Method for storing and retrieving goods by mobile robots based on electric mobile shelves

Abstract

The method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf proposed in the present invention includes: generating an operation instruction to a target mobile robot according to a current storage and retrieval task and status information of each mobile robot; when monitoring that the target mobile robot moves to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, sending an entry indication signal to the electric mobile shelf control module; after receiving the entry indication signal, determining the target movement strategy of the electric mobile shelf group according to the current storage and retrieval task; sending a first control signal to the electric mobile shelf controller group according to the target movement strategy; controlling each row of electric mobile shelves to move according to the target movement strategy according to the first control signal; driving the target mobile robot to travel through the operation channel to the operation position corresponding to the current storage and retrieval task, so that the target mobile robot performs the storage and retrieval operation at the operation position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of intelligent warehousing technology and related technical fields, and in particular to a method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf. Background Art

[0002] Robots with storage and retrieval capabilities, such as AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots), have been widely used in manufacturing, commerce, and logistics. In practical applications, they are often combined with beam racks, enabling mobile robots to store and retrieve goods from these racks.

[0003] Typically, shelves are fixed to the ground, with ample passageways between them for mobile robots to access and store goods. This takes up a significant amount of space, increasing operational costs. Furthermore, the more space aisles take up within a limited operating area, the less room is left for shelves, reducing the storage capacity per unit area and resulting in wasted space resources.

[0004] In this regard, related technologies suggest that shelves can be arranged in adjacent rows without aisles. Piggyback mobile robots can then be used to drive to the bottom of the shelves, transporting the entire row of shelves to a sorting platform for sorting. Once sorting is complete, the entire row of shelves can be returned to its original location by the piggyback mobile robots, thereby increasing the storage capacity per unit area within the limited space. However, in this solution, even simple access to individual items requires moving the entire row of shelves in and out. This not only increases the number of piggyback mobile robots required, but also creates a high workload for each piggyback mobile robot, increasing the likelihood of damage. Overall, this solution would lead to a significant increase in the cost of the entire project.

[0005] Therefore, how to balance the overall cost of storing and retrieving goods and the storage capacity within a limited space has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments described herein provide a method for storing and retrieving goods using a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf, which solves the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] According to the content of the present disclosure, a method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf is provided, which is applied to a cargo storage and retrieval system, wherein the cargo storage and retrieval system includes an electric mobile shelf control module, an electric mobile shelf controller group, an electric mobile shelf group, a mobile robot scheduling module and multiple mobile robots, wherein the electric mobile shelf controller group includes multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers, the electric mobile shelf group includes multiple rows of electric mobile shelves, the electric mobile shelf control module is respectively communicated with the mobile robot scheduling module and the multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers, the mobile robot scheduling module is respectively communicated with the multiple mobile robots, and a group of the electric mobile shelf controllers is correspondingly connected to a row of mobile shelves, including:

[0008] The mobile robot scheduling module generates an operation instruction to the target mobile robot based on the current access task and the status information of each mobile robot, so that the target mobile robot moves to the electric mobile shelf area based on the operation instruction, wherein the status information at least includes working status information and position status information, and the operation instruction at least includes the operation type, starting position and end position;

[0009] When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module;

[0010] After receiving the entry instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module determines the target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task;

[0011] The electric mobile rack control module determines a first control signal according to the target movement strategy and sends the first control signal to the electric mobile rack controller group;

[0012] The electric mobile rack controller group controls each row of electric mobile racks to move according to the target movement strategy based on the first control signal, so as to generate an operation channel for the target mobile robot to reach a target electric mobile rack in the electric mobile rack area, wherein the target mobile rack is determined based on a starting position or an end position in the operation instruction;

[0013] The mobile robot scheduling module drives the target mobile robot to travel through the operating channel to the operating position corresponding to the current access task, so that the target mobile robot performs the access operation at the operating position.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, the method further includes:

[0015] When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has completed the current access task and has moved to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group while leaving the electric mobile shelf area, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an exit instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module;

[0016] When the electric mobile shelf control module receives the exit instruction signal and detects that the mobile robot scheduling module has not received any subsequent access tasks, the electric mobile shelf control module sends a second control signal to the electric mobile shelf controller group;

[0017] The electric mobile shelf controller group controls each row of electric mobile shelves to move to the initial position information according to the second control signal.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present application, the method further includes:

[0019] After receiving the exit instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module acquires a subsequent access task after the current access task;

