A dispatching control method and system of an AGV vehicle system

Abstract

The application provides a scheduling control method and system of an AGV trolley system, the AGV trolley system comprising a plurality of AGV trolleys in an ad hoc network, and at least one AGV trolley being configured as a master scheduling trolley, the plurality of AGV trolleys being in communication connection with a remote production system, the method comprising: when any AGV trolley receives a material conveying task issued by the production system, forwarding the material conveying task to the master scheduling trolley; the master scheduling trolley selecting at least one AGV trolley matched with the material conveying task according to the idle degree and real-time position of each AGV trolley, and generating an optimal conveying path according to a path planning algorithm and sending the optimal conveying path to the matched AGV trolley; the matched AGV trolley executing the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and sharing the situation of obstacles along the path and the task state to other AGV trolleys. The application optimizes the deployment mode of the AGV trolley, realizes trolley scheduling, path planning and task execution, and improves the material conveying efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of industrial control technology, and in particular to a scheduling and control method and system for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system. Background Technology

[0002] AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) play a crucial role in logistics, especially in material handling within smart manufacturing plants. They significantly support on-site production and greatly reduce the workload for on-site workers. Current AGV deployments typically employ a pyramid architecture, deploying from top to bottom. This is achieved by deploying an AGV scheduling system on a server cluster. The scheduling system configures the communication of the AGVs and monitors their online status. The scheduling system interfaces with the production and warehousing systems, using magnetic and laser navigation to pre-plan fixed routes for the AGVs. It also controls the operation and traffic flow of the AGVs, ensuring they follow these pre-planned routes to pick up and place materials, meeting on-site production needs. For communication, on-site systems can utilize full-area Wi-Fi coverage or a dedicated 5G network to enable the AGVs to receive instructions from the scheduling system and execute material delivery tasks.

[0003] While existing AGVs have solved some production problems, their top-down pyramid architecture deployment poses significant challenges for companies with high demands for flexible manufacturing and those facing communication difficulties. This can lead to issues such as production capacity exceeding supply capacity or insufficient supply capacity. Furthermore, the complex and uncertain production environment can result in data loss and delayed responses to instructions from the scheduling system. Therefore, the use of existing AGVs still presents considerable technical challenges in terms of communication that need to be overcome. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application proposes a scheduling and control method and system for AGV carts. By optimizing the deployment of AGV carts, the method realizes cart scheduling, path planning and task execution on the production site, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of material conveying.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system. The AGV system includes a plurality of self-organizing AGVs, with at least one AGV configured as a master scheduling vehicle. All of the AGVs are communicatively connected to a remote production system. The method includes:

[0006] When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the material conveying task to the main dispatch vehicle.

[0007] The main dispatch vehicle selects at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generates the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and sends it to the matched AGV.

[0008] The matched AGV performs the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and shares the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGVs.

[0009] As described above, the scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system provided in this application involves networking several AGVs and configuring one of them as the master scheduling vehicle. When any AGV receives a material conveying task, it forwards it to the master scheduling vehicle. The master scheduling vehicle intelligently selects the optimal AGV based on the idle time and real-time location information of each AGV, generates the optimal conveying path according to a path planning algorithm, and sends it to that AGV. While performing the material conveying task, the AGV also shares the obstacle information and task status along the path with other AGVs in real time. The obstacle information helps the master scheduling vehicle when generating the optimal conveying path, and the task status can be reported to the system when needed. This application significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of material conveying, reduces operating costs and maintenance difficulty, and provides strong support for the development of industrial automation and intelligence through centralized task scheduling, optimized resource allocation, intelligent path planning, real-time communication and collaboration, and good system scalability and flexibility.

[0010] Optionally, generating the optimal transport path according to the path planning algorithm includes:

[0011] The main dispatch vehicle performs path planning calculations based on the site map, traffic control conditions, and real-time obstacle conditions shared by each AGV, generating the optimal transport path.

[0012] Therefore, when deploying the AGV system, initial parameters such as the site plan and the initial path of material transportation can be pre-configured in the path planning algorithm used by the main dispatcher. As the material transportation task is executed, the path traffic control situation and the obstacle situation detected by each AGV in real time are used as supplementary parameters for the path planning algorithm, so that the path planning algorithm can generate the optimal transportation path according to the parameters, thereby improving the path planning capability and operating efficiency of the path planning algorithm.

