Information processing method, computer program and information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing method, a computer program and an information processing device that makes it easy to adjust the position of a holding part of a carrier device.SOLUTION: In an information processing method, the position of a holding part of a carrier system is adjusted, in which the carrier system carries an article between a first carrier device having a plurality of holding parts for holding the article and a second carrier device having a plurality of holding parts for holding the article. An information processing device acquires information on first sensor distances obtained by measuring distances from a sensor to the respective holding parts of the first carrier device to specify a maximum value and a minimum value among the plurality of acquired first sensor distances, and also acquires information on second sensor distances obtained by measuring distances from a sensor to the respective holding parts of the second carrier device, and then calculates adjustment quantities for the holding parts based upon the maximum value among the first sensor distance and the minimum value among the first sensor distances, and the second sensor distances.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method, a computer program, and an information processing device for adjusting the position of a holding unit of a transport device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes an adjustment method for adjusting the holding positions of items between multiple conveying devices. In this adjustment method, first, a representative holding part is determined from multiple holding parts of a first conveying device, and while the holding parts are moving, the deviation of each holding part from the representative holding part is continuously measured using a non-contact distance sensor, and the position of each holding part is adjusted based on the deviation measured for each holding part. Next, a representative holding part is determined from multiple holding parts of a second conveying device, and the position of the representative holding part of the second conveying device is adjusted based on the deviation of each holding part from the representative holding part of the first conveying device, and while the holding parts of the second conveying device are moving, the deviation of each holding part from the representative holding part is continuously measured using a non-contact distance sensor, and the position of each holding part is adjusted based on the deviation measured for each holding part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-94070 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In beverage filling lines, etc., a conveying device conveys beverage containers by holding them with a holding part. If the holding position of the object by the holding part in the conveying device is not appropriate, the object being conveyed or the holding part of the conveying device itself may be damaged. To avoid this, it is necessary to periodically adjust the position of the holding part of the conveying device. The position adjustment work is performed manually by workers, etc., and the adjustment work takes a lot of time. Because it takes a lot of time, it may be difficult to adjust the positions of all of the multiple holding parts of the conveying device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing method, a computer program, and an information processing device that facilitate the position adjustment of a holding part of a conveying device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing method according to one embodiment is an information processing method for adjusting the position of a holding part in a conveying system that conveys items between a first conveying device having a plurality of holding parts that hold items and a second conveying device having a plurality of holding parts that hold the items, in which an information processing device acquires first sensor distance information measuring the distance from a sensor to each holding part for the first conveying device, identifies a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances, acquires second sensor distance information measuring the distance from a sensor to each holding part for the second conveying device, and calculates an adjustment amount for the holding parts based on the maximum value of the first sensor distance, the minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one embodiment, it is possible to easily adjust the position of the holding part of the transport device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a transport system handled by an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a transport system handled by an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a transport system handled by an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a transport system handled by an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 4 is a graph showing an example of a measurement result by a sensor 3. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams for explaining a distance reference value and a distance management range. [Figure 9] 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a common adjustment reference range. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a common minimum deviation range. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of an adjustment amount calculation process performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an adjustment information screen displayed by the information processing device; FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a graph display. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display of an adjustment amount. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Specific examples of the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0010] <Transportation system> 1 to 4 are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of a conveying system handled by the information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of the conveying system. FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the conveying system. The conveying system according to the present embodiment includes three conveying devices 101 to 103. Each of the conveying devices 101 to 103 is configured such that a plurality of holders are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of a disk-shaped rotating body, for example. Each of the conveying devices 101 to 103 holds a target object such as a beverage container in each holder, and can convey the target object held in the holder by rotating the rotating body by a motor (not shown) or the like.

[0011] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the conveying devices 101 and 103 with smaller diameters are each provided with eight holding units, and the conveying device 102 with larger diameter is provided with twelve holding units. The three conveying devices 101 to 103 are arranged in the order of conveying device 101, conveying device 102, and conveying device 103. In addition, in a plan view, the conveying devices 101 and 103 rotate counterclockwise, and the conveying device 102 rotates clockwise. The target object held by the holding unit 111 of the conveying device 101 is transferred from the holding unit 111 of the conveying device 101 to the holding unit 121 of the conveying device 102 at a point where the conveying devices 101 and 102 approach each other. Then, the target object held by the holding unit 121 of the conveying device 102 is transferred from the holding unit 121 of the conveying device 102 to the holding unit 131 of the conveying device 103 at a point where the conveying devices 102 and 103 approach each other. As a result, the target object is conveyed in the order of conveying device 101, conveying device 102, and conveying device 103.

[0012] The holding parts 111-131 provided in each of the transport devices 101-103 are provided at a fixed position (height) in the up-down direction (vertical direction, axial direction of the rotor). However, there may be variation in the position of each of the holding parts 111-131 as shown in FIG. 2. The positions of the holding parts 111-131 of each of the transport devices 101-103 are adjustable, and a user who uses the transport system periodically checks the positions of the holding parts 111-131 and adjusts the positions as necessary. Note that FIG. 2 shows an exaggerated variation in the positions of the multiple holding parts 111-113 for the purpose of explanation, and the actual variation is, for example, 1 millimeter or less.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged side view of the location where the conveying devices 101 and 102 are closest to each other, that is, the location surrounded by a dashed circle in FIG. 1 and the location surrounded by a dashed rectangle in FIG. 2. At this location, the holding unit 111 of the conveying device 101 and the holding unit 121 of the conveying device 102 partially overlap with each other at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. At this location, the holding unit 121 holds the target object held by the holding unit 111, and the holding unit 111 releases the target object, so that the target object is transferred from the conveying device 101 to the conveying device 102. In the conveying system, an appropriate value for the distance between the two holding units 111 and 121 at the position where the target object is transferred is determined, and the user adjusts the positions of the holding units 111 and 121 so that the two holding units 111 and 121 have this appropriate value. In FIG. 3, a beverage container is assumed as the target object, and the shape of the container is shown by a dashed line. However, the target object is not limited to a beverage container and may be any object.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows a photograph of an example of the holding unit 111 of the conveying device 101. The holding unit 111 of this example has two claws 111a and 111b for holding the target object. The two claws 111a and 111b have a curved shape, and the target object can be held by pinching it between the curved parts. The two claws 111a and 111b can be individually adjusted in the vertical position, and the user needs to check and adjust the position of each of the claws 111a and 111b. Note that the configuration of the holding unit 111 shown in FIG. 4 is an example and is not limited thereto, and the configuration of the holding unit 111 can be appropriately determined based on the shape of the target object to be conveyed, etc.

