Sorting machine system, sorting method, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a sorting technology of a container capable of achieving both high receiving capacity and high outlet capacity.SOLUTION: A sorting machine system of the present invention includes: a plurality of sorting machines that receives a plurality of containers each with a different destination, and also sorts the received containers by the destination to deliver each of them; an acquisition unit for acquiring storage information of the containers including a sorting machine into which the containers are received and a storage position in the sorting machine of the containers, the storage information being optimized by the order of delivery of the containers to each sorting machine; an update unit for updating the storage information according to the containers to be received into the sorting machine system so that both receiving and delivery of the containers to each sorting machine do not stagnate, by using the acquired storage information; and a division unit for receiving each of the plurality of containers into the storage position of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a sorting machine system, a sorting method, and a computer program. [Background technology]

[0002] When sorting machines that receive multiple containers are used to sort them, techniques are known to optimize the sorting order (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the rotary rack described in Patent Document 1, the position of containers placed in the rotating storage rack is confirmed, and the direction of rotation is determined so that the distance traveled by each container during sorting is minimized, and each container is sorted accordingly. Patent Document 2 describes a sorting method in which, when multiple chutes transport containers with different destinations to a shipping area, the number of containers distributed to each chute is not uneven. In this sorting method, the dispensing unit is determined so that the distribution of containers to each chute is even, and the containers are lined up according to their destination for shipment.

[0003] Patent document 3 and non-patent document 1 describe stacker cranes, which are self-propelled cranes used to load and unload goods onto storage shelves. Patent document 3 describes an automated warehouse capable of loading and unloading containers using two stacker lanes. Non-patent document 1 describes an automated warehouse consisting of storage shelves made up of multiple floors and stacker cranes. In this automated warehouse, the loading and unloading schedule is optimized to reduce the loading and unloading time of goods by shortening the movement time of the stacker cranes. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-051391 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-150191 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6443990 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Toshiya Kaihara, Nobutada Fujii, Yuki Hamada, and Shingo Naito, "A Proposal for Optimal Operation of a Multi-Port Automated Warehouse Using Combinatorial Auctions," Proceedings of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, 2014 Autumn Conference. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The techniques for optimizing the order in which containers are dispatched, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, do not take into account the order in which containers are received. Therefore, when containers are received into a sorting system equipped with multiple sorting machines, the order in which containers are received into a particular sorting machine may be temporarily biased depending on the order in which the containers are received. If the order in which containers are received is biased, a waiting period for containers to be received into a particular sorting machine may occur, potentially reducing the receiving capacity. On the other hand, if the order in which containers are received is optimized, the order in which containers are dispatched from a particular sorting machine may be biased at the time of dispatch, potentially causing a waiting period for container dispatch and reducing the dispatching capacity. Therefore, there has been a need for sorting technology that maintains both receiving and dispatching capacities at a high level. It should be noted that Patent Document 3 and Non-Patent Document 1 do not address the optimization of receiving and dispatching capacities in this regard.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a container sorting technology that achieves a high level of both receiving capacity and shipping capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems and can be realized in the following forms. A sorting machine system comprising: multiple sorting machines that each receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them; an identification unit that identifies the part numbers of the containers receiving the sorting machine system; an acquisition unit that acquires the part numbers of all containers receiving the sorting machine system; storage information of the multiple containers, which associates the sorting machine into which the containers are received, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers; an acquisition unit that acquires the storage information optimized according to the dispatch order of the containers to each sorting machine; an update unit that uses the acquired storage information to update the storage information according to the part numbers of the containers identified by the identification unit so that both the receiving and dispatching of containers to each sorting machine do not become stagnant; and sorting each of the multiple containers according to the updated storage information. A sorting machine system comprising: a distribution unit that places containers into the storage location of the sorting machine, wherein the update unit updates the storage information of the second container and the second container in the case that the sorting machine that is the destination of the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container, when updating the storage information of the second container, by exchanging the sorting machine and the storage location of the second container with the unplaced containers that have not yet been placed in the sorting machine and whose destination in the updated storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container, so that the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container becomes a different sorting machine from the sorting machine that is the destination of the first container.A sorting machine system comprising: multiple sorting machines that each receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them; an identification unit that identifies the part numbers of the containers that enter the sorting machine system; an acquisition unit that acquires the part numbers of all containers that enter the sorting machine system, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the storage information of the multiple containers, which is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are received, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part number of the containers, and which is optimized according to the order in which the containers are dispatched to each sorting machine; and an update unit that uses the acquired storage information to update the storage information according to the part numbers of the containers identified by the identification unit, so as to prevent delays in both the inflow and outflow of containers to each sorting machine. A sorting machine system comprising: a distribution unit that places each of the plurality of containers into the storage position of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, wherein the distance from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system is different, and the storage information optimizes the order of dispatch so that the total distance traveled by all containers is minimized by the time all containers have been dispatched. In addition, the present invention can also be realized in the following forms.

[0009] (1) According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sorting machine system is provided. This sorting machine system includes: a plurality of sorting machines that each receive a plurality of containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before releasing them; an acquisition unit that acquires storage information for the plurality of containers, which includes the sorting machine into which the containers are received and the storage position of the containers within the sorting machine, and which is optimized according to the order in which the containers are released to each sorting machine; an update unit that uses the acquired storage information to update the storage information according to the containers receiving the sorting machine system so that both the receiving and releasing of containers to each sorting machine do not become stagnant; and a distribution unit that, according to the updated storage information, places each of the plurality of containers into the storage position of the sorting machine. It is equipped with.

[0010] In this configuration, a sorting system receiving containers with various destinations uses optimized storage information as a basis to distribute each container to its corresponding storage location within the sorting machine. After the containers are distributed based on the distribution order, the storage information is updated according to the containers entering the sorting system. In other words, in this configuration, the distribution order is also optimized based on the optimized distribution order, so that both the distribution and dispatch of containers do not stagnate. As a result, this sorting system can achieve a high level of both distribution and dispatch capacity.

