Shelf robots, obstacle avoidance methods, electronic devices, media and warehousing systems

Abstract

This application relates to the field of intelligent warehousing system technology, disclosing a shelf robot, obstacle avoidance method, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, and warehousing system. The shelf robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor. The structural component is installed on the side of the shelf located on one side of the aisle and is capable of moving relative to the shelf along the length of the shelf via guide rails. The handling device is installed on the structural component and is capable of moving relative to the structural component along the height of the shelf. The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural component, the height of which is a first height. When the handling device descends to a second height, the first sensor increases its detection area along a third direction. If the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle, the handling device descends to a first target position, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction. This application avoids collisions between the shelf robot and ground robots during the lifting and lowering process on the shelf.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent warehousing system technology, specifically to a shelf robot, obstacle avoidance method, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, and warehousing system. Background Technology

[0002] In warehousing systems within the logistics field, racks are typically used to store goods, and handling robots perform retrieval and placement operations on these racks to facilitate the flow of goods within the warehousing system. In one implementation, the warehousing system includes at least two types of handling robots: rack robots and ground robots. An aisle is formed between two adjacent rows of racks. A rack robot is installed on one side of one of the rack rows and can move laterally or vertically along the rack to retrieve goods from the racks on both sides of the aisle. The rack robot can place goods to be shipped from the rack into a temporary storage location at the bottom of the rack, allowing a ground robot to enter the aisle and move to the temporary storage location to retrieve the goods. Alternatively, a ground robot can place goods to be received into a temporary storage location, allowing the rack robot to move to the temporary storage location and transport the goods to the target storage location on the rack.

[0003] In the above method, because the shelf robot needs to move vertically up and down on the shelf, it may collide with the ground robot when a ground robot enters the aisle. How to avoid collisions between the shelf robot and the ground robot during the vertical movement of the shelf is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, embodiments of this application provide a shelf robot, an obstacle avoidance method, an electronic device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a warehousing system to avoid collisions between the shelf robot and the ground robot.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a shelf robot is provided, comprising: a shelf robot including: a structural member configured to be installed on the side of a shelf located on one side of an aisle and capable of moving relative to the shelf in a first direction along a guide rail on the shelf, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf; a handling device installed on the structural member and capable of moving relative to the structural member in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the height direction of the shelf; and a first sensor disposed at a first position on the structural member, the height of the first position being a first height; wherein, during the process of the shelf robot performing a picking and placing operation, the shelf robot is configured such that: when the handling device descends to a second height, the first sensor increases its detection area in a third direction; if the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle, the handling device is controlled to descend to a first target position, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction.

[0006] In some embodiments, during the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing operation, the shelf robot is further configured to: maintain the detection area of ​​the first sensor as a first area before the handling device descends to the second height; and switch the detection area of ​​the first sensor from the first area to a second area when the handling device descends to the second height, wherein, along the third direction, the length of the second area is greater than the length of the first area.

[0007] In some embodiments, along the third direction, the length of the first region is less than half the width of the tunnel, and the length of the second region is greater than half the width of the tunnel.

[0008] In some embodiments, the shelf robot is further configured to: during the movement of the structural component, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle, control the structural component to wait at the current position; if the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the structural component to continue moving; or, if the first sensor detects the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the structural component to wait at the current position and report an error; or, if the first sensor detects the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the structural component to move to a second target position.

[0009] In some embodiments, during the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing operation, the shelf robot is further configured to: when the conveying device descends to the second height, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle, control the conveying device to wait at the current position; if the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the conveying device to descend to the first target position; or, if the first sensor detects the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the conveying device to wait at the current position and report an error; or, if the first sensor detects the first obstacle within a threshold time, control the conveying device to move to the second target position.

[0010] In some embodiments, the shelf robot is configured to: control the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction according to the movement direction of the structural member, so that a first distance is greater than a second distance, wherein the first distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor toward the movement direction of the structural member, and the second distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor away from the movement direction of the structural member.

[0011] In some embodiments, the shelf robot further includes a second sensor disposed at a second position on the structural member, the height of the second position being a third height; wherein, the shelf robot is configured such that, during the execution of a movement task, if the second sensor detects a second obstacle, it controls the structural member and the conveying device to stop moving.

[0012] In some embodiments, the shelf robot is configured to disable the detection of the second sensor when the shelf robot is not performing a movement task.

[0013] In some embodiments, along the third direction, the length of the detection area of ​​the second sensor is greater than or equal to the tunnel width.

[0014] In some embodiments, the shelf robot is configured to: control the distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor in the first direction according to the movement direction of the structural member, so that a third distance is greater than a fourth distance, wherein the third distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor toward the movement direction of the structural member, and the fourth distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor away from the movement direction of the structural member.

[0015] In some embodiments, the shelf robot is configured to: determine whether the handling device is blocking the second sensor before the shelf robot performs the movement task; if the handling device blocks the second sensor, control the handling device to move relative to the structural member along the second direction until it avoids the second sensor.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, an obstacle avoidance method is provided, applied to a shelf robot. The shelf robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor. The structural component is installed on the side of a shelf located on one side of an aisle and is movable relative to the shelf in a first direction along a guide rail on the shelf, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf. The handling device is installed on the structural component and is movable relative to the structural component in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the height direction of the shelf. The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural component, the height of the first position being a first height. The method includes: receiving a pick-up and place-out task instruction, the pick-up and place-out task instruction including a first target position corresponding to the pick-up and place-out task; controlling the shelf robot to move according to the pick-up and place-out task instruction; when the handling device of the shelf robot descends to a second height, controlling the first sensor to increase its detection area in a third direction, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction; if the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle, controlling the handling device to descend to the first target position.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes: maintaining the detection area of ​​the first sensor as a first area before the transport device descends to the second height; and controlling the first sensor to increase the detection area along a third direction when the transport device of the shelf robot descends to the second height, further including: switching the detection area of ​​the first sensor from the first area to the second area when the transport device descends to the second height, wherein, along the third direction, the length of the first area is less than half the width of the aisle, and the length of the second area is greater than half the width of the aisle.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction according to the moving direction of the structure, so that a first distance is greater than a second distance, wherein the first distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor toward the moving direction of the structure, and the second distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor away from the moving direction of the structure.