[0020] When the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the subsequent access task is different from that of the current access task, the electric mobile rack control module determines the target movement strategy of the subsequent access task based on the first position information of the electric mobile rack group after executing the current access task, the initial position information of the electric mobile rack group and the subsequent access task.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present application, the electric mobile shelf control module determines a target movement strategy for the subsequent access task based on the first position information of the electric mobile shelf group after executing the current access task, the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group, and the subsequent storage task, including:

[0022] The electric mobile rack control module determines, based on the first position information of the electric mobile rack group after executing the current access task and the current access task, multiple available movement strategies of the electric mobile rack group for executing the subsequent access task, and a first movement distance of the electric mobile rack group in the multiple available movement strategies;

[0023] The electric mobile shelf control module determines, based on the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group and the subsequent access task, a plurality of available movement strategies of the electric mobile shelf group for executing the subsequent access task, and a second movement distance of the electric mobile shelf group in the plurality of available movement strategies;

[0024] A moving strategy with the shortest moving distance between the first moving distance and the second moving distance is selected as a target moving strategy for the subsequent access task.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present application, the method further includes:

[0026] After receiving the exit instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module acquires a subsequent access task after the current access task;

[0027] When the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the subsequent access task is the same as that of the current access task, the electric mobile rack control module controls the position of each electric mobile rack to remain unchanged.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present application, determining the target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task includes:

[0029] Determining multiple available movement strategies for the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task;

[0030] According to the moving distances of the electric mobile shelf group in the multiple available moving strategies, a moving strategy with the shortest moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group is selected from the multiple available moving strategies as the target moving strategy.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present application, the entry and exit identification is a physical identification or a logical identification;

[0032] When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module, including:

[0033] When the target mobile robot reaches the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the target mobile robot sends an identification detection signal to the mobile robot scheduling module;

[0034] After receiving the identification detection signal, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present application, the entry and exit signs are electronic map signs;

[0036] When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module, including:

[0037] The target mobile robot sends its own real-time position information to the mobile robot scheduling module during the process of driving into the electric mobile shelf group;

[0038] When the real-time position information of the target mobile robot is identical to the position information corresponding to the electronic map mark, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present application, when the current access task is a storage task, the end position in the job instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf; when the current access task is a retrieval task, the starting position in the job instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present application, the electric mobile rack control module can control the movement of a single row of electric mobile racks, or control the overall movement of several rows of electric mobile racks;

[0041] The electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move on the rack track, or the electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move in a magnetic navigation manner.

[0042] The disclosed embodiments provide a method for storing and retrieving goods using a mobile robot based on electric mobile racks. This method, through an intelligent cargo storage and retrieval system, achieves both improved warehouse storage and retrieval efficiency and space utilization. Specifically, by configuring entry and exit markers at the entrances and exits of the electric mobile rack area, the electric mobile rack control module and the mobile robot scheduling module provide real-time information exchange about the entry and exit marker positions, enabling the individual or overall movement of different rows of electric mobile racks on site. Upon completion of the operation, the racks can automatically return to their original positions. This improvement over existing technologies significantly enhances the efficient and large-capacity storage of goods within limited spaces in various industrial applications. The electric mobile rack control system utilizes a multimodal collaborative working mechanism, ensuring accurate identification of the status of mobile robots entering and exiting the electric mobile rack area through physical identification or real-time positioning technology. Consequently, the system can adapt to a variety of complex actual warehouse storage and retrieval scenarios, reducing the space, time, electricity, and equipment costs of warehouse storage and retrieval operations. This system improves the storage capacity within a limited space while also balancing the efficiency and cost of storing and retrieving goods, forming a virtuous storage and retrieval cycle mechanism and providing effective support for overall warehouse storage and retrieval operations.

[0043] The above description is only an overview of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the embodiments of the present application, they can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be noted that the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a flow chart of a method for storing and retrieving goods using a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of a cargo storage and retrieval system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of an electric mobile shelf arrangement provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a mobile robot entering and exiting an electric mobile shelf area provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another mobile robot provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure entering and exiting an electric mobile shelf area;

[0050] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another mobile robot entering and exiting an electric mobile shelf area provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 7 It is a structural diagram of a computer device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] In the drawings, reference numerals having the same last two digits correspond to the same elements. It should be noted that the elements in the drawings are schematic and not drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work also fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0054] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of the present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner unless otherwise explicitly defined herein. As used herein, a statement that two or more parts are "connected" or "coupled" together shall mean that the parts are joined together either directly or through one or more intermediate components.

