CONTROL METHOD FOR TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

The present invention provides a control method for a conveyance system that comprises a conveyance device and a control device. The conveyance device includes: a secondary battery that supplies electric power for operation; and a drive mechanism that drives wheels by using the electric power supplied from the secondary battery. The control method comprises: an information acquisition step in which the conveyance device acquires, while traveling, position information regarding the position of the conveyance device and management information regarding the conveyance device or the traveling environment of the conveyance device; a first communication step in which the conveyance device transmits the acquired position information to the control device while traveling via a wireless communication network; and a second communication step in which the conveyance device transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the control device while the secondary battery is being charged.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport system using an unmanned transport device and a method for controlling the transport system. [Background technology]

[0002] In logistics warehouses for e-commerce and other applications, there is a system in which product picking is performed by a transport device (AGV: Automatic Guided Vehicle) that transports product shelves in front of a sorting worker called a picker, who then removes the products from the shelves.The control system that controls the transport device is connected to the transport device via a wireless communication network and issues transport instructions to the transport device.

[0003] As a background art, there is a picking system that is composed of a movable shelf, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) that transports the movable shelf, an AGV area where the AGV transports the movable shelf, a picking area adjacent to the AGV area where workers perform picking work, and two or more picking locations where the movable shelf is temporarily installed at a position adjacent to the picking area within the AGV area. For example, there is a technology described in Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 097736 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, while a transport device (hereinafter also referred to as a transport vehicle) is transporting a product shelf, there is a possibility that a product stored on the shelf may fall onto the travel path, and such a fallen object will interfere with the transport device's transport operation. The process of this transport operation being interfered with is recorded as log data in the transport device's operation history, which can be used to deal with the fallen object, etc., thereby enabling efficient operation and maintenance. In this way, analyzing the log data makes it possible to detect abnormalities in the transport device and analyze the environment of the transport device (e.g., the condition of the travel path). In this analysis, image data acquired using a camera on the transport device can be used. However, in transport devices that communicate wirelessly, if the amount of data transmitted to the control system (hereinafter also referred to as a control device) becomes large, the transmission and reception of control data such as prioritized transport instructions may be delayed.

[0006] In this way, if the amount of data that a transportation device transmits to a control device that controls the transportation device increases while the device is running for the purpose of controlling and maintaining the transportation system, the processing load of the transportation device and the load on the wireless communication network increase. Also, if a transportation system controls multiple transportation devices, the amount of communication from the transportation devices increases, and the communication bandwidth available for control commands in the transportation system becomes congested, which may cause communication delays or communication errors, resulting in a decrease in the reliability of the transportation system and a decrease in transportation efficiency.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a transport system that can reduce the processing load of the transport device and the load of the wireless communication network in communication between the transport device and the control device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A representative example of the invention disclosed in the present application is as follows: That is, a control method for a conveyance system including a conveyance device and a control device, wherein the conveyance device has a secondary battery that supplies power for operation and a drive mechanism that drives wheels with power supplied from the secondary battery, and the control method includes an information acquisition step in which the conveyance device acquires position information regarding the position of the conveyance device and management information regarding the traveling environment of the conveyance device or the conveyance device while traveling, a first communication step in which the conveyance device transmits the acquired position information to the control device while traveling via a wireless communication network, and a second communication step in which the conveyance device transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the control device while the secondary battery is being charged. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, the processing load of the transport device and the load of the wireless communication network in communication between the transport device and the control device in a transport system can be reduced. For example, it is possible to collect management information from the transport device without compressing the bandwidth for sending and receiving control data in the wireless communication network. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be made clear by the description of the following embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an area in this embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration within a partition in this embodiment. [Figure 2C] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a marker according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conveying device of the present embodiment as seen from above. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the transportation of shelves by the transport device of the present embodiment. [Figure 5]1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a transport device and a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a control device and a management device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a picking terminal according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an order table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an inventory table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a shelf table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a device management table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a picking table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a floor table of the present embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart of a transport control process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart of a log data collection process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 17] 4 is a flowchart of a charging process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a floor deterioration diagnosis process when the conveying device of the present embodiment moves straight ahead. [Figure 19] 10 is a flowchart of a floor deterioration diagnosis process when the transport device of the present embodiment is turning. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart of a marker abnormality detection process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 21] 10 is a flowchart of a shelf displacement detection process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of a foreign object detection process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 23] 4 is a flowchart of an abnormal device diagnosis process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a shelf and a magnetic sensor in this embodiment. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the top plate of the present embodiment is removed from the transport device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In the following description, an "interface apparatus" may refer to one or more interface devices, which may be at least one of the following: One or more I / O (Input / Output) interface devices. The I / O (Input / Output) interface devices are interface devices for at least one of the I / O device and a remote display computer. The I / O interface device for the display computer may be a communications interface device. The at least one I / O device may be a user interface device, for example, either an input device such as a keyboard and a pointing device, or an output device such as a display device. One or more communication interface devices. The one or more communication interface devices may be one or more homogeneous communication interface devices (e.g., one or more NICs (Network Interface Cards)) or two or more heterogeneous communication interface devices (e.g., a NIC and an HBA (Host Bus Adapter)).

[0012] Furthermore, the "memory" refers to one or more memory devices that are an example of one or more "storage devices," and may typically be a primary storage device. At least one memory device in the memory may be a volatile memory device or a non-volatile memory device.

[0013] Furthermore, a “persistent storage device” may be one or more persistent storage devices, which are an example of one or more “storage devices.” A persistent storage device may typically be a non-volatile storage device (e.g., an auxiliary storage device), and specifically may be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) drive, or a storage class memory (SCM).

[0014] Furthermore, in the following description, a "processor" may refer to one or more processor devices. The at least one processor device may typically be a microprocessor device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but may also be another type of processor device such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The at least one processor device may be a single-core or multi-core. The at least one processor device may also be a processor core. The at least one processor device may also be a processor device in a broader sense, such as a circuit that is a collection of gate arrays written in a hardware description language that performs some or all of the processing (for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)).

[0015] In the following description, information that provides an output for an input may be described using expressions such as "xxx table." However, this information may be data of any structure (for example, structured data or unstructured data), or may be a neural network that generates an output for an input, or a learning model such as a genetic algorithm or random forest. Therefore, the "xxx table" may be referred to as "xxx information." In the following description, the structure of each table is an example, and one table may be divided into two or more tables, or all or part of two or more tables may be one table.

[0016] Furthermore, in the following description, processing may be described using a "program" as the subject; however, because a program is executed by a processor to perform a predetermined process using a storage device and / or an interface device as appropriate, the subject of the processing may also be the processor (or a device or system having the processor). A program may be installed into a device such as a computer from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server or a computer-readable recording medium (e.g., a non-transitory recording medium). Furthermore, in the following description, two or more programs may be realized as one program, or one program may be realized as two or more programs.

[0017] Furthermore, any information (for example, at least one of "ID", "name", and "number") may be adopted as information for identifying an element (identification information, identifier).

[0018] In addition, in the following description, when describing elements of the same type without distinguishing between them, common reference symbols will be used, and when describing elements of the same type with distinction between them, reference symbols will be used.

[0019] Furthermore, the unit of "date and time" may be a unit that is coarser or finer than the year, month, day, hour, minute.

[0020] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a transfer system according to this embodiment. For convenience, one horizontal direction is defined as the x direction, and the direction perpendicular to the x direction is defined as the y direction.

[0021] The conveying system includes a plurality of conveying devices 3 that travel within a warehouse 2 (an example of a storage space), and a control device 4 that remotely controls the movement of each conveying device 3. In this embodiment, the "movement" of the conveying device 3 refers to the general movement of the conveying device 3 regardless of whether or not it is loaded with shelves 5. The "movement" of the conveying device 3 may also be rephrased as "traveling" of the conveying device 3. The "movement" of the conveying device 3 when it is loaded with shelves 5 is specifically referred to as "conveyance."

[0022] Warehouse 2 is a storage facility used by, for example, a mail-order company or a device manufacturing company to store goods. The goods stored in Warehouse 2 may be products or parts. In this embodiment, an example of goods stored in Warehouse 2 will be described.

[0023] A plurality of shelves 5 are installed in a movable state in the area 200. One or more items (for example, products to be sold) are stored in a predetermined position on each shelf 5. The shelves 5 are sometimes referred to as movable shelves.

[0024] Area 200 is a part of the floor area of ​​warehouse 2, and is an area where conveying device 3 travels. Conveying device 3 travels through area 200 and can transport shelves 5 to picking station 6. Picking station 6 is a place where work such as picking is performed. Picking is an example of a predetermined work related to transported items. For example, picking station 6 may also perform warehousing work such as replenishing products on shelves 5, or work such as inventory taking, and may simply be called a station (or work station).

[0025] When the conveying device 3 conveys the shelf 5 to the picking station 6, the destination (destination position) may be a predetermined position at the picking station 6 where an operator or a picking device can pick the item (for example, a section in front of the picking station 6).

[0026] Similarly, when the conveying device 3 conveys a shelf 5 from the picking station 6, the origin (starting position) of the conveying may be a predetermined position at the picking station 6 where an operator or picking device can pick (for example, the section in front of the picking station 6).

[0027] When each transport device 3 receives a movement instruction associated with a transport task assigned to that transport device 3, it transports the shelf 5 present in the area 200 in accordance with the movement instruction. According to the example shown in FIG. 1, this is as follows. After transporting shelf 5A to picking station 6, transport device 3A waits for the completion of picking of products from shelf 5A. After picking by the worker or picking device at picking station 6 is completed, transport device 3A transports shelf 5A from picking station 6 to the storage position of shelf 5A. The transport device 3B that transports the shelf 5B to the picking station 6 is waiting for the movement of the transport device 3A. When the transport device 3A moves from the picking station 6, the transport device 3B becomes able to transport the shelf 5B to the picking station 6. The transport device 3C is moving to transport the shelf 5C. The transported objects (including the shelves 5) may be objects with legs (objects with legs) or objects without legs (objects without legs). Objects without legs are stored, for example, on a stand. Whether the object has legs or is a legless object stored on a stand, the transport device 3 can get under the object and lift it up for transport.

[0028] Fig. 2A is a diagram showing the configuration of area 200. Fig. 2A schematically illustrates area 200, and area 200 illustrated in Fig. 2A does not completely match area 200 illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0029] The control device 4 manages the area (travel area) 200 in which the transport device travels by dividing it into multiple rectangular sections 201 of a predetermined size. The sections 201 may be expressed in a coordinate format, such as sections (α, β, γ). α is the x-coordinate (section position along the x-direction), β is the y-coordinate (section position along the y-direction), and γ is the z-coordinate (area position in the height direction). For example, if the area 200 includes areas on multiple floors or areas above and below a mezzanine, the z-coordinate can be used to represent the area position in the height direction of each area. Note that when the area 200 spans multiple floors, transportation between floors or transportation between the top and bottom of a mezzanine when a mezzanine is provided may be performed by, for example, a vertical conveyor. In this case, the vertical conveyor may transport only the shelves 5, or the vertical conveyor may transport the shelves 5 and the transport device 3.

[0030] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the areas 200 are all at the same height, and the position of each section will be described as section (α, β).

[0031] 2B, a marker 300 indicating the position of each section 201 may be provided within each section 201. The marker 300 may contain information for identifying the position of the section, and may be, for example, the position information of the section, or information associated with the position information of the section (e.g., identification information from which the position information of the section 201 can be derived). The marker 300 is information that can be read by the sensor 14 of the transport device 3, and may be, for example, a one-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark), an RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) ​​tag, or the like.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2C , the marker 300 is composed of multiple (e.g., M) two-dimensional codes. A section can be identified by correctly reading a predetermined number (e.g., N, where M>N) of the two-dimensional codes. For example, if any N of the M two-dimensional codes are correctly read, the section can be identified by the read two-dimensional codes. For example, assume that the M two-dimensional codes on the same marker 300 each contain the same or equivalent information. When reading the marker 300, the transport device 3 may determine that the two-dimensional codes have been correctly read if a predetermined number (e.g., k) or more of the M two-dimensional codes on the marker 300 contain the same or equivalent information. The number of correctly read two-dimensional codes may be referred to as the "number of read two-dimensional codes" or the "number of readable codes."

