Robot scheduling system and method, and storage medium

Abstract

A robot scheduling system, which relates to the technical field of logistics, and is used for solving the problem of the logistics efficiency of a warehousing system not being high. The system comprises a scheduling device and a rack (101), wherein the rack (101) corresponds to a plurality of transfer robots (102); the scheduling device is in communication connection with the plurality of transfer robots (102); and the scheduling device is configured to control, upon receiving an order instruction for instructing the transfer of goods in a target rack area, a transfer robot (102) corresponding to the target rack area to operate, the target rack area is one of a plurality of rack areas which are obtained by means of partitioning the rack (101) in the lengthwise direction and / or the depthwise direction of the rack (101) on the basis of attribute information of the rack (101) and / or a placement rule for goods on the rack (101), and one rack area at least corresponds to one transfer robot (102). Further provided are a robot scheduling method and a storage medium.

Description

Robot scheduling system, method and storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on September 12, 2024, with application number 202411293745.1 and invention name “Robot Scheduling System, Method and Storage Medium”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of logistics technology, and in particular to a robot scheduling system, method, and storage medium. Background Art

[0003] With the rise of emerging industries like e-commerce, companies are increasingly adopting warehousing systems that utilize robots to automatically handle and store goods in order to achieve efficient and efficient automated logistics. Existing robotic handling solutions in warehousing systems include: carton transfer units (CTUs), four-way shuttles, and single sky transfer units (STUs). However, these solutions all have drawbacks that can impact overall logistics efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a robot scheduling system, method and storage medium for solving the problem of low logistics efficiency in warehousing systems.

[0005] To achieve the above technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling system, including a scheduling device, a shelf, and multiple handling robots corresponding to the shelf; the scheduling device is communicatively connected to the multiple handling robots; the handling robot includes: a column gantry, a handling mechanism and a guide rail; wherein the column gantry is installed along the vertical direction of the shelf; the handling mechanism is arranged on the column gantry, for vertically moving on the column gantry to handle goods of different heights on the shelf; the column gantry and the guide rail are movably connected so that the column gantry and the handling mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to handle goods on the shelf in the length direction; the scheduling device is configured to control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work when receiving an order instruction instructing to handle goods on the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of the multiple shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf; one shelf area corresponds to at least one handling robot.

[0007] The technical solution provided by this application brings at least the following beneficial effects: In the robot scheduling system adopted by this application, the shelves are divided into multiple shelf areas based on the shelf's attribute information and / or the rules for placing goods on the shelves, and each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. In this way, when performing transport operations, the transport robots can move within their respective shelf areas, ensuring that multiple transport robots can work together on a single shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution of this application can ensure the concurrency of operational tasks in the warehousing system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehousing system.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the scheduling device is specifically configured to, after receiving an order instruction instructing the transport of goods on a target shelf area, determine the position of the goods on the shelf; determine the horizontal moving distance and vertical moving distance of the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area based on the position of the goods on the shelf; the horizontal moving distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area; send a movement instruction to the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the movement instruction includes the horizontal moving distance and the vertical moving distance.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the attribute information is used to characterize the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether the shelf carries a cache location.

[0010] In a possible implementation, when the attribute information is used to characterize the storage capacity of a shelf, the plurality of shelf areas are obtained by dividing the plurality of shelf areas according to the storage capacity of the shelf and the number of the plurality of transport robots.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the storage capacity of a shelf includes the dimensions of the target shelf in the length, height, and depth directions; different shelf areas have the same storage capacity, or different shelf areas have the same dimensions in the length direction.

[0012] In a possible implementation, when the attribute information is used to characterize whether a shelf carries cache bits, the portion of the shelf that carries cache bits is divided into a first shelf area, and the portion of the shelf that does not carry cache bits is divided into a second shelf area.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the attribute information includes the height of each point on the bottom layer of the shelf from the ground; when the height of each point on the bottom layer of the shelf from the ground is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the shelf does not carry a cache bit; when the height of each point on the bottom layer of the shelf from the ground is less than a preset threshold, the shelf carries a cache bit.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the placement rules are used to represent attribute conditions satisfied by goods in each area of ​​the shelf. The attribute conditions include: conditions for the category of goods and / or the access frequency of goods.

