Automatic remote-control quay crane one-control-two operation control system for container wharf and quay crane operation control method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of automatic container wharf operation optimization, in particular to a container wharf automatic remote control quay crane one-control-two operation control system and a quay crane operation control method, and the system comprises a remote console which is used for receiving an operator instruction and displaying real-time operation data; at least two quay crane devices, wherein each quay crane device comprises a crane and a container spreader; the automatic remote control system is used for analyzing the operation instruction and controlling the quay crane to execute automatic loading and unloading operation; the dynamic switching module is in communication connection with the automatic remote control system, so that the control rights of the two quay crane devices are alternately switched under the monitoring of a single operator; and the safety monitoring module is used for monitoring the operation state of the double-shore bridge in real time and ensuring the safety of the system when the control right is switched. According to the one-control-two operation control system for the automatic remote control quay cranes of the container wharf, the operation of managing and switching the two quay cranes at the same time by a single operator through the remote control console, and the problem that manpower resources of the wharf are insufficient is effectively solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of automated container terminal operation optimization, and particularly relates to an automated remote-controlled quay crane one-control two-operation operation control system and a quay crane operation control method. BACKGROUND

[0002] Under the background of the continuous deepening of globalization trade, as the core logistics mode supporting international trade, the operation efficiency and cost control of container transportation are directly related to the smooth operation of global supply chain and overall economic benefits. As a key node of container transportation, the operation efficiency and operating cost of the terminal have become the core issue of concern for port operators and shipping companies.

[0003] The operation modes of traditional quay cranes and automated quay cranes mainly include two types: on-site operation and remote control. In the on-site operation mode, the operator needs to be in the quay crane machinery and complete the operation by directly operating the control lever. Although this mode is intuitive, the operator faces harsh working conditions (such as high altitude, wind and rain, noise, etc.), and there are safety risks such as mechanical failure and operation error. In the remote control mode, the operator is transferred from the quay crane machinery to the control room, and the operation is realized by means of video monitoring and remote control equipment, which improves the working environment of the operator and enhances the safety of the operation.

[0004] With the development of automation and intelligent technology, the application of automatic control system and other technologies in quay crane operation has significantly improved the efficiency and accuracy of the operation. However, the existing automated remote-controlled quay crane system still has obvious limitations: first, the problem of labor cost is prominent. Although remote operation is realized, the existing system mostly adopts a "one-to-one" operation mode, that is, one remote control operator can only control one quay crane, which makes it difficult to effectively utilize human resources, especially in the case of a sharp increase in container transportation volume, quay crane quantity and operation frequency, the demand for labor and the working intensity of the operator increase significantly; second, the utilization rate of equipment is insufficient. Due to the limitation of the operation mode, the quay crane is idle or inefficient in some operation links in the existing system under the automatic mode. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to provide an automated remote-controlled quay crane one-control two-operation operation control system and a quay crane operation control method to solve the problems in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides the following technical solution: an automated remote-controlled quay crane one-control two-operation operation control system for a container terminal, comprising: a remote control console configured with a man-machine interaction interface for receiving operator instructions and displaying real-time operation data; At least two quayside container gantry cranes, each comprising a crane and a container spreader; An automated remote control system connecting the remote control console and the quayside container gantry cranes for interpreting operation instructions and controlling the quayside container gantry cranes to perform automated loading and unloading operations; A dynamic switching module in communication with the automated remote control system for switching the control right of the two quayside container gantry cranes under the monitoring of a single operator; the switching is based on a preset rule: when the first quayside container gantry crane is in an automated operation stage, the operator manually controls the second quayside container gantry crane through the remote control console; when the second quayside container gantry crane enters the automated operation stage, the control right is automatically switched to the first quayside container gantry crane; A safety monitoring module integrating an emergency stop mechanism, a conflict detection system and a fault warning system for monitoring the operation state of the two quayside container gantry cranes in real time and ensuring system safety when the control right is switched.

[0007] Preferably, the dynamic switching module comprises: An instruction waiting queue for buffering manual operation requests of the other quayside container gantry crane when the operator is handling the current quayside container gantry crane operation; A position synchronization unit for automatically triggering a control right switching instruction when the quayside container gantry crane completes the automated operation and reaches the designated pick-and-drop container position.

