METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SORTING OBJECTS

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This application relates to, but is not limited to, information management technologies, and in particular, to a method and system for object sorting.BACKGROUND

[0002] Sorting at a distribution center is to sort logistic objects such as goods according to goods transportation routes, that is, destination flow directions (which usually are codes formed by letters and numbers).

[0003] With the rapid development of logistics, there is an urgent need for an efficient sorting method with low costs.

[0004] US 2017 / 066597 discloses an information processing device with an acquisition unit, a detection unit, and a report control unit.Documents:

[0005] JP 2017 185431 A (TOSHIBA CORP) 12 October 2017 US 2017 / 249491 A1 (MACINTOSH BRIAN T [US] ET AL) 31 August 2017 US 2010 / 158310 A1 (MCQUEEN ALEXANDER M [US] ET AL) 24 June 2010, and CA 2 888 153 A1 (DIGIMARC CORP [US]) 24 April 2014 disclose further sorting methods.SUMMARY

[0006] The invention provides a method and system for object sorting, as set out in the accompanying claims.

[0007] The technical solution of this application includes: recognizing object information of objects in motion; determining colors corresponding to the objects according to the recognized object information, where the colors are used for identifying different destinations; and distinguishing objects with different destinations by using the determined colors, to sort the objects in motion according to the colors. In this application, instead of gray site shortcodes representing different destinations, different colors are used to identify objects, and objects in motion are sorted according to colors. Because the naked-eye recognition rate of colors is far higher than the naked-eye recognition rate of codes formed by letters and numbers, the efficiency of completing sorting is greatly improved. In addition, this application adopts a combination of automation and manual labor, thereby greatly reducing costs. It can be seen that efficient and low-cost sorting is achieved in this application.

[0008] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in the following specification, and partially become apparent from the specification, or be understood through implementation of this application. Objectives and other advantages of this application may be achieved and obtained by using the structures particularly mentioned in the specification, the claims, and the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the technical solutions of this application, and constitute a part of the specification, which are used to explain the technical solutions of this application in combination with the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation to the technical solutions of this application. FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for object sorting, according to this application; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of a first embodiment of implementing object sorting, according to this application; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of a first embodiment of implementing object sorting, according to this application; and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a system for object sorting, according to this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following describes the embodiments of this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, provided that no conflict is caused, the embodiments in this application or the features in the embodiments may be mutually combined.

[0011] In a typical configuration of this application, a computing device includes one or more processors (CPUs), an input / output interface, a network interface, and an internal memory.

[0012] The internal memory may include the following forms of computer-readable media: a non-persistent memory, a random access memory (RAM), and / or a non-volatile internal memory, for example, a read-only memory (ROM) or a flash memory (flash RAM). The internal memory is an example of the computer-readable medium.

[0013] The computer-readable medium includes a persistent medium and a non-persistent medium, a removable medium and a non-removable medium, which may implement storage of information by using any method or technology. The information may be computer-readable instructions, a data structure, a module of a program or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, a phase change memory (PRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), another type of random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory or another memory technology, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD) or another optical storage, a cassette magnetic tape, tape and disk storage or another magnetic storage device or any other non-transmission media that may be configured to store information that a computing device can access. Based on the definition in the specification, the computer-readable medium does not include non-transitory computer-readable media (transitory media), such as a modulated data signal and a carrier.

[0014] The steps shown in the flowcharts in the accompanying drawings may be performed in, for example, a computer system having a group of computer-executable instructions. In addition, although a logic order is shown in the flowcharts, in some events, the shown or described steps may be performed in an order different from the order herein.

[0015] In the related art, a distribution center mainly has two forms: a manual warehouse and an automated warehouse. Considering factors of order quantities and costs, the coverage rate of the automated warehouse is currently limited.

[0016] For the manual warehouse, a distribution line in a distribution center may be subdivided into links. A sorting worker needs to perform a sorting job on goods according to goods transportation routes, that is, destination flow directions (which usually are codes formed by letters and numbers, also referred to as gray site shortcodes). In other words, on the one hand, a sorting worker usually performs subdivision operations by watching the gray site shortcode, and one person averagely needs to memorize four to six codes each with up to six digits, for example, S16783. On the other hand, sorting workers at the distribution line work in a standing state for 10 to 12 hours on average. Investigation shows that standing and looking at moving codes for a long time tend to cause problems such as dizziness, easily resulting in incorrect sorting. Particularly, in a scenario with an increasing speed, the naked-eye recognition rate of numbers and letters is greatly reduced, which is more prone to incorrect sorting.

