of the Invention section, which will be further described in detail in the Detailed Description of the Invention section. The Summary of the Invention section of this application does not mean to attempt to define the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor does it mean to attempt to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides an intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane, the method comprising:

[0006] Obtain the current position information of the overhead crane, the target position information of the overhead crane and the fixed obstacle area information;

[0007] Based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, determining a travel path of the overhead crane, wherein the travel path of the overhead crane is composed of path points;

[0008] When it is detected that there is a dynamic obstacle area on the overhead crane travel path, the overhead crane travel path is replanned and the overhead crane is continued to be moved to the target position.

[0009] In a feasible implementation, it also includes:

[0010] When it is detected that the current overhead crane travel path meets the preset change point conditions, the current target path point is skipped and the next target path point is moved to.

[0011] In a feasible implementation manner, the above-mentioned preset change point condition includes:

[0012] The distance between the current vehicle or car and the current target path point is less than a preset deviation threshold; and / or,

[0013] The current travel direction of the overhead crane is consistent with the preset travel direction from the current position to the above-mentioned next target path point; and / or,

[0014] There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the above-mentioned current target path point; and / or,

[0015] There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the above-mentioned next target path point.

[0016] In one possible implementation,

[0017] When a dynamic obstacle area is detected in the overhead crane travel path, the overhead crane travel path is replanned and the overhead crane is continued to be moved to the target position, including:

[0018] Based on the status of the warehouse safety gate and the location of the above-mentioned dynamic obstacle area, determine whether the current overhead crane travel path needs to be avoided;

[0019] When the overhead crane enters the preset deceleration area, the large or small vehicle is controlled to continue moving to the target position along the new travel path based on the dynamic obstacle type.

[0020] In a feasible implementation manner, before obtaining the current position information of the overhead travelling vehicle, the target position information of the overhead travelling vehicle and the fixed obstacle area information, the method further includes:

[0021] Collecting surface temperature data of the steel coil, wherein the surface temperature data is collected by a temperature sensor installed in the clamp when the clamp descends to a preset detection height during the overhead crane coiling process;

[0022] Based on the above-mentioned surface temperature data and the preset temperature, the corresponding clamp operation is determined, wherein, when the above-mentioned surface temperature data is greater than the preset temperature, the above-mentioned clamp operation includes the clamp stopping lifting, rising to the preset safety height and waiting for the next coiling instruction; when the above-mentioned surface temperature data is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the above-mentioned clamp operation includes the clamp clamping the steel coil, rising to the above-mentioned preset safety height and waiting for the unwinding instruction.

[0023] In a feasible implementation manner, the specific steps of clamping the steel coil with the clamps include:

[0024] Detect the position of the steel coil based on the through-beam light curtain sensor to generate a grating signal;

[0025] According to the above grating signal, the working state of the clamp is controlled;

[0026] When the clamps complete the clamping operation, the clamps are controlled to clamp the steel coil and perform the lifting operation.

[0027] In one possible implementation,

[0028] The above-mentioned control of the working state of the clamp according to the above-mentioned grating signal includes:

[0029] When the grating signal is in an unblocked state, controlling the clamp to descend;

[0030] When the grating signal changes to the blocking state, the clamp is controlled to continue to descend;

[0031] When the grating signal returns to an unobstructed state and lasts for a preset time, the clamp is controlled to stop descending and perform a clamping operation.

[0032] In a second aspect, the present application proposes an intelligent control device for an unmanned overhead crane, comprising:

[0033] An information acquisition unit, used to acquire the current position information of the overhead travelling vehicle, the target position information of the overhead travelling vehicle and the fixed obstacle area information;

[0034] A path planning unit, used to determine a travel path of the overhead crane based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, wherein the travel path of the overhead crane is composed of path points;

[0035] The path optimization unit is used to re-plan the travel path of the overhead crane when a dynamic obstacle area is detected in the travel path of the overhead crane, and continue to move the overhead crane to a target position.

[0036] In a third aspect, an electronic device comprises: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor is configured to implement the steps of any one of the methods for intelligent control of an unmanned overhead crane according to the first aspect when executing the computer program stored in the memory.

[0037] In a fourth aspect, the present application further proposes a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method of any one of the first aspects is implemented.

[0038] In summary, the embodiments of the present application can dynamically adjust the travel path of the overhead crane by identifying fixed obstacle areas in the storage area, real-time monitoring of dynamic obstacle areas, and multi-condition judgment of path points, so as to maximize the operating efficiency while ensuring safety. In particular, when encountering dynamic obstacles, the present invention uses the safety door status and obstacle location information to accurately judge the avoidance needs, and realizes flexible dynamic avoidance through reasonable deceleration and parking mechanisms. In addition, through the optimization of the change point logic, when the overhead crane runs to certain intermediate target points, the present invention intelligently skips unnecessary path points according to the obstacle conditions, direction consistency and deviation conditions between the current target position and the next target position, thereby reducing unnecessary deceleration and acceleration operations and improving path consistency and efficiency. Compared with the prior art, the present invention significantly reduces the time loss during the operation of the overhead crane, improves the overall operating efficiency of the steel coil warehouse, and further ensures the safety of personnel and equipment.