[0055] References to "embodiments" herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase "embodiment" in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it necessarily refer to independent or alternative embodiments that are mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0056] The term "and / or" in this document simply describes a relationship between related objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists, A and B exist, and B exists. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0057] Furthermore, in all embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as “first” and “second” are used only to distinguish one component (or a portion of a component) from another component (or another portion of a component).

[0058] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, “plurality” means two or more (including two), and similarly, “multiple groups” means two or more (including two).

[0059] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present application, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0060] Based on the problems existing in the prior art, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf. The method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a cargo storage and retrieval system, which includes an electric mobile shelf control module, an electric mobile shelf controller group, an electric mobile shelf group, a mobile robot scheduling module and multiple mobile robots, wherein the electric mobile shelf controller group includes multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers, the electric mobile shelf group includes multiple rows of electric mobile shelves, the electric mobile shelf control module is respectively communicated with the mobile robot scheduling module and the multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers, the mobile robot scheduling module is respectively communicated with the multiple mobile robots, and a group of electric mobile shelf controllers is correspondingly connected to a row of mobile shelves. Figure 1 This is a flow chart of a method for storing and retrieving goods using a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf, provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a cargo storage and retrieval system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electric mobile shelf arrangement provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, combined with Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the method of storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf includes:

[0061] S110 , the mobile robot scheduling module generates an operation instruction to the target mobile robot according to the current access task and the status information of each mobile robot, so that the target mobile robot moves to the electric mobile shelf area based on the operation instruction.

[0062] The status information includes at least working status information and position status information, and the operation instruction includes at least operation type, starting position and end position.

[0063] Specifically, the target object can choose to store or retrieve goods on the mobile robot scheduling module, and enter the row, column and layer information of the target electric mobile shelf where the goods are stored or retrieved. The mobile robot responds to the operation submitted by the target object, generates the current storage and retrieval task, and generates operation instructions based on the current storage and retrieval task.

[0064] In addition, the mobile robot scheduling module obtains the status information of each mobile robot, such as the working status information and position status information of each mobile robot, by communicating with each mobile robot. According to the status information of each mobile robot, the mobile robot whose working status information is idle and whose position status information is closest to the position information of the target electric mobile shelf is selected as the target mobile robot, and an operation instruction is issued to the target mobile robot so that the target mobile robot moves to the electric mobile shelf area based on the operation instruction.

[0065] In a specific embodiment, when the current access task is a storage task, the end position in the job instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf; when the current access task is a retrieval task, the starting position in the job instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf.

[0066] As an example, if the target object chooses to store goods on the mobile robot scheduling module, and inputs the location information of the goods to be stored on the electric mobile shelf as B4-5-3, that is, B4 row, 5 columns, 3 layers, then the end position in the operation instruction can be defined as 453. If the target object chooses to pick up goods on the mobile robot scheduling module, and inputs the location information of the goods to be picked up on the electric mobile shelf as A1-1-2, that is, A1 row, 1 column, 2 layers, then the starting position in the operation instruction can be defined as 112.

[0067] In addition, based on the arrangement information of the starting position or the end position in the operation instruction, the operation channel of the target electric mobile rack is determined, and the operation position of the current storage task is also the position information of the goods to be taken on the electric mobile rack, or the position information of the goods to be stored on the electric mobile rack.

[0068] S120. When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

[0069] After the mobile robot scheduling module sends an operation instruction to the target mobile robot, the target mobile robot moves toward the electric mobile shelf area. During the process of the target mobile robot moving toward the electric mobile shelf area, it is necessary to detect whether the target mobile robot has reached the electric mobile shelf area so as to take further action after the target mobile robot reaches the electric mobile shelf area.

[0070] In a specific implementation method, entry and exit signs can be set at the entrance and exit positions of the electric mobile rack area. When the target mobile robot moves to the entry and exit sign position, the mobile robot scheduling module will send an entry indication signal to the electric mobile rack control module to instruct the electric mobile rack control module through the entry indication signal that the target mobile robot has entered the electric mobile rack area.