[0015] In a possible implementation, when the attribute condition includes the category of goods, the plurality of shelf areas are divided according to the types of goods.

[0016] In a possible implementation, when the attribute condition includes the storage frequency of goods, multiple shelf areas are divided according to the access frequency of goods, and one shelf area corresponds to a preset numerical range of the access frequency.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the scheduling device is further configured to, when there is an overlapping area between two adjacent shelf areas, determine that the first transport robot is responsible for the overlapping area based on at least one of the task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority; the first transport robot is one of the two transport robots corresponding to the two adjacent shelf areas.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the scheduling device is also configured to control the third transport robot to work in the shelf area corresponding to the second transport robot when a failure of the second transport robot is detected; the third transport robot is a transport robot whose shelf area is adjacent to the shelf area of ​​the second transport robot.

[0019] In the second aspect, the present application provides a robot scheduling method, which includes: receiving an order instruction; when the order instruction indicates to transport goods on a target shelf area, controlling the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf; one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0020] In a third aspect, the present application provides a robot scheduling device, which includes: a receiving module for receiving order instructions; a control module for controlling the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work when the order instruction indicates to transport goods on the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf; one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0021] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computing device comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories; wherein the one or more memories are used to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the computing device executes any one of the robot scheduling methods provided in the second aspect above.

[0022] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer execution instructions. When the computer execution instructions are run on a computer, the computer executes any one of the robot scheduling methods provided in the second aspect above.

[0023] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product comprising computer instructions, which, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to execute the robot scheduling method as described in the second aspect and any possible design thereof.

[0024] In the seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling system, including a scheduling device, multiple handling robots and guide rails corresponding to the shelves; the scheduling device is communicatively connected to the multiple handling robots; the handling robot includes: a column gantry and a handling mechanism; wherein the column gantry is installed in the vertical direction; the handling mechanism is arranged on the column gantry, and is used to move vertically on the column gantry to transport goods of different heights on the shelves; the column gantry and the guide rail are movably connected so that the column gantry and the handling mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to transport goods on the shelves in the length direction; the scheduling device is configured to control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work when receiving an order instruction instructing to transport goods on the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of the multiple shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf; one shelf area corresponds to at least one handling robot.

[0025] For the specific descriptions of the second to seventh aspects and their various implementations in this application, reference can be made to the detailed descriptions in the first aspect and its various implementations; and for the beneficial effects of the second to seventh aspects and their various implementations, reference can be made to the analysis of the beneficial effects in the first aspect and its various implementations, which will not be repeated here.

[0026] These and other aspects of the present application will become more readily apparent from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a robot scheduling system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a robot scheduling method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a shelf area provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 2 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 3 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 4 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 5 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a robot scheduling device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a computing device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. To be precise, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete way. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0039] To facilitate understanding, we first briefly introduce and explain the basic concepts of some terms or technologies involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0040] Lurking robot: An automated guided robot that can carry turnover boxes.

[0041] Turnover box: also known as logistics box or material box, it can be used to hold goods and is easy to stack and manage.

[0042] CTU robot: A fully automatic unmanned picking and handling robot consisting of a chassis, shelf layers and a picking mechanism. It can carry multiple items at a time, improving picking efficiency and storage capacity.

[0043] Four-way shuttle: a handling robot that can move freely in four directions (front, back, left, and right) within a plane.

[0044] The STU robot is a rail-mounted container handling robot consisting of a gantry, a handling mechanism, and guide rails. The gantry is mounted vertically along the shelf; the handling mechanism is mounted on the gantry and is designed to move vertically on the gantry to handle cargo at varying heights on the shelf. The gantry is movably connected to the guide rails, enabling the gantry and handling mechanism to move horizontally along the rails to handle cargo at varying lengths along the shelf.

[0045] The transport mechanism can also be called an actuator. The mast can be equipped with drive wheels and pulleys, which can also be called the moving mechanism. The drive wheel can be mounted at the bottom of the mast, contacting the ground, to control the mast's speed and direction of movement. The pulley is movably connected to the guide rails to control the mast's distance of movement. The drive wheel drives the mast and transport mechanism to move horizontally along the guide rails. These guide rails can be mounted on one side of the rack.

