AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT WITH WEIGHING SYSTEM FOR ORDER PREPARATION, CORRESPONDING ORDER PREPARATION METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Method for preparing orders for products stored in a storage warehouse (100), comprising a plurality of picking points (n, n+1, etc.) for products in the warehouse by a plurality of picking operators (200) each accompanied by at least one autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and each being equipped with a user terminal (1). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 5

Description

Title of the invention: AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT WITH WEIGHING SYSTEM FOR ORDER PREPARATION, CORRESPONDING ORDER PREPARATION METHOD AND SYSTEM Field of invention

[0001] The field of the invention is that of logistics, in particular for the preparation of orders within a warehouse for storing products to be shipped.

[0002] The present invention relates in particular to assistance in the preparation of orders by means of autonomous mobile robots (known as "Autonomous Mobile robots - AMR" in English), and more particularly to the characteristics of such autonomous robots for the optimization of order preparation. Prior art

[0003] The field of logistics has been constantly evolving for many years. Concerning order preparation in particular, technical and technological developments have been numerous, ranging from management software to product conveyors and intelligent storage shelves.

[0004] We are particularly interested here in the preparation of orders carried out by operators and assisted by autonomous robots. Thus, the operators and the robots cooperate in the same workspace in order to optimally prepare the different orders which are received by the warehouse order management system.

[0005] Conventionally, an operator is responsible for picking the various items / products of an order from the various locations or picking points in the warehouse and placing them on the autonomous robot that accompanies it. The robot therefore moves around the warehouse and stops at a location in the warehouse where a product of an order must be picked.

[0006] Such robots adapted for order preparation are equipped with trolleys or collection supports, most often having several shelves for depositing the products collected by the operators.

[0007] The picking operator is conventionally equipped with a portable terminal, hereinafter called a user terminal. This may be a connected glove provided with a screen for displaying the lines of an order, otherwise called tasks, a scanning module (such as a barcode or SKU code reader) capable of reading an identifier associated with each picked product corresponding to an order line, and a module optical, acoustic and / or haptic informing the operator whether the scanned product has been taken into account or whether there has been a scanning error.

[0008] The scrolling of tasks (moving from one task to the next task) on the terminal screen is, for example, controlled by the picking operator, the terminal communicating with the robot's task manager to indicate that a product has been picked and placed on the collection robot (in the case where the terminal is a glove worn by the operator, the latter double-clicks with a finger on a trigger button located in the palm of the hand or between the thumb and index finger to move to the next order line). This also controls the movement of the robot to another location in the warehouse where the product to be picked corresponding to the next order line is located.

[0009] However, the field of order preparation is a very competitive field and is always looking for solutions to improve order preparation efficiency, in particular by reducing the movements of operators and autonomous mobile robots, as well as by optimizing each of the stages of the logistics chain.

[0010] There is therefore a need to provide a new approach that can adapt in real time to the different constraints of order preparation while optimizing the overall efficiency of the system, i.e. the efficiency of the operators and robots. Summary of the invention

[0011] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is proposed a method for preparing orders for products stored in a storage warehouse, comprising a plurality of product picking points in the warehouse by a plurality of picking operators each accompanied by at least one autonomous mobile collection robot and each being equipped with a user terminal, said method comprising the following steps of:

[0012] - display on the user terminal of an information collection operator relating to a product to be picked from an order to be prepared, comprising a desired quantity of said product to be picked;

[0013] - movement of said autonomous mobile collection robot and the pre-operator lifting to a collection point in the warehouse where the said product to be collected is stored;

[0014] - identification by means of said user terminal of the product stored at the level of said sampling point,

[0015] - when there is a correspondence between the product stored at the pre-point lifting and the product to be collected, collection by the operator of a quantity of the product stored at the sampling point;

[0016] - deposit by the operator of the quantity of product taken from the autonomous robot mobile collection, then measurement of the weight, implemented by the autonomous mobile collection robot, of the quantity of product deposited by the operator on the autonomous mobile collection robot;

[0017] - when the measured weight of the quantity of product deposited corresponds to the weight theoretical known / expected of the desired quantity of said product to be picked, movement of said autonomous mobile collection robot and the picking operator to the next picking point of another product of said order to be prepared.

[0018] Thus, the present technique proposes a new and inventive solution for order preparation implemented by mobile autonomous robots in a warehouse, making it possible to significantly increase the productivity of order preparation.

