Robot scheduling system, method, and storage medium

Abstract

This application discloses a robot scheduling system, method, and storage medium for solving the problem of low logistics efficiency in warehouse storage systems in the field of logistics technology. The robot scheduling system includes a scheduling device, shelves, and multiple transport robots corresponding to the shelves. The scheduling device is connected to and communicates with the multiple transport robots. When the scheduling device receives an order command instructing the transport of goods in a target shelf area, the scheduling device controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to operate the target shelf area. The target shelf area is one of multiple shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on shelf attribute information and / or a rule for arranging goods on the shelf. Each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202411293745.1 and entitled "Robot Scheduling System, Method and Storage Medium," filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on September 12, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the field of logistics technology, and more particularly to a robot scheduling system, method, and storage medium. [Background technology]

[0003] As emerging industries such as e-commerce become more popular, companies are now increasingly adopting warehouse storage systems that use robots to automatically transport and store goods in order to build highly efficient and highly circulative automated logistics. Existing robotic transport solutions for warehouse storage systems include carton transfer units (CTUs), four-way shuttle transport solutions, and single sky transfer units (STUs). However, each of these transport solutions has several shortcomings that affect overall logistics efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a robot scheduling system, method, and storage medium for solving the problem of low logistics efficiency in warehouse storage systems.

[0005] To achieve the above technical objectives, the present application employs the following technical solutions.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling system including a scheduling device, a shelf, and a plurality of transport robots corresponding to the shelf, wherein the scheduling device is connected to and communicates with the plurality of transport robots, and the transport robot includes a column mast, a transport mechanism, and a guide rail, wherein the column mast is attached along the vertical direction of the shelf, and the transport mechanism is provided on the column mast and moves vertically on the column mast to transport cargo at different heights of the shelf, and the column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo in the longitudinal direction of the shelf, and when the scheduling device receives an order command instructing the transport of cargo in a target shelf area, it controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to operate, and the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the longitudinal direction and / or depth direction of the shelf based on shelf attribute information and / or cargo placement rules on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0007] The technical solution provided by the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: In the robot scheduling system employed in the present application, shelves are divided into multiple shelf areas based on shelf attribute information and / or shelf placement rules, with each shelf area corresponding to at least one transport robot. In this way, transport robots can move within their corresponding shelf areas when performing transport tasks, thereby ensuring that multiple transport robots can work together on one shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution of the present application can ensure the parallelism of work tasks in a warehouse storage system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehouse storage system.

[0008] In one possible implementation form, the scheduling device is specifically configured to, after receiving an order command instructing the transportation of a package in a target shelf area, determine the position of the package on the shelf, and based on the position of the package on the shelf, determine the horizontal movement distance and vertical movement distance of the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area, ensure that the horizontal movement distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area, and send a movement command to the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to control the transport robot to operate, the movement command including the horizontal movement distance and the vertical movement distance.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the attribute information is for indicating the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether or not a buffer area exists on the shelf.

[0010] In one possible implementation, when the attribute information is intended to indicate the storage capacity of a shelf, the multiple shelf areas are divided according to the number of multiple transport robots based on the storage capacity of the shelf.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the storage capacity of a shelf includes the length, height, and depth dimensions of the target shelf, and the storage capacities corresponding to different shelf areas are the same, or the length dimensions of different shelf areas are the same.

[0012] In one possible implementation, when the attribute information is intended to indicate whether or not a buffer area exists on a shelf, the portion of the shelf where the buffer area exists is divided into a first shelf area, and the portion of the shelf where the buffer area does not exist is divided into a second shelf area.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the attribute information includes the height from each point on the lowest shelf level to the ground, and if the height from each point on the lowest shelf level to the ground is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the shelf does not have a buffer area, and if the height from each point on the lowest shelf level to the ground is less than the preset threshold, the shelf has a buffer area.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the placement rules are for indicating attribute conditions that items in each area of ​​the shelf must satisfy, and the attribute conditions include conditions related to item categories and / or frequency of items being taken in and out.

[0015] In one possible implementation, if the attribute condition includes a cargo category, the shelf areas are divided based on the cargo category.

[0016] In one possible implementation, when the attribute condition includes the frequency of loading and unloading of goods, the shelf areas are divided based on the frequency of loading and unloading of goods, and one shelf area corresponds to one preset numerical range of the loading and unloading frequency.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the scheduling device is further configured to determine, when an overlapping area exists between two adjacent shelf areas, that a first transport robot will be responsible for the overlapping area based on at least one of task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority, and the first transport robot is one of the two transport robots corresponding to the two adjacent shelf areas.

[0018] In one possible implementation, when the scheduling device detects a failure of the second transport robot, it controls the third transport robot so that the third transport robot operates in the shelf area corresponding to the second transport robot, and the third transport robot is a transport robot corresponding to a shelf area adjacent to the shelf area of ​​the second transport robot.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present application provides a robot scheduling method, the method including: receiving an order command; and, if the order command instructs transporting a load in a target shelf area, controlling a transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to operate the transport robot, wherein the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing a shelf along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a load placement rule on the shelf, and each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0020] In a third aspect, the present application provides a robot scheduling device, the device comprising: a receiving module for receiving an order command; and a control module for controlling a transport robot corresponding to a target shelf area to operate when the order command instructs transport of cargo in a target shelf area, wherein the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing a shelf along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a cargo placement rule on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0021] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computing device comprising one or more processors and one or more memories for storing computer program code including computer executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions by the one or more processors causes the computing device to perform the robot scheduling method provided in the second aspect above.

[0022] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the robot scheduling method provided in the second aspect above.

[0023] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, the computer program product including computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the robot scheduling method provided in the second aspect above.

[0024] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a robot scheduling system including a scheduling device, a plurality of transport robots corresponding to shelves, and guide rails, wherein the scheduling device is connected to and communicates with the plurality of transport robots, the transport robots including a column mast and a transport mechanism, the column mast being attached along the vertical direction, the transport mechanism being provided on the column mast and moving vertically on the column mast to transport cargo at different heights on the shelves, the column mast being movably connected to the guide rails so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rails to transport cargo in the longitudinal direction of the shelf, and when the scheduling device receives an order command instructing the transport of cargo in a target shelf area, it controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to operate, the target shelf area being one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the longitudinal direction and / or depth direction of the shelf based on shelf attribute information and / or cargo placement rules on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0025] For specific descriptions of the second to seventh aspects and various embodiments thereof in the present application, please refer to the specific descriptions of the first aspect and various embodiments thereof, and for beneficial effects of the second to seventh aspects and various embodiments thereof, please refer to the beneficial effects and analysis of the first aspect and various embodiments thereof, and further description will be omitted here.

[0026] These and other aspects of the present application will become more clear and easily understood in the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a robot scheduling system provided according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the flow of a robot scheduling method provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a shelving area provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 1 provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 2 provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 3 provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of scenario 4 provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of scenario 5 provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a robot scheduling device provided according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a computing device provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without any creative work are also included in the scope of protection of the present application.

[0029] In the embodiments of this application, terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate an example, illustration, or explanation. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to concretely illustrate related concepts. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as expressing or implying the relative importance or quantity of the technical features described. Therefore, a feature qualified as "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0030] For ease of understanding, some terms or basic technical concepts related to the embodiments of the present application will first be briefly introduced and explained.

[0031] Crawling transport robot: An automatic guided robot that can transport returnable boxes.

[0032] Returnable box: Also called a logistics box or container, it can be used to store cargo and makes it easy to stack and manage.

