Warehouse management system and method

Abstract

A warehouse management system and method, wherein the warehouse management system includes a control server (110), a transport facility (120), and a workstation (130) having a cargo buffer area (1301), wherein the control server (110) is configured to determine a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on a quantity of a first cargo hit by a pending order set, determine a first transport facility for transporting the first cargo and a first workstation for picking the first cargo, send a first transport command to the first transport facility, and send a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation, the first transport facility is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transport the first cargo to the first workstation, and the first workstation is configured to load the first cargo into the cargo buffer area (1301) of the first workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area (1301) based on the first pending order.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202210124952.9, entitled "Warehouse management system and method," filed with the China Patent Office on February 10, 2022, and application number 202220275180.4, entitled "Warehouse management system," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application relates to the field of warehousing, and more particularly to warehouse management systems and methods. [Background technology]

[0003] With the rapid development of e-commerce, e-commerce is playing an increasingly important role in consumer life, and the number of orders from users is increasing exponentially every year. At the same time, as e-commerce becomes more and more mature, users have higher requirements for the service quality of e-commerce, and the processing capacity of warehouse scheduling is also being severely tested.

[0004] In conventional automated picking systems, freight-to-person transfer is a relatively common mode, and the freight-to-person transfer mode is based on intelligent transport robots. Based on order requirements and inventory information, the robot automatically moves to the location directly below the target rack, lifts the target rack, and sends it to the sorting station. The sorting station is equipped with devices such as displays, and sorters follow the instructions on the display to place the freight into the designated containers to complete the sorting. However, orders usually arrive continuously, and the same freight is often hit multiple times, and the freight often has to be transported back and forth between the inventory area and the workstation multiple times, which greatly affects picking efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a warehouse management system and method to solve the technical deficiencies existing in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a system includes a control server, a transport facility, and a workstation provided with a cargo buffer area, the control server is configured to determine a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, determine a first transport facility to transport the first cargo and a first workstation to pick the first cargo, send a first transport command to the first transport facility, and send a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the first transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transport the first cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation is configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order, providing a warehouse management system.

[0007] Optionally, the control server is further configured to detect the number of first pending orders at the first workstation, and when the number of orders is greater than a preset threshold, determine a second workstation and a second transport facility, send a second pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation, and send a second transport command to the second transport facility, and when a distance between the second workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold, the second transport equipment is configured to, in response to the second transport command, remove a quantity of first cargo corresponding to a second pending order from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and place it in a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation; The second workstation is configured to pick the first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second pending order.

[0008] Optionally, the control server is further configured to determine a third workstation to pick the first cargo and a fifth transportation facility to transport the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and to send a fifth transportation command to the fifth transportation facility, and to send a fourth pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the third workstation, when a distance between the third workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the fifth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the fifth transport command and transport the first cargo to the third workstation; The third workstation is configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the fourth pending order.

[0009] Optionally, the system further includes an inventory area and an external inventory area, the inventory area including a plurality of inventory loads, each inventory load including at least one storage space, each storage space capable of receiving at least one cargo-carrying container; The control server is further configured to obtain the number of cargoes of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and if the number of cargoes is less than or equal to an inventory threshold, determine the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area, and if the number of cargoes is greater than the inventory threshold, determine the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area and the external inventory area, or determine the cargo inventory location to be the external inventory area.

[0010] Optionally, the control server is further configured to determine a first transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the inventory area and a second transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the external inventory area when the cargo quantity is greater than an inventory threshold.

[0011] Optionally, the first transport subsystem includes a container transport subsystem or a load transport subsystem, and the second transport subsystem includes any one of a forklift, a towing subsystem, and a lifting subsystem.

[0012] Optionally, the cargo buffer area is provided with a plurality of buffer storage spaces, each buffer storage space being capable of accommodating at least one buffer container, the buffer container containing cargo; the control server is further configured, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, to determine a cargo inventory location of the second cargo based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set, to determine a third transport facility for transporting the second cargo, to send a third transport command to the third transport facility, and to send a third pending order hit by the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the third transport equipment is configured to move to a cargo inventory location of the second cargo in response to the third transport command and transport the second cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation is further configured to load the second cargo into an open buffer container in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the second cargo based on the third pending order.

[0013] Optionally, the control server is further configured to, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, determine a first cargo to be replenished based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the new pending order set, determine a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished, send a sixth transport command to the sixth transport facility, and send a fifth pending order hit by the first cargo to be replenished in the new pending order set to the first workstation; the sixth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the sixth transport command and transport the first cargo awaiting replenishment to the first workstation; The first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo awaiting replenishment into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo awaiting replenishment from the cargo buffer area based on the fifth order awaiting processing.

[0014] Optionally, the workstation is provided with an operation object and an order picking area, the order picking area is provided with a plurality of order storage spaces, each order storage space can accommodate at least one order container; The operational object is configured to remove a first cargo item from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a first pending order and place the first cargo item in an order container corresponding to the first pending order.

[0015] Optionally, the workstation is further provided with a work platform and container loading / unloading equipment; the container loading / unloading equipment is provided between the work bench and the order picking area, and is configured to take an order container corresponding to the first pending order from the order picking area and place the order container on the work bench, or take the order container from the work bench and place it in the order picking area; The operation object is further configured to place the first cargo in an order container on the work platform.

[0016] Optionally, the control server is further configured to determine a fourth transport facility and send a fourth transport command to the fourth transport facility; The fourth transport facility is configured to transport the order container for which the order picking task has been completed to a designated position in response to the fourth transport command.

[0017] Optionally, the manipulation object includes a robotic arm or automated equipment for cargo picking.

[0018] Optionally, the control server is further configured to determine position information of the first cargo in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a preset condition; The first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information.

