Transport robot, transport control method, control device, and warehouse storage system

Abstract

The transport robot (500), the transport control method, the control device, and the warehouse storage system are provided. The transport robot (500) is applied to a scene of transporting a shelf (400) on which at least two types of boxes of specifications are placed, and includes a cargo transport device including a base pallet (300), a pitch adjustment mechanism, and a first fork arm (201) and a second fork arm (202) provided opposite each other on both sides of the base pallet (300). The transport control method includes controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm (201) and the second fork arm (202) by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm (201) and the second fork arm (202) matches the box (200) waiting for transport, and controlling the operation of the cargo transport device so that the first fork arm (201) and the second fork arm (202) restrain the box (200) waiting for transport and transport it to the base pallet (300).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority from a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202011585921.0, filed with the China Patent Office on December 28, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of warehousing, and relates to, for example, a transport robot, a transport control method, a control device, and a warehousing system. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, in the warehousing industry, different sizes of boxes require different transport robot configurations, which reduces the utilization rate of the transport robots and increases the cost of transporting boxes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a transport robot, a transport control method, a control device, and a warehouse storage system for improving the situation in the related art where the utilization rate of transport robots is low and the cost of transporting boxes is high.

[0005] In a first aspect of the present embodiment, the present embodiment comprises: It is applicable to the scene of transporting shelves with boxes of at least two specifications, a movable chassis; a cargo conveying device provided on a chassis, the cargo conveying device including: a first fork arm and a second fork arm provided opposite to each other; a pitch adjustment mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to adjust the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box awaiting transport; and an extension / retraction mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control extension / retraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo conveying device.

[0006] In a second aspect of the present embodiment, the present embodiment comprises: The method is applicable to a scene of transporting shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications are placed, and is performed by a transport robot having a cargo transport device including a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and a first fork arm and a second fork arm that are provided opposite each other and on opposite sides of the base pallet, Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box waiting for transport; Controlling adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; and controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for conveyance and convey it from its current position to the base pallet.

[0007] As a third aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application may include: The method is applicable to a scene of transporting shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed, and is performed by a transport robot having a cargo transport device including a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and a first fork arm and a second fork arm that are provided opposite each other and on opposite sides of the base pallet, Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the target position of the box waiting for transport; Controlling adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; and controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for conveyance and convey it from the base pallet to the target position.

[0008] As a fourth aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application is applicable to a scene of transporting a shelf on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed, and is performed by a transport robot including a cargo transport device having a plurality of cargo locations, a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and first and second fork arms provided opposite each other on both sides of the base pallet, and an elevator device; Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to a target point of the target position of the box waiting for transport; Controlling the operation of the lifting device so that the height of the cargo conveying device corresponds to the current cargo location of the box awaiting transport; Controlling adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; Controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm capture the box waiting for transport and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet; The box transport control method includes controlling the operation of an elevator device so that the height of a cargo transport device corresponds to the height of the target position of the box awaiting transport, thereby transporting the box awaiting transport from a base pallet to the target position.

[0009] As a fifth aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application may include: at least one processor; a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; A control device is provided having instructions executable by at least one processor stored in a memory, the instructions being executed by the at least one processor such that the at least one processor can perform the method as described above.

[0010] As a sixth aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application is a plurality of shelves each including at least one buffer storage tier and at least one storage tier, the storage tier and the buffer storage tier being spaced apart in the vertical direction, and capable of placing boxes of at least two types of specifications on the buffer storage tier and / or the storage tier; a transport robot as described above configured to transport boxes between the storage tier and the buffer storage tier; A warehouse storage system is provided, which includes the above-described control device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in several drawings indicate the same or similar parts or elements. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that the drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed herein and should not be considered limiting of the scope of the present application. [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of a box transport control method according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the first scraper rod and the second scraper rod after they have been extended in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic top view of a box waiting to be transported being sandwiched between a first fork arm and a second fork arm in an embodiment of the present application. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of a box transport control method according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of a box transport control method according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6]1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a warehouse storage device according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic plan view of a warehouse storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device according to another embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device according to another embodiment of the present application. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a structural block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Only a few illustrative embodiments will be briefly described below. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments can be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

[0013] One embodiment of the present application provides a transport robot applicable to transporting shelves on which boxes of at least two different specifications are placed. The transport robot may include a movable chassis and a cargo transport device mounted on the chassis. The cargo transport device may include a pitch adjustment mechanism, a first fork arm, and a second fork arm. The first fork arm and the second fork arm are disposed opposite each other. The pitch adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the pitch of the boxes waiting to be transported.

[0014] In the related art, a transport robot can only transport one type of fixed-size box and cannot adapt to transporting boxes with multiple specifications. The transport robot is equipped with an extendable cargo transport mechanism that extends from the side of the box, retracts, and then retracts, allowing the box to be pulled from a storage position to the transport robot body. Furthermore, the box must be equipped with a mark (e.g., a two-dimensional code) to assist the transport robot in positioning and identification.

[0015] In related art, the cargo conveying mechanism of a transport robot has two fork arms, with a fixed distance between them. Using such a transport robot to transport boxes has the following drawbacks: (1) Because the distance between the two fork arms is fixed, the transport robot can only transport boxes of one fixed specification and is unable to transport boxes of multiple specifications. (2) When a box is small in size, the box is prone to shifting during the process of being attracted by the two fork arms, increasing the risk of the box being pulled by the transport robot itself and causing failure. (3) There are many restrictions on the shape, specifications, and materials of boxes. Using specialized boxes requires additional handling, which can be labor-intensive. (4) The width occupied by a single inventory location on a shelf is the same. If the width of a box is small, the cargo conveying mechanism wastes space when placing the box in the inventory location on the shelf. (5) Signs must be attached to the boxes and inventory locations to assist the robot in box recognition, which increases costs and labor.

[0016] The transport robot of the present application uses a pitch adjustment mechanism to adjust the pitch between the first and second fork arms to match the box waiting to be transported, making the transport robot applicable to boxes of multiple specifications and applicable to transporting situations on shelves with at least two types of boxes, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the transport robot, reducing the cost of transporting boxes, and expanding the application range of the transport robot. Furthermore, adjusting the pitch between the first and second fork arms provides better confinement for the boxes, preventing them from shifting during the process of pushing and pulling, and ensuring the accuracy and success rate of the boxes being transported to the robot body.

[0017] The pitch adjustment mechanism may include a drive motor and a transmission mechanism connected to the drive motor, the first fork arm and the second fork arm may be provided on the transmission mechanism, and the drive motor rotates to drive and operate the transmission mechanism, thereby adjusting the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm. For example, the transmission mechanism may include a screw mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a gear transmission mechanism. The specific structure of the pitch adjustment mechanism is not limited as long as it can adjust the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device may further include a base pallet that can be used to temporarily place boxes awaiting transport, and the first fork arm and the second fork arm are respectively provided on opposite sides of the base pallet.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device may include a telescopic mechanism configured to control the extension and retraction of the first and second fork arms. When the telescopic mechanism extends, the first and second fork arms can restrain the box, and when the telescopic mechanism retracts, the first and second fork arms can pull the restrained box toward the base pallet of the transport robot.