[0039] The intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane proposed in the present invention, and other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will be partially reflected in the following description, and will also be partially understood by those skilled in the art through research and practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present specification. Also, the same reference symbols are used throughout the accompanying drawings to represent the same components. In the accompanying drawings:

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of an intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the point change process of the unmanned overhead crane provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a dynamic avoidance path planning process for an unmanned overhead crane provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent control device for an unmanned overhead crane provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent control electronic device for an unmanned overhead crane provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0047] See also Figure 1 , which is a flow chart of an unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which may specifically include:

[0048] S110, obtaining the current position information of the overhead travelling crane, the target position information of the overhead travelling crane and the fixed obstacle area information;

[0049] For example, in the intelligent control process of an unmanned overhead crane, obtaining the current position, target position, and fixed obstacle area information of the overhead crane is a key step in achieving path planning and dynamic avoidance. According to the document, the current position and target position of the overhead crane are obtained in real time through sensors and the dispatching system, where the current position of the overhead crane is provided by the positioning system to ensure accurate identification of the current location of the overhead crane; the target position information is issued by the secondary dispatching system according to task requirements to determine the final position or intermediate path point that the overhead crane needs to reach, where the positioning system can be a GPS or a high-precision positioning device dedicated to the storage area.

[0050] Fixed obstacle area information refers to static and known obstacles in the warehouse area. Obstacles include equipment, stacked steel coils or regional isolation devices. Their information is recorded in the system through pre-configured warehouse environment data, or scanned and updated in real time by laser radar, visual sensors and other equipment. The boundary data of these obstacle areas will be stored in the control system and used for calculation by the path optimization algorithm to ensure that the travel path planned by the overhead crane will not cross the fixed obstacle area. The boundary data can be a coordinate range.

[0051] By obtaining the above three types of information, the system can combine the dynamic performance parameters of the overhead crane to calculate the optimal driving path from the current position to the target position, and dynamically adjust the path to avoid obstacles, thereby ensuring the safety and efficiency of the overhead crane operation. This process lays the foundation for the intelligent control method of the unmanned overhead crane and is the core input condition for subsequent path planning, change point optimization and dynamic avoidance.

[0052] S120, determining a travel path of the overhead crane based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, wherein the travel path of the overhead crane is composed of path points;

[0053] Exemplarily, the determination of the overhead crane's travel path is dynamically calculated by combining the current position of the overhead crane, the target position and the fixed obstacle area information in the storage area to ensure the safety and optimality of the path. The overhead crane's travel path is composed of a series of path points, each of which represents a key position during the operation of the overhead crane and is used to guide the movement of the overhead crane in stages.

[0054] Based on the current position information and target position information of the overhead crane, a straight line path from the current position to the target position is initially planned. Subsequently, by analyzing the fixed obstacle area information, it is determined whether the preliminary path intersects with the fixed obstacle area. If there is an intersection, the system will use the obstacle avoidance algorithm to adjust the path, replan a safe path to bypass the obstacle, and decompose the adjusted path into multiple path points. Each path point contains clear coordinate information, and the lines between the path points will not overlap with the fixed obstacle area.

[0055] S130: When it is detected that there is a dynamic obstacle area on the overhead crane travel path, replan the overhead crane travel path and continue to move the overhead crane to the target position.

[0056] For example, when the overhead crane detects a dynamic obstacle area on its travel path, the system will immediately trigger a path replanning mechanism to ensure the safe operation of the overhead crane and the smooth completion of the target task. The dynamic obstacle area usually refers to the area where workers, mobile equipment or other temporary obstacles are located in the warehouse area. This information is dynamically acquired through the real-time monitoring system of the warehouse area, which can be a laser radar, a visual sensor and a safety door status signal.

[0057] After detecting the dynamic obstacle area, the intersection of the current path of the overhead crane and the dynamic obstacle area is first analyzed. If a section of the path is found to be covered by the dynamic obstacle area, the system will determine the current state of the overhead crane and the range and movement trend of the dynamic obstacle. Then, based on the current position of the overhead crane, the target position and the dynamic obstacle information, a new path that avoids the dynamic obstacle is recalculated.

[0058] In summary, the embodiments of the present application can dynamically adjust the travel path of the overhead crane by identifying fixed obstacle areas in the storage area, real-time monitoring of dynamic obstacle areas, and multi-condition judgment of path points, so as to maximize the operating efficiency while ensuring safety. In particular, when encountering dynamic obstacles, the present invention uses the safety door status and obstacle location information to accurately judge the avoidance needs, and realizes flexible dynamic avoidance through reasonable deceleration and parking mechanisms. In addition, through the optimization of the change point logic, when the overhead crane runs to certain intermediate target points, the present invention intelligently skips unnecessary path points according to the obstacle conditions, direction consistency and deviation conditions between the current target position and the next target position, thereby reducing unnecessary deceleration and acceleration operations and improving path consistency and efficiency. Compared with the prior art, the present invention significantly reduces the time loss during the operation of the overhead crane, improves the overall operating efficiency of the steel coil warehouse, and further ensures the safety of personnel and equipment.