[0017] For the automated warehouse, that is, a fully-automated distribution system, although waybill information is read through fully-automated scanning, and destinations of packages are distinguished by using a fully-automated system, the costs of the distribution lines in the distribution center are inevitably increased, and in particular, the costs of the entire automated distribution system cannot be offset in scenarios where a specific daily order quantity (which is a large order quantity) is not reached. In addition, an irregularly-shaped piece such as an oil drum still cannot be automatically recognized by the automated distribution system, but needs to be sorted in another manual sorting line in the automated warehouse.

[0018] This application provides a method for object sorting. As shown in FIG. 1, the method includes: Step 100. recognizing object information of objects in motion.

[0019] Optionally, a recognition device may be disposed on a top portion of a production line, to recognize object information of objects in motion, such as barcode information on package waybills.

[0020] Optionally, the recognition device may be disposed on the top portion of the production line. Alternatively, the recognition device may be disposed on a side portion of the production line, to adapt to a scenario in which a package waybill faces the sorting worker.

[0021] Optionally, the recognition device configured to recognize object information of objects in motion may be a camera such as a high-definition camera or may be any code reading device such as an infrared code reading portal frame, a fixed high-speed code reader or an industrial-grade personal digital assistant (PDA). Herein, the industrial-grade PDA is mainly applied to the industrial fields. Commonly used barcode scanners, radio frequency identification (RFID) readers / writers, point of sale (POS) machines (also referred to as point of sale information management systems), and the like may all be referred to as PDAs.

[0022] Optionally, a distance between the recognition device and an object on the production line is adjustable. In this way, the recognition rate may be improved by further reducing a distance between the recognition device and to-be-recognized objects.

[0023] Optionally, before the method, the method further includes: marking a position of an object such as a package to be placed on a conveyor belt of the production line , to prompt a sorting worker to place the object such as a package at the right position, to prevent the object such as a package from being randomly knocked out of a pre-determined range, thereby ensuring the calculation accuracy of the displacement of the object such as a package after code reading and identification are performed for the first time.

[0024] Step 101. determining colors corresponding to the objects according to the recognized object information, where the colors are used for identifying different destinations.

[0025] Before this step, the method further includes: setting correspondences between different colors and different destinations. In other words, different destinations are represented by using different colors in advance.

[0026] Object information such as barcode information on a package waybill corresponds to package flow direction information. In other words, if object information such as barcode information on a package waybill is obtained, destination information may be obtained, and a color corresponding to the recognized object information may be determined according to the pre-installed correspondences between different colors and different destinations.

[0027] For example, one site represents one subdivided flow direction and has a corresponding code. On subdivided links of the production line, a site flow direction is used as a unit to divide the production line into work stations. A work station with a width of 1.8 m is used as a unit, and one site code corresponds to one color. For example, different destination sites may be distinguished by using three colors e.g., red, green, and blue.

[0028] In this application, instead of gray site shortcodes representing different destinations, different colors are used to identify objects. Experiments show that when an object moves, the naked-eye recognition rate of colors is far higher than the naked-eye recognition rate of codes formed by letters and numbers.

[0029] Step 102. distinguishing objects with different destinations by using the determined colors, to sort the objects in motion according to the colors.

[0030] Optionally, projection light sources may be disposed on a top or side portion of the production line to project spotlight beams of corresponding colors onto corresponding objects such as packages; and / or light strips may be alternatively disposed on a side portion of the production line. When a pre-installed sensor senses the passage of an object such as a package, a light strip whose location corresponds to the object is turned to a color corresponding to the destination of the package.

[0031] Optionally, the color of a pallet or another container corresponding to a destination flow direction of an object such as a package is the same as a color projected onto the object such as a package. In this way, objects such as packages are in a one-to-one correspondence to containers carrying the objects such as packages, and the objects and the containers are clearly distinguished by using the same color.

[0032] Optionally, a spotlight system may generate spotlight having an angle ranging from 15 degrees to 35 degrees.