[0019] Optionally, the predetermined conditions include at least one of the popularity of the first cargo, the relevance of the first cargo to other cargoes in the cargo buffer area, and the order of orders waiting to be processed at the first workstation.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a warehouse management method applied to a warehouse management system including a control server, a conveying facility, and a workstation provided with a cargo buffer area, the method comprising: a control server determines a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, determines a first transport facility for transporting the first cargo and a first workstation for picking the first cargo, sends a first transport command to the first transport facility, and sends a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the first transport equipment moves to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transports the first cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation loads the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picks the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order.

[0021] Optionally, the method further comprises: the control server detects the number of first pending orders at the first workstation, and when the number of orders is greater than a preset threshold, determines a second workstation and a second transport facility, sends a second pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation, and sends a second transport command to the second transport facility, wherein the distance between the second workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; The second transport equipment, in response to the second transport command, removes a quantity of first cargo corresponding to a second pending order from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and places it in a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation; The method further includes the step of the second workstation picking the first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second pending order.

[0022] Optionally, the method further comprises: a step in which the control server determines a third workstation to pick the first cargo and a fifth transportation facility to transport the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, sends a fifth transportation command to the fifth transportation facility, and sends a fourth pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the third workstation, wherein the distance between the third workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the fifth transport equipment moving to the cargo inventory location in response to the fifth transport command and transporting the first cargo to the third workstation; The method further includes the step of the third workstation loading the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation and picking the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the fourth pending order.

[0023] Optionally, the system further includes an inventory area and an external inventory area, the inventory area including a plurality of inventory loads, each inventory load including at least one storage space, each storage space capable of receiving at least one cargo-carrying container; The method comprises: The method further includes a step in which the control server obtains the number of cargoes of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and if the number of cargoes is less than or equal to an inventory threshold, determines the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area, and if the number of cargoes is greater than the inventory threshold, determines the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area and the external inventory area, or determines the cargo inventory location to be the external inventory area.

[0024] Optionally, the method further comprises: The method further includes the step of the control server determining, if the cargo quantity is greater than an inventory threshold, a first transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the inventory area and a second transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the external inventory area.

[0025] Optionally, the cargo buffer area is provided with a plurality of buffer storage spaces, each buffer storage space being capable of accommodating at least one buffer container, the buffer container containing cargo; Optionally, the method further comprises: When the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, the control server determines a cargo inventory location of the second cargo based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set, determines a third transport facility to transport the second cargo, sends a third transport command to the third transport facility, and sends a third pending order hit by the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the third transport equipment moving to a cargo inventory location of the second cargo in response to the third transport command and transporting the second cargo to the first workstation; The method further includes the step of the first workstation loading the second cargo into an empty buffer container in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picking the second cargo based on the third pending order.

[0026] Optionally, the method further comprises: When the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, the control server determines a first cargo to be replenished based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the new pending order set, determines a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished, sends a sixth transport command to the sixth transport facility, and sends a fifth pending order hit by the first cargo to be replenished in the new pending order set to the first workstation; the sixth transport equipment moving to the cargo inventory location in response to the sixth transport command and transporting the first cargo awaiting replenishment to the first workstation; The method further includes a step in which the first workstation loads the first cargo awaiting replenishment into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picks the first cargo awaiting replenishment from the cargo buffer area based on the fifth order awaiting processing.

[0027] Optionally, the workstation is provided with an operation object and an order picking area, the order picking area is provided with a plurality of order storage spaces, each order storage space can accommodate at least one order container; Optionally, the method further comprises: The operation object further includes a step of removing a first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a first pending order and placing the first cargo in an order container corresponding to the first pending order.

[0028] Optionally, the workstation is further provided with a work table and a container loading / unloading facility, the container loading / unloading facility being located between the work table and the order picking area; the container loading / unloading equipment retrieves an order container corresponding to the first pending order from the order picking area and places the order container on the work bench, or retrieves the order container from the work bench and places it in the order picking area; The operation subject places the first cargo in the order container on the work platform.

[0029] Optionally, the method further comprises: The control server determines a fourth transfer facility and transmits a fourth transfer command to the fourth transfer facility; The method further includes a step in which the fourth transportation facility transports the order container for which the order picking task has been completed to a designated position in response to the fourth transportation command.

[0030] Optionally, the method further comprises: the control server determining position information of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a preset condition; The method further includes the step of the first workstation loading the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information.

[0031] The warehouse provided in the embodiment of the present application managementThe system includes a control server, a transport facility, and a workstation with a cargo buffer area, wherein the control server is configured to determine a cargo inventory location for a first cargo based on a quantity of the first cargo in a pending order set, determine a first transport facility for transporting the first cargo and a first workstation for picking the first cargo, send a first transport command to the first transport facility, and send a first pending order for the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation, wherein the first transport facility is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transport the first cargo to the first workstation, and wherein the first workstation is configured to load the first cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order. This system allows cargo that is targeted by an order to be transported to the workstation in a concentrated manner and stored in the cargo buffer area of ​​the workstation, thereby reducing the number of transports of containers that store the cargo and improving cargo picking efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a system structure schematic diagram of a warehouse management system provided in an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a container loading / unloading facility provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a warehouse management method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application may be embodied in many other forms different from those described herein, and similar modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present application, and therefore the present application is not limited to the specific implementations disclosed below.

[0034] The terms used in one or more embodiments herein are merely for the purpose of describing a particular embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope of one or more embodiments herein. As used in one or more embodiments herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "the," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "and / or" used in one or more embodiments herein is intended to encompass any and all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0035] While one or more embodiments of the present application may use the terms first, second, etc. to describe various types of information, it should be understood that such information is not limited to these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish between the same types of information. For example, a first may be referred to as a second, and similarly, a second may be referred to as a first, without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of the present application. Depending on the context, the word "when" used herein may be interpreted to mean "when" or "upon" or "depending on determining / specifying / determining."

[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A warehouse management system and method are provided herein, each of which is described in detail in the following examples.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a system structure diagram of a warehouse management system provided in one embodiment of the present application, which includes a control server 110, a conveying equipment 120, and workstations 130, each of which is provided with a cargo buffer area 1301.