[0071] As a specific implementable method, the entry and exit identification is a physical identification or a logical identification. When the target mobile robot moves to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, it sends an identification detection signal to the mobile robot scheduling module; after receiving the identification detection signal, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry indication signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

[0072] The physical identifier may be a QR code, a barcode or the like, and may also be a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

[0073] In the above technical solutions, physical identification hardware such as QR codes, barcodes or RFID tags are low-cost and easy to deploy. They also have the advantage of strong anti-interference ability, which can increase the stability of the entire system and are suitable for complex industrial environments.

[0074] As another specific feasible method, the entry and exit marks are electronic map marks. When the target mobile robot enters the electric mobile shelf group, it sends its own real-time position information to the mobile robot scheduling module; when the real-time position information of the target mobile robot is the same as the position information corresponding to the electronic map mark, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

[0075] Optionally, the real-time position of the target mobile robot can be determined by any method capable of real-time indoor positioning, such as Wi-Fi positioning, Bluetooth positioning, UWB (ultra-wideband) positioning, or other wireless signal positioning, inertial navigation positioning, camera vision positioning, infrared positioning, or laser positioning.

[0076] In this implementation, the reliance on physical identification is reduced, thereby avoiding unclear entry and exit status of an area due to damage to the physical identification, which in turn affects the accuracy of the selection of the mobile shelf movement strategy.

[0077] S130. After receiving the entry instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module determines a target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task.

[0078] As a specific implementable method, the target moving strategy of the electric mobile shelf group is determined according to the current access task, including: determining a plurality of available moving strategies for the electric mobile shelf group according to the current access task; and selecting a moving strategy with the shortest moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group from the plurality of available moving strategies as the target moving strategy based on the moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group in the plurality of available moving strategies.

[0079] The target access strategy is the electric mobile shelf movement method that the target mobile robot needs to perform when going to the operating channel reserved for the electric mobile shelf to access goods.

[0080] like Figure 3As shown in the figure, if you want to take out the goods from the third row of movable shelves, there are 4 available movement strategies. The first movement strategy is to move the first, second and third rows of electric movable shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the right side of the third row; the second movement strategy is to move the first and second rows of electric movable shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the left side of the third row; the third movement strategy is to move the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rows of electric movable shelves to the right of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the left side of the third row; the fourth movement strategy is to move the fourth, fifth and sixth rows of electric movable shelves to the right of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the right side of the third row. Figure 4 The moving direction of the electric mobile rack shown is only one possibility among the available moving strategies described above.

[0081] The moving distance of the electric rack group in the available moving strategy refers to the sum of the moving distances of the multiple electric mobile racks required to be moved in the available moving strategy.

[0082] In combination with the above example, the shelf movement distances corresponding to the four methods are three unit distances, two unit distances, four unit distances, and three unit distances, respectively.

[0083] The moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group in the mobile strategy reflects the difficulty of the preparatory work required for the target mobile robot to perform the storage and retrieval operations. The longer the moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group, the greater the power consumption and the longer the time taken for the available mobile strategy.

[0084] In one possible design, the strategy with the shortest travel distance for the electric mobile rack group is selected from multiple available movement strategies as the target movement strategy. The shorter the travel distance of the electric mobile rack group among the available movement strategies, the less power is consumed to drive the electric mobile racks, and the shorter the time consumed, that is, the lower the movement cost. Therefore, the target movement strategy for the electric mobile rack group for the current access task can be determined as moving the first and second rows of electric mobile racks one unit distance to the left in the figure, leaving an operating channel to the left of the third row.

[0085] Of course, each example in the context is only an optional implementation of the present application. In actual scenarios, the number of electric mobile shelves includes but is not limited to Figure 3 The number shown, the moving distance of each electric mobile shelf can also be set based on information such as the actual shelf width, the volume of the mobile robot, and the operating space required by the mobile robot.

[0086] This solution significantly improves the energy efficiency and operational efficiency of the electric mobile shelf control module by optimizing the selection mechanism of the mobile strategy of the electric mobile shelf group. Specifically, using the moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group as the core evaluation indicator, the execution cost (power consumption and time cost) of different mobile strategies is directly quantified, and by selecting the strategy with the shortest moving distance as the target moving strategy, multiple optimization effects are achieved. First, minimizing the physical displacement of the electric mobile shelf reduces the energy consumption of the motor drive, which directly reduces operating costs; second, the shortened moving time improves the response speed of the mobile robot's storage and retrieval operations, thereby increasing the overall storage throughput; third, this distance-based optimization algorithm has low computational complexity and can process multi-task scenarios in parallel in real time, while reducing the wear of mechanical components and extending the service life of the moving components of the electric mobile shelf.