[0020] The telescopic mechanism can be realized using conventional technology in this field. For example, the telescopic mechanism may include a drive motor, a screw connected to the drive motor, and a support plate attached to the screw. The first and second fork arms may be attached to the support plate, and the drive motor rotates to drive the support plate to move, thereby extending or retracting the first and second fork arms. The telescopic mechanism may also use a belt transmission mechanism or a gear transmission mechanism, and further description thereof will be omitted here.

[0021] The cargo conveying device may further include an image capturing module configured to capture image information of the boxes awaiting transport. The image capturing module may include a visual sensor, such as a depth camera head, and the image capturing module can be used to capture images of the boxes awaiting transport. After the captured images are processed by an algorithm, the length, width, and height of the boxes awaiting transport and the relative position of the boxes awaiting transport with respect to the cargo conveying device can be obtained.

[0022] In one embodiment, the end of the first fork arm (e.g., the end facing the box waiting to be transported) may be provided with a first scraping rod that can extend toward the second fork arm, and the end of the second fork arm (e.g., the end facing the box waiting to be transported) may be provided with a second scraping rod that can extend toward the first fork arm. After the telescopic mechanism extends so that the box waiting to be transported is located between the first and second fork arms, the first and second scraping rods extend to hook the box waiting to be transported, and the telescopic mechanism retracts, thereby causing the first and second fork arms to pull the box waiting to be transported toward the base pallet via the first and second scraping rods. The specific structures of the first and second scraping rods can be realized using conventional technology in this field, and will not be described here.

[0023] In one embodiment, a first pressure detection module may be provided on one side of the first fork arm facing the second fork arm, and / or a second pressure detection module may be provided on one side of the second fork arm facing the first fork arm. Thus, when the first and second fork arms butt against the surface of a box waiting to be transported to clamp the box, the first and / or second pressure detection module detect the butting pressure on the box, preventing damage to the box due to excessive butting pressure. This structure allows the first and second fork arms to clamp boxes made of multiple materials, such as plastic boxes or cardboard boxes, by butting against each other, eliminating the need for specialized boxes, avoiding handling operations, and saving labor.

[0024] In one embodiment, the transport robot may further include a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo transporting device so that the height of the cargo transporting device corresponds to the height of the boxes waiting to be transported.

[0025] In the embodiments of the present application, the transport principle of the transport robot is generally as follows: after the transport robot receives a transport command, the movable chassis moves to a location corresponding to the box awaiting transport based on the transport command, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to the height of the current position of the box awaiting transport, the cargo transport device transports the box awaiting transport to the base pallet of the transport robot, the transport robot moves to a location corresponding to the target position according to the planned path, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to the height of the target position, and the cargo transport device transports the box awaiting transport from the base pallet to the target position.

[0026] In one embodiment, the transport robot may further include multiple cargo locations. The transport principle of the transport robot is generally as follows: after the transport robot receives a transport command, the movable chassis moves to a location corresponding to the waiting box based on the transport command, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to the height of the current location of the waiting box, the cargo transport device transports the waiting box to the base pallet of the transport robot, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to an empty cargo location, the cargo transport device transports the waiting box from the base pallet to the cargo location, the transport robot moves to a location corresponding to the target position according to the planned path, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to the corresponding cargo location, the cargo transport device transports the waiting box from the cargo location to the base pallet, the lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device to correspond to the height of the target location, and the cargo transport device transports the waiting box from the base pallet to the target position.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a box transportation control method in one embodiment of the present application. This embodiment of the present application provides a box transportation control method executed by a transport robot that is applicable to a transportation scenario of shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications are placed. The transport robot may include a cargo transport device, which may include a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and first and second fork arms arranged opposite each other, with the first and second fork arms respectively arranged on both sides of the base pallet. As shown in FIG. 1, the box transportation control method may include:

[0028] In S101, the movement of the transport robot is controlled so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box waiting for transport.

[0029] In S102, the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported.

[0030] In S103, the operation of the cargo conveying device is controlled so that the first and second fork arms hold the box waiting to be conveyed and convey it from its current position to the base pallet.

[0031] For example, the transport robot may have a movable chassis, and the cargo transport device may be mounted on the chassis. A transport command can be sent to the transport robot to control its movement, and the transport robot, under the control of the transport command, moves the chassis to a location corresponding to the box waiting for transport, and adjusts the position of the cargo transport device to correspond to the current location of the box waiting for transport.

[0032] In step S102, the pitch between the first and second fork arms matching the box awaiting transportation can be understood as the first and second fork arms being parallel to each other and the pitch between the first and second fork arms matching the size of the box awaiting transportation in a direction perpendicular to the first or second fork arm. For example, the pitch between the first and second fork arms is d1, and the size of the box awaiting transportation in a direction perpendicular to the first or second fork arm is d2, and d1 matches d2. "d1 matching d2" can be understood as d1 being slightly larger than d2, for example, 5% to 10% larger than d2.

[0033] By adopting the box transport control method of the embodiment of the present application, the transport robot can transport boxes of multiple specifications and can be applied to transporting scenes on shelves where at least two types of boxes are placed, thereby broadening the application range of the transport robot, increasing the utilization rate of the transport robot, and reducing the cost of box transport. Furthermore, the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported, so that the transport robot can form a better limit for the box in the process of transporting the box waiting to be transported to the base pallet, avoiding box displacement, and ensuring the accuracy and success rate of the box being transported to the robot body.

[0034] In one embodiment, in step S102, controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism may include determining size information of the box awaiting transportation based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, and controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on the size information of the box awaiting transportation.

[0035] For example, the cargo conveying device may be provided with an image capture module that can capture image information of the boxes awaiting transport. The image capture module may include a visual sensor, such as a depth camera head, and can capture images of the boxes awaiting transport. After the captured images are processed by an algorithm, the length, width, and height of the boxes awaiting transport can be determined. Based on the determined size of the boxes awaiting transport, the pitch adjustment mechanism controls the adjustment of the pitch between the first and second fork arms so that the pitch between the first and second fork arms matches the corresponding size of the boxes awaiting transport.

[0036] For example, the system may have a mapping table of boxes and size information stored in advance, and the boxes waiting to be transported may be provided with labels (e.g., two-dimensional codes). The boxes can be recognized by the labels on the boxes waiting to be transported, and size information of the boxes waiting to be transported can be obtained by the mapping table of boxes and size information. Based on the obtained size information, the system can control the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism.

[0037] Size information of boxes waiting to be transported is determined based on image information of the boxes waiting to be transported, thereby eliminating the need to provide marks on the boxes for box recognition, reducing costs and the number of transport steps.

[0038] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device further includes an extension / retraction mechanism, and in step S103, controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transport and transport it from its current position to the base pallet may include determining relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo conveying device based on image information of the box awaiting transport, controlling the extension of the extension / retraction mechanism so that the box awaiting transport is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on the relative position information, and controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the box awaiting transport and transport it from its current position to the base pallet.

[0039] An image acquisition module, such as a depth camera head, can acquire images of the container awaiting transportation. After the acquired images are processed by an algorithm, the relative positional relationship between the container awaiting transportation and the image acquisition module can be obtained, and the relative positional relationship between the container awaiting transportation and the cargo conveying device can be obtained. Based on this relative positional relationship, the distance between the container awaiting transportation and the first fork arm or the second fork arm can be determined, and the extension amount of the telescopic mechanism can be determined. After controlling the telescopic mechanism to extend the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on this extension amount, the container awaiting transportation is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm, which is advantageous for the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the container awaiting transportation.

