METHOD FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING A LOADING UNIT, IN PARTICULAR A LOADING AREA OF A TRUCK OR A FREIGHT WAGON

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for loading and unloading a loading unit, in particular a loading area of ​​a truck or a freight wagon or another suitable transport device, wherein during a loading process a digital twin of the loading state of the loading unit is created from data of the loading process in an electronic data processing unit, wherein the digital twin contains information about the type and position of the individual loads in the loading unit, and the information of the digital twin is made available for an unloading process.

[0002] For the transport of goods, for example, for shipping goods packaged in parcels, transport vehicles with loading units are typically used. Goods are loaded into these units at the point of origin and unloaded at the destination. Loading units can include, for example, the loading platforms of trucks or freight wagons, or other suitable transport equipment such as airplanes, etc.

[0003] Especially when transporting goods by truck, packing is usually optimized for the route, but this doesn't necessarily mean that this also represents the best use of the loading volume of the cargo unit. Furthermore, detailed information about the packing status of the cargo unit, such as the truck bed, is typically unavailable, so goods may have to be searched for in a time-consuming manner, and optimized processes with automated loading and unloading systems are difficult to implement.

[0004] The location and nature of the goods within the loading unit, for example, on the loading platform of a truck, are generally unknown. Therefore, advance planning of the unloading process is impossible. Automated unloading is also virtually impossible. Furthermore, the unloading process is time-consuming. Another problem is that the loading unit, such as the loading platform of a truck, is often not packed optimally.

[0005] A generic method with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from US patent 2017 / 132561 A1.

[0006] US 2014 / 277691 A1 discloses an automated warehouse in which autonomous and manually operated industrial trucks are used.

[0007] US patent 2019 / 196505 A1 discloses a system for loading and unloading a loading unit in which a conveyor belt for loading and unloading the loading unit is formed using several autonomous industrial trucks (AGVs) arranged in a series.

[0008] US Patent 8 639 591 B1 discloses a system and a method for generating a visual display that shows the status of multiple cargo loads.

[0009] The present invention is based on the objective of designing a method of the aforementioned type in such a way as to improve the loading and unloading of the charging unit.

[0010] This problem is solved according to the invention by loading goods into the loading unit by means of at least one industrial truck in at least one loading operation and unloading goods from the loading unit by means of at least one industrial truck in at least one unloading operation, wherein the position data of each individual item of cargo which is placed in the loading unit by means of the industrial truck are determined from the operating data of the industrial truck.

[0011] The invention is based on the idea that during the loading process, information about the state of charge of the loading unit can be collected, from which a digital image of the loading unit's state of charge, and thus a digital image of the load within the loading unit, can be created. This digital image can be stored in a data processing unit so that the information can be retrieved as needed. This information can then be accessed during the unloading process. Since precise knowledge of the loading unit's state of charge is now available for unloading, the unloading process can be optimized. For example, a forklift truck designated for unloading can be directed precisely to a specific load within the loading unit.

[0012] The invention, in its initial approach, relates to the creation of a digital twin of the cargo within the loading unit during the loading process and the provision of this data for further operations. This digital twin includes, in particular, information about the type of individual cargo, for example, its size, weight, type of packaging, and / or special characteristics, as well as its position within the loading unit in three-dimensional space, i.e., its 3D positioning. This digital twin is a 100% representation of the state within the loading unit.

[0013] A digital twin is generally understood to be a digital representation of a material or immaterial object or process from the real world in the digital world.

[0014] The loading process data used to create the digital twin can be obtained, in particular, from data from a warehouse management system, which specifies the type of each item being loaded, and from operational data of the forklift truck used for loading, which specifies the position of each item after loading. For example, travel path data and movement data from a handling device of the forklift truck, collected during the loading process, can be used for this purpose. It is irrelevant whether the loading process is automated or manual; the approaches apply to both.Furthermore, the loading process data, from which the digital twin is created, can be obtained from various types of external sensors, such as 2D / 3D laser scanners, different camera systems, or positioning systems based on RFID, Bluetooth, or UWB. In particular, external sensors are used to determine the vehicle's position and the position and type of cargo. Overall, this results in an accurate representation of which specific cargo is located where within the loading unit.

[0015] It is highly advantageous if the information from the digital twin can be made available to the recipient at the destination, thus enabling an optimal unloading process. Therefore, the digital twin information is best stored in a cloud application, for example, as a web application or as an application with freely usable APIs or similar interfaces, with appropriate user rights and roles. This allows the information to be accessed at the destination and, if necessary, adjusted when cargo is added or removed.

[0016] Conveniently, the information of the digital twin of the charging unit's state of charge is updated with each charging and discharging process, so that a bidirectional digital twin is created and a subsequent process can rely on the information.