[0033] 2C, four of the two-dimensional codes, namely, two-dimensional code 300B in the top middle row, two-dimensional code 300D in the middle left row, two-dimensional code 300E in the middle row, and two-dimensional code 300G in the bottom left row, are heavily soiled and cannot be read correctly by the conveyance device 3. In addition, three of the two-dimensional codes, namely, two-dimensional code 300A in the top left row, two-dimensional code 300C in the top right row, two-dimensional code 300F in the middle right row, two-dimensional code 300H in the bottom middle row, and two-dimensional code 300I in the bottom right row, are less soiled and can be read correctly by the conveyance device 3.

[0034] For example, the transport device 3 reads a marker 300 provided in a section 201 that the transport device 3 passes through. While traveling, the transport device 3 transmits information about the read marker 300 together with identification information (device ID) of the transport device 3 to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network. For example, the transport device 3 may transmit to the control device 4, as the information about the read marker 300, the position information indicated on the marker 300 or the position information derived from the information indicated on the marker 300. The control device 4 identifies the position of the transport device 3 based on the information about the marker 300 received from the transport device 3. Plate-like members may be provided throughout the entire section 201, allowing the transport device 3 to move from the section 201 to another adjacent section 201 and also allowing the transport device 3 to turn within the section 201.

[0035] The area 200 includes shelf storage compartments (3,3), (3,4), etc. (compartments with the same pattern in FIG. 2A ) where shelves 5 are stored (placed) in a plan view, a compartment (1,1) where a charging device 7 is located, and compartments (6,15), (13,15) where a picking station 6 is located. The shelves 5 may be, for example, approximately the same size as one compartment 201, or may be smaller than one compartment 201. There may be various variations in the method of setting the compartments, and a compartment (for example, compartment (3,1)) where the conveying device 3 is prohibited from entering may be provided.

[0036] For each section 201 of the area 200, directions in which the transport device 3 can move within each section 201 may be set, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2A. For example, all or some of the +x, -x, +y, and -y directions may be set as directions in which the transport device 3 can move. Transport devices 3 that do not have shelves 5 loaded thereon may be allowed to move between shelf storage sections. On the other hand, transport devices 3 that have shelves 5 loaded thereon may be set to be unable to move between shelf storage sections to prevent collisions with shelves 5 stored in the shelf storage section.

[0037] Furthermore, the sections 201 may be set to allow bidirectional movement or to allow movement in only one direction. For example, by setting some sections 201 to allow movement in only one direction, congestion of the conveying device 3 can be suppressed or reduced, and overall conveying efficiency can be expected to improve. Furthermore, if there are many sections 201 between which movement can only be made in one direction, the movement path of the conveying device 3 may be long. Therefore, the movement direction of the conveying device 3 may be set in advance based on the number of conveying devices 3 in the area 200 or the position and type of each section 201, or such a direction may be dynamically set or changed by the control device 4. The movement direction of the conveying device 3 may be set on the floor table 60. The control device 4 controls the movement of the conveying device 3, including the movement direction of the conveying device 3, in accordance with the floor table 60.

[0038] Referring again to FIG. 1, the conveying device 3 is a device that moves according to movement instructions from the control device 4, and may typically be an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle). The shelf 5 is an example of a transport object that can be transported by the conveying device 3. Instead of or in addition to the shelf 5, an object such as a tray, a pallet, or a container may also be an example of the transport object. When the transport object is something that can carry one or more items (for example, a shelf 5 or a pallet), the transport object may also be called a storage unit (storage device) or a loading platform. In this embodiment, the case of the shelf 5 will be described as an example of a transport object of the conveying device 3. The transport object may also be called a transported object.

[0039] For example, in accordance with a movement instruction from the control device 4, the conveying device 3 lifts the shelf 5 specified in the movement instruction and conveys the shelf 5 to the picking station 6 specified in the movement instruction. After the required products are removed by an operator at the picking station 6 (i.e., after picking), the shelf 5 conveyed to the picking station 6 is returned by the conveying device 3 to the original shelf storage section (or another shelf storage section).

[0040] The transport route to the picking station 6 and the transport route from the picking station 6 to the original shelf storage section of the shelf 5 (or another shelf storage section) may be specified in a single movement instruction, or may be specified in separate movement instructions. As an example of this other shelf storage section, a shelf 5 that stores products that are picked frequently (e.g., frequently) and is transported frequently (e.g., frequently) to the picking station 6 may be installed in a shelf storage section located close to the picking station 6. A shelf 5 that is transported infrequently to the picking station 6 may be installed in a shelf storage section located far from the picking station 6. In this way, by changing the installation location of the shelf 5 depending on the number of times the product is transported to the picking station 6, transport efficiency can be improved.

[0041] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the appearance of the transport device 3, with FIG. 3A being a perspective view of the transport device 3 seen from above and FIG. 3B being a bottom view of the transport device 3. As shown in FIG.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 3A, the conveying device 3 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. Drive wheels 20D for turning and moving forward of the conveying device 3 are arranged on the lower surface (bottom surface) of the conveying device 3 as shown in Fig. 3B, and auxiliary wheels 20A are arranged at the four corners of the lower surface of the conveying device 3. In addition, a disk-shaped table 22 is provided in the center of the upper surface of the conveying device 3 so that it can move up and down and rotate freely. At least one of the drive wheels 20D and the auxiliary wheels 20A is the "wheel" of the conveying device 3.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, the conveying device 3 rotates the drive wheels 20D to move to below the shelf 5 to be conveyed, then raises the table 22 to lift the shelf 5, and in that state travels through the area 200 in the warehouse 2 to convey the shelf 5. With the shelf 5 lifted, the conveying device 3 can rotate the table 22 to change the orientation of the shelf 5. In response to the rotation of the main body, the conveying device 3 can rotate the table 22 in the opposite direction, thereby rotating the conveying device 3 without rotating the lifted shelf 5.

[0044] The transport device 3 has a charging function and calculates the remaining charge based on the voltage of the battery 80 installed on it. When the remaining charge of the battery 80 becomes low, the transport device 3 requests charging from the control device 4. Upon receiving the charging request, the control device 4 moves the transport device 3 to the charging device 7, connects it to the charging device 7, and charges the battery 80. While charging, the transport device 3 communicates with the control device 4 via the charging device 7 and transmits management information to the control device 4. Note that part of the management information may include the device ID of the transport device 3. For example, the transport device 3 can communicate with the control device 4 at high speed without going through the wireless communication network in the warehouse 2 by using a signal superimposed on a power supply terminal connecting the transport device 3 and the charging device 7, or by using high-speed short-range wireless communication or infrared communication directly connecting the transport device 3 and the charging device 7. Communication using a signal superimposed on a power line can be achieved by applying PLC technology, for example.

[0045] The conveying device 3 is connected to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network installed in the warehouse 2. A movement instruction is sent from the control device 4 to the conveying device 3 that performs the movement (including transportation), and the equipment that receives the movement instruction moves according to the movement instruction. The conveying device 3 sends management information to the control device 4 via the wireless communication network.

[0046] Furthermore, the control device 4 can process a plurality of transport tasks in parallel for the entire transport system. In the picking station 6, picking work may be performed in the order in which the shelves are transported to the picking station 6 (in the order in which they arrive).

[0047] The "movement instruction" transmitted to the transport device 3 is associated with information representing a transport task assigned to the transport device 3. The transport task indicates which shelf 5 to transport to which section, and the information representing the transport task may include, for example, the shelf ID of the shelf 5 to be transported, a movement route along which the transport device 3 will move, and the movement direction of the transport device 3. The movement route may include a route from the current section of the transport device 3 (the section to which the current position belongs) to the shelf section (the section where the shelf 5 to be transported is located) and a route from the shelf section to a destination section (e.g., picking station 6), or may be a part of that route (e.g., a route to be traveled immediately). After a product is picked from the shelf 5 by a worker at picking station 6, the control device 4 issues a "movement instruction" to the transport device 3 to the designated position in order to return the shelf 5 to the designated position. This movement route may further include a route from the picking station 6 to the designated position. Of the compartments adjacent to the picking station 6 and the battery station, at least the compartment adjacent to the picking station 6 may be an example of a destination compartment (a compartment to which the destination position belongs).

[0048] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the transport system of this embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the transport device 3 and the charging device 7, Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control device 4 and the management device 9, and Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the picking terminal 710.

[0049] The conveyance system includes a control device 4, a conveyance device 3, a picking terminal 710, a charging device 7, a management device 9, and a network 551. The conveyance system may further include all or some of other conveyance equipment (e.g., a vertical conveyor or conveyor), a multi-level area (e.g., a mezzanine), a platform, a shelf 5, and a picking station 6. Each component of the conveyance system may be one or more. For example, the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 may be realized by introducing the conveyance system into a warehouse 2. Note that some or all of the components of the management device 9 may be located at the same site as the warehouse 2, or may be located at a site different from the warehouse 2 and configured to be remotely maintainable. Furthermore, some or all of the components of the management device 9 may be realized as the control device 4. The control device 4 and some or all of the components of the management device 9 may be referred to as a control system or a control device.

[0050] The control device 4 can communicate with the transport device 3, the charging device 7, the management device 9, and the picking terminal 710 via a network 551. The network 551 includes a wireless communication network provided within the warehouse 2 and a wired communication network (wired LAN) that connects between fixedly installed devices. The transport device 3 is connected to other devices via the wireless communication network provided within the warehouse 2 while moving within the area 200.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 6, the transport device 3 includes a drive device 11, a storage device 12, an interface device 13, a plurality of types of sensors 14, a battery 80, and a controller 10 connected to these devices.

[0052] The controller 10 controls the operation of the transport device 3 in accordance with movement instructions from the control device 4, the charge state of the battery 80, etc. The drive device 11 has a drive mechanism 20 and an elevating mechanism 21. The drive mechanism 20 has actuators such as left and right motors 20M for independently driving and rotating each of the left and right drive wheels 20D, and an encoder 20E for detecting the operation of each motor 20M. The elevating mechanism 21 has actuators such as a motor 21M for raising and lowering the table 22, actuators such as a motor 21R for rotating the table 22, an encoder 21E for detecting the operation of the motor 21M, and an encoder 21F for detecting the operation of the motor 21R.

[0053] The interface device 13 is a device for communicating with the control device 4 using a predetermined wireless communication method, and may be configured, for example, by a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) card.

[0054] The sensor 14 is a device for collecting information about the floor surface on which the conveying device 3 travels and various information about the conveying device 3. For example, the multiple types of sensors 14 may be cameras that read information about markers 300 on the section 201 on the floor. The sensor 14 may also be a camera that captures an image of the bottom surface of the shelf 5, a camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the conveying device 3, a LiDAR, a forward-facing camera provided on the front of the conveying device 3, a range image camera, a LiDAR, an ultrasonic sensor that detects obstacles in front of the conveying device 3, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor that detects the distance to the shelf 5 or the structure of the shelf 5, a vibration sensor that detects vibrations of the conveying device 3 while moving, an acceleration sensor that measures the acceleration of the conveying device 3, a weight sensor that measures the weight of the load, a gyro sensor that measures the orientation of the conveying device 3, or the like.

[0055] The controller 10 has a calculation device that executes calculation processing and a memory that stores data and programs. The memory of the controller 10 stores a communication program 29, a movement control program 30, a measurement program 31, and a position estimation program 32. The calculation device executes the communication program 29, the movement control program 30, the measurement program 31, and the position estimation program 32, thereby realizing a communication unit, a travel control unit, a measurement unit, and a position estimation unit, respectively.

[0056] The storage device 12 stores, for example, a route table 23, an equipment table 24, a map table 25, a measurement table 27, and a performance table 28. The route table 23 is a table that stores information representing a travel route specified in a travel instruction received from the control device 4 (the information representing the travel route may include the arrangement of storage locations of sections and, for each section to which the travel route belongs, the date and time the transport device 3 is located in the section). The equipment table 24 is a table that stores the ID of the transport device 3, its current position (section), and its status (e.g., "standby," "moving," or "transporting"). The map table 25 is a table that stores information representing the position and attributes of each section (e.g., which area it belongs to). Note that, as an example of the map table 25, the information illustrated in FIG. 2A may be stored. The measurement table 27 is a table that stores values ​​measured by multiple types of sensors 14 (e.g., acceleration, rotation, weight, position (values ​​read from the markers 300), captured images of the section, etc.). The performance record table 28 is a table in which travel performance records including the route and date and time traveled by the transport device 3 are stored.