[0059] Exemplarily, the embodiment of the present application establishes a plane rectangular coordinate system based on the direction of operation of the overhead crane, wherein the direction of movement of the large vehicle is defined as the X-axis, and the direction of movement of the small vehicle is defined as the Y-axis, which is used to describe the operating position of the overhead crane and the distribution information of the obstacle area. The physical coordinates of each obstacle in the storage area are collected, and the irregularly shaped obstacles are geometrically simplified, projected onto the ground background, and converted into a rectangular model. The edges of the rectangle are parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis of the coordinate system. The rectangular range must completely contain the obstacle, and a certain safety distance is left as a preset deceleration area to ensure the safety of the overhead crane operation.

[0060] In some examples, this also includes:

[0061] When it is detected that the current overhead crane travel path meets the preset change point conditions, the current target path point is skipped and the next target path point is moved to.

[0062] The above-mentioned preset change point conditions include:

[0063] The distance between the current vehicle or car and the current target path point is less than a preset deviation threshold, wherein the preset deviation threshold is 500 mm; and / or,

[0064] The current travel direction of the overhead crane is consistent with the preset travel direction from the current position to the above-mentioned next target path point; and / or,

[0065] There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the above-mentioned current target path point; and / or,

[0066] There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the above-mentioned next target path point.

[0067] For example, in the intelligent control method of an unmanned overhead crane, by detecting whether the overhead crane's travel path meets the preset change point conditions, it is possible to skip the current target path point and go directly to the next target path point. This logic is intended to reduce unnecessary deceleration and acceleration processes, optimize operating efficiency, and ensure the safety and continuity of path switching. The specific change point conditions are based on the following core principles:

[0068] The distance between the current position of the trolley or car and the current target path point is less than the preset deviation threshold: The system locates the current position of the trolley or car of the overhead crane in real time and calculates its distance from the current target path point. When the deviation is less than the preset deviation threshold (such as 500mm), it indicates that the overhead crane is close enough to the current target path point, so it is allowed to skip this point and directly plan to the next path point. This condition avoids the repeated adjustment of the overhead crane to accurately reach the path point, and improves the operation efficiency.

[0069] The current direction of the overhead crane is consistent with the preset direction from the current position to the next target path point: To ensure that the direction of the overhead crane after the path switching is consistent with the design logic of the target path, the system detects whether the current direction of the overhead crane is consistent with the preset direction to the next target path point. If the directions are consistent, it means that the point change operation will not cause path deviation or unnecessary adjustment, and the current path point can be safely skipped.

[0070] There are no fixed obstacles on the path from the current position to the current target path point: By analyzing the path segment between the current position of the overhead crane and the current target path point, ensure that the path segment does not overlap with any fixed obstacles. If there are obstacles on the path, the overhead crane must follow the established path step by step to reach the target point to avoid detours or collisions.

[0071] There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the next target path point: After the change point, the travel path of the overhead crane needs to lead directly to the next target path point. Therefore, before skipping the current path point, the system needs to detect the straight path from the current position to the next target path point to ensure that it does not intersect with fixed obstacles to ensure the safety and continuity of the path.

[0072] For example, the process of the unmanned overhead crane changing point is as follows: Figure 2As shown, in the process of the overhead crane moving from the starting point to the end point, it needs to avoid fixed obstacle areas and pass through intermediate points 1 and 2. In the traditional operation logic, the overhead crane passes through intermediate points 1 and 2 in sequence according to the path planning. In the process of moving from the starting point to the intermediate point 1, the overhead crane gradually approaches the intermediate point 1 along the preset trajectory (1-9). When the overhead crane approaches the intermediate point 1, it will decelerate according to the established logic and accurately reach the intermediate point 1 before accelerating to the intermediate point 2. However, this operation mode will increase the operation time due to multiple deceleration and acceleration operations, thereby reducing the overall operation efficiency, where the intermediate point 1 is the target path point 1 and the intermediate point 2 is the next target path point 2.

[0073] Under the optimization logic, by dynamically judging the relative position between the current position of the overhead crane and the fixed obstacle area, as well as the path relationship between the overhead crane and the intermediate point 1 and the intermediate point 2, the intermediate point 1 can be skipped at the appropriate position and the intermediate point 2 can be directly reached. For example, when the overhead crane runs to position 5 in the dotted circle, the system detects that the travel path from the current position of the overhead crane to the intermediate point 2 has avoided the fixed obstacle area (i.e., no longer passes through the fixed obstacle area), and at the same time meets the preset change point conditions (such as the deviation of the overhead crane trolley is less than the set threshold, the driving direction is consistent, etc.), the system can dynamically adjust and switch the target position from the intermediate point 1 to the intermediate point 2.