[0013] Optional, also includes:

[0014] After the matched AGV completes the material conveying task, it switches its working status to idle status and reports it to the main dispatch vehicle.

[0015] As described above, after the matched AGV completes the material conveying task, it promptly switches its working status to idle status and reports it to the main dispatch vehicle, ensuring that the main dispatch vehicle can keep track of the current status of each AGV in real time, providing an accurate information basis for subsequent task scheduling.

[0016] Optionally, after the matched AGV shares the obstacle information and task status along the way with other AGVs, it also includes:

[0017] After receiving a task monitoring request from the production system, any AGV will report the task status to the production system.

[0018] Optional, also includes:

[0019] The production system sends out the task monitoring request via broadcast and closes the broadcast after receiving the task status.

[0020] As described above, the remote production system can broadcast task monitoring requests. Any AGV that receives the task monitoring request can report the shared task status of the AGVs currently performing the task to the production system. This allows the production system to monitor the execution of material conveying tasks in real time. By promptly closing the broadcast, problems such as system resource occupation and communication congestion caused by prolonged broadcasting can be avoided, thus optimizing communication efficiency and resource utilization.

[0021] Optionally, when any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it includes:

[0022] The production system issues the material conveying task via broadcast, and closes the broadcast after any AGV receives the material conveying task.

[0023] As described above, the remote production system can issue material conveying tasks via broadcast. Once any AGV receives the material conveying task, it can promptly forward it to the main dispatcher, enabling the main dispatcher to perform vehicle scheduling and route planning. Furthermore, by promptly disabling the broadcast, problems such as system resource occupation and communication congestion caused by prolonged broadcasting can be avoided, thus optimizing communication efficiency and resource utilization.

[0024] Optionally, the main dispatch vehicle is equipped with a non-real-time computing system and a real-time control system, which communicate with each other through shared memory.

[0025] The non-real-time computing system is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV.

[0026] When the main dispatch vehicle is an AGV vehicle matched with the material conveying task, the real-time control system is used to execute the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and share the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV vehicles.

[0027] As described above, the scheduling, path planning, and task execution of the AGVs in the main dispatch vehicle can be implemented in software. Specifically, this can be achieved by deploying a non-real-time computing system and a real-time control system inside the main dispatch vehicle, and enabling fast real-time communication through shared memory. The non-real-time computing system and the real-time control system have clearly defined roles. The non-real-time computing system is responsible for complex calculation tasks, such as selecting the matching AGV based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV, and generating the optimal transport path. The real-time control system, on the other hand, focuses on executing tasks based on the optimal transport path. This division of labor enables the system to process calculation and control tasks in parallel, significantly improving the system's response speed.

[0028] Optionally, the main dispatch vehicle is equipped with an industrial control computer, which is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV.

[0029] Each AGV is equipped with a programmable logic controller (PLC) to drive the matched AGV to perform material conveying tasks, obstacle detection along the way, and obstacle avoidance control according to the optimal conveying path, and to share the obstacle status and task status with other AGVs.

[0030] As described above, the scheduling, path planning, and task execution of the AGVs in the main dispatch vehicle can also be implemented in hardware. By configuring an industrial control computer in the main dispatch vehicle, complex calculation tasks can be performed, such as selecting the matching AGV based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV and generating the optimal conveying path. Furthermore, by configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) in each AGV (including the main dispatch vehicle), when the main dispatch vehicle selects an AGV that matches the task, the PLC in that AGV can drive the AGV to perform material conveying tasks, obstacle detection along the way, and obstacle avoidance control, and share the obstacle status and task status with other AGVs.

[0031] Optionally, each of the plurality of AGV vehicles is equipped with a wireless communication unit with master-slave switching function. The plurality of AGV vehicles realize self-organizing network through their wireless communication units, and realize the sharing of the obstacle situation and task status along the road by adopting the nearest forwarding method according to the signal strength of on-site communication.

[0032] As described above, by equipping several AGVs with wireless communication units that have master-slave switching capabilities, when the AGVs enter the work area, their wireless communication units will automatically search for and join the existing communication network. Through mutual evaluation of signal strength and communication quality, the AGVs can automatically select the best communication path and node, thereby constructing a stable and reliable self-organizing network structure. In this self-organizing network structure, the AGVs will use the nearest forwarding method based on the signal strength of the on-site communication to share the status of obstacles and tasks along the way, reducing information transmission delay and overhead, and improving the system's communication efficiency.