[0040] For example, the system may pre-store a mapping table between boxes and their positional relationships, and the boxes awaiting transportation may be provided with labels (e.g., two-dimensional codes). The labels may be used to identify the awaiting transportation boxes, and the specific location of the awaiting transportation boxes may be obtained from the mapping table between boxes and their positional relationships. Based on the specific location of the awaiting transportation box, the distance between the awaiting transportation box and the cargo conveying device may be obtained, and the distance between the awaiting transportation box and the first fork arm or the second fork arm may be determined, thereby determining the extension amount of the telescopic mechanism. Based on the extension amount, after controlling the telescopic mechanism to extend the first fork arm and the second fork arm, the awaiting transportation box is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm, which is advantageous for the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the awaiting transportation box.

[0041] Relative position information between the boxes waiting to be transported and a cargo transport device is determined based on image information of the boxes waiting to be transported, thereby eliminating the need to provide marks on the boxes for box recognition, further reducing costs and transport man-hours.

[0042] In one embodiment, an end of the first fork arm is provided with a first scraping rod that can extend toward the second fork arm, and an end of the second fork arm is provided with a second scraping rod that can extend toward the first fork arm. Controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the box awaiting transportation and transport it from its current position to the base pallet may include controlling the extension of the first scraping rod and the second scraping rod to hook the box awaiting transportation, and controlling the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm pull the box awaiting transportation from its current position to the base pallet.

[0043] 2 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of the present application after the first scraper rod and the second scraper rod are extended. As shown in FIG. 2, after the telescopic mechanism moves the first fork arm 201 and the second fork arm 202 to extend, the waiting box 200 is located between the first fork arm 201 and the second fork arm 202. The first scraper rod 203 and the second scraper rod 204 may be located at the end of the first fork arm 201 and the end of the second fork arm 202, respectively. Thus, after the first scraper rod 203 and the second scraper rod 204 extend, the waiting box is limited between the first fork arm 201, the second fork arm 202, the first scraper rod 203, and the second scraper rod 204, and the first scraper rod 203 and the second scraper rod 204 can hook the waiting box. By retracting the telescopic mechanism (to the right in FIG. 2), the first fork arm and the second fork arm can be made to pull the box 200 waiting for transportation from its current position onto the base pallet 300.

[0044] In one embodiment, controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the box awaiting transport and transport it to the base pallet may include controlling the operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to reduce the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm, controlling the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation when the butting pressure between the first fork arm and / or the second fork arm and the box awaiting transport is greater than or equal to a preset pressure to clamp the box awaiting transport, and controlling the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm transport the box awaiting transport from its current position to the base pallet.

[0045] 3 is a schematic top view of the first and second fork arms holding a box awaiting transport in one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, after the telescopic mechanism extends the first and second fork arms 201 and 202, the box awaiting transport 200 is positioned between the first and second fork arms 201 and 202. To enable the first and second fork arms 201 and 202 to firmly hold the box awaiting transport 200, the pitch between the first and second fork arms 201 and 202 can be reduced by controlling the operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism so that both the first and second fork arms are abutted against the box awaiting transport. A first pressure detection module 205 may be provided on one side of the first fork arm 201 facing the second fork arm 202, and / or a second pressure detection module 206 may be provided on one side of the second fork arm 202 facing the first fork arm 201. The first pressure detection module 205 and / or the second pressure detection module 206 can obtain the butting pressure between the first fork arm 201 and / or the second fork arm 202 and the box awaiting transportation 200. If the butting pressure is greater than or equal to a preset pressure, the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled to stop operation and clamp the box awaiting transportation. After the first fork arm 201 and the second fork arm 202 firmly clamp the box awaiting transportation, the telescopic mechanism retracts (to the right in FIG. 3 ), and the first fork arm and the second fork arm transport the box awaiting transportation 200 from its current position to the base pallet 300.

[0046] The preset pressure can be determined according to the material of the box. Setting an appropriate preset pressure ensures that the first and second fork arms can firmly clamp the box without damaging it. This allows the first and second fork arms to use a butt joint to clamp boxes made of multiple materials, such as plastic boxes or paper boxes, eliminating the need for dedicated boxes, avoiding handling operations and saving labor. Using a butt joint to clamp the box completely restrains the movement of the box and can accommodate boxes of different specifications. The two-time adjustment of the pitch between the first and second fork arms further improves conveying efficiency.

[0047] Illustratively, the pressure detection module may include a component capable of detecting pressure, such as a pressure sensor. In another embodiment, a travel switch may be provided to detect the positions of the first and second fork arms, and the pitch adjustment mechanism may be controlled to decrease the pitch between the first and second fork arms, and when the travel switch is triggered, the pitch between the first and second fork arms indicates that the abutment pressure is greater than or equal to the preset pressure.

[0048] In one embodiment, the transport robot further includes a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo transport device, and in step S101, controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box awaiting transport may include determining the current position corresponding to the box awaiting transport based on the box awaiting transport, instructing the transport robot to move to a current position corresponding to the current position, controlling the operation of the lifting device to move the cargo transport device to a height corresponding to the current position, determining relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo transport device based on image information of the box awaiting transport, and instructing the operation of the transport robot to correct the positional misalignment between the cargo transport device and the box awaiting transport based on the relative position information, thereby making the position of the cargo transport device correspond to the position of the box awaiting transport.

[0049] The system may store the current location of the box awaiting transport, and when the box awaiting transport needs to be removed from its current location, the system can determine the corresponding current location of the box awaiting transport based on the box awaiting transport. The system can search a map for a transport robot that is ready to perform the task. If no transport robot is available, the system suspends the task and waits for an available transport robot. If an available transport robot is available, the system plans a route from the current location to the nearest transport robot. The system sends a command and route to the transport robot to move to its current location, and the transport robot moves to a current point corresponding to its current location based on the command and route. Those skilled in the art will understand that the current location of the box awaiting transport may be a position in three-dimensional space, and the coordinates of the current location may be (X1, Y1, Z1), where X1 and Y1 are ground positions and Z1 is a height position. The current point corresponding to the current location may be understood as the ground position corresponding to the current location, i.e., the ground position represented by (X1, Y1). After the transport robot moves to a current point corresponding to the current position, the system can control the operation of the lifting device to move the cargo transport device to a height corresponding to the current position.

[0050] In the above process, the transport robot moves according to a current position pre-stored in the system. However, in reality, there may be a discrepancy between the actual position of the awaiting box and the current position stored in the system. For example, image information of the awaiting box can be obtained using an image acquisition module, and relative position information between the awaiting box and the cargo transport device can be determined based on the image information of the awaiting box. Based on the relative position information, the transport robot is instructed to adjust in the ground and vertical directions to correct the position discrepancy between the cargo transport device and the awaiting box, thereby making the position of the cargo transport device correspond to the position of the awaiting box. As a result, when the first and second fork arms extend toward the awaiting box, the first and second fork arms do not touch the awaiting box, and the awaiting box is positioned between the first and second fork arms.

[0051] By adopting the box transport control method of the embodiment of the present application, it is possible to correct the positional deviation between the cargo transport device and the boxes waiting to be transported, ensure that the first fork arm and the second fork arm can accurately restrain the boxes waiting to be transported, and improve transport efficiency.