[0057] The communication program 29 is a program for transmitting and receiving commands and information to and from the control device 4 via the interface device 13. For example, the communication program 29 transmits some or all of the information in tables 23 to 25, 27, and 28 to the control device 4 in response to (or without) a request from the control device 4. The communication program 29 may transmit this information to the control device 4 periodically or irregularly.

[0058] The movement control program 30 is a program that controls the movement of the conveying device 3 in accordance with a movement instruction received from the control device 4 via the communication program 29. For example, in accordance with a movement instruction from the control device 4, the movement control program 30 controls the drive device 11 to lift a specified shelf 5 and move it to the picking station 6 along a specified movement path, or controls the drive device 11 to move the shelf 5 to its original position (or another position) along the specified movement path.

[0059] The measurement program 31 registers the output (measurement result) of each sensor in the measurement table 27. The position estimation program 32 estimates the position of the transport device 3 based on the detection result of the marker 300 by the sensor .

[0060] The battery 80 is a secondary battery that supplies power to each component of the transportation device 3, and is connected to electrodes 83 and 84, which are connected to the charging device 7, via a charging circuit (not shown). A mixer 81 is provided in the power supply line between the electrodes 83 and 84 and the battery 80, and a modulator 82 is connected to the mixer 81. Data (management information) transferred by the communication program 29 via the charging device 7 during charging is modulated by the modulator 82, superimposed on the power supply line by the mixer 81, and transmitted to the charging device 7. Note that communication between the transportation device 3 being charged and the charging device 7 is not limited to superimposition on the power supply line, and may be communication via a communication line provided between the transportation device 3 and the charging device 7 separately from the power supply line, or wireless communication (for example, short-range wireless communication or infrared communication) separate from the wireless communication network used when the transportation device 3 is communicating with the control device 4 during movement.

[0061] The charging device 7 supplies power from a power supply device 70 installed in a battery station to the transportation device 3, and includes a controller 71, a storage device 72, a demodulator 75, and a communication interface 76. The controller 71 includes a calculation device for executing calculations and a memory for storing data and programs, and controls the supply of power to the transportation device 3 and communication between the transportation device 3 and the charging device 7. The storage device 72 provides a nonvolatile storage area and stores management information transmitted from the transportation device 3 as an operation log. The communication interface 76 connects to the network 551 and controls communication with other devices (e.g., the control device 4). The demodulator 75 extracts signals transmitted from the transportation device 3 from the power supply line. The demodulator 75 demodulates data transmitted from the transportation device 3 via the power supply line and stores the data in the storage device 72 as an operation log. The operation log stored in the storage device 72 is transferred to the control device 4 at a predetermined timing.

[0062] When the charging device 7 receives a command from the control device 4 to charge the transportation device 3, it communicates with the transportation device 3 that has approached for charging, adjusts its relative position so that the electrodes 83, 84 of the transportation device 3 can be connected to the electrodes 73, 74 of the charging device 7, and then connects the electrodes 83, 84 of the transportation device 3 to the electrodes 73, 74 of the charging device 7. The transportation device 3 and the charging device 7 are connected by a power feeder. The charging device 7 then supplies charging power to the transportation device 3 via the power feeder and charges the battery 80. While charging, the transportation device 3 transmits data (management information) to the charging device 7 via the power feeder (superimposed on the power feeder). The transmitted management information is, for example, management information acquired by the transportation device 3 while it is traveling, and is management information related to the traveling environment of the transportation device 3 or the transportation device 3. The charging device 7 transmits the management information to the control device 4. Furthermore, the control device 4 associates the data (management information) with the identification information (device ID) of the transport device 3 that was sent, transmits it to the management device 9, and stores it in a storage device. During charging, data can be transmitted from the transport device 3 to the control device 4 without going through the wireless communication network that the moving transport device 3 uses to communicate with the control device 4, thereby alleviating congestion on the wireless communication network and allowing large amounts of data to be transferred to the control device 4 at high speed.

[0063] Here, the transmission of the management information from the charging device 7 to the control device 4 and the transmission of the management information from the control device 4 to the management device 9 are performed via a communication network (e.g., a wired communication network) different from the wireless communication network used when the moving transport device 3 communicates with the control device 4. Furthermore, the transmission of the management information from the charging device 7 to the control device 4 and the transmission of the management information from the control device 4 to the management device 9 may be performed while the transport device 3 is being charged, or may be performed at another timing (e.g., after charging).

[0064] The transport device 3 measures the voltage of the battery 80 while it is being charged, and when the voltage of the battery 80 reaches a predetermined voltage, it stops charging and notifies the control device 4 that charging is complete. Then, in response to a command to return to transport work from the control device 4, the transport device 3 detaches from the charging device 7 and starts normal transport work of the shelf 5.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 4 is a computer having hardware such as a processor 40, a memory 41, a storage device 42, an input device 43, an output device 44, and an interface device 45. The control device 4 may be configured with one or more physical computers, or may be a virtual computer system (e.g., a cloud computing system) implemented on one or more physical computers (e.g., a cloud platform). The devices constituting the control device 4 may be located on a single physical computer, or may be distributed across multiple physical computers. The programs and data stored in the storage device 42 may be stored in a single storage device, or may be distributed across multiple storage devices. Instead of the input device 43 and the output device 44, data may be input / output via a client system that can communicate via the interface device 45.

[0066] The processor 40 is a device that executes programs and controls the overall operation of the control device 4. The memory 41 is used as a work memory for the processor 40. The storage device 42 stores programs and data. The input device 43 is composed of, for example, a mouse or keyboard, and is used by the operator to input necessary information and instructions to the control device 4. The output device 44 may be a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The interface device 45 is a device that communicates with the transport device 3 and the picking terminal 710 using a predetermined communication method, and may be composed of, for example, a network interface card.

[0067] The storage device 42 stores, for example, an equipment management table 53, an inventory table 54, a shelf table 57, a map table 56, an order table 55, a picking table 58, and a floor table 60. The map table 56 is a table that stores map information of the area 200 (for example, information indicating the position (coordinates) and attributes (for example, whether each section of the area 200 corresponds to a shelf storage section, a picking station 6, or a battery station)) (the map table 56 may be delivered to the transport device 3 and saved as the map table 25 in the transport device 3).

[0068] The floor table 60 may be an example of area information. The device management table 53 may be an example of transport management information (for example, information indicating the allocation relationship between transport tasks and transport devices 3).

[0069] The storage device 42 stores a storage program 50 and a processing program 51. A storage unit and a processing unit are realized by the processor 40 executing the storage program 50 and the processing program 51. The storage program 50 stores these tables 53 to 60 in the storage device 42.

[0070] The management device 9 is a computer having hardware such as a processor 90, a memory 91, a storage device 92, an input device 93, an output device 94, and an interface device 95. The management device 9 may be configured with one or more physical computers, or may be a virtual computer system (e.g., a cloud computing system) implemented on one or more physical computers (e.g., a cloud infrastructure). The devices constituting the management device 9 may be located on a single physical computer, or may be distributed across multiple physical computers. The programs and data stored in the storage device 92 may be stored in a single storage device, or may be distributed across multiple storage devices. Instead of the input device 93 and the output device 94, data input / output may be possible via a client system that can communicate via the interface device 95.

[0071] The processor 90 is a device that executes programs and controls the overall operation of the control device 4. The memory 91 is used as a work memory for the processor 90. The storage device 42 stores programs and data. The input device 93 is composed of, for example, a mouse or keyboard, and is used by an operator to input necessary information and instructions to the management device 9. The output device 94 may be a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The interface device 95 is a device that communicates with other devices using a predetermined communication method, and may be composed of, for example, a network interface card.

[0072] The storage device 92 stores, for example, management data (management information) collected from the transport device 3 as an operation log 99. The storage device 92 also stores an analysis program 96. The processor 90 executes the analysis program 96 to realize an analysis unit, and the management device 9 analyzes the management information.

[0073] 8, the picking terminal 710 is an information processing terminal for managing the picking work in the picking station 6. The picking terminal 710 has an interface device 731, a storage device 732, and a processor 733. The interface device 731, the storage device 732, and the processor 733 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0074] The interface device 731 is a device for communicating with the control device 4 via a predetermined communication method, and may be configured, for example, by a wireless LAN card or a network interface card. The storage device 732 stores a picking table 770. The picking table 770 may be a table containing some or all of the same information as the picking table 58 held by the control device 4 (for example, a table showing information for identifying the order to be processed, the scheduled work time, and the actual progress status). The processor 733 executes a program in the storage device 732 to control the overall operation of the picking terminal 710, for example, based on the picking table 770.

[0075] The picking terminal 710 may have an input device and an output device. The input device accepts input of information related to the picking work by the worker, such as completion of the picking work. The output device outputs instructions related to the picking work to the worker.

[0076] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the order table 55. As shown in FIG.

[0077] The order table 55 is a table that stores various information related to orders from customers. The order table 55 has a record for each order. Each record holds information such as a processing ID 601, a slip number 602, a store name 603, a store code 604, a product name 605, a product ID 606, a quantity 607, a delivery date 608, a received date and time 609, and a processing date and time 610. Take one order as an example (referred to as the "order of interest" in the explanation of FIG. 9). According to the example shown in FIG. 9, even if the slip number 602 is the same, if the product type (for example, the product name 605 and the product ID 606) is different, they are treated as separate orders. One order may be managed as two or more separate orders, or two or more orders may be managed as one order.

[0078] The process ID 601 indicates the ID of the order of interest. The slip number 602 indicates the so-called slip number.

[0079] The store name 603 indicates the name of the store to which the product specified in the order in question is to be shipped, and the store code 604 indicates the code of the store.

[0080] The product name 605 indicates the name of the product specified in the order of interest, the product ID 606 indicates the ID of the product, and the quantity 607 indicates the number of the product.

[0081] The delivery date 608 indicates the deadline for the product specified in the target order to be delivered to the order recipient (typically a customer). The processing program 51 may calculate the deadline for actual picking at the picking station 6 by working backwards from the delivery date 608. The processing program 51 may determine the timing for sending a movement instruction to the transport device 3 based on the calculated deadline, or may specify the date and time when the transport device 3 should arrive at the picking station 6 in the movement instruction.

[0082] The reception date and time 609 indicates the date and time when the target order was received. The operation date and time 610 indicates the date and time when the operation of transporting the shelf 5 on which the product specified in the target order is placed to the picking station 6 will be performed.

[0083] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inventory table 54.

[0084] The inventory table 54 is a table that stores information about products. The inventory table 54 has a record for each product. Each record holds information such as product name 701, product ID 702, stock quantity 703, shelf ID 704, product location 705, and picking count 706. Take one product as an example ("product of interest" in the explanation of Figure 10). Note that if the same product is stored on different shelves, multiple records exist for the same product. Similarly, if the same product is stored in different product locations on the same shelf, multiple records exist for the same product.

[0085] Product name 701 indicates the name of the product of interest. Product ID 702 indicates the ID of the product of interest. Stock quantity 703 indicates the stock quantity of the product of interest. Shelf ID 704 indicates the ID of the shelf 5 on which the product of interest is placed. Product position 705 indicates the position of the product of interest on the shelf 5. For example, "U3R2" means the third from the top (U) and the second from the right (R).

[0086] The number of pickings 706 indicates the number of times the product of interest has been picked. The number of pickings 706 may be counted per shelf, or may be the number of products picked. The number of pickings 706 may be used for rearranging the shelves 5, replacing products within the shelves 5, etc. The number of pickings 706 may also be reset or updated at regular intervals, and may be, for example, the number of pickings in a predetermined period, and therefore may be called the "picking frequency."

[0087] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the shelf table 57. As shown in FIG.

[0088] The shelf table 57 is a table that stores information about the shelves 5. The shelf table 57 has a record for each shelf 5. Each record holds a shelf ID 801, a storage location 802, a shelf weight 803 (unit: for example, [kg]), a product weight 804 (unit: for example, [kg]), and a number of transports 805. Take one shelf 5 as an example ("target shelf 5" in the explanation of FIG. 11).