[0019] In some embodiments, the shelf robot further includes a second sensor disposed at a second position on the structural member, the height of the second position being a third height; the method further includes: during the process of the shelf robot performing a movement task, if the second sensor detects a second obstacle, controlling the structural member and the handling device to stop moving.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor in the first direction according to the movement direction of the structure, so that a third distance is greater than a fourth distance, wherein the third distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor toward the movement direction of the structure, and the fourth distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor away from the movement direction of the structure.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining whether the handling device blocks the second sensor before the shelf robot performs the moving task; if the handling device blocks the second sensor, controlling the handling device to move relative to the structural member along the second direction until it avoids the second sensor.

[0022] According to a third aspect of the present application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores executable instructions, and the processor is capable of executing the executable instructions to implement the obstacle avoidance method as described above.

[0023] According to a fourth aspect of the present application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein executable instructions are stored therein, which, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the obstacle avoidance method as described above.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of the embodiments of this application, a warehousing system is provided, comprising: a rack, an aisle, a rack robot, a ground robot, and a main control unit; the rack is used to store goods; the aisle is located on one side of the rack; the rack robot is configured to transport goods between a first target position and a temporary storage position on the rack according to a first pick-and-place task instruction; the ground robot is configured to pick up and place goods at the temporary storage position according to a second pick-and-place task instruction; the rack robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor; the structural component is mounted on the side of the rack and is capable of moving relative to the rack in a first direction along a guide rail on the rack, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the rack; the handling device is mounted on the structural component and is capable of... The robot can move relative to the structural member along a second direction, which is parallel to the height direction of the shelf. The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural member, and the height of the first position is a first height. During the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing operation: the shelf robot is configured such that when the handling device descends to the second height, the first sensor increases its detection area along a third direction. If the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle, the handling device is controlled to descend to a first target position, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction. The main control unit is configured such that when the handling device descends to the second height, the ground robot not in the aisle is controlled not to enter the aisle.

[0025] This embodiment of the application installs a first sensor at a first height on the structural components of the shelf robot. When the transport device of the shelf robot descends to a second height, the first sensor increases its detection area along the width of the aisle, enabling it to detect a larger area. If the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle at this point, it indicates that there is no first obstacle in the path of the transport device's continued descent, meaning the transport device will not collide with the first obstacle. Therefore, the transport device can be controlled to descend to the first target position to perform the picking and placing operation. This method avoids collisions between the shelf robot and the ground robot during the vertical lifting and lowering process on the shelf.

[0026] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0028] In the attached diagram:

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a warehousing system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another warehousing system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the warehousing system provided in an embodiment of this application from another angle;

[0032] Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram of a detection area of ​​the first sensor in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of another detection area of ​​the first sensor in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of the first sensor detecting the cargo in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of the first sensor detecting the ground robot in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram showing another distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating the obstacle avoidance method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0041] 1. Warehousing system; 10. Shelving; 10a. First shelving; 10b. Second shelving; 11. Storage layer; 12. Storage location; 13. Guide rail;

[0042] 20. Alleyway;

[0043] 30. Shelf robot; 31. Structural component; 32. Handling device; 33. Wheels;

[0044] 40. Ground robots;

[0045] 50. Goods;

[0046] 61. First sensor; 62. Second sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0050] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0051] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0053] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a warehousing system provided as an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the storage system 1 includes a rack 10, with an aisle 20 on one side of the rack 10. For ease of description, an XYZ coordinate axis is established, in which the first direction X, the second direction Z, and the third direction Y are mutually perpendicular. The first direction X is parallel to the length direction of the rack 10, the second direction Z is parallel to the height direction of the rack 10, and the third direction Y is parallel to the depth direction of the rack 10, and also parallel to the width direction of the aisle 20. It should be noted that the first direction X, the second direction Z, and the third direction Y all include positive and negative directions. For example, the first direction X includes both X1 and X2 directions; for simplicity, only one direction is shown in the schematic diagram.

[0056] The shelf 10 is used for storing goods and has storage layers 11 for storing goods. The storage layers 11 have multiple storage locations 12 in the first direction X (only some storage locations 12 are shown in the figure), so that goods can be placed in the corresponding storage locations 12, realizing the storage of goods on the storage layer 11. When multiple goods are located on the storage layer 11, there is spacing between adjacent goods to facilitate retrieval. The shelf 10 typically has multiple storage layers 11, which are stacked along the second direction Z to increase the number of goods that the shelf 10 can store.

[0057] It should be noted that the goods can be either a carrier for transporting goods or the goods themselves. Goods can include industrial parts, electronic components or products, pharmaceuticals, clothing and accessories, food, books, etc. The carrier can be a container or other structure capable of holding goods. This application does not further limit the carrier and the goods.

[0058] The warehousing system 1 includes at least two types of handling robots: a rack robot 30 and a ground robot 40. The rack robot 30 is installed on one side of the rack 10 and can move laterally (i.e., in the first direction X) or vertically (i.e., in the second direction Z) on the rack 10 to perform picking and placing operations on the rack 10. Picking and placing operations can include picking and placing operations. In the picking operation, the rack robot 30 can move goods from storage location 12 into its own interior. In the placing operation, the rack robot 30 can move goods from its own interior to storage location 12. The rack robot 30 can place outbound goods retrieved from the target storage location on the rack 10 into a temporary storage buffer at the bottom of the rack 10, and the ground robot 40 enters the aisle 20 and moves to the temporary storage location to retrieve the goods; alternatively, the ground robot 40 can place inbound goods into a temporary storage buffer, and the rack robot 30 moves to the temporary storage location and moves the goods to the target storage location on the rack 10.

[0059] Warehouse system 1 typically also includes a main control unit (not shown in the figure). The main control unit is equipped with an intelligent warehouse management system (hereinafter referred to as the management system). This system monitors the storage status, location, and quantity of goods within warehouse system 1 in real time, enabling automated inventory management, intelligent inbound and outbound scheduling, rapid goods retrieval, workflow optimization, and data analysis and prediction. The management system issues pick-and-place task instructions to the handling robots. The handling robots then execute the pick-and-place operations based on the received instructions.

