Management device, management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a management apparatus capable of preventing inefficient replenishment from being performed, and to provide a management method and a program.SOLUTION: A management apparatus 1 includes: an information acquisition unit 2 configured to acquire consumption information which indicates an amount of consumption of articles stored in a storage container; and a replenishment determination unit 3 configured to determine, on the basis of the consumption information, whether to individually replenish articles in the storage container in which the articles have been consumed using a picking robot or to replace the storage container in which the articles have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of articles are stored.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management device, a management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technology for automating logistics has been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for efficiently realizing shipping and replenishing work in a warehouse by using a robot to transport products to a specified storage location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 168678 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors have considered a technology for using a robot to replenish items when items stored in a storage container are consumed, in which the robot picks up the items to be replenished one by one and places them in the storage container. However, there are cases where efficient replenishment cannot be achieved simply by using a robot to replenish items one by one, and there has been a demand for a technology for achieving efficient replenishment.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made against the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a management device, a management method, and a program that can suppress inefficient replenishment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a management device having an information acquisition unit that acquires consumption information, which is information indicating the consumption amount of items stored in a storage container, and a replenishment decision unit that decides, based on the consumption information, whether to use a picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, or to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container containing a predetermined number of the items. According to this management device, the replenishment method can be flexibly switched depending on the state of consumption of the product, and therefore inefficient replenishment can be prevented.

[0007] In one aspect described above, the replenishment decision unit may decide, based on the amount of consumption identified from the consumption information, whether to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, or to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container containing a predetermined number of the items. According to this configuration, it is possible to avoid replacing a storage container in which a large number of articles remain, and therefore to suppress inefficient replenishment.

[0008] In one aspect of the above, the replenishment decision unit may decide, based on the degree of variation in consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information, whether to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, or to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container containing a predetermined number of the items. According to this configuration, it is possible to avoid replacing a storage container in which a large number of items remain, and therefore to suppress inefficient replenishment.

[0009] In the above aspect, the replenishment decision unit may make the decision based on a work cost of the picking robot for replenishment by the picking robot, the work cost being calculated from the characteristics of the item and the consumption information. According to this configuration, the replenishment method is switched depending on the work cost of the picking robot, which makes it possible to prevent replenishment that is inefficient in terms of the work cost of the picking robot.

[0010] In the above aspect, the replenishment determination unit may make the determination based on the operation cost according to at least a weight of the item. This allows the replenishment method to be determined taking into account the work costs of the picking robot due to weight.

[0011] In the above aspect, the replenishment determination unit may make the determination based on at least the operation cost according to a material of the item. This allows the replenishment method to be determined taking into account the work costs of the picking robot resulting from the materials.

[0012] In the above aspect, the replenishment determination unit may make the determination based on at least the operation cost according to a shape of the item. This makes it possible to determine a replenishment method taking into account the picking robot's work costs due to the shape of the items.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned object is a management method in which a management device acquires consumption information, which is information indicating the consumption amount of items stored in a storage container, and determines, based on the consumption information, whether to use a picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, or to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container containing a predetermined number of the items. According to this management method, the replenishment method can be flexibly switched depending on the state of consumption of the product, and therefore inefficient replenishment can be prevented.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned object is a program that causes a computer to execute an information acquisition step of acquiring consumption information, which is information indicating the consumption amount of items stored in a storage container, and a replenishment decision step of deciding, based on the consumption information, whether to use a picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, or to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container containing a predetermined number of the items. According to this program, the replenishment method can be flexibly switched depending on the consumption state of the item, thereby making it possible to prevent inefficient replenishment. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a management device, a management method, and a program capable of suppressing inefficient replenishment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a management device according to an overview of an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation flow of a management device according to an overview of an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration of an article management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing an example of a configuration of a shelf that houses storage boxes. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of a picking robot. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of a transport robot. [Figure 7] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a management device according to a first embodiment; FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a management apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 9]5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the management device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a management device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 13 is a table for explaining calculation of the magnitude of variation. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the management device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a management device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a table showing a specific example of specifying the operation cost for picking up one item. [Figure 15] 13 is a table showing a specific example of calculation of operation costs. [Figure 16] 13 is a table showing a specific example of calculation of operation costs. [Figure 17] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the management device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] <Overview of the embodiment> Prior to detailed description of the embodiment, an overview of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a management device 1 according to the overview of the embodiment. The management device 1 is a device that performs a control process for replenishing consumed items when items stored in a storage container are consumed. For example, the items are consumable items, and are consumed when a user or the like takes the items out of the storage container. As shown in FIG. 1, the management device 1 has an information acquisition unit 2 and a replenishment determination unit 3.

[0018] The information acquiring unit 2 acquires consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of the item stored in the storage container. When different items are stored in one storage container, the information acquiring unit 2 may acquire information indicating the consumption amount of each item as the consumption information.

[0019] The replenishment determination unit 3 determines whether to use the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method to replenish the items based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2. Here, the first replenishment method is a method in which a picking robot is used to individually replenish items to a storage container in which the items have been consumed. That is, the first replenishment method is a method in which a picking robot adds items to a storage container in which the amount of items is reduced from the initial state, thereby performing replenishment. The addition of items is repeated until the number of items reaches a predetermined number (the number in the initial state). In addition, in the first replenishment method, another robot (for example, a transport robot 300 described later) may be further used to transport the storage container. In addition, the second replenishment method is a method in which a storage container in which an item has been consumed is replaced with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored. That is, the second replenishment method is a method in which a first storage container in which the amount of items is reduced from the initial state is replaced with a new second storage container in which a predetermined number of items are stored (the number in the initial state), thereby performing replenishment. That is, in this method, a picking robot is not used. Note that in the second replenishment method, other robots (for example, the transport robot 300 described below) may be used to transport the storage containers.