[0015] <Information Processing System> FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of the information processing system according to the present embodiment. In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, as described above, the information processing device 1 calculates the adjustment amount of the holding part of one of the two transport devices that transfer the target object, based on the position of the holding part of the other transport device, in order to adjust the position of the holding part of the other transport device. Hereinafter, of the two transport devices that transfer the target object, the one that serves as the reference is called the first transport device 201, and the other transport device that adjusts the position of the holding part is called the second transport device 202. Which of the two transport devices is the first transport device 201 and which is the second transport device 202 is determined by the configuration of the transport system, or is appropriately determined by the user who performs the adjustment.

[0016] In order for the information processing device 1 to calculate the adjustment amount for the position of the holding part, the information processing system according to this embodiment uses a sensor 3 that measures the distance to the target. The sensor 3 is a sensor that measures the distance to the target by emitting, for example, laser light, ultrasonic waves, or radio waves and detecting the reflected waves. In this example, the sensor 3 is disposed, for example, above the holding part of the transport device, and emits light or the like downward toward the holding part and detects the reflected waves. However, the sensor 3 may also be disposed below the holding part and emit light or the like upward toward the holding part and detect the reflected waves.

[0017] In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, this sensor 3 is used to measure the distance to a plurality of holding units 211 provided in the first conveying device 201 and the distance to a plurality of holding units 212 provided in the second conveying device 202. The same sensor 3 may be used to measure the holding units 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holding units 212 of the second conveying device 202, or different sensors 3 may be used. However, since the position of the sensor 3 in the vertical direction during measurement (i.e., the height of the sensor 3) becomes a reference position (i.e., a position where the distance is 0) in the subsequent calculations, it is desirable to use the same position when measuring the holding units 211 and when measuring the holding units 212, or, if there is a difference, to measure the difference and correct the measurement results.

[0018] In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, for example, after a sensor 3 is installed at a predetermined position, the sensor 3 continuously measures the distance while rotating the rotor of the transport device, thereby continuously measuring the distance to a plurality of holders of the transport device. When one sensor 3 is used to measure the first transport device 201 and the second transport device 202, for example, the sensor 3 is first installed for the first transport device 201 and performs measurement, and then the sensor 3 is installed for the second transport device 202 and performs measurement. When two sensors 3 are used to perform measurement, for example, both the first transport device 201 and the second transport device 202 can be measured simultaneously. Information on the distance measured by the sensor 3 is provided to the information processing device 1.

[0019] When the rotating body of the transport device is rotated to continuously measure the distance, the measurement result of the sensor 3 becomes time series data of the measured distance. Based on the time series data of the measurement result obtained from the sensor 3, the information processing device 1 specifies (or calculates, etc.) the distance from the sensor 3 to each of the multiple holding parts provided in the transport device. Based on the measurement result of the sensor 3 for the first transport device 201, the information processing device 1 specifies the distance from the sensor 3 for each holding part 211 of the first transport device 201. Also, based on the measurement result of the sensor 3 for the second transport device 202, the information processing device 1 specifies the distance from the sensor 3 for each holding part 212 of the second transport device 202. Hereinafter, the distance measured by the sensor 3 for each holding part 211 of the first transport device 201 is referred to as the first sensor distance, and the distance measured by the sensor 3 for each holding part 212 of the second transport device 202 is referred to as the second sensor distance.

[0020] The information processing device 1 performs a process of calculating an adjustment amount for the vertical position of each of the holding parts 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the first sensor distance for each of the holding parts 211 of the first conveying device 201 obtained based on the measurement result of the sensor 3 and the second sensor distance for each of the holding parts 212 of the second conveying device 202. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The information processing device 1 according to this embodiment is configured to include a processing unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit (transceiver) 13, a display unit 14, and an operation unit 15. Note that in this embodiment, the description will be given assuming that processing is performed by one information processing device 1, but multiple information processing devices may perform processing in a distributed manner. The information processing device 1 may be various general-purpose devices such as a personal computer, a server computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal device, and may also be, for example, a computer that controls the conveying device or the conveying device itself.

[0021] The processing unit 11 is configured using an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a quantum processor, and a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The processing unit 11 reads out and executes a program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, thereby performing various processes such as a process of calculating an adjustment amount for the position of the holding unit of the transport device based on the measurement result obtained from the sensor 3, and a process of displaying the calculation result.

[0022] The storage unit 12 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk. The storage unit 12 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 11 and various data necessary for the processing of the processing unit 11. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 stores the program 12a executed by the processing unit 11. In this embodiment, the program (computer program, program product) 12a is provided in a form recorded on a recording medium 99 such as a memory card or an optical disk, and the information processing device 1 reads the program 12a from the recording medium 99 and stores it in the storage unit 12. However, the program 12a may be written in the storage unit 12, for example, during the manufacturing stage of the information processing device 1. Also, for example, the program 12a may be distributed by another remote server device or the like, and the information processing device 1 may acquire the program 12a through communication. For example, the program 12a may be read from the recording medium 99 by a writing device and written into the storage unit 12 of the information processing device 1. The program 12a may be provided in a form of distribution via a network, or may be provided in a form of being recorded on the recording medium 99.

[0023] The communication unit 13 is connected to a communication cable of an appropriate communication standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or Ethernet, and transmits and receives data to and from other devices via the communication cable. In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 is connected to the sensor 3 via a communication cable, receives information on the distance measured by the sensor 3, and provides it to the processing unit 11. The communication unit 13 may be configured to perform wireless communication with the sensor 3 based on a communication standard such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network). In this embodiment, the sensor 3 is a device separate from the transport device and the information processing device 1, but this is not limited to this, and the sensor 3 may be mounted on the transport device or the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 may obtain the measurement results of the sensor 3 via a recording medium such as a memory card, rather than through communication, or may obtain the measurement results manually input by a user or the like.