[0060] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another warehousing system provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 2 As shown, two shelves (first shelf 10a and second shelf 10b) are spaced apart along a third direction Y, and an aisle 20 is formed between the first shelf 10a and the second shelf 10b. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf robot 30 is mounted on the first shelf 10a. Figure 1 The difference between the embodiments shown is that, Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf robot 30 can perform pick-and-place operations not only on the first shelf 10a, but also on the second shelf 10b. That is, the shelf robot 30 can perform pick-and-place operations on goods on the shelves on both sides of the aisle 20. The ground robot 40 can also perform pick-and-place operations on goods in the temporary storage locations on the shelves on both sides of the aisle 20.

[0061] The specific structure of the shelf robot 30 will be described in detail below. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a warehousing system provided in an embodiment of this application from another angle. Figure 3 The warehouse system 1 shown can be Figure 1 The warehousing system 1 in the middle can also be Figure 2 The storage system 1 in the diagram (only the first shelf 10a is shown, the second shelf 10b is not shown). For ease of description, [the diagram is omitted]. Figure 3 The rack used to install the rack robot 30 ( Figure 1 The middle shelf is 10. Figure 2 The first shelf (10a) is uniformly labeled as shelf 10. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the shelf robot 30 includes a structural component 31 and a handling device 32.

[0062] A guide rail 13 is provided on the shelf 10. A structural component 31 is installed on the side of the shelf 10 and can move relative to the shelf 10 along the guide rail 13 in the first direction X. This allows the shelf robot 30 to move in the first direction X by moving along the guide rail 13 of the shelf 10 while being installed on the side of the shelf 10 via the structural component 31. The structural component 31 can be a fixing component of the shelf robot 30 and does not move in the second direction Z. For example, the structural component 31 can be a column, etc.

[0063] The number of guide rails 13 can be one or more. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the shelf 10 has two opposing guide rails 13 in the second direction Z. The length direction of the guide rails 13 is parallel to the first direction X. The two guide rails 13 are respectively installed on the sides of any two storage layers 11. Specifically, the guide rails 13 can be installed on the side of the storage layer 11 facing the shelf robot 30.

[0064] The shelf robot 30 also includes wheels 33, which are located on the structural member 31 at positions corresponding to the guide rail 13 and are connected to the structural member 31, and can rotate relative to the structural member 31. The shelf robot 30 also includes a motor connected to the wheels 33, which drives the wheels 33 to rotate, causing them to move along the guide rail 13, thereby simultaneously moving the structural member 31 and realizing the movement of the structural member 31 relative to the shelf 10 in the first direction X. The specific structure of the wheels 33 and the motor can be found in existing shelf robots 30, and will not be described in detail here. The method by which the motor drives the wheels 33 is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here either.

[0065] The handling device 32 is mounted on the structural member 31 and is movable relative to the structural member 31 along the second direction Z, allowing the handling device 32 to move to different positions on the structural member 31 along the second direction Z. Furthermore, since the structural member 31 is mounted on the shelf 10, and the handling device 32 is mounted on the structural member 31, when the structural member 31 moves relative to the shelf 10 along the first direction X, it can simultaneously move the handling device 32. Thus, through the movement of the handling device 32 along the structural member 31 in the second direction Z, and in conjunction with the movement of the structural member 31 relative to the shelf 10 in the first direction X, the handling device 32 can move to any storage location 12 on the shelf 10 to perform picking and placing operations. The height direction of the structural member 31 of the shelf robot 30 is perpendicular to the first direction X and parallel to the second direction Z.

[0066] The height of the structural component 31 must generally be sufficient to allow the handling device 32 to move along the second direction Z on the structural component 31 to the height of each storage layer 11 of the shelf 10. For example, the bottom of the structural component 31 is not higher than the height of the bottom storage layer of the shelf 10, and the top of the structural component 31 is not lower than the height of the top storage layer of the shelf 10.

[0067] The handling device 32 can be mounted on the structural member 31 by sliding or other means. The shelf robot 30 may also include a drive unit (e.g., a motor) for driving the handling device 32, so that the handling device 32 can move relative to the structural member 31 in the second direction Z under the drive of the drive unit. The method of driving the handling device 32 by a motor is also well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0068] The number of structural components 31 can be one or two. See also Figure 3 As shown, when there are two structural components 31, the two structural components 31 can be spaced apart along the first direction X. The conveying device 32 can be installed on the two structural components 31 and located between them. Compared to a single structural component 31, having two structural components 31 not only enhances the stability of the conveying device 32 when installed on the structural component 31, but also enhances the stability of the conveying device 32 when moving with the structural component 31 in the first direction X. The following section uses two structural components 31 as an example to further illustrate the structure of the shelf robot 30.

[0069] When it is necessary to move the goods to the target storage location to perform the picking and placing operation, the structural component 31 of the shelf robot 30 can be controlled to move in the first direction X to the storage location column on the shelf 10 corresponding to the target storage location. Then, the handling device 32 can be controlled to move in the second direction Z to the height of the target storage location (or the structural component 31 of the shelf robot 30 can be controlled to move in the first direction X and the second direction Z simultaneously to a certain height above the target storage location, and then lowered to the target storage location; the specific movement method is not limited here). The handling device 32 is aligned with the target storage location, so that the goods in the target storage location can be picked and placed.

[0070] During the retrieval and placement of goods, since the shelf robot 30 needs to move vertically up and down along the shelf 10, when a ground robot 40 enters the aisle 20, the shelf robot 30 may collide with the ground robot 40 within the aisle 20 (mainly referring to the collision between the shelf robot 30's handling device 32 and the ground robot 40). Furthermore, if goods on the shelf 10 fall into the aisle 20, the shelf robot 30 may also collide with the fallen goods within the aisle 20 (both the shelf robot 30's structural components 31 and handling device 32 may collide with the fallen goods). To address these issues, this embodiment of the application uses a first sensor for obstacle avoidance.