[0020] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of operations of the management device 1 according to the outline of the embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of the flow of operations of the management device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0021] First, in step S11, the information acquisition unit 2 acquires consumption information about one storage container. Next, in step S12, the replenishment determination unit 3 determines whether to carry out the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method, based on the consumption information acquired in step S11.

[0022] The management device 1 according to the outline of the embodiment has been described above. For example, when the consumption of an item is large, if a picking robot is used to replenish the items, the time required for replenishment is long, and the efficiency of the replenishment work is reduced. On the other hand, when the consumption of an item is small, if the storage container is replaced, the storage container in which a large number of items remain will be collected, and the efficiency of the replenishment work is reduced. Also, for example, in a storage container in which various different items are stored, when the consumption of each item varies, if the storage container is replaced, the storage container in which a large number of some items remain will be collected, and the efficiency of the replenishment work is reduced. Also, when a picking robot is used to replenish items, the greater the replenishment amount of items that require a large pick-up work cost, the lower the work efficiency will be. On the other hand, according to the management device 1, the replenishment method can be flexibly switched according to the state of consumption of the items. Therefore, it is possible to suppress inefficient replenishment.

[0023] Next, the details of the embodiment will be described. <Embodiment 1> First, a first embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration of an item management system 10 according to the first embodiment. The item management system 10 is a system that performs a process for replenishing consumed items when items stored in a storage container are consumed. Note that in this embodiment, as an example, the storage container is a storage box, which will be described later, but the storage container is not limited to this as long as it is capable of storing items.

[0024] 3, the article management system 10 includes a management device 100, a picking robot 200, and a transport robot 300. The management device 100 is connected wirelessly or by wire to the picking robot 200 and the transport robot 300 so as to be able to communicate with each other. If necessary, the picking robot 200 and the transport robot 300 may also be connected wirelessly or by wire to be able to communicate with each other.

[0025] The management device 100 corresponds to the management device 1 of FIG. 1, and is a device that performs control processing for replenishing items stored in the storage box. Details of the management device 100 will be described later. Items used by users are stored in the storage box. The items stored in the storage box are, for example, consumable items such as food and daily necessities. The user takes out the items stored in the storage box and uses them. This reduces the number of items stored in the storage box. In this embodiment, the storage box is stored on a shelf placed in the user's living space, for example, but the storage box does not necessarily have to be stored on a shelf.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing an example of the configuration of a shelf 50 that houses storage boxes. The shelf 50 is a shelf that houses storage boxes, and is installed, for example, in a living space of a house. In this specification, the house includes an apartment building, an office building, etc., and the living space includes an office space. As shown in FIG. 4, the shelf 50 includes storage boxes 60a to 60c for storing consumable items. The storage boxes 60a to 60c are different in size from one another. Hereinafter, when the storage boxes 60a to 60c are mentioned without any particular distinction, they will be referred to as storage boxes 60.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, the shelf 50 includes a housing 51, a partition plate 52, a rail 53, and a locking mechanism 54.

[0028] The right-handed xyz Cartesian coordinate system shown in FIG. 4 is for the convenience of explaining the positional relationship of the components. Usually, the positive direction of the z axis is vertically upward, and the xy plane is a horizontal plane. Also, although FIG. 4 is a front view, the storage box 60 is shown hatched to facilitate understanding. Furthermore, the configuration of the shelf 50 shown in FIG. 4 is merely an example, and shelves having other configurations capable of accommodating storage boxes may be used.

[0029] The housing 51 constitutes the outer frame of the shelf 50. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the housing 51 has a frame structure in which a top plate provided on the positive side of the z axis, a bottom plate provided on the negative side of the z axis, and side plates provided on the positive and negative sides of the y axis are integrally formed. That is, the front and back of the housing 51 are open so that the storage box 60 can be inserted and removed. An openable door may be provided on the front and back of the open housing 51. The front or back of the housing 51 may be closed.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the partition plate 52 is provided parallel to the side plates constituting the housing 51 (that is, parallel to the xz plane) and extends from the front surface to the rear surface of the open housing 51. Here, the partition plates 52 are provided so that the distance between the side plate of the housing 51 and the adjacent partition plate 52, as well as the distance between the partition plates 52 themselves, are equal. 4, two partition plates 52 are provided and three rows of storage locations for the storage boxes 60 are provided, but there is no limitation on the number of partition plates 52. Also, no partition plate 52 may be provided and the storage locations for the storage boxes 60 may be one row.

[0031] 4, the pairs of rails 53 extend in the depth direction (x-axis direction) on the inner surface of the housing 51 and on the partition plate 52, and are arranged side by side at equal intervals in the height direction (z-axis direction). Here, the rails 53 are provided so as to rise substantially vertically from the inner surface of the housing 51 and the partition plate 52. In the example of FIG. 4, four pairs of rails 53 are provided for each row, and four storage boxes 60a of the minimum size can be stored in each row.

[0032] Needless to say, there is no limitation on the number of rails 53. Furthermore, rails 53 may extend discontinuously in the depth direction (x-axis direction) as long as they are capable of supporting storage box 60. Alternatively, instead of rails 53, short supports may be arranged so as to be aligned in the depth direction (x-axis direction).

[0033] Storage box 60 has flanges 61 on both sides, and storage box 60 is supported on shelf 50 by flanges 61 being supported from below by a pair of adjacent and opposing rails 53. The flanges 61 are protruding parts that protrude outward in the width direction from storage box 60. The flanges 61 are provided on both sides of storage box 60, spanning from the front to the back. The flanges 61 slide on the pair of rails 53, allowing storage box 60 to be taken in and out. In this manner, the shelf 50 can accommodate all of the storage bins 60 of a plurality of predefined sizes while supporting them slidably along each pair of rails 53 .