[0074] The implementation of this optimization logic enables the crane to avoid deceleration and precise arrival at the intermediate point 1, and directly turn to the next path point, thereby reducing unnecessary pauses and time loss. Through this change point logic, not only the overall operation efficiency of the crane is improved, but also the energy consumption and wear of the equipment caused by multiple decelerations and accelerations are effectively reduced. Ultimately, this dynamic path adjustment mechanism fully utilizes the real-time monitoring and path planning capabilities of the unmanned crane intelligent control system, adapts to the complex storage environment, and improves the flexibility and efficiency of operations.

[0075] Assume that the current position of the overhead crane is (x, y) and the current target position is the middle point 1 (x 目标 ,y 目标 ), the next target position is the middle point 2(x 目标下 ,y 目标下 ), the rectangular coordinates of the current fixed obstacle area are determined by two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2), where x2>x1 and y2>y1. In the primary control program, in order to ensure walking safety and path stability, the following logical judgments are required:

[0076] Whether the current path avoids fixed obstacle areas, first, determine the current position (x, y) of the overhead crane and the current target position (x 目标 ,y 目标 ) whether the walking path between them intersects with the fixed obstacle area. Define x max For x and x 目标the larger value among them; x min is the smaller value between x and x 目标 ; y max is the larger value between y and y 目标 ; y min is the smaller value between y and y 目标 . The condition that the traveling path of the overhead crane does not pass through the fixed obstacle area is: x min > x2 or x max < x1 or y min > y2 or y max < y1. When this condition is met, the current position and the current target path segment will not cross the fixed obstacle area, ensuring the safe passage of the overhead crane.

[0077] After meeting the above conditions (the current path avoids the fixed obstacle area), further determine whether to skip the current target position (intermediate point 1) and directly go to the next target position (intermediate point 2). Define x′ max as the larger value between x and x 目标下 ; x′ min is the smaller value between x and x 目标下 ; y′ max is the larger value between y and y 目标下 ; y′ min is the smaller value between y and y 目标下 . The condition that the traveling path of the overhead crane from the current position to the next target position does not pass through the fixed obstacle area is: x′ min > x2 or x′ max < x1 or y′ min > y2 or y′ max < y1. When this condition is met, the path segment from the current position to the next target does not cross the fixed obstacle area, and the point-changing operation can be performed.

[0078] To ensure the safety and path coherence of the point-changing operation, the following additional conditions need to be met:

[0079] The traveling direction of the overhead crane cannot change suddenly, which is expressed as:

[0080] If the trolley direction (y - direction) is already approaching the target point, it is required that the crane direction (x - direction) satisfies:

[0081] y > y 目标 > y 目标下 or y < y 目标 < y 目标下 .

[0082] If the crane direction (x - direction) is already approaching the target point, it is required that the trolley direction (y - direction) satisfies:

[0083] x > x 目标 > x 目标下or x <x 目标 <x 目标下 .

[0084] The trolley or the carriage of the overhead crane must be close to the current target position in one direction, and the deviation is less than the preset deviation threshold. In this embodiment, the preset deviation threshold can be set to 500 mm.

[0085] In actual scenarios, there may be more than one obstacle in the warehouse area. It is necessary to determine for each fixed obstacle area whether the path from the current position to the current target path point and the path from the current position to the next target path point intersects with the fixed obstacle area. The system will only allow point change operation when all fixed obstacle areas meet the above conditions.

[0086] Through the above logical judgment, the overhead crane can dynamically evaluate the relative position relationship between the current position, the target position and the obstacle area during operation. When conditions permit, it can skip the current path point and go directly to the next path point, thereby reducing unnecessary deceleration and acceleration processes and improving operation efficiency. At the same time, based on the path obstacle avoidance conditions and the consistency of the driving direction, the operation safety and path stability of the overhead crane are ensured. This intelligent change point logic provides an important guarantee for the efficient operation of the unmanned overhead crane in a complex storage environment.

[0087] In some examples, when a dynamic obstacle area is detected in the overhead crane travel path, replanning the overhead crane travel path and continuing to move the overhead crane to a target position includes:

[0088] Based on the status of the warehouse safety gate and the location of the above-mentioned dynamic obstacle area, determine whether the current overhead crane travel path needs to be avoided;

[0089] When the overhead crane enters the preset deceleration area, the large or small vehicle is controlled to continue moving to the target position along the new travel path based on the dynamic obstacle type.

[0090] Exemplarily, the system first determines whether the overhead crane needs to perform an avoidance operation by monitoring the status of the warehouse safety door and the location of the dynamic obstacle area, including:

[0091] Safety gate status in the warehouse area: The opening of the safety gate usually indicates that there may be dynamic obstacles in the warehouse area (such as workers or mobile equipment). By analyzing the status of the safety gate, potential obstacle areas on the overhead crane's travel path can be identified in advance.

[0092] Dynamic obstacle location: Real-time monitoring of the specific coordinates, range and movement trend of dynamic obstacles, combined with the coordinates of the current path point of the overhead crane, to determine whether the walking path intersects with the dynamic obstacle area.

[0093] If the route is not affected, the overhead crane will continue to operate according to the original plan.

[0094] If the path is covered by a dynamic obstacle area, an avoidance strategy is initiated.

