Carrying equipment collaborative scheduling method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses a carrying equipment collaborative scheduling method and device, electronic equipment and a storage medium. The method comprises the steps of detecting whether a plurality of operation areas need to be supplemented with goods shelves or not; under the condition that it is detected that goods shelves need to be supplemented in the target operation area, target goods shelf carrying equipment is screened out from a goods shelf carrying equipment cluster; determining a transfer path for carrying the idle goods shelf to the target operation area; and the target goods shelf carrying equipment is controlled to carry the idle goods shelves to the target operation area according to the transfer path. Idle or low-utilization-rate goods shelf carrying equipment is dynamically dispatched to execute a whole-support goods shelf transfer task, supply is directly conducted on a high-load operation area, the idle time generated by waiting for goods shelves in the operation area is remarkably shortened, and high-frequency connection operation can be continuously conducted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of equipment coordination technology, and in particular to a method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment, a device for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Warehousing is the storage and safekeeping of goods and items in warehouses. Warehouse racks are storage devices used to store goods. In the application of warehouse racks, some manufacturers install rack robots on the racks. These robots typically have their loading platforms mounted on uprights, and they move along the racks to pick up and place goods.

[0003] In modern intelligent warehousing systems, multiple types of automated handling equipment are typically deployed. However, these handling equipment usually operate independently in separate zones, resulting in unbalanced equipment utilization, slow shelf turnover, limited overall logistics efficiency, and difficulty in coping with fluctuating demand for goods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, embodiments of the present invention are proposed to provide a method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment, a device for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium to overcome or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, a first aspect of this invention provides a washing machine spin-drying control method, the method comprising: Check whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves; If the target work area is detected to need additional shelving, the target shelving handling equipment is selected from the shelving handling equipment cluster. Determine the transfer route for moving the idle shelves to the target work area; The target shelf handling equipment is controlled to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

[0006] Optionally, the step of selecting the target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster includes: Obtain evaluation parameters for each rack handling device in the rack handling equipment cluster; the evaluation parameters include at least one of equipment utilization rate, distance cost, power status, and equipment health. The overall score for each rack handling equipment is determined based on the evaluation parameters. The target shelf handling equipment is selected from the shelf handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score.

[0007] Optionally, detecting whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves includes: Obtain the shelf inventory and goods flow in each work area; If the shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, and / or the goods flow exceeds the goods flow threshold, then it is determined that the work area needs to be replenished with shelves.

[0008] Optionally, when multiple target work areas are detected to require replenishment of shelves simultaneously, before determining the transfer path for moving the empty shelves to the target work areas, the method further includes: Obtain the average waiting time due to shelf shortages in each work area and the volume of goods in each work area; Based on the average waiting time of each work area, the target work area for priority handling is determined; If the average waiting time of multiple target work areas is similar, the target work area to be prioritized for handling is determined based on the cargo flow of each work area.

[0009] Optionally, determining the transfer route for moving the idle shelving to the target work area includes: Obtain a path library; the path library includes one or more paths for moving shelves to various work areas; The transfer path for the target shelf handling equipment to transfer the idle shelf to the target work area is determined based on the path library.

[0010] Optionally, after determining the transfer route for moving the idle shelving to the target work area, the method further includes: During the process of the target shelf handling equipment transferring the idle shelf to the work area, the location information of the shelf handling equipment and the obstacle information detected by the target shelf handling equipment are obtained; Predict whether there will be a conflict with other rack handling equipment based on the location information of the rack handling equipment; When an obstacle is detected on the transfer path, or when it is predicted that the transfer path will conflict with other rack handling equipment, the transfer path is adjusted.

[0011] Optionally, the method further includes: When the rack handling equipment malfunctions, a replacement rack handling equipment is selected from the rack handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score. Obtain the current location information of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment; Based on the current location information, the system controls the replacement rack handling equipment to go to the location of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment and move the idle rack to the target work area.

[0012] Optionally, the method further includes: Regularly obtain the average idle time of cargo handling equipment while waiting for shelves; If the average idle time is higher than the first preset threshold, then the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are lowered. If the average idle time is lower than the second preset threshold, then the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are increased; the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a collaborative scheduling device for handling equipment is provided, the device comprising: The shelving replenishment demand detection module is used to detect whether multiple work areas need to replenish shelving; The target handling equipment filtering module is used to filter out target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster when it is detected that the target work area needs to replenish racks. The transfer route determination module is used to determine the transfer route for moving the idle shelves to the target work area; The idle shelf handling module is used to control the target shelf handling equipment to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

[0014] Optionally, the target handling equipment screening module includes: The evaluation parameter acquisition submodule is used to acquire the evaluation parameters of each rack handling equipment in the rack handling equipment cluster; the evaluation parameters include at least one of equipment utilization rate, distance cost, power status, and equipment health. The comprehensive scoring determination submodule is used to determine the comprehensive score of each rack handling equipment based on the evaluation parameters. The target equipment screening submodule is used to screen the target shelf handling equipment from the shelf handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score.

[0015] Optionally, the shelf replenishment demand detection module includes: The demand parameter acquisition submodule is used to obtain the shelf inventory and goods flow of each work area; The shelf replenishment demand determination submodule is used to determine that the work area needs to replenish shelves if the shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, and / or the goods flow exceeds the goods flow threshold.

[0016] Optionally, when multiple target work areas are detected to require replenishment of shelves simultaneously, before determining the transfer path for moving the empty shelves to the target work areas, the method further includes: The time and volume acquisition module is used to acquire the average waiting time caused by shelf shortage in each work area and the volume of goods in each work area. The priority handling area determination module is used to determine the priority handling target area based on the average waiting time of each work area; if the average waiting time of multiple target work areas is similar, the priority handling target area is determined based on the cargo flow of each work area.

[0017] Optionally, the transit route determination module includes: The path library acquisition submodule is used to acquire the path library; the path library includes one or more paths for moving shelves to various work areas; The shelf transfer path determination submodule is used to determine the transfer path for the target shelf handling equipment to transfer the idle shelf to the target work area based on the path library.

[0018] Optionally, after determining the transfer route for moving the idle shelving to the target work area, the method further includes: The equipment information acquisition module is used to acquire the location information of the shelf handling equipment and the obstacle information detected by the target shelf handling equipment during the process of the target shelf handling equipment transferring the idle shelf to the work area; The obstacle detection module is used to predict whether there will be a conflict with other rack handling equipment based on the location information of the rack handling equipment; The transfer path adjustment module is used to adjust the transfer path when an obstacle is detected on the transfer path or when it is predicted that the transfer path will conflict with other rack handling equipment.

[0019] Optionally, the device further includes: The replacement handling equipment screening module is used to screen out replacement rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score when the rack handling equipment fails. The fault equipment information acquisition module is used to acquire the current location information of the faulty rack handling equipment; The replacement transport equipment control module is used to control the replacement rack transport equipment to go to the location of the malfunctioning rack transport equipment according to the current location information, and transport the idle rack to the target work area.