[0024] The display unit 14 is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays various images, characters, and the like based on the processing of the processing unit 11. In the present embodiment, the display unit 14 displays information such as the position of each holding unit of the transport device, whether adjustment is required, and the amount of adjustment. The operation unit 15 accepts user operations and notifies the processing unit 11 of the accepted operations. For example, the operation unit 15 may be input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and these input devices may be configured to be removable from the information processing device 1. Furthermore, for example, the operation unit 15 may accept user operations via an input device such as a mechanical button or a touch panel provided on the surface of the display unit 14.

[0025] The storage unit 12 may be an external storage device connected to the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 may be a multi-computer including a plurality of computers, or may be a virtual machine virtually constructed by software. The information processing device 1 is not limited to the above configuration, and may not include, for example, the display unit 14 and the operation unit 15.

[0026] In the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 11 reads out and executes the program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, whereby a distance information acquisition unit 11a, a maximum / minimum determination unit 11b, a condition information acquisition unit 11c, an adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d, an adjustment amount calculation unit 11e, a display processing unit 11f, and the like are realized as software functional units in the processing unit 11. Note that in this drawing, functional units related to the process of calculating the adjustment amount of the position of the holding unit of the transport device are shown as the functional units of the processing unit 11, and functional units related to other processes are not shown.

[0027] The distance information acquisition unit 11a performs a process of acquiring information on the measurement results of the distance to the holding unit by the sensor 3 by communicating with the sensor 3 through the communication unit 13. In this embodiment, the rotating body of the transport device is rotated to continuously perform measurements on the multiple holding units, so that the information on the measurement results acquired from the sensor 3 is time series data of multiple sensor values. Based on the time series data acquired as the measurement results from the sensor 3, the distance information acquisition unit 11a identifies which of the data included in the time series data is the distance from the sensor 3 to each holding unit provided in the transport device. As a result, the distance information acquisition unit 11a acquires the first sensor distance for each holding unit 211 based on the time series data of the measurement results for the first transport device 201, and acquires the second sensor distance for each holding unit 212 based on the time series data of the measurement results for the second transport device 202.

[0028] The maximum / minimum specifying unit 11b performs a process of specifying the maximum and minimum values ​​from among a plurality of first sensor distances obtained from the sensor 3 for the reference first conveyance device 201. When the first conveyance device 201 is equipped with N holding units 211, the distance information acquiring unit 11a obtains N first sensor distances, and the maximum / minimum specifying unit 11b compares these N first sensor distances to specify the maximum and minimum values ​​from among them.

[0029] The condition information acquisition unit 11c performs a process of acquiring information regarding conditions to be satisfied when calculating an adjustment amount for each holder 212 of the second conveyance device 202. In this embodiment, the information acquired by the condition information acquisition unit 11c includes two conditions: a distance reference value of the holder 212 of the second conveyance device 202 relative to the holder 211 of the first conveyance device 201, and a distance management width allowed for this distance reference value. The condition information acquisition unit 11c may acquire the condition information by, for example, accepting an input of the condition from a user, or may acquire the condition information by, for example, reading a setting file in which the condition is described in advance, or may acquire the condition information by a method other than these.

[0030] Based on the condition information of the distance reference value and the distance management range acquired by the condition information acquisition unit 11c, the adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d performs a process of calculating an adjustment reference range that is a target range for position adjustment of each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202. In addition, based on the calculated adjustment reference range and the maximum and minimum values ​​of the first sensor distance identified by the maximum / minimum identification unit 11b, the adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d performs a process of calculating a range (common adjustment reference range) that is common to the adjustment reference range for the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the adjustment reference range for the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance.

[0031] In addition, there may be cases where a common adjustment reference range does not exist depending on the maximum and minimum values ​​of the first sensor distance and the distance reference value and distance management range included in the condition information. In this case, adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d calculates a common minimum deviation range in the range in which the first sensor distance deviates from the adjustment reference range for storage unit 211 of the maximum value and the adjustment reference range for storage unit 211 of the minimum value.

[0032] The definitions and calculation methods of the above-mentioned distance reference value, distance management range, adjustment reference range, common adjustment reference range, and common minimum deviation range will be described in detail later.

[0033] The adjustment amount calculation unit 11e performs a process of calculating an adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 based on the second sensor distance of each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 acquired by the distance information acquisition unit 11a and the common adjustment standard range or the common minimum deviation range calculated by the adjustment standard range calculation unit 11d. The adjustment amount calculation unit 11e can calculate the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 by setting the center position of the common adjustment standard range or the common minimum deviation range as a target position for adjustment and calculating the distance by which the holding unit 212 is moved from the current position to this target position.

[0034] The display processing unit 11f performs processing to display various characters and images on the display unit 14. In the present embodiment, the display processing unit 11f displays a graph showing the vertical positions of the holder 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 before adjustment, for example, based on the first sensor distance and the second sensor distance acquired by the distance information acquisition unit 11a. Also, for example, the display processing unit 11f displays the adjustment amount of each holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 calculated by the adjustment amount calculation unit 11e in a table format or a graph format. The display processing unit 11f may also display various other information on the display unit 14.

[0035] <Sensor distance acquisition process> In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, in order to grasp the vertical positions of the multiple holding parts provided in the transport device, the sensor 3 is used to measure the distance. The user installs the sensor 3 at an appropriate position above or below a rotating body provided with multiple holding parts. The sensor 3 measures the distance by detecting, for example, emitted light or the like and reflected light, and it is preferable for the user to appropriately set the arrangement of the sensor 3 so that the emitted light or the like from the sensor 3 is irradiated onto one of the holding parts of the transport device. After that, the user operates the transport device to rotate the rotating body provided with the multiple holding parts, and transmits the output value of the sensor 3 obtained during, for example, one rotation of the rotating body as a measurement result to the information processing device 1.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of the measurement result by the sensor 3. The sensor 3 repeatedly measures the distance at a period shorter than the rotation period of the rotating body of the transport device. Therefore, the measurement result obtained by the sensor 3 is time series data in which a large number of measurement values ​​are arranged in time series. In addition, a plurality of holding parts are arranged at a predetermined interval on the rotating body of the transport device, and by rotating the rotating body, the sensor 3 repeatedly measures the distance at the point where the holding part exists and at the point where the holding part does not exist. As shown in FIG. 7, the graph of the measurement result of the sensor 3 has a shape in which concave parts and convex parts are repeated alternately. When the measured transport device has N holding parts, the time series data obtained by rotating the rotating body once and measuring the distance by the sensor 3 includes N repetitions of concaves and convexes. When the convex parts are values ​​indicating the distance of the holding parts, the information processing device 1 can calculate statistics such as the average value, median value, maximum value, or minimum value for the plurality of measurement values ​​included in one convex part, and use the calculated statistics as the result of the distance measurement for the corresponding holding part.