[0017] Preferably, the digital twin also includes information about the forklift truck used during loading and / or unloading. It is particularly advantageous if information about the unloading infrastructure at the destination, especially information about the forklift truck intended for unloading, is integrated into the digital twin. This allows the arrangement of the cargo within the loading unit to be optimized for the unloading infrastructure at the destination. This prevents situations where cargo cannot be unloaded properly or at all at the destination.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an optimized travel path for the industrial truck during the unloading process is calculated from the information of the digital twin. Since the position and type of each load within the loading unit are known, the best and fastest route for removing the load can be calculated electronically. This even enables autonomous removal of the load from the loading unit. The load does not necessarily have to be placed into the loading unit in a route-optimized manner, as a combination of unloading and loading operations may allow for better utilization of the usable area, for example, of the truck.

[0019] Especially in conjunction with automated unloading infrastructure, the information from the digital twin can even be used to calculate the unloading time required for the unloading process in advance.

[0020] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the information from the digital twin is processed in an electronic control unit of an autonomous industrial truck, or in an edge cloud, or in a cloud, and used to control the autonomous industrial truck during the unloading process. This enables fully automated unloading of the desired cargo at the destination with high efficiency.

[0021] The invention offers a whole range of advantages: Until now, charging and discharging processes of charging units could generally only be planned superficially in terms of timing. The invention makes this possible in much greater detail.

[0022] Incorrect arrangement of cargo, for example in the truck, can be avoided in the approach roads and optimized automatic unloading becomes possible.

[0023] Extensive process improvements and possibly route optimizations based on more favorable unloading options, for example by weighing up transfer and unloading time and possibilities, are feasible.

[0024] The loading process can also be optimized for the subsequent unloading process.

[0025] The recipient at the destination can adjust their planning through the exchange of information.

[0026] The digital twin documents the charging unit's state of charge at all times. This makes loss of cargo impossible and immediately reveals any unauthorized removal of cargo.

[0027] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the schematic figure. Here, the A schematic diagram illustrating the loading and unloading of a truck.

[0028] The figure illustrates the loading and unloading of a loading unit 7 of a truck 1, comprising a loading platform 7a, using a forklift 2. The goods to be loaded 3 are located, for example, on pallets 8, 9, which are provided, for example, on a roller conveyor 4. The goods to be loaded 3 could be, for example, packages containing goods to be shipped. During the loading process, the forklift 2 picks up the pallet 8 with its forks 5, turns 180°, and drives up the loading ramp 6 onto the loading platform 7a of the truck 1. There, the forklift 2 lowers the pallet 8 onto the ground by lowering its forks 5. It then reverses out of the truck 1, turns 180° again, and drives forward to the next pallet 9 to pick it up with its forks 5.

[0029] In the present example, the industrial truck 2 is an autonomous industrial truck 2 with an automatic control unit 11, which receives its order data, for example, from a higher-level goods management system 12.

[0030] The goods management system 12 knows the type of each individual item of cargo 3, in particular its size, weight, type of packaging, and special characteristics. This information is transmitted to an external data processing unit 10. If no goods management system is available, the type of cargo 3 can also be determined using suitable sensors, such as camera systems, QR or barcode readers, etc.

[0031] On the other hand, the position data of each individual load item 3, which was placed in the truck 1 by means of the forklift 2, is determined from the operating data of the forklift 2. For this purpose, for example, travel path data and movement data of a handling device of the forklift 2, which are collected during the loading process, can be used. This information is also transmitted to the data processing unit 10.

[0032] Based on information from the goods management system 12 or corresponding sensors and the information collected by the industrial truck 2 during the loading process, a digital twin of the loading status in the truck 1 is created in the data processing unit 10. This results in a precise representation of which specific cargo 3 is located at which position within the truck 1.

[0033] The information from the digital twin is made available to the respective recipient at the destination to enable optimal unloading. Therefore, the digital twin information is sensibly stored in a previously described cloud application of data processing unit 10. This allows the information to be accessed at the destination and, if necessary, adjusted when goods are removed or added.

Claims

1. Method for loading and unloading a loading unit (7), in particular a loading area (7a) of a heavy goods vehicle (1) or a freight wagon or another suitable transport device, wherein a digital twin of the loading state of the loading unit (7) is created from data of the loading process in an electronic data processing unit (10) during a loading process, wherein the digital twin contains information about the type and position of the individual items of freight (3) in the loading unit (7), and the information of the digital twin is provided for an unloading process, characterized in that items of freight (3) are loaded into the loading unit (7) by means of at least one industrial truck (2) using at least one loading process and items of freight (3) are unloaded from the loading unit (7) by means of at least one industrial truck (2) using at least one unloading process, wherein the position data of each individual item of freight (3) that is stored in the loading unit (7) by means of the industrial truck (2) is determined from the operating data of the industrial truck (2).

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the information of the digital twin is stored in a cloud application or some other application accessible to application partners.

3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the information of the digital twin is updated during each loading and unloading process.

4. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the digital twin contains information about the industrial truck (2) used during the loading process and / or about the industrial truck (2) used during the unloading process.

5. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an optimized travel path of the industrial truck (2) during the unloading process is calculated from the information of the digital twin.

6. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an unloading time required for the unloading process is calculated in advance from the information of the digital twin.

7. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the information of the digital twin is processed in an electronic control unit (11) of an autonomous industrial truck (2) and used for controlling the autonomous industrial truck (2) during the unloading process.