[0020] Optionally, the device further includes: The idle time acquisition module is used to periodically acquire the average idle time of goods handling equipment while waiting for shelves; The threshold adjustment module is used to lower the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold if the average idle time is higher than a first preset threshold; and to raise the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold if the average idle time is lower than a second preset threshold; wherein the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the material handling equipment cooperative scheduling method as described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0022] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored, wherein when executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the material handling equipment cooperative scheduling method as described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0023] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention may include the following beneficial effects: This invention discloses a method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium for collaborative scheduling of material handling equipment. The method includes: detecting whether multiple work areas need to replenish shelving; if a target work area needs to replenish shelving, selecting a target shelving handling equipment from a cluster of shelving handling equipment; determining a transfer path to move idle shelving to the target work area; and controlling the target shelving handling equipment to move the idle shelving to the target work area according to the transfer path. By dynamically scheduling idle or underutilized shelving handling equipment to perform pallet shelving transfer tasks, high-load work areas are directly replenished, significantly reducing idle time in work areas waiting for shelving, enabling continuous high-frequency relay operations. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another method for collaborative scheduling of handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a warehouse layout for a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a warehouse simulation scenario diagram of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the equipment scheduling process of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a structural block diagram of a material handling equipment collaborative scheduling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Attached diagram: Shelf handling equipment operation area 1, operation area 2, shelf storage area 3, manual unloading area 4, shelf delivery area 5, cargo buffer area 6. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] In modern intelligent warehousing systems, multiple types of automated handling equipment are typically deployed. However, these handling equipment usually operate independently in separate zones, resulting in unbalanced equipment utilization, slow shelf turnover, limited overall logistics efficiency, and difficulty in coping with fluctuating demand for goods.

[0028] One of the core concepts of this invention is that by dynamically scheduling idle or underutilized racking handling equipment to perform whole-pallet racking transfer tasks, the high-load work area is directly replenished, significantly reducing the idle time of the work area due to waiting for racking, and enabling it to continuously carry out high-frequency connection operations.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method specifically includes the following steps: Step 101: Check whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves; This invention embodiment takes the collaborative scheduling of CTUs (Smart Storage Units) and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) in an automated warehouse project as an example. In this embodiment, the CTU is a handling device focused on goods transfer, and the AMR is a handling device responsible for transferring goods across shelves. This invention embodiment is also applicable to the collaborative scheduling of other warehouse equipment, and is not limited to these.

[0030] In modern intelligent warehousing systems, multiple types of automated handling equipment are typically deployed. However, these handling equipment usually operate independently in zones. One type of handling equipment is responsible for the transfer and handling of goods within a fixed area, while another type of handling equipment only performs point-to-point transfer of small items. This results in an imbalance in equipment utilization, slow shelf turnover, and limited efficiency of the overall logistics chain, making it difficult to cope with fluctuating demand for goods.

[0031] In an intelligent warehousing system, the warehouse is divided into multiple operating areas. Different cargo handling equipment is responsible for different operating areas and can store different or the same goods. When the cargo flow increases dramatically, there will be a shortage of shelves and storage space. Therefore, it is necessary to move shelves to each operating area. By mobilizing shelf handling equipment to undertake shelf transfer work, cargo handling equipment focuses on cargo connection work, thereby achieving a double improvement in equipment utilization and logistics efficiency.

[0032] The system collects real-time data on the number of shelves, real-time cargo flow, and physical coordinates of shelf storage areas within each work area. Based on pre-stored warehouse CAD layout maps, it obtains the geographical coordinates, boundary range, and corresponding dedicated collaborative delivery location for each work area. It monitors the number of available, fully loaded shelves within each work area in real time. It dynamically calculates the cargo handling speed (pieces / hour) for each work area. A set of dynamic collaborative trigger thresholds is preset for each work area. The decision logic is an "OR" relationship; the requirement is triggered when either condition is met: triggering when the real-time shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, for example: threshold for work area type 1 = 35 CTUs × 0.8 = 28 shelves (with a 20% buffer). Triggering when the real-time calculated cargo flow is greater than or equal to the cargo flow threshold, for example: threshold for work area type 1 = 1115 pieces / hour × 80% = 892 pieces / hour. Furthermore, when it detects that more than a certain percentage (e.g., 30%) of cargo handling equipment in a work area is in a "waiting for shelves" state, and the average waiting time exceeds a preset value (e.g., 1 minute), it can be triggered immediately as a rapid response to instantaneous peaks.

[0033] Once a work area is determined to require additional shelving, a shelving transfer request event will be generated immediately. This event will include at least: the requesting work area ID, the requested shelving type, the urgency level of the request, and the triggering conditions. This event will be used as input for subsequent steps (equipment selection, route planning).

[0034] In this embodiment of the invention, replenishment needs are dynamically determined by monitoring the operational demand status parameters of each work area in real time. Specifically, this includes collecting real-time shelf inventory and real-time cargo flow dynamically calculated based on historical data, and comparing these two key parameters with preset collaborative trigger thresholds (including shelf inventory thresholds and cargo flow thresholds). Once the shelf inventory of any work area falls below its threshold, or the cargo flow exceeds its threshold, the system determines that the area needs to replenish shelves and generates specific shelf transfer task instructions. When each work area detects that its local shelf inventory is below the warning line, it proactively sends a status event message to the central scheduling system, thereby achieving millisecond-level response and avoiding the delays and resource waste caused by polling.

[0035] Step 102: If it is detected that the target work area needs to replenish the racks, then the target rack handling equipment is selected from the rack handling equipment cluster. In this embodiment of the invention, rack handling equipment specifically refers to automated mobile devices in a warehousing and logistics system that are specially scheduled to perform unitized, end-to-end transfer tasks of "whole pallet racks". Using complete storage racks (usually carrying goods) as handling units, under system scheduling, the racks are transferred from centralized storage areas to consumption areas (such as work areas), or reversed for recovery, to achieve rapid circulation and allocation of rack resources.

[0036] Add shelf positioning latches to the racking equipment. These latches are installed on the forks / lifting mechanism of the racking equipment, with adjustable stroke (50-80mm), for physical locking of the shelves. Add weight sensors to the core load-bearing points between the forks / pallet lifting mechanism and the main vehicle structure, such as the bottom of the lifting guide column or load-bearing joints. Monitor the total weight of the shelves and goods in real time to prevent overloading (range 0-300kg) and ensure transportation safety. Integrate a shelf recognition algorithm into the racking equipment. The onboard vision system scans the shelf QR code to automatically identify the shelf type and match it with the requirements of the work area.