[0037] The information processing device 1 can acquire a plurality of first sensor distances for the holding unit 211 from time series data of the measurement results by the sensor 3 for the first conveyance device 201, and can acquire a plurality of second sensor distances for the holding unit 212 from time series data of the measurement results by the sensor 3 for the second conveyance device 202. The number of acquired first sensor distances and the number of acquired second sensor distances may be different.

[0038] It is preferable that the multiple holding units of the transport device are configured to be distinguishable by the user, for example, by assigning identification numbers in sequence starting from 1. For example, the user can easily determine which holding unit the multiple sensor distances obtained by measurement correspond to by measuring the distances using the sensor 3 in sequence starting from the first holding unit. The sensor 3 simply repeats distance measurements and does not determine which holding unit the measurement is being performed on, so the information processing device 1 cannot distinguish which holding unit the multiple sensor distances obtained from the time-series data of the measurement results of the sensor 3 belong to. For example, the sensor distances may be associated with the sensor distance of the first holding unit, the sensor distance of the second holding unit, ... in the order of their storage in the time-series data. For example, the information processing device 1 may display multiple sensor values ​​on the display unit 14 as measurement results, and accept settings from the user regarding which holding unit each sensor value corresponds to.

[0039] <Adjustment amount calculation process> The information processing device 1, which has acquired the first sensor distance for the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the second sensor distance for the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202, starts a process of calculating an adjustment amount for each holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 to be adjusted. For this purpose, the information processing device 1 first accepts input of information that is a condition for calculating the adjustment amount from a user. In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, the information processing device 1 displays an appropriate input screen or the like to accept input of two pieces of condition information from a user, the two pieces of condition information being a distance reference value of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 relative to the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and a distance control width allowed for this distance reference value.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the distance reference value and the distance control range. FIG. 8 shows the vertical positional relationship between the sensor 3, the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201, and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202. In this figure and the following description, it is assumed that the sensor 3 measures the distance from above the holding units 211 and 212, and that the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is disposed below the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201. However, the positional relationship is not limited to these, and for example, the sensor 3 may measure the distance from below, or the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 may be disposed above the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201.

[0041] As shown in the figure, the first sensor distance is the distance from the sensor 3 to the upper surface of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201. Similarly, the second sensor distance is the distance from the sensor 3 to the upper surface of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202. In this embodiment, the first sensor distance and the second sensor distance are also information indicating the positions of the holding units 211 and 212 with the position of the sensor 3 as the origin, so it is preferable that the position (height) of the sensor 3 when measuring the first sensor distance is the same as the position of the sensor 3 when measuring the second sensor distance, or, if the two positions are different, the difference is measured and either the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance is corrected to a value that aligns the origin.

[0042] In this embodiment, the distance reference value that is input by the user is an optimal value (target value) of the distance between the lower surface of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the upper surface of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202. In FIG. 8, the distance reference value is indicated by a dashed arrow A, and in this example, the holding units 211 and 212 are farther apart than the distance reference value A. The distance control range is an allowable range for the above-mentioned distance reference value, and is indicated by a dashed arrow B in FIG. 8. That is, the target of the adjustment of the holding unit 212 in this embodiment is to adjust the position of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 so that the distance between the lower surface of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the upper surface of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 falls within a range from (distance reference value A-distance control range B) to (distance reference value A+distance control range B).

[0043] In this example, the condition information received from the user includes the thickness P of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 in addition to the above-mentioned distance reference value A and distance control range B. (First sensor distance + thickness P) is the position of the bottom surface of the holding unit 211. However, if the distance reference value A is defined as the distance between the top surface of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the top surface of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202, the condition of thickness P is not necessary.

[0044] In this embodiment, the range from (distance reference value A-distance control width B) to (distance reference value A+distance control width B) is called the adjustment reference range. The range outside this adjustment reference range is called the deviation range. That is, the deviation range corresponds to the range in which the distance between the lower surface of the holding part 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the upper surface of the holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 is from 0 to (distance reference value A-distance control width B) and the range in which it is greater than (distance reference value A+distance control width B). These adjustment reference ranges and deviation ranges are uniquely determined for each holding part 211 according to the distance reference value A, distance control width B, and thickness P obtained as condition information.

[0045] The information processing device 1 identifies the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance, and performs a process of calculating a common adjustment standard range or a common minimum deviation range based on the adjustment standard range and deviation range determined for each of the two holding units 211. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining the common adjustment standard range. The information processing device 1 according to the present embodiment identifies the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance based on a plurality of first sensor distances obtained by measurement by the sensor 3 for a plurality of holding units 211 of the first conveying device 201. The left side of FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the adjustment standard range and the deviation range, etc., for the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance. The right side of FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the adjustment standard range and the deviation range, etc., for the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance.

[0046] The holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202, which transfers the object to be conveyed between the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the second conveying device 202, is desirably located within the adjustment reference range of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201. In the information processing system according to this embodiment, the position of the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 is not adjusted, but the position of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is adjusted. For this reason, the position of each holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 needs to be adjusted so as to fall within the adjustment reference range of all holding units 211 of the first conveying device 201. That is, each holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 needs to fall within the common area of ​​the adjustment reference range of the holding unit 211 located at the top of the first conveying device 201 (with the smallest first sensor distance) and the adjustment reference range of the holding unit 211 located at the bottom (with the largest first sensor distance). In this embodiment, this common portion is called a common adjustment reference range, and in FIG. 9, the common adjustment reference range is indicated by a bold rectangular frame.

[0047] In the example shown in Figure 9, the common adjustment reference range is the range from (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control range B) to (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control range B), with the position of sensor 3 as the origin.

[0048] However, if there is a large variation in the arrangement of the multiple holding parts 211 of the first conveying device 201, there is a possibility that a common adjustment reference range does not exist. This corresponds to the case where (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control width B) > (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control width B). In such a case, the information processing device 1 calculates a common minimum deviation range instead of the common adjustment reference range.