[0052] In one embodiment, the transport robot may further include a main body shelf, which may include multiple layers of cargo locations, and the base pallet may serve as a temporary storage location for boxes awaiting transport. After the boxes awaiting transport are transported to the base pallet, the lifting device can adjust the height of the cargo transport device so that the height of the base pallet corresponds to an empty cargo location, allowing the first fork arm and the second fork arm to transport the boxes awaiting transport from the base pallet to the corresponding cargo location. Such a transport robot can transport multiple boxes simultaneously, further improving transport efficiency.

[0053] The item transport control method in the above embodiment is applied to a transport robot transporting a waiting box at its current location to the transport robot's cargo location. In the following embodiment, a specific control method for a transport robot to transport a waiting box at the cargo location to a target location will be introduced.

[0054] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a box transportation control method in one embodiment of the present application. The box transportation control method of this embodiment can be applied to a transport robot, and the transport robot can be used to transport shelves on which at least two types of boxes can be placed. The transport robot may include a cargo transport device, which includes a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and first and second fork arms arranged opposite each other, with the first and second fork arms respectively arranged on opposite sides of the base pallet. As shown in FIG. 4, the box transportation control method may include:

[0055] In S401, the movement of the transport robot is controlled so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the target position of the box waiting for transport.

[0056] In S402, the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported.

[0057] In S403, the operation of the cargo conveying device is controlled so that the first and second fork arms hold the box waiting to be conveyed and convey it from the base pallet to the target position.

[0058] Awaiting transport boxes that need to be transported to a target position are placed on the base pallet of the transport robot. The system can determine a target position of the awaiting transport boxes based on the awaiting transport boxes. The system plans a route for the transport robot to go to the target position. The system sends a command and a route to move to the target position to the transport robot, and the transport robot can move to a target point corresponding to the target position based on the command and route. The system controls the lifting device of the transport robot to adjust the height of the cargo transport device, thereby making the height of the cargo transport device correspond to the target height of the target position, and thereby making the position of the cargo transport device correspond to the target position.

[0059] 5 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a box transport control method in one embodiment of the present application. The box transport control method of the embodiment of the present application is applicable to a transport robot, and the transport robot is applicable to a transport scenario of a shelf on which at least two types of boxes can be placed. The transport robot includes a multi-tier cargo location, a cargo transport device, and a lifting device. The cargo transport device includes a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and first and second fork arms arranged opposite each other, the first and second fork arms being arranged on opposite sides of the base pallet, and the box transport control method may include:

[0060] In S501, the movement of the transport robot is controlled so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the target point of the target position of the box waiting for transport.

[0061] In S502, the operation of the lifting device is controlled so that the height of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current cargo location of the box awaiting transport.

[0062] In S503, the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported.

[0063] In S504, the operation of the cargo transport device is controlled so that the first and second fork arms capture the box waiting for transport and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet.

[0064] In S505, the operation of the lifting device is controlled so that the height of the cargo conveying device corresponds to the height of the target position of the box awaiting transportation, and the box awaiting transportation is transported from the base pallet to the target position.

[0065] Among them, the order of steps S501 and S502 may be interchanged.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will understand that the target position of the box waiting to be transported may be a position in three-dimensional space, and the coordinates of the target position may be (X2, Y2, Z2), of which X2 and Y2 may be the ground position and Z2 may be the height position, and the target point corresponding to the target position may be understood as the ground point corresponding to the target position, i.e., the point represented by the coordinates (X2, Y2).

[0067] In steps S504 and S505, the first and second fork arms hold the awaiting transport box and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet, and after waiting for the cargo transport device to rise and fall to a height corresponding to the target position, the first and second fork arms continue to transport the awaiting transport box from the base pallet to the target position. In the process from step S504 to step S505, the first and second fork arms maintain the state in which they hold the awaiting transport box until the awaiting transport box is transported to the target position.

[0068] In one embodiment, in step S402 and step S503, controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism may include determining size information of the box awaiting transportation based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, and controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on the size information of the box awaiting transportation.

[0069] The image capturing module can capture an image of the box awaiting transportation, and the captured image can be processed through an algorithm to obtain the length, width, and height of the box awaiting transportation. Based on the determined size of the box awaiting transportation, the pitch adjusting mechanism controls the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the corresponding size of the box awaiting transportation.

[0070] For example, the system may have a mapping table of boxes and size information stored in advance, and the boxes waiting to be transported may be provided with labels (e.g., two-dimensional codes). The boxes can be recognized by the labels on the boxes waiting to be transported, and size information of the boxes waiting to be transported can be obtained by the mapping table of boxes and size information. Based on the obtained size information, the system can control the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism.

[0071] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying apparatus further includes an extension mechanism, wherein an end of the first fork arm away from the target position is provided with a third scraping rod that can extend toward the second fork arm, and an end of the second fork arm away from the target position is provided with a fourth scraping rod that can extend toward the first fork arm. In steps S403 and S504, controlling the operation of the cargo conveying apparatus so that the first and second fork arms restrain the box awaiting transportation may include determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo conveying apparatus based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, controlling the operation of the extension mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box awaiting transportation is positioned between the first and second fork arms, and controlling the extension of the third and fourth scraping rods to hook the box awaiting transportation.

[0072] It can be understood that for a transport robot without multiple cargo locations, a waiting box can be transported directly from the base pallet to the target location. When the waiting box is located on the base pallet, the waiting box is located between the first and second fork arms. However, due to the length limitations of the first and second fork arms, it is necessary to control the operation of the telescopic mechanism to move the first and second fork arms to the appropriate positions so that the waiting box can be firmly held after the third and fourth scraping rods are extended.

[0073] For a transport robot that does not have multiple layers of cargo locations, the extension of the third scraping rod and the fourth scraping rod is controlled to hook a box awaiting transport, and then the telescopic mechanism is controlled to extend them toward the target position, and the third scraping rod and the fourth scraping rod pull the box awaiting transport from the base pallet to the target position.For a transport robot that has multiple layers of cargo locations, the extension of the third scraping rod and the fourth scraping rod is controlled to hook a box awaiting transport, and then the telescopic mechanism is controlled to retract them from the cargo location toward the base pallet, and the third scraping rod and the fourth scraping rod pull the box awaiting transport from the cargo location to the base pallet.

[0074] When the third scraper rod and the fourth scraper rod are pulling the box waiting to be transported, the first fork arm and the second fork arm properly limit the box waiting to be transported.

[0075] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying apparatus further includes an extension / contraction mechanism. In steps S403 and S504, controlling the operation of the cargo conveying apparatus so that the first and second fork arms restrain the box awaiting transportation may include determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo conveying apparatus based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, controlling the operation of the extension / contraction mechanism so that the box awaiting transportation is located between the first and second fork arms based on the relative position information, controlling the operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to decrease the pitch between the first and second fork arms, and controlling the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation when an abutting pressure between the first and second fork arms and the box awaiting transportation is greater than or equal to a preset pressure, thereby clamping the box awaiting transportation.

[0076] For a transport robot that does not have multiple layers of cargo locations, the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled to stop operation, and after clamping the box awaiting transport, the telescopic mechanism is controlled to extend toward the target position, and the third and fourth scraping rods pull the box awaiting transport from the base pallet to the target position.For a transport robot that has multiple layers of cargo locations, the pitch adjustment mechanism is controlled to stop operation, and after clamping the box awaiting transport, the telescopic mechanism is controlled to retract from the cargo location toward the base pallet, and the third and fourth scraping rods pull the box awaiting transport from the cargo location to the base pallet.