[0037] When a target work area is detected to require additional shelving, low-utilization equipment is selected from the shelving handling equipment cluster and optimized using a multi-dimensional weighted scoring model. This includes: equipment utilization rate (40%): the lower the utilization rate, the higher the score; distance cost (30%): the closer to the target shelving storage area, the higher the score; power status (20%): the more remaining power, the higher the score; and equipment health (10%): based on historical failure rate, the higher the health score, the higher the score. A comprehensive score is calculated for each available shelving handling equipment, and those with higher scores are prioritized for scheduling.

[0038] In this embodiment of the invention, the selection of target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster is not done randomly or by simple assignment, but rather by executing a comprehensive dynamic evaluation algorithm. This algorithm aims to select the optimal equipment from the entire rack handling equipment cluster to perform a specific replenishment task at a specific time. Multiple evaluation parameters for each available rack handling equipment are acquired and calculated in real time, primarily including: current equipment utilization rate (prioritizing idle equipment), distance cost to the target rack storage area (optimizing response time), current equipment power status (ensuring successful task completion), and equipment health based on historical data (improving task reliability). A comprehensive scheduling score is calculated for each equipment according to preset weights, and the equipment is sorted according to its score. Finally, the equipment with the highest score is selected as the target rack handling equipment.

[0039] In addition, if the heartbeat monitoring determines that the initially selected equipment has malfunctioned or lost contact before or during the execution of a task, the task reassignment process will be triggered immediately. The best "replacement rack handling equipment" will be quickly selected based on the same scoring model to ensure the continuity and robustness of the replenishment process.

[0040] Step 103: Determine the transfer route for moving the vacant shelves to the target work area; A transfer path refers to the complete, dynamic, and drivable movement route of a target rack handling device performing a specific rack replenishment task, from its starting point (rack storage area) to its endpoint (target work area). Each transfer path is generated individually for a specific rack handling device to perform a specific rack transfer task, and is not a fixed route.

[0041] The starting point is the precise location of the storage area where the target shelf is located. The ending point is a designated "cooperative delivery location" next to the target work area, a dedicated unloading point physically isolated from the main work aisle. Route planning is based on the warehouse's CAD layout / global static map, which defines feasible areas, aisles, restricted areas, intersections, and other infrastructure information. First, a theoretically optimal or near-optimal route from the starting point to the ending point is calculated from a pre-stored route library or an algorithm based on the static map (such as the A* algorithm). This route is typically the shortest in either distance or time.

[0042] By utilizing the sensors (LiDAR, vision) of the racking and handling equipment itself, as well as location information of other equipment obtained by the scheduling system, the system continuously monitors dynamic obstacles on the path (such as other racking and handling equipment, goods handling equipment, personnel, and temporary stacked items). Once a path conflict is predicted or an obstacle is detected, the scheduling system or the local controller of the racking and handling equipment will immediately initiate local path replanning to bypass the obstacle, generate a new safe path segment, and update the global task status. In areas with high traffic volume, the scheduling system will perform global coordination, implementing rules such as "temporary avoidance" and "priority passage" to prevent deadlocks.

[0043] The goal is to enable racking equipment to safely and quickly deliver racks to designated locations, minimizing transfer cycles (e.g., within 15 minutes) to rapidly alleviate racking shortages in work areas. Through dedicated route planning and dynamic adjustments, large-scale transfer operations by racking equipment are systematically separated from the connection operations of other material handling equipment and other logistics activities, avoiding traffic congestion and mutual interference. Dynamic obstacle avoidance capabilities ensure that even in complex and dynamic warehouse environments, racking equipment can reliably complete transport tasks without prolonged delays due to unexpected blockages.

[0044] In this embodiment of the invention, real-time path planning is based on a hybrid map. First, a global static map constructed from the warehouse CAD layout is used as a foundation. Combining the task start point (the storage area where the idle shelving is located) and the end point (the collaborative delivery location in the target work area), an initial optimal path is calculated from a pre-stored path library. Next, by integrating real-time traffic information from onboard sensors of the shelving handling equipment and location reports from other equipment, dynamic obstacles on the path (such as other shelving handling equipment, personnel, and temporary obstacles) are continuously detected. Once a path conflict is predicted or a blockage is detected, local path replanning is immediately triggered for the affected shelving handling equipment, generating obstacle avoidance and detour schemes, and updating the global traffic status map to ensure that each transfer path is feasible, safe, and efficient in the current environment.

[0045] In addition, when multiple racking handling equipment may compete for transport routes in key areas such as intersections, the system will coordinate according to preset rules (such as task priority and first-come-first-served) and direct some racking handling equipment to enter a temporary virtual waiting area to ensure smooth traffic flow and avoid systemic deadlock.

[0046] Step 104: Control the target shelf handling equipment to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

[0047] In this embodiment of the invention, after the target shelf handling equipment travels to the designated shelf storage area according to the instructions, it first scans the shelf identification (such as a QR code) through its visual recognition system to confirm the identity of the target shelf. Then, it completes physical locking through the shelf positioning buckle and uses an integrated weight sensor to verify whether the load is within the safety threshold to ensure that the transfer base is safe and reliable.

[0048] The navigation and control system of the racking transport equipment receives and locks onto the generated dynamic transport path, and performs high-precision positioning and autonomous driving by combining its own sensor data. During this process, the racking transport equipment continuously reports its status (position, speed, anomalies) to the central dispatch system and performs local dynamic obstacle avoidance in real time. If a sudden obstacle is encountered, the racking transport equipment or the dispatch system will immediately trigger local path replanning to ensure that the task is not interrupted.

[0049] The racking handling equipment precisely enters and stops at the designated collaborative delivery position next to the work area. It then sends a "rack delivered" signal to the central dispatch system via wireless network. The dispatch system, acting as an information hub, forwards this signal to the corresponding handling equipment in the area. When idle, the handling equipment autonomously moves to the delivery position based on this signal and retrieves the goods directly from the rack, completing a seamless handover between "rack delivery" and "goods retrieval," thus substantially eliminating waiting time for the handling equipment.

[0050] In addition, the status of the racking and handling equipment is monitored throughout the entire process via heartbeat packets. Once an equipment failure (such as loss of connection or stoppage) is detected, the task reassignment process is immediately initiated, and backup racking and handling equipment is dispatched to take over, ensuring the robustness of the supply chain.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of another collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The method specifically includes the following steps: Step 201: Check whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves; In this embodiment of the invention, replenishment needs are dynamically determined by monitoring the operational demand status parameters of each work area in real time. Specifically, this includes collecting real-time shelf inventory and real-time cargo flow dynamically calculated based on historical data, and comparing these two key parameters with preset collaborative trigger thresholds (including shelf inventory thresholds and cargo flow thresholds). Once the shelf inventory of any work area falls below its threshold, or the cargo flow exceeds its threshold, the system determines that the area needs to replenish shelves and generates specific shelf transfer task instructions. When each work area detects that its local shelf inventory is below the warning line, it proactively sends a status event message to the central scheduling system, thereby achieving millisecond-level response and avoiding the delays and resource waste caused by polling.