[0049] 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a common minimum deviation range. In the absence of a common adjustment reference range, even if the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 is adjusted, there is a possibility that the transfer of the object to be conveyed between the holder 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 will not be performed correctly. However, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, in order to minimize adverse effects on the conveyance, a common minimum deviation range for the holder 211 of the first conveying device 201 is calculated, and this common minimum deviation range is set as a target range for adjustment.

[0050] The common minimum deviation range is the narrowest (smallest) of the deviation ranges (common deviation ranges) common to the deviation range of the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance of the first conveying device 201 and the deviation range of the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance. The common deviation ranges between the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance are three ranges: a range above (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control width B), a range from (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control width B) to (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control width B), and a range below (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control width B). Among these, the smallest range is from (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control range B) to (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control range B), and this range is the common minimum deviation range. In other words, the common minimum deviation range is the range from the lower end of the adjustment reference range of the holder 211 with the smallest first sensor distance to the upper end of the adjustment reference range of the holder 211 with the largest first sensor distance. In Fig. 10, the common minimum deviation range is indicated by a bold rectangular frame.

[0051] The information processing device 1, which has calculated the common adjustment standard range, performs a process of calculating an adjustment amount for each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the calculated common adjustment standard range and the second sensor distance for each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202. The information processing device 1 calculates the adjustment amount for each holding part 212 by calculating the difference between the current position (second sensor distance) of each holding part 212 and, for example, the center position of the common adjustment standard range as a target position.

[0052] For example, when the common adjustment reference range is from (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A - distance control range B) to (minimum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A + distance control range B), the center position of the common adjustment reference range, which is the target position for adjustment, is (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A). The information processing device 1 can calculate the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 by performing an operation of (maximum first sensor distance + thickness P + distance reference value A) - (second sensor distance). In this example, when the sign of the adjustment amount is positive, it indicates that the holding unit 212 is to be moved downward, and when the sign of the adjustment amount is negative, it indicates that the holding unit 212 is to be moved upward.

[0053] Furthermore, when there is no common adjustment standard range, the information processing device 1 performs a process of calculating an adjustment amount for each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the calculated common minimum deviation range and the second sensor distance for each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202. Similar to the calculation of the adjustment amount based on the common adjustment standard range, the information processing device 1 can calculate the adjustment amount for each holding part 212 by calculating the difference between the current position (second sensor distance) of each holding part 212 and, for example, the center position of the common minimum deviation range as a target position.

[0054] The information processing device 1 displays the adjustment amount calculated for each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 on the display unit 14, and notifies the user of the adjustment amount. Note that the information processing device 1 may notify the user that, for example, a holding unit 212 already located within the common adjustment reference range is not subject to adjustment or that the adjustment amount is 0, or may calculate an adjustment amount to encourage adjustment to the center position of the common adjustment reference range and notify the user of the adjustment amount.

[0055] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the adjustment amount calculation process performed by the information processing device 1 according to the present embodiment. The distance information acquisition unit 11a of the processing unit 11 of the information processing device 1 according to the present embodiment acquires the first sensor distance from the sensor 3 to each of the holding units 211 by, for example, performing appropriate data extraction and calculation of statistical values ​​based on time series data of the distance measurement results by the sensor 3 for the multiple holding units 211 included in the first conveying device 201 (step S1). Similarly, the distance information acquisition unit 11a acquires the second sensor distance from the sensor 3 to each of the holding units 212 based on time series data of the distance measurement results by the sensor 3 for the multiple holding units 212 included in the second conveying device 202 (step S2).

[0056] The condition information acquiring unit 11c of the processing unit 11 acquires condition information related to the adjustment amount calculation, for example, by displaying an appropriate input screen on the display unit 14 and accepting information input by the user (step S3). Note that the condition information acquired in this embodiment includes information such as the distance reference value A, the distance control width B, and the thickness P of the holding unit 211. The maximum / minimum identifying unit 11b of the processing unit 11 identifies the maximum and minimum values ​​from the multiple first sensor distances related to the holding unit 211 of the first conveyance device 201 acquired in step S1 (step S4).

[0057] Next, adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d of processing unit 11 calculates an adjustment reference range for storage unit 211 of minimum first sensor distance specified in step S4 based on the condition information acquired in step S3 (step S5). Similarly, adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d calculates an adjustment reference range for storage unit 211 of maximum first sensor distance specified in step S4 based on the condition information acquired in step S3 (step S6). Adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d determines the presence or absence of a common adjustment reference range by checking whether or not there is an overlapping range between the adjustment reference range for the minimum first sensor distance calculated in step S5 and the adjustment reference range for the maximum first sensor distance calculated in step S6 (step S7).

[0058] If a common adjustment reference range exists (S7: YES), the adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d calculates a common adjustment reference range between the adjustment reference range for the minimum first sensor distance and the adjustment reference range for the maximum first sensor distance (step S8), and proceeds to step S10. If a common adjustment reference range does not exist (S7: NO), the adjustment reference range calculation unit 11d calculates a common minimum deviation range between the deviation range for the minimum first sensor distance and the deviation range for the maximum first sensor distance (step S9), and proceeds to step S10.

[0059] The adjustment amount calculation unit 11e of the processing unit 11 determines the target position of the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the common adjustment reference range calculated in step S8 or the common minimum deviation range calculated in step S9 (step S10). At this time, the adjustment amount calculation unit 11e can determine, for example, the center position of the common adjustment reference range or the common minimum deviation range as the target position for adjustment of the holding unit 212. The adjustment amount calculation unit 11e calculates the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 based on the second sensor distance of each holding unit 212 acquired in step S2 and the target position determined in step S10 (step S11). The display processing unit 11f of the processing unit 11 displays the calculation result of the adjustment amount of the holding unit 212 in step S11 on the display unit 14 in an appropriate display mode (step S12), and ends the process.

[0060] <Display processing> 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an adjustment information screen displayed by the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 according to this embodiment displays various information including the adjustment amounts of each holding unit 212 calculated by the above-mentioned adjustment amount calculation process together on the illustrated adjustment information screen 300. The adjustment information screen 300 of this example is provided with a measurement information display area 301, a setting information display area 302, a graph creation button 303, a graph deletion button 304, an adjustment amount calculation button 305, a graph display area 306, an adjustment amount display area 307, and the like.