[0087] S140. The electric mobile rack control module determines a first control signal according to the target movement strategy and sends the first control signal to the electric mobile rack controller group.

[0088] After determining the target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group in step S130, the electric mobile rack control module outputs a first control signal to the electric mobile rack controller group according to the target movement strategy, so as to control the movement of the electric mobile rack through the electric mobile rack controller group.

[0089] As a specific and achievable way, continue to combine Figure 3 and Figure 4 , if the goods on the third row of mobile shelves need to be taken out, and the target movement strategy of the electric mobile shelf group determined by the electric mobile shelf control module is to move the first and second rows of electric mobile shelves one unit distance to the left in the figure, at this time, the first control signal output by the electric mobile shelf control module to the electric mobile shelf controller group is: [11000000, one unit distance, left side], that is, the first row of electric mobile shelf controllers and the second row of electric mobile shelf controllers are enabled, and the first row of electric mobile shelf controllers controls the first row of electric mobile shelves to move one unit distance to the left in the figure, and the second row of electric mobile shelf controllers controls the second row of electric mobile shelves to move one unit distance to the left in the figure.

[0090] S150. The electric mobile rack controller group controls each row of electric mobile racks to move according to the target movement strategy based on the first control signal, so as to generate an operation channel for the target mobile robot to reach the target electric mobile rack in the electric mobile rack area.

[0091] After the electric mobile rack control module generates a first control signal to the electric mobile rack controller according to the target movement strategy in step S140 , the electric mobile rack controller group controls each row of electric mobile racks to move according to the target movement strategy according to the first control signal.

[0092] As a specific implementable method, combined with Figure 3 Multiple rows of electric mobile shelves are arranged in parallel for storing goods. The electric mobile shelf control module can output a first control signal to a group of electric mobile shelf controllers, so that the electric mobile shelf controller controls the movement of a single row of electric mobile shelves. The electric mobile shelf control module can output a first control signal to multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers respectively, so that the electric mobile shelf controllers control the overall movement of multiple rows of electric mobile shelves.

[0093] Among them, the electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move on the rack track, or the electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move in a magnetic navigation manner.

[0094] S160. The mobile robot scheduling module drives the target mobile robot to travel through the operating channel to the operating position corresponding to the current access task, so that the target mobile robot performs the access operation at the operating position.

[0095] The disclosed embodiments provide a method for storing and retrieving goods using a mobile robot based on electric mobile racks. This method, through an intelligent cargo storage and retrieval system, achieves both improved warehouse storage and retrieval efficiency and space utilization. Specifically, by configuring entry and exit markers at the entrances and exits of the electric mobile rack area, the electric mobile rack control module and the mobile robot scheduling module provide real-time information exchange about the entry and exit marker positions, enabling the individual or overall movement of different rows of electric mobile racks on site. Upon completion of the operation, the racks can automatically return to their original positions. This improvement over existing technologies significantly enhances the efficient and large-capacity storage of goods within limited spaces in various industrial applications. The electric mobile rack control system utilizes a multimodal collaborative working mechanism, ensuring accurate identification of the status of mobile robots entering and exiting the electric mobile rack area through physical identification or real-time positioning technology. Consequently, the system can adapt to a variety of complex actual warehouse storage and retrieval scenarios, reducing the space, time, electricity, and equipment costs of warehouse storage and retrieval operations. This system improves the storage capacity within a limited space while also balancing the efficiency and cost of storing and retrieving goods, forming a virtuous storage and retrieval cycle mechanism and providing effective support for overall warehouse storage and retrieval operations.

[0096] Based on the above embodiment, the method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes:

[0097] When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has completed the current access task and is moving to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group while leaving the electric mobile shelf area, it sends an exit instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module;

[0098] After receiving the exit instruction signal and monitoring that the mobile robot scheduling module has not received any subsequent access tasks, the electric mobile shelf control module sends a second control signal to the electric mobile shelf controller group; the electric mobile shelf controller group controls each row of electric mobile shelves to move to the initial position information according to the second control signal.

[0099] In one possible design, when the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has completed its current access task and is leaving the electric mobile rack area, it moves to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile rack group. The mobile robot scheduling module then sends an exit instruction signal to the electric mobile rack control module. Upon receiving the exit instruction signal and detecting that the mobile robot scheduling module has not received any subsequent access tasks, the electric mobile rack controller group controls each row of electric mobile racks to move to the initial position information according to a second control signal. In other words, after completing the current access task, the electric mobile racks are restored to their initial positions.