[0008] Preferably, the automated remote control system is provided with an intelligent scheduling algorithm which dynamically allocates operation priorities according to the following parameters: ship berthing time window, container yard position, current operation progress of the quayside container gantry crane and frequency of manual intervention by the operator.

[0009] Preferably, the conflict detection system of the safety monitoring module performs real-time collision prediction of the movement trajectories of the two quayside container gantry cranes, anti-sway interference calculation of the container spreaders and self-checking of the equipment state during the control right switching process.

[0010] Preferably, the human-machine interaction interface provides: synchronized visualization of the three-dimensional operation scene of the two quayside container gantry cranes, state indicator lights of the automated and manual modes, and an emergency operation override button allowing the operator to forcibly take over the quayside container gantry crane in the automated operation.

[0011] Preferably, the system further comprises a special working condition processing unit for performing the following operations when a single quayside container gantry crane needs to be manually operated for more than a threshold time: automatically separating the control systems of the two quayside container gantry cranes into independent operation modes, enabling a standby remote control console to take over the operation of the other quayside container gantry crane, and automatically restoring the one-control-two mode after the special operation is completed.

[0012] The application further discloses a quayside container gantry crane operation control method based on the system, comprising the following steps: a. The quayside container gantry cranes complete non-pick-and-drop container operations in the automated operation mode, and send manual operation requests to the remote control console after reaching the designated positions; b. The dynamic switching module detects the availability of the remote console: if available, it immediately assigns control, if not available, it adds the request to the waiting queue; c. The operator performs the grab-and-drop box operation through the human-machine interface, and manually releases the control after completion; d. The shore-to-ship device resumes automatic operation, and the safety monitoring module verifies the device state and safety boundary conditions in real time; e. When a special working condition is triggered, the system automatically splits the control link and activates the backup resource, and re-integrates the control link after the exception is resolved.

[0013] Compared with the method in the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: The container terminal automated remote control shore-to-ship one-control two-operation operation control system of the present application effectively solves the problem of tight labor resources at the terminal by allowing a single operator to manage and switch the operation of two shore-to-ship devices using a remote console, optimizing the operation mode from two operators to one operator, and significantly reducing labor costs. At the same time, with the help of the switching module, the switching time of the operator between the shore-to-ship devices is reduced, and combined with the intelligent scheduling algorithm and the automatic control logic, the automatic operation gap of the shore-to-ship device is fully utilized, greatly improving the overall efficiency of container loading and unloading, and bringing significant improvement in operating efficiency for terminal operators.

[0014] The system performs outstandingly in terms of safety, with an emergency stop mechanism, a conflict detection system and a fault warning system of the safety monitoring module, ensuring the reliability and stability of the control switching and operation process. In addition, its modular and expandable design makes it adaptable to different scales and types of terminals, not only suitable for specific scenarios, but also with wide application value, providing an efficient, economical and safe solution for port automation upgrade, with important market potential and application prospect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 Operation flowchart for remote control driver to control shore-to-ship 1; Figure 2 Operation flowchart for remote control driver to control shore-to-ship 2; Figure 3 Flowchart for handling special operation conditions of shore-to-ship. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0017] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second" and the like are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" and the like can be explicitly or implicitly included one or more. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0018] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection", "fixed connection", "fixed connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrated connection; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intermediate medium, or it can be the communication inside two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0019] The specific embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below in combination with the drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0020] The specific implementation process of the container terminal automatic remote control shore crane one control two operation control system described in the present application relies on the cooperative work of remote control console, automatic remote control system, dynamic switching module, safety monitoring module and special working condition processing unit, realizes efficient and safe switching control of two shore cranes by a single operator, and the specific steps are as follows: I. System initialization and preparation stage System startup and self-checking The operator logs in to the remote control console, and the system automatically starts the automatic remote control system, the dynamic switching module and the safety monitoring module. The safety monitoring module immediately performs device self-checking, including the mechanical state of the double shore cranes (such as the running accuracy of the crane, the sensitivity of the spreader), the stability of the communication link (signal transmission delay between the remote control console and the two shore cranes), the effectiveness of the conflict detection system algorithm, to ensure that there is no fault before entering the standby operation state.