[0033] CTU robot: A fully automated unmanned picking and transport robot consisting of a chassis, shelf layer, and shifter. It can transport multiple items at once, improving pickup efficiency and warehouse storage capacity.

[0034] Four-way shuttle: A transport robot that is an automatic transport device that can move freely in four directions (front, back, left, and right) on a plane.

[0035] STU robot: A rail-type container transport robot comprising a column mast, a transport mechanism, and a guide rail. Here, the column mast is attached along the vertical direction of the shelf. The transport mechanism is provided on the column mast and is used to move the column mast vertically so as to transport cargo at different heights on the shelf. The column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism can move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the shelf.

[0036] The transport mechanism is also called an execution mechanism. A drive wheel and a pulley may be attached to the column mast, and the drive wheel and pulley may also be called a moving mechanism. Here, the drive wheel is attached to the bottom of the column mast and can contact the ground, and is for controlling the speed and direction of movement of the column mast. The pulley is movably connected to the guide rail and is for controlling the movement distance of the column mast. The drive wheel carries the column mast and the transport mechanism and moves horizontally along the guide rail. The guide rail may be attached to one side of the shelf.

[0037] Furthermore, as can be seen from the above explanation, the STU robot's transport mechanism can move vertically along the column mast, allowing the STU robot to transport cargo at different heights on the shelf, and the STU robot can move along the guide rail, allowing the STU robot to transport cargo at different horizontal positions on the shelf.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the guide rail is described as part of the STU, but this is merely a method of explanation and is not limiting. In actual implementation, the guide rail is not described as a component of the STU robot, but may exist as an independent part. For clearer explanation, an embodiment of the present application further provides a rail-type container transport robot including a column mast and a transport mechanism. Here, the column mast is mounted along the vertical direction. The transport mechanism is provided on the column mast for vertically moving the column mast to transport cargo at different heights on the shelf. The column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo in the longitudinal direction of the shelf.

[0039] That is, a guide rail needs to be installed in the scenario where the STU robot operates. In this case, the column mast of the STU robot can be movably connected to the installed guide rail in the scenario, and the STU robot can move along the guide rail and perform tasks at different positions in the scenario.

[0040] Lifter: An important device for realizing vertical movement. Its main purpose is to realize inter-layer vertical transport of cargo and layer change of shuttle.

[0041] Buffer area: A reserved position at the bottom of the shelf for temporarily storing returnable containers. The STU robot may select items to be removed from the shelf and place them in the buffer area, where they can be transported and removed by robots such as crawler robots. The crawler robot may place items to be received in the buffer area, where they can be shelved and stored by the STU robot.

[0042] The above is an explanation of some concepts related to the embodiments of the present application, which will not be repeated below.

[0043] Currently, robotic transport solutions in warehouse storage systems include CTU transport solutions, four-way shuttle transport solutions, and single STU transport solutions.

[0044] CTU Transportation Solution: The CTU robot utilizes its chassis to move linearly within the aisle, and then uses a lifting device to carry out the loading and unloading of returnable containers. Typically, one CTU robot is responsible for one CTU warehouse area (usually one aisle), allowing the CTU robot to operate between different warehouse areas.

[0045] Four-way shuttle transport solution: The four-way shuttle uses lifters to store or pick various types of goods in warehouse orders using multiple layers of racks or pallets.

[0046] Single STU transport solution: The STU robot moves left and right on a three-dimensional plane using guide rails and moves up and down using its own lifter mechanism, enabling it to take returnable boxes in and out of designated positions on a three-dimensional shelf. After placing a box that has been removed from the shelf in a buffer area, it will then take a box from the nearest buffer area and perform the putting-away operation.

[0047] However, these robotic transport solutions all have some drawbacks. In the CTU transport solution, the lifting speed of the CTU robot is slower than that of the STU robot. In addition, the lifting height of the CTU robot is limited, and when removing returnable containers from high-rise buildings, the lifting height needs to be extended using a telescopic mast, which affects the work efficiency of putting and removing goods from the shelves.

[0048] In the four-way shuttle transport solution, the four-way shuttle itself does not have the ability to work at heights, so a lifter must be used when loading and unloading high-rise cargo, which affects work efficiency.

[0049] A single STU robot transport solution has low operational efficiency and makes it difficult to meet high throughput requirements. In addition, because the STU robot relies on guide rails to operate, if multiple STU robots are installed and operated simultaneously, conflicts will occur if multiple STU robots run on the same guide rail, affecting operational efficiency.

[0050] As described above, conventional robotic transport solutions have some deficiencies that affect the work efficiency of the robots, which in turn affects the efficiency of logistics.

[0051] In contrast, the embodiments of the present application provide a robot scheduling system. In the robot scheduling system employed in the present application, shelves may be divided into multiple shelf areas based on shelf attribute information and / or shelf placement rules, with each shelf area corresponding to at least one transport robot. In this way, transport robots can move in front of their corresponding shelf areas when performing transport tasks, thereby ensuring that multiple transport robots can work together on a single shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application can ensure the parallelism of work tasks in a warehouse storage system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehouse storage system.

[0052] Hereinafter, a robot scheduling system and a robot scheduling method provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail based on specific examples.

[0053] 1, which is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a robot scheduling system (also called a warehouse storage system) provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot scheduling system includes a scheduling device (not shown in FIG. 1), a shelf 101, and a plurality of transport robots 102 corresponding to the shelf 101 (the specific number can be determined according to a specific scenario; FIG. 1 shows two transport robots as an example).

[0054] The transport robot 102 in the robot scheduling system operates in a storage space such as a warehouse, and shelves 101 as shown in FIG. 1 are arranged in the storage space.

[0055] Here, the shelf 101 may be a fixed shelf or a movable shelf. The shelf 101 may have multiple layers, each layer having multiple bins, and each bin may be used to store returnable containers for carrying cargo.

[0056] The depth of the shelf 101 may be double deep or single deep, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0057] The transfer robot 102 includes a column mast 102a, a transfer mechanism 102b, and a guide rail 102c.

[0058] Here, the column mast 102a is attached along the vertical direction of the shelf 101. The transport mechanism 102b is provided on the column mast 102a and moves vertically on the column mast 102a to transport cargo at different heights on the shelf. The column mast 102a is movably connected to the guide rail 102c so that the column mast 102a and the transport mechanism 102b move horizontally along the guide rail 102c to transport cargo at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the shelf 101.

[0059] In one possible implementation form, the robot scheduling system provided by the embodiments of the present application comprises a scheduling device, a plurality of transport robots corresponding to shelves (the specific number can be determined according to a specific scenario), and a guide rail.

[0060] The transport robot in the robot scheduling system operates in a storage space such as a warehouse, and shelves are arranged in the storage space.

[0061] Here, the shelves may be fixed shelves or movable shelves. The shelves may have multiple layers, each layer having multiple bins, and each bin may be used to store returnable containers for carrying cargo.

[0062] The depth of the shelf may be double deep or single deep, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0063] The transport robot includes a column mast and a transport mechanism.

[0064] Here, the column mast is mounted vertically. The transport mechanism is provided on the column mast and moves vertically on the column mast to transport cargo at different heights on the shelf. The column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the shelf.

[0065] In one possible implementation, a drive wheel and a pulley may be attached to the column mast 102a. The drive wheel may be attached to the bottom of the column mast 102a and contact the ground to control the speed and direction of movement of the stem frame. The pulley is movably connected to the guide rail to control the movement distance of the column mast. The drive wheel carries the column mast 102a and the transport mechanism 102b and moves horizontally along the guide rail.