[0100] On the basis of the above embodiment, after receiving the exit instruction signal, if the electric mobile shelf control module monitors that the mobile robot scheduling module has received a subsequent access task, the electric mobile shelf control module obtains the subsequent access task located after the current access task; when the subsequent access task is different from the target electric mobile shelf corresponding to the current access task, the electric mobile shelf control module determines the target movement strategy of the subsequent access task based on the first position information of the electric mobile shelf group after executing the current access task, the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group and the subsequent access task.

[0101] In a specific implementation method, the electric mobile shelf control module determines multiple available movement strategies for the electric mobile shelf group to perform subsequent access tasks and the first movement distance of the electric mobile shelf group among the multiple available movement strategies based on the first position information of the electric mobile shelf group after performing the current access task and the subsequent access task; the electric mobile shelf control module determines multiple available movement strategies for the electric mobile shelf group to perform subsequent access tasks and the second movement distance of the electric mobile shelf group among the multiple available movement strategies based on the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group and the subsequent access task; and selects the movement strategy with the shortest movement distance between the first movement distance and the second movement distance as the target movement strategy for the subsequent access task.

[0102] Specific, combined Figure 4 and Figure 5 If the current storage task is to take out the goods from the 3rd row of mobile shelves, the electric mobile shelf group is located at Figure 4When the first position information is shown, if the subsequent storage task is to take out the goods from the 5th row of mobile shelves, there are two available movement strategies. The first movement strategy is to move the 3rd and 4th rows of electric mobile shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the left side of the 5th row; the second movement strategy is to move the 3rd, 4th and 5th rows of electric mobile shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the right side of the 5th row. The corresponding moving distances of the electric mobile shelf groups in the two methods are two unit distances and three unit distances respectively.

[0103] Combine Figure 3 and Figure 5 If the current storage task is to take out the goods from the 3rd row of mobile shelves, the electric mobile shelf group is located at Figure 3 When the initial position information is shown, if the subsequent storage task is to take out the goods from the 5th row of mobile shelves, there are 4 available movement strategies. The first movement strategy is to move the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th rows of electric mobile shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the left side of the 5th row; the second movement strategy is to move the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th rows of electric mobile shelves to the left of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the right side of the 5th row; the third movement strategy is to move the 6th row of electric mobile shelves to the right of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the right side of the 5th row; the fourth movement strategy is to move the 5th and 6th rows of electric mobile shelves to the right of the figure by one unit distance, leaving an operating channel on the left side of the 5th row. The moving distances of the electric mobile shelf groups corresponding to the four methods are four unit distances, five unit distances, one unit distance and two unit distances respectively.

[0104] Then, one moving strategy for the subsequent storage task is to move the 3rd and 4th rows of electric mobile shelves one unit distance to the left in the figure based on the first position information of the electric mobile shelf group of the current storage task, and the corresponding moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group is two unit distances. Another moving strategy for the subsequent storage task is to move the 6th row of electric mobile shelves one unit distance to the right in the figure based on the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group, and the corresponding moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group is one unit distance. However, in the second moving strategy, it is first necessary to move the electric mobile shelf group from the first position information to the initial position information, and the corresponding moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group is three unit distances. Therefore, the target moving strategy for the subsequent storage task is to move the 3rd and 4th rows of electric mobile shelves one unit distance to the left in the figure respectively.

[0105] In one possible implementation, after receiving the exit instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module obtains a subsequent access task following the current access task; when the subsequent access task is the same as the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the current access task, the electric mobile rack remains unchanged.

[0106] like Figure 6 As shown, if the target mobile robot corresponding to the current access task is mobile robot 1, and if the subsequent access task is the same as the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the current access task, after the electric mobile rack control module receives the exit instruction signal, the mobile robot scheduling module determines that the target mobile robot of the subsequent access task is mobile robot 2 based on the subsequent access task and the status information of each mobile robot. At this time, the mobile robot scheduling module generates an operation instruction to mobile robot 2, and the electric mobile rack control module controls the electric mobile rack to remain unchanged, so that mobile robot 2 travels through the operation channel determined based on the current storage task to the operation position corresponding to the subsequent access task, so that mobile robot 2 performs the access operation at the operation position.