[0052] In some embodiments, step 201 may include the following sub-steps: Sub-step S11: Obtain the shelf inventory and cargo flow rate for each work area; Sub-step S12: If the shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, and / or the goods flow exceeds the goods flow threshold, then it is determined that the work area needs to be replenished with shelves.

[0053] Real-time collection of shelving shortage signals (e.g., the number of shelves in the work area is less than 1.2 times the number required for the current task), real-time cargo flow, and shelf location information (coordinates of the shelf storage area based on the CAD layout drawing) in the work area (including half of the cargo type).

[0054] Real-time data acquisition employs a hybrid model of "active signal transmission from the goods handling equipment controller and an event-driven mechanism" to achieve real-time data collection and avoid network latency and resource waste caused by polling. When the goods handling equipment controller completes a task (such as retrieving goods from or placing goods on a shelf) or detects a critical status change (such as the number of shelves falling below a threshold or a task interruption), it proactively sends an event message containing status information to the central dispatch system via the local area network. This event message includes: the goods handling equipment ID, the work area, the current work status (such as "idle," "connecting," or "waiting for shelves"), the current number of shelves in the work area, and the cumulative number of processed items (used for dynamically calculating cargo flow).

[0055] Data is pushed the instant the state changes, resulting in a response time far faster than periodic polling. Data is sent only when there is a state change, avoiding continuous invalid communication. Event messages can be acknowledged; if no acknowledgment is received, retransmission or an alarm can be triggered to ensure no data loss.

[0056] For example: when the number of shelves in the work area is ≤35 units × 0.8 = 28 (refer to the basic configuration of 35 goods handling equipment corresponding to 1 shelf, with a 20% buffer reserved), or the goods flow is ≥1115 pieces / hour × 80% = 892 pieces / hour, the shelf transfer task is triggered.

[0057] In this embodiment of the invention, the system continuously monitors the real-time "operational demand status parameters" of each work area to dynamically determine whether a shelf replenishment process needs to be initiated. Specifically, two types of core data are collected in parallel: one is the real-time shelf inventory within the work area, and the other is the real-time cargo flow dynamically calculated based on the historical processing data of the cargo handling equipment in that area. The system compares these two parameters in real time with preset, adaptively optimizeable dual collaborative trigger thresholds (including shelf inventory threshold and cargo flow threshold). Once the shelf inventory of any work area is lower than or equal to its inventory threshold, or its real-time cargo flow exceeds its flow threshold, the system determines that the area has entered a "shelf shortage" state, thereby triggering the subsequent collaborative scheduling process. This detection mechanism is based on event-driven proactive reporting, ensuring millisecond-level response to changes in demand, and providing the primary decision-making basis for the entire system to achieve dynamic and accurate scheduling.

[0058] Step 202: If it is detected that the target work area needs to replenish the racks, then the target rack handling equipment is selected from the rack handling equipment cluster. In this embodiment of the invention, the selection of target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster is not done randomly or by simple assignment, but rather by executing a comprehensive dynamic evaluation algorithm. This algorithm aims to select the optimal equipment from the entire rack handling equipment cluster to perform a specific replenishment task at a specific time. Multiple evaluation parameters for each available rack handling equipment are acquired and calculated in real time, primarily including: current equipment utilization rate (prioritizing idle equipment), distance cost to the target rack storage area (optimizing response time), current equipment power status (ensuring successful task completion), and equipment health based on historical data (improving task reliability). A comprehensive scheduling score is calculated for each equipment according to preset weights, and the equipment is sorted according to its score. Finally, the equipment with the highest score is selected as the target rack handling equipment.

[0059] In some embodiments, step 202 may include the following sub-steps: Sub-step S21: Obtain the evaluation parameters of each rack handling device in the rack handling equipment cluster; the evaluation parameters include at least one of equipment utilization rate, distance cost, power status, and equipment health. Sub-step S22: Determine the comprehensive score of each rack handling device based on the evaluation parameters; Sub-step S23: Select the target shelf handling equipment from the shelf handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score.

[0060] Prioritize scheduling "low-utilization equipment" in the rack handling equipment cluster, such as those with an average utilization rate of ≤12.06%, selecting 8-10 units from 28 AMRs. Perform full pallet transfers along the path from the rack storage area to the work area, with each transfer cycle controlled within 15 minutes.

[0061] The scheduling logic for "low-utilization equipment" in the priority scheduling of rack handling equipment clusters adopts a dynamic priority ranking algorithm based on "multi-dimensional weighted scoring," rather than a simple utilization rate ranking. Low utilization rate is used as the primary screening criterion, determining a base score (weight 40%) for each rack handling equipment: 1 - (current utilization rate / 100%), with higher scores for lower utilization rates. A distance score (weight 30%) calculates the shortest path distance from the rack handling equipment to the target rack storage area; shorter distances result in higher scores, significantly reducing transfer time. A battery score (weight 20%) represents the current battery level of the rack handling equipment; higher battery levels result in higher scores, preventing task failures caused by scheduling equipment with excessively low battery levels. A health score (weight 10%) is assigned to each rack handling equipment based on historical failure rates, maintenance records, etc.; higher health scores result in higher scores.

[0062] Based on the aforementioned base score, distance score, power consumption score, and health score, a comprehensive score is calculated for each rack handling device. Tasks are then prioritized for allocation to the rack handling devices with the highest scores. This ensures that, while prioritizing the use of low-utilization equipment, tasks are assigned to the most suitable devices, thereby achieving optimal overall efficiency.

[0063] In this embodiment of the invention, the purpose of equipment screening is to select the most suitable execution entity with the best overall performance from the entire rack handling equipment (AMR) cluster for the upcoming transfer task, rather than to make a simple or random assignment.

[0064] First, the system acquires and calculates multi-dimensional evaluation parameters for each available rack handling device in the cluster in real time. These parameters include at least: current utilization rate reflecting device workload (preferring idle devices); distance cost between the current location and the task starting point (rack storage area) measuring response speed (preferring closer devices); current battery status ensuring task continuity (preferring devices with sufficient battery); and device health based on historical maintenance data assessing reliability (preferring devices with low failure rates). Then, based on a pre-defined weighted scoring model, these heterogeneous parameters are normalized to calculate a quantified comprehensive scheduling score for each device. Finally, the system sorts the scores and selects the rack handling device with the highest comprehensive score as the "target rack handling device" to perform this replenishment task.

[0065] This screening mechanism ensures that, while prioritizing the scheduling of low-utilization equipment, it also takes into account several key factors such as task execution efficiency (distance) and task completion reliability (power consumption and health), thereby achieving optimal allocation of global resources.