[0089] The shelf ID 801 represents the ID of the shelf 5 of interest. The storage location 802 represents the section in which the shelf 5 of interest is located. If the shelf 5 of interest is located in a buffer section, the storage location 802 represents the position of the buffer section. If the shelf 5 of interest is in the process of being transported, the storage location 802 may represent the status of the shelf 5 of interest being "transported." If the shelf 5 of interest is in the process of being picked, the storage location 802 may represent the status of the shelf 5 of interest being "picked."

[0090] The shelf weight 803 represents the weight of the target shelf 5. The product weight 804 represents the total weight of all products placed on the target shelf 5. The product weight 804 may be calculated by the processing program 51, for example, based on the inventory quantity 703 of the product corresponding to the shelf ID 704 of the target shelf 5 and the weight of each product.

[0091] The number of transfers 805 is information indicating the number of times a transfer task for the shelf of interest 5 is executed. Each time a transfer task for the shelf of interest 5 is executed, the number of transfers 805 corresponding to the shelf of interest 5 is updated, for example, by the storage program 50. For example, the shelf 5 with shelf ID "S634" has a low number of transfers 805 and is therefore stored in a section with a high transfer cost. The number of transfers 805 may be incremented each time the shelf of interest 5 is transferred regardless of the destination section, or the number of transfers 805 may not be incremented even if the shelf of interest 5 is transferred, depending on the destination section. For example, the number of transfers 805 corresponding to the shelf of interest 5 may be updated each time a transfer task to the picking station 6 as the destination section is executed. Note that the "number of transfers" may be reset or updated at regular intervals, and may be the number of transfers in a predetermined period, for example, and therefore may be referred to as the "transfer frequency."

[0092] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the device management table 53. As shown in FIG.

[0093] The equipment management table 53 is a table that stores information acquired from each transport equipment 3. The equipment management table 53 has a record for each transport equipment 3. Each record holds information such as an equipment ID 1101, a shelf flag 1102, a position 1103, a remaining battery level 1104, an equipment status 1105, a shelf ID 1106, a destination position 1107, and an expected arrival date and time 1108. Take one transport equipment 3 as an example (referred to as "target transport equipment 3" in the description of FIG. 12).

[0094] The device ID 1101 indicates the ID of the target transportation device 3. The shelf flag 1102 indicates whether the target transportation device 3 is loaded with a shelf. The position 1103 indicates the coordinates of the section where the target transportation device 3 is located (i.e., the current section). The remaining battery power 1104 indicates the remaining power of the battery 80 of the target transportation device 3.

[0095] The device status 1105 indicates the status of the particular transportation device 3. "Moving" means that the particular transportation device 3 is moving. "Vacant" means that a shelf ID (specifically, a transport task including a shelf ID) has not been assigned to the particular transportation device 3. The shelf ID 1106 indicates the shelf ID included in the transport task assigned to the particular transportation device 3 (i.e., the ID of the shelf 5 to be transported specified in the transport task). The destination position 1107 indicates the destination position of the shelf 5 to which the particular transportation device 3 transports, and may be position information such as the address (coordinates) of the destination, or information (ID) identifying the destination section, such as the ID of the destination that can identify the destination position. For example, the destination of the transportation device 3 may be the ID of the picking station 6 (which may be a position (coordinates) corresponding to the picking station 6), or the ID (or coordinates) of the storage position of the shelf 5.

[0096] The expected arrival date and time 1108 is the expected date and time when the target transportation device 3 will arrive at the destination (e.g., picking station 6). The expected arrival date and time 1108 may be, for example, a date and time calculated by the processing program 51 based on the movement route of the target transportation device 3 to the destination.

[0097] The processing program 51 of the control device 4 refers to the device management table 53 and assigns a transport task to a transport device 3 whose device status 1105 is "free." However, for example, even if the transport device 3 currently has the device status 1105 of "in motion," if the estimated arrival date and time 1108 is close and its destination position 1107 is close to the position to which the next transport task will be moved, there may be times when the transport of the next transport task can be executed earlier than other transport devices 3. In such cases, the processing program 51 may refer to the device management table 53 and assign (reserve or manage) the next transport task to the "in motion" transport device 3.

[0098] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the picking table 58.

[0099] The picking table 58 is a table related to picking work. The picking table 58 has a record for each picking work. Each record holds information such as a picking station ID 1401, a process ID 1402, a device ID 1403, a shelf ID 1404, a product ID 1405, a quantity 1406, a scheduled start date and time 1407, a scheduled end date and time 1408, and a picking status 1409. Take one picking work as an example ("picking work of interest" in the explanation of Figure 13).

[0100] The picking station ID 1401 indicates the ID of the picking station 6 where the target picking operation is performed. The picking station ID 1401 may be omitted, and a picking table 58 may be provided for each picking station 6.

[0101] The process ID 1402 is the process ID of the order corresponding to the target picking operation. The device ID 1403 is the ID of the transport device 3 that transports, to the picking station 6, the shelf from which the product to be picked in the target picking operation is stored.

[0102] Shelf ID 1404 indicates the ID of the shelf that has the product to be picked in the target picking operation, product ID 1405 indicates the ID of the product, and quantity 1406 indicates the number of products to be picked. Note that according to table 58, in which records are arranged in ascending order of scheduled start date and time 1407, if the same shelf ID 1404 is consecutive, different products corresponding to different process IDs can be consecutively picked from one shelf 5.

[0103] The estimated start date and time 1407 represents the estimated start date and time of the target picking operation. The estimated end date and time 1408 represents the estimated end date and time of the target picking operation. The estimated start date and time 1407 may be calculated by the processing program 51 based on the estimated date and time of arrival of the conveyance device 3 at the picking station 6 along the movement route and the estimated length of time required for picking operations performed before the target picking operation. The estimated end date and time 1408 may be calculated by the processing program 51 based on the estimated start date and time 1407 and the estimated length of time required for the picking operation. The estimated length of time required for the picking operation may be calculated by the processing program 51 based on at least one of the quantity of products to be picked, the average time required for the picking operation, and the past picking operation history of the worker performing the picking operation. Note that the picking operation may be performed by a robot instead of or in addition to a worker.

[0104] The picking status 1409 indicates the status of the target picking operation. "Before operation" means that the transport device 3 carrying the shelf 5 has not yet arrived at the picking station 6 and the picking operation has not yet begun. "In operation" means that the picking operation has begun but not yet been completed. "Completed" means that the picking operation has been completed. The picking status 1409 may be changed based on input from the picking operator, or may be changed automatically based on values ​​automatically detected regarding the picking operation. For example, when a waiting transport device 3 transports the shelf 5 after the target picking operation has been completed, the picking status 1409 corresponding to the next picking operation after the target picking operation may be changed from "before operation" to "in operation."

[0105] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the floor table 60. As shown in FIG.

[0106] The floor table 60 holds information for each section in the area 200. The floor table 60 has a record for each section. Each record holds information such as an address 1501, a section setting 1502, an unusable flag 1503, a turnable / unturnable flag 1506, a direction (no shelf) 1508, and a direction (shelf) 1509. Take one section as an example (the "section of interest" in the explanation of Figure 14).

[0107] Address 1501 indicates the address (location information) of the section of interest. Section setting 1502 indicates what type of section the section of interest is set as. For example, a "shelf storage section" is a section where shelves are stored (placed). A "transport section" is a section through which the transport device 3 travels to transport shelves. The sections that make up the transport route may mainly be transport sections.

[0108] The unusable flag 1503 is a flag indicating whether the section of interest is unusable (cannot be a component of a transport route). By setting the unusable flag 1503 of the section of interest to "unusable", the control device 4 can lock the section of interest so that the transport device 3 cannot pass through it.

[0109] The rotation possibility flag 1506 indicates whether the transport device 3 can rotate in the section of interest. If the section of interest cannot be rotated, the rotation possibility flag 1506 is set to "not possible." If the section of interest can be rotated, the rotation possibility flag 1506 can be set to "possible." For example, if the section of interest is an unusable section, such as a battery station or a shelf storage section, and is a section where rotation should be prohibited or where rotation is not desired, the rotation possibility flag 1506 may be set to "not possible."

[0110] The transportation cost 1507 is a value set when the target section is a shelf storage section, and represents the transportation cost as a value according to the travel distance from the target section to the picking station 6 (or the travel time when the travel speed of the transport device 3 is set to the standard speed).

[0111] The transportation cost of the section of interest may be calculated based on, for example, the travel distance to the picking station 6 (for example, the number of sections passed before reaching the picking station 6) X1, the number of turns X2, the number of times the vertical conveyor is used X3, etc. In this way, if the elements related to the transportation cost for the section of interest are Xi and the coefficient of each element is Ai, for elements i=1 to n, the processing program 51 of the control device 4 may calculate the transportation cost C of the section of interest using the following formula. C=A1*X1+A2*X2+A3*X3+···+An*Xn A1, A2,..., An may be coefficients that do not change depending on the section. Note that other factors not mentioned above may also be used as factors in the transportation cost (for example, if a passage included in the movement route from the section of interest is prone to congestion, the transportation cost may be higher). Also, the travel distance or the number of floors traveled by the vertical conveyor may be used as a factor related to the transportation cost, and the larger this factor is, the higher the transportation cost may be. Note that the calculation formula for the transportation cost C is an example, and for example, the calculation may be performed excluding some factors. Other methods (different calculation formulas or simulations) may be used to calculate the transportation cost.

[0112] The direction (no shelf) 1508 is the direction in which the transport device 3 in a state without a shelf (a state in which no shelf 5 is loaded) can move from the section of interest, and can be set to logically restrict the direction in which the transport device 3 can move. Similarly, the direction (with shelf) 1509 is the direction in which the transport device 3 in a state with a shelf (a state in which a shelf 5 is loaded) can move from the section of interest, and can be set to logically restrict the direction in which the transport device 3 can move. By setting the direction (no shelf) 1508 and the direction (with shelf) 1509, for example, it is possible to prohibit movement in some directions out of the directions in which the transport device 3 can physically move, and restrict movement to only in the remaining directions, and it is possible to set one-way traffic, for example.

[0113] 14, the possible directions of movement for direction (no shelf) 1508 and direction (shelf present) 1509 are expressed as either "+x", "-x", "+y", "-y", "±x", or "±y", or a combination thereof, but they may be expressed in other ways. For example, for each section, for each of the "+x direction", "-x direction", "+y direction", and "-y direction", it may be set whether movement is possible when the transport device 3 is loaded with a shelf 5, and whether movement is possible when the transport device 3 is not loaded with a shelf 5.

[0114] An example of processing executed in this embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, the storage program 50 stores the tables 53 to 60 in the storage device 42. The storage program 50 of the control device 4 appropriately updates the relevant portions of the tables 53 to 60 based on information (for example, measurement values ​​of the sensor 14) received periodically or irregularly from the transport device 3 and each picking terminal 710.

[0115] 15 is a flowchart of the transport control process. The transport control process is executed repeatedly (for example, periodically).

[0116] In step S1501, the processing program 51 sorts the orders (records in the order table 55) in ascending order of the work date and time 610. In addition to ascending order of the work date and time 610, the orders may also be sorted in order of the urgency or necessity of the work. The processing of steps S1502 to S1504 is executed for each sorted order. The processing program 51 may also combine multiple orders into a single order, and execute the processing of steps S1502 to S1504 for the combined order. The multiple orders combined into a single order may be orders that share a predetermined type of element, such as orders for products on the same shelf. Here, a single order will be described as an example.

[0117] In step S1502, the processing program 51, based on the order to be processed (order of interest), identifies the shelf 5 on which the product to be picked is mounted and the location of the shelf 5. For example, based on the order table 55, inventory table 54, and shelf table 57, the processing program 51 identifies from the inventory table 54 the shelf ID 704 corresponding to the product name 701 and product ID 702 that match the product name 605 and product ID 606 specified in the order of interest, and identifies from the shelf table 57 the storage location 802 that corresponds to the shelf ID 801 that matches the identified shelf ID 704.