[0061] For example, in the wide upper area of ​​the adjustment information screen 300, a measurement information display area 301 is provided on the left side, and a setting information display area 302 is provided on the right side. In the narrow area in the vertical center of the adjustment information screen 300, a graph creation button 303 and a graph deletion button 304 are provided side by side near the left edge, and an adjustment amount calculation button 305 is provided near the right edge. In the wide lower area of ​​the adjustment information screen 300, a graph display area 306 and an adjustment amount display area 307 are provided side by side.

[0062] The measurement information display area 301 is an area for displaying various information related to the conveying device to be adjusted. In this example, the measurement information display area 301 displays the type of information and its contents in a list format of "information type: information contents". For example, the illustrated measurement information display area 301 displays information such as "Factory name: AA factory", "Line name: BB line", "Measurement name: CC wheel variation", "Measurement date and time: 2023 / 8 / 31 13:57", and "Measurement period: 1 ms" as the measurement information. For example, the illustrated measurement information display area 301 displays information such as "Part name: Wheel A", "Start No.: 1", "Measurement number: N", and "Rotation direction: Clockwise" as the information related to the first conveying device 201. For example, the illustrated measurement information display area 301 displays information such as "Part name: Wheel B", "Start No.: 1", "Measurement number: M", and "Rotation direction: Clockwise" as the information related to the second conveying device 202. These pieces of information are, for example, input in advance by a user, or automatically acquired or generated by the information processing device 1.

[0063] The setting information display area 302 is an area for displaying information such as conditions set by the user regarding calculation of the adjustment amount of the holding unit 212 and conditions set by the user regarding display of information. For example, the setting information display area 302 displays a list of setting item names such as "data cleansing setting", "selection of calculation method of gripper position", "selection of type of graph display", "selection of fixed side device", "distance reference value", "distance management width", and "holding unit thickness" as setting information. The user can display a setting screen (not shown) related to the selected setting item by performing a selection operation such as a click operation or a tap operation on these setting items, and input conditions. The information processing device 1 may display information on a setting item for which a condition is set by the user, for example, in the form of "setting item name: setting value".

[0064] The graph creation button 303 is a graphic element for receiving an instruction to create a graph from a user by receiving an operation such as a click operation or a tap operation by the user. For example, when the information processing device 1 receives an operation on the graph creation button 303 after the measurement by the sensor 3 of the first conveying device 201 or the second conveying device 202 is completed and information on the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance is acquired, the information processing device 1 creates a graph of the acquired first sensor distance or the second sensor distance and displays it in the graph display area 306.

[0065] The graph deletion button 304 is a graphic element for receiving an instruction to delete a graph from a user by receiving an operation such as a click operation or a tap operation by the user. For example, when the information processing device 1 receives an operation on the graph deletion button 304 while a graph is displayed in the graph display area 306, the information processing device 1 deletes the data of the created graph and erases (hides) the graph displayed in the graph display area 306.

[0066] The adjustment amount calculation button 305 is a graphic element for receiving an instruction to calculate an adjustment amount for each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 by receiving an operation such as a click operation or a tap operation by a user. For example, when the information processing device 1 receives an operation on the adjustment amount calculation button 305 after acquiring information on the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance and acquiring condition information related to the adjustment amount calculation, it calculates the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 based on the acquired first sensor distance, second sensor distance and condition information, and displays information on the calculation result in the adjustment amount display area 307.

[0067] The graph display area 306 is an area for displaying a graph showing the positions of the respective holders 211, 212, etc., created based on the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a graph display. The graph in this example is a scatter diagram of the positions of the respective holders 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the positions of the holders 212 of the second conveying device 202, with the horizontal axis being the serial numbers given to the holders 211, 212, and the vertical axis being the positions of the holders 211, 212 in the up-down direction. The position of the vertical axis of the graph is a relative position based on the position of the first holder 211 of the first conveying device 201. In this example, a scatter diagram is displayed in the graph display area 306, but the type of graph is not limited to a scatter diagram, and various graphs such as a line graph or a bar graph can be adopted. In this example, the type of graph can be appropriately set by the user as setting information.

[0068] The adjustment amount display area 307 is an area for displaying information related to the adjustment amount of each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 calculated by the information processing device 1. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of displaying the adjustment amount. The information processing device 1 according to this embodiment displays the calculated adjustment amount of each holding part 212 in table form in the adjustment amount display area 307. In this example, the information processing device 1 displays a table in the adjustment amount display area 307 that associates "gripper No. (identification number of the holding part 212)" with "adjustment distance (adjustment amount)."

[0069] The user performing the adjustment work adjusts the position of each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the adjustment amount of each holding part 212 displayed on the display unit 14 of the information processing device 1. In addition, the user can also remeasure the holding parts 212 of the second conveying device 202 using the sensor 3 after the adjustment work, for example, to determine whether the adjustment work was successful.

[0070] <Modification> In this example, the target article is transferred in a vertical relationship in which the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 is on the upper side and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is on the lower side, but this is not limited to this. The target article may be transferred in a vertical relationship in which the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 is on the lower side and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is on the upper side. Although a detailed explanation of this configuration will be omitted, a similar adjustment amount calculation process can be performed by appropriately adjusting the signs of the arithmetic formula exemplified in the above explanation.

[0071] The information processing device 1 stores in advance in the storage unit 12 an arithmetic expression for calculating an adjustment amount when the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 is on the upper side and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is on the lower side in a vertical relationship, and an arithmetic expression for calculating an adjustment amount when the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 is on the lower side and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 is on the upper side in a vertical relationship, and can switch and use the arithmetic expression according to the configuration of the conveying system. The information processing device 1 can acquire, for example, a setting as condition information as to which of two measurement results acquired from the sensor 3 is the first conveying device 201 (a conveying device serving as a reference) and which is the second conveying device 202 (a conveying device that adjusts the holding unit), and select the arithmetic expression according to the acquired setting.

[0072] In this example, the sensor 3 is disposed above the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 to measure the distance, but this is not limited to the above. The sensor 3 may be disposed below the holding unit 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 to measure the distance. Although a detailed description of this case will be omitted, a similar adjustment amount calculation process can be performed by appropriately adjusting the signs of the arithmetic expressions exemplified in the above description.