[0033] Secondly, this application provides an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) scheduling and control system, including a production system deployed at a remote location and an AGV system deployed on-site. The AGV system includes a number of self-organizing AGVs, of which at least one AGV is the master scheduling vehicle, and all of the AGVs are communicatively connected to the remote production system.

[0034] When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the material conveying task to the main dispatch vehicle.

[0035] The main dispatch vehicle selects at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generates the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and sends it to the matched AGV.

[0036] The matched AGV performs the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and shares the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGVs.

[0037] Thirdly, this application provides a computing device, the computing device comprising:

[0038] processor;

[0039] Memory, used to store one or more programs;

[0040] When the processor executes one or more programs, it enables the processor to implement the above-described scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system.

[0041] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the aforementioned scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system.

[0042] These and other aspects of this application will become more apparent in the description of the following embodiments(s). Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 An architecture diagram of an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) scheduling and control system provided in this application embodiment;

[0044] Figure 2 A flowchart of a scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system provided in this application embodiment;

[0045] Figure 3 An architectural diagram of an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) provided in this application embodiment;

[0046] Figure 4 An architecture diagram of a main dispatch vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 Another architecture diagram of the main dispatching vehicle provided in this application embodiment;

[0048] Figure 6 An interaction flowchart of a path planning algorithm and system provided in this application embodiment;

[0049] Figure 7 A communication response flowchart of a wireless communication unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a computing device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0051] It should be understood that the dimensions and shapes of the block diagrams in the above structural diagrams are for reference only and should not constitute an exclusive interpretation of the embodiments of this application. The relative positions and inclusion relationships between the block diagrams presented in the structural diagrams are only schematic representations of the structural relationships between the block diagrams, and are not intended to limit the physical connection methods of the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions provided in this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the system architecture and business scenarios provided in the embodiments of this application are mainly for illustrating possible implementations of the technical solutions of this application and should not be construed as the sole limitation on the technical solutions of this application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions provided in this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems as system architectures evolve and new business scenarios emerge.

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. In case of any inconsistency, the meaning set forth in this specification or derived from the content described herein shall prevail. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0054] This application proposes a scheduling and control method and system for AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) systems. By optimizing the deployment of AGVs and introducing a collaborative mechanism between the main scheduling vehicle and the self-organizing network of AGVs, the system realizes vehicle scheduling, path planning, and task execution on the production site. This significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of material transportation, reduces operating costs and maintenance difficulty, and provides strong support for the development of industrial automation and intelligence.

[0055] Figure 1 The diagram shown is an architecture diagram of an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) scheduling and control system proposed in an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a production system 10 deployed at a remote location and an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system 20 deployed at the field location. The AGV system 20 includes several AGVs 21-2n, of which at least one AGV is configured as the master dispatcher. Each of the AGVs is equipped with a wireless communication unit with master-slave switching function. The AGVs form a self-organizing network through their wireless communication units and use the nearest forwarding method to achieve data communication between workshops based on the signal strength of the field communication. All of the AGVs can communicate wirelessly with the remote production system 10 through their wireless communication units.

[0056] During on-site production, the remote production system can issue material conveying tasks based on material conveying needs. When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the task to the main dispatch vehicle. After receiving the material conveying task, the main dispatch vehicle selects at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV. It then generates an optimal conveying path based on a path planning algorithm and sends it to the matched AGV, enabling the matched AGV to execute the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path. The system also shares information about obstacles along the way and the task status with other AGVs.

[0057] In this embodiment, both scheduling selection and path planning can be achieved through a locally deployed master scheduling vehicle, realizing the integration of AGV scheduling and control. This reduces response delays and data packet loss caused by communication problems, improves the response speed of the scheduling control system, increases the utilization efficiency of AGVs, and also reduces the computing pressure on the cloud server.

[0058] based on Figure 1 The system architecture shown is as follows: Figure 2 The figure shown is a scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system proposed in this application. (Refer to...) Figure 2 As shown, the method includes:

[0059] S210: When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the material conveying task to the main dispatch vehicle.