[0019] According to the present technique, such autonomous mobile robots are designed to be able to weigh a quantity of a product deposited by the picking operator on the robot (this quantity being equal to or greater than 1) thus making it possible to determine that the quantity of product picked and deposited on the collection robot is indeed the expected quantity and corresponding to the current order line.

[0020] Furthermore, once this weighing step has been validated, the robot is designed to control its movement towards the storage location or picking point in the warehouse where the product to be picked corresponding to the next order line is located.

[0021] This therefore avoids the order preparer having to carry out a check of the product placed on the robot and to order by a specific action the movement of the robot to another storage location in the warehouse or picking point for the next order line.

[0022] The main advantage of this solution lies in the elimination of certain steps in the process of collecting and depositing products by an operator on a collection robot, which allows work to be done more quickly and efficiently.

[0023] In fact, the control of the deposit of the products is carried out automatically, without the preparer having to do so or to communicate validation data for this deposit action.

[0024] Similarly, the movement of the robot does not require any specific action on the part of the preparer, since it is the weight control of the robot which controls the movements of the robot within the warehouse.

[0025] Only the recognition of the correct product reference is carried out by the operator before sampling using the user terminal that he carries.

[0026] The solution of the invention thus reinforces the quality of the orders by limiting the errors.

[0027] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot to the user terminal of the desired quantity of each product to be taken from said order to be prepared.

[0028] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method first comprises a step of reception and storage by the collection robot of the desired quantity and the known / expected theoretical weight of each product to be taken from said order to be prepared.

[0029] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method further comprises a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot to the user terminal of information confirming or not that the measured weight of the quantity of product deposited on the robot corresponds to the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity.

[0030] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method further comprises, when the measured weight of the quantity of product deposited does not correspond to the known theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be collected, a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot to the user terminal, then a step of display by the user terminal, of a quantity to be removed from the product deposited on the autonomous mobile collection robot or of a remaining quantity of the product stored at the collection point to be collected and deposited on the autonomous mobile collection robot.

[0031] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method further comprises a step of reception and storage by the collection robot of navigation orders specifying the successive collection points to be traveled and the stops to be made for said order to be prepared.

[0032] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method comprises:

[0033] - a step of receiving and storing by the collection robot an order to prepare comprising several order lines, each order line comprising the desired quantity of a product to be picked, the reference of said at least one product to be picked and the theoretical weight of the desired quantity of the product to be picked, each picking point corresponding to an order line of said order to be prepared, and

[0034] - a step of processing by the collection robot of a first order line relating to said at least one first product to be picked before the step of moving said autonomous mobile collection robot and the picking operator to the picking point of the warehouse where said first product to be picked is stored.

[0035] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method further comprises, when the measured weight of the product deposited on the collection robot corresponds to the theoretical weight known from the first expected product, a processing step by the collection robot of the next order line of said order to be prepared.

[0036] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step of displaying on the user terminal information relating to the following command line.

[0037] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the identification step consists of a step of reading by the user terminal of an identifier of a picking point of the warehouse, the method then comprising a step of comparison by said user terminal of the read identifier of the picking point and an identifier of the product to be picked from the order, and when there is a correspondence between the read identifier and the identifier of the product to be picked, a step of emission of a visual, audible and / or haptic confirmation by the user terminal informing the operator of the correspondence.

[0038] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the method firstly comprises a step of reception and storage by the collection robot, then a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot to the user terminal of an identifier of each product to be collected from the order and an identifier of a collection point in the warehouse associated with each product to be collected.

[0039] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a mobile autonomous collection robot for preparing orders for products stored in a warehouse, which comprises means for storing the known / expected theoretical weight of products to be taken from an order to be prepared, a system for weighing a quantity of a product from said order deposited by an operator on a collection device of said robot and processing means capable of comparing the measured weight of the quantity of the product deposited with the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be taken.

[0040] According to a particular aspect of the invention, when the weight measured by the robot of the quantity of a product placed on the robot corresponds to the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be collected, the autonomous mobile collection robot commands its movement towards the next collection point of another product of said order to be prepared.