[0107] It should be noted that, in the above embodiment, the mobile robot scheduling module and the electric mobile shelf control module communicate based on OPC DA / UA, Modbus, TCP or UDP.

[0108] The electric mobile shelf control module communicates with each electric shelf controller based on Profibus-DP, Profinet or EtherNet / IP.

[0109] Based on the above embodiments, the present disclosure also provides a computer device, such as Figure 7 As shown, the computer device includes a memory 510 and a processor 520 that are interconnected through a system bus. It should be noted that the figure only shows a computer device with components 510-520, but it should be understood that it is not required to implement all the components shown, and more or fewer components can be implemented instead. Among them, those skilled in the art can understand that the computer device here is a device that can automatically perform numerical calculations and / or information processing according to pre-set or stored instructions, and its hardware includes but is not limited to microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), embedded devices, etc.

[0110] Computer devices can be desktop computers, laptops, PDAs, cloud servers, etc. Computer devices can interact with users through keyboards, mice, remote controls, touchpads, or voice-activated devices.

[0111] The memory 510 includes at least one type of readable storage medium, including non-volatile memory or volatile memory, such as flash memory, a hard disk, a multimedia card, card-type memory (such as SD or DX memory), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic storage, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc. RAM may include static RAM or dynamic RAM. In some embodiments, the memory 510 may be an internal storage unit of a computer device, such as a hard disk or memory of the computer device. In other embodiments, the memory 510 may also be an external storage device of the computer device, such as a plug-in hard disk, a smart media card (SMC), a secure digital (SD) card, or a flash card equipped with the computer device. Of course, the memory 510 may also include both an internal storage unit of the computer device and an external storage device thereof. In this embodiment, the memory 510 is generally used to store an operating system and various application software installed on the computer device, such as the program code of the above-mentioned method. In addition, the memory 510 may also be used to temporarily store various types of data that have been output or are about to be output.

[0112] The processor 520 is generally used to perform the overall operation of the computer device. In this embodiment, the memory 510 is used to store program code or instructions, which include computer operating instructions. The processor 520 is used to execute the program code or instructions stored in the memory 510 or process data, such as the program code for running the above method.

[0113] In this article, a bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. This bus system can be divided into address buses, data buses, control buses, and so on. For ease of illustration, the diagram uses only a single thick line, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0114] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable medium, which may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable medium. A processor in a computer reads the computer-readable program code stored in the computer-readable medium, enabling the processor to execute the functional actions specified in each step or combination of steps in the above method, and to generate a device that implements the functional actions specified in each block or combination of blocks in the block diagram.

[0115] Computer-readable media include but are not limited to electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared memory or semiconductor systems, devices or apparatuses, or any appropriate combination of the foregoing, the memory is used to store program codes or instructions, the program codes include computer operating instructions, and the processor is used to execute the program codes or instructions of the above-mentioned methods stored in the memory.

[0116] The definitions of memory and processor can be found in the description of the aforementioned computer device embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0117] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of modules or units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, 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 through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0118] Each functional unit or module in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into a processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The above-mentioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0119] 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, 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. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or a processor to execute 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 (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, and other media that can store program code.

[0120] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular includes the plural, and vice versa. Thus, when referring to the singular, the plural of the corresponding term is generally included. Similarly, the words "include" and "comprising" are to be interpreted as inclusive rather than exclusive. Likewise, the terms "include" and "or" should be interpreted as inclusive unless such interpretation is expressly prohibited herein. Where the term "example" is used herein, particularly when it follows a group of terms, the "example" is merely exemplary and illustrative and should not be considered exclusive or comprehensive.

[0121] Further aspects and scope of adaptability become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that various aspects of the present application can be implemented individually or in combination with one or more other aspects. It should also be understood that the description and specific embodiments herein are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application.