[0034] A locking mechanism 54 is provided on the upper side of each pair of rails 53. The locking mechanism 54 locks the storage box 60 and its lid (not shown) housed in the shelf 50 to the housing 51, thereby preventing theft of the storage box 60 and the consumable items stored therein. Note that the shelf 50 does not necessarily have to be provided with the locking mechanism 54. Also, the storage box 60 does not necessarily have to be provided with a lid.

[0035] In this embodiment, the storage boxes 60a to 60c of the multiple sizes defined in advance all have the same width in the y-axis direction and the same depth in the x-axis direction. On the other hand, the storage boxes 60a to 60c have different heights in the z-axis direction. The height of the smallest size storage box 60a is designed to match the distance between the rails 53 adjacent to each other in the z-axis direction. Naturally, the height of the smallest size storage box 60a is smaller than the distance between the rails 53. The height of the medium size storage box 60b is designed to be approximately twice the height of the storage box 60a. Moreover, the height of the largest size storage box 60c is designed to be approximately three times the height of the storage box 60a.

[0036] That is, the heights of the storage boxes 60a to 60c of a plurality of sizes defined in advance are designed to be approximately an integer multiple of the distance between the rails 53 adjacent to each other in the z-axis direction. In the example shown in Fig. 4, there are three different sizes of storage boxes, but there may be one, two, or four or more different sizes. In the example of Fig. 4, in addition to storage boxes 60a to 60c, a storage box having a height, for example, about four times the height of storage box 60a may be provided separately.

[0037] Consumable items such as food and daily necessities are stored inside storage box 60. The consumable items stored inside storage box 60 are replenished at a predetermined timing by a first replenishment method or a second replenishment method.

[0038] Next, a description will be given of the picking robot 200. The picking robot 200 is a robot that picks up an item and replenishes it in the storage box 60 based on an instruction from the management device 100.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of the picking robot 200. The picking robot 200 is a manipulator including a base portion 201, a link root portion 202, a first link 203, a second link 204, and an end effector 205. The picking robot 200 picks up an item 90 by the end effector 205, and places the item 90 in a storage box 60. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the item 90 is placed in the storage box 60 from a storage box 70 for delivering the item. The storage box 60 may be used as the storage box 70 for delivering the item. The item 90 is placed in advance in the storage box 70 at a logistics center or the like.

[0040] Note that the configuration of the end effector 205 is not limited as long as the end effector 205 can pick up an article. For example, the end effector 205 may pick up an article by gripping the article, or may pick up the article by adsorbing the article. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the link mechanism is composed of two links, the first link 203 and the second link 204, but the link mechanism may be composed of three or more links.

[0041] The base unit 201 is fixed to an arbitrary location. For example, the base unit 201 may be fixed to a top plate constituting the housing 51 of the shelf 50, or may be fixed to a wall or floor surface in the living space of a house. The link root part 202 is connected to the base part 201 via the rotation shaft 202a so as to be rotatable around the rotation shaft 202a. The rotation shaft 202a of the link root part 202 is an axis perpendicular to the plane to which the base part 201 is fixed. The link root part 202 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) or the like.

[0042] The first link 203 is rotatably connected to the link root portion 202 via a first joint portion 203a provided at the rear end of the first link 203. The second link 204 is rotatably connected to the tip of the first link 203 via a second joint portion 204a provided at the rear end of the second link 204. An end effector 205 is connected to the tip of the second link 204.

[0043] Here, the rotation axes of the first joint portion 203a and the second joint portion 204a are parallel to the surface to which the base portion 201 is fixed. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the height of the end effector 205 can be changed by rotating the first link 203 and the second link 204. The first link 203 and the second link 204 are each rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) or the like. With this configuration, the picking robot 200 can replenish the items 90 in the storage box 60.

[0044] Although not shown, the picking robot 200 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory in which various control programs, data, etc. are stored. In other words, the picking robot 200 has a function as a computer and executes various control processes based on the various control programs, etc.

[0045] Next, a description will be given of the transfer robot 300. The transfer robot 300 is a robot that transfers the storage boxes 60, 70 based on instructions from the management device 100. In this embodiment, the transport robot 300 performs the following transport for the picking robot 200 to replenish items. The transport robot 300 transports the storage box 60 stored on the shelf 50 to the work area of ​​the picking robot 200. The transport robot 300 also transports the storage box 70 in which items have been placed beforehand from a predetermined location such as a logistics center to the work area of ​​the picking robot 200. Then, when the picking robot 200 has completed the replenishing of items, the transport robot 300 transports the storage box 60 in which the items have been replenished to a predetermined storage position on the shelf 50. The transport robot 300 also transports the storage box 70 from which the items have been removed to a predetermined location such as a logistics center. In this embodiment, the transport robot 300 performs the following transport to replenish the storage box 60 from which items have been consumed by replacing it with a storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored. The transport robot 300 transports the storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored from a predetermined location such as a logistics center to a predetermined storage position on the shelf 50. The transport robot 300 also transports the storage box 60 to be replaced that is stored on the shelf 50 to a predetermined location such as a logistics center.

[0046] The storage box may be transported by relaying the storage box using a plurality of transport robots 300. For example, the transport may be realized using a transport robot 300 that is in charge of transport between a logistics center and the vicinity of the living space, and a transport robot 300 that transports within the living space.

[0047] In this manner, in the present embodiment, replenishment by a picking robot or replenishment by replacing the storage box is performed while using the transport robot 300 that transports the storage box, but it is not necessary to use the transport robot 300. In other words, the storage box may be transported by a person (operator).