[0066] Step 203: When multiple target work areas are detected to need to replenish shelves at the same time, obtain the average waiting time of each work area due to shelf shortage and the cargo flow of each work area. When multiple CTU work areas trigger demand simultaneously, a dynamic priority handling mechanism based on the severity of waiting times is employed. The average waiting time for each triggering work area is calculated (e.g., the average time the handling equipment has been idle due to waiting for shelves in the past 5 minutes). Longer waiting times result in higher priority. If waiting times are similar, the real-time cargo flow rate of the work area is compared; higher cargo flow rates result in higher priority because they have a greater impact on overall throughput. If both are similar, priority is assigned based on the preset priority of shelf type (e.g., type 1 vs. type 2). For example, type 1, which has a faster processing speed, can be assigned a higher priority.

[0067] In this embodiment of the invention, when the system detects that multiple CTU operation areas have triggered replenishment needs at the same time, it determines the priority of the rack handling equipment handling tasks, aiming to solve the key problem of which area should be prioritized for the limited rack handling equipment capacity.

[0068] First, the system acquires and calculates the average waiting time for shelf shortages in each triggering demand area. This metric directly quantifies the actual impact of insufficient supply on the operation of goods handling equipment; a longer waiting time indicates higher urgency. Simultaneously, the system acquires real-time cargo flow data for each area to measure its importance or throughput contribution in the overall logistics chain. All pending tasks are first sorted in descending order based on the average waiting time, with the area with the longest waiting time receiving the highest priority. If two or more areas have very similar waiting times (the difference is less than a preset threshold), cargo flow is introduced as a secondary arbitration criterion; areas with larger cargo flow will receive higher priority, ensuring that critical links with the greatest impact on overall system throughput are prioritized.

[0069] This ensures that when transportation capacity is tight, racking and handling equipment resources can be directed to the work areas with the most urgent needs and the greatest impact on the overall system efficiency, thereby achieving adaptive task scheduling optimization from a global perspective.

[0070] Step 204: Determine the target work area to be prioritized for handling based on the average waiting time of each work area; if the average waiting time of multiple target work areas is similar, then determine the target work area to be prioritized for handling based on the cargo flow of each work area.

[0071] In this embodiment of the invention, priority is first determined based on the average waiting time of each target work area due to shelf shortage, which is the most direct efficiency loss indicator. The area with the longest waiting time represents the longest period that its goods handling equipment is in an "idle" state, and it has the greatest drag on the current system efficiency. Therefore, it is given the highest handling priority to ensure that the most urgent bottleneck is alleviated first.

[0072] When the average waiting times of two or more areas are similar (the difference is less than the system's preset tolerance threshold), making it difficult to distinguish urgency, the system activates a second-level priority criterion: comparing the real-time cargo flow of each operating area. Areas with higher cargo flow typically represent more critical throughput nodes in the logistics chain, and their operational efficiency has a more significant impact on overall system capacity. Therefore, when urgency is comparable, the system will prioritize shelf supply to areas with high cargo flow, thereby maximizing global throughput.

[0073] This decision-making mechanism ensures that, in complex and dynamic environments, limited rack handling equipment (AMR) resources can be intelligently directed to the work areas that are most effective in alleviating current congestion and contributing the most to improving overall productivity. It is a key intelligent strategy for achieving system self-adaptation and efficient collaboration.

[0074] Step 205: Determine the transfer route for moving the vacant shelves to the target work area; In this embodiment of the invention, real-time path planning is based on a hybrid map. First, a global static map constructed from the warehouse CAD layout is used as a foundation. Combining the task start point (the storage area where the idle racking is located) and the end point (the collaborative delivery location in the target CTU work area), an initial optimal path is calculated from a pre-stored path library. Next, by integrating real-time traffic information from onboard sensors of the racking handling equipment and location reports from other equipment, dynamic obstacles on the path (such as other racking handling equipment, personnel, and temporary obstacles) are continuously sensed. Once a path conflict is predicted or a blockage is detected, local path replanning is immediately triggered for the affected racking handling equipment, generating obstacle avoidance and detour schemes, and updating the global traffic state map to ensure that each transfer path is feasible, safe, and efficient in the current environment.

[0075] In some embodiments, step 205 may include the following sub-steps: Sub-step S31: Obtain the path library; the path library includes one or more paths for moving the shelves to various work areas; Sub-step S32: Determine the transfer path for the target shelf handling equipment to transfer the idle shelf to the target work area based on the path library.

[0076] In this embodiment of the invention, the core is to plan and determine a feasible and optimized movement route from the shelf storage area to the designated work area for the selected target rack handling equipment (AMR).

[0077] The system operates based on a pre-generated global path knowledge base (path library). This path library is not a simple set of fixed routes, but rather a network of multiple feasible paths pre-calculated by the system based on the CAD layout of the warehouse environment, connecting various major functional areas (such as the collaborative delivery positions of each rack storage area and each CTU work area). When a specific transfer task is received, the system first matches one or more candidate paths from this path library that are suitable for the current task's starting point (a specific available rack location) and ending point (the collaborative delivery position in the target work area).

[0078] Subsequently, based on real-time factors (such as current traffic conditions, task priority, and equipment status), an initial "transfer route" is selected from candidate routes or calculated comprehensively and issued to the racking transport equipment. The determined route is dynamically adjustable during the actual execution of the racking transport equipment. The racking transport equipment will continuously sense the environment while traveling, triggering route planning based on updated global information to ensure that the racking transport equipment can safely and reliably reach the destination.

[0079] Reference Figure 3 The diagram shows a warehouse layout schematic of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3This is a warehouse layout diagram, a floor plan drawn based on the actual physical space, equipment distribution, and business processes of the automated warehouse. The diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the racking storage area, the work area (including dedicated areas for Cargo Type 1 and Cargo Type 2), and the cargo flow channels: the racking storage area is located at the edge of the automated warehouse, with dashed arrows indicating the inefficient path of manual / fixed conveyor line transfer of racks in the traditional model; the work area is concentrated in the core area of ​​the automated warehouse, with the distribution density and short-distance connection range of 35 Cargo Type 1 cargo handling devices and 11 Cargo Type 2 cargo handling devices marked. This layout diagram intuitively presents the spatial constraints of the independent equipment zones, providing a spatial planning basis for the collaborative model of this invention, where "racking handling equipment undertakes rack transfers, and cargo handling equipment focuses on cargo connection," through optimized channel design and area connections.

[0080] The top three long strips represent the AMR (Action Transporter) work area 1: This area is where AMRs perform horizontal transport and goods handover. When rack handling is not required, AMRs receive and perform point-to-point transfers of small items here, transporting them to other destinations (such as sorting areas, outbound gates, etc.), potentially handing them over to other production lines, sorting lines, or transport vehicles within the factory. The broad strip in the middle is work area 2, the main area where CTUs (Cargo Handling Units) perform cargo handling operations. CTUs move here, removing goods from or placing them back on the racks. This area runs the entire length of the warehouse and is the core of logistics activities. The two long strips below represent rack storage area 3, where racks are stored awaiting scheduling and transfer. The middle area is rack delivery area 5, where AMRs temporarily store racks. Rack handling equipment moves racks to this area and notifies cargo handling equipment to retrieve them. Below rack delivery area 5 is manual unloading area 4, where manual loading and unloading is performed, with multiple manual depalletizing bays. At the bottom is the cargo buffer area 6, which is used to store goods. When the volume of goods is large, it is used to buffer the goods and then move them to the shelves using cargo handling equipment.