[0041] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to an automated system for preparing orders for products stored in a storage warehouse, comprising a plurality of points for picking the products in the warehouse by a plurality of picking operators, each accompanied by at least one autonomous mobile collection robot and each being equipped with a user terminal, said system being adapted to implement the method as described previously. List of Figures

[0042] The proposed technique, as well as the various advantages it presents, will be more easily understood, in light of the following description of several illustrative and non-limiting embodiments thereof, and of the appended drawings among which:

[0043] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an automated order preparation system in which the invention is implemented;

[0044] [Fig.2] illustrates an autonomous mobile collection robot implemented in the automated order preparation system of [Fig.l];

[0045] [Fig.3] is a partial view of the autonomous mobile collection robot of [Fig.2] showing the weighing sensors and the processing unit of the robot;

[0046] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a system for managing a plurality of collection robots, a collection robot and a user terminal implemented in the automated order preparation system of [Fig.l], and

[0047] [Fig.5] details the different stages of the order preparation process according to a particular implementation mode of the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0048] The following description of Figures 1 to 5 relates to an order preparation method when implemented in an automated order preparation system, and an autonomous mobile collection robot adapted to implement this method.

[0049] Such a system is more particularly used in “B to B” for replenishment orders for companies, such as large stores.

[0050] Such a system can also be used in "B to C" in companies selling small volume products remotely (tools, spare parts, electronic products, etc.) and makes it possible to prepare with a minimum of labor, in a short time and with precise stock monitoring, a package corresponding to a specific order from a customer, said order relating to one or more products (items) in different quantities.

[0051] In the example described below and as illustrated schematically in [Fig.l], this automated order preparation system 10 comprises in particular: - a store or storage warehouse 100 for products (or articles) comprising shelves separated by circulation aisles and a plurality of picking points (n, n+1,...) for products (articles); - one or more operators or preparers 200 equipped with user terminals 1 and assisted by autonomous mobile robots for collecting the products stored in the storage warehouse 100, the collection robots 2 implementing means for weighing the product(s) placed on the robot; and - a central WMS control or management system for the warehouse or store 100 storage.

[0052] Once the order(s) have been finalized, the operator then picks up the contents (i.e. the products) of the order(s) placed on the autonomous mobile collection robot that accompanies it to place these contents in a shipping package or on a support (a pallet for example) in a dedicated area (not shown) of the system.

[0053] The general principle of the proposed technique consists, within such a store or warehouse for storing products to be shipped, in optimizing the operations of picking products by picking operators, or order preparers, and of depositing the picked products on autonomous mobile collection robots in order to maximize their use / yield.

[0054] By improving the efficiency of operators and robots, a greater number of orders can be performed per unit of time (e.g. per hour).

[0055] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, in the context of the present invention, each autonomous mobile robot, called a collection robot, 2 of the order preparation system 10 for products stored in the storage warehouse 100 is provided with a chassis extending horizontally.

[0056] The collection robot 2 comprises in the example illustrated an electric drive system by battery(ies) driving in rotation wheels (six in number for example, including two motorized wheels 27 and four stabilizing wheels located at the four ends of the chassis) located under the chassis which make it possible to stabilize and move the collection robot 2.

[0057] The collection robot 2 further comprises in this example a receiving device 21 for one or more mobile collection supports 22 in which an operator 200 places the products collected at the level of collection points or storage locations (n, n+1,...). The receiving device 21 here takes the form of a tray.

[0058] In the example illustrated, the receiving device 21 carries two mobile collection supports arranged side by side as described for example in patent application FR3112301 by the same applicant, filed on July 10, 2020. This makes it possible to separately prepare two or more orders at the same time.

[0059] For example, this or these mobile collection supports 22 are in the form of a shelf with casters allowing them to move independently as well. Thus, it is possible to transport them and load them directly into a transport vehicle, once the orders have been prepared.

[0060] In another example not illustrated, the collection robot 2 comprises a device for receiving a loading pallet or any other type of support on which the products collected at collection points (n, n+1, etc.) are deposited by the operator.

[0061] The collection robot 2 is suitable for preparing orders for stored products in the warehouse or storage store 100, that is to say that it has specific characteristics such as, in particular:

[0062] - communication capabilities with other collection robots in the same fleet and with a supervision system responsible for managing a fleet of collection robots, with the aim of optimizing order preparation in the warehouse;

[0063] - ease of movement in warehouse aisles, in which circulate other collection robots as well as order pickers;

[0064] - energy autonomy to be able to prepare the greatest number of orders without having to be recharged;

[0065] - compactness and in particular a low thickness, for example to be able to slide under items to be transported.

[0066] As can be seen in [Fig. 3], the collection robot 2 is equipped with a central processing unit 24 and a weighing system comprising one or more weighing sensors, otherwise called load cells, 250.