[0033] Optionally, there may be one or more groups of projection light sources disposed on the top portion of the production line. Preferably, two or three groups of projection light sources may be included, to adapt to the incoming objects such as packages, thereby avoiding the problem that a next package has entered a projection region but cannot be spotlighted because the projection of a first light beam onto a current package is not completed.

[0034] Optionally, each group of projection light sources may include all light sources that have different colors and are used for identifying different destinations. For example, each group of projection light sources includes light sources having three colors, e.g., red, green, and blue. Alternatively, different groups of projection light sources respectively correspond to light sources of colors representing different destinations. Assuming that two groups of projection light sources are disposed, one group of projection light sources includes light sources of two colors, e.g., red and green, and the other group of projection light sources includes light sources of two colors, e.g., blue and yellow.

[0035] In this way, a sorting worker working at the production line may sort packages for which the sorting worker is responsible by recognizing colors. In addition, the naked-eye recognition rate of colors is far higher than the naked-eye recognition rate of codes formed by letters and numbers. Conventionally, one work station requires two sorting workers. However, in the embodiments of implementing object sorting by using different colors in this application, only one sorting worker is required to efficiently complete the sorting work. The other sorting worker may be responsible for a sorting job in other flow directions.

[0036] Optionally, in a first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the projection light source may be disposed on the top portion of the production line. Alternatively, in a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the projection light source may be disposed on the side portion of the production line.

[0037] During practical application, at the beginning of the production line, a barcode on the surface of a package may be recognized by using a high-definition camera, and the barcode is then matched against existing goods flow direction data, to learn a destination flow direction corresponding to the package. The specific coordinates of a location at which the package may arrive in N seconds may be determined through calculation by using the initial coordinates of the package that are read by a camera on a portal frame and the flow speed of the production line. In this way, when the package moves past a sensor in a work station region of a worker responsible for the flow direction, the projection light source is triggered to emit light to track the package.

[0038] In the method for object sorting provided in this application, instead of gray site shortcodes representing different destinations, different colors are used to identify objects, and objects in motion are sorted according to colors. Because the naked-eye recognition rate of colors is far higher than the naked-eye recognition rate of codes formed by letters and numbers, the efficiency of completing sorting is greatly improved. In addition, this application adopts a combination of automation and manual labor, thereby greatly reducing costs. It can be seen that efficient and low-cost sorting is implemented in this application.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of a first embodiment of implementing object sorting, according to this application. In the first embodiment, the projection light source is disposed on the top portion of the production line. As shown in FIG. 2, in the first embodiment, it is assumed that objects are packages on a distribution line in a distribution center, and the packages are delivered to two different destinations. It is assumed that the destinations are a destination A and a destination B in the first embodiment, and it is assumed that a red spotlight is projected onto packages delivered to the destination A, and a green spotlight is projected onto packages delivered to the destination B.

[0040] In the first embodiment, a high-definition camera is disposed on the top portion of the production line, and is configured to recognize barcode information on waybills of packages moving on the conveyor belt, to obtain destination flow direction information of the packages. It is assumed that through the recognition of the high-definition camera, a package 3 is delivered to the destination A and a package 4 is delivered to the destination B. As shown in FIG. 2, a red spotlight shown by oblique square shades is projected onto the package 3, and a green spotlight shown by dot pixel shades is projected onto the package 4. In this way, a sorting worker working at the production line may easily sort the packages in motion according to different colors.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of a second embodiment of implementing object sorting, according to this application. In the second embodiment, the projection light source is disposed on the side portion of the production line. As shown in FIG. 3, a high-definition camera is disposed on the top portion of the production line, such as a three-side scanning portal frame, and is configured to recognize barcode information on waybills of packages moving on the conveyor belt, to obtain destination flow direction information of the packages. When a sensor (or a plurality of sensors) such as a photoelectric sensor disposed on the production line senses that a package passes, a light strip (which is a segment of light strip whose location corresponds to the package with the conveyance of the package, for example, a segment of light strip whose width is the same as that of the package) is turned to a color corresponding to the destination of the package. Visually observed, the segment of light strip moves as the package moves, and stops until a work station region is reached for which a picking worker corresponding to the destination is responsible. In this way, the picking worker may perform picking according to the observed color of the light strip. Next, the sorting worker may further place the packages at a pallet of a corresponding color for goods stacking. In this way, a sorting worker working at the production line may easily sort the packages in motion according to different colors. As shown in FIG. 3, the projection light sources disposed on the side portion of the production line include red, blue, and green light strips.