[0077] When the transport robot places cargo at a target position, boxes of at least two different specifications can be placed on the shelf. The location of the waiting box determined based on the current position of the box waiting for transport may not match the specifications of the box waiting for transport. For example, for a shelf, the box waiting for transport in the storage location is a large specification box, and one buffer storage inventory location on the lower buffer storage tier is determined based on the current position of the box waiting for transport. Since boxes of two different specifications can be placed on the buffer storage tier, the determined buffer storage inventory location may be a buffer storage inventory location for a small specification box and may not match the large specification box waiting for transport.

[0078] In one embodiment, when a transport robot places cargo at a target position, the box transport control method may further include determining a first empty position based on the current position of the box awaiting transport, determining whether the first empty position matches the specifications of the box awaiting transport, and if the first empty position matches the specifications of the box awaiting transport, determining the first empty position as the target position, and if the first empty position does not match the specifications of the box awaiting transport, determining a second empty position based on the first empty position, determining the second empty position as the target position, and determining that the second empty position matches the specifications of the box awaiting transport.

[0079] It can be understood that the second vacant location may be an appropriate location closest to the first vacant location to improve delivery efficiency. For example, if the first buffer storage inventory location determined based on the current location does not match the specifications of the box awaiting delivery, a second buffer storage inventory location closest to the first buffer storage inventory location can be searched for, and if the second buffer storage inventory location matches the specifications of the box awaiting delivery, the second buffer storage inventory location can be determined as the target location.

[0080] By adopting the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the transport robot can always place the boxes waiting for transport at the appropriate target position, thereby avoiding wasting shelf space.

[0081] The above box transport control method can be applied to a warehouse storage system, and the item transport control method of the above embodiment is used to control a transport robot to transport a box waiting to be transported from its current position (e.g., a storage location) to a target position (a buffer storage location). Hereinafter, the application of the control method of the above embodiment will be described in detail using an example in which the transport robot has multiple cargo locations, through the process of transporting a box waiting to be transported from its current position to a target position.

[0082] (1) After receiving a box transport task from the task management system, the robot dispatching system determines the current location of the box waiting to be transported based on the box waiting to be transported. The dispatching system searches the map for a transport robot that is ready to perform the task. If there is no available transport robot, the dispatching system suspends the task and waits. If there is an available transport robot, the dispatching system plans a route for the nearest transport robot from the current location to the current location.

[0083] (2) The dispatching system sends a command and a route to the transport robot to move to the current position, and the transport robot moves to a current point corresponding to the current position based on the command and route. The lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo transport device so that the height of the cargo transport device corresponds to the height of the current position.

[0084] (3) The pitch adjustment mechanism controls the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported.

[0085] (4) The first and second fork arms are controlled so as to restrain the box waiting to be transported and transport it to the base pallet.

[0086] (5) The lifting device adjusts the height of the cargo conveying device so that the height of the base pallet corresponds to an empty cargo location, thereby allowing the first fork arm and the second fork arm to transport the awaiting transport box from the base pallet to the corresponding cargo location.

[0087] (6) The dispatching system plans a route from the current position to the target position, sends a command and route to the transport robot to move to the target position, and the transport robot moves to a target point corresponding to the target position based on the command and route.

[0088] (7) The operation of the lifting device is controlled to adjust the height of the cargo conveying device so that the height of the cargo conveying device corresponds to the current cargo location in the box awaiting transport.

[0089] (8) The pitch adjustment mechanism controls the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported.

[0090] (9) Control the first and second fork arms to restrain the box waiting for transport and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet.

[0091] (10) By controlling the operation of the lifting device to adjust the height of the cargo conveying device, the height of the cargo conveying device is adjusted to correspond to the height of the target position of the box waiting to be transported, and the box waiting to be transported is transported from the base pallet to the target position.

[0092] The box transport control method of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to a warehouse storage system, and by adopting this box transport control method, a transport robot can be controlled to transport boxes between a buffer storage location on a buffer storage layer plate of a shelf and a storage location on a storage layer plate, and boxes of different specifications can be placed on the shelf.

[0093] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a warehousing storage apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a warehousing storage apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the warehousing storage apparatus may include a plurality of shelves 400, a transfer robot 500, and a transport robot 600. The shelf 400 may include at least one buffer storage tier 401 and at least one storage tier 402, the storage tier 402 and the buffer storage tier 401 being spaced apart in the vertical direction, and at least two types of boxes, e.g., first-specification boxes 701 and second-specification boxes 702, may be placed on the buffer storage tier 401 and / or the storage tier 402, where the size of the first-specification boxes 701 is smaller than the size of the second-specification boxes 702 in the extension direction along the buffer storage tier or the storage tier. The transport robot 500 is configured to transport boxes between buffer storage locations on the shelves, and the transport robot 600 is configured to transport boxes between the buffer storage locations and the workstations.

[0094] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the storage tier 402 is positioned above the buffer storage tier 401. When the storage tier 402 is configured to accommodate boxes of a single specification, the buffer storage inventory locations of the corresponding buffer storage tier 401 match the storage inventory locations of the storage tier 402, i.e., the size and number of the buffer storage inventory locations of the corresponding buffer storage tier are similar to the size and number of the storage inventory locations of the storage tier. It can be understood that the buffer storage tier located below the storage tier may also be the buffer storage tier corresponding to the storage tier, i.e., the corresponding buffer storage tier is the buffer storage tier located below the storage tier. For example, the first shelf 410 in FIG. 7 has the storage tier 402 configured to accommodate second specification boxes 702, the storage tier 402 has three storage inventory locations, and the corresponding buffer storage tier 401 also has three buffer storage inventory locations, and the buffer storage inventory locations are configured to accommodate the second specification boxes 702. For example, the second shelf 420 in FIG. 7 has a storage layer board 402 configured to accommodate a first specification box 701, four storage inventory locations on the storage layer board 402, and four buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage layer board 401, which are configured to accommodate a first specification box 701.

[0095] In one embodiment, when a storage tier is configured to accommodate first specification boxes and second specification boxes, and the number of first specification boxes is greater than the number of second specification boxes, the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier match the first specification boxes, and the size of the first specification boxes is smaller than the size of the second specification boxes in the extension direction along the buffer storage tier. For example, the third shelf 430 in FIG. 7 has a storage tier 402 configured to accommodate first specification boxes 701 and second specification boxes 702, and the number of first specification boxes 701 is greater than the number of second specification boxes 702, and the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier match the first specification boxes 701, and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier is four, and the buffer storage inventory locations are configured to accommodate the first specification boxes 701.

[0096] In one embodiment, when a storage tier is configured to accommodate first specification boxes and second specification boxes, and the number of second specification boxes is greater than or equal to the number of first specification boxes, the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier match the second specification boxes, and the size of the first specification boxes is smaller than the size of the second specification boxes in the extension direction along the buffer storage tier. For example, the fourth shelf 440 in FIG. 7 has a storage tier 402 configured to accommodate first specification boxes 701 and second specification boxes 702, and the number of second specification boxes 702 is greater than the number of first specification boxes 701, and the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier match the second specification boxes 702, and the number of buffer storage inventory locations on the corresponding buffer storage tier is three, and the buffer storage inventory locations are configured to accommodate the second specification boxes 702.