[0067] In the example described, it is equipped with four weighing sensors 250 which are arranged under the tray forming the receiving device 22 at each of the four corners of the latter.

[0068] The weighing sensors 250 are each connected to the central processing unit 24 which is capable, on the basis of the measurement signals from these weighing sensors 250:

[0069] - to determine the number of products / articles deposited by an operator, on a support collection mobile 22 of collection robot 2;

[0070] - to carry out a weight control by implementing a weight comparison total weight of the product(s) deposited by an operator, on a mobile collection support 22 of the collection robot 2, with the known total theoretical weight of the expected product(s).

[0071] The central processing unit 24 comprises a task manager module 241 which receives and stores at least one given order consisting of one or more order lines, each of the order lines of a given order comprising a) a reference and / or an identifier of a given product, b) a number of products expected from this reference, and c) the theoretical weight of the product(s) of this reference (and therefore of this given order line).

[0072] The weighing system of the collection robot 2 therefore avoids the order preparer who accompanies it having to carry out a check of the product(s) placed on the collection robot 2 and to confirm / validate the conformity of the deposit, for each collection of a quantity of products associated with a line of an order.

[0073] This thus makes it possible to increase the efficiency of the order preparation process while optimizing the quality of the order preparation.

[0074] The central processing unit 24 and the weighing sensors 250 of the collection robot 2 not only make it possible to detect when a product is deposited in a collection support 22 arranged on the receiving device 21 of the collection robot 2, but also to determine whether the expected quantity of product has been deposited.

[0075] The central processing unit 24 and the weighing sensors 250 of the collection robot 2 thus make it possible to check the products placed on the robot automatically, without the preparer accompanying the robot having to implement any action, that is to say without the preparer having to communicate validation data for these picking and placing actions.

[0076] [Fig.4] is a very schematic representation of a central management system WMS, a collection robot 2 and a user terminal 1 implemented in the automated order preparation system of [Fig.l].

[0077] The central warehouse management system (WMS), internal and specific to the warehouse in which the proposed technical solution is implemented, provides a certain amount of data to a warehouse operations execution system (WES) for the preparation of orders using the plurality of autonomous mobile collection robots 2 and the user terminals 1.

[0078] This warehouse management system (WMS), part of whose functionalities are managed by the warehouse operations execution system (WES), is known and widely used. It will therefore not be described in detail here.

[0079] However, it is noted that the warehouse management system (WMS) generates the code for each product / item, assigns the storage locations for the products in the warehouse, and associates an item code to be picked with a location code. An item database of the warehouse management system (WMS) includes all the information relating to each product, including the location code, the item code, and the weight associated with each product.

[0080] The article code is a unique identifier assigned to each article which contains information on the main characteristics of a product, and in particular its reference.

[0081] Each storage location of the storage store or warehouse 100 is identified by an identifier called a location code which can be a barcode affixed to a label, a QR code or an RFID label.

[0082] For each item in an order, the item code and the location code where this item is stored in the warehouse are transmitted by the warehouse management system (WMS) to the collection robot assigned to this order, the latter being able to transmit these two codes or identifiers to the associated user terminal.

[0083] For its part, the warehouse operations execution system (WES) is designed in particular for task planning and resource optimization. It is thus able to process a list of orders according to the current state (in real time) of the warehouse and the picking operators so as to determine a strategy optimal picking and collection and thus generate robotic tasks to collect the products picked by the picking operators, and to manage the fleet of collection robots 2 in response to the tasks generated.

[0084] The warehouse operations execution system (WES) is thus able to communicate to the various collection robots associated with the operators one or more orders each comprising one or more order lines (tasks), each line corresponding to one or more products of the same reference to be picked and placed on the collection robot 2 associated with each operator. It is able to transmit the article code (comprising the product / article reference) and the location code for each product of an order, and the theoretical weight of each product to be picked.

[0085] The warehouse operations execution system (WES) comprises a radio frequency module for communicating with a communication module integrated into each collection robot 2 of the fleet, this communication being able to be carried out for example via a Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular (2G, 3G, 4G...) link or any equivalent link.

[0086] The central processing unit 24 of each collection robot 2 is thus connected to the warehouse operations execution system (WES) which in particular centrally manages the movements of the collection robots 2 in the warehouse.