[0011] (2) In the sorting machine system according to the above embodiment, the update unit may update the storage information for the second container so that, when the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container and the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container are the same in the storage information for the first container and the second container that are flowing in succession, the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container is a different sorting machine from the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the first container and the second container that are continuously received into the sorting machine system from being sorted to the same sorting machine. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a waiting situation for receiving due to a plurality of containers being continuously received into a specific sorting machine, which would otherwise cause a standstill in the receiving of the entire sorting machine system, and the receiving capacity is improved.

[0012] (3) In the sorting machine system of the above aspect, when updating the storage information of the second container, the updating unit may determine the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container so that the containers are evenly assigned to the plurality of sorting machines. According to this configuration, when the sorting machine that is the destination of the first container and the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container are the same, the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container is determined so that the number of containers assigned to each sorting machine becomes even. By making the number of containers assigned to each sorting machine even, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of waiting for containers to be received in each sorting machine, and the receiving capacity of the sorting machine system is further improved.

[0013] (4) In the sorting machine system of the above aspect, when updating the storage information of the second container, the updating unit updates the storage information of the second container and the non-received container that has not yet been received into the sorting machine and has the same sorting machine as the destination of the second container in the updated storage information so as to exchange the sorting machine and the storage position between the second container and the non-received container. According to this configuration, the storage position of the non-received container whose destination sorting machine is the destination sorting machine of the second container after updating the storage information is changed to the destination sorting machine of the second container before updating the storage information. As a result, the number of containers received in each sorting machine does not change from the storage information in which the order of shipment is optimized. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of containers received in a specific sorting machine, and the receiving capacity of the sorting machine system is improved. [[ID=I3]]

[0014] (5) In the sorting machine system of the above aspect, each of the plurality of sorting machines has a storage shelf divided into multiple floors and a plurality of elevators that move up and down the multiple floors to transport containers. The storage information includes, as the storage position, information on the floor number of the storage shelf in the sorting machine. When updating the storage information of the second container, the update unit uses the floor number of the storage shelf of the container sorted before the second container to shorten the time required for the elevator to move when transporting the second container to the storage shelf, and determines the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container so that the floor number of the destination of the second container does not change. According to this configuration, the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container is determined so as to shorten the time required for the elevator to move to transport the container to the storage shelves on multiple floors in each sorting machine. Since the waiting time when the container is stored in the sorting machine is reduced by shortening the moving time of the elevator, the storage capacity of the sorting machine system is improved. Further, the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container is determined so that the floor number of the storage shelf where the second container is to be stored in the changed sorting machine does not change. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a change in the optimized shipping order before and after the update of the storage information. That is, it is possible to improve the storage capacity while suppressing a decrease in the shipping capacity.

[0015] (6) In the sorting machine system of the above aspect, the distances from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system are different. In the storage information, the shipping order may be optimized so that the total moving distance of all the containers becomes smaller until the shipping of all the containers is completed. According to this configuration, the shipping order is optimized based on the moving distance until all the containers are shipped from each sorting machine, so that the shipping capacity of the containers can be improved.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention can be realized in various forms, for example, as a sorting machine, a sorting machine system, an inbound / outbound system, a control method for these devices and systems, a sorting method, an inbound / outbound method, a computer program executed in these devices and methods, a server device for distributing this computer program, a non-temporary storage medium storing the computer program, and so on. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram of a sorting machine system as an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a sorting machine. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram regarding the distance a container travels when it leaves the warehouse. [Figure 4] This is an example of storage information created by the retrieval order optimization unit. [Figure 5] This is updated storage information reflecting a change in the container's receiving location. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the change of sorting machine at the receiving end based on the time required for the elevator to move on the receiving end. [Figure 7] This is updated storage information reflecting a change in the container's receiving location. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of the sorting method in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a subflowchart of the update process. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing the method for classifying comparative examples. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the evaluation of the inbound and outbound capacity of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a sorting machine system 100 as an embodiment of the present invention. The sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment is installed, for example, in a distribution center of a logistics base and handles the receiving and shipping of multiple container CTs with different destinations. The sorting machine system 100 sorts multiple containers with different destinations that are receiving into the warehouse according to their destinations and then ships them out. The sorting machine system 100 includes three sorting machines 10 to 30, each receiving multiple containers with different destinations and sorting the received containers according to their destinations before shipping them out. The sorting machine system 100 identifies the containers that are receiving into the warehouse randomly and stores the identified containers in one of the predetermined sorting machines 10 to 30 using storage information that includes the receiving position (storage position) of each container, for which the shipping order has been optimized. If two consecutive containers are stored in the same sorting machines 10-30, the sorting machine system 100 updates the storage information so that the container that is sorted later into sorting machines 10-30 is stored in a different sorting machine 10-30 than the container that is sorted earlier. By updating the storage information, containers are not consecutively stored in the same sorting machines 10-30, thus improving the receiving capacity while maintaining an optimized outbound capacity at a high level.

[0019] Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of the sorting machine system 100, the inbound / outbound management system 200, the inbound instruction optimization system 300, and the elevator optimization system 400 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment includes three sorting machines 10 to 30 for storing container CTs, an identification device 40 for identifying container CTs that have entered the sorting machine system 100, a distribution device 50 for distributing the identified container CTs to one of the sorting machines 10 to 30 according to the identification result of the identification device 40, a tracking device 60 for tracking the distributed container CTs, and a control device 70 for controlling each part. The control device 70 receives various information from the inbound / outbound management system 200, the inbound instruction optimization system 300, and the elevator optimization system 400 via wireless communication.

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of sorting machine 10. Each of the three sorting machines 10 to 30 in this embodiment has the same structure. Therefore, sorting machine 10 will be described, and the descriptions of sorting machines 20 and 30 will be omitted. As shown in Figure 2, sorting machine 10 is equipped with a multi-level warehouse 11 where multiple container CTs are received and shipped. The multiple container CTs shown in Figure 2 include container CTs with hatching and container CTs without hatching. In this embodiment, the presence or absence of hatching and the type of hatching applied to the container CTs are distinguished by the destination of the container CTs. For example, container CTs with the same hatching are delivered to the same destination.

