A Smart Warehousing and Logistics Process Method

Abstract

This invention discloses an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method, comprising: dividing a conveyor belt into multiple monitoring zones, each zone equipped with a corresponding vibration sensor and photoelectric sensor. When there are no packages, empty vibration signals are collected to establish an empty vibration reference spectrum for each monitoring zone; during sorting, real-time vibration signals are collected, compared with the reference spectrum to obtain a residual spectrum, and the slippage characteristic intensity is extracted through bandpass filtering. A pre-stored first mapping model is acquired, and the measured slippage rate is calculated using the photoelectric sensor to update the model parameters. The actual position of the package is estimated based on the real-time slippage characteristic intensity and the current mapping model; when the package reaches the sorting trigger point, a sorting instruction is issued. This invention can detect package slippage in real time and correct the actual position of the package online, dynamically adjusting the sorting trigger timing to ensure that slipping packages are still accurately delivered to the corresponding sorting zone, effectively improving sorting accuracy and system stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of logistics technology, and in particular to an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of intelligent warehousing and logistics, automated sorting devices widely use conveyor belts as the transport medium for packages. As packages move on the conveyor belt, the system uses encoders to measure the rotation of the drive rollers to calculate the theoretical position of the package, and triggers automated operations such as barcode scanning and sorting actuators based on this theoretical position. To ensure the accuracy of the sorting action, the sorting actuators typically need to be pre-set with a fixed trigger point. This trigger point is located upstream of the sorting port, and its distance from the sorting port is pre-calculated based on the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt and the action delay time of the actuators.

[0003] However, in actual operation, a relative slippage phenomenon (hereinafter referred to as "slippage") occurs between the package and the conveyor belt. The causes of slippage include, but are not limited to: the large mass of the package causing inertial force to exceed static friction; the decrease in the coefficient of friction of the conveyor belt surface due to oil or dust; surface wear of the conveyor belt after long-term use; and the influence of gravity on inclines. When slippage occurs, the actual moving speed of the package is lower than the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt, but the motor encoder displays a normal rotational speed, and the system cannot detect this deviation.

[0004] Existing technologies mainly include the following solutions to the slippage problem: First, adding patterns or sidewalls to the conveyor belt surface, which are passive anti-slip measures and cannot eliminate slippage that has already occurred; second, regularly cleaning and tensioning the conveyor belt manually, which can only maintain the average friction level and cannot cope with dynamic slippage; third, judging whether there is an overload by monitoring the motor current, but current monitoring can only identify severe stall and is not sensitive to slight slippage; fourth, installing a speed sensor to compare the speed of the master and slave rollers, but this method can only detect overall slippage of the conveyor belt, cannot sense the relative slippage between the package and the conveyor belt, and cannot provide real-time correction information on the actual position of the package.

[0005] Due to the lack of real-time sensing and position compensation for package slippage, existing sorting systems face the following technical problems in actual operation: Package slippage causes its actual position to lag behind its theoretical position, and this lag accumulates along the conveyor distance. When a package reaches the barcode scanning area, the scanner's trigger timing is misaligned with the package's actual arrival time, resulting in barcode reading failure. In a continuous package queue, different packages experience varying degrees of slippage, causing the actual distance between packages to deviate from the theoretical distance, potentially leading to package accumulation, collisions, or simultaneous entry into the sorting port. More critically, the trigger point position of the sorting execution mechanism is pre-set based on the theoretical linear speed and fixed distance of the conveyor belt. Slippage causes the actual arrival time of the package at the sorting port to lag behind the theoretical time, resulting in sorting instructions being executed too early, causing packages to be missed before entering the sorting area, or the prematurely reset execution mechanism incorrectly importing subsequent packages, ultimately causing sorting errors.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can detect package slippage in real time, correct the actual position of the package online, and dynamically adjust the sorting trigger timing to ensure that slipping packages can still be accurately sent to the corresponding sorting area. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method, which aims to improve sorting accuracy and sorting system stability.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method applied to a conveyor belt sorting device, the method comprising: Step S1: Divide the conveyor belt of the conveyor belt sorting device into multiple monitoring zones, and set a corresponding vibration sensor and photoelectric sensor in each monitoring zone; wherein, the detection range of the vibration sensor and the photoelectric sensor corresponds to the monitoring zone. Step S2: When the conveyor belt is running without any wrapping, the vibration sensor collects the no-load vibration signal of the bearing surface of each monitoring area; based on the no-load vibration signal, a reference spectrum of no-load vibration for each monitoring area is established. Step S3: In response to the start of sorting by the conveyor belt sorting device, the real-time vibration signal of the bearing surface of each monitoring area is collected by the vibration sensor, and the corresponding real-time vibration spectrum is obtained; based on the real-time vibration spectrum and the no-load vibration reference spectrum, the residual spectrum of each monitoring area is obtained; the residual spectrum is bandpass filtered to extract the slippage characteristic intensity of each monitoring area. Step S4: Obtain a pre-stored first mapping model that defines the correspondence between the slippage feature intensity and the slippage rate; detect the duration of the package to be sorted passing through its respective monitoring zone using the photoelectric sensor, and calculate the measured slippage rate for the corresponding monitoring zone; whenever a measured slippage rate is obtained, use the measured slippage rate and the corresponding slippage feature intensity as sample points to update the parameters of the first mapping model; wherein, the slippage rate is the relative deviation between the actual moving speed of the package to be sorted and the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt; when the package to be sorted enters the first monitoring zone and no measured slippage rate has been obtained, the initial first mapping model is directly used for subsequent estimation; Step S5: Based on the real-time collected slippage feature intensity and the current first mapping model, estimate the actual position of the package to be sorted in real time; when the package to be sorted reaches the sorting trigger point, issue a sorting instruction to make the sorting execution mechanism move and send the package into the corresponding sorting area.