[0060] In this embodiment, the AGV system at the field end consists of several AGVs with self-organizing network capabilities, at least one of which is configured as the main dispatcher. All AGVs maintain communication connections with the remote production system to achieve task forwarding and status feedback.

[0061] When a material transport request arises in the remote production system, a material transport task can be broadcast. Any AGV receiving this task can promptly forward it to the main dispatcher, facilitating AGV scheduling and route planning. Furthermore, once the production system confirms that the AGV has received the material transport task, it can immediately disable the broadcast, avoiding system resource consumption and communication congestion caused by prolonged broadcasting, thus optimizing communication efficiency and resource utilization.

[0062] It should be noted that when any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, the AGV first determines whether it is the main dispatcher. If it is the main dispatcher, it can directly perform vehicle scheduling and path planning according to the material conveying task. If it is not the main dispatcher, it immediately forwards the received material conveying task to the main dispatcher for processing, ensuring that all material conveying tasks are uniformly managed and allocated by the main dispatcher, thus avoiding task conflicts and duplicate execution.

[0063] S220: The main dispatch vehicle selects at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generates the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and sends it to the matched AGV.

[0064] In this step, after receiving the material conveying task, the main dispatcher first selects the AGVs that match the task based on the idle time of each AGV (such as whether it is currently executing a task, the remaining power, etc.) and real-time location information (the main dispatcher can also be used as a matching AGV). The optimal conveying path is generated for the matching AGV using a path planning algorithm. This path should be as short as possible and avoid possible obstacles. After the optimal conveying path is generated, the main dispatcher sends it to the matching AGV and notifies it to start executing the task.

[0065] In some embodiments, the path planning algorithm uses a floor plan of the site area as a basis for initial path planning, and continuously optimizes it as material transport tasks are executed during on-site production. By further incorporating on-site traffic control conditions and real-time obstacle information shared by each AGV as inputs to the path planning algorithm, the initial path planning is continuously updated to generate an optimal transport path that better reflects the actual site conditions. The introduction of traffic control conditions allows the path planning algorithm to automatically avoid restricted areas such as construction zones, one-way routes, and prohibited areas when generating the optimal transport path, ensuring that the AGVs operate within legal and compliant boundaries and avoiding violations and potential safety risks. The introduction of real-time obstacle information allows the path planning algorithm to combine real-time obstacle information shared by each AGV to adjust the transport path in real time, avoiding temporary obstacles (such as faulty equipment or temporary stockpiles), ensuring that the AGVs can safely and smoothly complete material transport tasks.

[0066] S230: The matched AGV performs the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and shares the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGVs.

[0067] In this step, after receiving the optimal conveying path, the matched AGV can execute the material conveying task according to that path. During task execution, the AGV also monitors obstacles along the path in real time. If an obstacle is encountered, it should adjust its path or stop moving forward in time, and report the obstacle information to other AGVs so that the main dispatcher's path planning algorithm can avoid the obstacle when generating the next optimal conveying path. At the same time, the AGV will periodically report the task status to other AGVs, such as task progress and remaining time, so that other AGVs can understand the current operating status of the system.

[0068] In some embodiments, a remote production system needs to monitor the execution status of material conveying tasks. This can be achieved by broadcasting task monitoring requests, which avoids duplicate requests and saves system resources and bandwidth. Once any AGV receives the task monitoring request, it can report the shared task status of the AGVs currently performing the task to the production system. This allows the production system to monitor the material conveying task's execution status in real time, providing production managers with a more intuitive understanding of the progress, efficiency, and potential problems. Furthermore, upon receiving the task status report from the AGVs, the production system can promptly disable the broadcast, avoiding system resource consumption and communication congestion caused by prolonged broadcasting, thus optimizing communication efficiency and resource utilization.

[0069] In some embodiments, after the matched AGV completes the material conveying task, it can promptly switch its working state to idle state and report it to the main dispatch vehicle. This ensures that the main dispatch vehicle can keep track of the current status of each AGV in real time. When a new task is assigned, the main dispatch vehicle can quickly find the most suitable idle AGV and generate the optimal conveying path for it, thereby shortening the task waiting time and improving the overall dispatching efficiency.

[0070] Figure 3 The diagram shown is an architectural diagram of an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) provided in an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 3 As shown, the AGV in this embodiment includes a main control unit 301, a wireless communication unit 302, an execution unit 303, and a power module 304.