[0095] After confirming that the overhead crane path needs to be avoided, the system further adjusts the operation logic based on the location of the overhead crane and the type of dynamic obstacle (such as stationary or moving), including:

[0096] When the overhead crane enters the preset deceleration buffer zone near the obstacle area, the system controls the crane's trolley or carriage motion module according to the location and type of the dynamic obstacle, including:

[0097] If an obstacle blocks the travel path of the overhead crane, the system will adjust the crane (in the X direction), control the crane to slow down or stop, and re-plan a detour path.

[0098] If the obstacle is on the path of the car, the car will adjust (in the Y direction) and control the car to slow down, stop, or resume operation after the obstacle is removed.

[0099] When the impact range of the obstacle is clear, the optimal path of the overhead crane is recalculated, new path points are generated, and the updated path is used as the next operation plan of the overhead crane.

[0100] For example, the dynamic avoidance path planning process of the unmanned overhead crane is as follows: Figure 3 As shown. Figure 3 The solid line is the area that needs to be avoided, the dotted box is the deceleration distance reserved for the overhead crane trolley and the trolley, and the numbers 1-9 on the way are the process points of the overhead crane. The numbers represent the range, and the corresponding operations are performed within each range. During the walking process, if it is judged that the dynamic obstacle area has been passed, after entering the dotted box, the overhead crane trolley and the trolley send a stop command, and the overhead crane starts to judge according to the following logic.

[0101] According to the above screening, there are four cases according to the starting point in the X and Y obstacle areas. Among them, when the large car is not in the obstacle area and the small car is not in the obstacle area, the corresponding areas are 1, 2, 4 and 5; when the large car is in the obstacle area and the small car is not in the obstacle area, the corresponding areas are 7 and 8; when the large car is not in the obstacle area and the small car is in the obstacle area, the corresponding areas are 3 and 6; when the large car is in the obstacle area and the small car is in the obstacle area, the corresponding area is 9. The control operations of the large car and the small car are shown in Table 1.

[0102] Table 1 Control operations of large and small vehicles

[0103]

[0104] In the cases of 1-2, 2-1, 4-5, and 5-4, the starting point and the end point (both the trolley and the small car) are not in the obstacle area, and the trolley mechanism can be activated first, the trolley moves in the X direction, and when the line between the current position and the target position is detected to not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane moves to the target position. Or the small car mechanism can be activated first, the trolley moves in the Y direction, and when the line between the current position and the target position is detected to not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane moves to the target position.

[0105] In the cases of 1-6, 2-3, 4-3, and 5-6, both the trolley and the small car at the starting point are not in the obstacle area, the trolley at the end point is not in the obstacle area, and the small car is in the obstacle area. The trolley mechanism can be activated first, and the trolley moves in the X direction. When it is detected that the line between the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane moves directly to the target position.

[0106] In cases 1-8, 2-7, 4-8, and 5-7, both the trolley and the small car at the starting point are not in the obstacle area, the small car at the end point is not in the obstacle area, and the trolley is in the obstacle area. The trolley mechanism can be activated first, and the small car moves in the Y direction. When it is detected that the line between the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane moves directly to the target position.

[0107] In the cases of 1-9, 2-9, 4-9, and 5-9, both the trolley and the carriage at the starting point are not in the obstacle area, and both the trolley and the carriage at the end point are in the obstacle area. The trolley mechanism can be activated first, and the trolley moves in the Y direction. When the difference between the trolley coordinates at the current position and the trolley coordinates at the target position is detected to be less than the preset in-place deviation, the overhead crane stops and waits for the safety door to close before the overhead crane continues to move to the target position. The preset in-place deviation refers to the allowable error range between the current actual position of the overhead crane trolley and the target position, which is a parameter used to judge whether the overhead crane is close to the target position, so as to avoid the overhead crane frequently adjusting its position before accurately reaching the target point or triggering an operation when it is too far away.

[0108] In cases 3-4, 3-2, 6-1, and 6-5, the trolley at the starting point is not in the obstacle area, the small car is in the obstacle area, and both the trolley and the small car at the end point are not in the obstacle area. The small car mechanism can be activated first, and the small car moves in the Y direction. When it is detected that the line between the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane moves directly to the target position.

[0109] In the case of 3-6 and 6-3, the large car at the starting point is not in the obstacle area, but the small car is in the obstacle area; the large car at the end point is not in the obstacle area, but the small car is in the obstacle area. The small car mechanism can move first, which is mainly divided into two situations. The current position of the small car is y;

[0110] y - y1 ≥ y2 - y, the trolley moves in the Y direction towards the direction of y2. After the trolley moves out of the interval of y1 and y2, it moves to the target position by the operation mode described above in 5 - 6.

[0111] y - y1 < y2 - y, the trolley moves in the Y direction towards the direction of y1. After the trolley moves out of the interval of y1 and y2, it moves to the target position by the operation mode described above in 1 - 6.