[0046] In addition, from the above description, the STU robot's handling mechanism can move in the vertical direction along the column door frame, so that the STU robot can carry goods at different heights on the shelf, and the STU robot can move along the guide rail, so that the STU robot can carry goods at different horizontal positions on the shelf.

[0047] In the aforementioned embodiment, the guide rail is described as a part of the STU. This is only a way of description, not a limitation. In actual implementation, the guide rail may not be described as a component of the STU robot, but exists as an independent component. In order to explain more clearly, the embodiment of the present application also provides a track material box handling robot, including: a column gantry and a handling mechanism. Among them, the column gantry is installed in the vertical direction; the handling mechanism is arranged on the column gantry, and is used to move vertically on the column gantry to transport goods at different heights on the shelf. The column gantry is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column gantry and the handling mechanism can move horizontally along the guide rail to transport goods at different positions on the shelf in the longitudinal direction.

[0048] That is to say, guide rails need to be installed in the scene where the STU robot works, so that the column gantry of the STU robot can be movably connected to the guide rails installed in the scene, and then the STU robot can move along the guide rails to perform tasks at different positions in the scene.

[0049] Elevator: It is an important equipment for realizing vertical movement. Its main purpose is to realize cross-layer vertical transportation of goods and change layers of shuttle vehicles.

[0050] Buffer: A reserved area at the bottom of a shelf for temporary storage of turnover boxes. STU robots can select goods to be shipped from the shelf and place them in the buffer, allowing them to be transported out by other robots such as the Lurker Robot. Lurker Robots can also place incoming goods in the buffer, allowing STU robots to store them on the shelves.

[0051] The above is an introduction to some of the concepts involved in the embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated below.

[0052] The current robot handling solutions in the warehousing system include: CTU handling solution, four-way shuttle handling solution and single STU handling solution.

[0053] Among them, the CTU handling solution: the CTU robot uses the chassis to perform linear motion in the aisle, and then uses the lifting device to perform the storage and outbound operations of the turnover box. Usually, one CTU robot is responsible for one CTU storage area (usually one aisle), allowing the CTU robot to operate across storage areas.

[0054] Four-way shuttle handling solution: The four-way shuttle uses a lift to transport various types of goods in warehouse orders using multi-layer shelves or pallets for storage or outbound picking.

[0055] Single STU handling solution: The STU robot moves left and right on a three-dimensional surface using guide rails and up and down using its own lifting mechanism, thereby picking up and placing turnover boxes at designated locations on the three-dimensional shelf. After unloading a box and placing it in the buffer, it retrieves a box from the nearest buffer and puts it on the shelf.

[0056] However, these robotic handling solutions all have certain drawbacks. In the CTU handling solution, the lifting speed of CTU robots is slower than that of STU robots. Furthermore, the CTU robots have a limited lifting height. When storing and retrieving high-rise turnover boxes, a secondary gantry is required to extend the lifting height, which affects the efficiency of loading and unloading goods.

[0057] In the four-way shuttle transportation solution, since the four-way shuttle itself does not have the ability to operate at high altitudes, it needs to rely on elevators when storing and retrieving high-altitude goods, which affects operating efficiency.

[0058] In a single STU robot handling solution, the efficiency of a single device is low, making it difficult to meet high throughput requirements. Furthermore, since STU robots rely on rails for operation, setting up multiple STU robots to operate simultaneously will cause conflicts when multiple STU robots run on the same rail, affecting operational efficiency.

[0059] To sum up, the current robot handling solutions have certain defects, which will affect the robot's operating efficiency, that is, it will affect the logistics efficiency.

[0060] In this regard, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling system. In the robot scheduling system adopted by the present application, the shelves can be divided into multiple shelf areas based on the shelf attribute information and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelves. Each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. In this way, when performing transport operations, the transport robots can move in front of their respective corresponding shelf areas, ensuring that multiple transport robots can work together on a shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application can ensure the concurrency of work tasks in the warehousing system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehousing system.