[0097] In one embodiment, when the transfer robot transfers a box awaiting transfer from a storage tier to a corresponding buffer storage tier, if the buffer storage inventory location of the corresponding buffer storage tier does not match the specifications of the box awaiting transfer, the transfer robot is configured to transfer the box awaiting transfer from the storage tier to a buffer storage tier that is closer to the corresponding buffer storage tier so that the buffer storage inventory location configured to accommodate the box awaiting transfer matches the specifications of the box awaiting transfer. For example, if the box awaiting transfer is a second specification box 702 located on a storage tier of the third shelf 430, the transfer robot typically transfers the second specification box 702 from the storage tier to the corresponding buffer storage tier. However, although the buffer storage inventory location of the buffer storage tier on the third shelf 430 matches the first specification box 701, it does not match the second specification box 702 and cannot be used to place the second specification box 702. Therefore, the transport robot must transport the box awaiting transport (the second specification box 702) from the storage tier on the third shelf 430 toward a buffer storage tier that is close to the corresponding buffer storage tier. For example, the transport robot may transport the box awaiting transport (the second specification box 702) from the storage tier on the third shelf 430 toward a buffer storage tier on the fourth shelf 440 that is close to the corresponding buffer storage tier, and the buffer storage inventory location on the fourth shelf 440 matches the second specification box and can accommodate the box awaiting transport.

[0098] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, a pitch adjustment mechanism adjusts the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm, so that the technical solution can be adapted to transport boxes of various specifications, and boxes of different specifications can be transported to the inventory location with the most appropriate size, thereby making more efficient use of warehouse space.

[0099] 8 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device in one embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application further provides a box transport control device executed by a transport robot that is applicable to a transport scene of shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications are placed. The transport robot includes a cargo transport device, and the cargo transport device includes a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and first and second fork arms arranged oppositely, the first and second fork arms being respectively arranged on opposite sides of the base pallet. As shown in FIG. 8, the box transport control device includes: a first movement control module 710 configured to control the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the position of the box waiting to be transported; a first pitch adjustment module 720 configured to control an adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; and a first transport control module 730 configured to control the operation of the cargo transport device so that the first and second fork arms capture and transport the boxes awaiting transport to the base pallet.

[0100] In one embodiment, the first pitch adjustment module may include a first size information determination submodule configured to determine size information of the box awaiting transportation based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, and a first pitch adjustment submodule configured to control adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on the size information of the box awaiting transportation.

[0101] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device further includes an extension / retraction mechanism, and the first conveying control module may include a first relative position determination submodule configured to determine relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo conveying device based on image information of the box awaiting transport, a first extension / retraction control submodule configured to control the extension of the extension / retraction mechanism so that the box awaiting transport is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on the relative position information, and a first conveying control submodule configured to control the first fork arm and the second fork arm so as to restrain the box awaiting transport and transport it to the base pallet.

[0102] In one embodiment, a first scraping rod that can be extended toward the second fork arm is provided at the end of the first fork arm, and a second scraping rod that can be extended toward the first fork arm is provided at the end of the second fork arm, and the first transport control submodule is configured to control the extension of the first scraping rod and the second scraping rod so as to hook the box awaiting transport, and to control the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm pull the box awaiting transport onto the base pallet.

[0103] In one embodiment, the first transport control submodule is configured to control the operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to reduce the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm, and when the butting pressure between the first fork arm and / or the second fork arm and the box awaiting transport is greater than or equal to a preset pressure, control the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation to clamp the box awaiting transport, and control the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm transport the box awaiting transport to the base pallet.

[0104] In one embodiment, the transport robot further includes a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo transport device, and the first movement control module may include a current position determination submodule configured to determine the current position of the box awaiting transport based on the box awaiting transport, a first instruction submodule configured to instruct the transport robot to move to a current point corresponding to the current position, a lifting control submodule configured to control the operation of the lifting device to move the cargo transport device to a height corresponding to the current position, a second relative position determination submodule configured to determine relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo transport device based on image information of the box awaiting transport, and a second instruction submodule configured to make the position of the cargo transport device correspond to the position of the box awaiting transport by instructing the operation of the transport robot to correct the positional misalignment between the cargo transport device and the box awaiting transport based on the relative position information.

[0105] 9 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device in another embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application further provides a box transport control device executed by a transport robot that is applicable to a transport scene of a shelf on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed. The transport robot includes a cargo transport device, which includes a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and a first fork arm and a second fork arm that are provided opposite each other, and the first fork arm and the second fork arm are respectively provided on opposite sides of the base pallet, and the box transport control device includes: a second movement control module 801 configured to control the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the target position of the box waiting for transport; a second pitch adjustment module 802 configured to control an adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; and a second transport control module 803 configured to control the operation of the cargo transport device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm capture the box waiting for transport and transport it from the base pallet to the target position.

[0106] 10 is a structural block diagram of a box transport control device in another embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application further provides a box transport control device configured as a transport robot applicable to a transport scene of a shelf on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed. The transport robot includes a multi-tier cargo location, a cargo transport device, and a lifting device, and the cargo transport device includes a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, and a first fork arm and a second fork arm oppositely provided, the first fork arm and the second fork arm being respectively provided on both sides of the base pallet, and the box transport control device includes: a third movement control module 901 configured to control the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to a target point of the target location of the box awaiting transport, and to control the operation of the lifting device so that the height of the cargo transport device corresponds to a current cargo location of the box awaiting transport; a third pitch adjustment module 902 configured to control an adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; The system may also include a third transport control module 903 configured to control the operation of the cargo transport device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transport and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet, and to control the operation of the lifting device so that the height of the cargo transport device corresponds to the height of the target position of the box awaiting transport, thereby transporting the box awaiting transport from the base pallet to the target position.

[0107] In one embodiment, the second pitch adjustment module or the third pitch adjustment module may include a second size information determination submodule configured to determine size information of the box awaiting transportation based on image information of the box awaiting transportation, and a second pitch adjustment submodule configured to control adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on the size information of the box awaiting transportation.

[0108] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device further includes an extension mechanism, and a third scraping rod that can be extended toward the second fork arm is provided at the end of the first fork arm that is away from the target position, and a fourth scraping rod that can be extended toward the first fork arm is provided at the end of the second fork arm that is away from the target position, and the second conveying control module or the third conveying control module may include a third relative position determination submodule configured to determine relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo conveying device based on image information of the box awaiting transport, a second extension / retraction control submodule configured to control the operation of the extension mechanism so that the box awaiting transport is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on the relative position information, and a first restraint submodule configured to control the extension of the third scraping rod and the fourth scraping rod so as to hook the box awaiting transport.

[0109] In one embodiment, the cargo conveying device further includes an extension / retraction mechanism, and the second conveying control module or the third conveying control module may include a third relative position determination submodule configured to determine relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo conveying device based on image information of the box awaiting transport; a third extension / retraction control submodule configured to control the operation of the extension / retraction mechanism so that the box awaiting transport is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on the relative position information; a second restraint submodule configured to control the operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to reduce the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and a pressure determination submodule configured to control the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation when the butting pressure between the first fork arm and the second fork arm and the box awaiting transport is greater than or equal to a preset pressure, thereby clamping the box awaiting transport.

[0110] An embodiment of the present application further provides a control device comprising at least one processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor such that the at least one processor can perform the method described above.

[0111] An embodiment of the present application further provides a warehousing system including a warehousing apparatus as described above, a transport robot as described above, and a control device as described above, wherein the control device is configured to control the transport robot to transport boxes.