[0073] <Summary> The information processing system according to the present embodiment configured as above provides a user with information for adjusting the position of each holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 in a conveying system that transfers a target object between a first conveying device 201 having a plurality of holders 211 for holding a target object and a second conveying device 202 having a plurality of holders 212 for holding the same target object. The information processing device 1 acquires information on the first sensor distance that measures the distance from the sensor 3 to each holder 211 for the first conveying device 201, identifies the maximum value and the minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances, acquires information on the second sensor distance that measures the distance from the sensor 3 to each holder 212 for the second conveying device 202, and calculates an adjustment amount for the position of each holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the acquired maximum value of the first sensor distance, the minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance. As a result, the information processing system according to the present embodiment can provide a user with information on the calculated adjustment amount of each holder 212, and can facilitate the user's adjustment of the position of each holder 212 of the second conveying device 202.

[0074] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 acquires condition information on the distance reference value A of the holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 relative to the holding part 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the distance control range B allowed for this distance reference value A, and calculates an adjustment amount for the position of each holding part 212 of the second conveying device 202 based on the acquired distance reference value A, distance control range B, maximum value of the first sensor distance, minimum value of the first sensor distance, and second sensor distance. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can calculate an adjustment amount taking into account condition information by a user or the like, and is expected to calculate the adjustment amount with greater accuracy.

[0075] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 calculates adjustment reference ranges for the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance based on the distance reference value A and the distance control range B, calculates a common adjustment reference range for the two calculated adjustment reference ranges, and calculates the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 so that the position of each holding unit 212 of the second conveyance device 202 falls within the common adjustment reference range. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to calculate adjustment amounts with higher accuracy, taking into account variations in the multiple holding units 211 of the first conveyance device 201.

[0076] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, when there is no common adjustment reference range, the information processing device 1 calculates a common minimum deviation range between the deviation range for the holding unit 211 with the maximum first sensor distance and the deviation range for the holding unit 211 with the minimum first sensor distance, and calculates an adjustment amount so that the holding unit 212 of the second conveying device 202 falls within the common minimum deviation range. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can calculate an adjustment amount to reduce variation in the multiple holding units 212 of the second conveying device as much as possible, even when there is no common adjustment reference range and adjustment that satisfies the conditions cannot be made.

[0077] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, when the holder 211 of the first conveying device 201 and / or the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 are configured to hold the object to be conveyed with two claws 111a and 111b, the information processing device 1 calculates the adjustment amount for each of the claws 111a and 111b of the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202. At this time, the information processing device 1 may perform the above-mentioned adjustment amount calculation process by regarding the two claws 111a and 111b of each holder 212 individually as one holder. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to adjust the position of the holder 212 having the two claws 111a and 111b with higher accuracy.

[0078] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 acquires condition information related to the hierarchical relationship between the holding unit 211 of the first transfer device 201 and the holding unit 212 of the second transfer device 202, and calculates the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212 of the second transfer device 202, for example by appropriately selecting an arithmetic expression based on the acquired condition information. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can be expected to appropriately calculate the adjustment amount regardless of the hierarchical relationship between the holding unit 211 of the first transfer device 201 and the holding unit 211 of the second transfer device 202.

[0079] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to the present embodiment, the information processing device 1 displays, for example, a graph showing the positions of the holders 211, 212 based on the first sensor distance and the second sensor distance, or information on the calculated adjustment amount of each holder 212 of the second conveyance device 202 on the display unit 14. As a result, the information processing system according to the present embodiment can be expected to provide the user with various information useful for adjusting the position of each holder 212 of the second conveyance device 202.

[0080] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the sensor 3 repeatedly measures the distance to each of the holders 211, 212 by measuring the target, and the information processing device 1 calculates a statistical value such as an average or median of the multiple measurement results to determine the first sensor distance and the second sensor distance. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to accurately grasp the positions of the holder 211 of the first conveyance device 201 and the holder 212 of the second conveyance device 202, and accurately calculate the adjustment amount of each holder 212.

[0081] <Embodiment 2> Depending on the number of holders 211, 212 included in each of the first conveying device 201 and the second conveying device 202 that transfer the target object to be conveyed, the target object may be transferred only in a specific combination. The information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment can calculate the adjustment amount of each holder 212 of the second conveying device 202, taking into consideration the combination of the holders 211, 212 that transfer the target object.

[0082] For example, if the first conveying device 201 has eight holding units 211 and the second conveying device 202 has twelve holding units 212, the greatest common denominator of both numbers is four, so there are four combinations in which there are 8 / 4=2 holding units 211 and 12 / 4=3 holding units 212. If the eight holding units 211 of the first conveying device 201 are A1 to A8 and the twelve holding units 212 of the second conveying device 202 are B1 to B12, and A1 and B1 are responsible for delivering the target item, there are the following four combinations for delivering the target item.

[0083] A1, A5 and B1, B5, B9 A2, A6 and B2, B6, B10 A3, A6 and B3, B7, B11 A4, A7 and b4, b8, b12

[0084] In the information processing system according to the second embodiment, for example, a user creates settings related to the above combinations in advance as a combination list, and provides information on the combination list to the information processing device 1. Based on the provided combination list, the information processing device 1 performs the following processes for each combination: identifying the maximum and minimum values ​​of the first sensor distance, calculating the common adjustment standard range or the common minimum deviation range, and calculating the adjustment amount of each holding unit 212.

[0085] In the information processing system according to the second embodiment configured as above, the information processing device 1 acquires information on the combination of the holder 211 of the first conveying device 201 and the holder 212 of the second conveying device 202 that transfer the target article as, for example, condition information, and calculates the adjustment amount for each combination based on the acquired information. As a result, the information processing system according to the second embodiment is expected to calculate an adjustment amount that is more suitable for practical use, since the condition constraints for calculating the adjustment amount are relaxed.

[0086] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims.