[0009] Optionally, the first mapping model is a linear model, wherein the slip rate is determined based on the slip feature intensity, a first parameter, and a second parameter; the first parameter is used to characterize the degree of influence of the slip feature intensity change on the slip rate, and the second parameter is used to characterize the baseline slip rate when the slip feature intensity is zero; both the first parameter and the second parameter are updatable variables.

[0010] Optionally, updating the parameters of the first mapping model in step S4 includes: The recursive averaging method is used. Whenever a new sample point is obtained, the first parameter and the second parameter are re-determined based on all the obtained sample points, so as to minimize the difference between the output of the first mapping model and the measured slip rate; wherein, the sample point includes the corresponding slip feature intensity and the measured slip rate.

[0011] Optionally, in step S5, the actual position of the package to be sorted is estimated in real time based on the real-time collected slippage feature intensity and the current first mapping model, including: Based on the real-time collected slippage characteristic intensity and the current first mapping model, the estimated slippage rate at the current moment is determined; based on the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt and the estimated slippage rate, the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted is determined; starting from the moment when the package to be sorted passes the nearest photoelectric sensor, the estimated actual speed is integrated over time to obtain an estimated value of the actual position of the package to be sorted.

[0012] Optionally, the sorting trigger point is located upstream of the corresponding sorting port, and the distance between the sorting trigger point and the corresponding sorting port is determined based on the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted and the action delay time of the sorting execution mechanism.

[0013] Optionally, the bandpass filter frequency band is 200Hz to 800Hz; and the method further includes updating the no-load vibration reference spectrum of each monitoring area at a preset period.

[0014] Optionally, the method further includes: Based on the frequency band differences of the real-time vibration signals corresponding to each monitoring area and the order in which the vibration energy increases along the conveying direction, package slippage and overall conveyor belt slippage are distinguished. The characteristics of overall slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the low frequency band and all monitoring areas detect the increase in vibration energy simultaneously, while the characteristics of package slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the high frequency band and only the monitoring area where the package to be sorted is currently located experiences the increase in vibration energy. When overall slippage is determined, a maintenance alarm is generated.