[0021] The man-machine interface synchronously displays the initial positions of the two shore cranes, the standby container information (such as the yard position, the ship berthing time window) and the system state identifier (automatic mode / manual mode ready light).

[0022] Task allocation The intelligent scheduling algorithm of the automated remote control system allocates initial operation tasks to the two quayside cranes according to preset parameters (ship berthing priority, container yard distance, and current idle state of the quayside crane). For example, quay crane 1 prioritizes handling of ships with tight berthing time windows, and quay crane 2 handles containers that are closer to the yard. The task information is synchronized in real time to the human-machine interface.

[0023] II. Quay crane 1 operation process As shown in Figure 1 , the automated operation phase Quay crane 1 automatically executes the basic process of container loading and unloading (such as picking up containers from the yard and transferring them to the designated compartment of the ship) according to the instructions of the intelligent scheduling algorithm. During this process, the automated remote control system analyzes the position signal in real time to control the precise movement of the crane and the spreader. The anti-sway interference calculation of the safety monitoring module is continuously running to ensure that the spreader is stable and does not sway.

[0024] Manual intervention application When quay crane 1 encounters a scenario that requires manual judgment (such as skewed container placement and spreader alignment deviation), the automated remote control system determines to enter the manual operation phase and sends an access request to the remote control console through the instruction queue of the dynamic switching module. At the same time, it suspends the automated action and maintains the current position.

[0025] Control right switching and manual operation If the remote control console is in an idle state (not controlling quay crane 2), the dynamic switching module directly triggers the control right switching, and the human-machine interface automatically switches to the three-dimensional operation scene of quay crane 1, displaying real-time video monitoring and operation parameters (such as spreader height and running speed).

[0026] If the remote control console is controlling quay crane 2, the instruction queue buffers the request of quay crane 1, and the human-machine interface prompts "quay crane 1 waiting for access" through an indicator light. After the manual operation of quay crane 2 is completed, the switching module automatically transfers the control right to quay crane 1.

[0027] The operator manually adjusts the spreader position and completes the container grabbing and placing operation through the joystick and interactive interface of the remote control console. During this period, the conflict detection system of the safety monitoring module monitors the motion trajectories of quay crane 1 and quay crane 2 in real time to avoid collision risks.

[0028] Resuming automated operation After the operator completes the manual operation, the connection with the quay crane 1 is disconnected through the interface button, the dynamic switching module sends a signal to the automatic remote control system, and the quay crane 1 immediately resumes the automatic operation and continues to execute the remaining tasks; the intelligent scheduling algorithm dynamically updates the priority of the subsequent operation according to the actual operation progress.

[0029] III. Quay crane 2 operation process As shown in Figure 2 , the operation process of the quay crane 2 is completely symmetrical to that of the quay crane 1, and the core is the alternating control logic of the dynamic switching module: When the quay crane 1 is in the automatic operation stage, the remote control console can receive the manual access request of the quay crane 2; when the operator controls the quay crane 1, the access request of the quay crane 2 enters the waiting queue. Through the position synchronization unit, both quay cranes will be parked at the preset “switching waiting position” after completing the automatic operation, ensuring that the control right switching is stable and reducing the switching time loss.

[0030] IV. Special working condition processing process As shown in Figure 3 , when a single quay crane (such as quay crane 1) needs to be manually operated for more than a preset threshold (such as 15 minutes) due to special tasks (such as super-long container loading and unloading, temporary adjustment due to equipment failure), the system starts the special working condition processing unit: System separation: the special working condition processing unit sends instructions to the automatic remote control system to separate the control links of the two quay cranes into independent systems to avoid mutual interference; the fault early warning system of the safety monitoring module is started synchronously to monitor the stability of data transmission after separation.

[0031] Backup console access: the human-machine interface prompts “enter special mode”, and the system automatically enables the backup remote control console. After the backup operator logs in, the quay crane 2 operation is taken over to ensure that it performs automatic and manual operations according to the original plan.