[0048] Fig. 6 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of a transport robot 300. The transport robot 300 shown in Fig. 6 is an autonomous vehicle that takes in and out a storage box 60 from a shelf 50 and transports the storage box 60. The transport robot 300 may perform a similar operation on a storage box 70. As shown in FIG. 6, the transfer robot 300 includes wheels 301 and 302 , a main body 303 , a top plate 304 , and a support 305 .

[0049] Two pairs of wheels 301, 302 are rotatably fixed to the underside of a main body 303, and are driven by a driving source (not shown) such as a motor. 6, a top plate 304 is connected to a main body 303 via an extendable support 305. The top plate 304 is connected to the upper end of the support 305, and the transport robot 300 places the storage box 60 on the top plate 304 and transports the storage box 60.

[0050] The support 305 has, for example, a telescopic extension mechanism, and is extended and retracted by a drive source (not shown) such as a motor. As shown by the outline arrow in Fig. 6, the height of the top board 304 can be changed by changing the length of the support 305. Therefore, the storage box 60 can be taken in and out of any storage location on the shelf 50.

[0051] Here, the transfer robot 300 is equipped with, for example, a manipulator (not shown), and uses the manipulator to move the storage box 60 from the shelf 50 onto the top board 304. Then, the manipulator moves the storage box 60 on the top board 304 to the shelf 50.

[0052] Although not shown, the transport robot 300 also includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory in which various control programs, data, etc. are stored. In other words, the transport robot 300 also has a function as a computer, and executes various control processes based on the various control programs, etc.

[0053] Next, a description will be given of details of the management device 100. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management device 100. As shown in Fig. 7, the management device 100 includes an information acquisition unit 101, a replenishment determination unit 102, and an instruction unit 103.

[0054] The information acquiring unit 101 corresponds to the information acquiring unit 2 in FIG. 1. The information acquiring unit 101 acquires consumption information, which is information indicating the consumption amount of the items stored in the storage box 60. For example, the information acquiring unit 101 acquires consumption information about a selected storage box from among the storage boxes 60 stored on the shelf 50. This selection may be made according to a predetermined selection rule, and for example, the storage boxes 60 stored on the shelf 50 are selected in order. When different items are stored in one storage box 60, the information acquiring unit 101 acquires information indicating the consumption amount of each item as the consumption information. The consumption information is updated, for example, periodically, and the information acquiring unit 101 acquires the consumption information periodically.

[0055] The information acquisition unit 101 may acquire the consumption information by any method. For example, the information acquisition unit 101 may acquire the consumption information by receiving it from any other device, or by reading it from a storage device such as a memory of the management device 100. The consumption information is generated in advance by any method. For example, the consumption information may be generated by performing image recognition processing on an image taken by a camera inside the storage box 60 to recognize remaining items. In this case, the management device 100 may receive an image taken by a camera inside the storage box 60 and generate the consumption information. That is, the management device 100 may have a consumption information generation unit that analyzes the received image and generates the consumption information. The method of generating the consumption information is not limited to the above-mentioned method. For example, the consumption information may be generated based on the number of consumed items input by the user via an input device such as a keyboard or a pointing device. In this case, the consumption information may also be generated by the management device 100.

[0056] The replenishment determination unit 102 corresponds to the replenishment determination unit 3 in Fig. 1. The replenishment determination unit 102 determines, based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101, whether to replenish the items individually to the storage box 60 using the picking robot 200, or to replace the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed with a storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored. That is, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines, based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101, whether to replenish the items by the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method described above.

[0057] In this embodiment, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines whether to replenish the items using the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method, based on the amount of consumption specified from the consumption information. Specifically, when the amount of consumption specified from the consumption information is less than a predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to replenish the items using the first replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to use the picking robot 200 to individually replenish the items to the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed (i.e., the storage box 60 in which the amount of consumption of the items has been specified). In contrast, when the amount of consumption specified from the consumption information is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to replenish the items using the second replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to realize the replenishment of the items by replacing the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed with a storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored.

[0058] When different items are packed in one storage box 60, the consumption amount compared with the predetermined threshold is, for example, the total consumption amount of each item packed in the storage box 60. However, when different items are packed in one storage box 60, the consumption amount compared with the predetermined threshold may be the consumption amount of any one of the items of interest. In this case, when the consumption amount is less than the predetermined threshold, not only the item of interest but also the other items are replenished using the picking robot 200.

[0059] The instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to realize the replenishment of items according to the replenishment method determined by the replenishment determination unit 102. That is, when it is determined to replenish items by the first replenishment method, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replenish items individually. Specifically, in this case, for example, the instruction unit 103 notifies the picking robot 200 of an instruction to move the consumed items from the storage box 70 in which the items have been placed to the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed. Note that, prior to issuing an instruction to the picking robot 200, the instruction unit 103 may notify the transport robot 300 of an instruction to transport the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed to the work area of ​​the picking robot 200. Similarly, the instruction unit 103 may notify the transport robot 300 of an instruction to transport the storage box 70 in which the items have been placed to the work area of ​​the picking robot 200 at a predetermined location such as a logistics center. In addition, after the picking robot 200 has completed its work, the instruction unit 103 may issue an instruction to the transport robot 300 to transport the storage box 70 to a specified location such as a logistics center, or may issue an instruction to the transport robot 300 to transport the restocked storage box 60 to the shelf 50.