[0042] In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, assuming that a picking worker 1 is responsible for a region 1, in a range of the region 1 of the picking worker 1, the picking worker 1 is responsible for picking packages whose destinations are a flow direction 1, a flow direction 2, a flow direction 3, and a flow direction 4. It is set that a package of the flow direction 1 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a red light strip, a package of the flow direction 2 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a green light strip, a package of the flow direction 3 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a blue light strip, and a package of the flow direction 4 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a yellow light strip.

[0043] A picking worker 2 is responsible for a region 2, and in a range of the region 2 of the picking worker 2, the picking worker 2 is responsible for picking packages whose destinations are a flow direction 5, a flow direction 6, a flow direction 7, and a flow direction 8. It is set that a package of the flow direction 5 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a red light strip, a package of the flow direction 6 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a green light strip, a package of the flow direction 7 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a blue light strip, and a package of the flow direction 8 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a yellow light strip.

[0044] A picking worker 3 is responsible for a region 3, and in a range of the region 3 of the picking worker 3, the picking worker 3 is responsible for picking packages whose destinations are a flow direction 9, a flow direction 10, a flow direction 11, and a flow direction 12. It is set that a package of the flow direction 9 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a red light strip, a package of the flow direction 10 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a green light strip, a package of the flow direction 11 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a blue light strip, and a package of the flow direction 12 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a yellow light strip.

[0045] A picking worker 4 is responsible for a region 4, and in a range of the region 4 of the picking worker 4, the picking worker 4 is responsible for picking packages whose destinations are a flow direction 13, a flow direction 14, a flow direction 15, and the like. It is set that a package of the flow direction 13 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a red light strip, a package of the flow direction 14 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a green light strip, a package of the flow direction 15 is tracked by correspondingly turning on a blue light strip, and the like. Details are not described one by one herein again.

[0046] It should be noted that the colors of light strips corresponding to flow directions of packages that different picking workers are responsible for picking may be the same or may be different.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, a package 1 is passing through a three-side scanning portal frame, and a high-definition camera disposed on the three-side scanning portal frame is obtaining destination information of the package 1 through scanning. In this embodiment, a destination address of a package 2 corresponds to the flow direction 3. Therefore, in the region 1, a segment of blue light strip is turned on at a position on the light strip corresponding to the width of the package, and with the movement of the package 2. Similarly, in this embodiment, a destination address of a package 3 corresponds to the flow direction 1. Therefore, in the region 1, a segment of red light strip is turned on at a position on the light strip corresponding to the width of the package and with the movement of the package 3. In this embodiment, in the region 2, a segment of red light strip corresponding to a package 4 moves with the package 4. However, in this situation, because it is in the region 2 that a light strip corresponding to the package 4 is turned on, a flow direction corresponding to the destination of the package 4 is the flow direction 5 for which the picking worker 2 is responsible.

[0048] It should be noted that, in the implementation shown in the second embodiment, assuming that when the package 3 is conveyed in the region 1, although a light strip of a corresponding color is turned on, for some reason, the package fails to be picked by the picking worker 1, that is, a picking miss occurs. Therefore, in the following regions through which the package 3 passes, no corresponding light strip is turned on, and after the conveyance of the package 3 is finished on the production line, the package is placed on the production line again to be recognized and picked again.

[0049] Optionally, a plurality of picking workers responsible for the same flow direction may be arranged, to better avoid the problem of picking misses.

[0050] It should be noted that, in this application, for an irregularly-shaped piece such as an oil drum, as shown in FIG. 3, re-scanning may be performed by using a hand-held wireless RF to obtain destination flow direction information of the piece. In this way, irregularly-shaped packages in motion may also be sorted by using the projection light sources shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 according to different colors.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a system for object sorting, according to this application. As shown in FIG. 4, the system includes a recognition unit, a processing and control unit, and an execution unit.

[0052] The recognition unit is configured to recognize object information of objects in motion.

[0053] The processing and control unit is configured to: determine colors corresponding to the objects according to the recognized object information, where the colors are used for identifying different destinations; and output a control signal to the execution unit, to control the execution unit to distinguish objects with different destinations by using the determined colors.