[0118] In step S1503, the processing program 51 selects a transport device 3 for the target order based on the map table 56, the equipment management table 53, the shelf table 57, and the floor table 60 to transport the shelf 5 located at the shelf position identified in step S1502 (storage position 802 of the shelf 5), and creates a movement route for transportation by the selected transport device 3. That is, in step S1503, the transport device 3 to which the transport task according to the target order is assigned is determined. The transport task may be a task for transporting the shelf 5 to be transported along the created movement route. Specifically, in step S1503, for example, the processing program 51 may perform at least one of the following: The processing program 51 selects one transport device 3 from one or more transport devices 3 that meet a predetermined condition. The "predetermined condition" may be, for example, that the device status 1105 is "empty." The transport device 3 may be selected based on the device status 1105, shelf flag 1102, position 1103, and storage position 802 of the shelf 5 to be transported (the distance between the storage position 802 and the position of the destination section) of each transport device 3. For example, the processing program 51 may refer to the device management table 53 and select, from among the transport devices 3 whose device status 1105 is "empty," the transport device 3 that is located in the position 1103 closest to the storage position 802 of the shelf 5 to be transported. The processing program 51 references the floor table 60 and creates a movement route (including a movement direction) for each of the position 1103 of the selected conveying device 3, the storage position 802 of the shelf 5 to be conveyed, the position of the destination section (e.g., the position of the picking station 6), and multiple routes connecting the position of the selected conveying device 3 and the position of the destination section, based on the records for each section on the route (e.g., the unusable flag 1503, the rotation availability flag 1506, the direction (no shelf) 1508, and the direction (shelf present) 1509). The movement route may be, for example, a route from the position 1103 of the selected conveying device 3 to the storage position 802 of the shelf 5 to be conveyed, or a route from the storage position 802 of the shelf 5 to be conveyed to the position of the destination section. The processing program 51 may refer to the picking table 58. For example, the processing program 51 may identify a relatively vacant picking station 6 (for example, select a picking station 6 with a small number of records corresponding to the picking table 58), set the vacant picking station 6 as a destination section, and prioritize the transport task to the destination section.

[0119] In step S1504, the processing program 51 transmits to the transport device 3 selected in step S1503 a movement instruction associated with the transport task (transport task according to the target order) assigned to the transport device 3.

[0120] In the transport control process shown in FIG. 15, the processing timing of the transport task for each order is determined and the process is executed so as to meet the delivery date 608 of the order.

[0121] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the log data collection process.

[0122] When the transport device 3 starts traveling (S2001), the position estimation program 32 reads the markers 300 on the section 201 on the floor surface to obtain position information (S2002).

[0123] Then, the measurement program 31 acquires information about the traveling environment from various sensors (S2003). For example, information about objects around the transport device 3 detected by an infrared sensor that detects obstacles ahead is acquired.

[0124] Then, the measurement program 31 acquires the voltage value of the battery 80 (S2004), and compares the acquired battery voltage value with a predetermined threshold value (S2005).

[0125] If the battery voltage value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the communication program 29 transmits the management information via a wireless communication network provided in the warehouse 2 (S2006). On the other hand, if the battery voltage value is less than the predetermined threshold, a charging process is executed (S2007). Details of the charging process will be described later with reference to FIG. 17. Then, the program returns to step S2002 and repeats the process.

[0126] FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the charging process S2007.

[0127] The movement control program 30 requests the control device 4 to charge (S2011), and moves the transport device 3 to the battery station in accordance with a movement instruction from the control device 4 (S2012).

[0128] When the movement to the battery station is completed, the movement control program 30 connects to the charging device 7 and starts supplying power from the charging device 7 to the transporting device 3 (S2013).

[0129] The communication program 29 transmits the management information via wired communication (S2014). The management information may be transmitted by being superimposed on the power supply line, or may be transmitted via a communication line separate from the power supply line. The management information during charging may be transmitted via wired communication or via wireless communication (for example, short-range wireless communication or infrared communication) other than the wireless communication network provided within the warehouse 2.

[0130] When the communication program 29 completes the transmission of the management information (S2015) and the power supply from the charging device 7 to the transport device 3 is completed, the movement control program 30 disconnects the charging device 7 from the transport device 3 and moves the transport device 3 so as to move away from the charging device 7 (S2016).

[0131] Fig. 18 is a sequence diagram of the floor deterioration diagnosis process when the conveying device 3 moves straight. Fig. 18 describes the log data collection process (Fig. 16) with respect to the measurement and measurement of specific items, and the same applies to Fig. 22 described later.

[0132] For example, as the conveying device 3 repeatedly travels, damage to the floor surface may occur due to the load caused by the conveying operation. Depending on the condition of the floor surface, the conveying device 3 may be subjected to vibrations and impacts caused by the floor when passing through the damaged area. These vibrations and impacts may cause problems such as malfunctions of the conveying device 3 or communication problems. To avoid such problems, if areas where the floor is damaged and in poor condition are designated as no-drive areas, the increase in such no-drive areas may lead to a decrease in conveying efficiency due to detouring the no-drive areas. Furthermore, a decrease in conveying efficiency may cause conveying devices 3 to wait for conveyance at the picking station, resulting in a decrease in picking efficiency. The floor deterioration diagnosis process described in Figures 18 and 19 enables early detection of floor damage, prevents a decrease in conveying efficiency and picking efficiency, and improves the reliability of the conveying system.

[0133] The measurement program 31 of the conveyance device 3 acquires the rotation speed (number of pulses per unit time) of the drive wheel 20D from the encoder 20E (S2021) and calculates the speed of the conveyance device 3 from the acquired rotation speed (S2022). The measurement program 31 compares the speed difference during a predetermined time (for example, the difference between the maximum and minimum speeds over the past second) with a predetermined threshold 1 (S2023). If it is determined that the speed difference is smaller than the threshold, the program returns to step S2021 and repeats the process of measuring the speed of the conveyance device 3. On the other hand, if it is determined that the speed difference is larger than the threshold, the communication program 29 transmits management information to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network installed in the warehouse 2 (S2024). The management information transmitted in step S2024 includes the position (section 201) of the conveyance device 3, the location (section 201) where the abnormality was detected, and the time when the abnormality was detected. If the measurement program 31 determines that the speed difference is large, the movement control program 30 determines that an abnormality that is unfavorable to the travel of the transfer device 3 has been detected, and stops the transfer device 3 (S2025).

[0134] Upon receiving the management information, the control device 4 identifies the abnormality detection zone that caused the transport device 3 to stop (S2026), and sets the unusable flag 1503 of the zone to "unavailable" to lock the zone so that other transport devices 3 cannot pass through the abnormality detection zone (S2027). At this time, an image of the abnormality detection zone may be sent from the transport device 3 to the management device 9 via the control device 4. The manager can check the status of the abnormality detection zone from the image of the abnormality detection zone. The control device 4 then outputs a maintenance instruction (S2028). This maintenance instruction is transmitted to the management device 9, and the manager views the image of the abnormality detection zone and performs floor maintenance work. The maintenance work may be performed immediately or outside of picking work hours. Furthermore, if the manager does not operate the management device 9 even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the control device 4 output the maintenance instruction, the maintenance work may be performed automatically.

[0135] As described above, when the conveying device 3 detects an abnormality during travel in which the speed difference during a predetermined time while traveling straight is greater than the predetermined threshold 1, the conveying device 3 transmits information about the position where the abnormality was detected to the control device 4 via the wireless communication network and stops traveling. The control device 4 uses the information about the position where the abnormality was detected to restrict other conveying devices from passing through the abnormality detection position that caused the conveying device 3 to stop.

[0136] On the other hand, when the transport device 3 starts charging (S2031), it transmits management information (travel log) to the control device 4 via the charging device 7 (S2032). The management device 9 acquires the travel log from the control device 4 (S2033). The travel log transmitted during charging includes data on the speed of the transport device 3 over time. The management device 9 then selects one speed for each section in chronological order (S2034). The management device 9 then calculates the speed difference of the transport device 3 traveling through the section over a predetermined time period (for example, the difference between the maximum and minimum speeds in the past one second from the time of the selected speed or the amount of change in speed over a predetermined time period), and compares the speed difference with a predetermined threshold 2 (S2035). If it is determined that the speed difference is smaller than the threshold, the process returns to step S2034, where the process of calculating the speed difference of the transport device 3 at the next time period and comparing it with the threshold is repeated. On the other hand, if the speed difference is determined to be greater than the threshold, the management device 9 records the location of the damaged floor section to warn that the floor of that section may be damaged (S2036). The location of the damaged floor section may be recorded when the speed difference is determined to be large once, when the speed difference is determined to be large a predetermined number of times, or when the speed difference is determined to be large for a predetermined number or more different conveying devices 3. Furthermore, the location of the damaged floor section may be recorded when the rate of change in the speed difference for multiple conveying devices 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold. Because the speed difference varies depending on the individual differences of the conveying devices 3, focusing on the rate of change in the speed difference allows for accurate determination of floor damage. By making a determination using the management information of multiple conveying devices 3, it is possible to reduce erroneous determinations due to individual factors of the conveying devices 3 (e.g., abnormalities in the conveying devices 3), and improve determination accuracy.

[0137] The management device 9 then determines whether the speed difference determination has been completed for all sections (S2037), and if there are sections for which the speed difference determination has not been completed, returns to step S2034 and repeatedly performs the speed difference determination for the remaining sections. On the other hand, if the speed difference determination has been completed for all sections, the management device 9 records the section (position) that satisfies the determination condition as a damaged floor section (damaged floor position) (S2038), and outputs, for example, a damaged floor section list as information on the recorded damaged floor section (damaged floor position) (S2039). The management device 9 may also output a maintenance instruction for the damaged floor section. Furthermore, if it is determined that the transport device 3 cannot travel through the damaged floor section, the control device 4 may lock the section so that the transport device 3 does not pass through the damaged floor section.

[0138] Fig. 19 is a flowchart of the floor deterioration diagnosis process when the transport device 3 turns. Fig. 19 describes the process executed by the management device 9 in the log data collection process (Fig. 16), and Figs. 20 and 21, which will be described later, also describe the process. A marker 300 is provided at a predetermined position on the floor surface around which the transport device 3 turns, approximately at the center of the turn of the transport device 3.

[0139] The management device 9 acquires from the control device 4 marker images included in the management information transmitted from the transport device 3 during charging (S2041). The marker images are images of the markers 300 captured while the transport device 3 is turning. The management device 9 selects a group of marker images captured during one turn (S2042). An arbitrary group of marker images may be selected initially, and then marker image groups may be selected in a predetermined order (e.g., chronological order). The management device 9 calculates the center position of the marker 300 in each marker image (S2043). For example, a rectangle constituting the outline of the marker 300 is extracted from the marker image, and the position where the diagonal lines of the rectangle intersect is calculated as the marker center position. The management device 9 then calculates the difference in the center positions of the markers 300 within the group of marker images (the amount of change in the center position of the marker 300 when the transport device 3 is turning; center position difference) and compares the center position difference with a predetermined threshold (S2044). As a result, if it is determined that the central position difference is smaller than the threshold value, the process returns to step S2042, and the process of comparing the central position difference of the marker 300 at the next time with the threshold value is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the central position difference is larger than the threshold value, the management device 9 records the determined section (the position where the amount of change in central position is large) as the floor damage section position (floor damage position) (S2045).

[0140] The management device 9 then determines whether the determination of the center position difference of the markers 300 has been completed for all marker images (S2046). If there are any marker images for which the determination of the center position difference has not been completed, the process returns to step S2042 and repeatedly performs the determination of the center position difference for the remaining marker images. On the other hand, if the determination of the center position difference has been completed for all marker images, the management device 9 outputs, as information on the floor damage position, for example, a damaged floor section list, which is a list of sections that meet the determination conditions for floor deterioration (floor damage) (S2047). The management device 9 may also output a maintenance instruction for the damaged floor section. Furthermore, if it is determined that the transport device 3 cannot travel through the damaged floor section, the control device 4 may lock the section to prevent the transport device 3 from passing through the damaged floor section.