[0071] like Figure 3 As shown, a first sensor 61 is disposed at a first position on the structural component 31. The first sensor 61 can be a sensor that generates an identification signal when a target object is detected, such as a radar, photoelectric sensor, infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, camera, etc.

[0072] The height of the first position is defined as the first height h1. The first height h1 can be set to a height capable of detecting the ground robot 40 and falling goods. Unless otherwise specified, the reference planes for all heights mentioned in the embodiments of this application are the same. For example, they are all heights relative to the shelf mounting surface, or all heights relative to the ground, or all heights relative to other planes, as long as the reference planes for all heights are the same.

[0073] like Figure 3 As shown, the first sensor 61 is disposed on the left structural member 31. In other embodiments, the first sensor 61 may also be disposed on the right structural member 31, which is not limited in this application.

[0074] The detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 is adjustable along the third direction Y. During the process of the shelf robot 30 performing the picking and placing operation, when the handling device 32 descends to the second height h2, the first sensor 61 increases the detection area along the third direction Y; then, if the first sensor 61 does not detect the first obstacle, it controls the handling device 32 to descend to the first target position. The second height h2 is greater than the first height h1, and the first target position is the position aligned with the target storage location. At the first target position, the handling device 32 can perform the picking and placing operation on the target storage location. The first obstacle can be any obstacle that can be detected by the first sensor 61, such as the ground robot 40 or goods.

[0075] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of two detection areas of the first sensor in an embodiment of this application. The diagram shows a top-down view of the ground from the top of the shelves (first shelf 10a and second shelf 10b). Figure 4A As shown, before the conveying device 32 descends to the second height h2, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 remains the first area R1. Figure 4B As shown, when the conveying device 32 descends to the second height h2, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 switches from the first area R1 to the second area R2, wherein, along the third direction Y, the length L2 of the second area R2 is greater than the length L1 of the first area R1.

[0076] The second height h2 can be set to match the total height of the ground robot 40 when it is carrying goods. For example, the second height h2 is equal to or slightly greater than the total height of the ground robot 40 when it is carrying goods (the second height h2 can also be set to be significantly higher than the carrying height of the ground robot 40, and the first height h1 can also be set to be equal to or slightly greater than the total carrying height of the ground robot 40. In this case, the ground robot 40 can pass under the shelf when it is carrying goods. The choice of which height setting to use can be determined according to the actual situation and is not limited here). Before the handling device 32 descends to the second height h2, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 is a small first area R1 (the "small" here specifically refers to the size in the third direction Y). At this time, the first sensor 61 can detect the first obstacle in a small range on the side of the shelf 10, such as fallen goods. Since the second height h2 is equal to or slightly greater than the total height of the ground robot 40 when it is carrying goods, there is no need to detect the ground robot 40 in the aisle 20 before the handling device 32 descends to the second height h2 (including the position at the second height h2). At this time, even if the ground robot 40 is in the aisle 20, the handling device 32 will not collide with it. When the handling device 32 is at a height that will not collide with the ground robot 40 (above the second height h2), in order to avoid the structural components 31 of the shelf robot 30 from colliding with the falling goods, the first sensor 61 only needs to detect the falling goods. By keeping the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 in the third direction Y, the obstacle avoidance requirements of this stage can be met, and the power consumption of the first sensor 61 can be reduced.

[0077] After the transport device 32 descends to the second height h2, if the ground robot 40 is present in the alleyway 20, the transport device 32 will be at risk of colliding with the ground robot 40 in the alleyway 20. At this time, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 increases (specifically, it increases in the third direction Y), enabling it to detect first obstacles within a larger range in the alleyway 20, including both fallen goods and the ground robot 40 in the alleyway 20, thereby meeting the obstacle avoidance requirements at this stage.

[0078] After the transport device 32 descends to the second height h2, if the first sensor 61 does not detect the first obstacle, it means that there is no first obstacle in the path of the transport device 32 as it continues to descend. That is, the transport device 32 will not collide with the first obstacle as it continues to descend. Therefore, the transport device 32 can be controlled to descend to the first target position to perform the picking and placing operation. In this way, the collision between the shelf robot 30 and the ground robot 40 during the vertical lifting and lowering process on the shelf 10 is avoided.

[0079] In some embodiments, along the third direction Y, the length L1 of the first region R1 is less than half the width of the aisle 20, and the length L2 of the second region R2 is greater than half the width of the aisle 20. When goods fall from the shelf 10, they usually fall into the half of the aisle 20 closest to the shelf 10, rather than the other half away from the shelf 10. Therefore, the length L1 of the first region R1 along the third direction Y being less than half the width of the aisle 20 is sufficient to satisfy the detection requirements of the first sensor 61 for fallen goods. Since the width of the ground robot 40 is usually greater than half the width of the aisle 20, when the length L2 of the second region R2 along the third direction Y is greater than half the width of the aisle 20, even if the ground robot 40 is located on the side of the aisle 20 away from the shelf 10, the first sensor 61 can still detect the ground robot 40, thereby further reducing the power consumption of the first sensor 61.

[0080] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of the first sensor detecting the cargo in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of the first sensor detecting the ground robot in an embodiment of this application. The diagram shows a top-down view of the ground from the top of the shelf 10. Figure 5A As shown, at this time, the height of the conveying device 32 is greater than the second height h2, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 is R1, and the first sensor 61 can detect the goods 50 in the aisle 20. Figure 5A As shown, at this time, the height of the conveying device 32 is less than or equal to the second height h2, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 is R2, and the first sensor 61 can detect the ground robot 40 in the alley 20.

[0081] The obstacle avoidance process of the shelf robot 30 will be explained in further detail below.

[0082] As described above, in the shelf robot 30, the structural component 31 moves along the guide rail 13, and the handling device 32 moves along the structural component 31, causing the handling device 32 to move to the first target position to perform the picking and placing of goods. If goods on the shelf 10 fall into the aisle 20, the structural component 31 may collide with the fallen goods during its movement. Therefore, if the first sensor 61 detects a first obstacle during the movement of the structural component 31, the structural component 31 is controlled to wait at its current position. If the structural component 31 continues to move, it may collide with the fallen goods; in this case, the structural component 31 is controlled to wait at its current position to avoid a collision.