[0066] Note that one transport robot 102 may be connected to at least one guide rail (for example, one guide rail or two guide rails). Guide rails are provided above and below the shelf 101 in FIG. 1. In this way, the upper part of the column mast of the transport robot is movably connected to the upper guide rail, and the lower part of the column mast 102a of the transport robot 102 is movably connected to the lower guide rail, thereby ensuring stability when the column mast 102a moves horizontally along the guide rails.

[0067] In one embodiment, one guide rail may be fixedly mounted between two opposing shelves, so that a transport robot 102 on one guide rail can simultaneously handle work tasks on two shelves.

[0068] In some embodiments, the guide rails may be fixedly attached to a shelf, or may be fixedly attached to the ground or ceiling, although examples of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0069] Below are some examples of how to attach the guide rails.

[0070] In Example 1, the guide rails are attached directly to the shelf. Specifically, two upper and lower guide rails are attached to the side of the shelf along the horizontal direction. For example, the guide rails are attached to the side of the shelf via bolts and nuts. The column masts of the transport robot are movably connected to the two upper and lower guide rails, respectively. Attaching the guide rails in this way makes the system stronger.

[0071] In Example 2, the two guide rails are attached to the shelf via support rods that extend a certain distance outward from the shelf, leaving a certain distance between the guide rails and the shelf. The two upper and lower guide rails are fixed horizontally via the support rods at positions a certain distance away from the shelf. In this way, the column masts connected to the guide rails are also a certain distance away from the shelf, ensuring more working space for the transport robot to transport items from the shelf.

[0072] In Example 3, one lower guide rail is attached to the ground. The column mast of the transport robot is movably connected to the guide rail attached to the ground. In this way, the guide rail does not move with the shelf, and when the shelf needs to be replaced, the guide rail does not need to be reattached.

[0073] In Example 4, as shown in Figure 1, one lower guide rail is attached to the ground, and one upper guide rail is attached above the shelf via a support rod. The lower end of the column mast of the transport robot is movably connected to the guide rail attached to the ground, and the upper end of the column mast of the transport robot is movably connected to the guide rail attached above the shelf. This makes the movement of the transport robot more stable than a method in which only the lower guide rail is attached.

[0074] In some embodiments, multiple transport robots 102 responsible for the same shelf may share a single guide rail, or may each use a different guide rail (FIG. 1 shows an example in which one guide rail is shared). It should be understood that when multiple transport robots 102 share a single guide rail, the aisles between shelves can be narrowed, thereby effectively reducing the distance between shelves in the warehouse storage system and further improving the storage capacity of the warehouse storage system. In the embodiments of the present application, an example in which multiple transport robots responsible for the same shelf share a single guide rail will be described.

[0075] For convenience of explanation, the transport robots employed in the embodiments of the present application will be collectively referred to as STU robots below.

[0076] The scheduling device included in the robot scheduling system controls the operation of the entire warehouse storage system. For example, the scheduling device can be connected to the STU robot via a wired or wireless connection to send commands to the STU robot and instruct the STU robot to perform a luggage transport task. The scheduling device may be a server or another device with data processing and communication capabilities. The server referred to here may be a server cluster consisting of multiple servers, a single server, or a computer. The scheduling device may specifically be a processor or processing module in the server. The embodiments of the present application are not limited to the specific device form of the server.

[0077] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a robot scheduling method provided by an embodiment of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0078] The robot scheduling method provided by the embodiment of the present application can be executed by the scheduling device in the robot scheduling system.

[0079] As shown in Figure 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling method, which includes the following steps:

[0080] In S201, an order command is received.

[0081] Here, the order command is an instruction to execute a warehousing or receiving operation for a certain item.

[0082] Taking out from the shelf may also be called "retrieving from the shelf," and involves removing an item from the shelf. For example, a transport robot transports an item on the shelf to the lowest buffer area, and then a submersible transport robot removes the item from the buffer area and transports it. Taking in from the shelf may also be called "putting into the shelf," and involves transporting an item to the shelf. For example, a submersible transport robot places an item in the buffer area of ​​the shelf, and then a transport robot transports the item in the buffer area to the shelf above the buffer area.

[0083] The order instruction may include information such as the quantity of goods to be shipped or received, and the category of goods.

[0084] In S202, if the order command instructs transport of an item in the target shelf area, the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area is controlled so as to operate the transport robot.

[0085] The order command instructing the transport of an item in a target shelf area may include an instruction to transport the item to the target shelf area or to remove the item from the target shelf area. Correspondingly, the operation by the transport robot includes transporting the item to the target shelf area or removing the item from the target shelf area. This will be described in detail below.

[0086] Here, the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on the shelf attribute information and / or the rules for arranging goods on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. The transport robot corresponding to one shelf area should be understood as the transport robot in charge of retrieving and storing goods in that shelf area.

[0087] Additionally, one shelf area may contain multiple storage locations.

[0088] The order instruction may instruct an outbound or inbound operation for the package.

[0089] After receiving the order command, if the scheduling device determines that the order command indicates that a certain item in the target shelf area needs to be shipped out, i.e., that a certain item in the target shelf area needs to be removed from the shelf, it controls the transport robot to transport the item according to the method of steps a1 to a3 below.

[0090] In step a1, the storage location and buffer area are determined.

[0091] First, based on the order command, the scheduling device determines the target shelf area where the item specified by the order command is placed, the storage location of the item in the target shelf area, and the buffer area where the item is placed.

[0092] When determining the buffer area, the scheduling device can determine, from among the available buffer areas, the buffer area closest to the storage location of the item in the target shelf area as the buffer area where the item is to be placed.

[0093] The order instruction may also include a designated buffer area, and the scheduling device can determine the buffer area designated by the order instruction as the buffer area where the parcel is to be placed.

[0094] In step a2, the luggage is taken out from the storage location.

[0095] After determining the storage location of the cargo in the target shelf area, the scheduling device controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to move along the guide rail to the front of the determined storage location, controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column mast to the height of the determined storage location, and further controls the transport mechanism to remove the cargo from the storage location.

[0096] In step a3, the luggage is placed in the buffer area.

[0097] After the luggage is removed, the scheduling device controls the transport robot to move along the guide rail to the front of the defined buffer area, controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column mast to the height of the defined buffer area, and further controls the transport mechanism to place the luggage removed from the storage location in the buffer area.

[0098] Thereafter, the scheduling device can also control the submersible transport robot so that the submersible transport robot retrieves the package from the buffer area and realizes retrieval of the package.

[0099] When the scheduling device determines that the order command indicates that a certain item in the target shelf area needs to be stored in the target shelf area, the scheduling device controls the transport robot to transport the item in accordance with the method of steps b1 to b3 below.

[0100] In step b1, a buffer area and a storage location are determined.

[0101] First, based on the order command, the scheduling device determines the buffer area where the cargo specified by the order command is placed, the target shelf area where the cargo is to be placed, and the specific storage location in the target shelf area where the cargo is to be placed.

[0102] In step b2, the luggage is removed from the buffer area.

[0103] After determining the buffer area where the goods are placed, the scheduling device can first control the submersible transport robot to place the goods in the buffer area. After detecting that the goods have been placed in the buffer area, the scheduling device can then control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to move along the guide rail to the front of the determined buffer area, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column mast to the height of the determined buffer area, and further control the transport mechanism to remove the goods in the buffer area.

[0104] In step b3, the luggage is placed in a storage location.