[0112] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, realizes the control method of the above embodiment. The computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0113] Figure 11 is a structural block diagram of a control device in one embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 11, the control device includes a memory 1511 and a processor 1512. A computer program operable by the processor 1512 is stored in the memory 1511. When the processor 1512 executes the computer program, the warehousing control method and the warehousing control method in the above embodiment are realized. The number of memories 1511 and processors 1512 may be one or more.

[0114] The control device further comprises a communication interface 1513 configured to communicate with an external device and transmit data to and from the external device.

[0115] If the memory 1511, the processor 1512, and the communication interface 1513 are implemented independently, the memory 1511, the processor 1512, and the communication interface 1513 can be connected to each other via a bus to complete communication therebetween. The bus may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in FIG. 11, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0116] For example, in a specific implementation, if the memory 1511, the processor 1512 and the communication interface 1513 are integrated into one chip, the memory 1511, the processor 1512 and the communication interface 1513 can complete communication between them through an internal interface.

[0117] The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), other general-purpose processor, digital signal processing (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any general processor, etc. The processor may be a processor supporting advanced reduced instruction set machine (ARM) architecture.

[0118] For example, the memory may include a program storage area and a data storage area, of which the program storage area can store an operating system and application programs required for at least one function, and the data storage area can store data generated in response to use of the control device. The memory may also include high-speed random access memory and may further include non-transitory memory, such as at least one magnetic disk memory device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state memory device. In some embodiments, the memory may include memory configured remotely from the processor, and the remote memory may be connected to the control device via a network. Examples of the network may include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an internal company network, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0119] In the above description, for shelves, "position" is described in terms of "inventory location", for example, the "current position" on the shelf may be described as the "current inventory location" and the "target position" may be described as the "target inventory location".

[0120] In the description of this specification, orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are intended merely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present application, and should not be understood as indicating or implying that such devices or elements must have a specific orientation, be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0121] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or number of the indicated technical features. Accordingly, a feature qualified with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited, "plurality" means two or more than two.

[0122] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attach," "couple," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integration, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or an interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0123] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or may include contact between the first and second features through another feature between them, rather than direct contact. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "on the upper surface" of a second feature may include the first feature being directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or may simply indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "on the lower surface" of a second feature may include the first feature being directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or may simply indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is smaller than that of the second feature.

[0124] Although the figures depict steps of the methods herein in a particular order, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that particular order or that all steps depicted must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into a single step, and / or a single step may be separated into multiple steps. The above-described figures are merely schematic illustrations of processes included in methods according to exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not intended to be limiting. It is understood that the processes depicted in the figures do not imply or limit the time order of these processes. It is also understood that these processes may be performed synchronously or asynchronously by multiple modules, for example.

[0125] The above disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present application. To simplify the disclosure of the present application, the above describes specific example components and configurations. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present application. Furthermore, the present application may repeat reference numerals and / or alphabets in different examples. Such repetition is for the purposes of brevity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 200 Box waiting for transport, 201 First fork arm, 202 Second fork arm, 203 First scraping rod, 204 Second scraping rod, 205 First pressure detection module, 206 Second pressure detection module, 300 Base pallet, 400 Shelf, 401 Buffer storage layer plate, 402 Storage layer plate, 410 First shelf, 420 Second shelf, 430 Third shelf, 440 Fourth shelf, 500 Transport robot, 600 Transport robot, 701 First specification box, 702 Second specification box

Claims

1. It is applicable to the scene of transporting shelves with boxes of at least two different specifications, a movable chassis; a cargo transport device provided on the chassis, the cargo transport device including: a first fork arm and a second fork arm provided opposite to each other; a pitch adjustment mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to adjust the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches a box awaiting transport; an extension mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control extension and contraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm; an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of the box awaiting transport; and a transport control module configured to control operation of the cargo transport device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transport; a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo conveying device; a third scraping rod capable of extending toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm away from the target position of the box waiting to be transported, and a fourth scraping rod capable of extending toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm away from the target position; The transport control module includes a relative position determination submodule configured to determine relative position information between the box awaiting transport and the cargo transport device based on image information of the box awaiting transport; an extension / retraction control submodule configured to control the operation of the extension / retraction mechanism so that the box awaiting transport is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm based on the relative position information; and a restraint submodule configured to control the extension of the third scraper rod and the fourth scraper rod so as to hook the box awaiting transport. Transport robot.

2. A first scraping rod capable of extending toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm, and a second scraping rod capable of extending toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm; a first pressure detection module is provided on one side of the first fork arm facing the second fork arm; a second pressure detection module is provided on one side of the second fork arm facing the first fork arm; The transport robot according to claim 1 .

3. The method is applied to a scene of transporting shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications are placed, and is performed by a transport robot including a cargo transport device including a base pallet, a pitch adjustment mechanism, a first fork arm and a second fork arm provided opposite each other and respectively provided on opposite sides of the base pallet, an extension mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control extension and contraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm, and an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of the boxes waiting to be transported, a third scraping rod capable of extending toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm away from the target position of the box waiting to be transported, and a fourth scraping rod capable of extending toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm away from the target position, Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box waiting for transport; Controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet; Before controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transportation, image information of the box awaiting transportation may be acquired. The above-mentioned controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation includes: determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transportation device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; controlling the operation of the telescopic mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box waiting to be transported is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and controlling the extension of the third scraper rod and the fourth scraper rod so as to catch the box waiting to be transported. Box transport control method.

4. The transport robot further includes an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of the box awaiting transport; The method further includes capturing image information of the box awaiting transportation before controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism. The above-mentioned controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism includes: determining size information of the boxes awaiting transportation based on image information of the boxes awaiting transportation; and controlling adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on size information of the boxes awaiting transportation. The box transport control method according to claim 3.

5. The cargo conveying device further includes an extension mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control extension and contraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm, and an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of boxes waiting for transportation, Before controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet, image information of the box awaiting transportation is further included, The above-mentioned controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet includes: determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transport device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; controlling the extension of the telescopic mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box waiting to be transported is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm to restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet; The box transport control method according to claim 3.

6. a first scraping rod that can extend toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm, and a second scraping rod that can extend toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm, The above-mentioned controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm so as to restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet includes: Controlling the extension of the first scraping rod and the second scraping rod so as to catch the box waiting to be transported; and controlling the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm pull the box awaiting transportation from the current position to the base pallet. The box transport control method according to claim 5.

7. the transport robot satisfies at least one of a condition that a first pressure detection module is provided on one side of the first fork arm facing the second fork arm and a condition that a second pressure detection module is provided on one side of the second fork arm facing the first fork arm, and the first pressure detection module and the second pressure detection module are configured to detect abutment pressure between the first fork arm and the box awaiting transport and between the second fork arm and the box awaiting transport, respectively; The above-mentioned controlling the first fork arm and the second fork arm so as to restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the current position to the base pallet includes: Controlling operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to reduce the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; In response to determining that the butting pressure between at least one of the first fork arm and the second fork arm and the box awaiting transportation is greater than or equal to a preset pressure, controlling the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation and clamp the box awaiting transportation; controlling the retraction of the telescopic mechanism so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm transport the box waiting for transportation from the current position to the base pallet, The box transport control method according to claim 5.