[0015] Optionally, the method further includes: When the slippage intensity of any of the monitoring areas exceeds a preset mild slippage threshold, the conveyor belt speed is actively reduced with a first deceleration. When the slippage intensity exceeds a preset severe slippage threshold, the conveyor belt is stopped urgently with a second deceleration greater than the first deceleration and an alarm is triggered. If, after the conveyor belt speed is reduced to 70% of the rated speed, the slippage intensity of any of the monitoring areas is still not lower than the mild slippage threshold, a bypass rejection mechanism is triggered to remove the package to be sorted from the conveyor line. The severe slippage threshold is greater than the mild slippage threshold.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention uses vibration sensors to collect vibration signals from the conveyor belt in real time, extracts the slippage characteristic intensity, and combines this with the online updating of the mapping model based on the actual slippage rate measured by photoelectric sensors. This allows for real-time estimation of the actual position of the package. When a package slips, the system dynamically adjusts the sorting trigger point position based on the estimated actual speed, ensuring that the sorting command is issued at the precise moment the package actually arrives at the sorting port, thereby accurately delivering the slipping package to the corresponding sorting area and significantly reducing the sorting error rate caused by slippage. 2. This invention divides the conveyor belt into multiple monitoring zones, each equipped with corresponding vibration sensors and photoelectric sensors, ensuring that the detection ranges of the two sensors correspond one-to-one in space. Through zoned monitoring, the system can accurately locate the slippage section and use photoelectric sensors at the exit of each section to forcibly calibrate the actual position of the package, effectively eliminating the accumulation of position errors during long-distance transport and improving the accuracy of position estimation. 3. This invention employs an online-updable first mapping model, continuously optimizing the mapping model parameters using the slippage rate measured by photoelectric sensors. This model can adapt to packages of different weights and bottom materials, as well as changes in frictional characteristics of the conveyor belt surface caused by wear or contamination. It eliminates the need for offline calibration for each package type, exhibiting good versatility and robustness. 4. Based on the frequency differences of vibration signals in each monitoring zone and the order in which vibration energy increases along the conveying direction, this invention can accurately distinguish between two types of slippage. When overall slippage is detected, a maintenance alarm is generated, preventing malfunctions from being exacerbated by incorrect speed adjustments and improving system reliability. 5. This invention adopts a tiered approach based on the intensity of slippage characteristics: for mild slippage, the speed is actively reduced to suppress slippage; for severe slippage, the conveyor belt is stopped immediately and an alarm is triggered; if speed reduction is ineffective, a bypass rejection mechanism is triggered to remove the problematic package from the conveyor line. This tiered control strategy ensures both sorting efficiency and, in extreme cases, the safety of the equipment and packages. 6. The independent technical solution of this invention achieves accurate sorting of slipping packages solely through vibration sensing and photoelectric calibration without actively reducing the conveyor belt speed. This allows the invention to be directly applied to existing constant-speed conveyor lines without modifying the drive system, making it widely applicable. 7. This invention, through real-time slippage detection and position compensation, avoids package accumulation, jamming, and sorting errors caused by slippage, reducing manual intervention and downtime, and improving the overall efficiency of the sorting line. Simultaneously, the system can automatically identify high-slippage sections and generate maintenance alarms, facilitating targeted cleaning or replacement of the conveyor belt by operators, reducing the workload and cost of preventative maintenance.

[0017] In summary, the invention effectively solves the technical problem of inaccurate sorting of slippery packages in the prior art by using spatial partitioning collaboration of vibration sensors and photoelectric sensors, real-time extraction of slippage feature intensity, online adaptive updating of the mapping model, and calculation of dynamic sorting trigger points. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a conveyor belt sorting device provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] This invention discloses an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method. Those skilled in the art can refer to the content of this document and appropriately modify the technical details for implementation. It should be particularly noted that all similar substitutions and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art and are considered to be included in this invention. The methods and applications of this invention have been described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can obviously modify or appropriately change and combine the methods and applications described herein without departing from the content, spirit, and scope of this invention to implement and apply the technology of this invention.

[0020] This invention provides an intelligent warehousing and logistics process method, applied to a conveyor belt sorting device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes: Step S1: Divide the conveyor belt of the conveyor belt sorting device into multiple monitoring zones, and set up corresponding vibration sensors and photoelectric sensors in each monitoring zone.

[0021] The detection range of the vibration sensor and the photoelectric sensor corresponds to their respective monitoring areas.

[0022] It should be noted that in step S1, the entire conveyor belt of the conveyor belt sorting device is first divided into multiple continuous monitoring zones along the conveying direction. Each monitoring zone is an independent detection unit, and its length can be set according to actual working conditions, for example, every 5 meters or 10 meters. Within each monitoring zone, a vibration sensor and a photoelectric sensor are installed. The vibration sensor is used to collect vibration signals from the conveyor belt's bearing surface, and the photoelectric sensor is used to detect the time when a package passes through the monitoring zone. Crucially, the detection ranges of the vibration sensor and the photoelectric sensor are spatially corresponding; that is, both sensors within the same monitoring zone jointly monitor the conveying status of packages within that section. This zoned configuration allows for precise correlation between the slippage reflected by the vibration signal and the actual passage time measured by the photoelectric sensor, providing a spatial basis for slippage location and calibration.

[0023] It is worth mentioning that photoelectric sensors are installed at the beginning and end of the monitoring area to detect the actual transit time of packages to be sorted, and adjacent monitoring areas can share a single photoelectric sensor.

[0024] In this specific embodiment, the conveyor belt sorting device can be as follows: Figure 2As shown, it includes at least: a conveyor belt 1, a vibration sensor 2, and a photoelectric sensor 3, with the monitoring area being the area of ​​the conveyor belt 1 between two adjacent photoelectric sensors 3.

[0025] Step S2: When the conveyor belt is running without any wrapping, the unloaded vibration signal of the bearing surface of each monitoring area is collected by the vibration sensor; based on the unloaded vibration signal, the unloaded vibration reference spectrum of each monitoring area is established.