[0105] After the luggage is removed, the scheduling device controls the transport robot so that it moves along the guide rail to the front of the determined storage location, controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot so that it moves vertically along the column mast to the height of the determined storage location, and further controls the transport mechanism so that the transport mechanism places the luggage removed from the buffer area in the storage location.

[0106] When a transport robot needs to perform multiple tasks of shelving and retrieval, it can perform the tasks according to the following policy: After placing one box of goods that has been shelved in a buffer area, it picks up one box of goods from the buffer area closest to the shelving position and performs the shelving task. The transport robot may also perform multiple tasks of shelving and retrieval according to a random policy.

[0107] As mentioned above, in a single STU transport solution, due to the limitations of the guide rail, one STU robot is usually responsible for the work tasks on one shelf. To improve work efficiency, multiple STU robots can be installed simultaneously to handle the work tasks (transport tasks) on that shelf. To avoid conflicts when multiple STU robots travel on the same guide rail, the shelf can be divided into different shelf areas and a transport robot assigned to each divided shelf area. This allows each STU robot to perform work tasks in its own shelf area, avoiding conflicts.

[0108] Before scheduling transport robots and transporting goods according to the robot scheduling method described above, it is necessary to assign the transport robots to different shelf areas, i.e., it is necessary to first divide the shelves into shelf areas. In the process of dividing the shelf areas, the shelves can be divided based on shelf attribute information and / or rules for arranging goods on the shelves, thereby making it possible to adapt to various scenarios. For specific explanations, please refer to Scenario 1 to Scenario 5 below, and detailed explanations will not be given here.

[0109] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a divided shelf area provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 3, the figure shows two shelf areas (area A and area B) obtained by evenly dividing the shelf along its length. The height of each shelf area corresponds to the height of the shelf, and its length is a portion of the shelf length. Obtaining the shelf area in this even division allows the STU robot to move through a portion of the guide rail to complete a task on the shelf area without affecting other STU robots. As shown in FIG. 3, STU robot 1 can move through section A and complete the associated task in area A, while STU robot 2 can move through section B and complete the associated task in area B. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the areas that STU robot 1 and STU robot 2 can move through do not overlap, so they do not operate alternately and do not conflict with each other.

[0110] In some embodiments, the above step S202 may be implemented as follows. In S202a, after receiving an order command instructing the transportation of an item in a target shelf area, the location of the item on the shelf is determined.

[0111] After receiving the order command, the scheduling device may determine, based on the order command, whether a shipment operation needs to be performed for the package or an inbound operation needs to be performed for the package. If a shipment operation needs to be performed for the package, the scheduling device may determine a target shelf area where the package is located and a storage location for the package in the target shelf area. The scheduling device may also determine the location of a buffer area where the package will be placed. If a shipment operation needs to be performed for the package, the scheduling device may determine a buffer area where the package will be placed, a target shelf area where the package will be placed, and a specific storage location in the target shelf area where the package will be placed.

[0112] S202b: Determine the horizontal and vertical movement distances of the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area based on the position of the package on the shelf, where the horizontal movement distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area.

[0113] The horizontal travel distance is the distance traveled by the column mast of the transport robot carrying the transport mechanism along the guide rail in the horizontal direction, and the vertical travel distance is the distance traveled by the transport mechanism of the transport robot along the column mast.

[0114] When it is necessary to perform an unloading operation on a cargo, the scheduling device can determine the horizontal distance between the current position of the transport robot and the storage location of the cargo in the target shelf area as a first horizontal movement distance, and can determine the height difference between the current height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot and the height of the storage location of the cargo in the target shelf area as a first vertical movement distance.

[0115] After the transport robot retrieves the luggage from the storage location, the scheduling device determines the horizontal distance between the position of the transport robot after retrieving the luggage from the storage location and the buffer area where the luggage is placed as a second horizontal movement distance, and can also determine the height difference between the height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot after retrieving the luggage from the storage location and the height of the buffer area where the luggage is placed as a second vertical movement distance.

[0116] When it is necessary to perform storage work on the luggage, the scheduling device can determine the horizontal distance between the current position of the transport robot and the buffer area where the luggage is placed as a third horizontal movement distance, and can determine the height difference between the current height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot and the height of the buffer area where the luggage is placed as a third vertical movement distance.

[0117] After the transport robot picks up the luggage in the buffer area, the scheduling device determines the horizontal distance between the position of the transport robot after picking up the luggage from the buffer area and the storage location where the luggage is placed as a fourth horizontal movement distance, and can also determine the height difference between the height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot after picking up the luggage from the buffer area and the height of the storage location where the luggage is placed as a fourth vertical movement distance.

[0118] In S202c, a movement command is sent to the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area, and the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area is controlled to operate. Here, the movement command includes a horizontal movement distance and a vertical movement distance.

[0119] The movement command may directly include a horizontal movement distance and a vertical movement distance, and instruct the transport robot to move according to the two distances. The movement command may include a horizontal movement sub-command and a vertical movement sub-command. Here, the horizontal movement sub-command is a command instructing the transport robot to move a horizontal movement distance along the horizontal direction. The vertical movement sub-command is a command instructing the transport mechanism to move a vertical movement distance along the column mast.

[0120] After the horizontal movement distance and vertical movement distance of the transport robot are determined in step S202b, the scheduling device may send a movement command including the horizontal movement distance and vertical movement distance to the transport robot, control the drive wheels of the transport robot so that the drive wheels carry the column mast and the transport mechanism and move the horizontal movement distance along the horizontal direction, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot so that the transport mechanism of the transport robot moves the vertical movement distance along the column mast.

[0121] For example, when a retrieval operation needs to be performed on a package, the scheduling device controls the drive wheels of the transport robot so that the drive wheels of the transport robot carry the column mast and the transport mechanism and move a first horizontal movement distance along the horizontal direction to move in front of the package storage location in the target shelf area, and also controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot so that the transport mechanism of the transport robot moves a first vertical movement distance along the column mast to move to the height of the package storage location in the target shelf area, and then retrieves the package from the storage location. The movement of the transport robot along the horizontal direction of the column mast and the movement of the transport mechanism of the transport robot along the column mast may be performed simultaneously or sequentially, but are not limited to this.

[0122] After the item is removed, the scheduling device controls the drive wheels of the transport robot to move the column mast and the transport mechanism along the horizontal direction a second horizontal movement distance to the front of the buffer area where the item will be placed, and also controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move a second vertical movement distance along the column mast to the height of the buffer area where the item will be placed, and then places the item removed from the storage location. Here, the movement of the transport robot along the horizontal direction of the column mast and the movement of the transport mechanism of the transport robot along the column mast may be performed simultaneously or sequentially, but is not limited to this.

[0123] In the above-described transport process, the drive wheels of the transport robot carry the column mast and the transport mechanism and move horizontally, while the transport mechanism moves vertically along the column mast, simultaneously, thereby improving the efficiency of transport.

[0124] As can be seen, in the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application, after receiving an order command, the scheduling device in the robot scheduling system first determines the shelf area where the item specified by the order command is located, and then determines the STU robot corresponding to that shelf area based on the preset correspondence between shelf areas and STU robots. It then determines the horizontal and vertical movement distances based on the current position of the STU robot and the shelf position, and sends a movement command including the movement distance information to the STU robot via a wired or wireless connection, thereby controlling the STU robot to move in two dimensions, horizontally and vertically, to transport or sort the item into storage or for retrieval.