[0021] The multi-story warehouse 11 includes an inbound conveyor 12 for transporting multiple incoming container CTs, storage shelves 13a to 13d divided into four floors, an inbound elevator (lift) 14 that moves between the four floors to transport each container CT to one of the storage shelves 13a to 13d, a branching device 15, an outbound elevator 16, and an outbound conveyor 17. The inbound conveyor 12 is a belt conveyor that transports the container CTs sorted by the sorting device 50 to the inbound elevator 14 at intervals.

[0022] Storage shelves 13a to 13d are arranged corresponding to each floor from the 1st to the 4th floor, as shown in Figure 2. Each of the storage shelves 13a to 13d has the same structure. Storage shelf 13d includes a conveyor 131 that transports container CTs from the receiving elevator 14 to the outbound elevator 16, a right shelf 132 and a left shelf 133 formed on both sides along the transport direction of the conveyor 131, and a pusher 134. Container CTs sorted by the branching device 15 are stored in the right shelf 132 and the left shelf 133. Each of the right shelf 132 and the left shelf 133 is composed of multiple conveyors demarcated by solid lines. The drive of each conveyor is controlled by the control device 70, which will be described later, and each container CT sorted into the right shelf 132 and the left shelf 133 is packed and stored from the outbound elevator 16 side.

[0023] The conveyor 131 transports the placed container CT to the outbound elevator 16. The pusher 134 pushes the designated container CT from among those stored on the right shelf 132 or the left shelf 133 toward the conveyor 131. Note that in Figure 1, only the pusher 134 that pushes the container CT stored on the right shelf 132 is shown, and the pusher that pushes the container CT stored on the left shelf 133 is not shown.

[0024] Each of the receiving elevator 14 and the outbound elevator 16 is equipped with two lifting boxes that travel from the 1st floor to the 4th floor. Under the control of the control device 70, the two lifting boxes operate independently in the vertical direction, and by combining these operations, container CTs are efficiently transported to the target storage shelves 13a to 13d on each floor.

[0025] The identification device 40 shown in Figure 1 reads the barcode attached to each container CT. The identification device 40 can identify the part number associated with each container from the barcode attached to each container CT. The storage information, described later, includes, for each container part number, one of the sorting machines 10 to 30 into which the container is received, and the floor number of the storage shelf 13a to 13d within the sorting machine 10 to 30 where the container CT is stored. The identified container CT is then distributed by the sorting device 50 to one of the sorting machines 10 to 30 equipped with the storage shelves 13a to 13d included in the storage information. The tracking device 60 tracks the location of the container CT distributed to each sorting machine 10 to 30.

[0026] The control device 70 is a personal computer that performs various processes using user operations received by a user interface consisting of a keyboard and mouse (not shown) and the barcode of the container CT identified by the identification device 40. As shown in Figure 1, the control device 70 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 90 and a storage unit 80 for storing various data.

[0027] The storage unit 80 consists of a hard disk drive (HDD) and the like. The storage unit 80 includes an incoming container database (incoming container DB) 81, an outgoing order database (outgoing order DB) 82, a container location database (container location DB) 83, an incoming location database (incoming location DB) 84, an elevator optimization database (elevator optimization DB) 85, and a storage information database (storage information DB) 86.

[0028] The incoming container DB81 stores the part numbers of container CTs identified by the identification device 40. The outgoing order DB82 stores an outgoing order table that associates the part numbers of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100 with the outgoing order of the container CTs. The outgoing order table is acquired from the inbound / outgoing management system 200 by the information acquisition unit 91 of the CPU 90, which will be described later. The container location DB83 stores the location information of the sorted container CTs tracked by the tracking device 60.

[0029] The receiving location DB84 stores a receiving location table that optimizes the relationship between the order in which container CTs are dispatched and the floor numbers of the sorting machines 10-30 and the storage shelves 13a-13d within sorting machines 10-30 where the container CTs are stored. The receiving location table optimizes the order in which container CTs are dispatched based on two conditions. One condition is that the order in which container CTs are dispatched is assigned so that they are dispatched alternately from each sorting machine 10-30. The other condition is that the order in which container CTs are dispatched is assigned so that the total travel distance of all container CTs is minimized by the time all container CTs have been dispatched. The receiving location table is acquired from the receiving instruction optimization system 300 by the information acquisition unit 91.

[0030] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the moving distance of the container CT at the time of shipping. In Figure 3, when the total number of all containers CT is 8, a schematic diagram showing the moving distance of each container CT at the time when the shipping of all containers CT is completed is shown. As shown in Figure 3, the difference in the moving distance between the container CT shipped from the sorting machine 10 and the container CT shipped from the sorting machine 20 is defined as d Ci , Ai , bi Similarly, the difference in the moving distance between the container shipped from the sorting machine 20 and the container shipped from the sorting machine 30 is defined as d BC Furthermore, a part of the distance from each of the sorting machines 10 to 30 to the exit of the sorting machine system 100 is defined as d L and d CS In addition, the moving distance that the first container CT shipped must move in order for all containers CT to be shipped is defined as d SC2 In the present embodiment, the moving distance C shown in the following formula (1) using each distance d L , d AB , d[[ID=I5]] BC , d CS , d SC2 is set for the shipping order of the container CT so as to be minimized while satisfying the constraints shown in the following formula (2). In the following formula (1), each of X max Ai , X bi , X Ci max is the ratio obtained by dividing the number of containers entering each of the sorting machines 10 to 30 by the total number of container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100.

[0031]

Equation

[0032] The elevator optimization DB 85 stores an elevator optimization table for optimizing the time for which the container CTs entering the sorting machines 10 to 30 are transported by the incoming elevator 14. The elevator optimization table is acquired from the elevator optimization system 400 by the information acquisition unit 91. The elevator optimization table will be described later together with the description of Figure 6.