[0081] In some embodiments, after determining the transfer route for moving the vacant shelving to the target work area, the method further includes: During the process of the target shelf handling equipment transferring the idle shelf to the work area, the location information of the shelf handling equipment and the obstacle information detected by the target shelf handling equipment are obtained; based on the location information of the shelf handling equipment, it is predicted whether there will be a conflict with other shelf handling equipment; when an obstacle is detected on the transfer path, or it is predicted that the transfer path will conflict with other shelf handling equipment, the transfer path is adjusted.

[0082] Path planning is based on CAD layout drawings, constructing a global map and a static optimal path library. It continuously acquires the real-time location of racking or goods handling equipment via LiDAR or visual sensing on the equipment, as well as the real-time locations of all mobile devices and personnel. When a racking device is in motion and its sensors detect an obstacle ahead (such as another AMR, CTU, or personnel), it immediately reports to the dispatch system. The dispatch system adds this obstacle information to the global map. Based on the updated map, a new path is planned for the racking device to avoid the obstacle. The new path information is then sent to the racking device and notified other potentially affected equipment (such as the racking device ahead) to prevent cascading collisions.

[0083] For conflicts occurring at the same time and location, the first-to-arrive principle applies. If a high-priority task (such as a high-volume work area) is blocked by a low-priority task, the high-priority task can preempt the path. Temporary yield zones or buffer zones are set up at key intersections. When a conflict occurs, one party can enter the yield zone to wait, while the other party proceeds first.

[0084] Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention designs a dedicated collaborative delivery location. This location is physically isolated from the main connection channel of the goods handling equipment at the edge of the work area. For example, a rectangular dedicated area is set up on one side or behind the work area, specifically for the delivery of shelves by the shelf handling equipment. After the shelf handling equipment arrives at the collaborative delivery location, it automatically stops at the designated delivery point and notifies the scheduling system and nearby goods handling equipment through scheduling signals. After completing its current task, the goods handling equipment will proactively proceed to the collaborative delivery location to retrieve the goods from the shelf delivered by the shelf handling equipment. The shelf handling equipment will only leave after it has completed retrieval and confirmed the goods.

[0085] When multiple racking transport devices arrive at the same work area simultaneously, a virtual waiting queue is set up around the collaborative delivery station. The racking transport devices enter the collaborative delivery station and dock in the queue sequentially according to the order in which the task is triggered. Only after one racking transport device completes delivery and leaves can the next enter the collaborative delivery station, ensuring that there is no competition for space or congestion.

[0086] In this embodiment of the invention, a dynamic map of a local area is constructed by fusing the real-time self-positioning information reported by the target rack handling equipment with the obstacle information detected by its onboard sensors (such as lidar and vision). Motion prediction is performed based on the positions and speeds reported by all rack handling equipment to determine whether the planned path of the current equipment will conflict with other mobile devices in space or time; secondly, it directly confirms whether there are static or dynamic obstacles (such as temporary storage items, personnel, or other equipment) ahead of the current path.

[0087] Once a path conflict is predicted or an obstacle is detected, dynamic path adjustment is immediately triggered. Adjustment methods include, but are not limited to: planning a local detour for the current racking equipment to avoid the obstacle; or controlling one of the conflicting parties to enter a virtual temporary waiting area for brief respite; in extreme cases, even a global task rearrangement may be performed. The adjusted new path segment is then sent to the racking equipment for execution in real time. This mechanism ensures that each transfer path is a flexible guide that can evolve in real time according to environmental conditions, thereby guaranteeing the smoothness, safety, and overall efficiency of high-density equipment collaborative operations in a dynamic and ever-changing warehouse environment.

[0088] Step 206: Control the target shelf handling equipment to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

[0089] In this embodiment of the invention, after the target shelf handling equipment travels to the designated shelf storage area according to the instructions, it first scans the shelf identification (such as a QR code) through its visual recognition system to confirm the identity of the target shelf. Then, it completes physical locking through the shelf positioning buckle and uses an integrated weight sensor to verify whether the load is within the safety threshold to ensure that the transfer base is safe and reliable.

[0090] The navigation and control system of the racking transport equipment receives and locks onto the generated dynamic transport path, and performs high-precision positioning and autonomous driving by combining its own sensor data. During this process, the racking transport equipment continuously reports its status (position, speed, anomalies) to the central dispatch system and performs local dynamic obstacle avoidance in real time. If a sudden obstacle is encountered, the racking transport equipment or the dispatch system will immediately trigger local path replanning to ensure that the task is not interrupted.

[0091] The racking handling equipment precisely enters and stops at the designated collaborative delivery position next to the work area. It then sends a "rack delivered" signal to the central dispatch system via wireless network. The dispatch system, acting as an information hub, forwards this signal to the corresponding handling equipment in the area. When idle, the handling equipment autonomously moves to the delivery position based on this signal and retrieves the goods directly from the rack, completing a seamless handover between "rack delivery" and "goods retrieval," thus substantially eliminating waiting time for the handling equipment.

[0092] All racking and cargo handling equipment are connected via an industrial private network and utilize lightweight IoT protocols such as MQTT / CoAP for low-latency, highly reliable two-way communication. When a racking device delivers a shelf to the collaborative delivery location, it does not communicate directly with a specific cargo handling device. Instead, it sends a "delivered" status message to the central dispatch system. After verifying the information, the dispatch system broadcasts a "shelf ready" notification to all cargo handling equipment within the corresponding work area. Any available cargo handling equipment receiving the notification confirms with the dispatch system and autonomously proceeds to retrieve the goods.

[0093] To address situations where cargo handling equipment is too busy to immediately connect, this embodiment of the invention incorporates a "multi-buffer automatic queuing" mechanism within the collaborative delivery station. This delivery station is divided into a main connection station and multiple temporary buffer stations. When a rack handling device arrives, if the main connection station is occupied, it automatically moves into an available buffer station to wait in line. The scheduling system monitors the status of each buffer station in real time and, once the cargo handling equipment completes its current task and releases the main connection station, immediately notifies the next rack handling device in the queue to enter, thereby avoiding unnecessary waiting by rack handling equipment and maximizing the turnaround efficiency of the delivery station.