[0060] Furthermore, when it is decided to replenish using the second replenishment method, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replace the storage box 60. Specifically, in this case, for example, the instruction unit 103 notifies the transport robot 300 of an instruction to transport the storage box 60 in which items have been placed beforehand at a predetermined location such as a logistics center to the shelf 50. The instruction unit 103 also notifies the transport robot 300 of an instruction to transport the storage box 60 in which items have been consumed from the shelf 50 to a predetermined location such as a logistics center.

[0061] 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the management device 100. As shown in FIG. 8, the management device 100 includes a network interface 151, a memory 152, and a processor 153.

[0062] The network interface 151 is used to communicate with any device such as the picking robot 200 and the transport robot 300. The network interface 151 may include, for example, a network interface card (NIC).

[0063] The memory 152 is configured, for example, by a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The memory 152 is used to store programs executed by the processor 153, data used for various processes of the management device 100, and the like.

[0064] The processor 153 reads out and executes a program from the memory 152 to perform processing of each component shown in Fig. 7. The processor 153 may be, for example, a microprocessor, a microprocessor unit (MPU), or a central processing unit (CPU). The processor 153 may include multiple processors. In this manner, the management device 100 has the functionality of a computer.

[0065] The program includes a set of instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, causes the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0066] Next, a description will be given of the flow of operations of the management device 100. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of operations of the management device 100. Below, the flow of operations of the management device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 9.

[0067] In step S100, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires consumption information about the storage boxes 60 stored on the shelf 50.

[0068] Next, in step S101, the replenishment determination unit 102 compares the consumption amount identified from the consumption information acquired in step S100 with a predetermined threshold. If the consumption amount identified from the consumption information is less than the predetermined threshold (NO in step S101), the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to replenish the item using the first replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S102. On the other hand, if the consumption amount identified from the consumption information is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (YES in step S101), the replenishment determination unit 102 determines to replenish the item using the second replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S103.

[0069] In step S102, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replenish items individually. In response to this, in step S103, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replace the storage box 60.

[0070] The first embodiment has been described above. In this embodiment, the refilling method is determined based on the amount of consumption specified from the consumption information. That is, depending on the amount of consumption, it is possible to switch between replacing the storage box itself and refilling the items individually using the picking robot 200. For example, if the storage box is replaced even though a large number of items remain, the large number of items will end up returning together with the storage box to a predetermined location such as a logistics center. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the refilling method is switched depending on the amount of consumption, so that it is possible to avoid replacing a storage box in which a large number of items remain. Therefore, it is possible to suppress inefficient refilling.

[0071] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in the way in which the replenishment method is determined based on the consumption information. Specifically, in this embodiment, the replenishment method is determined based on the degree of variation in the consumption amount of each item identified from the consumption information. Below, the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and overlapping explanations will be explained as appropriate.

[0072] The article management system according to the second embodiment has the same system configuration as that of the first embodiment, except that the management device 100 is replaced with a management device 100a. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management device 100a according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the management device 100a has an information acquisition unit 101, a variation calculation unit 104, a replenishment determination unit 102a, and an instruction unit 103. That is, the management device 100a differs from the management device 100 of the first embodiment in that the variation calculation unit 104 is added and the replenishment determination unit 102 is replaced with the replenishment determination unit 102a.

[0073] The variation calculation unit 104 calculates the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount for each item from the consumption information. That is, the variation calculation unit 104 calculates the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount for each item packed in one storage box 60. This calculation can also be said to calculate the magnitude of variation in the amount to be replenished for each item. In this embodiment, the variation calculation unit 104 calculates the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount for each item as follows, as an example. FIG. 11 is a table for explaining the calculation of the magnitude of variation. Note that FIG. 11 shows an example in which four types of items, items A to D, are stored in advance in one storage box 60, which is the target for determining the replenishment method. The variation calculation unit 104 first specifies the remaining ratio for each item based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101. The remaining ratio is expressed as the ratio of the current number of items to the number of items in the initial state. That is, the remaining ratio is expressed as the ratio of the number of items currently remaining in a storage box for which a refill method is to be determined to the number of items previously stored in the storage box. Next, the variation calculation unit 104 calculates the standard deviation of the remaining ratio for each item as the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount for each item. Note that the variation calculation unit 104 may calculate the standard deviation using an index value calculated from the remaining ratio. For example, the variation calculation unit 104 may calculate the index value from the remaining ratio using the following formula. Here, R1 is the remaining ratio (the remaining ratio expressed as a decimal) and R2 is the index value. R2 = (1-R1) x 10 In this manner, in this embodiment, the variation calculation unit 104 specifically calculates the variation of the remaining ratio. Note that the above-mentioned method of calculating the variation is merely an example, and the variation calculation unit 104 may calculate the magnitude of the variation by other methods. Also, for example, the index value R2 of each item may be weighted according to the item, and then the standard deviation may be calculated. Also, the weighting value may be specified by the user.

[0074] The replenishment determination unit 102a corresponds to the replenishment determination unit 3 in FIG. 1. The replenishment determination unit 102a also determines whether to replenish the items using the above-mentioned first replenishment method or the second replenishment method based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101. However, the replenishment determination unit 102a determines whether to replenish the items using the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method based on the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount of each item identified from the consumption information. Specifically, when the magnitude of the variation calculated by the variation calculation unit 104 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to replenish the items using the first replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to individually replenish the items to the storage box 60 in which the item was consumed (i.e., the storage box 60 in which the consumption amount of the item was identified) using the picking robot 200. On the other hand, when the magnitude of the variation calculated by the variation calculation unit 104 is less than the predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to replenish the items by the second replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to realize replenishment of the items by replacing the storage box 60 in which the items have been consumed with a storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored.

[0075] Next, the flow of operations of the management device 100a will be described. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of operations of the management device 100a. The flow of operations of the management device 100a will be described below with reference to Fig. 12.