[0038] The control server 110 Conveying Equipment 120 via wireless communication, and an operator operates and controls the control server 110 from a workbench 114, the control server 110 being a software system running on a server having data storage and information processing capabilities; Conveying Equipment120, etc. The control server 110 may include one or more servers and may be a centralized control architecture or a distributed computing architecture, the control server 110 having a processor 111 and a memory 112, the memory 112 may have an order pool 113, where order information is stored.

[0039] The conveying equipment 120 is used to convey cargo to the workstation. In actual applications, the conveying equipment varies according to different conveyance contents. When conveying a container containing cargo, the conveying equipment 120 may be a container conveying equipment (e.g., a container conveying robot), when conveying a movable rack containing containers, the conveying equipment 120 may be a rack conveying equipment (e.g., a rack conveying robot), when conveying stacked cargo, the conveying equipment 120 may be a forklift or the like, and when conveying a basket cart containing cargo, the conveying equipment 120 may be a towing equipment or a lifting equipment or the like.

[0040] The workstation 130 is an area for performing order picking tasks. The workstation 130 is typically provided with a cargo buffer area 1301, an operation object 1302, and an order picking area 1303. The cargo buffer area 1301 has multiple buffer storage spaces, each of which can accommodate at least one buffer container, and each buffer container stores ordered cargo. The order picking area 1303 has multiple order storage spaces, each of which can accommodate at least one order container, and the operation object 1302 is used to pick cargo into the order container. In actual applications, the cargo buffer area 1301 may be a buffer rack, the order picking area 1303 may be a put wall, and the operation object 1302 may be a worker, a robot arm, or other automated cargo picking equipment.

[0041] In a specific embodiment provided herein, the control server is configured to determine a cargo inventory location of a first cargo based on a quantity of the first cargo hit by a pending order set, determine a first transport equipment for transporting the first cargo and a first workstation for picking the first cargo, send a first transport command to the first transport equipment, and send a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the first transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transport the first cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation is configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order.

[0042] Here, the set of pending orders may be all of the pending orders received by the control server, or a portion of all of the pending orders selected based on preset processing rules. For example, the pending orders may be sorted based on their shipping dates, and orders within the past 12 hours may be included in the set of pending orders. In this application, the specific number of pending orders in the set of pending orders is not limited.

[0043] Specifically, the first cargo refers to a cargo that is hit by multiple pending order sets within the pending order sets, and the cargo inventory position of the first cargo is determined based on the quantity of the first cargo that is hit by the pending order sets.

[0044] Specifically, the warehouse management system further includes an inventory area and an external inventory area, the inventory area includes a plurality of inventory loading devices, each inventory loading device includes at least one storage space, each storage space can accommodate at least one container, and each container contains cargo. The external inventory area specifically refers to an area set up outside the current inventory area. For example, if the capacity of the current inventory warehouse is limited but the quantity of cargo hit by the pending order is large and exceeds the storage capacity of the current inventory area, it is necessary to order cargo from the external inventory area to complete the order picking.

[0045] In response, the control server 110 is configured to obtain the cargo quantity of the first cargo hit in the pending order set. If the cargo quantity is equal to or less than the inventory threshold, the cargo inventory location can be determined to be the inventory area. If the cargo volume is greater than the inventory threshold, the cargo inventory location can be determined to be the inventory area and the external inventory area, or the cargo inventory location can be determined directly to the external inventory area. Here, the inventory threshold may specifically be the inventory quantity of the inventory area. Note that if the cargo inventory location is the inventory area and the external inventory area, it is possible to transport some cargo from the inventory quantity of the inventory area and then transport more cargo than the remaining amount from the external inventory area.

[0046] In one embodiment provided in the present application, the control server determines that the quantity of the first cargo is 100 units based on the pending order set, and the current inventory quantity in the inventory area is 200 units, the inventory threshold is 200 units, and in this case, the quantity of the first cargo in the inventory area can satisfy the quantity of the first cargo in the pending order set, and the cargo inventory position of the first cargo can be determined in the inventory area.

[0047] In another specific embodiment provided herein, the control server determines that the quantity of the first cargo is 100 units based on the pending order set, and the current inventory quantity in the inventory area is 50 units. If the inventory threshold is 50 units, the quantity of the first cargo in the inventory area cannot satisfy the quantity of the first cargo in the pending order set. The control server can determine that the inventory location of the first cargo can be the inventory area and the external inventory area, i.e., retrieve 50 units from the inventory area and then retrieve 50 units from the external inventory area. The control server can determine that the inventory location of the first cargo is the external inventory area, and order 100 units from the external inventory area.

[0048] After determining the inventory location of the first cargo, the control server determines a first conveying equipment for conveying the first cargo and a first workstation for picking the first cargo, sends a first conveying command to the first conveying equipment, and sends a first pending order in the pending order set to the first workstation, where the first pending order specifically refers to the order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set.

[0049] The cargo inventory location of the first cargo may be an inventory area, an external inventory area, or both an inventory area and an external inventory area, so the corresponding first transport equipment is also associated with the cargo inventory location. For example, when the cargo inventory location is an inventory area, if it hits an inventory container in the inventory area, the first transport equipment is a container transport equipment, if it hits a movable rack in the inventory area, the first transport equipment is a rack transport equipment, and if it hits an external inventory area, the first transport equipment may be a forklift, towing equipment, lift equipment, etc.

[0050] When the control server determines the cargo inventory locations to the inventory area and the external inventory area based on the cargo quantity of the first cargo, it correspondingly determines a first transport sub-facility and a second transport sub-facility, where the first transport sub-facility is used to transport the first cargo from the inventory area and the second transport sub-facility is used to transport the first cargo from the external inventory area.

[0051] Accordingly, the first transport command also differs depending on the status of the first transport facility, and when the first transport sub-facility and the second transport sub-facility are determined, the first transport command may also be correspondingly a first transport sub-command and a second transport sub-command, where the first transport sub-command is sent to the first transport facility and the second transport sub-command is sent to the second transport facility.