[0141] 20 is a flowchart of the marker abnormality detection process. For example, if an abnormality occurs in the marker 300 and the marker 300 becomes unreadable, the section where the marker 300 is located becomes untravelable, and the conveyance device 3 may be forced to make an emergency stop due to an error, resulting in a decrease in transport efficiency and picking efficiency. The marker abnormality detection process makes it possible to detect an abnormality in the marker 300 early, thereby preventing a decrease in transport efficiency and picking efficiency. Note that markers 300 containing multiple readable codes (e.g., two-dimensional codes) are provided at predetermined positions on the floor along which the conveyance device 3 travels, so that the conveyance device 3 can detect its position.

[0142] The management device 9 acquires from the control device 4 marker read data included in the management information transmitted from the transport device 3 during charging (S2051). The marker read data may include the number of read codes read while the transport device 3 is traveling. The management device 9 selects marker read data for one section (S2052). Note that it is preferable to select arbitrary marker read data the first time, and then select marker read data in a predetermined order (for example, in the order of the section identification information). Then, the management device 9 compares the number of read 2D codes with a predetermined threshold (S2053). As a result, if the number of read 2D codes is greater than the predetermined threshold, the marker 300 is determined to be normal, and the process returns to step S2052 to repeat the process of comparing the marker read data (the number of read 2D codes) for the next section with the threshold. On the other hand, if the number of read two-dimensional codes is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the marker 300 is determined to be abnormal, and the position of the marker (the section in which the marker is located) is recorded as the abnormal marker section position (abnormal marker position) (S2054). Note that the position of the abnormal marker section may be recorded when the marker is determined to be abnormal once, or when the marker is determined to be abnormal a predetermined number of times or more, or when the marker is determined to be abnormal in a predetermined number or more different transport devices 3. By making a determination using management information for multiple transport devices 3, it is possible to reduce erroneous determinations due to individual factors of the transport device 3 (e.g., abnormalities in the transport device 3), and improve determination accuracy. Note that marker abnormalities may occur, for example, due to dirt on the marker or damage to the marker.

[0143] The management device 9 then determines whether the determination of the number of two-dimensional codes read for the marker read data of all sections has been completed (S2055). If there is marker read data for which the determination has not been completed, the process returns to step S2052 and repeatedly determines the number of two-dimensional codes read for the remaining marker read data. On the other hand, if the determination of the number of two-dimensional codes read for all marker read data has been completed, the management device 9 outputs, as information on the marker abnormality position, a marker abnormality section list, which is a list of sections that satisfy the marker abnormality determination conditions (S2056). The management device 9 may also output a maintenance instruction for the marker abnormality section. Furthermore, if it is determined that the conveyance device 3 cannot travel through the marker abnormality section, the control device 4 may lock the section so that the conveyance device 3 does not pass through the marker abnormality section.

[0144] FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the shelf misalignment detection process. For example, if the position of a shelf 5 is significantly deviated from its normal position, it may collide with the conveyance device 3 or with other shelves 5 being conveyed by the conveyance device 3. Furthermore, if a conveyance device 3 located in the normal position where the shelf 5 should be lifts and conveys a shelf 5 that is significantly deviated from its normal position, the shelf 5 may be conveyed in an unstable state, causing the shelf 5 to tip over, items on the shelf 5 to fall, or the shelf 5 may collide with surrounding structures (including other shelves 5). In other words, if the position of a shelf 5 is significantly deviated from its normal position, it may cause a malfunction of the conveyance system as described above. The shelf misalignment detection process enables early detection of a shelf misalignment of a predetermined magnitude or more, enabling maintenance to resolve the shelf misalignment. This prevents malfunctions of the conveyance system due to shelf misalignment, prevents a decrease in conveyance efficiency and picking efficiency, and improves the reliability of the conveyance system.

[0145] The management device 9 acquires from the control device 4 a set of a marker image and a shelf bottom image included in the management information transmitted from the transport device 3 during charging (S2061). The management device 9 selects the next marker image and shelf bottom image captured at the same position (S2062). Note that a set of a marker image and a shelf bottom image captured at any given position may be selected initially, and then sets of marker images and shelf bottom images may be selected in a predetermined order (e.g., chronological order). Then, the marker center position and shelf center position are calculated (S2063). For example, a rectangle constituting the outline of the marker 300 is extracted from the marker image, and the position where the diagonal lines of the rectangle intersect is calculated as the marker center position. Similarly, a rectangle constituting the outline of the code indicating the shelf ID displayed at the center of the bottom surface of the shelf 5 is extracted from the shelf bottom image, and the position where the diagonal lines of the rectangle intersect is calculated as the shelf center position. The management device 9 then compares the difference between the marker center position and the shelf center position with a predetermined threshold (S2064). As a result, if the difference between the marker center position and the shelf center position is smaller than the predetermined threshold, the position of the shelf 5 is determined to be normal, and the process returns to step S2062 to repeat the process of determining the position of the next shelf 5. On the other hand, if the difference between the marker center position and the shelf center position is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the position of the shelf 5 is determined to be abnormal, that is, deviated from the normal position, and a misaligned shelf ID is recorded (S2065). Note that a misaligned shelf ID may be recorded when a misalignment is determined once, a misaligned shelf ID may be recorded when a misalignment is determined a predetermined number of times, or a misaligned shelf ID may be recorded when a misalignment is determined in a predetermined number or more of different transport devices 3. By making a determination using management information for multiple transport devices 3, it is possible to reduce erroneous determinations due to individual factors of the transport devices 3 (e.g., abnormalities in the transport devices 3), and improve the accuracy of the determination.

[0146] The management device 9 then determines whether the determination of positional misalignment has been completed for all marker images and shelf bottom images (S2066). If there are any marker images and shelf bottom images for which the determination has not been completed, the process returns to step S2062 and repeatedly performs the determination of shelf 5 positional misalignment for the remaining marker images and shelf bottom images. On the other hand, if the determination of positional misalignment has been completed for all marker images and shelf bottom images, the management device 9 outputs a shelf misalignment list, which is a list of shelves 5 whose positions are misaligned from their normal positions (S2067). The management device 9 may then output a shelf misalignment maintenance instruction. For example, the control device 4 sends an instruction to the transport device 3 to have the transport device 3 lift the misaligned shelf 5, move the shelf 5 by the difference between the marker center position and the shelf center position, and then lower the shelf 5. The positional misalignment of the shelf 5 can be resolved by moving the shelf 5 by the transport device 3. Alternatively, a worker who views the output shelf misalignment list may use a manned or remotely controlled forklift to move the misaligned shelf 5 by the amount of misalignment.

[0147] An example of a shelf deviation detection process will be described. An article marker is provided at approximately the center of the bottom surface of an article being transported by the transport device 3. A floor marker (marker 300) for detecting the position is provided at a predetermined position on the floor of the destination of the article to be transported by the transport device 3. Management information transmitted from the transport device 3 to the control device 4 while charging includes an image of the article marker and an image of the floor marker taken when the article is placed at the destination. The management device 9 acquires the management information from the control device 4 and uses the acquired management information to calculate the difference between the position of the article marker and the position of the floor marker. If the difference in position exceeds a predetermined range, the management device 9 records that the position of the article whose difference in position exceeds the predetermined range is deviated, and outputs information about the recorded article whose position is deviated.

[0148] FIG. 22 is a sequence diagram of the foreign object detection process. For example, if the conveying device 3 comes into contact with a foreign object (including a collision with the foreign object or being caught in the foreign object), an abnormality (including a malfunction) may occur in the conveying device 3, potentially causing the conveying device 3 to stop or become unusable. The foreign object detection process allows for early detection of a foreign object in the conveying device 3 and for countermeasures to be taken (for example, disabling travel in the foreign object detection area or removing the foreign object). This reduces the possibility of the conveying device 3 stopping or becoming unusable due to an abnormality occurring in the conveying device 3, thereby preventing a decrease in conveying efficiency and picking efficiency. Furthermore, if the foreign object is an item (e.g., a product) that has fallen from the shelf 5, it is possible to prevent the item from coming into contact with the conveying device 3 and being damaged. In this way, the reliability of the conveying system can be improved. The conveying device 3 has a sensor 14 that can detect surrounding objects.

[0149] When the sensor 14 (a front camera provided on the front side) detects a foreign object on the planned travel route (S2071), the measurement program 31 of the conveyance device 3 takes an image of the detected foreign object with the front camera 14 and stores the taken image in the storage device 12 (S2072). Here, the foreign object may be, for example, an item (fallen object) that has fallen from the shelf 5. The measurement program 31 then acquires the distance to the foreign object (S2073). For example, the distance to the foreign object is acquired based on the detection results of the range image camera 14, the ultrasonic sensor 14, or the LiDAR 14. The communication program 29 transmits management information to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network provided in the warehouse 2 (S2074). The management information transmitted in step S2074 includes the position (section 201) of the conveyance device 3, the distance to the foreign object, and the time the foreign object was detected.

[0150] When the control device 4 acquires the management information, it identifies the section in which the foreign object was detected using the position and orientation of the transport device 3 and the distance to the foreign object (S2075), and locks the section to prevent other transport devices 3 from passing through the foreign object-detected section (S2076). The control device 4 then outputs a maintenance instruction (S2077). This maintenance instruction is transmitted to the management device 9 along with an image of the foreign object-detected section, and the manager views the image of the foreign object-detected section and performs maintenance work to remove the foreign object. The maintenance work may be performed immediately or outside of picking work hours. Furthermore, if the manager does not operate the management device 9 even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the control device 4 output the maintenance instruction, the maintenance work may be performed automatically.

[0151] The image of the foreign object detected section may be transmitted from the conveying device 3 to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network provided in the warehouse 2. The transmission timing may be at the timing of S2074 or later (for example, after S2076). Also, to prevent the image of the foreign object detected section from affecting other communications using the wireless communication network, the image of the foreign object detected section may be transmitted from the conveying device 3 to the control device 4 via the charging device 7, as shown in FIG. 17. The transmission timing may be later than S2074 (for example, after S2076).

[0152] As described above, when the transport device 3 detects a foreign object by the sensor 14 while traveling, it transmits positional relationship information including the distance between the detected foreign object and the transport device 3, as well as positional information of the transport device 3, to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network. The control device 4 identifies the section in which the foreign object was detected based on at least the positional relationship information and the positional information of the transport device 3, and sets the section in which the foreign object was detected as one in which the transport device 3 cannot travel. In addition, the transport device 3 may have an image sensor, and the transport device 3 may transmit an image including the foreign object, acquired by the image sensor while traveling, to the control device 4 via the charging device 7 while charging.

[0153] Meanwhile, the transport device 3 starts charging (S2081) and transmits management information to the control device 4 via the charging device 7 (S2082). The management device 9 acquires management information (peripheral image) from the control device 4 (S2083). The management information transmitted during charging includes a peripheral image of the transport device 3 (e.g., an image of the transport device 3's traveling environment acquired while the transport device 3 is traveling) and data on the photographing position. The management device 9 then acquires one peripheral image (S2084). Note that an arbitrary peripheral image may be acquired initially, and peripheral images may then be acquired in a predetermined order (e.g., chronological order). Then, an image recognition model is used to extract foreign objects that may obstruct the travel of the transport device 3 from the acquired peripheral image (S2085). For example, the image recognition model may be a neural network model trained on images of foreign objects that obstruct the travel of the transport device 3. The management device 9 then determines whether a foreign object has been detected in the peripheral image (S2086). If no foreign object has been detected, the process returns to step S2084 and repeats the process of determining foreign objects in the next peripheral image. On the other hand, when a foreign object is detected, the management device 9 identifies the section in which the foreign object was detected using the position and orientation of the transport device 3 and the distance to the foreign object (S2087), and locks the section so that other transport devices 3 do not pass through the foreign object detected section (S2088). Note that the management device 9 may send an instruction to lock the section to the control device 4, and the control device 4 may lock the section. In this way, the management device 9 attempts to extract the foreign object from the peripheral image, and restricts other transport devices 3 from passing through the position of the foreign object extracted from the peripheral image.

[0154] The management device 9 then determines whether foreign object detection has been completed for all peripheral images (S2089). If there are any peripheral images for which foreign object detection has not been completed, the process returns to step S2084 and repeats the foreign object detection for the remaining peripheral images. On the other hand, if foreign object detection has been completed for all peripheral images, a maintenance instruction to remove the foreign object is output (S2090). The manager views the output maintenance instruction (e.g., an image of the foreign object detection area) and performs maintenance work to remove the foreign object. The maintenance work may be performed immediately or outside of picking work hours. Furthermore, if the manager does not operate the management device 9 even after a predetermined time has passed since the control device 4 output the maintenance instruction, the maintenance work may be performed automatically.