[0083] If the first sensor 61 does not detect the first obstacle within the threshold time, the control structure 31 continues to move. If a worker or other handling robot removes the fallen goods, the first sensor 61 will no longer detect the first obstacle. At this time, the structure 31 has no risk of colliding with the first obstacle and can continue to move.

[0084] If the first sensor 61 detects the first obstacle within the threshold time, the control structure 31 waits at its current position and issues an error message. If the fallen goods remain in the aisle 20 without being removed, the first sensor 61 will continue to detect the first obstacle. If the structure 31 continues to move, there is a risk of collision with the first obstacle. Therefore, the control structure 31 continues to wait at its current position to avoid collision, and issues an error message to prompt staff to remove the first obstacle from the aisle 20.

[0085] In another embodiment, if the first sensor 61 detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the control component 31 moves to a second target position. If the fallen goods remain within the aisle 20 without being removed, the first sensor 61 will continue to detect the first obstacle. If the component 31 continues to move towards the first target position, there is a risk of collision with the first obstacle. Therefore, the component 31 is moved to another position (the second target position) to avoid collision. The first target position is the target position corresponding to the first pick-and-place task instruction received by the shelf robot 30, and the second target position is the target position corresponding to the second pick-and-place task instruction received by the shelf robot 30. That is, after waiting for the threshold time, if the component 31 still cannot move due to the presence of the first obstacle, the shelf robot 30 stops executing the first pick-and-place task instruction and instead executes the second pick-and-place task instruction. The second pick-and-place task instruction can be a reassigned instruction to the shelf robot 30 or an instruction previously assigned to the shelf robot 30.

[0086] After the structural component 31 moves to the storage position row on the shelf 10 opposite to the target storage position, the handling device 32 begins to move along the structural component 31, for example, descending to the height of the target storage position (i.e., the first target position). As mentioned earlier, the handling device 32 will not collide with goods that have fallen to the ground or the ground robot 40 above the second height h2. Only after the handling device 32 descends to the second height h2 is it necessary to determine the subsequent movement control of the handling device 32 based on whether the first sensor 61 detects the first obstacle. In this embodiment, when the handling device 32 descends to the second height h2, if the first sensor 61 detects the first obstacle, the handling device 32 is controlled to wait at the current position. The first obstacle detected by the first sensor 61 may be goods that have fallen from the shelf 10 into the aisle 20, the ground robot 40 in the aisle 20, or obstacles generated by other circumstances, which are not limited here. If the handling device 32 continues to descend from the second height h2 at this time, there is a risk of colliding with the first obstacle. Therefore, the handling device 32 is controlled to wait at the current position to avoid a collision.

[0087] If the first sensor 61 does not detect the first obstacle within the threshold time, the control device 32 descends to the first target position. If the worker or other handling robot removes the fallen goods, or the ground robot 40 in the aisle 20 moves out of the aisle 20, the first sensor 61 will no longer detect the first obstacle. At this time, the handling device 32 has no risk of colliding with the first obstacle and can continue to descend until it reaches the first target position to perform the picking and placing operation.

[0088] In another embodiment, if the first sensor 61 detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the handling device 32 is controlled to wait at its current position and an error is reported. If the fallen goods remain in the aisle 20 without being moved, or if the ground robot 40 in the aisle 20 does not move out of the aisle 20, the first sensor 61 will continue to detect the first obstacle. If the handling device 32 continues to move, there is a risk of collision with the first obstacle. Therefore, the handling device 32 is controlled to continue waiting at its current position to avoid collision, and an error is reported to prompt the staff to remove the first obstacle from the aisle 20.

[0089] In another embodiment, if the first sensor 61 detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the transport device 32 is controlled to move to a second target position. If the fallen goods remain within the aisle 20 without being moved, or if the ground robot 40 within the aisle 20 does not leave the aisle 20, the first sensor 61 will continue to detect the first obstacle. If the transport device 32 continues to descend towards the first target position, there is a risk of collision with the first obstacle. Therefore, the transport device 32 is controlled to move to the second target position to avoid collision with the first obstacle. The first target position is the target position corresponding to the first pick-and-place task instruction received by the shelf robot 30, and the second target position is the target position corresponding to the second pick-and-place task instruction received by the shelf robot 30. That is, after waiting for the threshold time, if the transport device 32 still cannot move due to the presence of the first obstacle, the shelf robot 30 stops executing the first pick-and-place task instruction and instead executes the second pick-and-place task instruction. The second pick-and-place task instruction can be a reassigned instruction to the shelf robot 30 or an instruction previously assigned to the shelf robot 30.

[0090] The structural component 31 moves along the first direction X, and the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 along the first direction X is also adjustable. The detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 in each direction is determined based on the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 in that direction. The farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 towards the moving direction of the structural component 31 is defined as the first distance, and the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 away from the moving direction of the structural component 31 is defined as the second distance. The shelf robot 30 controls the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 along the first direction X according to the moving direction of the structural component 31, so that the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0091] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the detection areas of the two first sensors 61 provided in the embodiments of this application along the first direction X. (See diagram below.) Figure 6A As shown, the first sensor 61 is located at point C, and the moving direction of the structural component 31 is towards the X1 direction. Therefore, the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 towards the X1 direction is AC, and the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 away from the X1 direction (i.e., towards the X2 direction) is BC. AC is greater than BC. Figure 6B As shown, the first sensor 61 is located at point C, and the moving direction of the structural component 31 is towards the X2 direction. Therefore, the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 towards the X2 direction is BC, and the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 away from the X2 direction (i.e. towards the X1 direction) is AC. BC is greater than AC.

[0092] When structural member 31 moves, it is most likely to collide with the first obstacle in the area in front of it in its direction of movement, while the probability of colliding with the first obstacle in the area behind it in its direction of movement is lower. Therefore, by setting the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 towards the direction of movement of structural member 31 to be greater than the farthest detection distance of the first sensor 61 away from the direction of movement of structural member 31, the obstacle detection area in front of the structural member 31 on its path of travel is expanded, enabling the first sensor 61 to detect the first obstacle in advance and providing a buffer time for processing the first obstacle.