[0125] It should be understood that the horizontal movement distance of the STU robot does not exceed the length of the shelf area corresponding to it, thereby ensuring that the STU robot moves within a limited range and avoiding the problem of conflicts arising due to alternating movements of multiple STU robots.

[0126] Note that the above steps S202a to S202c are merely one specific implementation of step S202, and step S202 can be implemented in other ways. For example, the scheduling device first assigns a shelf area to each STU robot. After receiving an order command, the scheduling device determines the location of the package and then transmits the package location to each STU robot. Each STU robot determines whether the package is located in its own shelf area. If the package is located in its own shelf area, the STU robot performs a transport operation based on the package location. If the package is not located in its own shelf area, the STU robot does not perform any operation. Implementations of step S202 include, but are not limited to, the above two implementations. It should be understood that other feasible implementations can also be used. A detailed description will not be given here.

[0127] The shelf area division method will be described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and drawings of the specification.

[0128] In some embodiments, in the division process, the scheduling device divides the shelf into a plurality of shelf areas along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on the attribute information of the shelf and / or the arrangement rule for the items on the shelf.

[0129] In one possible implementation, the attribute information is for indicating the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether or not a buffer area exists on the shelf.

[0130] The storage capacity referred to herein may be indicated by information such as the dimensions of the target shelf in the length direction, height direction, and depth direction. The storage capacity corresponding to different shelf areas may be the same, or the dimensions in the length direction of different shelf areas may be the same.

[0131] That is, when dividing into a plurality of shelf areas, the division may be made according to whether the storage capacities corresponding to the different shelf areas are the same or whether the longitudinal dimensions of the different shelf areas are the same.

[0132] In one possible implementation, whether or not the buffer area mentioned here exists is determined based on the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground. If the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, it means that no buffer area exists on the shelf. If the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is less than a preset threshold, it means that a buffer area exists on the shelf. This is not particularly limited.

[0133] In one possible implementation, the placement rule indicates attribute conditions that must be satisfied by items in each area of ​​the shelf. The attribute conditions include conditions related to the item category and / or the frequency of item loading and unloading. For example, the attribute conditions may include that the items are of the same category, that the frequency of item loading and unloading is within a predetermined numerical range, etc.

[0134] In this application, a certain cargo and its related products or accessories may be referred to as cargo of one category, i.e., belonging to the same type of cargo, such as beverages, cosmetics, etc. The frequency of cargo loading and unloading may reflect, for example, the shipping or receiving volume of a certain cargo per unit time, or may reflect whether the cargo is a best-selling product.

[0135] It should be understood that the database of the scheduling device stores information about shelves and goods, and also constantly records information about the flow of goods (shipping in / out). Therefore, the scheduling device can obtain this information from the database and rationally divide the shelves into shelf areas based on this information, thereby adapting to various work scenarios. For specific explanations, see Scenario 1 to Scenario 5 below.

[0136] That is, the scheduling device may obtain information about packages from the database to determine package categories. The scheduling device may obtain information about shelves and packages and information about the recorded package flow from the database to determine package loading and unloading frequencies. Furthermore, the scheduling device divides shelves into shelf areas based on the determined package categories and package loading and unloading frequencies.

[0137] The following scenarios 1 and 2 are classification methods that divide shelves based on shelf attribute information to obtain multiple shelf areas.

[0138] Scenario 1 When the attribute information indicates the storage capacity of a shelf, the shelf areas are divided according to the number of transport robots based on the shelf storage capacity.

[0139] Here, the storage capacity of the target shelf may be expressed by the dimensions in the length direction, height direction, and depth direction of the target shelf. The storage capacities corresponding to different shelf areas are the same, or the length direction dimensions of different shelf areas are the same.

[0140] Specifically, in Scenario 1, the shelves may be divided into the same number of shelf areas as the number of transport robots. These shelf areas have the same storage capacity or the same longitudinal dimension.

[0141] For example, when two STU robots are pre-installed on a shelf, taking the longitudinal dimensions of different shelf areas as an example, the target shelf may be divided into two shelf areas of the same length (equal within a certain error range), and the storage capacities of the two shelf areas thus divided will be close to each other.

[0142] In other words, when dividing the storage space into a plurality of shelf areas, if the shelf areas are divided according to the fact that the longitudinal dimensions of the different shelf areas are the same, the storage capacities of the divided shelf areas will be close to each other.

[0143] For example, Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 1 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 4, taking the example of two STU robots pre-installed on a shelf, the shelf is equally divided into two shelf areas, and the longitudinal dimensions of the two shelf areas are equal. These two shelf areas are designated Area A and Area B, respectively. Of the two pre-installed STU robots, one STU robot is responsible for work tasks in Area A, and the other STU robot is responsible for work tasks in Area B. The longitudinal dimensions of Area A and Area B are the same, and the storage capacities of the shelf areas of Area A and Area B are also similar.

[0144] When there is a storage task, the submersible transport robot transports the item to the buffer area (shown in the thick frame at the bottom of Figure 4), and then the STU robot in charge of the shelf area to which the buffer area belongs transports the item in the buffer area and puts it on the shelf and stores it.When there is an outbound task, the STU robot in charge of the shelf area to which the outbound item belongs transports the item on the shelf to the lowest buffer area, and then the submersible transport robot takes the item out of the buffer area and takes it out of the warehouse.

[0145] It should be understood that Scenario 1 can be applied when work tasks are evenly distributed across the shelves. Each STU robot is responsible for work tasks in the same area on the shelves, avoiding overlapping movements and preventing multiple STU robots from interfering with each other. It also prevents overloading of a single STU robot and ensures load balancing. Furthermore, by planning the movement range of the STU robot within a certain area, the STU robot's familiarity with the shelves can be improved, further improving the accuracy of work task execution.

[0146] Scenario 2 When the attribute information indicates whether or not a buffer area exists on a shelf, the portion of the shelf where the buffer area exists is divided into a first shelf area, and the portion of the shelf where the buffer area does not exist is divided into a second shelf area.

[0147] The buffer area on a shelf is located at the bottom along the height direction, and the buffer area on the shelf and the area directly above the buffer area are the parts where the buffer area exists. The area with the buffer area can be divided into the first shelf area, and the other area without the buffer area can be divided into the second shelf area. In other words, the boundary between the first shelf area and the second shelf area is a straight line along the height direction.

[0148] It should be understood that in the case of shelves without buffer areas, the height from each point on the lowest level to the ground is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, so that a crawler-type transport robot or the like can move laterally underneath the shelf without being obstructed by the shelf. This eliminates the need for the crawler-type transport robot to detour around the shelf when transporting goods, thereby improving transport efficiency.

[0149] For example, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 2 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 5, because there is no buffer area below shelf area A (i.e., the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is equal to or greater than a preset threshold), shelf area A may be divided into a first shelf area. Because there is a buffer area below shelf area B (i.e., the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is less than a preset threshold), shelf area B may be divided into a second shelf area. The STU robot assigned to area A and responsible for the work tasks in area A may be referred to as an STU robot without a buffer area. When performing a transport task, the STU robot without a buffer area transports items from area A to area B. The remaining STU robots assigned to area B may perform work tasks in area B as usual. For example, when performing a retrieval task, the robot may transport items to the buffer area, and when performing a retrieval task, the robot may transport items from the buffer area and perform shelf placement.