[0033] The storage information DB86 stores storage information for all container CTs that enter the sorting machine system 100. The storage information includes which sorting machine 10-30 each container CT enters, and the entry position of the container CT within the sorting machine 10-30. In this embodiment, the entry position is the floor number of the storage shelves 13a-13d within the sorting machine 10-30. The storage information is created by the outbound order optimization unit 92 (described later) and updated by the update unit 94 (described later).

[0034] The CPU 90 controls various parts of the sorting machine system 100 by loading computer programs stored in ROM (Read Only Memory), which are not shown, into RAM (Random Access Memory) and executing them, and also functions as an information acquisition unit 91, an outbound order optimization unit 92, a distribution unit 93, and an update unit 94.

[0035] The information acquisition unit 91 receives various information from the inbound / outbound management system 200, the inbound instruction optimization system 300, and the elevator optimization system 400. The outbound order optimization unit 92 uses the outbound order table stored in the outbound order DB 82 and the inbound position table stored in the inbound position DB 84 to create storage information determining the inbound position of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100. The storage information is stored in the storage information DB 86. The information acquisition unit 91 and the outbound order optimization unit 92 are equivalent to the information acquisition unit.

[0036] When container CTs begin to enter the sorting machine system 100, the distribution unit 93 uses the part number of the container CT identified by the identification device 40 and the storage information created by the dispatch order optimization unit 92 to distribute the identified container CTs to one of the sorting machines 10 to 30. The distribution unit 93 distributes the container CTs to one of the sorting machines 10 to 30 corresponding to the entry location of the container CTs included in the storage information. The location of the distributed container CTs within the sorting machine system 100 is tracked by the tracking device 60.

[0037] The order in which container CTs enter the sorting machine system 100 is random. In this embodiment, the update unit 94 uses the storage information to update the storage information according to the container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100, so that both the entry and exit of container CTs to each sorting machine 10 to 30 do not stagnate. Specifically, the update unit 94 updates the storage information for the first container CT1 and the second container CT2, which are container CTs that flow continuously and are identified by the identification device 40, if the sorting machine SM1 that is the entry point for the first container CT1 in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine SM2 that is the entry point for the second container CT2. The update unit 94 updates the storage information for the second container CT2 so that the sorting machine SM2 that is the entry point for the second container CT2 is a different sorting machine from the sorting machine SM1 that is the entry point for the first container CT1.

[0038] Figure 4 shows an example of storage information created by the outbound order optimization unit 92. Figure 4 shows storage information when 12 containers 001 to 012 are stored in three sorting machines 10 to 30 equipped with storage shelves 13a to 13d on the fourth floor. In this example, we will explain the case where, of the 12 containers 001 to 012, container 007 is stored first, container 004 is stored second, and container 010 is stored third.

[0039] When container 007 is first brought in and identified by the identification device 40, the sorting unit 93 sorts container 007 to be transported to the third floor (3F) of the sorting machine 10 based on the storage information. Next, container 004 is brought in and identified by the identification device 40. As shown in the storage information in Figure 4, the sorting machine 10 to which container 004 is brought is the same as the sorting machine 10 to which container 007, which was transported consecutively with container 004, is brought in. In this case, the update unit 94 updates the storage information so that the destination of container 004 is a different sorting machine 20 or sorting machine 30 than the sorting machine 10 to which container 007 is brought in. In this example, container 007 corresponds to the first container CT1, and container 004 corresponds to the second container CT2.

[0040] Figure 5 shows the updated storage information after changing the receiving location of container 004. In Figure 5, the received container 007 and containers 004 and 005, whose storage locations have been changed from Figure 4, are shown in bold. When updating the storage information of container 004, the update unit 94 updates the storage information so that, among the containers that have not yet been received, the receiving location of the unreceived containers that are the same sorting machine 20 as the receiving location of container 004 in the updated storage information is swapped with the sorting machine 10 that was the receiving location of container 004 before the update. As shown in Figure 5, the receiving location of container 004 after the storage information update changes from sorting machine 10 to sorting machine 20. Furthermore, the receiving location of container 005, which was the receiving location of sorting machine 20, the receiving location of container 004, before the storage information update, changes from sorting machine 20 to sorting machine 10 in the updated storage information.

[0041] When updating the storage information for container 004, the update unit 94 uses the floor number of the storage rack 13c of container 007, which was assigned immediately before container 004, to determine whether container 004 will be stored in either sorting machine 20 or sorting machine 30. The update unit 94 uses the floor number of the storage rack 13c of container 007 to shorten the time required for the receiving elevator 14 to move when transporting container 004. Furthermore, when updating the storage information, the update unit 94 determines the sorting machine to which container 004 will be stored so that the floor number of the receiving destination for container 004 does not change before the storage information update.

[0042] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the change of the receiving sorting machine based on the time required for the receiving elevator 14 to move. The table shown in Figure 6 is an elevator optimization table for a specific sorting machine, stored in the elevator optimization DB 85. Figure 6 shows an elevator optimization table for an example different from the receiving of containers 007, 004, and 010, in order to explain the time required for the receiving elevator 14 to move. As shown in Figure 6, the elevator optimization table for a specific sorting machine calculates the frequency of receiving floors for two consecutive container CTs from the combination of receiving floors for container CTs that minimizes the elevator's passage time when any consecutive container CTs are evenly distributed to each floor of the sorting machine. Specifically, the frequency of the receiving floor of the next container CT to be assigned, determined from the receiving floor of the immediately preceding container CT, is expressed as a numerical value. The numerical value of the frequency represents the frequency of occurrence. In other words, the higher the frequency value, the less time is required for the receiving elevator 14 to move to transport the next incoming container. For example, if the previously assigned container CT was admitted to the 4th floor (4F), the frequency value for the next incoming container CT being admitted to the 1st floor (1F) is "75.0", which is higher than the other floors. In this case, if the previously assigned container CT was admitted to the 4th floor, it is preferable for the next incoming container CT to be admitted to the 1st floor (1F) because it reduces the travel time for the receiving elevator 14. When the sorting machine 20 to which container 004 will be admitted, as shown in Figure 5, is determined, the update unit 94 refers to the frequency tables corresponding to each of the sorting machines 20 and 30, which are candidates for the new admission destinations, and as a result, determines that sorting machine 20 will be the admission destination for container 004.