[0071] During AGV deployment, a network can be formed using the wireless communication units 302 of each AGV. These units have master-slave switching capabilities; one AGV can be configured as the master dispatcher, with the remaining AGVs receiving and executing the master dispatcher's commands. During on-site deployment, once one AGV is deployed in the wireless network, each AGV can join the network via its wireless communication unit, greatly optimizing the deployment process and improving efficiency. Furthermore, each AGV can automatically select the optimal communication path and node based on the signal strength and communication quality between them, thereby forming a stable and reliable self-organizing network structure. When data sharing is required, the AGV can use the nearest forwarding method to share the information on obstacles along the way and the task status based on the signal strength of the on-site communication. After receiving this information, the neighboring AGV will continue to forward the information to the next nearest AGV based on its own position and communication capabilities, until the information is received by all relevant AGVs.

[0072] In this embodiment, each AGV can monitor the material conveying tasks broadcast by the remote production system in real time through its wireless communication unit 302. When any AGV receives the material conveying task broadcast by the production system through its wireless communication unit 302, it can first determine whether it is the main dispatcher. If it is the main dispatcher, it can perform vehicle scheduling and path planning through its main control unit 301. If it is not the main dispatcher, it can forward the received material conveying task to the main dispatcher for processing through its wireless communication unit 302, so as to ensure that all material conveying tasks are uniformly managed and allocated by the main dispatcher, avoiding task conflicts and duplicate execution.

[0073] When the AGV is not the main dispatcher, its main control unit 301 can be used to control the execution unit 303 to perform material conveying tasks according to the optimal conveying path sent by the main dispatcher. The execution unit 303 may specifically include a slewing unit, a drive unit, a lifting unit, a positioning unit, and safety sensors. The execution unit 303 drives the AGV to perform material conveying tasks (including controlling the driving speed, steering, material lifting, etc.), obstacle detection along the way, and obstacle avoidance control, so that the AGV can safely and effectively complete the material conveying tasks.

[0074] In some embodiments, for AGVs not configured as a main dispatcher, their main control unit can be implemented using some control modules with programmable capabilities to save deployment costs. For example, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) can be used to implement the real-time control function of the AGV. As the control core of the AGV, the PLC can implement the automatic control program of the AGV through simple programming. Thus, after receiving the optimal conveying path sent by the main dispatcher, it can accurately control the AGV to perform material conveying tasks and share the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGVs.

[0075] In some embodiments, for the AGV configured as the main dispatcher, the main control unit needs to perform not only real-time control but also complex computational tasks, such as selecting the matching AGV based on its idle time and real-time location, and generating the optimal transport path. Figure 4 As shown, to achieve real-time control and non-real-time calculation of the main dispatch vehicle, the main control unit 401 of the main dispatch vehicle can be implemented through a PLC and an industrial control computer. The main control unit 401 of the main dispatch vehicle is connected to the wireless communication unit 402 through its communication integration module, and receives material conveying tasks forwarded by the production system or other AGVs through the wireless communication unit 402. It then performs vehicle scheduling and path planning according to the material conveying task. The industrial control computer can select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV. The PLC can be used to perform real-time control of the main dispatch vehicle. When the main dispatch vehicle is selected as the AGV that matches the material conveying task, the programmable logic controller can drive the main dispatch vehicle to perform material conveying tasks, obstacle detection along the way, and obstacle avoidance control according to the optimal conveying path, and share the obstacle status and task status with other AGVs.

[0076] In other embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the main control unit 501 of the main dispatch vehicle can also be implemented in software deployment. For example, a non-real-time computing system and a real-time control system can be deployed inside the main control unit 501 of the main dispatch vehicle, and a shared memory area can be constructed within the main control unit so that the non-real-time computing system and the real-time control system can communicate through the shared memory area. The main control unit 501 of the main dispatch vehicle is connected to the wireless communication unit 502 through its underlying operating system, and receives material conveying tasks forwarded by the production system or other AGVs through the wireless communication unit 502. It then performs vehicle scheduling and path planning according to the material conveying task. The non-real-time computing system is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV, and generates the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and sends it to the matched AGV. The real-time control system can be used to perform real-time control of the main dispatch vehicle. When the main dispatch vehicle is an AGV vehicle that matches the material conveying task, the real-time control system can control the main dispatch vehicle to perform the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and share the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV vehicles.