[0155] Furthermore, the control device 4 may receive a maintenance instruction from the management device 9 and determine whether the foreign object can be moved by the transport device 3. As a result, if the transport device 3 determines that the foreign object can be moved, the control device 4 instructs the transport device 3 to move the foreign object to a predetermined location where it will not obstruct travel. Note that this transport device 3 may be any device that can move foreign objects in response to an instruction from the control device 4, and may be a device separate from the transport device 3 that transports the shelves 5, and may be called a foreign object moving device.

[0156] 23 is a flowchart of the abnormal device diagnosis process. For example, the abnormal device diagnosis process makes it possible to detect abnormalities, including deterioration of the conveying device 3, at an early stage before the conveying device 3 goes into a failure state due to deterioration or the like. This makes it possible to prevent the conveying system from being stopped due to a failure of the conveying device 3, and to prevent a decrease in conveying efficiency and picking efficiency, and also improves the reliability of the conveying system.

[0157] The management device 9 acquires from the control device 4 the device operation log included in the management information transmitted from the transport device 3 during charging (S2091). The management device 9 selects one device operation log (S2092). Note that an arbitrary device operation log may be selected initially, and then the device operation logs may be selected in a predetermined order (e.g., chronological order). The management device 9 then calculates the response time of the device indicated by the selected device operation log (S2093) and compares the calculated response time with an allowable range (S2094). As a result, if the calculated response time is within the allowable range, the device is determined to be normal, and the process returns to step S2092 to repeat the process of comparing the response time calculated from the next device operation log with the allowable range. On the other hand, if the calculated response time is outside the allowable range, the device is determined to be abnormal, and the identification information of the device is recorded in the abnormal device list (S2095).

[0158] This abnormal device diagnosis process can be applied to devices within the conveying device 3, such as actuators such as motors, lighting lamps, and sensors 14. For actuators such as motors, the time from the timing of an operation control command signal to when sensor 14 detects the completion of the motor's operation is measured, and if the time required for this operation to start is long, it can be determined that the device is degraded. For example, the response time is the time from when table lifting servo motor 22M, which lifts and lowers table 22, starts operating until magnetic sensor 14 detects that table 22 has contacted bottom plate 502 of shelf 5. Similarly, for the rotation of table 22 and the travel drive of conveying device 3, the degradation of the device can be determined based on the response time from when the motor starts operating to when it detects the end of operation. Furthermore, the degradation of sensor 14 can be determined based on the response time from when sensor 14 receives an operation control command signal to when it starts operating.

[0159] In the above, the operation of the device is determined using the response time, but it may also be determined whether the device is operating normally by comparing the resistance value, current value, etc. of the device with a predetermined threshold. For example, if the resistance value of sensor 14 is greater than the predetermined threshold, it may be determined that the device is operating normally, and if the current value of an actuator such as a motor is greater than the predetermined threshold, it may be determined that the device is operating abnormally.

[0160] The management device 9 then determines whether the response time determination has been completed for all device operation logs (S2096), and if there are any device operation logs for which the determination has not been completed, returns to step S2052 and repeats the response time determination for the remaining device operation logs.On the other hand, if the response time determination has been completed for all device operation logs, the management device 9 outputs an abnormal device list (S2097).

[0161] An example of the abnormal device diagnosis process will be described below. Management information sent from the transport device 3 to the control device 4 during charging includes the response time of the installed device. The management device 9 acquires the management information from the control device 4, and if the acceptable range value for the response time is greater than a predetermined threshold value, records that there is an abnormality in the response time using the acquired management information and outputs information about the device with the recorded abnormality.

[0162] Furthermore, for the damaged floor section list in Figures 18 and 19, the abnormal marker section list in Figure 20, the shelf displacement list in Figure 21, and the abnormal equipment list in Figure 23, the status of the target (target section, target shelf, or target equipment (transportation device)) and the timing of when maintenance or other measures are required can be output, allowing the administrator to create an appropriate maintenance plan. For example, if the target section needs repair within three months, it is possible to plan repairs during the off-season, avoiding the busy picking period, thereby creating a maintenance plan that minimizes the impact on reduced transport and picking efficiency. Also, if a section that needs repair one month from now and a section that needs repair two months from now are close to each other, it may be more efficient to repair them together. In this way, outputting the status of the target and the timing of when maintenance or other measures are required enables efficient maintenance. This prevents a decrease in the transport efficiency of the transport system, and maintenance can improve the reliability of the transport system.

[0163] For example, in each of the determinations at S2035 in Fig. 18, S2044 in Fig. 19, S2053 in Fig. 20, S2064 in Fig. 21, and S2094 in Fig. 23, the management device 9 may determine the state of the target using multiple thresholds. For example, in each determination, if the target value (speed difference, center position difference, number of readable codes, response time) compared with the threshold is smaller than threshold T1, the management device 9 may determine that the state of the target is not problematic (if each determination is Yes), if the target value is equal to or greater than T1 and smaller than T2 (a threshold greater than T1), the management device 9 may determine that the state of the target is a "low level abnormality", and if the target value is equal to or greater than T2, the management device 9 may determine that the state of the target is a "high level abnormality" (if each determination is No).

[0164] Furthermore, the management device 9 may store the state of the object and the time when maintenance is required for each determination in association with each other, such as when the state of the object is "low abnormality level," maintenance is required within X months, and when the state is "high abnormality level," maintenance is required within Y months (sooner than X months). When outputting the list in S2039 of Fig. 18, S2047 of Fig. 19, S2056 of Fig. 20, S2067 of Fig. 21, and S2097 of Fig. 23, the management device 9 may output the state of the object and the time when maintenance corresponding to the state of the object is required (maintenance deadline) together with the identification information of the object.

[0165] The threshold value may be increased to enable the management device 9 to determine the condition of the object in more detail. Furthermore, if the object is a floor (compartment) as shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, the likelihood of the compartment deteriorating varies depending on the material and location of the compartment. Furthermore, in the abnormal device list of FIG. 23, the maintenance period varies depending on the type of device. Furthermore, whether the object is a compartment, shelf, or equipment as shown in FIGS. 18 to 21 and 23, the maintenance period varies depending on the usage environment (for example, in the case of a floor, the load such as the number of passes of a conveying device; for example, in the case of a conveying device, the load such as the conveying distance and conveyed weight). Therefore, the threshold value and the corresponding maintenance deadline may be set according to the type of object and the usage environment. Furthermore, for example, the management device 9 may analyze correlations or trends from statistical data such as the type of object, the usage environment, and the deterioration progression of the object's condition, and determine the maintenance deadline based on the analyzed correlations or trends from information on the type of object, the usage environment, and the condition of the object.

[0166] Furthermore, in each of the determinations at S2023 and S2035 in FIG. 18, S2044 in FIG. 19, and S2094 in FIG. 23, the management device 9 may make the determination using a threshold value corresponding to the presence or absence of a transported object or the weight of the transported object at the time the target log was acquired. The travel of the transport device 3 (including straight travel and turning) is affected by the presence or absence of a transported object and the weight of the transported object. For example, with regard to S2044 in FIG. 19, when the transport device 3 turns, if the transported object is unbalanced, the difference in the center position of the marker may be greater than when no transported object is loaded. Also, with regard to S2023 and S2035 in FIG. 18, if the transport device 3 is loaded with a heavy transported object, the vibrations and impacts it receives when passing through a damaged area on the floor (e.g., an uneven area) will be greater than when no transported object is loaded. Therefore, in each of the above-mentioned determinations, the accuracy of the determination can be improved by using a threshold value corresponding to the presence or absence of a transported object or the weight of the transported object from the management information at the time the target log was acquired.

[0167] Furthermore, with regard to the above-mentioned determination, the management device 9 may perform each determination when the conveying device 3 is not carrying any goods, or when the weight of the goods carried by the conveying device 3 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, the management device 9 may determine the balance of the goods based on the structure and weight of the goods and the position and weight of the products carried on the goods, and may exclude goods that are unbalanced from the determination. This makes it possible to eliminate or reduce the influence of the goods.

[0168] Furthermore, with regard to the above-mentioned determinations, the management device 9 may perform each determination when the weight of the transported object loaded on the transport device 3 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value when the transport device 3 is loading the transported object. For example, there are cases where the accuracy of the determination can be improved, such as when damage to the floor surface is easier to detect when the transport device 3 is loaded with the transported object.

[0169] In the above-mentioned determination, the management device 9 may obtain information on the presence or absence of a transported object or the weight of the transported object at the time of obtaining the target log as management information from the transporting device 3 via a charging device, etc. The management device 9 may also obtain logs on the device management table 53 or shelf table 57 from the control device 4, and determine the presence or absence of a transported object or the weight of the transported object corresponding to the time of the traveling log that is the subject of each determination of the transporting device 3.

[0170] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the shelf 5 and the magnetic sensor 14, and FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a state in which the top board 22D has been removed from the transport device 3. As shown in FIG.

[0171] The shelf 5 has a bottom plate 502 supported by legs 501 at a predetermined height from the floor, and one or more shelf plates 503 on which articles are placed. A space is provided below the bottom plate 502 for the conveying device 3 to enter.

[0172] A top plate 22D is rotatably attached to the top surface of the transport device 3. The top plate 22D engages with the upper ring 22A and is disposed on the upper ring 22A, and the top plate 22D rotates in accordance with the rotation of the upper ring 22A. For example, the top plate 22D and the upper ring 22A are engaged with each other by a convex portion of the top plate 22D and a concave portion of the upper ring 22A.

[0173] That is, when the top plate 22D is removed from the conveying device 3, the upper ring 22A becomes visible as shown in FIG. 25. The upper ring 22A is engaged with the table rotation servo motor 22L. For example, a sprocket is provided inside the upper ring 22A, and a gear is attached to the shaft of the table rotation servo motor 22L, and the sprocket and gear are engaged. Therefore, the rotation of the table rotation servo motor 22L rotates the upper ring 22A, and the top plate 22D placed on the upper ring 22A also rotates. A proximity sensor 14 is attached to the upper ring 22A. As described above, the proximity sensor 14 is, for example, a magnetic sensor that observes the bottom plate 502 of the shelf 5 and measures the distance between the top plate 22D and the bottom plate 502.

[0174] A lower ring 22C is provided below the upper ring 22A. A rolling bearing 22B is attached to the lower surface of the upper ring 22A, and the rolling bearing 22B supports the load of the upper ring 22A, allowing the upper ring 22A to rotate smoothly on the lower ring 22C.

[0175] The lower ring 22C is supported by a support column 22E. The support column 22E is moved up and down by a table lift servo motor 22M, thereby moving the lower ring 22C up and down. For example, the support column 22E and the table lift servo motor 22M form a ball screw. A screw shaft is formed in the support column 22E, and a nut engaged with the screw shaft is rotated by the table lift servo motor 22M, causing the screw shaft to move relative to the nut. In this way, the table lift servo motor 22M can move the lower ring 22C, the upper ring 22A, and the top plate 22D up and down. The table lift servo motor 22M may be provided on one ball screw, and the ball screw on which the table lift servo motor 22M is provided and other ball screws may be connected by a chain, so that multiple ball screws operate synchronously.

[0176] The transport device 3 enters the space below the shelf 5, and the table lifting servo motor 22M raises the top plate 22D, lifting the shelf 5. The proximity sensor 14 provided below the top plate 22D outputs a signal according to the distance to the bottom plate 502 of the shelf 5 (or the beam that holds the bottom plate 502), and the output signal from the proximity sensor 14 makes it possible to measure the distance between the top plate 22D and the bottom plate 502 and to detect contact of the top plate 22D with the bottom plate 502.