[0112] In the cases of 3 - 7, 3 - 8, 6 - 7, 6 - 8, the large vehicle at the starting point is not in the obstacle area, the trolley is in the obstacle area, the trolley at the end point is not in the obstacle area, and the large vehicle is in the obstacle area. The trolley mechanism can move first. When the trolley moves in the Y direction and detects that the line connecting the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane directly moves to the target position.

[0113] In the cases of 3 - 9, 6 - 9, the large vehicle at the starting point is not in the obstacle area, the trolley is in the obstacle area, and both the large vehicle and the trolley at the end point are in the obstacle area. The trolley mechanism can move first. When the trolley moves in the Y direction and detects that the difference between the trolley coordinates of the current position and the trolley coordinates of the target position is less than the preset in - place deviation, the overhead crane stops and waits for the safety door to close before continuing to move to the target position.

[0114] In the cases of 7 - 5, 7 - 2, 8 - 1, 8 - 4, the large vehicle at the starting point is in the obstacle area, the trolley is not in the obstacle area, and both the large vehicle and the trolley at the end point are not in the obstacle area. The large vehicle mechanism can move first. When the large vehicle moves in the × direction and detects that the line connecting the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane directly moves to the target position.

[0115] In the cases of 8 - 3, 8 - 6, 7 - 3, 7 - 6, the large vehicle at the starting point is in the obstacle area, the trolley is not in the obstacle area, the large vehicle at the end point is not in the obstacle area, and the trolley is in the obstacle area. The large vehicle mechanism can move first. When the large vehicle moves in the X direction and detects that the line connecting the current position and the target position does not pass through the obstacle area, the overhead crane directly moves to the target position.

[0116] In the cases of 8 - 7, 7 - 8, the large vehicle at the starting point is in the obstacle area, the trolley is not in the obstacle area, the large vehicle at the end point is in the obstacle area, and the trolley is not in the obstacle area. The large vehicle mechanism can move first, which is mainly divided into two cases. The current position of the large vehicle is x;

[0117] x - x1 ≥ x2 - x, the large vehicle moves in the X direction towards the direction of x2. After the large vehicle moves out of the interval of x1 and x2, it moves to the target position by the operation mode described above in 2 - 7.

[0118] x - x1 < x2 - x, the large vehicle moves in the X direction towards the direction of x1. After the large vehicle moves out of the interval of x1 and x2, it moves to the target position by the operation mode described in the above 5 - 7.

[0119] In the cases of 8 - 9 and 7 - 9, the large vehicle at the starting point is in the obstacle area, the small vehicle is not in the obstacle area, and both the large vehicle and the small vehicle at the end point are in the obstacle area. The large vehicle mechanism can move first. The large vehicle moves in the X direction. When the difference between the coordinate of the large vehicle at the current position and the coordinate of the large vehicle at the target position is less than the preset in - place deviation, the overhead crane stops and waits for the safety door to close before the overhead crane continues to run to the target position. Among them, the preset in - place deviation is 500mm.

[0120] In the cases of 9 - 1, 9 - 2, 9 - 3, 9 - 4, 9 - 5, 9 - 6, 9 - 7, 9 - 8, both the large vehicle and the small vehicle at the starting point and the end point are in the obstacle area, the current position of the overhead crane is within the restricted area, and all the large and small vehicle mechanisms are prohibited from moving and wait for the safety door to close before continuing to run.

[0121] In some instances, before obtaining the current position information of the overhead crane, the target position information of the overhead crane, and the fixed obstacle area information, it further includes:

[0122] Collect the surface temperature data of the steel coil. Among them, the above - mentioned surface temperature data is collected by the temperature sensor installed on the clamp when the clamp descends to the preset detection height during the process of the overhead crane picking up the coil.

[0123] Based on the above - mentioned surface temperature data and the preset temperature, determine the clamp operation, including:

[0124] In the case where the above - mentioned surface temperature data is greater than the preset temperature, the clamp stops hoisting, rises to the preset safety height, and waits for the next coil - lifting instruction.

[0125] In the case where the above - mentioned surface temperature data is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the clamp clamps the steel coil, rises to the above - mentioned preset safety height, and waits for the coil - releasing instruction.

[0126] For example, in the intelligent control process of the unmanned overhead crane, in order to ensure the safety of steel coil lifting and the accuracy of operation, the system needs to collect the temperature data of the steel coil surface before obtaining the current position, target position and fixed obstacle area information of the overhead crane. When the clamp descends to the preset detection height, the surface temperature value of the steel coil is obtained in real time through the high-precision temperature sensor installed on the clamp, and the temperature value is compared with the preset safety temperature threshold. If the surface temperature of the steel coil is detected to be higher than the preset threshold, the system will immediately stop the lifting operation of the clamp, instruct the clamp to rise to a safe height, record abnormal data, trigger the alarm mechanism, and wait for the next lifting instruction, so as to avoid high temperature from causing damage to the equipment or causing safety hazards. When the surface temperature of the steel coil is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the system instructs the clamp to perform the clamping operation, safely clamp the steel coil, and rise to the preset safety height, enter the lifting mode, and wait for the next unwinding instruction. Through this process, the system can realize real-time monitoring and intelligent decision-making of the steel coil temperature, effectively avoid operational risks caused by high temperature, reduce human intervention, and improve operation efficiency and safety.