[0094] Reference Figure 4 The diagram shows a warehouse simulation scenario of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a Flexsim simulation scenario illustrating the warehouse layout. Each area mirrors the actual warehouse layout, and it's a digital simulation model built based on the project's actual automated warehouse layout, equipment parameters, and business processes. The model visually recreates the original scenario where cargo handling equipment and rack handling equipment operate independently in separate zones: the left side shows the work area, displaying the distribution and short-distance handling paths of cargo handling equipment (Type 1 and Type 2); the right side shows the rack handling equipment's work area, marking the equipment's operating trajectories; and the central area demonstrates the inefficient process of manually / using a fixed conveyor line to transfer racks. This simulation scenario allows for intuitive verification of core pain points in the existing model, such as unbalanced equipment utilization and limited throughput in the logistics chain, providing a demonstration of the effectiveness of optimizing equipment collaboration solutions.

[0095] In some embodiments, the method further includes the following steps: When the rack handling equipment malfunctions, a replacement rack handling equipment is selected from the rack handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score; the current location information of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment is obtained; based on the current location information, the replacement rack handling equipment is controlled to go to the location of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment and move the idle rack to the target work area.

[0096] The rack handling equipment periodically (e.g., every 5 seconds) sends a "heartbeat packet" to the dispatch system, reporting its status (location, battery level, speed, task ID). If the dispatch system does not receive a heartbeat packet from a rack handling equipment for three consecutive times (approximately 15 seconds), or if the received signals indicate that its position remains unchanged for an extended period and its speed is zero, the rack handling equipment is considered "out of contact" or "malfunctioning." When a rack handling equipment malfunctions during transport, the system immediately marks its handling task as "failed." The system then prioritizes a backup rack handling equipment with high health, proximity, and low utilization from the dispatch queue and assigns it the remaining task of the failed rack handling equipment. The new rack handling equipment will then travel to the last known location of the failed rack handling equipment and take over the task, based on the task information.

[0097] In this embodiment of the invention, when a rack transporter (AMR) performing a transfer task is determined to have malfunctioned through heartbeat monitoring, status reporting, or location anomaly detection, an emergency procedure is immediately initiated. First, based on an existing multi-dimensional comprehensive scoring model, an optimal replacement rack transporter is quickly selected from the currently available rack transporter cluster. The selection criteria are consistent with those used in the initial task allocation, ensuring that the replacement is also an efficient and reliable choice. Then, the last known precise location information of the malfunctioning rack transporter is obtained, and this location is used as the new task starting point. Instructions are issued to the replacement rack transporter. The replacement rack transporter will travel to this location, take over the rack transported by the malfunctioning rack transporter, and continue to complete the remaining tasks of transporting the rack to the target work area's collaborative delivery location.

[0098] This mechanism minimizes the impact of equipment failures on the system and ensures the continuous operation of critical logistics links (shelf replenishment) through intelligent task redistribution and resource reorganization, greatly enhancing the robustness and availability of the entire collaborative scheduling system.

[0099] In some embodiments, the method further includes the following steps: The average idle time of the goods handling equipment while waiting for the shelves is obtained periodically; if the average idle time is higher than a first preset threshold, the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are lowered; if the average idle time is lower than a second preset threshold, the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are raised; the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

[0100] Historical data from project simulation and operation are periodically (e.g., weekly) analyzed to identify two key performance indicators: the average percentage of time spent by goods handling equipment waiting for shelving, and the average shelving transfer efficiency of shelving equipment. This result is compared to preset target values, and core parameters are dynamically adjusted accordingly: if the average waiting time for goods handling equipment exceeds the target upper limit (e.g., ≥8%), the system automatically lowers the "collaboration trigger threshold" (e.g., shelving inventory threshold) to make replenishment responses more responsive and reduce goods handling equipment waiting time; conversely, if the waiting time is below the target lower limit (e.g., ≤5%), the threshold is raised to avoid over-scheduling of shelving equipment. Simultaneously, if the shelving transfer efficiency is lower than expected (e.g., <4 shelving units / hour), the system initiates a route optimization process, such as replanning dedicated lanes and adjusting traffic rules to increase transfer frequency.

[0101] In this embodiment of the invention, the process is executed on a fixed period (e.g., daily or weekly). The system statistically calculates the average percentage of time that all goods handling equipment is idle due to waiting for shelves within the period. This indicator directly and objectively reflects whether the response speed of the current replenishment strategy matches the actual operational needs. Based on this feedback, the system automatically performs threshold adjustment: If the average idle time exceeds the first preset threshold, it indicates that the goods handling equipment is waiting too long, and replenishment is not triggered in a timely manner. The system will simultaneously lower the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold, so that the system can trigger replenishment tasks earlier when the shelf inventory is higher and the goods flow is lower, thereby improving the system's response sensitivity and reducing the waiting time of the goods handling equipment. Conversely, if the average idle time is lower than the second preset threshold (and the first preset value is greater than the second preset value), it indicates that replenishment may be too frequent, leading to unnecessary scheduling of shelf handling equipment resources. The system will simultaneously raise both thresholds, so that the system only triggers replenishment when there are fewer shelves and higher goods flow, thereby reducing the system's response frequency and optimizing the capacity utilization of the shelf handling equipment.

[0102] Through this adaptive adjustment based on effect feedback, the system's core trigger parameters can continuously self-calibrate, thereby automatically finding and maintaining the optimal balance point under different operational stages and fluctuating demands. This balance point maximizes the continuous operation of the goods handling equipment while efficiently utilizing the capacity of the racking equipment, thus achieving a continuous improvement in the overall efficiency of the system.

[0103] Reference Figure 5 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of a collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5This demonstrates the complete closed-loop process of collaborative scheduling of handling equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention: First, the replenishment needs of each work area are detected in real time. When a demand is triggered, the optimal handling equipment is selected, a dynamic transfer path is determined, and the equipment is controlled to perform the handling, ultimately accurately replenishing the idle shelves to the target area. When multiple areas need replenishment simultaneously, a priority arbitration mechanism is also included to determine the execution order. Furthermore, the average idle time of the equipment waiting for the shelves is periodically monitored, and the replenishment trigger threshold is adaptively adjusted accordingly to optimize the decision-making benchmark.

[0104] This invention discloses a method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium for collaborative scheduling of material handling equipment. The method includes: detecting whether multiple work areas need to replenish shelving; if a target work area needs to replenish shelving, selecting a target shelving handling equipment from a cluster of shelving handling equipment; determining a transfer path to move idle shelving to the target work area; and controlling the target shelving handling equipment to move the idle shelving to the target work area according to the transfer path. By dynamically scheduling idle or underutilized shelving handling equipment to perform pallet shelving transfer tasks, high-load work areas are directly replenished, significantly reducing idle time in work areas waiting for shelving, enabling continuous high-frequency relay operations.