[0087] The central processing unit 24 of each picking robot 2 of the fleet of robots comprises a task manager module 241 which receives from the warehouse operations execution system (WES) a list, or navigation orders, specifying the locations to be traveled and the stops to be made within the warehouse for at least one order to be prepared. For example, the navigation orders tell the robot to go to aisle 1 and stop at the picking point or storage location "n", then to go to aisle 3 and stop at the picking point "n+1", and so on until it goes to an order replenishment area for example.

[0088] The scrolling of a navigation order from one location or picking point to another within the warehouse is preferably actuated by the picking robot 2 itself, or in certain cases by the user terminal 1 of the picking operator which is able to communicate with the task manager 241 of the picking robot 2.

[0089] The task manager 241 of the collection robot 2 can, for example, transmit to the user terminal 1 information indicating whether there is a weight match between the product(s) placed on the collection robot 2 and the product(s) expected from an order line. If this is the case, in response, the task manager 241 moves on to the next navigation order corresponding to the next order line of an order to be prepared.

[0090] The task manager module 241 embedded in the robot takes the form of a processor.

[0091] The warehouse management system (WMS) corresponds, for example, to one or more physical servers on site (in the warehouse or in a dedicated space close to the warehouse), remote (at a server host for example) or dematerialized (on the "cloud"), capable of implementing the different tasks and steps described previously and below.

[0092] Each picking operator is equipped with a user terminal 1 which can be a tablet or a glove equipped with an order preparation screen in order to display the order line(s) and therefore the list of items / products to be picked for an order to be prepared.

[0093] This command is transmitted to the user terminal 1 by the collection robot 2 accompanying the operator.

[0094] According to a particular implementation, each transmitted order line includes an article code with the product reference, the location code of this product and the quantity of the same product to be collected.

[0095] The collection robot 2 is connected to the operator's user terminal 1 via a wireless communication link, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), for example, WiFi, cellular (2G, 3G, 4G, etc.) or any equivalent link ([Fig.4]).

[0096] The user terminal 1 conventionally comprises a central unit, a memory unit connected to the processor of said central unit, means of communication with a communication module integrated into the associated collection robot 2.

[0097] The user terminal 1 further comprises power supply means and a screen for displaying the lines of an order (otherwise called tasks) and other data useful to the operator (transmitted in particular by the collection robot 2), a reading module (such as a barcode, SKU code, QR code or RFID tag reader) capable of reading an identifier located at each of the product storage locations in the warehouse, and an optical, acoustic and / or haptic module capable of informing the operator of the correspondence between the product taken from a storage location and the expected product or of a correspondence error.

[0098] The user terminal 1 is capable of receiving from the collection robot 2 associated with the operator an order comprising one or more order lines (tasks), each order line corresponding to one or more products / articles of the same reference to be picked up and placed on the collection robot 2 associated with each operator 200.

[0099] For each order line, the collection robot 2 therefore communicates to the user terminal 1 of the associated operator 200 the reference of the product and the quantity of this product which must be collected in one or more units and placed on the collection robot 2 by the operator.

[0100] Each product / item in the order is associated with an identifier or item code including a reference.

[0101] Each picking point or storage location (n, n+1,...) of products in the storage warehouse is associated with an identifier (location code). This identifier can be affixed to a support which is fixed either on the container of the products associated with a picking point, or on the shelf at the storage location of each product / item.

[0102] The reading module of the operator's user terminal 1 is capable of reading such an identifier (location code), which is for example a bar code.

[0103] The user terminal 1 of the operator is able to compare the identifier read (location code) by the reading module with the identifier (article code) of a product on an order line, and to determine whether or not there is a correspondence between the location code read and the article code (it is recalled that the user terminal 1 receives from the collection robot and stores a “location codes / article codes” correspondence table).

[0104] In a variant, an article / product code can be affixed to each product / article stored at a picking point. In this case, the user terminal 1 of the operator is able to compare the article code read by the reading module with the article code of a product on an order line, and to determine whether or not there is a correspondence between these two codes or identifiers (the user terminal 1 receives article codes from the collection robot which it stores in a storage memory to enable this comparison).

[0105] The operator's user terminal 1 may be equipped with an optical, acoustic and / or haptic module informing the operator of the taking into account of each scanned product when there is a correspondence between the identifier read and that expected or of an error when there is no correspondence between the identifiers.

[0106] The scrolling of the tasks or order lines (moving from one task to the next task) on the display screen of the user terminal 1 is controlled by the task manager 241 of the collection robot 2 which indicates to the user terminal 1 that the quantity of a product expected from a current order line has been taken and deposited on the collection robot 2.