[0026] It should be noted that in step S2, when the conveyor belt is running without packages (e.g., during the initial startup of the equipment or the idle period between two batches of packages), the system collects the no-load vibration signals of the bearing surface of each monitoring zone using vibration sensors in each monitoring zone. These no-load vibration signals reflect the background vibration of the conveyor belt under no-load conditions, mainly including components such as motor rotation frequency and its harmonics, roller bearing characteristic frequency, and conveyor belt joint impact. The system performs a fast Fourier transform on the no-load vibration signals collected from each monitoring zone to obtain the corresponding no-load vibration reference spectrum. Due to the different distances of different monitoring zones from the drive roller and the differences in mechanical structure, each monitoring zone independently establishes its own no-load vibration reference spectrum. This reference spectrum serves as a reference baseline for subsequent real-time vibration signal comparison, eliminating the interference of the equipment's own vibration on slippage detection.

[0027] Step S3: In response to the start of sorting by the conveyor belt sorting device, the real-time vibration signal of the bearing surface of each monitoring area is collected by the vibration sensor, and the corresponding real-time vibration spectrum is obtained; based on the real-time vibration spectrum and the no-load vibration reference spectrum, the residual spectrum of each monitoring area is obtained; the residual spectrum is bandpass filtered to extract the slippage characteristic intensity of each monitoring area.

[0028] It should be noted that in step S3, when the conveyor belt sorting device starts sorting and the package enters the conveyor belt, the system collects the vibration signal of the bearing surface in real time through vibration sensors in each monitoring area, and obtains the real-time vibration spectrum through Fourier transform. Then, the real-time vibration spectrum is subtracted from the empty vibration reference spectrum of the corresponding monitoring area to obtain the residual spectrum. This residual spectrum mainly reflects the additional vibration components generated by the interaction between the package and the conveyor belt, in which the high-frequency friction vibration generated when the package slips will be significantly enhanced. The system performs bandpass filtering on the residual spectrum to filter out low-frequency interference and high-frequency noise unrelated to slippage, retaining the frequency band (preferably 200Hz to 800Hz) corresponding to the friction vibration characteristics of package slippage. Finally, the root mean square value of the filtered time-domain signal is calculated, and this value is defined as the slippage characteristic intensity of the monitoring area. The greater the slippage characteristic intensity, the more severe the relative slippage between the package and the conveyor belt.

[0029] In this specific embodiment, the bandpass filter frequency band is from 200Hz to 800Hz; and the method further includes updating the no-load vibration reference spectrum of each monitoring area at a preset period.

[0030] It should be noted that the bandpass filter used for the residual spectrum is 200Hz to 800Hz. This band is the characteristic frequency band of high-frequency frictional vibration generated by microscopic sliding between the package and the conveyor belt, determined through extensive experiments. It can effectively distinguish it from low-frequency background vibrations generated by motors, rollers, conveyor belt joints, etc. Furthermore, this method includes updating the no-load vibration reference spectrum for each monitoring zone at a preset period (e.g., every 30 seconds or every minute). Regularly updating the reference spectrum can compensate for no-load vibration drift caused by factors such as temperature changes, mechanical wear, and fluctuations in conveyor belt tension, ensuring that the comparison between the real-time vibration signal and the reference spectrum remains accurate, thereby maintaining the long-term stability and reliability of slippage detection.

[0031] Step S4: Obtain a pre-stored first mapping model that defines the correspondence between slippage feature intensity and slippage rate; detect the duration of the package to be sorted passing through its respective monitoring area using a photoelectric sensor, and calculate the measured slippage rate of the corresponding monitoring area; whenever a measured slippage rate is obtained, use the measured slippage rate and the corresponding slippage feature intensity as sample points to update the parameters of the first mapping model.

[0032] The slip rate is the relative deviation between the actual moving speed of the package to be sorted and the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt. When the package to be sorted enters the first monitoring area and no actual slip rate has been obtained, the initial first mapping model is used directly for subsequent estimation.

[0033] It should be noted that in step S4, the system first obtains a pre-stored first mapping model, which defines the correspondence between slippage characteristic intensity and slippage rate. The slippage rate is defined as the relative deviation between the actual moving speed of the package and the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt, quantitatively describing the degree of package lag. To obtain the measured slippage rate, the system uses photoelectric sensors in each monitoring zone to detect the actual time a package spends in that zone. Combined with the known length of the monitoring zone, the system calculates the actual average speed of the package within that zone and compares it with the theoretical linear speed to obtain the measured slippage rate. Whenever a measured slippage rate is obtained, the system uses the measured slippage rate and the corresponding slippage characteristic intensity as a sample point to update the parameters of the first mapping model. This online update mechanism allows the model to adapt to different packages (weight, material differences) and different conveyor belt conditions (wear, oil contamination). Specifically, when a package to be sorted enters the first monitoring zone before any measured slippage rate is obtained (i.e., no historical data is available), the system directly uses the initial first mapping model (e.g., a linear model calibrated through offline experiments) for subsequent estimations, ensuring the availability of the solution during the startup phase.