[0061] The robot scheduling system and robot scheduling method provided in the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 1, which shows a schematic diagram of the components of the robot scheduling system (also known as a warehousing system) provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1, the robot scheduling system includes: a scheduling device (not shown in Figure 1), a shelf 101, and multiple handling robots 102 corresponding to the shelf 101 (the specific number can be determined based on the specific scenario; Figure 1 shows two handling robots as an example).

[0063] The transport robot 102 in the robot scheduling system works in a storage space such as a warehouse, in which shelves 101 as shown in FIG. 1 are arranged.

[0064] The shelf 101 may be a fixed shelf or a mobile shelf. The shelf 101 has multiple layers, each layer having multiple storage spaces, each of which can be used to store turnover boxes loaded with goods.

[0065] The depth of the shelf 101 can be double-deep or single-deep, which is not limited in this application.

[0066] The transport robot 102 includes a column gantry 102a, a transport mechanism 102b and a guide rail 102c.

[0067] The column gantry 102a is mounted vertically along the shelf 101. The transport mechanism 102b is mounted on the column gantry 102a and is configured to move vertically on the column gantry 102a to transport goods at different heights on the shelf. The column gantry 102a is movably connected to the guide rail 102c, allowing the column gantry 102a and transport mechanism 102b to move horizontally along the guide rail 102c to transport goods at different locations along the length of the shelf 101.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the robot scheduling system provided in the embodiment of the present application includes: a scheduling device, multiple handling robots corresponding to the shelves (the specific number can be determined according to the specific scenario) and guide rails.

[0069] The transport robots in the above-mentioned robot scheduling system work in storage spaces such as warehouses, where shelves are arranged.

[0070] The racks can be fixed or mobile, with multiple layers, each layer having multiple storage spaces, each of which can be used to store turnover boxes loaded with goods.

[0071] The depth of the shelf can be double-deep or single-deep, which is not limited in this application.

[0072] The handling robot includes: a column gantry and a handling mechanism.

[0073] The mast is mounted vertically. A handling mechanism is mounted on the mast and is configured to move vertically on the mast to handle cargo at different heights on the rack. The mast is movably connected to the guide rails, allowing the mast and handling mechanism to move horizontally along the rails to handle cargo at different locations along the rack's length.

[0074] In one possible implementation, the column gantry 102a may be equipped with a drive wheel and a pulley. The drive wheel may be mounted at the bottom of the column gantry 102a, contacting the ground, to control the speed and direction of the gantry's movement. The pulley is movably connected to the guide rail to control the distance the gantry moves. The drive wheel drives the column gantry 102a and the transport mechanism 102b to move horizontally along the guide rail.

[0075] It should be noted that a transport robot 102 can be connected to at least one guide rail (e.g., one guide rail or two guide rails). For example, guide rails are provided above and below the shelf 101 in FIG1 . In this way, the upper portion of the column gantry of the transport robot is movably connected to the upper guide rail, and the lower portion of the column gantry 102a of the transport robot 102 is movably connected to the lower guide rail, thereby ensuring the stability of the column gantry 102a when it moves horizontally along the guide rails.

[0076] In one embodiment, a guide rail can be fixedly installed between two opposite shelves, so that the transport robot 102 on the guide rail can be responsible for the operation tasks on two shelves at the same time.

[0077] In some embodiments, the guide rails may be fixedly mounted on a shelf, or may be fixedly mounted on the ground or ceiling, and this embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit this.

[0078] Several examples of rail installation methods are provided below.

[0079] In Example 1, the guide rails are mounted directly on the shelf. Specifically, the upper and lower guide rails are mounted horizontally on the side of the shelf. For example, the guide rails can be attached to the side of the shelf using screws and nuts. The mast of the handling robot is movably connected to the upper and lower guide rails. This provides a more stable installation.

[0080] In Example 2, two guide rails are mounted on a shelf using support rods. The support rods extend a certain distance from the shelf, creating a certain distance between the guide rails and the shelf. The upper and lower guide rails are fixed horizontally by the support rods at a certain distance from the shelf. This creates a certain distance between the mast and the shelf, allowing more room for the handling robot to move goods from the shelf.

[0081] In Example 3, the lower rail is installed on the ground. The mast of the handling robot is movably connected to the rail. This prevents the rail from moving with the shelf, eliminating the need to reinstall the rail when changing shelves.