[0177] As described above, the conveying device 3 of this embodiment has a secondary battery 80 that supplies power for operation and a drive mechanism 20 that drives the wheels using power supplied from the secondary battery 80, and acquires position information regarding the position of the conveying device 3 and management information regarding the driving environment of the conveying device 3 or the conveying device 3 while driving, and transmits the acquired position information to the control device 4 while driving via a wireless communication network, and transmits the management information acquired while driving to the control device 4 while the secondary battery 80 is charging, so that management information can be collected from the conveying device 3 without putting a strain on the bandwidth for sending and receiving control data in the wireless communication network installed within the warehouse 2.

[0178] Moreover, one conveyance system of this embodiment includes a conveyance device 3 capable of conveying an object, a control device 4 that controls the operation of the conveyance device 3, and a charging device 7 that supplies charging power to the conveyance device 3. The conveyance device 3 has a secondary battery 80 that supplies power for operation and a drive mechanism 20 that drives wheels using power supplied from the secondary battery 80. The conveyance device 3 acquires position information regarding the position of the conveyance device 3 and management information regarding the driving environment of the conveyance device 3 or the conveyance device 3 while traveling. The conveyance device 3 transmits the acquired position information to the control device 4 via a wireless communication network while traveling. The conveyance device 3 transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the charging device 7 while charging the secondary battery 80. The charging device 7 transmits the management information to the control device 4. Here, the transmission of the management information from the charging device 7 to the control device 4 may be performed while charging or at another timing (e.g., after charging). This allows management information to be collected from the conveyance device 3 without compressing the bandwidth for transmitting and receiving control data in the wireless communication network installed in the warehouse 2.

[0179] Although several embodiments have been described above, these are merely examples for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms.

[0180] Furthermore, for example, the shape of the compartment is not limited to a rectangle and may be other shapes. Also, compartments of different sizes or shapes may be mixed. Furthermore, the position of the compartment may be identified by other methods instead of being identified by the two-dimensional barcode on the compartment.

[0181] Furthermore, for example, the storage program 50 and the processing program 51 may be executed by the transport device 3 instead of or in addition to the control device 4. Furthermore, the transport device 3 may also function as the control device 4.

[0182] The present invention can also be applied to a conveying system for conveying goods in factories, workshops, and the like other than storage warehouses used by companies such as online retailers to store their products. Specifically, the goods conveyed by the conveying device 3 may be items other than shelves 5, such as trays, boxes, pallets, or goods. In this case, the trays, boxes, and pallets may or may not contain goods (for example, when the trays, boxes, and pallets themselves are the goods to be conveyed). In this case, it is sufficient to simply replace "shelves" with "goods to be conveyed," and therefore a detailed explanation will be omitted. Furthermore, the work performed on such goods may be work other than picking, such as processing, assembly, packaging, or inspection. In this case, it is sufficient to simply replace "picking" or "picking work" with "work," and therefore a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0183] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications and equivalent configurations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to configurations including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, part of the configuration of one embodiment may be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, the configuration of another embodiment may be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, part of the configuration of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with other configurations.

[0184] Furthermore, the aforementioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole in hardware, for example by designing them as integrated circuits, or may be realized in software by having a processor interpret and execute a program that realizes each function.

[0185] Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

[0186] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily represent all the control lines and information lines that are necessary for implementation. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0187] 2 Warehouse 3, 3A, 3B, 3C Conveying device 4. Control device 5, 5A, 5B, 5C shelves 6 Picking Station 7 Charging device 9 Management device 10 Controllers 11 Drive unit 12 Storage device 13 Interface Device 14 Sensors 20 Drive mechanism 20A Training wheels 20D drive wheel 20E Encoder 20M motor 21 Lifting mechanism 21E Encoder 21F Encoder 21M motor 21R motor 22 tables 22A Upper ring 22B rolling bearing 22C lower ring 22D Top Plate 22E Post 22L table rotation servo motor 22M Table lifting servo motor 23 Routing Table 24 Equipment Table 25 Map Table 27 Measurement Table 28 Performance Table 29 Communication Programs 30 Movement Control Program 31 Measurement Program 32 Location Estimation Program 40 processors 41 memory 42 Storage device 43 Input Devices 44 Output Devices 45 Interface Device 50 Storage Program 51 Processing Program 53 Device Management Table 54 Inventory Table 55 Order Table 56 Map Table 57 Shelf Table 58 Picking Table 60 Floor Table 70 Power supply 71 Controller 72 Storage device 73, 74 electrode 75 Demodulator 76 Communication Interface 80 Battery 81 Mixer 82 Modulator 83, 84 electrode 90 processors 91 memory 92 Storage device 93 Input Devices 94 Output Devices 95 Interface Device 96 Change Analysis Program 97 Difference Analysis Program 98 Change Analysis Program 200 Area Section 201 300 markers 300A~300I 2D code 501 Legs 502 Bottom plate 503 Shelf 551 Network

Claims

1. A control method for a conveyance system including a conveyance device and a control device, the transport device has a secondary battery that supplies power for operation, and a drive mechanism that drives wheels using power supplied from the secondary battery; The control method includes: an information acquisition step in which the conveying device acquires, while traveling, position information regarding the position of the conveying device and management information regarding the traveling environment of the conveying device or the conveying device; a first communication step in which the transport device transmits the acquired position information to the control device via a wireless communication network while traveling; a second communication step in which the transport device transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the control device while the secondary battery is being charged.

2. 2. The control method according to claim 1, The second communication step includes: a step of transmitting the management information acquired during travel by the transportation device to a charging device that supplies charging power to the transportation device; and a step of the charging device transmitting the management information to the control device.

3. 3. The control method according to claim 2, In the second communication step, the transport device and the charging device are connected by a power supply line; the charging device supplies charging power to the transportation device via the power supply line; The transportation device transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the charging device via the power supply line.

4. 3. The control method according to claim 2, In the second communication step, the transport device wirelessly transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the charging device.

5. 4. The control method according to claim 3, When the conveying device detects an abnormality in which a speed difference during a predetermined time while traveling straight is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the conveying device transmits information about the position where the abnormality was detected to the control device and stops traveling in a first communication step; The control device uses information about the position where the abnormality was detected to restrict other conveying devices from passing through the abnormality detection position that caused the conveying device to stop.

6. 6. The control method according to claim 5, the transport system includes a management device that analyzes the management information; the management information transmitted from the conveying device in the second communication step includes data on the travel speed of the conveying device over time; The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; Calculating a change in the speed of the conveying device using the acquired management information; If it is determined that the calculated change in speed is greater than a second predetermined threshold, the location where the determined change in speed is large is recorded as a floor damage location; A control method for outputting information on the recorded floor damage location.

7. 7. The control method according to claim 6, a marker located at approximately the center of rotation of the conveying device is provided at a predetermined position on a floor surface about which the conveying device rotates; the management information transmitted from the transport device in the second communication step includes an image of the marker captured while the transport device is turning; The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; Using the acquired management information, calculate the amount of change in the center position of the marker when the conveying device turns; If it is determined that the calculated change in the center position is greater than a third predetermined threshold, the position where the determined change in the center position is large is recorded as a floor damage position; A control method for outputting information on the recorded floor damage location.

8. 8. The control method according to claim 3 or 7, the transport system includes a management device that analyzes the management information; a marker including a plurality of readable codes is provided at a predetermined position on a floor surface along which the transport device travels, so that the transport device can detect its position; the management information transmitted from the transport device in the second communication step includes the number of the read codes read while the transport device is traveling; The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; using the acquired management information, if the number of the read codes is smaller than a fourth predetermined threshold, recording the position of the marker with the small number of read codes as an abnormal marker position; A control method for outputting the recorded information on the abnormal marker position.

9. 4. The control method according to claim 3, the transport system includes a management device that analyzes the management information; an object marker is provided at approximately the center of the bottom surface of the object being transported by the transport device; a floor marker for detecting a position is provided at a predetermined position on a floor surface of a destination of the transported object by the transport device; the management information transmitted from the conveying device in the second communication step includes an image of the conveyed object marker and an image of the floor marker taken when the conveyed object is placed at a destination; The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; calculating a difference between the position of the article marker and the position of the floor marker using the acquired management information; If the difference in position exceeds a predetermined range, record that the position of the transported object whose difference in position exceeds the predetermined range is misaligned; A control method for outputting information about the transported object whose position is deviated from the recorded position.

10. 4. The control method according to claim 3, the control device divides a travel area in which the transport device travels into a plurality of sections and manages the divided areas, the transport device has a sensor capable of detecting surrounding objects; When the transport device detects a foreign object by the sensor while traveling, in the first communication step, the transport device transmits positional relationship information including a distance between the detected foreign object and the transport device and position information of the transport device to the control device; The control method includes a step in which the control device identifies a section in which the foreign object is detected based on at least the positional relationship information and position information of the conveying device, and sets the section in which the foreign object is detected as one in which the conveying device cannot travel.

11. 11. The control method according to claim 10, the sensor comprises an image sensor; In the second communication step, the transport device transmits the image including the foreign object acquired by the image sensor to the control device via the charging device.

12. 12. The control method according to claim 11, the transport system includes a management device that analyzes the management information; The transport device acquires an image of a traveling environment of the transport device while traveling; The management device The management information including the image of the driving environment is acquired from the control device; Attempting to extract foreign objects from the image of the driving environment; A control method for restricting other conveying devices from passing through the position of the foreign object extracted from the image.

13. 4. The control method according to claim 3, the transport system includes a management device that analyzes the management information; the management information transmitted from the transport device in the second communication step includes a response time of the installed device; The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; using the acquired management information, if the tolerance value of the response time is greater than a fifth predetermined threshold, recording that there is an abnormality in the response time; A control method for outputting information about the device having the recorded abnormality.

14. 4. The control method according to claim 3, the control device divides a travel area in which the transport device travels into a plurality of sections and manages the divided areas, Each of the sections is provided with a marker that indicates the position of the section; the transport device has a sensor capable of reading the marker; In the first communication step, the transport device transmits position information represented by the marker or position information derived from the information represented by the marker to the control device.

15. A control method for a transport system including a transport device, a control device, and a management device, the transport device has a secondary battery that supplies power for operation, and a drive mechanism that drives wheels using the power supplied from the secondary battery; a marker located at approximately the center of rotation of the conveying device is provided at a predetermined position on a floor surface about which the conveying device rotates; The control method includes: an information acquisition step in which the conveying device acquires, while traveling, position information regarding the position of the conveying device and management information regarding the traveling environment of the conveying device or the conveying device; a first communication step in which the transport device transmits the acquired position information to the control device via a wireless communication network while traveling; a second communication step in which the transport device transmits the management information acquired while traveling to the control device while charging the secondary battery, In the second communication step, the transport device and a charging device that supplies charging power to the transport device are connected by a power supply line; the charging device supplies charging power to the transportation device via the power supply line; the transportation device transmits the management information acquired during traveling to the charging device via the power supply line; the charging device transmits the management information to the control device; the management information transmitted from the transport device in the second communication step includes data on the speed of the transport device over time and an image of the marker taken during a turn; When the conveying device detects an abnormality in which a speed difference during a predetermined time while traveling straight is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the conveying device transmits information about the position where the abnormality was detected to the control device and stops traveling in a first communication step; the control device uses information about the position where the abnormality was detected to restrict other conveyance devices from passing through the abnormality detection position that caused the stop of the conveyance device, The management device acquiring the management information from the control device; Calculating a change in the speed of the conveying device using the acquired management information; If it is determined that the calculated change in speed is greater than a second predetermined threshold, the location where the determined change in speed is large is recorded as a floor damage location; Outputting the recorded floor damage location information; Furthermore, the management device Using the acquired management information, calculate the amount of change in the center position of the marker when the conveying device turns; If it is determined that the calculated change in the center position is greater than a third predetermined threshold, the position where the determined change in the center position is large is recorded as a floor damage position; A control method for outputting information on the recorded floor damage location.

16. A conveying system comprising: a conveying device capable of conveying an object; a control device for controlling the operation of the transport device; a charging device that supplies charging power to the transport device, The conveying device is a secondary battery that supplies power for operation, and a drive mechanism that drives wheels using the power supplied from the secondary battery; Acquiring location information regarding the location of the transport device and management information regarding the travel environment of the transport device or the transport device while traveling; transmitting the acquired position information to the control device while the vehicle is traveling via a wireless communication network; transmitting the management information acquired during running to the charging device while charging the secondary battery; The charging device transmits the management information to the control device.

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