[0034] It is worth mentioning that using photoelectric sensors alone cannot meet the real-time requirements. This is because photoelectric sensors can only provide discrete measured slip rates as the package passes through its installation position. Since the two photoelectric sensors are usually several meters apart, slippage occurring within this distance cannot be detected in time. The system can only detect the accumulated positional deviation when the package reaches the next photoelectric sensor. By this time, the deviation is often too large to be fully compensated for in the remaining travel distance, causing the package to miss the sorting point. Vibration sensors, on the other hand, can continuously monitor the intensity of slippage characteristics at the millisecond level. They can detect slippage the moment it occurs and trigger position estimation correction, thereby suppressing the deviation to a very small range. Combined with the periodic calibration of photoelectric sensors, it can be ensured that slipping packages are accurately sent to the corresponding sorting area.

[0035] In this specific embodiment, the first mapping model is a linear model, wherein the slip rate is determined based on the slip feature intensity, a first parameter, and a second parameter; the first parameter is used to characterize the degree of influence of the change in slip feature intensity on the slip rate, and the second parameter is used to characterize the baseline slip rate when the slip feature intensity is zero; both the first parameter and the second parameter are updatable variables.

[0036] It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment, the first mapping model adopts a linear model. Specifically, the slippage rate is determined based on the slippage characteristic intensity, a first parameter, and a second parameter. The first parameter characterizes the influence of changes in the slippage characteristic intensity on the slippage rate, equivalent to the slope in a linear relationship; the second parameter characterizes the baseline slippage rate when the slippage characteristic intensity is zero, equivalent to the intercept in a linear relationship. Both the first and second parameters are updatable variables. Through this linear model, the system can convert the slippage characteristic intensity measured by the vibration sensor into an estimated slippage rate using a simple mathematical relationship, resulting in low computational complexity, fast response, and suitability for real-time sorting control. Furthermore, the updatable nature of the two parameters allows the model to be continuously optimized as operational data accumulates, adapting to changes in different packages and conveyor belt conditions.

[0037] Furthermore, in step S4, the parameters of the first mapping model are updated, including: The recursive averaging method is adopted. Whenever a new sample point is obtained, the first and second parameters are re-determined based on all the obtained sample points to minimize the difference between the output of the first mapping model and the measured slip rate. The sample point contains the corresponding slip feature intensity and the measured slip rate.

[0038] It should be noted that in this specific embodiment, the method for updating the parameters of the first mapping model is a recursive averaging method. The specific process is as follows: whenever the system obtains a new sample point (i.e., a set of corresponding slippage characteristic intensities and measured slippage rates) through the photoelectric sensor, this sample point is added to the saved sample point set; then, based on all the obtained sample points, the first and second parameters are recalculated to minimize the difference (e.g., the sum of squared errors) between the output of the linear model (i.e., the estimated slippage rate calculated based on the slippage characteristic intensities) and the measured slippage rate. This recursive averaging method does not require storing all historical data; each update only needs to retain necessary statistics (such as the sum and sum of squared errors of sample points), resulting in high computational efficiency and gradual convergence to the optimal parameters as the number of sample points increases. As an alternative, a recursive least squares method with a forgetting factor can also be used, giving newer sample points higher weights, thereby adapting more quickly to changes in conveyor belt status or package type.

[0039] Step S5: Based on the real-time collected slippage feature intensity and the current first mapping model, estimate the actual position of the package to be sorted in real time; when the package to be sorted reaches the sorting trigger point, issue a sorting instruction to make the sorting execution mechanism move and send the package into the corresponding sorting area.

[0040] It should be noted that in step S5, the system estimates the actual position of the package to be sorted in real time based on the real-time collected slippage characteristic intensity and the current first mapping model. Specifically, firstly, the slippage characteristic intensity at the current moment is substituted into the first mapping model to obtain the estimated slippage rate at the current moment; then, the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt is multiplied by (1 minus the estimated slippage rate) to obtain the estimated actual speed of the package; finally, the estimated actual speed is integrated over time from when the package enters the conveyor belt or from the nearest photoelectric sensor to obtain the real-time estimated value of the package's actual position. The system presets a sorting trigger point, which is located upstream of the target sorting port. The distance between the trigger point and the sorting port is dynamically determined based on the current estimated actual speed of the package and the action delay time of the sorting execution mechanism. When the estimated actual position of the package reaches the sorting trigger point, the system immediately issues a sorting command, drives the sorting execution mechanism to move, and accurately delivers the package into the corresponding sorting area. Since the sorting trigger point is dynamically calculated based on the actual speed estimated in real time, even if the package slips, the system can issue an instruction at the correct time, thus overcoming the problem of premature or late triggering caused by slippage in the traditional fixed trigger point scheme.