[0052] After receiving the first transfer command, the first transfer equipment moves to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transfer command, transfers the first cargo, and transfers the first cargo to the first workstation.

[0053] The first workstation is provided with a cargo buffer area, and after the first cargo is loaded into the cargo buffer area and the first processing order is sent to the first workstation, the first cargo can be picked from the cargo buffer area based on the first processing order.

[0054] In practical application, the quantity of the first workstation is determined based on the cargo type of the first cargo, and the cargo type of the first cargo is determined based on the shipping popularity and the frequency of order hits. Cargo with a frequency of order hits higher than a preset first threshold is identified as Type A cargo, and multiple first workstations can be assigned to Type A cargo with high shipping popularity, realizing the ability to process cargo including Type A cargo at multiple workstations, ensuring that Type A cargo can be shipped quickly and improving picking efficiency. Cargo with a frequency of order hits lower than the preset first threshold and higher than a preset second threshold is identified as Type B cargo. Cargo with a frequency of order hits lower than the preset first threshold is identified as Type C cargo. Type B and Type C cargo have a low shipping frequency, so Type B and Type C cargo can be concentrated at several specific workstations and processed intensively at these specific workstations, realizing rational inventory allocation.

[0055] Furthermore, the operation object in the first workstation removes a first cargo from the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the first pending order and places the first cargo in an order container corresponding to the first pending order.

[0056] When the object of operation is a worker, the first workstation may further be provided with auxiliary display equipment such as a display, a tablet computer, an electronic label, etc. to assist the worker in picking the cargo.

[0057] In another specific embodiment provided herein, the workstation further includes a work table and a container loading / unloading equipment, which is disposed between the work table and the order picking area and is configured to retrieve an order container corresponding to the first pending order from the order picking area and place the order container on the work table, or retrieve the order container from the work table and place it in the order picking area.

[0058] The workbench is provided between the container loading / unloading equipment and the cargo buffer area, and the container loading / unloading equipment selects an order container from the order picking area and places it on the workbench, after which the operation object takes out the first cargo from the cargo buffer area and places the first cargo in the order container on the workbench, thereby completing the order picking.

[0059] When the first transport equipment transports the first cargo to the workstation, the first cargo may be loaded into the cargo buffer area manually or automatically, for example, by using a robot arm to remove the first cargo on the first transport equipment and place it in a container in the cargo buffer area, or by using a robot arm to dump the cargo on the first transport equipment into a container in the cargo buffer area. Preferably, container loading and unloading equipment may be provided next to the cargo buffer area, and when the first transport equipment transports an inventory container or inventory rack to the workstation, the container loading and unloading equipment can remove the inventory container from the first transport equipment and place it in the cargo buffer area.

[0060] 2, which is a schematic diagram of a container loading and unloading equipment provided in one embodiment of the present application, the container loading and unloading equipment 140 includes a housing 7 and a container removal and transport assembly 2. The housing 7 includes an X-axis rail 71 and a Y-axis rail 72 that are perpendicular to each other, and the X-axis rail 71 and the Y-axis rail 72 are installed in a vertical plane. Specifically, the Y-axis rail is configured to move along the X-axis rail, and the container removal and transport assembly 2 is configured to move along the Y-axis rail. The container removal and transport assembly 2 can remove a container from a loading device and load it onto the placing assembly along the Z-axis, or can unload a container from the placing assembly and place it on a movable loading device.

[0061] In one embodiment, the housing 7 includes a door frame assembly, and the X-rail 71 includes a ground rail structure and a skyrail structure attached to the door frame assembly. The X-rail 71 extends horizontally, and the Y-rail 72 extends vertically. The Y-rail 72 may be a support structure, and both ends of the Y-rail 72 are respectively guidably coupled to the ground rail structure and the skyrail structure, and the Y-rail 72 moves horizontally along the ground rail structure and the skyrail structure.

[0062] Specifically, the two X-axis rails 71 are each provided with an X-axis moving plate that can move horizontally along the X-axis rail 71, and both ends of the Y-axis rail 72 are fixedly connected to the two X-axis moving plates. The Y-axis rail 72 is provided with a Y-axis moving plate that can move vertically along the Y-axis rail 72, and the container removal transport assembly is fixedly connected to the Y-axis moving plate. Guide assemblies may also be attached to the X-axis moving plate and the Y-axis moving plate, which slide along the corresponding X-axis rail 71 and Y-axis rail 72 via the guide assemblies.

[0063] The housing 7 is further provided with a drive system including an X-axis drive unit and a Y-axis drive unit. Here, the X-axis drive unit is used to drive the Y-axis rail 72 to move it along the X-axis rail 71, and the Y-axis drive unit is used to drive the container removal transport assembly to move it along the Y-axis rail 72, thereby moving the container removal transport assembly to a corresponding position, for example, corresponding to a target position on the rack. The drive system may include a drive motor, transmission gears, transmission chains, lead screw assemblies, etc., which can be configured by a person skilled in the art based on conventional techniques to realize the above functions of the drive system.

[0064] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, there may be at least two Y-axis rails 72, which move relatively independently between the upper and lower two X-axis rails 71. At least one container removal and transport assembly is provided on each Y-axis rail, and the container removal and transport assemblies on each Y-axis rail can move independently, thereby improving the working efficiency of the loading and unloading device.

[0065] In this embodiment, the loading / unloading device is used to transport containers in the rack, and the container removal transport assembly can move the housing 7 along the X-axis rail 71 and the Y-axis rail 72 to the target position on the rack.

[0066] In practical application, the container loading and unloading assembly loads and unloads the container by at least one of sucking, pushing, pinching, grasping, hooking, embracing, and lifting.

[0067] In another specific implementation provided herein, the control server is further configured to determine a fourth transport facility and send a fourth transport command to the fourth transport facility; The fourth transport facility is configured to transport the order container for which the order picking task has been completed to a designated position in response to the fourth transport command.