[0107] The transition from one task to the next task can however be commanded by the operator by a specific action on the user terminal 1 (in other words, the user can force the transition from one task to the next). In this case, the user terminal 1 transmits to the collection robot 2 an order to move to the next command line (task).

[0108] We present below and in relation to [Fig.5] an embodiment of a method for preparing orders for products stored in a storage warehouse comprising a plurality of picking points (n, n+1, n+2,...) for the products and in which the central management system WMS of the warehouse or storage store 100, at least one user terminal 1 and at least one collection robot 2 associated with each operator 200 as described previously, is implemented.

[0109] Here we consider an operator 200 equipped with a user terminal 1 and accompanied by a collection robot 2, the latter receiving from the warehouse operations execution system (WES) an order to be prepared (step S0) comprising several order lines (otherwise called tasks).

[0110] Each order line includes the quantity of the same product / article to be picked up at a predetermined picking point (n, n+1, n+2,...) and to be placed on the collection robot 2 associated with the operator, each product / article of the order being associated with an article code including in particular the reference of the product and a location code described previously.

[0111] The picking robot 2 further receives from the warehouse operations execution system (WES) the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be picked for each order line (step S0').

[0112] Furthermore, the collection robot 2 also receives from the warehouse operations execution system (WES) navigation orders specifying the successive picking points (n, n+1, n+2,...) to be traveled and the stops to be made for said order to be prepared (S0”), each picking point corresponding to a line of said order to be prepared.

[0113] All these data are transmitted simultaneously or successively by the warehouse operations execution system (WES) and stored in at least one storage memory of the collection robot 2.

[0114] During a step SI, the collection robot 2 processes the first order line to be prepared, the first order line indicating the quantity of a first product or item to be picked and a reference of this first product.

[0115] The collection robot 2 transmits to the user terminal 1 the quantity of the first product or article to be collected, the article code comprising the reference of the product and the location code of this first product (step S21). All of this data is stored in at least one storage memory of the user terminal 1.

[0116] The user terminal 1 displays the quantity of the first product or item to be picked and its reference for example (step S22). The operator 200 and the accompanying collection robot 2 move to the storage location of the first product to be picked in the storage warehouse, called picking point “n” (step S23).

[0117] The collection robot 2 bases this on the navigation order received from the system warehouse operations execution (WES) corresponding to the first order line.

[0118] At the level of the sampling point “n”, the operator ensures that the product stored at this location corresponds to the first product associated with the first order line.

[0119] To do this, it uses the reader of the user terminal 1 to scan an identifier, called a location code, affixed at the collection point (step S3), the user terminal 1 being able to compare the location code read with the article / product code (identifier) ​​of the first order line (step S41) that it previously received from the collection robot 2 (step S21).

[0120] If there is no match (step S42), the operator having inadvertently scanned the wrong location code, the operator is alerted to this error by means of an optical, acoustic and / or haptic alert emitted by the user terminal 1 (step S43).

[0121] In this case, the operator can scan another location code which, after comparison (step S41), this time corresponds to the article code associated with the first order line, the product reference therefore being the correct one.

[0122] Alternatively, the operator can voluntarily choose to ignore the alert indicating an error (non-match), pick up the wrong product and by at least one action on the user terminal 1 move on to the next order line.

[0123] In yet another alternative, the operator may involuntarily fail to notice this alert indicating the mismatch and pick up and then place the wrong product on the accompanying collection robot 2.

[0124] In a following step, in particular in the case where the identification of the product leads to a match (step S41), the operator 200 is alerted to this match by the user terminal 1 and picks up the product (step S5) to deposit it on the collection robot which accompanies it (step S6). It is understood that the operator can pick up and deposit the same product several times (steps S5 and S6) if the first command line specifies that several units of the same first product must be picked up.

[0125] To move from one picking point (n) to the next (n+1), i.e. from the first order line to the second order line, the collection robot 2 must detect the effective taking of the first product(s) provided at the picking point (n) associated with the first order line by means of the weighing system described previously.

[0126] The number of first products expected and their theoretical weight for this first order line are stored in a storage memory of the collection robot 2 after having been transmitted by the system for executing the operations of the warehouse (WES) to the picking robot 2 (step SO'). The same applies to the following order lines of the order to be prepared.

[0127] When the product(s) collected by the operator are placed on the collection robot 2, the autonomous mobile collection robot measures the weight (step S7) of said at least one product placed.