[0041] In this specific embodiment, step S5 involves estimating the actual position of the package to be sorted in real time based on the real-time collected slippage feature intensity and the current first mapping model, including: Based on the real-time collected slippage characteristic intensity and the current first mapping model, the estimated slippage rate at the current moment is determined; based on the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt and the estimated slippage rate, the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted is determined; starting from the moment when the package to be sorted passes the nearest photoelectric sensor, the estimated actual speed is integrated over time to obtain the estimated value of the actual position of the package to be sorted.

[0042] It should be noted that the specific method for estimating the actual position of the package to be sorted in real time in step S5 is as follows: First, based on the slippage characteristic intensity collected in real time at the current moment and the current first mapping model (a linear model updated with the latest parameters), the estimated slippage rate at the current moment is calculated. Then, the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt is multiplied by (1 minus the estimated slippage rate) to obtain the estimated actual speed of the package at the current moment. Finally, starting from the moment when the package to be sorted passes the most recent photoelectric sensor, the estimated actual speed is integrated over time to obtain the estimated value of the actual position of the package to be sorted. The reason for choosing to start the integration from the most recently passed photoelectric sensor is that the photoelectric sensor can provide the actual position anchor point of the package (i.e., the actual position of the package when it passes the sensor is known). The subsequent position estimation within this segment only depends on the integration process, avoiding the error accumulation caused by long-distance integration.

[0043] In this specific embodiment, the sorting trigger point is located upstream of the corresponding sorting port, and the distance between the sorting trigger point and the corresponding sorting port is determined based on the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted and the action delay time of the sorting execution mechanism.

[0044] It's important to note that the sorting trigger point is located upstream of the corresponding sorting port. The distance between it and the sorting port is not fixed but calculated in real-time based on the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted and the action delay time of the sorting actuator. Specifically, the distance equals the estimated actual speed multiplied by the action delay time. Since the estimated actual speed of a slipping package is less than the theoretical linear speed, the calculated distance will be correspondingly smaller, bringing the sorting trigger point closer to the sorting port. Thus, when the system determines that the package has reached the dynamic trigger point based on its estimated actual position and issues a sorting command, the sorting actuator completes its action preparation exactly after a fixed delay time. At this point, the package's actual position is exactly at the center of the sorting port, ensuring that even slipping packages can be accurately sorted.

[0045] In this specific embodiment, the method further includes: Based on the frequency differences of the real-time vibration signals corresponding to each monitoring area and the order in which the vibration energy increases along the conveying direction, package slippage and overall conveyor belt slippage are distinguished. The characteristics of overall slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the low frequency band and all monitoring areas detect the increase in vibration energy at the same time, while the characteristics of package slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the high frequency band and the increase in vibration energy only occurs in the monitoring area where the package to be sorted is currently located. When it is determined to be overall slippage, a maintenance alarm is generated.

[0046] It should be noted that the system can also distinguish between two different types of slippage: package slippage and overall conveyor belt slippage. The distinction is based on two factors: first, the frequency difference of the vibration signals. The vibration energy generated by package slippage is concentrated in the high-frequency range of 200Hz to 800Hz, while the vibration energy generated by overall conveyor belt slippage (slippage between the drive roller and the inner surface of the conveyor belt) is concentrated in the low-frequency range of 50Hz to 150Hz; second, the sequence of vibration energy increases along the conveying direction. In package slippage, the increased vibration energy only occurs in the monitoring area where the package is currently located, and then appears sequentially in each monitoring area as the package moves. In overall slippage, all monitoring areas detect an increase in vibration energy simultaneously. When the system determines it to be overall slippage, it generates a maintenance alarm instead of performing speed adjustment or position compensation actions specifically for package slippage, thus avoiding misjudgment.

[0047] In this specific embodiment, the method further includes: When the slippage intensity of any monitoring area exceeds the preset mild slippage threshold, the conveyor belt speed is actively reduced by a first deceleration. When the slippage intensity exceeds the preset severe slippage threshold, the conveyor belt is stopped urgently and an alarm is triggered by a second deceleration greater than the first deceleration. If the slippage intensity of any monitoring area is still not lower than the mild slippage threshold after the conveyor belt speed is reduced to 70% of the rated speed, the bypass rejection mechanism is triggered to remove the package to be sorted from the conveyor line. The severe slippage threshold is greater than the mild slippage threshold.