[0043] After updating the storage information, the update unit 94 determines the sorting machine 20 as the destination for container 004, and then determines the undelivered containers that are also destinations for the sorting machine 20. To ensure that the floor to which container 004 is delivered does not change, the update unit 94 determines container 005, which has the same delivery floor as container 004 in the storage information before the update (Figure 4), as a container CT to swap delivery positions with container 004. As a result, as shown in the storage information from Figure 4 to Figure 5, the update unit 94 swaps the delivery positions of container 004 and container 005. After updating the storage information and distributing container 004, when container 010 is delivered and identified by the identification device 40, the update unit 94 changes the sorting machine 10 that is the destination for container 010.

[0044] Figure 7 shows the updated storage information after changing the receiving location of container 010. In Figure 7, containers 010 and 012, whose receiving locations have changed from the storage information shown in Figure 5, are newly shown in bold. Figure 7 shows the updated storage information after changing the receiving location of container 010 from sorting machine 10 to sorting machine 30. In this embodiment, when updating the storage information of container 010, the update unit 94 determines the sorting machine 30 to which container CTs will be received so that container CTs are allocated equally among the three sorting machines 10 to 30. In the example shown in Figure 7, one container CT (containers 007 and 004) is allocated to each of sorting machines 10 and 20, and no container CTs are allocated to sorting machine 30. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the receiving location of container 010 changes to sorting machine 30. Furthermore, one of the unstored containers 011 and 012, which are on the same storage floor as container 010, is selected using the time required for the storage elevator 14 to move. The update unit 94 updates the storage information for the selected container 012 and the identified container 010 by changing the storage destination.

[0045] Figure 8 is a flowchart of the sorting method in this embodiment. In the sorting flow shown in Figure 8, first, the information acquisition unit 91 acquires the outbound order table and the inbound location table (step S1). The outbound order table associates the part numbers of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100 with the outbound order of the container CTs. The inbound location table optimizes the outbound order of the container CTs and the inbound destinations of the container CTs. The outbound order optimization unit 92 uses the acquired outbound order table and inbound location table to create storage information that determines the inbound location of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100 (step S2). The combined process of steps S1 and S2 corresponds to the acquisition process.

[0046] Once the creation of storage information is complete, the sorting machine system 100 begins accepting incoming container CTs (step S3). The identification device 40 identifies the part number of the container CT by reading the barcode of the container CT that is being received by the sorting machine system 100 (step S4). The update unit 94 uses the identified part number of the container CT and the storage information to determine whether the sorting machine to which the identified container CT is being received is the same as the sorting machine to which the container CT that was received immediately before is being received (step S5). If it is determined that the sorting machines are not the same (step S5: NO), the process in step S7 described below is performed. If it is determined in the process of step S5 that the sorting machines are the same (step S5: YES), the update unit 94 performs an update process to update the storage information (step S6).

[0047] Figure 9 is a subflowchart of the update process. In the update flow shown in Figure 9, the update unit 94 uses the elevator optimization table acquired from the elevator optimization system 400 by the information acquisition unit 91 to determine the sorting machine that will be the receiving destination of the container CT after the change (step S61). The update unit 94 uses the elevator optimization table corresponding to each sorting machine 10 to 30 to determine a sorting machine that reduces the time required for the receiving elevator 14 to move when the container CT is received, and that is different from the receiving destination of the container CT that was received immediately before.

[0048] When the update unit 94 determines the sorting machine for the container CT, it updates the storage information in the updated storage information so that the storage location of undelivered containers whose destination is the same sorting machine as the container CT whose destination has been changed is swapped with the storage location of the container CT whose destination has been changed before the change (step S62). In this embodiment, the update unit 94 updates the storage information so that the storage locations of two container CTs whose storage shelf numbers 13a to 13d are the same as those of the container CT whose destination has been changed. When the update process is completed, the process in step S7 of Figure 8 is performed.

[0049] In step S7, the sorting unit 93 uses the sorting device 50 to sort the container CTs identified by the identification device 40 into sorting machines 10-30 and storage shelves 13a-13d within sorting machines 10-30, as included in the storage information (step S7). The sorting unit 93 determines whether the storage of all container CTs has been completed by referring to the storage information (step S8). If it is determined that there are still container CTs that have not been stored (step S8: NO), the process from step S4 onwards is repeated. If it is determined that the storage of all container CTs has been completed (step S8: YES), the sorting flow ends.

[0050] Figure 10 is a flowchart of the sorting method of the comparative example. In the sorting flow shown in Figure 10, using the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment, storage information is not updated by the container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100, and all container CTs are entered based on the storage information created by the outbound order optimization unit 92. The processing of steps S11 to S13 in the sorting flow of the comparative example corresponds to the processing of steps S1 to S3 of this embodiment. Also, the processing of steps S14 and S15 in the comparative example corresponds to the processing of steps S7 and S8 of this embodiment. In other words, the sorting flow of the comparative example does not include the processing of steps S5 and S6 of this embodiment. As a result, in the comparative example, if container CTs destined for the same sorting machine are entered consecutively, a waiting period for container CT entry may occur, causing a stagnation in the entry of container CTs.

[0051] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the evaluation of the inbound and outbound capabilities of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2. Figure 11 shows the inbound and outbound capabilities of Examples 1 and 2, where all container CTs are received into the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment after changing the inbound order twice, as well as Comparative Example 1, where outbound capacity is prioritized (as shown in Figure 10), and Comparative Example 2, where inbound capacity is prioritized. The numerical values ​​indicating inbound and outbound capabilities are calculated by setting the smallest value among Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 as "1" for both inbound and outbound capabilities. In the sorting method prioritizing inbound capacity in Comparative Example 2, the container CTs are received into each sorting machine in the order of their arrival, without considering the outbound order, to prevent congestion of container CTs during inbound operations. The figures for Examples 1 and 2, corresponding to samples where the container receiving order was changed twice, are shown. In Comparative Example 1, which prioritized outbound capacity, and Comparative Example 2, which prioritized inbound capacity, only one figure is shown because the figures for the two samples were the same.