[0105] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the method embodiments are described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the described order of actions, because according to the embodiments of the present invention, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions involved are not necessarily essential to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0106] Reference Figure 6 The diagram shows a structural block diagram of a collaborative scheduling device for handling equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The device specifically includes the following modules: The shelving replenishment demand detection module 301 is used to detect whether multiple work areas need to replenish shelving; The target handling equipment screening module 302 is used to screen out target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster when it is detected that the target work area needs to replenish racks. The transfer path determination module 303 is used to determine the transfer path for moving the idle shelves to the target work area; The idle shelf handling module 304 is used to control the target shelf handling equipment to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

[0107] In some embodiments, the target handling equipment screening module 302 includes: The evaluation parameter acquisition submodule is used to acquire the evaluation parameters of each rack handling equipment in the rack handling equipment cluster; the evaluation parameters include at least one of equipment utilization rate, distance cost, power status, and equipment health. The comprehensive scoring determination submodule is used to determine the comprehensive score of each rack handling equipment based on the evaluation parameters. The target equipment screening submodule is used to screen the target shelf handling equipment from the shelf handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score.

[0108] In some embodiments, the shelf replenishment demand detection module 301 includes: The demand parameter acquisition submodule is used to obtain the shelf inventory and goods flow of each work area; The shelf replenishment demand determination submodule is used to determine that the work area needs to replenish shelves if the shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, and / or the goods flow exceeds the goods flow threshold.

[0109] In some embodiments, when multiple target work areas are detected to require replenishment of shelves simultaneously, before determining the transfer path for moving the vacant shelves to the target work areas, the method further includes: The time and volume acquisition module is used to acquire the average waiting time caused by shelf shortage in each work area and the volume of goods in each work area. The priority handling area determination module is used to determine the priority handling target area based on the average waiting time of each work area; if the average waiting time of multiple target work areas is similar, the priority handling target area is determined based on the cargo flow of each work area.

[0110] In some embodiments, the transit path determination module 303 includes: The path library acquisition submodule is used to acquire the path library; the path library includes one or more paths for moving shelves to various work areas; The shelf transfer path determination submodule is used to determine the transfer path for the target shelf handling equipment to transfer the idle shelf to the target work area based on the path library.

[0111] In some embodiments, after determining the transfer route for moving the vacant shelving to the target work area, the method further includes: The equipment information acquisition module is used to acquire the location information of the shelf handling equipment and the obstacle information detected by the target shelf handling equipment during the process of the target shelf handling equipment transferring the idle shelf to the work area; The obstacle detection module is used to predict whether there will be a conflict with other rack handling equipment based on the location information of the rack handling equipment; The transfer path adjustment module is used to adjust the transfer path when an obstacle is detected on the transfer path or when it is predicted that the transfer path will conflict with other rack handling equipment.

[0112] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes: The replacement handling equipment screening module is used to screen out replacement rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score when the rack handling equipment fails. The fault equipment information acquisition module is used to acquire the current location information of the faulty rack handling equipment; The replacement transport equipment control module is used to control the replacement rack transport equipment to go to the location of the malfunctioning rack transport equipment according to the current location information, and transport the idle rack to the target work area.

[0113] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes: The idle time acquisition module is used to periodically acquire the average idle time of goods handling equipment while waiting for shelves; The threshold adjustment module is used to lower the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold if the average idle time is higher than a first preset threshold; and to raise the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold if the average idle time is lower than a second preset threshold; wherein the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

[0114] As the device embodiment is basically similar to the system embodiment, it is described in a relatively simple way. For relevant details, please refer to the description of the method embodiment.

[0115] This invention also provides an electronic device, including: a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described embodiments of the collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0116] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described embodiments of the collaborative scheduling method for handling equipment and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0117] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0118] Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatus in the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed. It may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0119] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, air conditioner, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0120] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for collaborative scheduling of material handling equipment, characterized in that, The method includes: Check whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves; If the target work area is detected to need additional shelving, the target shelving handling equipment is selected from the shelving handling equipment cluster. Determine the transfer route for moving the idle shelves to the target work area; The target shelf handling equipment is controlled to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

2. The method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of selecting target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster includes: Obtain evaluation parameters for each rack handling device in the rack handling equipment cluster; the evaluation parameters include at least one of equipment utilization rate, distance cost, power status, and equipment health. The overall score for each rack handling equipment is determined based on the evaluation parameters. The target shelf handling equipment is selected from the shelf handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score.

3. The method for collaborative scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection of whether multiple work areas need to be replenished with shelves includes: Obtain the shelf inventory and goods flow in each work area; If the shelf inventory is less than or equal to the shelf inventory threshold, and / or the goods flow exceeds the goods flow threshold, then it is determined that the work area needs to be replenished with shelves.

4. The method for collaborative scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, When multiple target work areas are detected to require replenishment of shelves simultaneously, before determining the transfer path for moving the available shelves to the target work areas, the process further includes: Obtain the average waiting time due to shelf shortages in each work area and the volume of goods in each work area; Based on the average waiting time of each work area, the target work area for priority handling is determined; If the average waiting time of multiple target work areas is similar, the target work area to be prioritized for handling is determined based on the cargo flow of each work area.

5. The method for collaborative scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the transfer route for moving the vacant shelves to the target work area includes: Obtain a path library; the path library includes one or more paths for moving shelves to various work areas; The transfer path for the target shelf handling equipment to transfer the idle shelf to the target work area is determined based on the path library.

6. The method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, After determining the transfer route for moving the vacant shelves to the target work area, the method further includes: During the process of the target shelf handling equipment transferring the idle shelf to the work area, the location information of the shelf handling equipment and the obstacle information detected by the target shelf handling equipment are obtained; Predict whether there will be a conflict with other rack handling equipment based on the location information of the rack handling equipment; When an obstacle is detected on the transfer path, or when it is predicted that the transfer path will conflict with other rack handling equipment, the transfer path is adjusted.

7. The method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the rack handling equipment malfunctions, a replacement rack handling equipment is selected from the rack handling equipment cluster based on the comprehensive score. Obtain the current location information of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment; Based on the current location information, the system controls the replacement rack handling equipment to go to the location of the malfunctioning rack handling equipment and move the idle rack to the target work area.

8. The method for coordinated scheduling of handling equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Regularly obtain the average idle time of cargo handling equipment while waiting for shelves; If the average idle time is higher than the first preset threshold, then the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are lowered. If the average idle time is lower than the second preset threshold, then the shelf inventory threshold and the goods flow threshold are increased; the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

9. A collaborative scheduling device for handling equipment, characterized in that, The device includes: The shelving replenishment demand detection module is used to detect whether multiple work areas need to replenish shelving; The target handling equipment filtering module is used to filter out target rack handling equipment from the rack handling equipment cluster when it is detected that the target work area needs to replenish racks. The transfer route determination module is used to determine the transfer route for moving the idle shelves to the target work area; The idle shelf handling module is used to control the target shelf handling equipment to move the idle shelf to the target work area according to the transfer path.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the material handling equipment collaborative scheduling method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the material handling equipment collaborative scheduling method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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