[0068] In this embodiment, the fourth conveying equipment specifically refers to the conveying equipment that conveys the order container after the order picking task has been completed from the first workstation, and the control server determines the fourth conveying equipment and sends a fourth conveying command to the fourth conveying equipment, and the fourth conveying equipment conveys the order container after the order picking task has been completed to a packing table, an order consolidation table, or other designated position based on the fourth conveying command.

[0069] In practical application, the cargo buffer area may be provided in the container loading / unloading equipment or located at the workstation, and the cargo buffer area located at the workstation may be a buffer rack, and accordingly, the buffer rack may have one buffer container or multiple buffer containers in the depth direction of the shelf, and the buffer rack may have multiple layers in the height direction, with a buffer container placed on each layer. Based on this, the control server is further configured to determine the position information of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on preset conditions; The first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information.

[0070] That is, the control server determines the location information of the first cargo to be placed in the cargo buffer area after being transported to the first workstation based on the preset conditions, and then loads the first cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information. In actual applications, the preset conditions include at least one of the popularity of the first cargo, the relevance of the first cargo to other cargoes in the cargo buffer area, and the order of orders waiting to be processed at the first workstation.

[0071] It should be noted that the popularity of a first cargo in this application refers to the volume or frequency of shipment of the first cargo, and the higher the popularity of the cargo, the larger the volume or frequency of shipment of the cargo. The relevance between cargoes refers to the frequency with which cargoes are selected together in an order task. For example, nail polish oil and nail polish remover are usually included in the same order, so the relevance between these two cargoes is high. Placing two highly related cargoes in adjacent containers can effectively improve picking efficiency. The order of pending orders specifically refers to the order of orders sent to the first workstation. If the order that hits the first cargo is earlier in the order, the first cargo can be placed in a position that makes it easier to pick. If the order that hits the first cargo is later in the order, the first cargo can be temporarily placed at the edge of the cargo buffer area.

[0072] In another specific embodiment provided in the present application, since the number of orders that each workstation can process is fixed, when all pending orders that hit the first cargo are sent to the first workstation, the load processing capacity of the first workstation also needs to be taken into consideration.

[0073] Based on this, the control server is further configured to detect the number of first pending orders at the first workstation, and when the number of orders is greater than a preset threshold, determine a second workstation and a second transport facility, send a second pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation, and send a second transport command to the second transport facility, wherein the distance between the second workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the second transport equipment is configured to, in response to the second transport command, remove a quantity of first cargo corresponding to a second pending order from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and place it in a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation; The second workstation is configured to pick the first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second pending order.

[0074] When allocating the pending orders, the control server monitors the number of pending orders at the first workstation in real time, and if the number of orders at the first workstation is greater than a preset threshold, it indicates that the pending orders at the first workstation are saturated. In this case, the control server must further determine a second workstation and a second transport facility, and send the second pending order that matches the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation. Specifically, the second pending order refers to the order in the pending order set that matches the first cargo but cannot be sent to the first workstation.

[0075] The distance between the second workstation hit by the control server and the first workstation is smaller than a preset distance threshold, for example, the second workstation is adjacent to the first workstation, making it easier for the second workstation to retrieve the first cargo loaded into the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation from the first workstation. In response to the second transportation command, the second transportation equipment moves to the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation to retrieve the first cargo in an amount corresponding to the second waiting order, and then moves to the cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation to load the first cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation, making it easier for the second workstation to pick up the first cargo from the cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second waiting order.

[0076] In actual applications, after the control server hits the popular Type A cargo, it can allocate the Type A cargo order to the first and second workstations according to the order allocation strategy described above. The control server can also control multiple first-stage conveying devices to directly transport Type A cargo to the first and second workstations, respectively, ultimately achieving the simultaneous picking of Type A cargo at the first and second workstations, thereby improving the picking efficiency of the warehouse management system. In addition, there is the following scenario: when the cargo capacity in the first workstation exceeds the capacity and the second workstation becomes empty, part of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation can be transported to the second workstation, allowing the second workstation to complete the picking task for the first cargo.

[0077] In another specific embodiment provided herein, a cargo buffer area can be shared among multiple workstations, for example, two adjacent workstations can share the same cargo buffer area. The cargo buffer area can be connected to the multiple workstations by a power transmission belt, and the first cargo can be moved between the multiple workstations and the cargo buffer area based on the power transmission belt, thereby improving the efficiency of the picking operation.

[0078] The above embodiment applies to a scenario in which a first cargo is transported into the cargo buffer area of ​​a first workstation. In this scenario, the first workstation cannot process the orders because the number of orders exceeds its capacity, and therefore a second workstation must be selected to assist in order picking. To further improve cargo picking efficiency, when allocating the pending orders, the pending orders assigned to the first cargo can be directly divided. For example, if the number of first cargoes assigned to a set of pending orders is large and clearly exceeds the load of one workstation, the control server can directly select multiple workstations to perform cargo picking based on the number of first cargoes.

[0079] Based on this, the control server is further configured to determine a third workstation to pick the first cargo and a fifth transportation facility to transport the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and to send a fifth transportation command to the fifth transportation facility, and to send a fourth pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the third workstation, wherein the distance between the third workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the fifth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the fifth transport command and transport the first cargo to the third workstation; The third workstation is configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the fourth pending order.

[0080] In this scenario, when allocating the pending orders, the control server not only determines the first workstation based on the quantity of the first item, but also determines the third workstation and the fifth transport facility for transporting the first item, and simultaneously sends the fourth pending order that matches the first item to the third workstation. That is, the control server determines the first and third workstations to pick the first item based on the quantity of the first item that was hit, simultaneously determines that the first transport facility will transport the first item to the buffer area of ​​the first workstation and the fifth transport facility will transport the first item to the buffer area of ​​the third workstation, and sends the first pending order that matches the first item in the pending order set to the first workstation and the fourth pending order that matches the first item to the third workstation, so that the first item is simultaneously picked by the first workstation and the third workstation. It should be noted that in actual applications, the number of third workstations can be determined according to actual circumstances, for example, it can be determined that there is one or more third workstations.