[0077] In some embodiments, the power module 304 of the AGV can be configured with an autonomous charging system. When the AGV's power is insufficient, the autonomous charging system will automatically find its way and navigate to the charging location to automatically charge the AGV, thereby ensuring that each AGV in the production site is in a stable operating state.

[0078] Figure 6 The diagram shown is an interaction flowchart of a path planning algorithm and system provided in an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 6 As shown in this embodiment, the path planning algorithm applied by the main dispatch vehicle can be continuously optimized as the task is executed to generate the optimal transport path based on the on-site environment. Specifically, during on-site deployment, preliminary path planning can first be completed based on the floor plan of the on-site area. As the material transport task is executed during on-site production, the environmental information detected by each AGV and the traffic control situation within the on-site area are used as inputs to the path planning algorithm to update the preliminary path planning, thereby generating an optimal transport path that better fits the actual on-site conditions and continuously optimizing the path planning algorithm. Based on this optimized path planning algorithm, when the dispatch control system receives a material transport task from the production system, the main dispatch vehicle can generate the optimal transport path according to the optimized path planning algorithm and send it to the matching AGV, so that the AGV can complete the material transport task according to the optimal transport path.

[0079] Figure 7A communication response flowchart of a wireless communication unit provided in this application embodiment is shown below. Figure 7 As shown in this embodiment, when the production system issues a material conveying task via broadcast, each AGV in the scheduling control system can listen to the broadcast through its wireless communication unit. When any AGV receives the material conveying task through its wireless communication unit, if it determines that it is not the main dispatching vehicle, it can forward the material conveying task to the main dispatching vehicle according to the principle of nearest forwarding. The main dispatching vehicle can then perform vehicle scheduling and path planning according to the material conveying task, and issue the material conveying task and the optimal conveying path to the matching AGV, so that the AGV can complete the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path.

[0080] In summary, the scheduling and control method and system for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system provided in this application embodiment involves networking several AGVs and configuring one of them as the master scheduling vehicle. When any AGV receives a material conveying task, it forwards it to the master scheduling vehicle. The master scheduling vehicle intelligently selects the optimal AGV based on the idle time and real-time location information of each AGV, generates the optimal conveying path according to a path planning algorithm, and sends it to that AGV. While performing the material conveying task, the AGV also shares the obstacle information and task status along the path with other AGVs in real time. The obstacle information helps the master scheduling vehicle when generating the optimal conveying path, and the task status can be reported to the system when needed. This application embodiment significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of material conveying, reduces operating costs and maintenance difficulty, and provides strong support for the development of industrial automation and intelligence through centralized task scheduling, optimized resource allocation, intelligent path planning, real-time communication and collaboration, and good system scalability and flexibility.

[0081] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a computing device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The computing device 1000 includes: a processor 1010, a memory 1020, a communication interface 1030, and a bus 1040.

[0082] It should be understood that Figure 8 The communication interface 1030 in the computing device 1000 shown can be used to communicate with other devices.

[0083] The processor 1010 can be connected to the memory 1020. The memory 1020 can be used to store the program code and data. Therefore, the memory 1020 can be a storage unit inside the processor 1010, an external storage unit independent of the processor 1010, or a component that includes both the storage unit inside the processor 1010 and the external storage unit independent of the processor 1010.

[0084] Optionally, the computing device 1000 may also include a bus 1040. The memory 1020 and communication interface 1030 can be connected to the processor 1010 via the bus 1040. The bus 1040 can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus 1040 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 8 The symbol is represented by only one line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0085] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the processor 1010 may be a central processing unit (CPU). The processor may also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. Alternatively, the processor 1010 may employ one or more integrated circuits to execute relevant programs to implement the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0086] The memory 1020 may include read-only memory and random access memory, and provides instructions and data to the processor 1010. A portion of the processor 1010 may also include non-volatile random access memory. For example, the processor 1010 may also store device type information.

[0087] When the computing device 1000 is running, the processor 1010 executes the computer execution instructions in the memory 1020 to perform the operation steps of the above method.