[0082] In Example 4, a lower guide rail is installed on the ground, and an upper guide rail is mounted above the shelf via support rods, as shown in Figure 1. The lower end of the transport robot's column mast is movably connected to the guide rail installed on the ground, while the upper end of the transport robot's column mast is movably connected to the guide rail installed above the shelf. This makes the transport robot's movement more stable than installing only the lower guide rail.

[0083] In some embodiments, multiple transport robots 102 responsible for the same shelf can share a guide rail, or each can use a different guide rail (Figure 1 shows a shared guide rail as an example). It should be understood that when multiple transport robots 102 share a guide rail, the lanes between the shelves can be set narrower, thereby effectively reducing the distance between shelves in the storage system, thereby increasing the storage capacity of the storage system. The embodiments of the present application are described using the example of multiple transport robots responsible for the same shelf sharing a guide rail.

[0084] For the convenience of description, the handling robots used in the embodiments of the present application are collectively referred to as STU robots below.

[0085] In addition, the scheduling device included in the robot scheduling system is used to control the operation of the entire warehousing system. For example, the scheduling device can be connected to the STU robot via wired or wireless communication to send instructions to the STU robot, instructing the STU robot to perform cargo handling operations. The scheduling device can be a server, or other equipment with data processing and communication capabilities. Among them, the server mentioned here can be a server cluster composed of multiple servers, or a single server, or a computer. The scheduling device can specifically be a processor or processing module in the server. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific device form of the above-mentioned server.

[0086] The implementation of the robot scheduling method provided in the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0087] The robot scheduling method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be executed by the scheduling device in the above-mentioned robot scheduling system.

[0088] As shown in FIG2 , an embodiment of the present application provides a robot scheduling method, which includes the following steps:

[0089] S201: Receive order instructions.

[0090] Among them, the order instruction is used to indicate that a certain product needs to be shipped out or received in.

[0091] Outbound delivery is also called unloading, which involves moving goods from a shelf. For example, a transport robot moves goods from a shelf to the bottom buffer, where a lurking robot retrieves the goods and moves them away. Inbound delivery is also called loading, which involves moving goods onto a shelf. For example, a lurking robot places goods in the buffer, where a transport robot moves the goods from the buffer to the shelf above it.

[0092] The above order instructions may include information such as the quantity and type of goods that need to be shipped out or received.

[0093] S202: When the order instruction instructs to transport goods on the target shelf area, control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work.

[0094] The order instruction to move goods to the target shelf area may include: instructing to move the goods to the target shelf area, or to move the goods away from the target shelf area. The work performed by the transport robot accordingly includes: moving the goods to the target shelf area, or moving the goods away from the target shelf area, which is described in detail below.

[0095] The target shelf area is one of multiple shelf areas divided along the length and / or depth of the shelf based on the shelf's attribute information and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf. Each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. The transport robot corresponding to a shelf area can be understood as the transport robot responsible for carrying goods out of or into the warehouse of the shelf area.

[0096] Additionally, multiple storage locations may be included in one rack area.

[0097] Order instructions can indicate the shipment or receipt of goods.

[0098] After receiving the order instruction, if the scheduling device determines that the order instruction indicates that a certain product in the target shelf area needs to be outbound, that is, a certain product in the target shelf area needs to be moved off the shelf, the scheduling device can control the handling robot to perform the goods handling work in the manner provided in the following steps a1-a3.

[0099] Step a1: Determine the storage location and cache location.

[0100] First, the scheduling device determines the target shelf area where the goods indicated by the order instruction are located, the storage location of the goods in the target shelf area, and the cache location where the goods are to be placed according to the order instruction.

[0101] When determining the cache location, the scheduling device may determine the cache location closest to the storage location of the goods in the target shelf area from the free cache locations as the cache location where the goods are to be placed.

[0102] The order instruction may also include a designated cache location, and the scheduling device may determine the cache location designated in the order instruction as the cache location where the goods are to be placed.

[0103] Step a2: Take out the goods from the storage location.

[0104] After determining the storage position of the goods in the target shelf area, the scheduling device can control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to move along the guide rail to the determined storage position, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column gantry to the height of the determined storage position, and then control the transport mechanism to take out the goods from the storage position.