[0081] In response to the fifth transport command, the fifth transport equipment transports the first cargo from the cargo inventory position of the first cargo to the third workstation and loads the first cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation, and the cargo inventory position of the first cargo is determined in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and detailed explanations are omitted here.

[0082] At the third workstation, the first cargo is taken out from the cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation based on the fourth pending order and placed in the corresponding container, thereby completing the picking of the first cargo.

[0083] The above examples describe different scenarios of loading the first cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the workstation. During the process of picking the first cargo, the control server further monitors the inventory status of the cargo in each workstation in real time and makes corresponding adjustments according to the inventory status.

[0084] Based on this, the control server is further configured, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is smaller than a buffer threshold, to determine a cargo inventory location of the second cargo based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set, to determine a third transport facility for transporting the second cargo, to send a third transport command to the third transport facility, and to send a third pending order hit by the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the third transport equipment is configured to move to a cargo inventory location of the second cargo in response to the third transport command and transport the second cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation is further configured to load the second cargo into an open buffer container in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the second cargo based on the third pending order.

[0085] In this scenario, the first cargo is picked at the first workstation, and over time, the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than the buffer threshold. If the orders in the pending order set that hit the first cargo are also less than the threshold, the cargo inventory location of the second cargo can be determined based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set. That is, when the picking of the first cargo is almost complete and there are no subsequent new pending orders that hit the first cargo, or the quantity of the first cargo hit by the subsequent new pending orders is very small, the second cargo that has a relatively high hit rate due to the next pending order can be determined and placed at the first workstation for picking.

[0086] Therefore, after determining the inventory location of the second cargo, the control server must further determine the third transport equipment to transport the second cargo, send a third transport command to the third transport equipment, and send the third pending order that hits the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation. It should be noted that the type of the third transport equipment is related to the inventory location of the second cargo and the loading tool that loads the cargo. For the specific selection of the third transport equipment, please refer to the above description of the first transport equipment, and a detailed description will be omitted here.

[0087] The third transport equipment moves to the cargo inventory location of the second cargo in accordance with the third transport command, transports the second cargo to the first workstation, and loads the second cargo into the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation, thereby allowing the first workstation to pick the second cargo based on the third pending order.

[0088] The above is the case where the quantity of the first cargo in the first workstation is smaller than the buffer threshold, and the orders in the pending order set that match the first cargo are also smaller than the threshold. However, in actual applications, the number of unprocessed orders increases from time to time. That is, over time, new pending order sets are generated, and these new pending order sets are the orders that arrive after the previous pending order sets. When the new pending order sets also match the first cargo, a replenishment operation needs to be performed on the first cargo.

[0089] Based on this, the control server is further configured, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is smaller than a buffer threshold, to determine a first cargo to be replenished based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the new pending order set, to determine a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished, to send a sixth transport command to the sixth transport facility, and to send a fifth pending order hit by the first cargo to be replenished in the new pending order set to the first workstation; the sixth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the sixth transport command and transport the first cargo awaiting replenishment to the first workstation; The first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo awaiting replenishment into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo awaiting replenishment from the cargo buffer area based on the fifth order awaiting processing.

[0090] In this scenario, the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than the buffer threshold, but determines that the subsequent orders that will affect the first cargo are large based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the new order set. If the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is insufficient at this time, it must determine the first cargo to be replenished and transport the first cargo to the first workstation from the cargo inventory location. Therefore, it must determine a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished and send a sixth transport command. At the same time, it must also send the fifth order in the new order set that is hit by the first cargo to be replenished to the first workstation.

[0091] In response to the sixth transfer command, the sixth transfer facility transfers the first cargo awaiting replenishment from its cargo inventory location to the first workstation, and loads the first cargo awaiting replenishment into the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation. The cargo inventory location of the first cargo is determined in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Picking of the first cargo continues at the first workstation.

[0092] The warehouse management system provided in the present application provides a cargo buffer area at the workstation for storing cargo that has orders waiting to be processed, thereby avoiding frequent transport of cargo between the cargo inventory location and the workstation and improving picking efficiency.

[0093] Next, by determining the cargo inventory location of the cargo based on the quantity of cargo hit by the pending order set, it is possible to facilitate the transport of as much cargo as possible to the workstation, and by concentrating the cargo at one workstation, sending the orders hit by the cargo to the workstation, and centrally processing the pending orders hit by the cargo by the workstation, the order picking efficiency is also effectively improved.

[0094] Here, if the number of orders waiting to be processed at a workstation exceeds its capacity, other workstations can be found around the workstation to help pick the goods. The source of the goods may be the goods buffer area of ​​the original workstation or the goods inventory location. If the goods cannot be processed at the original workstation, multiple workstations can be selected to work together to process the goods in parallel, further improving the order picking efficiency.

[0095] Finally, it can be determined whether cargo needs to be replenished based on the new pending order set. If the cargo is also hit in the new pending order set, a replenishment operation needs to be performed. If new cargo is hit in the new pending order set, the new cargo can be loaded into the cargo buffer area of ​​the workstation, thereby improving the picking efficiency of the pending orders.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 3, which is a flowchart of a warehouse management method provided in an embodiment of the present application, the method is applied to a warehouse management system provided in the above embodiment, the system includes a control server, a conveying device, and a workstation provided with a cargo buffer area, and the method includes: Step 302: the control server determines a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, determines a first transport facility to transport the first cargo and a first workstation to pick the first cargo, sends a first transport command to the first transport facility, and sends a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; Step 304: the first transport equipment moves to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transports the first cargo to the first workstation; The first workstation loads the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picks the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order (306).