[0093] In some embodiments, the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is greater than or equal to 2:1. This allows for the detection of both first obstacles at a greater distance ahead on the path of the structural member 31 and first obstacles at a certain distance behind on the path of the structural member 31, preventing collisions caused by first obstacles moving at a faster speed (greater than the moving speed of the structural member 31) in the same direction as the structural member 31. Please continue reading. Figure 6A and Figure 6B , Figure 6A In the embodiment shown, AC:BC is 2:1; Figure 6BIn the embodiment shown, BC:AC = 2:1.

[0094] In some situations, workers need to enter the aisle 20 to perform operations. When workers are present in the aisle 20, the moving shelf robot 30 may collide with them (both the structural components 31 and the handling device 32 of the shelf robot 30 may collide with the workers). To address this, this embodiment of the application uses a second sensor for obstacle avoidance.

[0095] Please continue reading. Figure 3 A second sensor 62 is provided at a second position on the structural component 31. The second sensor 62 can be a sensor that generates an identification signal when a target object is detected, such as a radar, photoelectric sensor, infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, camera, etc.

[0096] The height of the second position is the third height h3. The third height h3 can be set to a height that can detect a person. In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the third height h3 > the second height h2 > the first height h1.

[0097] like Figure 3 As shown, the second sensor 62 is disposed on the left structural member 31. In other embodiments, the second sensor 62 may also be disposed on the right structural member 31, and this application does not limit this to that.

[0098] In this embodiment, the process of the shelf robot 30 moving to the first target position according to the picking and placing task instruction is also referred to as the process of the shelf robot 30 performing a movement task. During the process of the shelf robot 30 performing the movement task, if the second sensor 62 detects a second obstacle, the control structure 31 and the handling device 32 stop moving. If the second sensor 62 detects a second obstacle during the movement of the structure 31 and / or the handling device 32, it indicates that there may be workers or other obstacles in the aisle 20. If the structure 31 and / or the handling device 32 continue to move, a collision with a worker may occur. Therefore, the structure 31 and the handling device 32 are stopped to avoid potential collisions. The second obstacle can be any obstacle that can be detected by the second sensor 62, such as workers or other handling robots.

[0099] In some embodiments, the detection of the second sensor 62 is turned off when the shelf robot 30 is not performing a movement task. When the structural component 31 and / or the handling device 32 are not moving, the shelf robot 30 will not actively collide with the second obstacle, and the second obstacle that the second sensor 62 can detect is mainly the worker; unless the worker is passively involved in the collision, the worker generally will not actively collide with the shelf robot 30. Therefore, turning off the detection of the second sensor 62 when the shelf robot 30 is not performing a movement task can reduce the power consumption of the second sensor 62.

[0100] In some embodiments, along the third direction Y, the length of the detection area of ​​the second sensor 62 is greater than or equal to the width of the aisle 20, so that the second sensor 62 can detect the second obstacle located at any position in the aisle 20, even if the second obstacle is located on the side of the aisle 20 away from the shelf 10, the second sensor 62 can still detect the second obstacle, thereby ensuring the obstacle avoidance effect.

[0101] The structural component 31 moves along the first direction X. The distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor 62 in the first direction X is similar to that of the first sensor 61 and is also adjustable. The detection area of ​​the second sensor 62 in each direction is determined based on the farthest detection distance of the second sensor 62 in that direction. The farthest detection distance of the second sensor 62 towards the moving direction of the structural component 31 is defined as the third distance, and the farthest detection distance of the second sensor 62 away from the moving direction of the structural component 31 is defined as the fourth distance. The shelf robot 30 controls the distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor 62 in the first direction X according to the moving direction of the structural component 31 so that the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.

[0102] The distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor 62 in the first direction X is similar to... Figure 5A and Figure 5B The detection area distribution of the first sensor 61 is similar and can be referenced. Figure 6A and Figure 6B This will not be elaborated upon here.

[0103] In some embodiments, the ratio of the third distance to the fourth distance is greater than or equal to 2:1, which can detect second obstacles at a relatively far distance in front of the structure 31 on its travel path, and also detect second obstacles at a certain distance behind the structure 31 on its travel path, so as to avoid collisions caused by the second obstacles behind moving in the same direction as the structure 31 at a faster speed (greater than the moving speed of the structure 31).

[0104] As mentioned above, the third height h3 where the second sensor 62 is located can be set to the height at which the second sensor 62 can detect a person. When the transport device 32 is stationary on the structural member 31, it may be exactly at the third height h3. At this time, the transport device 32 will block the second sensor 62, causing the second sensor 62 to be in a false-triggered state of detecting a second obstacle (the detected "second obstacle" is actually the transport device 32). In this embodiment, before the shelf robot 30 performs the movement task, it is determined whether the transport device 32 blocks the second sensor 62; if the transport device 32 blocks the second sensor 62, the transport device 32 is controlled to move relative to the structural member 31 along the second direction Z until it avoids the second sensor 62. In this way, the false triggering of the second sensor 62 caused by the transport device 32 is avoided.

[0105] In summary, by using the above methods, when the ground robot 40 passes through the aisle 20, it can prevent the shelf robot 30 from colliding with the ground robot 40 during its descent, thus preventing damage to both the shelf robot 30 and the ground robot 40; when workers pass through the aisle 20, it can prevent the shelf robot 30 from colliding with the workers while moving on the shelf 10, ensuring personnel safety; in addition, it can also prevent the shelf robot 30 from colliding with goods falling from the shelf 10.