[0052] As shown in Figure 11, in Comparative Example 1, which prioritized outbound capacity, the outbound capacity was the highest at 1.25, but the inbound capacity was the lowest at 1. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, which prioritized inbound capacity, the inbound capacity was the highest at 1.45, but the outbound capacity was the lowest at 1. In contrast, the outbound capacity of Examples 1 and 2 was 1.22, which is almost the same as Comparative Example 1, which prioritized outbound capacity. Furthermore, the inbound capacity of Examples 1 and 2 was 1.25 or 1.27, which is much higher than that of Comparative Example 1.

[0053] As described above, in the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 91 acquires an outbound order table from the inbound / outbound management system 200, which associates the part numbers of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100 with the outbound order of the container CTs. The information acquisition unit 91 also acquires an inbound position table from the inbound instruction optimization system 300, which optimizes the outbound order of the container CTs and the inbound destinations of the container CTs. The outbound order optimization unit 92 uses the acquired outbound order table and inbound position table to create storage information that determines the inbound position of all container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100. The update unit 94 of this embodiment uses the storage information to update the storage information according to the container CTs entering the sorting machine system 100. In this embodiment, the sorting machine system 100, which receives container CTs with various destinations, sorts each container CT to the corresponding storage shelves 13a to 13d within sorting machines 10 to 30, based on storage information optimized for the order in which the container CTs are dispatched. After the container CTs are sorted based on the dispatch order, the storage information is updated according to the container CTs that are being dispatched to the sorting machine system 100. In other words, in this embodiment, the order in which containers are dispatched is also optimized based on the optimized dispatch order, so that both the inbound and outbound of container CTs do not stagnate. As a result, the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment can achieve a high level of both inbound and outbound capacity.

[0054] Furthermore, the update unit 94 of this embodiment updates the storage information for the first container CT1 and the second container CT2, which are container CTs that flow in succession, when the sorting machine SM1, which is the receiving destination for the first container CT1 in the storage information, and the sorting machine SM2, which is the receiving destination for the second container CT2, are the same. The update unit 94 updates the storage information for the second container CT2 so that the sorting machine SM2, which is the receiving destination for the second container CT2, is a different sorting machine from the sorting machine SM1, which is the receiving destination for the first container CT1. In other words, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the first container CT1 and the second container CT2, which are receiving into the sorting machine system 100 in succession, from being allocated to the same sorting machine 10. As a result, it is possible to suppress the stagnation of the receiving of containers in the entire sorting machine system 100 due to waiting for receiving containers when multiple container CTs are receiving into a particular sorting machine in succession, and the receiving capacity of the sorting machine system 100 is improved.

[0055] Furthermore, when updating the storage information of container 010, the update unit 94 of this embodiment determines the sorting machine 30 to which container 010 will be stored, so that container CTs are allocated equally to the three sorting machines 10 to 30. In this embodiment, by ensuring that the number of container CTs allocated to each sorting machine 10 to 30 is equal, the occurrence of waiting for container CTs to be stored at each sorting machine 10 to 30 can be suppressed, and the storage capacity of the sorting machine system 100 is further improved.

[0056] Furthermore, when updating the storage information of container 004, the update unit 94 of this embodiment updates the storage information so that, among the unstored containers that have not yet been stored, the sorting machine at the destination of container 004 is the same sorting machine as the sorting machine at the destination of container 004 in the updated storage information, and the sorting machine at the destination of container 004 are swapped.Therefore, in this embodiment, the number of container CTs that are stored in each sorting machine 10 to 30 does not change from the storage information with optimized dispatch order created by the dispatch order optimization unit 92.As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of container CTs that are stored in a particular sorting machine, and the storage capacity of the sorting machine system 100 is improved.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when updating the storage information of container 004, the update unit 94 uses the floor number of the storage shelf 13c of container 007, which was allocated before container 004, to determine the destination of container 004 to either sorting machine 20 or sorting machine 30. The update unit 94 uses the floor number of the storage shelf 13c of container 007 to determine the sorting machine to which container 004 will be deposited, in order to shorten the time required for the receiving elevator 14 to move when transporting container 004, and to ensure that the floor number of the destination of container 004 does not change. In this embodiment, since the movement time of the receiving elevator 14 is shortened, the waiting time when container CT is deposited into sorting machines 10 to 30 is reduced, and the deposit capacity of the sorting machine system 100 is improved. Furthermore, the sorting machine 20 to which container 004 is received is determined so that the number of storage shelves 13a to 13d for container 004 in the sorting machine 20 whose receiving destination has been changed does not change from the first floor. Therefore, changes in the optimized outbound order before and after updating the storage information can be suppressed. In other words, the sorting machine system 100 of this embodiment can improve the receiving capacity while suppressing a decrease in the outbound capacity.

[0058] Furthermore, in the storage information of this embodiment, the order in which container CTs are dispatched is determined so that the total distance traveled by all container CTs is minimized by the time all container CTs have been dispatched. Therefore, the total distance traveled by all container CTs from each sorting machine 10 to 30 until all container CTs are dispatched is minimized. max Because the order of shipments is optimized based on this criterion, the shipment capacity of container CTs can be improved.

[0059] <Modified examples of embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit. For example, the following modifications are possible. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, some of the configurations implemented by hardware may be replaced with software, and conversely, some of the configurations implemented by software may be replaced with hardware.

[0060] <Example 1> The sorting machine system 100 in the above embodiment is an example and can be modified to the extent that update information is updated according to the incoming container CT so that both the inbound and outbound of container CTs to each sorting machine 10 to 30 do not stagnate. For example, the sorting machine system 100 does not have to include an identification device 40, a sorting device 50, and a tracking device 60. A different system from the sorting machine system 100 may have an identification device and a sorting device, and the sorting machine system 100 may send control signals to the identification device and sorting device of the different system. The number of sorting machines 10 to 30 in the sorting machine system 100 may be two or four or more. Each sorting machine 10 to 30 may be a sorting machine with a different structure and capacity. For example, sorting machine 10 may have four levels of storage shelves 13a to 13d, and sorting machine 20 may have only one level of storage shelf 13a. The number of containers that can be stored in the storage shelves 13a on the first floor of sorting machine 10 may be different from the number of containers that can be stored in the storage shelves on the first floor of sorting machine 20.