[0128] The quantity or number of products deposited on the collection robot 2 is calculated by the robot which knows the mass of a product (300 g for example) and which, by difference in weight, is able to determine the actual quantity taken and deposited on the collection robot 2.

[0129] The collection robot 2 is therefore able to measure the weight of one or more articles placed on the robot (step S81) and to compare this measured weight to an expected or theoretical weight of the first order line stored in a storage memory of the robot, within predetermined tolerance limits (step S82).

[0130] In other words, by means of its weighing system 25, the collection robot 2 is able to:

[0131] - know the number of products deposited on a collection support of the robot;

[0132] - carry out a weight control by comparing the weight of the product(s) deposited with the known theoretical weight of the expected product(s).

[0133] When the measured weight of said at least one deposited product corresponds to the known theoretical weight of said at least one first expected product from the first order line (step S 82), the autonomous mobile collection robot 2 transmits to the user terminal 1 information confirming that the measured weight of said at least one deposited product corresponds to the known theoretical weight of said at least one first expected product (step S83).

[0134] The user terminal 1 may display a message on the display screen indicating that the command line has been correctly processed (S 84). Alternatively or additionally, an optical, acoustic and / or haptic signal may be emitted by the user terminal 1.

[0135] The autonomous mobile collection robot 2 then processes the second order line and the order to move to the next picking point (n+1) of at least one second product of the second line of said order to be prepared (step S85).

[0136] In other words, the collection robot 2 itself controls / triggers its movement from the sampling point (n) to the next sampling point (n+1) if the quantity collected and deposited on the robot is correct.

[0137] This allows for increased operator productivity.

[0138] The autonomous mobile collection robot 2 (accompanied by the operator) then moves towards the next sampling point (n+1) corresponding to the second line of command which is displayed on the operator's user terminal 1. Steps S22 and following of the method described previously are then repeated for this second command line.

[0139] Once all the order lines have been processed, the operator then picks up the contents (products) of the order(s) placed on the autonomous mobile collection robot which accompanies it to place this content in a shipping package or on a support (a pallet for example) in a dedicated area (not shown) of the system.

[0140] When the measured weight of said at least one deposited product does not correspond to the known theoretical weight of said at least one first product expected from the first order line (step S82), the collection robot 2 communicates with the user terminal 1 of the operator so that the user terminal 1 indicates to the operator via its display device one or more missing or excess products (step S83').

[0141] The operator can then add or remove at least one product until the measured weight of said at least one deposited product corresponds to the known theoretical weight of said at least one first expected product (steps S81, S82).

[0142] The operator can also choose to ignore this message and by at least one specific action on the user terminal 1 transmit an instruction to the autonomous mobile collection robot 2 to move on to the next command line of said command to be prepared.

[0143] The robot then processes the order to move to the next picking point of at least one second product of said second order line (step S85).

[0144] The same sequence of steps is implemented for each of the command lines.

[0145] In a particular implementation, the method for preparing an order may comprise a step of moving the collection robots to an order reconstitution and / or shipping area, a step of reconstituting the orders from the products collected by the collection robots, and a step of shipping the reconstituted orders.

[0146] It is obviously understood that these relatively simple examples only serve to illustrate the proposed technique and do not limit the implementation of the proposed technique to the examples described previously. It is obvious that this technique can be applied to warehouses comprising larger dimensions, a higher number of storage spaces, a higher number of picking operators and collection robots as well as a higher number of orders to be prepared. Indeed, the proposed technique described in detail above is able to take into account all these constraints and is capable of adapting to all types of warehouse.

[0147] Furthermore, the identification step, rather than consisting of a reading by the operator's terminal of an identifier (bar code or RFID tag), may consist of a shape recognition from an image obtained by an image-capturing device such as a camera.

[0148] A picking area may be assigned to a picking operator for processing at least a portion of at least one order and a collection area may be assigned to one of the robots for processing at least a portion of at least one order. In other words, some orders may be divided into sub-orders which are collected by several collection robots and operators. Upon completion of this collection of products, the collection robots move to an order replenishment area in order to complete the orders and ship them.