8. The transport robot further includes a lifting device configured to adjust the height of the cargo transport device, and an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of boxes waiting for transport; Before controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box awaiting transport, image information of the box awaiting transport is further included; The above-mentioned controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to the current position of the box waiting for transport includes: determining a current location corresponding to the waiting box based on the waiting box; instructing the transfer robot to move to a current point corresponding to the current position; controlling the operation of the lifting device to move the cargo conveying device to a height corresponding to the current position; determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transportation device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; and instructing the transport robot to operate so as to correct a positional deviation between the cargo transport device and the box awaiting transport based on the relative position information, thereby causing the position of the cargo transport device to correspond to the position of the box awaiting transport. The box transport control method according to claim 3.

9. The method is applied to a scene of transporting shelves on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed, and is executed by a transport robot having a cargo transport device including: a base pallet; a pitch adjustment mechanism; first and second fork arms provided opposite each other and respectively provided on opposite sides of the base pallet; an extension mechanism connected to the first and second fork arms and configured to control extension and contraction of the first and second fork arms; and an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of boxes waiting to be transported; a third scraping rod capable of extending toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm away from the target position of the box waiting to be transported, and a fourth scraping rod capable of extending toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm away from the target position, Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to a target position of a box waiting for transport; Controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation and transport it from the base pallet to the target position; Before controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transportation, image information of the box awaiting transportation may be acquired. The above-mentioned controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation includes: determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transportation device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; controlling the operation of the telescopic mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box waiting to be transported is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and controlling the extension of the third scraper rod and the fourth scraper rod so as to catch the box waiting to be transported. Box transport control method.

10. The method is applied to a scene of transporting a shelf on which boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed, and is performed by a transport robot including a cargo transport device and a lifting device, the cargo transport device including: a plurality of cargo locations; a base pallet; a pitch adjustment mechanism; a first fork arm and a second fork arm that are provided opposite each other and on both sides of the base pallet; an extension mechanism that is connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control the extension and contraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and an image acquisition module that is configured to acquire image information of boxes waiting to be transported; a third scraping rod capable of extending toward the second fork arm is provided at an end of the first fork arm away from the target position of the box waiting to be transported, and a fourth scraping rod capable of extending toward the first fork arm is provided at an end of the second fork arm away from the target position, Controlling the movement of the transport robot so that the position of the cargo transport device corresponds to a target point of a target position of a box waiting for transport; controlling the operation of the lifting device so that the height of the cargo conveying device corresponds to the current cargo location of the box awaiting delivery; Controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm by the pitch adjustment mechanism so that the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm matches the box waiting to be transported; controlling the operation of the cargo transport device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm capture the box awaiting transport and transport it from the current cargo location to the base pallet; controlling the operation of the lifting device so that the height of the cargo conveying device corresponds to the height of the target position of the box awaiting transportation, and transporting the box awaiting transportation from the base pallet to the target position; Before controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transportation, image information of the box awaiting transportation may be acquired. The above-mentioned controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation includes: determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transportation device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; controlling the operation of the telescopic mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box waiting to be transported is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and controlling the extension of the third scraper rod and the fourth scraper rod so as to catch the box waiting to be transported. Box transport control method.

11. The transport robot further includes an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of the box awaiting transport; The method further includes capturing image information of the box awaiting transportation before controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism. The above-mentioned controlling the adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism includes: determining size information of the boxes awaiting transportation based on image information of the boxes awaiting transportation; and controlling adjustment of the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm of the pitch adjustment mechanism based on size information of the boxes awaiting transportation. The box transport control method according to claim 9 or 10.

12. The cargo conveying device further includes an extension mechanism connected to the first fork arm and the second fork arm and configured to control extension and contraction of the first fork arm and the second fork arm, and an image acquisition module configured to acquire image information of boxes waiting for transportation, Before controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box awaiting transportation, image information of the box awaiting transportation may be acquired. the transport robot satisfies at least one of a condition that a first pressure detection module is provided on one side of the first fork arm facing the second fork arm and a condition that a second pressure detection module is provided on one side of the second fork arm facing the first fork arm, and the first pressure detection module and the second pressure detection module are configured to detect abutment pressure between the first fork arm and the box awaiting transport and between the second fork arm and the box awaiting transport, respectively; The above-mentioned controlling the operation of the cargo conveying device so that the first fork arm and the second fork arm restrain the box waiting for transportation includes: determining relative position information between the box awaiting transportation and the cargo transportation device based on image information of the box awaiting transportation; controlling the operation of the telescopic mechanism based on the relative position information so that the box waiting to be transported is positioned between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; Controlling operation of the pitch adjustment mechanism to reduce the pitch between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and controlling the pitch adjustment mechanism to stop operation and clamp the box awaiting transportation in response to determining that the abutting pressure between the first fork arm and the second fork arm and the box awaiting transportation is greater than or equal to a preset pressure. The box transport control method according to claim 9 or 10.

13. determining a first empty location based on the current location of the box awaiting transport; determining whether the first empty location matches the specifications of the box awaiting transport; determining the first empty position as the target position based on a determination result that the first empty position matches the specifications of the box awaiting transportation; Further, the method includes determining a second empty position based on the first empty position based on a determination result that the first empty position does not match the specifications of the box awaiting transportation, determining the second empty position as the target position, and determining that the second empty position matches the specifications of the box awaiting transportation. The box transport control method according to claim 9 or 10.

14. at least one processor; a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; The memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the box transportation control method according to any one of claims 3 to 13. Control equipment.

15. a plurality of shelves, each of which includes at least one buffer storage layer and at least one storage layer, the storage layers being spaced apart in the vertical direction, and on at least one of the buffer storage layer and the storage layer, boxes of at least two types of specifications can be placed; 3. The transport robot of claim 1 or 2, configured to transport a box between the at least one storage tier and the at least one buffer storage tier; and a control device according to claim 14. Warehouse storage system.

16. The storage plates are located above the buffer storage plates, In response to determining that each storage tier is configured to accommodate a single specification box, a buffer storage inventory location of each corresponding buffer storage tier corresponds to a storage inventory location of each storage tier; each storage tier is configured to receive first specification boxes and second specification boxes, and in response to determining that the number of the first specification boxes is greater than the number of the second specification boxes, the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations of each corresponding buffer storage tier match the first specification boxes, and the size of the first specification boxes is smaller than the size of the second specification boxes in an extension direction along each buffer storage tier; each storage tier is configured to receive first specification boxes and second specification boxes, and in response to determining that the number of the second specification boxes is greater than or equal to the number of the first specification boxes, the buffer storage inventory locations and the number of buffer storage inventory locations of each corresponding buffer storage tier match the second specification boxes, and the size of the first specification boxes is smaller than the size of the second specification boxes in an extension direction along each buffer storage tier; 16. The warehousing system of claim 15.

17. In response to the transport robot transporting a box awaiting transport from each of the storage tiers toward the corresponding buffer storage tier, and determining that a buffer storage inventory location of the corresponding buffer storage tier does not match a specification of the box awaiting transport, the transport robot is configured to transport the box awaiting transport from each of the storage tiers toward a buffer storage tier that is closer to the corresponding buffer storage tier, such that a buffer storage inventory location for accommodating the box awaiting transport matches a specification of the box awaiting transport.

17. The warehousing system of claim 16.

18. A computer program that, when executed by a processor, realizes the box transport control method according to any one of claims 3 to 13, is stored. A computer-readable storage medium.

Images