[0150] By dividing the work areas, i.e., shelf areas, multiple STU robots assigned to multiple shelf areas can share tasks, effectively improving work efficiency. Furthermore, in current warehouse storage system environments, buffer areas are located at the bottom of shelves. Therefore, when a submersible transport robot transports goods, the buffer area obstructs the movement of the submersible transport robot, forcing it to move laterally around the shelves. This lengthens the detour path and impacts the efficiency of transporting goods. In contrast, in the embodiment of the present application, there is no buffer area at the bottom of Area A. Therefore, the submersible transport robot can move laterally below Area A without any obstructions, without having to detour, thereby improving the efficiency of transporting goods.

[0151] It should be understood that Scenario 2 can be applied to scenarios with a large number of warehouses and a large number of work tasks. By dividing the area without a buffer area into one shelf area, the crawler-type transport robot can pass directly under the area without a buffer area when transporting goods, avoiding detours during the entire logistics process, thereby improving logistics efficiency.

[0152] The following scenarios 3 and 4 are division methods that divide shelves based on the rules for placing goods on shelves to obtain multiple shelf areas.

[0153] Scenario 3 The rules for arranging items on shelves may be attribute conditions that must be satisfied by items in each area of ​​the shelf, and the attribute conditions may include conditions related to the item category. In the above case, the multiple shelf areas may be divided based on the item category. In other words, in the embodiment of the present application, the shelf areas may be divided based on a rule that items of the same category (or similar categories) are arranged in the same shelf area.

[0154] In some scenarios, packages on shelves are stored by package category, and packages of the same category (or similar categories) are stored on the same row of shelves or on adjacent shelves, so that shelf areas may be divided according to package categories, i.e., one shelf area may accommodate packages of one category or packages of multiple similar categories.

[0155] In an embodiment of the present application, an area where one category of cargo is located is divided into one shelf area. For example, Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 3 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 6, cargo of three categories, namely, beverages, daily necessities, and cosmetics, is stored on the shelf. Therefore, the shelf is divided into three shelf areas according to the above three categories (the lengths of the shelf areas may be the same or different, and Fig. 6 shows that the lengths are different), and each STU robot corresponds to one shelf area.

[0156] One order may correspond to a large purchase of parcels of the same category (or similar categories). It should be understood that the partitioning method of Scenario 3 enables one STU robot to complete the delivery task of one order, thereby reducing the scheduling complexity when simultaneously scheduling multiple STU robots to complete orders.

[0157] Scenario 4 The rules for arranging items on shelves may be attribute conditions that items in each area of ​​the shelf must satisfy, and the attribute conditions for items may be set based on the frequency with which items are taken in and out. In the above case, the multiple shelf areas may be divided based on the frequency with which items are taken in and out, with one shelf area corresponding to one preset numerical range of the frequency with which items are taken in and out. In other words, in the present application, the shelf areas may be divided based on a rule that items with similar frequencies of taking in and out are placed in the same shelf area.

[0158] In some scenarios, popular items may be placed in the same shelf area, and less popular items may be placed in the same shelf area. The scheduling device of the warehouse storage system records the historical frequency of loading and unloading of items of each category on the shelf, so the shelf areas may be divided based on the frequency of loading and unloading of items.

[0159] In other words, popular items, i.e., best-selling items that are frequently taken in and out, may be placed in the same shelf area, and less popular items, i.e., non-best-selling items that are infrequently taken in and out, may be placed in the same shelf area.The scheduling device records the historical frequency of taking in and out of items in each category on the shelf, and may divide areas where items with historical frequencies of taking in and out that fall within the same preset numerical range are located into one shelf area based on the historical frequency of taking in and out of items in each category and a preset numerical range of the frequency of taking in and out.

[0160] Illustratively, using a first access frequency threshold as a division point, an area where the access frequency is equal to or greater than the first access frequency threshold is divided into one shelf area, and an area where the access frequency is less than the first access frequency threshold is divided into the other shelf area. Also illustratively, using a second access frequency threshold and a third access frequency threshold as division points (the second access frequency threshold is greater than the third access frequency threshold), an area where the access frequency is equal to or greater than the second access frequency threshold is divided into shelf area 1, an area where the access frequency is less than the second access frequency threshold and equal to or greater than the third access frequency threshold is divided into shelf area 2, and an area where the access frequency is less than the third access frequency threshold is divided into shelf area 3.

[0161] That is, in one example, two preset numerical ranges are obtained, including a numerical range equal to or greater than the first loading / unloading frequency threshold and a numerical range less than the first loading / unloading frequency threshold, using the first loading / unloading frequency threshold as a dividing point. According to the two preset numerical ranges, the shelf is divided into two shelf areas: a baggage location area where the loading / unloading frequency is equal to or greater than the first loading / unloading frequency threshold, and a baggage location area where the loading / unloading frequency is less than the first loading / unloading frequency threshold.

[0162] In another example, a second and a third frequency threshold are used as dividing points (the second frequency threshold is greater than the third frequency threshold), and three preset numerical ranges are obtained, including a numerical range in which the frequency of access is equal to or greater than the second frequency threshold, a numerical range in which the frequency of access is less than the second frequency threshold and equal to or greater than the third frequency threshold, and a numerical range in which the frequency of access is less than the third frequency threshold. According to the three preset numerical ranges, the shelf is divided into three shelf areas: baggage location shelf area 1 in which the frequency of access is equal to or greater than the second frequency threshold, baggage location shelf area 2 in which the frequency of access is less than the second frequency threshold and equal to or greater than the third frequency threshold, and baggage location shelf area 3 in which the frequency of access is less than the third frequency threshold.

[0163] For example, Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 4 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 7, packages are arranged according to popular or less popular areas, and package A has a large demand and is highly popular, so there are high requirements for the speed and efficiency of loading and unloading. Therefore, the storage area for package A is divided into one shelf area, and an STU robot is specifically assigned to handle the work task of package A, ensuring that the STU robot moves within a limited range, achieving a quick response and reducing the waiting time for package transportation.

[0164] Scenario 5 below is a division scheme that includes overlapping areas.

[0165] Scenario 5 When dividing into shelf areas, there may be an overlapping area between two adjacent shelf areas.

[0166] In one case, the shelf areas may be divided by combining the longitudinal dimensions of the shelf areas, with the divided shelf areas having the same dimensions and overlapping areas between adjacent shelf areas. For example, as shown in Figure 8, a shelf may be divided into two shelf areas, Area A and Area B, with the longitudinal dimensions of both shelf areas being 60% of the total length of the shelf, and the central 20% being an overlapping area between Area A and Area B.

[0167] In other cases, the shelf areas may be divided by combining cargo categories, with overlapping areas existing between adjacent divided shelf areas. For example, based on the cargo arrangement pattern shown in Fig. 6, the rightmost column of the cargo location area for daily necessities and the cargo location area for cosmetics are divided into a cosmetics shelf area, and the leftmost two columns of the cargo location area for cosmetics and the cargo location area for daily necessities are divided into a daily necessities shelf area, and the rightmost column of the cargo location area for daily necessities and the leftmost two columns of the cargo location area for cosmetics are an overlapping area between the daily necessities shelf area and the cosmetics shelf area, and are used to arrange cargo belonging to both the daily necessities and cosmetics categories.

[0168] After dividing the shelf areas according to the division methods of Scenarios 1 to 4, there are no overlapping areas between different shelf areas, so when assigning transport robots to each shelf area, fixed transport robots can be randomly assigned to each shelf area, and then, when a transport task for each shelf area is received, the scheduling device can schedule the transport robot corresponding to the shelf area to execute the transport task.