[0106] The following example illustrates the specific obstacle avoidance process for the ground robot 40 in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the handling device 32 of the shelf robot 30 is currently at position P. a The shelf robot 30 receives the order to pick up and put away goods and needs to go to location P. b Retrieval. First, the structural component 31 of the shelf robot 30 moves in the first direction X to the storage location column on the shelf 10 opposite to the target storage location, i.e., position P. b In the column where the structural component is located, the height of the conveying device 32 remains above the second height h2 during the movement of the structural component. Then, the conveying device 32 descends to position P. c (P c The height is the second height h2). The structural member 31 moves and the conveying device 32 descends to position P. c During the process, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 is Figure 4A The area shown is a small section of aisle 20 near shelf 10 (i.e., near shelf robot 30), where ground robot 40 can safely pass. When the conveying device 32 reaches position P... c At that time, the detection area of ​​the first sensor 61 switches to Figure 4BThe area shown covers the entire width of aisle 20, and the management system controls the ground robot 40 to prevent it from entering aisle 20. At this time, if the first sensor 61 detects an obstacle (the obstacle can be the ground robot 40, goods, or any other item that may collide with the shelf robot 30), the handling device 32 will not descend to position P. b The conveying device 32 will only descend to position P when the first sensor 61 does not detect an obstacle. b Perform the pickup and delivery operation.

[0107] When the conveying device 32 reaches position P c When the management system controls the ground robot 40 to not enter the alleyway 20, it means controlling the ground robot 40 that is not currently in the alleyway 20 to not enter it. If a ground robot 40 is already in the alleyway 20, it can leave the alleyway 20 after completing its current pick-and-place task. After the ground robot 40 leaves the alleyway 20, if the first sensor 61 does not detect any obstacles, the conveying device 32 can continue to descend to position P. b .

[0108] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an obstacle avoidance method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method is applied to a shelf robot, specifically to a control unit (e.g., a processor) within the shelf robot. The shelf robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor. The structural component is mounted on the side of the shelf located on one side of the aisle and is capable of moving relative to the shelf in a first direction along a guide rail on the shelf, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf. The handling device is mounted on the structural component and is capable of moving relative to the structural component in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the height direction of the shelf. The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural component, the height of the first position being a first height. The shelf robot can also be any of the shelf robots described in the above embodiments. Figure 7 As shown, the obstacle avoidance method includes the following steps:

[0109] S701, Receive pick-up and release task instruction, the pick-up and release task instruction includes the first target location corresponding to the pick-up and release task;

[0110] S702 controls the movement of the shelf robot according to the picking and placing task instructions;

[0111] S703, when the handling device of the shelf robot descends to the second height, the first sensor is controlled to increase the detection area along the third direction, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction;

[0112] S704, if the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle, control the transport device to descend to the first target position.

[0113] In some embodiments, the method further includes: maintaining the detection area of ​​the first sensor as a first area before the transport device descends to a second height; and controlling the first sensor to increase the detection area along a third direction when the transport device of the shelf robot descends to the second height. The method further includes: switching the detection area of ​​the first sensor from the first area to the second area when the transport device descends to the second height, wherein, along a third direction, the length of the first area is less than half the width of the aisle, and the length of the second area is greater than half the width of the aisle.

[0114] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in a first direction according to the moving direction of the structure, so that a first distance is greater than a second distance, wherein the first distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor toward the moving direction of the structure, and the second distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor away from the moving direction of the structure.

[0115] In some embodiments, the shelf robot further includes a second sensor disposed at a second position on the structural member, the height of the second position being a third height; the method further includes: if the second sensor detects a second obstacle during the shelf robot's movement task, controlling the structural member and the handling device to stop moving.

[0116] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor in a first direction according to the movement direction of the structure, so that a third distance is greater than a fourth distance, wherein the third distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor toward the movement direction of the structure, and the fourth distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor away from the movement direction of the structure.

[0117] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining whether the handling device blocks the second sensor before the shelf robot performs a moving task; if the handling device blocks the second sensor, controlling the handling device to move relative to the structural member in a second direction until it avoids the second sensor.

[0118] Figure 8 The diagram provided is a structural schematic of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application. The specific embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the electronic device.

[0119] like Figure 8 As shown, the electronic device 800 may include a processor 802 and a memory 804.

[0120] The processor 802 is used to execute the computer program 806, which can specifically perform the relevant steps in the above-described obstacle avoidance method embodiment.

[0121] Specifically, computer program 806 may include computer-executable instructions.

[0122] The processor 802 may be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application. The electronic device includes one or more processors, which may be processors of the same type, such as one or more CPUs; or they may be processors of different types, such as one or more CPUs and one or more ASICs.

[0123] Memory 804 is used to store computer program 806. Memory 804 may include high-speed RAM memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device.

[0124] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one executable instruction. When the executable instruction is executed on an electronic device, it causes the electronic device to perform the obstacle avoidance method described in the above embodiment.

[0125] This application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the obstacle avoidance method described in the above embodiment.

[0126] This application provides a computer program that can be called by a processor to cause an electronic device to perform the obstacle avoidance method described in the above embodiment.

[0127] The algorithms or displays provided herein are not inherently related to any particular computer, virtual system, or other device. Various general-purpose systems can also be used in conjunction with the teachings herein. The required structure for constructing such systems is apparent from the above description. Furthermore, the embodiments of this application are not directed to any particular programming language. It should be understood that the content of this application described herein can be implemented using various programming languages, and the above description of specific languages ​​is for the purpose of disclosing the best mode of implementation of this application.

[0128] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of this application may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0129] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to simplify this application and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of the embodiments of this application are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the above description of exemplary embodiments of this application. However, this method of disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed application requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim.

[0130] Those skilled in the art will understand that modules in the device of the embodiments can be adaptively changed and placed in one or more devices different from that embodiment. Modules, units, or components in the embodiments can be combined into a single module, unit, or component, and can be divided into multiple sub-modules, sub-units, or sub-components. Except where at least some of such features and / or processes or units are mutually exclusive, any combination can be used to combine all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or device so disclosed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0131] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of this application and not restrictive, and those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. This application can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names. The steps in the above embodiments, unless otherwise specified, should not be construed as limiting the order of execution.

Claims

1. A shelf robot, characterized in that, include: A structural component configured to be mounted on the side of a shelf located on one side of an aisle, and capable of moving relative to the shelf along a guide rail on the shelf in a first direction, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf; A handling device is mounted on the structural member and is capable of moving relative to the structural member in a second direction, which is parallel to the height direction of the shelf. as well as A first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural member, and the height of the first position is a first height. Specifically, during the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing of goods, the shelf robot is configured as follows: When the transport device descends to the second height, the first sensor increases its detection area along a third direction. If the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle, the transport device is controlled to descend to the first target position. The second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the width direction of the alley.