[0061] In this embodiment, the outbound order included in the inbound position table and the outbound order of the storage information created by the outbound order optimization unit 92 were optimized, but optimization is not necessarily required. For example, the outbound order can be created using machine learning or the like and is sufficient if it is closer to the optimal order than a random outbound order, and does not need to be optimized. Also, the outbound order of the container CT in this embodiment is determined by the total travel distance C of all container CTs as shown in Figure 3. max Optimized using, but the travel distance C was determined by a well-known method. max The values ​​may also be calculated by optimizing parameters other than those mentioned above. Similarly, the values ​​in the frequency table included in the elevator optimization table obtained from the elevator optimization system 400 do not need to be optimized, and the update unit 94 may update the storage information without using the elevator optimization table. The receiving elevator 14 does not have two lifting boxes, and may transport container CTs using one lifting box, or it may transport them using three or more lifting boxes.

[0062] The receiving location of a container CT included in the storage information does not necessarily have to be on the same floor as storage shelves 13a to 13d within sorting machines 10 to 30. For example, a specific location may be designated as the receiving location. Also, depending on the container CT, the receiving location included in the storage information may be on the same floor as storage shelves 13a to 13d, or it may be a specific location.

[0063] The method for updating the storage information in the update unit 94 is modifiable. When updating the storage information, the update unit 94 does not need to allocate the number of incoming containers CT to each sorting machine 10-30 in an equal manner. For example, in the above embodiment, the update unit 94 may change the incoming sorting machine 10 of container 004 to sorting machine 20, but not change the sorting machines 10-30 which are the incoming sorting machines for other containers such as 007. Also, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the update unit 94 updated the storage information by swapping the incoming sorting machines 10 and 20 for containers 004 and 005, so that the floor number of the storage shelves 13a for containers 004 and 005 does not change before and after the update, but it is not necessary to consider the floor number of the incoming sorting machine. For example, in the above embodiment, when the receiving destination of container 004 is changed to the sorting machine 20, the update unit 94 may update the storage information before the update so that the receiving location of container 004 is swapped with that of any of the receiving containers 002, 008, or 011 of the sorting machine 20.

[0064] The embodiments of this specification have been described above based on the embodiments and modifications described above. The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of this specification and do not limit it. This specification may be modified and improved without departing from its spirit and the scope of the claims, and equivalents thereof are included in this specification. Furthermore, any technical features that are not described as essential in this specification may be deleted as appropriate.

[0065] The present invention can be realized in the following forms. [Application Example 1] It is a sorting machine system, Multiple sorting machines receive multiple containers with different destinations, and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them. Storage information for the plurality of containers, including the sorting machine into which the containers are stored and the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and an acquisition unit that acquires storage information optimized according to the order in which the containers are dispatched to each sorting machine, An update unit updates the storage information according to the containers entering the sorting machine system, using the acquired storage information, so as to prevent delays in both the inbound and outbound of containers to each sorting machine. A sorting unit that places each of the multiple containers into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, A sorting machine system equipped with the following features. [Application Example 2] The sorting machine system described in Application Example 1, The aforementioned update unit is, For a first container and a second container that are flowing in succession, if the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container, A sorting machine system that updates the storage information of the second container so that the sorting machine to which the second container is received is different from the sorting machine to which the first container is received. [Application Example 3] A sorting machine system as described in Application Example 1 or Application Example 2, The update unit is a sorting machine system that, when updating the storage information of the second container, determines the sorting machine to which the second container is to be received, so that the container is allocated equally to the plurality of sorting machines. [Application Example 4] A sorting machine system described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 3, The updating unit updates the storage information of the second container and the unstored containers so as to swap the sorting machine and the storage location between the second container and the unstored containers that have not yet been stored in the sorting machine, and whose storage destination is the same sorting machine as the second container in the updated storage information. [Application Example 5] A sorting machine system described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 4, Each of the aforementioned sorting machines has storage shelves divided into multiple floors, and multiple elevators that move between the multiple floors to transport containers. The storage information includes, as the storage location, information on the floor number of the storage shelf in the sorting machine. The updating unit, when updating the storage information of the second container, uses the floor number of the storage rack of the container that was sorted before the second container to determine the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container, in order to shorten the time required for the elevator to move when transporting the second container to the storage rack, and to ensure that the floor number of the destination of the second container does not change. [Application Example 6] A sorting machine system described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 5, The distance from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system is different. The sorting system, as described above, optimizes the order of shipments so that the total distance traveled by all containers is minimized by the time all containers have been shipped out. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 10, 20, 30, SM1, SM2… Sorting machines 11…3D warehouse 12... Inbound conveyor 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d… Storage shelves 14... Elevator on the entry side 15… Branching device 16… Exit side elevator 17…Outbound conveyor 40…Identification device 50... Sorting device 60... Tracking device 70...Control device 80...Storage section 81... Inbound Container Database 82…Dispatch order DB 83...Container Location DB 84…Receipt position DB 85... Elevator Optimization Database 86…Storage information DB 90...CPU 91…Information acquisition department 92... Shipment Order Optimization Unit 93…Distribution section 94…Update section 100... Sorting machine system 131... Conveyor 132...Right shelf 133... Left shelf 134... Pusher 200... Inventory Management System 300... Inbound Instruction Optimization System 400... Elevator optimization system CT...Container CT1... Container No. 1 CT2... Container No. 2 C max d L d AB d BC d CS d SC2 ...distance traveled by containers

Claims

1. It is a sorting machine system, Multiple sorting machines receive multiple containers with different destinations, and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them. The sorting machine system includes an identification unit that identifies the part number of a container being stored, An acquisition unit for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the storage information of the plurality of containers, which is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and which is optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update unit updates the storage information according to the container part number identified by the identification unit, so as to prevent delays in both the inbound and outbound shipments of containers to each sorting machine, using the acquired storage information. A sorting unit that places each of the multiple containers into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, Equipped with, The aforementioned update unit is, With respect to the first and second containers that flow in succession after identification by the identification unit, if the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container, A sorting machine system that, when updating the storage information of the second container, updates the storage information of the second container and the unstored containers by swapping the sorting machine and storage location between the second container and the unstored containers that have not yet been stored in the sorting machine, and whose destination in the updated storage information is the same sorting machine that is the destination of the second container, so that the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container becomes a different sorting machine from the sorting machine that is the destination of the first container.