[0127] In some examples, the clamps clamping the steel coil include:

[0128] Detect the position of the steel coil based on the through-beam light curtain sensor to generate a grating signal;

[0129] According to the above grating signal, it is judged whether the steel coil is in the center position of the clamp, including:

[0130] When the above grating signal is in an unblocked state, the steel coil does not enter the effective range of the clamp, and the clamp is controlled to continue to descend;

[0131] When the above grating signal changes to the blocking state, the steel coil enters the clamp range and approaches the center area;

[0132] After the grating signal is restored to an unobstructed state and lasts for a preset time, the steel coil is in the center position of the clamp and the clamping operation is performed, wherein the preset time is 2 seconds.

[0133] After the steel coil is in the centered position, the clamp is controlled to clamp the steel coil and perform lifting operations.

[0134] For example, in the process of steel coil hoisting by unmanned overhead crane, in order to solve the influence of small coils and staggered coils on the hoisting process, the system uses a grating light curtain to detect when the clamp legs are centered, replacing the traditional upper and lower centering methods, so as to ensure the accuracy of steel coil centering. During the descent of the clamp, the grating sensor generates a grating signal in real time, and judges the position state of the steel coil by the change process of the signal. When the grating signal is in an unobstructed state, it means that the steel coil has not entered the effective detection range of the clamp, and the system controls the clamp to continue to descend; when the grating signal changes to an obstructed state, it indicates that the steel coil has entered the clamp range and is close to the center area; when the grating signal returns to an unobstructed state again and lasts for 2 seconds, the system confirms that the position of the steel coil has been centered. Through this process, regardless of the size of the steel coil, the system can ensure that the centering signal is stable during the clamping process, and the clamp legs and the center position of the steel coil are consistent. After completing the centering confirmation, the system controls the clamp to perform the clamping operation, securely fix the steel coil, and enter the hoisting mode. Using grating detection to replace the traditional centering method not only improves the centering accuracy and efficiency, but also effectively solves the positioning problem of small rolls and staggered rolls during lifting, providing reliable guarantee for the stability and safety of lifting.

[0135] In some examples, it also includes:

[0136] In the unwinding business of the unmanned overhead crane, in order to solve the problem of repeated weighing during the weighing and unwinding process, the system realizes the marking and logical processing of the weighing task through the collaboration of the secondary scheduling system and the primary control system. When the secondary scheduling system issues a weighing and unwinding work order, a weighing flag will be added to the work order for the primary control system to identify. After reading the weighing flag, the primary control system enters the weighing mode. After the steel coil is unwinded, the clamp opens but does not perform the rising action. Instead, it exits the unwinding sequence and waits for the feedback of the weighing completion signal to ensure the accuracy of the weighing operation. At the same time, the safety height of the overhead crane during the weighing process is uniformly determined by the secondary system and the primary control system to ensure the safety of operation. When the secondary system sends a weighing completion signal, the primary control system instructs the clamp to re-clamp the steel coil and rise to the preset safety height to complete the operation process after weighing. Subsequently, the system returns to the normal unwinding logic, hoists the steel coil to the designated warehouse area and completes the final unwinding operation. Through this process, the system effectively avoids the problem of repeated weighing, improves the accuracy of weighing and the efficiency of unwinding. At the same time, the unified safety height judgment mechanism ensures the safety of operation and provides reliable support for the efficient operation of unmanned overhead cranes in complex warehouse scenarios.

[0137] See also Figure 4 , is a schematic diagram of the structure of an unmanned overhead crane intelligent control device provided in an embodiment of the present application, comprising:

[0138] An information acquisition unit 21 is used to acquire the current position information of the overhead travelling vehicle, the target position information of the overhead travelling vehicle and the fixed obstacle area information;

[0139] A path planning unit 22, configured to determine a travel path of the overhead travelling vehicle based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, wherein the travel path of the overhead travelling vehicle is composed of path points;

[0140] The path optimization unit 23 is used to re-plan the travel path of the overhead crane when a dynamic obstacle area is detected in the travel path of the overhead crane, and continue to move the overhead crane to the target position.

[0141] See also Figure 5 The embodiment of the present application also provides an electronic device 300, including a memory 310, a processor 320, and a computer program 311 stored in the memory 310 and executable on the processor. When the processor 320 executes the computer program 311, the steps of any of the above-mentioned methods for intelligent control of unmanned overhead crane are implemented.

[0142] Since the electronic device introduced in this embodiment is the device used to implement the unmanned overhead crane intelligent control device in the embodiment of the present application, based on the method introduced in the embodiment of the present application, the technical personnel in this field can understand the specific implementation mode of the electronic device of this embodiment and its various variations. Therefore, how the electronic device implements the method in the embodiment of the present application is not introduced in detail here. As long as the equipment used by the technical personnel in this field to implement the method in the embodiment of the present application is within the scope of protection of this application.

[0143] During the specific implementation process, when the computer program 311 is executed by a processor, any implementation method in the embodiments corresponding to the first aspect can be implemented.