[0097] Optionally, the method further comprises: the control server detects the number of first pending orders at the first workstation, and when the number of orders is greater than a preset threshold, determines a second workstation and a second transport facility, sends a second pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation, and sends a second transport command to the second transport facility, wherein the distance between the second workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; The second transport equipment, in response to the second transport command, removes a quantity of first cargo corresponding to a second pending order from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and places it in a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation; The method further includes the step of the second workstation picking the first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second pending order.

[0098] Optionally, the method further comprises: a step in which the control server determines a third workstation to pick the first cargo and a fifth transportation facility to transport the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, sends a fifth transportation command to the fifth transportation facility, and sends a fourth pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the third workstation, wherein the distance between the third workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the fifth transport equipment moving to the cargo inventory location in response to the fifth transport command and transporting the first cargo to the third workstation; The method further includes the step of the third workstation loading the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation and picking the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the fourth pending order.

[0099] Optionally, the system further includes an inventory area and an external inventory area, the inventory area including a plurality of inventory loads, each inventory load including at least one storage space, each storage space capable of receiving at least one cargo-carrying container; The method comprises: The method further includes a step in which the control server obtains the number of cargoes of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and if the number of cargoes is less than or equal to an inventory threshold, determines the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area, and if the number of cargoes is greater than the inventory threshold, determines the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area and the external inventory area, or determines the cargo inventory location to be the external inventory area.

[0100] Optionally, the method further comprises: The method further includes the step of the control server determining, if the cargo quantity is greater than an inventory threshold, a first transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the inventory area and a second transport subsystem to transport the first cargo from the external inventory area.

[0101] Optionally, the cargo buffer area is provided with a plurality of buffer storage spaces, each buffer storage space being capable of accommodating at least one buffer container, the buffer container containing cargo; Optionally, the method further comprises: When the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, the control server determines a cargo inventory location of the second cargo based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set, determines a third transport facility to transport the second cargo, sends a third transport command to the third transport facility, and sends a third pending order hit by the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the third transport equipment moving to a cargo inventory location of the second cargo in response to the third transport command and transporting the second cargo to the first workstation; The method further includes the step of the first workstation loading the second cargo into an empty buffer container in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picking the second cargo based on the third pending order.

[0102] Optionally, the method further comprises: When the control server detects that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, the control server determines a first cargo to be replenished based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the new pending order set, determines a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished, sends a sixth transport command to the sixth transport facility, and sends a fifth pending order hit by the first cargo to be replenished in the new pending order set to the first workstation; the sixth transport equipment moving to the cargo inventory location in response to the sixth transport command and transporting the first cargo awaiting replenishment to the first workstation; The method further includes a step in which the first workstation loads the first cargo awaiting replenishment into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picks the first cargo awaiting replenishment from the cargo buffer area based on the fifth order awaiting processing.

[0103] Optionally, the workstation is provided with an operation object and an order picking area, the order picking area is provided with a plurality of order storage spaces, each order storage space can accommodate at least one order container; Optionally, the method further comprises: The operation object further includes a step of removing a first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a first pending order and placing the first cargo in an order container corresponding to the first pending order.

[0104] Optionally, the workstation is further provided with a work platform and container loading / unloading equipment 140, the container loading / unloading equipment being located between the work platform and the order picking area; the container loading / unloading equipment retrieves an order container corresponding to the first pending order from the order picking area and places the order container on the work bench, or retrieves the order container from the work bench and places it in the order picking area; The operation subject places the first cargo in the order container on the work platform.

[0105] Optionally, the method further comprises: The control server determines a fourth transfer facility and transmits a fourth transfer command to the fourth transfer facility; The method further includes a step in which the fourth transportation facility transports the order container for which the order picking task has been completed to a designated position in response to the fourth transportation command.

[0106] Optionally, the method further comprises: the control server determining position information of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a preset condition; The method further includes the step of the first workstation loading the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information.

[0107] The warehouse management method provided in the present application provides a cargo buffer area at the workstation for storing cargo that has orders waiting to be processed, thereby avoiding frequent transportation of cargo between the cargo inventory location and the workstation and improving picking efficiency.

[0108] Next, by determining the cargo inventory location of the cargo based on the quantity of cargo hit by the pending order set, it is possible to facilitate the transport of as much cargo as possible to the workstation, and by concentrating the cargo at one workstation, sending the orders hit by the cargo to the workstation, and centrally processing the pending orders hit by the cargo by the workstation, the order picking efficiency is also effectively improved.

[0109] Here, if the number of orders waiting to be processed at a workstation exceeds its capacity, other workstations can be found around the workstation to help pick the goods. The source of the goods may be the goods buffer area of ​​the original workstation or the goods inventory location. If the goods cannot be processed at the original workstation, multiple workstations can be selected to work together to process the goods in parallel, further improving the order picking efficiency.

[0110] Finally, it can be determined whether cargo needs to be replenished based on the new pending order set. If the cargo is also hit in the new pending order set, a replenishment operation needs to be performed. If new cargo is hit in the new pending order set, the new cargo can be loaded into the cargo buffer area of ​​the workstation, thereby improving the picking efficiency of the pending orders.

[0111] The foregoing describes specific embodiments of the present application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. The actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than in the examples and still achieve desirable results. It should be noted that the processes depicted in the figures do not necessarily require the particular order or sequential order shown to achieve desirable results. In some embodiments, multitasking or parallel processing may be possible or advantageous.

[0112] It should be noted that, for ease of explanation, the above-described embodiments of the methods are described as a series of combinations of operations, but those skilled in the art should know that the present application is not limited to the described order of operations, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should know that all embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and that related operations or modules are not necessarily essential to the present application.