[0048] It should be noted that the system in this embodiment takes graded measures based on the severity of the slippage characteristic intensity. Specifically, when the slippage characteristic intensity of any monitoring area exceeds a preset mild slippage threshold, the system actively reduces the conveyor belt speed at a first deceleration (e.g., 0.05 m / s²) to suppress slippage by reducing the relative sliding speed, until the slippage characteristic intensity of all monitoring areas drops below the safety threshold; when the slippage characteristic intensity exceeds a preset severe slippage threshold (which is greater than the mild slippage threshold), it indicates that the slippage is very serious and may cause package overturning or equipment damage. The system then urgently stops the conveyor belt at a second deceleration (e.g., 0.5 m / s²) greater than the first deceleration and issues an audible and visual alarm; if the conveyor belt speed has been reduced to 70% of the rated speed, and the slippage characteristic intensity of any monitoring area is still not lower than the mild slippage threshold, it indicates that the package cannot resolve the slippage problem by reducing the speed due to an overly smooth surface or other reasons. The system then triggers a bypass rejection mechanism to remove the package from the conveyor line to avoid affecting the sorting of subsequent packages. These three measures form a complete response chain from minor anomalies to serious malfunctions, ensuring both sorting efficiency and the safety of equipment and packages in extreme situations.

[0049] This invention utilizes vibration sensors to collect conveyor belt vibration signals in real time, extracts slippage characteristic intensity, and updates the mapping model online by combining the measured slippage rate from photoelectric sensors. This allows for real-time estimation of the package's actual position. When a package slips, the system dynamically adjusts the sorting trigger point position based on the estimated actual speed, ensuring that the sorting command is issued at the precise moment the package actually arrives at the sorting port. This accurately delivers the slipping package to the corresponding sorting area, significantly reducing the sorting error rate caused by slippage.

[0050] This invention divides the conveyor belt into multiple monitoring zones, each equipped with a corresponding vibration sensor and photoelectric sensor, ensuring a one-to-one spatial correspondence between the detection ranges of the two sensors. Through zoned monitoring, the system can accurately locate the sections where slippage occurs, and at the exit of each zone, a photoelectric sensor is used to forcibly calibrate the actual position of the package, effectively eliminating the accumulation of position errors during long-distance transport and improving the accuracy of position estimation.

[0051] This invention employs an online-updable first mapping model, continuously optimizing the model parameters using slippage rates measured by photoelectric sensors. This model can adapt to packages of different weights and bottom materials, as well as changes in the frictional characteristics of the conveyor belt surface caused by wear or contamination. It eliminates the need for offline calibration for each package type, exhibiting good versatility and robustness.

[0052] This invention, based on the frequency differences of vibration signals in each monitoring zone and the order in which vibration energy increases along the conveying direction, can accurately distinguish between two types of slippage. When overall slippage is determined, a maintenance alarm is generated to prevent malfunctions from being exacerbated by incorrect speed adjustments, thus improving system reliability.

[0053] This invention employs a tiered approach based on the intensity of slippage: for mild slippage, the conveyor belt is actively slowed down to suppress it; for severe slippage, the conveyor belt is stopped immediately and an alarm is triggered; if slowing down is ineffective, a bypass rejection mechanism is activated to remove problematic packages from the conveyor line. This tiered control strategy ensures both sorting efficiency and, in extreme cases, the safety of the equipment and packages.

[0054] The independent technical solution of this invention can achieve accurate sorting of slipping packages solely through vibration sensing and photoelectric calibration without actively reducing the conveyor belt speed. This allows the embodiments of this invention to be directly applied to existing constant-speed conveyor lines without modifying the drive system, thus having a wide range of applications.

[0055] This invention, through real-time slippage detection and position compensation, avoids package accumulation, jamming, and sorting errors caused by slippage, reducing manual intervention and downtime, and improving the overall efficiency of the sorting line. Simultaneously, the system can automatically identify high-slippage sections and generate maintenance alarms, facilitating targeted cleaning or replacement of the conveyor belt by operators, thus reducing the workload and cost of preventative maintenance.

[0056] In summary, the invention effectively solves the technical problem of inaccurate sorting of slippery packages in the prior art by using spatial partitioning collaboration of vibration sensors and photoelectric sensors, real-time extraction of slippage feature intensity, online adaptive updating of the mapping model, and calculation of dynamic sorting trigger points.

[0057] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, 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. Without further limitations, 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 the element.

[0058] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.