[0087] <Additional Notes> (Appendix 1) 1. An information processing method for adjusting a position of a holding unit in a conveyance system that conveys an object between a first conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold an object and a second conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold the object, comprising: An information processing device, acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; Information processing methods. (Appendix 2) acquiring a distance reference value of the holding part of the second transport device relative to the holding part of the first transport device; obtaining a distance control range permitted for the distance reference value; calculating an adjustment amount for the holding unit based on the distance reference value, the distance management width, the maximum value of the first sensor distance, the minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; 2. An information processing method as described in Appendix 1. (Appendix 3) calculating an adjustment reference range for a maximum value holding portion and a minimum value holding portion of the first sensor distance based on the distance reference value and the distance management range; calculating a common adjustment reference range including an adjustment reference range for a portion where the first sensor distance is a maximum value and an adjustment reference range for a portion where the first sensor distance is a minimum value; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit of the second conveying device based on the second sensor distance so that the holding unit of the second conveying device is within the common adjustment reference range; 2. An information processing method as described in Appendix 2. (Appendix 4) When the common adjustment reference range does not exist, a common minimum deviation range is calculated between a deviation range for a holding part where the first sensor distance is a maximum value and a deviation range for a holding part where the first sensor distance is a minimum value; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit of the second conveying device so that the holding unit is within the common minimum deviation range; 5. An information processing method as described in Appendix 3. (Appendix 5) The holding portion holds the article with two claw portions, Calculating an adjustment amount for each claw portion of the holding portion. 5. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4. (Appendix 6) Acquire information regarding a vertical relationship between a holding unit of the first transport device and a holding unit of the second transport device; Calculating an adjustment amount based on the acquired information. 6. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. (Appendix 7) acquiring information regarding a combination of a holding unit of the first transport device and a holding unit of the second transport device that delivers and receives the article; calculating the common adjustment reference range and the adjustment amount for each combination; 5. An information processing method as described in Appendix 3. (Appendix 8) a graph showing a first sensor distance measured for the holding part of the first conveying device and a second sensor distance measured for the holding part of the second conveying device, or information on the calculated adjustment amount of the holding part of the second conveying device is displayed on a display unit. 8. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. (Appendix 9) The sensor measures the distance to each of the retaining portions multiple times; A statistical value of a plurality of measurement results is treated as the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance. 10. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8. (Appendix 10) A computer program that causes a computer to perform information processing for adjusting positions of holding units in a conveyance system that conveys an item between a first conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold an item and a second conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold the item, the computer program comprising: The computer includes: acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; Calculating an adjustment amount for the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance. A computer program that causes processing to be performed. (Appendix 11) An information processing device including a processing unit that performs information processing for adjusting a position of a holding unit in a conveying system that conveys an item between a first conveying device having a plurality of holding units that hold an item and a second conveying device having a plurality of holding units that hold the item, The processing unit, acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; Information processing device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1. Information processing device 3 Sensors 11 Processing section 11a Distance information acquisition section 11b Maximum and minimum specific part 11c Condition information acquisition part 11d Adjustment reference range calculation unit 11e Adjustment amount calculation section 11f Display processing section 12 Storage section 12a Program 13. Communications Department 14 Display section 15 Control section 99 Recording media 101, 102, 103 Conveyor device 111,121,131 Holding part 111a,111b Claw part 201 First conveying device 202 Second conveying device 211 Holding part 212 Holding part 300 Adjustment information screen 301 Measurement information display area 302 Setting information display area 303 Graph creation button 304 Graph delete button 305 Adjustment amount calculation button 306 Graph display area 307 Adjustment amount display area

Claims

1. 1. An information processing method for adjusting a position of a holding unit in a conveyance system that conveys an object between a first conveyance device having a plurality of holding units for holding an object and a second conveyance device having a plurality of holding units for holding the object, comprising: An information processing device, acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; Information processing methods.

2. acquiring a distance reference value of the holding portion of the second transport device relative to the holding portion of the first transport device; obtaining a distance control range permitted for the distance reference value; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit based on the distance reference value, the distance management width, the maximum value of the first sensor distance, the minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; The information processing method according to claim 1 .

3. calculating an adjustment reference range for a maximum value holding portion and a minimum value holding portion of the first sensor distance based on the distance reference value and the distance management range; calculating a common adjustment reference range including an adjustment reference range for a portion where the first sensor distance is a maximum value and an adjustment reference range for a portion where the first sensor distance is a minimum value; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit of the second conveying device based on the second sensor distance so that the holding unit of the second conveying device is within the common adjustment reference range; The information processing method according to claim 2 .

4. When the common adjustment reference range does not exist, a common minimum deviation range is calculated between a deviation range for a holding unit where the first sensor distance is a maximum value and a deviation range for a holding unit where the first sensor distance is a minimum value; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding portion of the second conveying device so that the holding portion is within the common minimum deviation range; The information processing method according to claim 3.

5. The holding portion holds the article with two claw portions, Calculating an adjustment amount for each claw portion of the holding portion. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

6. Acquire information regarding a vertical relationship between a holding unit of the first transport device and a holding unit of the second transport device; Calculating an adjustment amount based on the acquired information. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

7. Acquire information regarding a combination of a holding unit of the first transport device and a holding unit of the second transport device that delivers and receives the article; calculating the common adjustment reference range and the adjustment amount for each combination; The information processing method according to claim 3.

8. a graph showing a first sensor distance measured for the holding portion of the first conveying device and a second sensor distance measured for the holding portion of the second conveying device, or information on the calculated adjustment amount of the holding portion of the second conveying device is displayed on a display unit. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

9. The sensor measures the distance to each of the retaining portions multiple times; A statistical value of a plurality of measurement results is treated as the first sensor distance or the second sensor distance. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

10. A computer program that causes a computer to perform information processing for adjusting positions of a holding unit in a conveyance system that conveys an object between a first conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold an object and a second conveyance device having a plurality of holding units that hold the object, the computer program comprising: The computer includes: acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; Calculating an adjustment amount for the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance. A computer program that causes processing to be performed.

11. An information processing device including a processing unit that performs information processing for adjusting positions of holding units in a conveying system that conveys an object between a first conveying device having a plurality of holding units that hold an object and a second conveying device having a plurality of holding units that hold the object, The processing unit, acquiring information on a first sensor distance that measures a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the first transport device; Identifying a maximum value and a minimum value from the acquired plurality of first sensor distances; acquiring second sensor distance information measuring a distance from a sensor to each of the holders for the second transport device; calculating an adjustment amount of the holding unit based on a maximum value of the first sensor distance, a minimum value of the first sensor distance, and the second sensor distance; Information processing device.

Images