2. The sorting machine system according to Claim 1, Each of the aforementioned sorting machines has storage shelves divided into multiple floors, and multiple elevators that move between the multiple floors to transport containers. The storage information includes, as the storage location, information on the floor number of the storage shelf in the sorting machine. The update unit, when updating the storage information of the second container, uses the floor number of the storage shelf of the container that was sorted before the second container to determine the sorting machine that is the destination of the second container, in order to shorten the time required for the elevator to move when transporting the second container to the storage shelf, and to ensure that the floor number of the destination of the second container does not change.

3. A sorting machine system, Multiple sorting machines receive multiple containers with different destinations, and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them. The sorting machine system includes an identification unit that identifies the part number of a container being stored, An acquisition unit for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the storage information of the plurality of containers, which is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and which is optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update unit updates the storage information according to the container part number identified by the identification unit, so as to prevent delays in both the inbound and outbound shipments of containers to each sorting machine, using the acquired storage information. A sorting unit that places each of the multiple containers into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, Equipped with, The distance from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system is different. The sorting system, as described above, optimizes the order of shipments so that the total distance traveled by all containers is minimized by the time all containers have been shipped out.

4. A sorting machine system according to claim 3, The aforementioned update unit is, With respect to the first and second containers flowing in succession, if the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container, A sorting machine system that updates the storage information of the second container so that the sorting machine to which the second container is received is different from the sorting machine to which the first container is received.

5. A sorting machine system according to claim 2 or claim 4, The update unit is a sorting machine system that, when updating the storage information of the second container, determines the sorting machine to which the second container is to be received, so that the container is allocated equally to the plurality of sorting machines.

6. A method for sorting containers for a sorting machine system that includes multiple sorting machines that receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them, wherein a computer... An identification step for identifying the part number of a container entering the sorting machine system, An acquisition step for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the storage information of the plurality of containers is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and the acquisition step for acquiring the storage information that has been optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update step, using the acquired storage information, updates the storage information according to the containers identified by the identification step, so that both the inbound and outbound of containers to each sorting machine do not become stagnant. A sorting process in which each of the multiple containers is placed into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, Execute, The aforementioned update process is, With respect to the first and second containers that flow in succession after identification by the aforementioned identification process, if the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container, A sorting method in which, when updating the storage information of the second container, the sorting information of the second container and the unstored containers is updated so that the sorting machine that the second container is stored in is different from the sorting machine that the first container is stored in, by exchanging the sorting machine and storage location of the unstored containers that have not yet been stored in the sorting machine, in the updated storage information, with respect to the sorting machine that the second container is stored in.

7. A method for sorting containers for a sorting machine system comprising multiple sorting machines that each receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them, wherein a computer provides: An identification step for identifying the part number of a container entering the sorting machine system, An acquisition step for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the storage information of the plurality of containers is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and the acquisition step for acquiring the storage information that has been optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update step, using the acquired storage information, updates the storage information according to the containers identified by the identification step, so that both the inbound and outbound of containers to each sorting machine do not become stagnant. A sorting process in which each of the multiple containers is placed into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, Execute, The distance from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system is different. The aforementioned storage information is a sorting method in which the order of shipments is optimized so that the total distance traveled by all containers is minimized by the time all containers have been shipped out.

8. A computer program for sorting containers for a sorting machine system that includes multiple sorting machines that receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them, The sorting machine system includes an identification function to identify the part number of the container being stored, An acquisition function for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the storage information of the plurality of containers is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and the acquisition function for acquiring the storage information that has been optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update function that updates the storage information according to the container identified by the identification function, using the acquired storage information, so as to prevent delays in both the inbound and outbound of containers to each sorting machine, A sorting function that places each of the multiple containers into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, To make this a reality on a computer, The aforementioned update function, With respect to the first and second containers that flow in succession after identification by the aforementioned identification function, if the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the first container in the storage information is the same as the sorting machine that is the receiving destination for the second container, A computer program that, when updating the storage information of the second container, updates the storage information of the second container and the unstored containers by swapping the sorting machine and storage location between the second container and the unstored containers that have not yet been stored in the sorting machine, and whose destination in the updated storage information is the same sorting machine as the destination of the second container, so that the sorting machine that the destination of the second container becomes different from the sorting machine that the destination of the first container becomes.

9. A computer program for sorting containers for a sorting machine system comprising multiple sorting machines that each receive multiple containers with different destinations and sort the received containers according to their destinations before dispatching them, The sorting machine system includes an identification function to identify the part number of the container being stored, An acquisition function for acquiring the part numbers of all containers entering the sorting machine system, wherein the storage information of the plurality of containers is storage information that associates the sorting machine into which the containers are entered, the storage location of the containers within the sorting machine, and the part numbers of the containers, and the acquisition function for acquiring the storage information that has been optimized according to the order in which the containers are released from each sorting machine. An update function that updates the storage information according to the container identified by the identification function, using the acquired storage information, so as to prevent delays in both the inbound and outbound of containers to each sorting machine, A sorting function that places each of the multiple containers into the storage location of the sorting machine according to the updated storage information, To make this a reality on a computer, The distance from each sorting machine to the exit of the sorting machine system is different. The aforementioned storage information includes a computer program that optimizes the order of shipments so that the total distance traveled by all containers is minimized by the time all containers have been shipped out.

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