[0122] Several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, but it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The scope of protection of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for storing and retrieving goods by a mobile robot based on an electric mobile shelf, which is applied to a cargo storage and retrieval system. The cargo storage and retrieval system includes an electric mobile shelf control module, an electric mobile shelf controller group, an electric mobile shelf group, a mobile robot scheduling module, and multiple mobile robots, wherein: The electric mobile shelf controller group includes multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers, and the electric mobile shelf group includes multiple rows of electric mobile shelves. The electric mobile shelf control module is respectively communicated with the mobile robot scheduling module and the multiple groups of electric mobile shelf controllers. The mobile robot scheduling module is respectively communicated with the multiple mobile robots. One group of the electric mobile shelf controllers is correspondingly connected to a row of mobile shelves, and is characterized in that it includes: The mobile robot scheduling module generates an operation instruction to the target mobile robot based on the current access task and the status information of each mobile robot, so that the target mobile robot moves to the electric mobile shelf area based on the operation instruction, wherein the status information at least includes working status information and position status information, and the operation instruction at least includes the operation type, starting position and end position; When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module; After receiving the entry instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module determines the target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task; The electric mobile rack control module determines a first control signal according to the target movement strategy and sends the first control signal to the electric mobile rack controller group; The electric mobile rack controller group controls each row of electric mobile racks to move according to the target movement strategy based on the first control signal, so as to generate an operation channel for the target mobile robot to reach a target electric mobile rack in the electric mobile rack area, wherein the target electric mobile rack is determined based on a starting position or an end position in the operation instruction; The mobile robot scheduling module drives the target mobile robot to travel through the operating channel to the operating position corresponding to the current access task, so that the target mobile robot performs the access operation at the operating position; The method further comprises: After receiving the exit instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module acquires a subsequent access task after the current access task; When the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the subsequent access task is different from that of the current access task, the electric mobile rack control module determines the target movement strategy of the subsequent access task based on the first position information of the electric mobile rack group after executing the current access task, the initial position information of the electric mobile rack group and the subsequent access task.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has completed the current access task and has moved to the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group while leaving the electric mobile shelf area, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an exit instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module; When the electric mobile shelf control module receives the exit instruction signal and detects that the mobile robot scheduling module has not received any subsequent access tasks, the electric mobile shelf control module sends a second control signal to the electric mobile shelf controller group; The electric mobile shelf controller group controls each row of electric mobile shelves to move to the initial position information according to the second control signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The electric mobile rack control module determines a target movement strategy for the subsequent access task based on the first position information of the electric mobile rack group after executing the current access task, the initial position information of the electric mobile rack group, and the subsequent storage task, including: The electric mobile rack control module determines, based on the first position information of the electric mobile rack group after executing the current access task and the subsequent access task, multiple available movement strategies of the electric mobile rack group for executing the subsequent access task, and a first movement distance of the electric mobile rack group in the multiple available movement strategies; The electric mobile shelf control module determines, based on the initial position information of the electric mobile shelf group and the subsequent access task, a plurality of available movement strategies of the electric mobile shelf group for executing the subsequent access task, and a second movement distance of the electric mobile shelf group in the plurality of available movement strategies; A moving strategy with the shortest moving distance between the first moving distance and the second moving distance is selected as a target moving strategy for the subsequent access task.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The method further comprises: After receiving the exit instruction signal, the electric mobile rack control module acquires a subsequent access task after the current access task; When the target electric mobile rack corresponding to the subsequent access task is the same as that of the current access task, the electric mobile rack control module controls the position of each electric mobile rack to remain unchanged.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein Determining the target movement strategy of the electric mobile rack group according to the current access task includes: Determining multiple available movement strategies for the electric mobile shelf group according to the current access task; According to the moving distances of the electric mobile shelf group in the multiple available moving strategies, a moving strategy with the shortest moving distance of the electric mobile shelf group is selected from the multiple available moving strategies as the target moving strategy.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The entry and exit signs are physical signs or logical signs; When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module, including: When the target mobile robot reaches the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the target mobile robot sends an identification detection signal to the mobile robot scheduling module; After receiving the identification detection signal, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The entry and exit signs are electronic map signs; When the mobile robot scheduling module detects that the target mobile robot has reached the entry and exit identification position of the electric mobile shelf group, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module, including: The target mobile robot sends its own real-time position information to the mobile robot scheduling module during the process of driving into the electric mobile shelf group; When the real-time position information of the target mobile robot is identical to the position information corresponding to the electronic map mark, the mobile robot scheduling module sends an entry instruction signal to the electric mobile shelf control module.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the current access task is a storage task, the end position in the operation instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf. When the current access task is a retrieval task, the starting position in the operation instruction is determined based on the row, column and layer of the electric mobile shelf.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The electric mobile shelf control module can control the movement of a single row of electric mobile shelves, or control the overall movement of several rows of electric mobile shelves; The electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move on the rack track, or the electric mobile rack controller drives the electric mobile rack to move in a magnetic navigation manner.

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