2. The shelf robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing of goods, the shelf robot is further configured as follows: Before the transport device descends to the second height, the detection area of ​​the first sensor remains the first area; When the transport device descends to the second height, the detection area of ​​the first sensor is switched from the first area to the second area, wherein, along the third direction, the length of the second area is greater than the length of the first area.

3. The shelf robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, Along the third direction, the length of the first region is less than half the width of the tunnel, and the length of the second region is greater than half the width of the tunnel.

4. The shelf robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shelf robot is further configured as follows: If the first sensor detects a first obstacle during the movement of the structural component, the structural component is controlled to wait at its current position. If the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle within the threshold time, the structural component is controlled to continue moving; Alternatively, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the structural component is controlled to wait at its current position and report an error; or, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the structural component is controlled to move to a second target position.

5. The shelf robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing of goods, the shelf robot is further configured as follows: When the transport device descends to the second height, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle, the transport device is controlled to wait at the current position. If the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle within the threshold time, the transport device is controlled to descend to the first target position; Alternatively, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the transport device is controlled to wait at its current position and report an error; or, if the first sensor detects a first obstacle within a threshold time, the transport device is controlled to move to a second target position.

6. The shelf robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shelf robot is configured as follows: The distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction is controlled according to the moving direction of the structural component, so that the first distance is greater than the second distance. The first distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor towards the moving direction of the structural component, and the second distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor away from the moving direction of the structural component.

7. The shelf robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shelf robot also includes a second sensor, which is disposed at a second position on the structural member, and the height of the second position is a third height. The shelf robot is constructed as follows: If the second sensor detects a second obstacle during the movement of the shelf robot, the robot will control the structural component and the handling device to stop moving.

8. The shelf robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shelf robot is configured as follows: When the shelf robot is not performing a movement task, the detection of the second sensor is turned off.

9. The shelf robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, Along the third direction, the length of the detection area of ​​the second sensor is greater than or equal to the width of the tunnel.

10. The shelf robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shelf robot is configured as follows: The distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor in the first direction is controlled according to the moving direction of the structural component, so that the third distance is greater than the fourth distance. The third distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor towards the moving direction of the structural component, and the fourth distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor away from the moving direction of the structural component.

11. The shelf robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shelf robot is configured as follows: Before the shelf robot performs the moving task, it is determined whether the handling device is blocking the second sensor; If the conveying device blocks the second sensor, control the conveying device to move relative to the structural member in the second direction until it avoids the second sensor.

12. An obstacle avoidance method applied to a shelf robot, characterized in that, The shelf robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor; the structural component is installed on the side of the shelf located on one side of the aisle and can move relative to the shelf in a first direction along a guide rail on the shelf, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf; the handling device is installed on the structural component and can move relative to the structural component in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the height direction of the shelf; The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural member, and the height of the first position is a first height; the method includes: Receive a pickup / release task instruction, wherein the pickup / release task instruction includes a first target location corresponding to the pickup / release task; The shelf robot is controlled to move according to the retrieval and placement task instructions; When the handling device of the shelf robot descends to the second height, the first sensor is controlled to increase its detection area along a third direction, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction; If the first sensor does not detect the first obstacle, the transport device is controlled to descend to the first target position.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: Before the transport device descends to the second height, the detection area of ​​the first sensor remains the first area; When the handling device of the shelf robot descends to the second height, controlling the first sensor to increase its detection area in a third direction further includes: When the transport device descends to the second height, the detection area of ​​the first sensor is switched from the first area to the second area, wherein, along the third direction, the length of the first area is less than half the width of the tunnel, and the length of the second area is greater than half the width of the tunnel.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: The distribution of the detection area of ​​the first sensor in the first direction is controlled according to the moving direction of the structural component, so that the first distance is greater than the second distance. The first distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor towards the moving direction of the structural component, and the second distance is the farthest detection distance of the first sensor away from the moving direction of the structural component.

15. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The shelf robot also includes a second sensor, which is disposed at a second position on the structural member, and the height of the second position is a third height. The method further includes: If the second sensor detects a second obstacle during the movement of the shelf robot, the robot will control the structural component and the handling device to stop moving.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: The distribution of the detection area of ​​the second sensor in the first direction is controlled according to the moving direction of the structural component, so that the third distance is greater than the fourth distance. The third distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor towards the moving direction of the structural component, and the fourth distance is the farthest detection distance of the second sensor away from the moving direction of the structural component.

17. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: Before the shelf robot performs the moving task, it is determined whether the handling device is blocking the second sensor; If the conveying device blocks the second sensor, control the conveying device to move relative to the structural member in the second direction until it avoids the second sensor.

18. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores executable instructions, and the processor is capable of executing the executable instructions to implement the obstacle avoidance method as described in any one of claims 12-17.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores executable instructions that, when executed on the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the obstacle avoidance method as described in any one of claims 12-17.

20. A warehousing system, comprising racks, aisles, rack robots, ground robots, and a main control unit; The shelves are used for storing goods; The aisle is located on one side of the shelf; The shelf robot is configured to move goods between a first target position and a temporary storage position on the shelf according to a first pick-and-place task instruction; The ground robot is configured to retrieve and place goods at the temporary storage location according to a second retrieval and placement task instruction. The shelf robot includes a structural component, a handling device, and a first sensor. The structural component is mounted on the side of the shelf and can move relative to the shelf in a first direction along a guide rail on the shelf, the first direction being parallel to the length direction of the shelf. The handling device is mounted on the structural component and can move relative to the structural component in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the height direction of the shelf. The first sensor is disposed at a first position on the structural component, the height of the first position being a first height. in, During the process of the shelf robot performing the picking and placing of goods: The shelf robot is configured such that when the conveying device descends to a second height, the first sensor increases its detection area along a third direction; if the first sensor does not detect a first obstacle, the conveying device is controlled to descend to a first target position, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and the third direction is the aisle width direction; The main control unit is configured to prevent the ground robot, which is not in the alleyway, from entering the alleyway when the transport device descends to the second height.

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