[0076] In step S200, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires consumption information about the storage boxes 60 stored on the shelf 50. Next, in step S201, the variation calculation unit 104 calculates the variation in consumption amount for each item from the consumption information acquired in step S200.

[0077] Next, in step S202, the replenishment determination unit 102a compares the magnitude of the variation calculated in step S201 with a predetermined threshold. If the magnitude of the variation is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (YES in step S202), the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to replenish the items using the first replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S203. On the other hand, if the magnitude of the variation is less than the predetermined threshold (NO in step S202), the replenishment determination unit 102a determines to replenish the items using the second replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S204.

[0078] In step S203, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replenish the items individually. In response to this, in step S204, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replace the storage box 60.

[0079] The second embodiment has been described above. In this embodiment, the replenishment method is determined based on the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount of each item identified from the consumption information. That is, depending on the magnitude of variation, it is possible to switch between replacing the storage box itself and replenishing the items individually using the picking robot 200. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to avoid replacing a storage container in which a large number of some items remain. Therefore, it is possible to suppress inefficient replenishment. The replenishment determination unit 102a may determine the replenishment method based on the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount and the magnitude of the consumption amount. That is, the method of determining the replenishment method in this embodiment may be combined with the method of determining the replenishment method in the first embodiment. For example, when the magnitude of variation in the consumption amount of each item is less than a predetermined threshold value (first threshold value), the replenishment determination unit 102a may not necessarily determine to replenish the items using the second replenishment method (i.e., replacing the storage box), but may further determine whether to adopt the replenishment using the second replenishment method depending on the magnitude of the consumption amount. That is, in such a case, the replenishment determination unit 102a may determine to replenish the items by the second replenishment method (i.e., replacement of the storage box) only when the magnitude of the consumption amount exceeds a predetermined threshold (second threshold). In this way, it is possible to avoid replacing the storage box when almost no items are consumed.

[0080] <Embodiment 3> Next, a third embodiment will be described. This embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in the way in which the replenishment method is determined based on the consumption information. Specifically, in this embodiment, as described later, the replenishment method is determined based on the characteristics of the item and the operation cost calculated from the consumption information. Below, the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and overlapping explanations will be explained as appropriate.

[0081] The article management system according to the present embodiment has the same system configuration as that of the first embodiment, except that the management device 100 is replaced with a management device 100b. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management device 100b according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13, the management device 100b has an information acquisition unit 101a, a cost calculation unit 105, a replenishment determination unit 102b, and an instruction unit 103. That is, the management device 100b differs from the management device 100 of the first embodiment in that the cost calculation unit 105 is added, the information acquisition unit 101 is replaced with the information acquisition unit 101a, and the replenishment determination unit 102 is replaced with the replenishment determination unit 102b.

[0082] The information acquiring unit 101a differs from the above-mentioned information acquiring unit 101 in that it further acquires not only consumption information but also characteristic information indicating characteristics of each item. Here, the characteristic of an item refers to a characteristic related to the difficulty of picking up the item by the picking robot 200. The characteristic information may specifically be information about a predetermined attribute that affects the difficulty of picking up the item by the picking robot 200 (i.e., an attribute value of the predetermined attribute). Note that the attribute value may be data and is not limited to a numerical value. For example, the predetermined attribute may be the weight of the item, the material of the item, or the shape of the item. That is, the characteristic information may be information indicating the weight of the item, the material of the item, or the shape of the item. The characteristic information may include only a part of these, or may include all of them. In addition, the characteristic information may specifically be the difficulty of picking up the item by the picking robot 200 itself. In this case, the characteristic information is information indicating the difficulty of picking up the item by the picking robot 200, that is, the operation cost for the picking robot 200 to pick up one item. The task cost (difficulty) is defined based on the attribute values ​​of the above-mentioned predetermined attributes that affect the difficulty of picking up an item.

[0083] The heavier the item is, the more difficult it is for the picking robot 200 to pick up the item. In addition, the relationship between the material of the item and the difficulty of picking up the item is, for example, as follows. The more slippery the material is, the more difficult it is for the picking robot 200 to pick up the item. In addition, the more easily the material is deformed, the more difficult it is for the picking robot 200 to pick up the item. In addition, if the material of the item is a material with fine irregularities or cloth, it is difficult for the picking robot 200, which picks up the item by adsorbing it, to pick it up. This is because such materials are difficult to adsorb. In addition, the relationship between the shape of the item and the difficulty of picking up the item is, for example, as follows. For example, the more easily the shape of the item rolls, the more difficult it is for the picking robot 200 to pick up the item. This is because, in the case of such a shape, when the end effector 205 touches the item during picking up, the item will move. The attributes that affect the difficulty of picking up the item are not limited to the above-mentioned attributes. For example, the characteristic information may include other information such as information indicating the size of the item. Note that the attribute value of the predetermined attribute is defined in advance for each item.

[0084] The information acquiring unit 101a may acquire the characteristic information created in advance for each item by any method. For example, the information acquiring unit 101a may acquire the characteristic information by receiving it from any other device, or by reading it from a storage device such as a memory of the management device 100b.