[0144] It should be noted that in the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis, and for parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present application may be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the present application may adopt the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment in combination with software and hardware. Moreover, the present application may adopt the form of a computer program product implemented in one or more computer-readable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) that contain computer-readable program code.

[0146] The present application is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that each process and / or box in the flowchart and / or block diagram, as well as the combination of the processes and / or boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded computer, or other programmable data processing device to generate a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowchart and / or block diagram. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in a block or multiple blocks.

[0147] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture comprising an instruction device, which implements the process Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A function specified in one or more boxes.

[0148] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0149] The present application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer software instructions. When the computer software instructions are executed on a processing device, the processing device executes Figure 1 A process of an unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method in the corresponding embodiment.

[0150] The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on the computer, the process or function according to the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable devices. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website site, a computer, a server or a data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (digital subscriber line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can store or a data storage device such as a server or a data center that includes one or more available media integration. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid state drive (SSD)), etc.

[0151] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0152] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices, apparatuses and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic, for example, the division of units is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0153] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0154] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0155] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), disk or optical disk and other media that can store program codes.

[0156] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

[0157] Although the preferred embodiments of this specification have been described, those skilled in the art may make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they have learned the basic creative concept. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications that fall within the scope of this specification.

[0158] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of this specification. Thus, if these modifications and variations of this specification fall within the scope of the claims of this specification and their equivalents, this specification is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane, characterized in that: The method comprises: Obtain the current position information of the overhead crane, the target position information of the overhead crane and the fixed obstacle area information; Determine a travel path of the overhead crane based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, wherein the travel path of the overhead crane is composed of path points; When it is detected that there is a dynamic obstacle area on the travel path of the overhead crane, the travel path of the overhead crane is replanned and the overhead crane is continued to be moved to the target position.

2. The intelligent control method of an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: When it is detected that the current overhead crane travel path meets the preset change point conditions, the current target path point is skipped and the next target path point is moved to.

3. The intelligent control method of an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 2, characterized in that: The preset change point conditions include: The distance between the current vehicle or car and the current target path point is less than a preset deviation threshold; and / or, The current travel direction of the overhead crane is consistent with the preset travel direction from the current position to the next target path point; and / or, There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the current target path point; and / or, There is no fixed obstacle area on the walking path from the current position to the next target path point.

4. The intelligent control method of an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 1, characterized in that: When a dynamic obstacle area is detected on the overhead traveling path of the overhead traveling device, the overhead traveling path of the overhead traveling device is replanned to continue moving the overhead traveling device to a target position, including: Based on the state of the warehouse safety door and the position of the dynamic obstacle area, it is determined whether the current overhead crane travel path needs to be avoided; When the overhead crane enters the preset deceleration area, the large or small vehicle is controlled to continue moving to the target position along the new travel path based on the dynamic obstacle type.

5. The intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before obtaining the current position information of the overhead crane, the target position information of the overhead crane and the fixed obstacle area information, the method further includes: Collecting surface temperature data of the steel coil, wherein the surface temperature data is collected by a temperature sensor installed in the clamp when the clamp descends to a preset detection height during the coiling process of the overhead crane; Based on the surface temperature data and the preset temperature, the corresponding clamp operation is determined, wherein, when the surface temperature data is greater than the preset temperature, the clamp operation includes the clamp stopping lifting, rising to the preset safety height and waiting for the next coiling instruction; when the surface temperature data is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the clamp operation includes the clamp clamping the steel coil, rising to the preset safety height and waiting for the unwinding instruction.

6. The intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 5, characterized in that: The specific steps of clamping the steel coil include: Detect the position of the steel coil based on the through-beam light curtain sensor to generate a grating signal; Controlling the working state of the clamp according to the grating signal; When the clamp completes the clamping operation, the clamp is controlled to clamp the steel coil and perform the lifting operation.

7. The intelligent control method of an unmanned overhead crane according to claim 6, characterized in that: The step of controlling the working state of the clamp according to the grating signal comprises: When the grating signal is in an unblocked state, controlling the clamp to descend; When the grating signal changes to the blocking state, controlling the clamp to continue to descend; When the grating signal returns to an unobstructed state and lasts for a preset time, the clamp is controlled to stop descending and perform a clamping operation.

8. An intelligent control device for an unmanned overhead crane, characterized in that: include: An information acquisition unit, used to acquire the current position information of the overhead travelling vehicle, the target position information of the overhead travelling vehicle and the fixed obstacle area information; A path planning unit, configured to determine a travel path of the overhead traveling crane based on the current position information, the target position information and the fixed obstacle area information, wherein the travel path of the overhead traveling crane is composed of path points; The path optimization unit is used to re-plan the traveling path of the overhead crane and continue to move the overhead crane to a target position when a dynamic obstacle area is detected in the traveling path of the overhead crane.

9. An electronic device, comprising: A memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor is used to implement the steps of the unmanned overhead crane intelligent control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 when executing the computer program stored in the memory.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the intelligent control method for an unmanned overhead crane according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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