[0054] The execution unit is configured to distinguish the objects with different destinations according to the control signal of the processing and control unit by using different colors.

[0055] Optionally, the recognition unit may include a camera such as a high-definition camera or may include any code reading device, such as an infrared code reading portal frame, a fixed high-speed code reader, or a PDA.

[0056] Optionally, the recognition unit may be disposed on a top portion of a production line or disposed on a side portion of the production line.

[0057] Optionally, a distance between the recognition unit and an object on a production line is adjustable.

[0058] Optionally, the processing and control unit is further configured to set correspondences between different colors and different destinations.

[0059] Optionally, the processing and control unit may be implemented by using a control chip such as a single-chip microcomputer. There are many specific implementations, which are not limited herein.

[0060] Optionally, the execution unit may include one or more groups of projection light sources. Preferably, two or three groups of projection light sources may be included, to adapt to the incoming objects such as packages, thereby avoiding the problem that a next package has entered a projection region but cannot be spotlighted because the projection of a first light beam onto a current package is not completed.

[0061] Optionally, a group of projection light sources includes two or more light sources of different colors.

[0062] Optionally, the projection light source may be disposed on a top portion of the production line or disposed on a side portion of the production line.

[0063] Optionally, the system for object sorting in this application further includes a sensor, where the execution unit includes light strips disposed on a side portion of the production line; and when the pre-installed sensor senses the passage of objects, the processing and control unit is further configured to turn light strips to the colors corresponding to the destination information of the objects.

[0064] In the system for object sorting provided in this application, instead of gray site shortcodes representing different destinations, different colors are used to identify objects, and objects in motion are sorted according to colors. Because the naked-eye recognition rate of colors is far higher than the naked-eye recognition rate of codes formed by letters and numbers, the efficiency of completing sorting is greatly improved. In addition, this application adopts a combination of automation and manual labor, thereby greatly reducing costs. It can be seen that efficient and low-cost sorting is implemented in this application.

Claims

1. A method for object sorting in a production line, comprising: setting correspondences between different colors and different destinations recognizing (100) object information of objects in motion; determining (101) colors corresponding to the objects according to the recognized object information, wherein the colors are used for identifying different destinations; wherein said determining comprises: obtaining destination information according to the object information; and determining colors corresponding to the object information according to the correspondences and the obtained destination information; and distinguishing (102) objects with different destinations by using the determined colors, to sort the objects in motion according to the colors, wherein the distinguishing comprises: when the passage of the objects is sensed, setting colors of segments of pre-installed light strips disposed on a side portion of the production line to the determined colors, wherein the locations and widths of the segments of the pre-installed light strips correspond to the locations and widths of the objects, and, wherein visually observed, the segments of pre-installed light strips move as the objects move.

2. A system for object sorting in a production line, comprising a recognition unit, a processing and control unit, and an execution unit, wherein the processing and control unit is configured to set correspondences between different colors and different destinations the recognition unit is configured to recognize (100) object information of objects in motion; the processing and control unit is further configured to: determine (101) colors corresponding to the objects according to the recognized object information, wherein the colors are used for identifying different destinations, wherein the determining comprises obtaining destination information according to the object information; and determining colors corresponding to the object information according to the correspondences and the obtained destination information; and output a control signal to the execution unit, to control the execution unit to distinguish objects with different destinations by using the determined colors; and the execution unit is configured to distinguish (102) the objects with different destinations according to the control signal of the processing and control unit by using different colors wherein the system further comprises a pre-installed sensor, wherein the execution unit comprises light strips disposed on a side portion of the production line; and when the pre-installed sensor senses the objects, the processing and control unit is further configured to turn segments of light strips , to the colors corresponding to the destination information, wherein the locations and widths of the segments of light strips correspond to the locations and widths of the objects, such that visually observed, the segments of pre-installed light strips move as the objects move.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the recognition unit comprises a camera or a code reading device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the camera is a high-definition camera.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein a distance between the recognition unit and an object on a production line is adjustable.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the recognition unit is disposed on a top portion of the production line or disposed on a side portion of the production line.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the execution unit comprises one or more groups of projection light sources.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the execution unit comprises two or three groups of projection light sources.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein a group of projection light sources comprises two or more light sources of different colors.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the projection light source is disposed on a top portion of the production line or disposed on a side portion of the production line.