[0113] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment focuses on different points, and for the details or parts not described in one embodiment, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0114] The preferred embodiments of the present application disclosed above are merely intended to assist in the description of the present application. The selectable embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor are they intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments described. Naturally, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of the present application. The embodiments of the present application have been selected and described to more clearly explain the principles and practical applications of the present application, and to enable those skilled in the art to easily understand and utilize the present application. The present application is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 110 Control Server 111 processors 112 memory 113 Order Pool 114 Workbench 120 Transport Equipment 130 workstations 1301 Cargo Buffer Area 1302 Operation Target 1303 Order Picking Area 140 Container loading and unloading equipment 7. Housing 71 X-axis rail 72 Y-axis rail 2. Container removal transport assembly

Claims

1. a control server, a transport facility, and a workstation provided with a cargo buffer area; the control server is configured to determine a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on a quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, determine a first transport facility to transport the first cargo and a first workstation to pick the first cargo, send a first transport command to the first transport facility, and send a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the first transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transport the first cargo to the first workstation; 10. A warehouse management system comprising: a first workstation configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation; and a first workstation configured to pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order.

2. The control server is further configured to detect the number of first pending orders at the first workstation, and when the number of orders is greater than a preset threshold, determine a second workstation and a second transport facility, send a second pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the second workstation, and send a second transport command to the second transport facility, and when a distance between the second workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold, the second transport equipment is configured to, in response to the second transport command, remove a quantity of first cargo corresponding to a second pending order from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and place it in a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the second workstation is configured to pick the first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the second workstation based on the second pending order.

3. The control server is further configured to determine a third workstation to pick the first cargo and a fifth transportation facility to transport the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, send a fifth transportation command to the fifth transportation facility, and send a fourth pending order that hits the first cargo in the pending order set to the third workstation, wherein the distance between the third workstation and the first workstation is less than a preset distance threshold; the fifth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the fifth transport command and transport the first cargo to the third workstation; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the third workstation is configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the third workstation and pick the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the fourth pending order.

4. the system further includes an inventory area and an external inventory area, the inventory area including a plurality of inventory loads, each inventory load including at least one storage space, each storage space capable of receiving at least one cargo-carrying container; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the control server is further configured to obtain a quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, and if the quantity of the cargo is equal to or less than an inventory threshold, determine the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area, and if the quantity of the cargo is greater than the inventory threshold, determine the cargo inventory location to be the inventory area and the external inventory area, or determine the cargo inventory location to be the external inventory area.

5. 5. The warehouse management system of claim 4, wherein the control server is further configured to determine a first transport subsystem to transport the first shipment from the inventory area and a second transport subsystem to transport the first shipment from the external inventory area when the shipment quantity is greater than an inventory threshold.

6. 6. The warehouse management system of claim 5, wherein the first transport sub-facility includes a container transport facility or a load transport facility, and the second transport sub-facility includes any one of a forklift, a towing facility, and a lift facility.

7. the cargo buffer area is provided with a plurality of buffer storage spaces, each buffer storage space being capable of accommodating at least one buffer container, the buffer container containing cargo; the control server is further configured, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, to determine a cargo inventory location of the second cargo based on the quantity of the second cargo hit by the pending order set, to determine a third transport facility for transporting the second cargo, to send a third transport command to the third transport facility, and to send a third pending order hit by the second cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the third transport equipment is configured to move to a cargo inventory location for the second cargo in response to the third transport command and transport the second cargo to the first workstation; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the first workstation is further configured to load the second cargo into an open buffer container in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the second cargo based on the third pending order.

8. The control server is further configured, when detecting that the quantity of the first cargo in the cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation is less than a buffer threshold, to determine a first cargo to be replenished based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by a new pending order set, to determine a sixth transport facility to transport the first cargo to be replenished, to send a sixth transport command to the sixth transport facility, and to send a fifth pending order hit by the first cargo to be replenished in the new pending order set to the first workstation; the sixth transport equipment is configured to move to the cargo inventory location in response to the sixth transport command and transport the first cargo awaiting replenishment to the first workstation; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo awaiting replenishment into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and pick the first cargo awaiting replenishment from the cargo buffer area based on the fifth order awaiting processing.

9. The workstation is provided with an operation object and an order picking area, the order picking area is provided with a plurality of order storage spaces, each of which can store at least one order container; 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the operation object is configured to remove a first cargo from a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a first pending order and place the first cargo in an order container corresponding to the first pending order.

10. the workstation is further provided with a work platform and container loading / unloading equipment; the container loading / unloading equipment is provided between the work bench and the order picking area, and is configured to take an order container corresponding to the first pending order from the order picking area and place the order container on the work bench, or take the order container from the work bench and place it in the order picking area; The warehouse management system according to claim 9, wherein the operation object is further configured to place the first cargo in an order container on the work platform.

11. the control server is further configured to determine a fourth transport facility and send a fourth transport command to the fourth transport facility; 10. The warehouse management system according to claim 9, wherein the fourth transport facility is configured to transport the order container for which the order picking task has been completed to a designated position in response to the fourth transport command.

12. The warehouse management system according to claim 9, wherein the operation object includes a robot arm or automated equipment for picking cargo.

13. the control server is further configured to determine position information of the first cargo in a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on a preset condition; The warehouse management system of claim 1 , wherein the first workstation is further configured to load the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation based on the location information.

14. 14. The warehouse management system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined conditions include at least one of the popularity of the first cargo, the relevance of the first cargo to other cargoes in the cargo buffer area, and the order of orders waiting to be processed at the first workstation.

15. 2. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein at least two workstations share the same cargo buffer area.

16. A warehouse management method applied to a warehouse management system including a control server, a conveying facility, and a workstation provided with a cargo buffer area, the method comprising: a control server determines a cargo inventory location of the first cargo based on the quantity of the first cargo hit by the pending order set, determines a first transport facility to transport the first cargo and a first workstation to pick the first cargo, sends a first transport command to the first transport facility, and sends a first pending order hit by the first cargo in the pending order set to the first workstation; the first transport equipment moving to the cargo inventory location in response to the first transport command and transporting the first cargo to the first workstation; the first workstation loading the first cargo into a cargo buffer area of ​​the first workstation and picking the first cargo from the cargo buffer area based on the first pending order; A warehouse management method comprising:

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