[0085] The cost calculation unit 105 calculates the operation cost of the picking robot 200 for replenishment by the picking robot 200 from the characteristics and consumption information of the items. When the information acquisition unit 101a acquires information indicating the attribute value of a predetermined attribute of each item as the characteristic information, the cost calculation unit 105 first identifies the operation cost for the picking robot 200 to pick up one item for each item from the characteristic information (specifically, the attribute value). FIG. 14 is a table showing a specific example of the identification of the operation cost for picking up one item. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the total value of the operation cost C1 based on the weight, the operation cost C2 based on the material, and the operation cost C3 based on the shape corresponds to the operation cost for picking up one item. The cost calculation unit 105 identifies the operation cost from the attribute value acquired by the information acquisition unit 101a, for example, by using a predefined lookup table that associates the attribute value with the operation cost. It is preferable that the cost calculation unit 105 identifies the operation cost according to the specifications of the picking robot 200. This is because the difficulty of picking up the same item varies depending on the specifications of the picking robot 200. For this reason, for example, the cost calculation unit 105 refers to a lookup table according to the specifications of the picking robot 200 to identify the picking operation cost. As described above, the information acquisition unit 101a may acquire the operation cost itself for picking up one item (each value of C1 to C3 or the total value of C1 to C3) as the characteristic information. In this case, the above-mentioned process, i.e., the process of identifying the operation cost from the attribute value, is omitted.

[0086] The cost calculation unit 105 calculates the operation cost when replenishing the storage box 60 by the first replenishing method by performing a calculation using the operation cost for picking up one item and the number of items to be replenished identified from the consumption information. Specifically, the cost calculation unit 105 calculates the operation cost of the picking robot 200 for implementing the first replenishing method (replenishment by the picking robot 200) as follows. The cost calculation unit 105 calculates the product of the operation cost for picking up one item and the number of items consumed (the number of items to be replenished) for each item, and further calculates the sum of the calculation results of the products for each item. This sum represents the operation cost of the picking robot 200 for implementing the first replenishing method (replenishment by the picking robot 200).

[0087] Figures 15 and 16 are tables showing specific examples of calculation of operation costs. In the examples shown in Figures 15 and 16, the storage box to be replenished is storage box 60 which stores four types of items A, B, C, and D. As shown in Figure 14, the operation cost for picking up one item A is 15, the operation cost for picking up one item B is 7, the operation cost for picking up one item C is 2, and the operation cost for picking up one item D is 5.

[0088] In the example shown in FIG. 15, it is assumed that only two items C have been consumed from the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101a for this storage box 60. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 15, it is assumed that only two items C have been consumed compared to the initial state. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 15, the item that needs to be replenished is only item C, and the number of items to be replenished is two. In this case, the operation cost when replenishing this storage box using the first replenishment method is calculated by multiplying the operation cost for picking up one item C (i.e., 2) by the number of items to be replenished (i.e., 2). Through this calculation, the cost calculation unit 105 outputs 4 as the operation cost when replenishing this storage box using the first replenishment method.

[0089] Similarly, in the example shown in FIG. 16, it is assumed that one item A and two items B have been consumed from the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101a for this storage box 60. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 16, it is assumed that one item A and two items B have been consumed compared to the initial state. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 16, the items to be replenished are item A and item B, and the number of items to be replenished is one item A and two items B. In this case, the operation cost when replenishing this storage box using the first replenishing method is calculated by calculating the sum of the operation cost for replenishing item A and the operation cost for replenishing item B. The operation cost for replenishing item A is calculated by calculating the product of the operation cost for picking up one item A (i.e., 15) and the number of items to be replenished (i.e., 1). Also, the operation cost for replenishing item B is calculated by calculating the product of the operation cost for picking up one item B (i.e., 7) and the number of items to be replenished (i.e., 2). Through these calculations, cost calculation unit 105 outputs 29 as the operation cost for replenishing this storage box using the first replenishing method.

[0090] The replenishment determination unit 102b corresponds to the replenishment determination unit 3 in FIG. 1. The replenishment determination unit 102b also determines whether to replenish the items using the above-mentioned first replenishment method or the second replenishment method based on the consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101. However, more specifically, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines whether to replenish the items using the first replenishment method or the second replenishment method based on the operation cost of the picking robot 200 for replenishment by the picking robot 200 (replenishment using the first replenishment method). That is, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines the replenishment method based on the operation cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 105. Specifically, when the operation cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 105 is less than a predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to replenish the items using the first replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to use the picking robot 200 to individually replenish the storage box 60 in which the item has been consumed (i.e., the storage box 60 in which the consumption amount of the item has been specified) with the item. In contrast, when the operation cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 105 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to replenish the item by the second replenishment method. That is, in this case, the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to realize replenishment of the item by replacing the storage box 60 in which the item has been consumed with a storage box 60 in which a predetermined number of items are stored. For example, when the value of the predetermined threshold is 10, in the example shown in FIG. 15, replenishment is performed by the first replenishment method, and in the example shown in FIG. 16, replenishment is performed by the second replenishment method.

[0091] Next, the flow of operations of the management device 100b will be described. Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of operations of the management device 100b. Below, the flow of operations of the management device 100b will be described with reference to Fig. 17.

[0092] In step S300, the information acquisition unit 101a acquires consumption information about the storage boxes 60 stored on the shelf 50. Next, in step S301, the information acquisition unit 101a acquires characteristic information of the items stored in the storage box 60. Note that the order of steps S300 and S301 may be reversed, or steps S300 and S301 may be performed simultaneously. Next, in step S302, the cost calculation unit 105 calculates the task cost using the consumption information acquired in step S300 and the characteristic information acquired in step S301.

[0093] Next, in step S303, the replenishment determination unit 102b compares the operation cost calculated in step S302 with a predetermined threshold. If the operation cost is less than the predetermined threshold (NO in step S303), the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to replenish the items using the first replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S304. On the other hand, if the operation cost is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (YES in step S303), the replenishment determination unit 102b determines to replenish the items using the second replenishment method. In this case, the process proceeds to step S305.

[0094] In step S304, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replenish the items individually. In response to this, in step S305, the instruction unit 103 outputs an instruction to replace the storage box 60.