[0032] Mode recovery: after the quay crane 1 special operation is completed, the operator triggers the “restore one control two mode” instruction through the interface, the special working condition processing unit coordinates the control systems of the two quay cranes to recombine, the dynamic switching module restores the alternating control logic, and the intelligent scheduling algorithm re-synchronizes the operation progress of the two quay cranes.

[0033] V. Safety guarantee mechanism throughout the whole process Emergency stop mechanism: the remote control console and the two quay cranes are provided with physical emergency stop buttons, and the safety monitoring module monitors the button state in real time. When any one triggers, the two quay cranes are immediately powered off and stopped to ensure the safety of equipment and personnel in emergency situations.

[0034] Collision detection: During the control switching and parallel operation stage, the collision detection system calculates the intersection point of the motion trajectory of the double gantry every 100 ms. If a collision risk is predicted (e.g., the distance is less than the safety threshold), a deceleration or shutdown instruction is immediately sent, and an alarm is displayed on the human-machine interface.

[0035] Fault warning: By analyzing the vibration, current and other data of the equipment operation, the fault warning system can identify potential faults (such as abnormal hoist motor) in advance, display warning information on the interface and recommend maintenance time to avoid sudden shutdown during operation.

[0036] The present embodiment realizes efficient switching management of the double gantry by the modular design and collaborative control logic, significantly improves the equipment utilization and human resource efficiency under the premise of ensuring safety, and can adapt to the operation needs of different scale terminals.

[0037] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make some improvements and refinements without departing from the principles of the present application, and these improvements and refinements should be considered within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled automated quay crane operation system for container terminals, characterized in that: include: The remote control console is equipped with a human-machine interface to receive operator instructions and display real-time operation data. At least two quay crane units, each of which includes a crane and a container spreader; An automated remote control system connects a remote control console to the quay crane unit, used to parse operating instructions and control the quay crane to perform automated loading and unloading operations; The dynamic switching module communicates with the automated remote control system to enable alternating switching of control over two quay crane units under single-operator monitoring. The alternating switching is based on preset rules: when the first quay crane is in the automated operation phase, the operator manually controls the second quay crane through the remote control console. When the second quay crane enters the automated operation phase, control is automatically switched to the first quay crane; The safety monitoring module integrates an emergency stop mechanism, a conflict detection system, and a fault early warning system to monitor the operational status of the dual-bank bridge in real time and ensure system safety during control switching.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dynamic switching module includes: The instruction waiting queue is used to cache manual operation requests for another quay crane while the operator is handling the current quay crane operation; The position synchronization unit automatically triggers a control switching command when the quay crane completes automated operations and arrives at the designated grab-and-place box position.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automated remote control system has a built-in intelligent scheduling algorithm, which dynamically allocates operation priorities based on the following parameters: ship berthing time window, container yard location, current quay crane operation progress, and operator manual intervention frequency.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The collision detection system of the safety monitoring module performs the following in real time: collision prediction of the movement trajectory of the double-sided bridge, anti-sway interference calculation of container spreader, and self-check of equipment status during the control handover process.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The human-machine interface provides: synchronized visualization of the three-dimensional operation scene of the dual-shore bridge, status indicator lights for automated and manual modes, and an emergency operation overlay button, allowing the operator to forcibly take over the shore bridge during automated operation.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a special working condition handling unit. When a single quay crane needs to be manually operated continuously for more than a threshold time, it will execute: automatically separate the dual quay crane control system into independent operation mode, activate the backup remote control console to take over the operation of the other quay crane, and automatically restore the one-control-two-mode after the special operation is completed.

7. A method for controlling the operation of a quay crane based on any one of the systems claimed in claims 1-6, characterized in that, Including the following steps: a. The quay crane device completes non-grabbing and releasing container operations in automated operation mode, and sends a manual operation request to the remote control console after arriving at the designated position; b. The dynamic switching module detects the availability of the remote console: if it is available, control is immediately assigned; if it is not available, the request is added to the waiting queue. c. The operator performs the grabbing and placing of the box through the human-machine interface, and manually releases control after completion; d. The quay crane unit resumes automated operation, while the safety monitoring module verifies the equipment status and safety boundary conditions in real time; e. When a special operating condition is triggered, the system automatically splits the control link and activates the backup resources, and then re-integrates the control link after the anomaly is resolved.

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