[0149] Other orders can be collected by a single ordering robot and operator. The order therefore does not need to be reconstituted.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for preparing orders for products stored in a storage warehouse (100), comprising a plurality of picking points (n, n+1, ...) for products in the warehouse by a plurality of picking operators (200) each accompanied by at least one autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and each being equipped with a user terminal (1), said method comprising the following steps of: - displaying (S22) on the user terminal (1) of a picking operator (200) information relating to a product to be picked from an order to be prepared, comprising a desired quantity of said product to be picked; - moving (S23) said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and the picking operator to a picking point (n) of the warehouse where said product to be picked is stored;- identification (S3) by means of said user terminal (1) of said product stored at the picking point (n), - when there is a correspondence between the product stored at the picking point (n) and the product to be picked (S41), picking (S5) by the operator of a quantity of the product stored at the picking point (n); - depositing (S6) by the operator of the quantity of the product picked on the autonomous mobile collection robot (2), then measuring the weight, implemented by the autonomous mobile collection robot (2), of the quantity of the product deposited by the operator on the autonomous mobile collection robot (2); - when the measured weight of the quantity of the product deposited corresponds to the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be picked (S82), moving said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and the picking operator (200) to the next picking point (n+1) of another product of said order to be prepared.;

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising a step of transmission (S21) by said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) to the user terminal (1) of the desired quantity of each product to be taken from said order to be prepared.

3. Method according to claim 2, comprising beforehand a step of reception and storage (S0') by the collection robot (2) of the desired quantity and the known / expected theoretical weight of each product to be taken from said order to be prepared.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a step of transmission (S83) by said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) to the user terminal (1) of information confirming or not that the measured weight of the quantity of product deposited on the collection robot (2) corresponds to the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity.

5. Method according to claim 4, further comprising, when the measured weight of the quantity of the product deposited does not correspond to the known theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be collected (S 82), a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) to the user terminal (1), then a step of display (S83') by the user terminal (1), of a quantity to be removed from the product deposited on the autonomous mobile collection robot (2) or of a remaining quantity of the product stored at the collection point (n) to be collected and deposited on the autonomous mobile collection robot (2).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a step of reception and storage (SO”) by the collection robot (2) of navigation orders specifying the successive collection points (n, n+1,...) to be traveled and the stops to be made for said order to be prepared.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: - a step of receiving and storing by the collection robot (2) an order to be prepared comprising several order lines, each order line comprising the desired quantity of a product to be picked, the reference of said at least one product to be picked and the theoretical weight of the desired quantity of the product to be picked, each picking point corresponding to an order line of said order to be prepared, and - a step of processing by the collection robot (2) a first order line relating to said at least one first product to be picked before the step of moving said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and the picking operator to the picking point (n) of the warehouse where said first product to be picked is stored.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising, when the measured weight of the product deposited on the collection robot (2) corresponds to the known theoretical weight of the first expected product, a processing step by the collection robot (2) of the next order line of said order to be prepared.

9. Method according to claim 8, comprising a step of displaying on the user terminal (1) information relating to the following command line.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the identification step consists of a step of reading by the user terminal (1) of an identifier of a picking point (n) of the warehouse, the method then comprising a step of comparison by said user terminal (1) of the read identifier of the picking point (n) and an identifier of the product to be picked from the order, and when there is a correspondence between the read identifier of the picking point (n) and the identifier of the product to be picked, a step of emission of a visual, audible and / or haptic confirmation by the user terminal (1) informing the operator of the correspondence.

11. Method according to claim 10, comprising beforehand a step of reception and storage by the collection robot (2), then a step of transmission by said autonomous mobile collection robot (2) to the user terminal (1) of an identifier of each product to be collected from the order and an identifier of a collection point (n) of the warehouse associated with each product to be collected.

12. Autonomous mobile collection robot (2) for preparing orders for products stored in a warehouse (100), characterized in that it comprises means for storing the known / expected theoretical weight of products to be taken from an order to be prepared, a weighing system (25) for a quantity of a product from said order deposited by an operator on a collection device of said robot and processing means (24) capable of comparing the measured weight of the quantity of the product deposited with the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be taken.

13. Autonomous mobile collection robot (2) according to claim 12, when the weight measured by the robot of the quantity of a product deposited on the robot corresponds to the known / expected theoretical weight of the desired quantity of said product to be collected, the autonomous mobile collection robot (2) commands its movement (S9) towards the next collection point (n+1) of another product of said order to be prepared.

14. Automated system for preparing orders (10) for products stored in a storage warehouse (100), comprising a plurality of picking points (n, n+1, ...) for the products in the warehouse by a plurality of picking operators (200) each accompanied by at least one autonomous mobile collection robot (2) and each being equipped with a user terminal (1), said system being adapted to implement the method according to one of claims 1 to 11.

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