[0088] It should be understood that the computing device 1000 according to the embodiments of this application can correspond to the corresponding subject in executing the methods according to the various embodiments of this application, and the other operations and / or functions of each module in the computing device 1000 are respectively for implementing the corresponding processes of the methods of this embodiment. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0089] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0090] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0091] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0092] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0093] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0094] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0095] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, is used to perform the above-described method, which includes at least one of the schemes described in the above embodiments.

[0096] The computer storage medium in this application embodiment can be any combination of one or more computer-readable media. A computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. For example, a computer-readable storage medium can be, but is not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0097] Computer-readable signal media may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media may also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, capable of sending, propagating, or transmitting programs for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0098] The program code contained on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including, but not limited to, wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0099] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0100] It should be noted that the embodiments described in this application are merely some embodiments, not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application typically described and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the above detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0101] The terms "first, second, third, etc." or similar terms such as module A, module B, module C, etc., used in the specification and claims are only used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that a specific order or sequence may be interchanged where permitted so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0102] In the above description, the labels indicating the steps do not necessarily mean that the steps will be executed. They may include intermediate steps or be replaced by other steps. Where permissible, the order of the steps may be interchanged or executed simultaneously.

[0103] The term "comprising" as used in the specification and claims should not be construed as limiting itself to what follows; it does not exclude other elements or steps. Therefore, it should be interpreted as specifying the presence of the mentioned feature, integral, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the statement "device comprising means A and B" should not be limited to a device consisting solely of components A and B.

[0104] The terms "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" as used in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, the terms "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but may refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, in the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referenced. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0105] Note that the above are merely preferred embodiments and the technical principles employed in this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present application has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A scheduling and control method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system, characterized in that, The AGV system comprises a self-organizing network of several AGVs, with at least one AGV configured as the master dispatcher. All of the AGVs are communicatively connected to a remote production system. The method includes: When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the material conveying task to the main dispatch vehicle. The main dispatch vehicle is equipped with a non-real-time computing system and a real-time control system, which communicate with each other through shared memory. The non-real-time computing system is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV. The matched AGV trolley performs the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and shares the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV trolleys; When the main dispatch vehicle is an AGV vehicle matched with the material conveying task, the real-time control system is used to execute the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and share the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV vehicles.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of generating the optimal delivery path according to the path planning algorithm includes: The main dispatch vehicle performs path planning calculations based on the site map, traffic control conditions, and real-time obstacle conditions shared by each AGV, generating the optimal transport path.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: After the matched AGV completes the material conveying task, it switches its working status to idle status and reports it to the main dispatch vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the matched AGV shares the obstacle information and task status along the way with other AGVs, it also includes: After receiving a task monitoring request from the production system, any AGV will report the task status to the production system.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The production system sends out the task monitoring request via broadcast and closes the broadcast after receiving the task status.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material conveying task received by any AGV from the production system includes: The production system issues the material conveying task via broadcast, and closes the broadcast after any AGV receives the material conveying task.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main dispatch vehicle is equipped with an industrial control computer, which is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time location of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV. Each AGV is equipped with a programmable logic controller (PLC) to drive the matched AGV to perform material conveying tasks, obstacle detection along the way, and obstacle avoidance control according to the optimal conveying path, and to share the obstacle status and task status with other AGVs.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned AGVs is equipped with a wireless communication unit that enables master-slave switching. These AGVs form a self-organizing network through their wireless communication units and share information on obstacles along the way and task status by using the nearest forwarding method based on the signal strength of the on-site communication.

9. An AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) scheduling and control system, characterized in that, It includes a production system deployed at a remote location and an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) system deployed on-site. The AGV system includes several AGVs in a self-organizing network, of which at least one AGV is the master dispatcher. All of the AGVs are communicatively connected to the remote production system. When any AGV receives a material conveying task from the production system, it forwards the material conveying task to the main dispatch vehicle. The main dispatch vehicle is equipped with a non-real-time computing system and a real-time control system, which communicate with each other through shared memory. The non-real-time computing system is used to select at least one AGV that matches the material conveying task based on the idle time and real-time position of each AGV, and generate the optimal conveying path according to the path planning algorithm and send it to the matched AGV. The matched AGV trolley performs the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and shares the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV trolleys; When the main dispatch vehicle is an AGV vehicle matched with the material conveying task, the real-time control system is used to execute the material conveying task according to the optimal conveying path, and share the obstacle situation along the way and the task status with other AGV vehicles.

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