[0059] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart warehousing logistics process method applied to a conveyor belt sorting device, characterized in that, The method comprises: Step S1, dividing the conveying belt of the conveying belt sorting device into a plurality of monitoring zones, and setting a corresponding vibration sensor and a photoelectric sensor in each monitoring zone; wherein the detection range of the vibration sensor and the photoelectric sensor corresponds to the corresponding monitoring zone; Step S2, when the conveying belt is running without parcels, collecting the no-load vibration signal of the load surface of each monitoring zone by the vibration sensor; and establishing a no-load vibration reference spectrum of each monitoring zone according to the no-load vibration signal; Step S3, in response to the conveying belt sorting device starting to perform sorting work, collecting the real-time vibration signal of the load surface of each monitoring zone by the vibration sensor, and obtaining the corresponding real-time vibration spectrum; obtaining the residual spectrum of each monitoring zone according to the real-time vibration spectrum and the no-load vibration reference spectrum; and extracting the slip characteristic strength of each monitoring zone by band-pass filtering the residual spectrum; Step S4, obtaining a first mapping model pre-stored and used to define the corresponding relationship between the slip characteristic strength and the slip rate; detecting the time length of the parcel to be sorted passing through each monitoring zone by the photoelectric sensor, calculating the measured slip rate corresponding to the monitoring zone; and whenever a measured slip rate is obtained, using the measured slip rate and the corresponding slip characteristic strength as a sample point to update the parameters of the first mapping model; wherein the slip rate is the relative deviation of the actual moving speed of the parcel to be sorted from the theoretical linear speed of the conveying belt, and when the parcel to be sorted enters the first monitoring zone and has not obtained any measured slip rate, the initial first mapping model is directly used for subsequent estimation; Step S5, according to the real-time collected slip characteristic strength and the current first mapping model, real-time estimating the actual position of the parcel to be sorted; and when the parcel to be sorted reaches a sorting trigger point, issuing a sorting instruction to make the sorting execution mechanism act to send the parcel into the corresponding sorting zone.

2. The intelligent warehousing logistics flow method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first mapping model is a linear model, wherein the slip rate is determined according to the slip characteristic strength, a first parameter and a second parameter; the first parameter is used to represent the influence degree of the change of the slip characteristic strength on the slip rate, and the second parameter is used to represent the reference slip rate when the slip characteristic strength is zero; and the first parameter and the second parameter are both updateable variables. 3.The intelligent warehousing logistics flow method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Updating the parameters of the first mapping model in step S4 comprises: Using a recursive average method, whenever a new sample point is obtained, the first parameter and the second parameter are re-determined according to all obtained sample points, so that the difference between the output of the first mapping model and the measured slip rate is minimized; wherein the sample point contains the corresponding slip characteristic strength and the measured slip rate. 4.The intelligent warehouse logistics flow method of claim 1, wherein, In step S5, according to the real-time collected slip characteristic strength and the current first mapping model, real-time estimating the actual position of the parcel to be sorted comprises: Based on the real-time collected slippage characteristic intensity and the current first mapping model, the estimated slippage rate at the current moment is determined; based on the theoretical linear speed of the conveyor belt and the estimated slippage rate, the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted is determined; starting from the moment when the package to be sorted passes the nearest photoelectric sensor, the estimated actual speed is integrated over time to obtain an estimated value of the actual position of the package to be sorted. 5.The intelligent warehouse logistics flow method of claim 1, wherein, The sorting trigger point is located upstream of the corresponding sorting port, and the distance between the sorting trigger point and the corresponding sorting port is determined based on the estimated actual speed of the package to be sorted and the action delay time of the sorting execution mechanism. 6.The intelligent warehouse logistics flow method of claim 1, wherein, The bandpass filter has a frequency range of 200Hz to 800Hz; and the method further includes updating the no-load vibration reference spectrum of each monitoring area at a preset period. 7.The intelligent warehouse logistics flow method of claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the frequency band differences of the real-time vibration signals corresponding to each monitoring area and the order in which the vibration energy increases along the conveying direction, package slippage and overall conveyor belt slippage are distinguished. The characteristics of overall slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the low frequency band and all monitoring areas detect the increase in vibration energy simultaneously, while the characteristics of package slippage are that the vibration energy is concentrated in the high frequency band and only the monitoring area where the package to be sorted is currently located experiences the increase in vibration energy. When overall slippage is determined, a maintenance alarm is generated. 8.The intelligent warehouse logistics flow method of claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: When the slippage intensity of any of the monitoring areas exceeds a preset mild slippage threshold, the conveyor belt speed is actively reduced with a first deceleration. When the slippage intensity exceeds a preset severe slippage threshold, the conveyor belt is stopped urgently with a second deceleration greater than the first deceleration and an alarm is triggered. If, after the conveyor belt speed is reduced to 70% of the rated speed, the slippage intensity of any of the monitoring areas is still not lower than the mild slippage threshold, a bypass rejection mechanism is triggered to remove the package to be sorted from the conveyor line. The severe slippage threshold is greater than the mild slippage threshold.

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