[0169] After dividing the shelf areas according to the division method of Scenario 5, there are overlapping areas between different shelf areas. Therefore, after assigning transport robots to each shelf area, two transport robots are responsible for the overlapping areas. When it is necessary to schedule the transport robots to perform transport tasks in the overlapping areas, it is necessary to consider the occurrence of conflicts caused by these two transport robots performing transport tasks in the overlapping areas. In this case, the scheduling device determines that the first transport robot will be responsible for the overlapping area based on task completion time priority and / or distance priority. Here, the first transport robot is one of the two transport robots corresponding to two adjacent shelf areas.

[0170] That is, in this scenario, there may be an overlapping portion in the shelf areas handled by adjacent STU robots, and in this case, the scheduling method of the STU robots needs to be adjusted for the overlapping portion to avoid conflicts caused by the two STU robots operating in the overlapping portion at the same time.When a transport task for the overlapping area is received, the scheduling device selects one of the two STU robots, a first transport robot, based on the task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority, and schedules the first transport robot to perform the transport task in the overlapping area, thereby avoiding conflicts caused by the two STU robots operating in the overlapping area at the same time.

[0171] For example, Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 5 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 8, taking the example of the presence of two STU robots, the shelf is divided into two areas, Area A and Area B, each occupying 60%. Here, there is an overlapping area (e.g., 20%) between Area A and Area B. 40% of Area A is the shelf area that STU Robot 1 is responsible for by default, and 40% of Area B is the shelf area that STU Robot 2 is responsible for by default.

[0172] Because two STU robots are jointly responsible for the overlapping area, to avoid conflicts, if there is a work task in the overlapping area, and STU robot 1's current task completion time is earlier than STU robot 2's, the work task is assigned to STU robot 1. Alternatively, if STU robot 1's current position is close to the overlapping area, for example, if the distance between STU robot 1's current position and the overlapping area is shorter than the distance between STU robot 2's current position and the overlapping area, the work task is assigned to STU robot 1. Alternatively, tasks can be assigned by comprehensively considering any two factors: task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority. For example, the two factors, task completion time priority and distance priority, are comprehensively considered, a weighted sum is performed, and the weighted result is determined, and tasks can be assigned based on the weighted result. For example, weights are assigned to task completion time and distance, respectively. In the case of STU robot 1, a weighted addition is performed using the current task completion time of STU robot 1, the distance between the current position and the overlap area, and weights corresponding to each of the task completion time and distance, to obtain weighted result 1 corresponding to STU robot 1. Similarly, weighted result 2 corresponding to STU robot 2 is obtained. After that, the magnitudes of weighted result 1 and weighted result 2 are compared, and if weighted result 1 is smaller than weighted result 2, the task is assigned to STU robot 1; otherwise, the task is assigned to STU robot 2.

[0173] Tasks can also be assigned by comprehensively considering the three factors of task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority, but we will not explain this here. Simply refer to the method for assigning tasks based on the above two factors and perform weighted addition based on the weights of the above three factors.

[0174] It should be understood that Scenario 5 avoids one STU robot moving to a distant location to perform its work, does not result in two STU robots working in the same area at the same time, and does not result in one STU robot interfering with the work of another STU robot. Scenario 5 also makes it possible to use a small number of STU robots to simultaneously cover multiple shelf areas, reducing the investment cost of STU robots.

[0175] Note that, since STU robots are assigned to overlapping areas based on at least one of task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority, overlapping areas may correspond sequentially to different STU robots at different time periods. However, at any given time, overlapping areas correspond to at least one STU robot.

[0176] That is, when the scheduling device receives a transport task for the overlapping area, the scheduling device may schedule one STU robot to complete the transport task for the overlapping area based on at least one of the task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority of the two STU robots in charge of the overlapping area. In this way, during the execution period of this transport task, the overlapping area corresponds to the STU robot scheduled by the scheduling device.

[0177] In some embodiments, when a failure of the second transport robot is detected, the scheduling device further controls a third transport robot so that the third transport robot operates in a shelf area corresponding to the second transport robot, the third transport robot being a transport robot corresponding to a shelf area adjacent to the shelf area of ​​the second transport robot.

[0178] For example, in Fig. 4, if the STU robot in area A breaks down, the STU robot in area B can take over the work tasks of the broken robot. In other words, at this time, the STU robot in area B is responsible for work tasks for the entire shelf. Also, for example, in Fig. 6, if the STU robot in the area corresponding to daily necessities breaks down, the STU robot corresponding to beverages and cosmetics may be randomly selected to take over work tasks in the daily necessities area, or based on the task volume of the two STU robots, the STU robot with the least task volume may be selected to take over the new work task.

[0179] It should be understood that the above work policy for fault detection allows the other STU robots to continue operating normally even if one STU robot fails, ensuring the continuity of the entire work process and reducing the impact of STU robot failure on the logistics efficiency of the entire warehouse storage system.

[0180] In a failure scenario, if one STU robot fails, another STU robot takes charge of the shelf area corresponding to the failed robot. In this case, two adjacent shelf areas correspond to the same STU robot (i.e., one STU robot takes charge of two shelf areas simultaneously), so the statement that each shelf area corresponds to at least one STU robot is satisfied.

[0181] In some scenarios, the work policies of each of the above scenarios can be combined. For example, in Scenario 4, the shelving area (luggage storage area A), which is divided based on the frequency of luggage loading and unloading, has many work tasks, making it difficult for a single STU robot to meet the efficiency requirements. Therefore, in combination with Scenario 1, luggage storage area A can be further divided equally into two sub-areas, with two STU robots installed to operate simultaneously in each sub-area, further improving efficiency. Also, for example, in Scenario 3, the three shelving areas divided based on luggage category can be combined with the work policy of Scenario 5 to set up an overlapping area for everyday items. In this way, by installing two STU robots, the work tasks of the three shelving areas can be achieved, ensuring work efficiency while reducing the investment cost of STU robots.

[0182] It should be understood that the above scenarios are only some illustrative examples, and any modifications and combinations made based on the situations described in the above examples are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0183] After dividing the shelf areas as described above and allocating transport robots to each shelf area, the scheduling device can determine the target shelf area in which the luggage is located after receiving an order command according to the method shown in Figure 2, and control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to perform the luggage transport work related to the order command.

[0184] The technical solution shown in FIG. 2 has at least the following beneficial effects. In the robot scheduling system employed in the present application, shelves are divided into multiple shelf areas based on shelf attribute information and / or shelf placement rules, with each shelf area corresponding to at least one transport robot. In this way, transport robots can move within their corresponding shelf areas when performing transport tasks, thereby ensuring that multiple transport robots work collaboratively on one shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution of the present application can ensure the parallelism of work tasks in a warehouse storage system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehouse storage system.

[0185] The embodiments of the present application use an STU robot that can move returnable containers vertically without using other lifters, thereby reducing investment costs and improving transport efficiency. Furthermore, because the STU robot has a smaller volume than a CTU or four-way shuttle, it is possible to reduce the spacing between shelves in a warehouse storage system and increase the storage area of ​​flat warehouses. Furthermore, the STU robot is not limited by shelf height, allowing for a higher height in a multi-level warehouse, allowing for the storage of more returnable containers and improving the storage capacity of the warehouse storage system.

[0186] In addition, the STU robot operates on fixed shelves, eliminating the need to transport pallets or shelves, and does not occupy its own storage space; it selects the nearest bin for re-ordering, significantly reducing re-ordering time.

[0187] The application scenarios of this application are wide-ranging, and different operation policies can be established for different scenarios, thereby making it possible to meet the demands of warehouse entry and retrieval operations under various conditions.