[0095] The third embodiment has been described above. In this embodiment, the replenishment method is determined based on the operation cost of the picking robot 200. That is, depending on the operation cost, it is possible to switch between replacing the storage box itself and replenishing the items by the picking robot 200 individually. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the replenishment method is switched depending on the operation cost of the picking robot 200. Therefore, it is possible to suppress replenishment that is inefficient in terms of the operation cost of the picking robot 200. Also, as described above, the replenishment determination unit 102b may determine the replenishment method based on the operation cost according to the weight of the item. In this case, the replenishment method can be determined taking into account the operation cost of the picking robot 200 caused by the weight. Also, as described above, the replenishment determination unit 102b may determine the replenishment method based on the operation cost according to the material of the item. In this case, the replenishment method can be determined taking into account the operation cost of the picking robot 200 caused by the material. Also, as described above, the replenishment determination unit 102b may determine the replenishment method based on the operation cost according to the shape of the item. In this case, the replenishment method can be determined taking into consideration the operating costs of the picking robot 200 due to the shape.

[0096] The replenishment determination unit 102b may determine the replenishment method based on the magnitude of the variation in the consumption and the operation cost. That is, the method of determining the replenishment method in this embodiment may be combined with the method of determining the replenishment method in the second embodiment. For example, the replenishment determination unit 102b may determine the replenishment method using the value of the operation cost, the value of the magnitude of the variation in the consumption for each item, and a predetermined threshold value. Specifically, for example, the replenishment determination unit 102b may determine to perform replenishment using the second replenishment method when a value obtained by subtracting the value of the magnitude of the variation from the value of the operation cost is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value, and may determine to perform replenishment using the first replenishment method when the value is less than the predetermined threshold value. In this way, the efficiency of the replenishment work can be improved by considering two aspects, the operation cost and the variation.

[0097] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the threshold values ​​mentioned in the embodiments may be set according to the user's request to reflect the user's request regarding the refill method. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 Management device 2 Information acquisition section 3 Replenishment decision section 10. Inventory Management System 50 shelves 51 Case 52 Partition 53 Rail 54 Locking mechanism 60a, 60b, 60c storage boxes 70 Storage Box 90 Goods 100, 100a, 100b management device 101, 101a Information acquisition section 102, 102a, 102b Replenishment determination section 103 Instruction section 104 Variation calculation section 105 Cost Calculation Department 151 Network Interface 152 Memory 153 processors 200 Picking Robot 201 Base 202 Link base 202a Rotating shaft 203 First Link 203a First joint 204 Second Link 204a Second joint 205 End Effector 300 Transport Robot 301 wheels 303 Main body 304 Tabletop 305 Post

Claims

1. An information acquisition unit that acquires consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of each item included in one storage container; a replenishment decision unit that decides to use a picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, when the magnitude of variation in consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, decides to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored, without using the picking robot, when the magnitude of variation is less than the first threshold and the total consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information does not exceed a predetermined second threshold, and decides to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, when the magnitude of variation is less than the first threshold and the total consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information does not exceed the second threshold; A management device having the above configuration.

2. An information acquisition unit that acquires consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of items stored in a storage container; a replenishment decision unit that decides to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, when a second operation cost, which is the product of a first operation cost for a picking robot to pick up one of the items, calculated based on the characteristics of the items, and the number of the items consumed, identified from the consumption information, is less than a predetermined third threshold value, and decides to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored, without using the picking robot, when the second operation cost is equal to or greater than the third threshold value; A management device having the above configuration.

3. The characteristics of the article include at least the weight of the article. The management device according to claim 2 .

4. The characteristics of the article include at least the material of the article. The management device according to claim 2 .

5. The characteristics of the article include at least the shape of the article. The management device according to claim 2 .

6. The management device: Acquire consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of each item included in one storage container; When the magnitude of variation in consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, it is decided to use a picking robot to individually replenish the item to the storage container in which the item was consumed; when the magnitude of the variation is less than the first threshold and the total of the consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information exceeds a predetermined second threshold, it is decided to replace the storage container in which the item was consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of items are stored without using the picking robot; when the magnitude of the variation is less than the first threshold and the total of the consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information does not exceed the second threshold, it is decided to use the picking robot to individually replenish the item to the storage container in which the item was consumed. Management method.

7. An information acquisition step of acquiring consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of each item included in one storage container; a replenishment decision step of deciding to use a picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, if the magnitude of variation in consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, deciding to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored, without using the picking robot, if the magnitude of variation is less than the first threshold and the total consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information does not exceed a predetermined second threshold, and deciding to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, if the magnitude of variation is less than the first threshold and the total consumption amount for each item identified from the consumption information does not exceed the second threshold; A program that causes a computer to execute the following.

8. A management device, Acquire consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of the item stored in the storage container; When a second operation cost, which is a product of a first operation cost for a picking robot to pick up one of the items, calculated based on the characteristics of the items, and the number of the items consumed, identified from the consumption information, is less than a predetermined third threshold, it is decided to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, and when the second operation cost is equal to or greater than the third threshold, it is decided to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored, without using the picking robot. Management method.

9. An information acquisition step of acquiring consumption information which is information indicating the consumption amount of the items stored in the storage container; a replenishment decision step of deciding to use the picking robot to individually replenish the items to the storage container in which the items have been consumed, when a second operation cost, which is the product of a first operation cost for a picking robot to pick up one of the items, calculated based on the characteristics of the items, and the number of the items consumed, identified from the consumption information, is less than a predetermined third threshold value, and deciding to replace the storage container in which the items have been consumed with a storage container in which a predetermined number of the items are stored, without using the picking robot, when the second operation cost is equal to or greater than the third threshold value; A program that causes a computer to execute the following.

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