[0188] The above describes the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application mainly from the perspective of methods. To realize the above functions, the technical solutions include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to performing each function. From the perspective of technical objectives in the field, referring to the means and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, it should be readily understood that the present application can be realized in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. While technical objectives may realize the described functions by using different methods for each specific application, such implementation methods should not be considered beyond the scope of the present application.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 9, the embodiment of the present application further provides a robot scheduling device that is applied to the robot scheduling method shown in the above method embodiment. The robot scheduling device includes: a receiving module 901 for receiving an order instruction; a control module 902 for controlling a transport robot corresponding to a target shelf area so that the transport robot operates when the order command instructs transport of an item in the target shelf area; The target shelf area is one of multiple shelf areas divided along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on the shelf attribute information and / or the rules for placing cargo on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0190] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computing device. As shown in Figure 10, the computing device 1000 includes a memory 1002 and a processor 1001. The memory 1002 is coupled to the processor 1001, and the memory 1002 is for storing computer program code including computer-executable instructions. Here, when the processor 1001 executes the computer-executable instructions, the computing device 1000 performs each step performed by the computing device in the process of the method illustrated in the above method embodiment.

[0191] In actual implementation, the receiving module 901 and the control module 902 can be realized by a processor 1001 shown in Fig. 10 calling up computer program codes stored in a memory 1002. For specific execution procedures, refer to the description of the robot scheduling method described above, but a detailed description will not be given here.

[0192] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform each step performed by the computing device in the method process set forth in the method embodiment above.

[0193] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, the computer program product including computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform each step performed by the computing device in the method process set forth in the method embodiment above.

[0194] In the above embodiments, all or part of them may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of them may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are loaded into a computer and executed, the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer-executable instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from the computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, computer-executable instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wire (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wirelessly (e.g., infrared, radio, microwave, etc.). A computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer or a data storage device, including a server, data center, etc., that incorporates one or more available media. Available media may also be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape), optical media (e.g., DVDs), etc.

[0195] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, and any modifications or replacements that can be easily thought of by those skilled in the art based on the specific embodiments provided by the present application should fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A robot scheduling system, comprising: a scheduling device, a shelf, and a plurality of transport robots corresponding to the shelf, the scheduling device being connected to the plurality of transport robots for communication; the transport robot includes a column mast, a transport mechanism, and a guide rail; the column mast is attached along the vertical direction of the shelf, the transport mechanism is provided on the column mast and moves vertically on the column mast to transport cargo at different heights of the shelf, the column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo in the longitudinal direction of the shelf, When the scheduling device receives an order command instructing the transport of goods in a target shelf area, the scheduling device controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area so that the transport robot operates, the target shelf area being one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the lengthwise direction and / or depth direction of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a rule for arranging goods on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. A robot scheduling system characterized by:

2. A robot scheduling system, comprising: a scheduling device, a plurality of transport robots corresponding to the shelves, and guide rails, the scheduling device being connected to and communicating with the plurality of transport robots; the transport robot includes a column mast and a transport mechanism; the column mast is attached along a vertical direction, the transport mechanism is provided on the column mast and moves vertically on the column mast to transport cargo at different heights of the shelf, the column mast is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column mast and the transport mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport cargo in the longitudinal direction of the shelf, When the scheduling device receives an order command instructing the transport of goods in a target shelf area, the scheduling device controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area so that the transport robot operates, the target shelf area being one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the lengthwise direction and / or depth direction of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a rule for arranging goods on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. A robot scheduling system characterized by:

3. Specifically, the scheduling device After receiving an order command instructing the transport of a package in a target shelf area, determine the location of the package on the shelf; Determine a horizontal movement distance and a vertical movement distance of the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area based on the position of the package on the shelf, and ensure that the horizontal movement distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area; a movement command is transmitted to a transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to control the transport robot so that the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area operates, and the movement command includes the horizontal movement distance and the vertical movement distance.

3. The robot scheduling system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The attribute information indicates the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether or not a buffer area exists on the shelf.

4. The robot scheduling system according to claim 1, wherein the robot scheduling system is a system for scheduling a robot.

5. When the attribute information indicates a storage capacity of the shelf, the plurality of shelf areas are divided according to the number of the plurality of transport robots based on the storage capacity of the shelf.

5. The robot scheduling system according to claim 4.

6. The storage capacity of the shelf includes the dimensions of the target shelf in the length direction, height direction, and depth direction, and the storage capacity corresponding to the different shelf areas is the same, or the length direction dimensions of the different shelf areas are the same; 6. The robot scheduling system according to claim 5.

7. When the attribute information indicates whether or not a buffer area exists on the shelf, a portion of the shelf where the buffer area exists is divided into a first shelf area, and a portion of the shelf where no buffer area exists is divided into a second shelf area.

5. The robot scheduling system according to claim 4.

8. the attribute information includes a height from each point on the lowest shelf level to the ground, When the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, there is no buffer area on the shelf; When the height from each point on the lowest shelf to the ground is less than a preset threshold, a buffer area exists on the shelf. The robot scheduling system according to claim 7 .

9. the placement rule indicates attribute conditions to be satisfied by luggage in each area of ​​the shelf, and the attribute conditions include conditions related to luggage categories and / or luggage loading / unloading frequencies; 4. The robot scheduling system according to claim 1, wherein the robot scheduling system is a system for scheduling a robot.

10. If the attribute condition includes a cargo category, the plurality of shelf areas are divided based on the cargo category. The robot scheduling system according to claim 9 .

11. When the attribute conditions include a frequency of putting in and taking out of goods, the plurality of shelf areas are divided based on the frequency of putting in and taking out of goods, and one shelf area corresponds to one preset numerical range of the frequency of putting in and taking out of goods. The robot scheduling system according to claim 9 .

12. the scheduling device is further configured to, when an overlapping area exists between two adjacent shelf areas, determine that the first transport robot will be in charge of the overlapping area based on at least one of a task completion time priority, a distance priority, and a task priority; the first transport robot is one of two transport robots corresponding to the two adjacent shelf areas; 4. The robot scheduling system according to claim 1, wherein the robot scheduling system is a system for scheduling a robot.

13. the scheduling device further controls the third transport robot so that the third transport robot operates in a shelf area corresponding to the second transport robot when a failure of the second transport robot is detected; the third transport robot is a transport robot corresponding to a shelf area adjacent to a shelf area of ​​the second transport robot; 4. The robot scheduling system according to claim 1, wherein the robot scheduling system is a system for scheduling a robot.

14. 1. A robot scheduling method, comprising: receiving an order instruction; When the order command instructs transport of an item in a target shelf area, controlling a transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area so that the transport robot operates; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the longitudinal direction and / or the depth direction of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a rule for arranging goods on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot; A robot scheduling method comprising:

15. A robot scheduling device, a receiving module for receiving an order instruction; a control module for controlling a transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area so that the transport robot operates when the order command instructs transport of an item in the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the longitudinal direction and / or the depth direction of the shelf based on attribute information of the shelf and / or a rule for arranging goods on the shelf, and one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot; A robot scheduling device comprising:

16. 1. A computing device comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories; the one or more memories are for storing computer program code including computer-executable instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer-executable instructions, the computing device performs the robot scheduling method of claim 14.

1. A computing device comprising:

17. 1. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: The computer-readable storage medium has stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the robot scheduling method of claim 14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

18. 1. A computer program product comprising: The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to perform the robot scheduling method of claim 14.

1. A computer program product comprising:

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