[0105] Step a3: Place the goods in the cache.

[0106] After taking out the goods, the scheduling device controls the transport robot to move along the guide rail to the determined cache position, and controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column gantry to the height of the determined cache position, and then controls the transport mechanism to place the goods taken out from the storage position in the cache position.

[0107] Subsequent dispatching equipment can also control the lurking robot to take the goods from the cache location to realize the delivery of the goods.

[0108] If the scheduling device determines that the order instruction indicates that a certain product needs to be put into storage in the target shelf area, that is, the product needs to be stored in the target shelf area, the scheduling device can control the handling robot to perform the goods handling work in the manner provided in the following steps b1-b3.

[0109] Step b1: Determine the cache location and storage location.

[0110] First, the scheduling device determines the cache location where the goods indicated by the order instruction are placed, the target shelf area where the goods are to be placed, and the specific storage location in the target shelf area where the goods are to be placed according to the order instruction.

[0111] Step b2: Take out the goods from the cache.

[0112] After determining the cache location where the goods are placed, the dispatching device can also control the lurking robot to place the goods in the cache location. After detecting that the goods have been placed in the cache location, the dispatching device then controls the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to move along the guide rails to the determined cache location. It then controls the transport robot's transport mechanism to move vertically along the column gantry to the height of the determined cache location, and then controls the transport mechanism to remove the goods from the cache location.

[0113] Step b3: Place the goods in the storage location.

[0114] After taking out the goods, the scheduling device controls the transport robot to move along the guide rail to the determined storage position, and controls the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move vertically along the column gantry to the height of the determined storage position, and then controls the transport mechanism to place the goods taken out from the cache position in the storage position.

[0115] When a handling robot needs to perform multiple loading and unloading tasks, it can follow a strategy: after unloading a box of goods and placing it in a buffer, it takes a box from the buffer closest to the unloading location and puts it on the shelf. A handling robot can also perform multiple loading and unloading tasks using a random strategy.

[0116] As mentioned earlier, due to the limitations of the guide rails, a single STU robot typically handles each shelf's handling tasks. To improve operational efficiency, multiple STU robots can be assigned to handle the same shelf's handling tasks. To avoid conflicts when multiple STU robots operate on the same guide rail, the shelves can be divided into different shelf areas and assigned handling robots to each area. This allows each STU robot to perform tasks in its assigned shelf area, avoiding conflicts.

[0117] Before dispatching transport robots to carry goods according to the aforementioned robot scheduling method, it is necessary to assign transport robots to different shelf areas. This requires first dividing the shelves into different areas. Shelf area division can be performed based on shelf attributes and / or the layout of goods on the shelves, thus adapting to various scenarios. For detailed explanations, see Scenarios 1-5 below; a detailed description is omitted here.

[0118] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a shelf area obtained after division provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 3, the figure shows two shelf areas (area A and area B) obtained by evenly dividing the shelf along the length direction of the shelf. The height of each shelf area is consistent with the height of the shelf, and the length is a part of the length of the shelf. The shelf area is obtained by this average division method, so that the STU robot can move on a part of the guide rail to complete the work tasks on the shelf area without affecting other STU robots. As shown in Figure 3, STU robot 1 can move in section A to complete the relevant work tasks in area A, and STU robot 2 can move in section B to complete the relevant work tasks in area B. As can be seen from Figure 3, the movable areas of STU robot 1 and STU robot 2 do not overlap, the two sides will not cross-operate, and there will be no conflict.

[0119] In some embodiments, the above S202 may be implemented as follows:

[0120] S202a: After receiving an order instruction to move goods on a target shelf area, determine the location of the goods on the shelf.

[0121] After receiving an order instruction, the dispatching device can first determine whether the goods need to be shipped out or inbound based on the order instruction. If the goods need to be shipped out, the dispatching device can determine the target shelf area where the goods are located and the storage location of the goods within the target shelf area. In addition, the dispatching device can also determine the location of the cache location where the goods are to be placed. If the goods need to be inbound, the dispatching device can determine the cache location where the goods are to be placed, the target shelf area where the goods are to be placed, and the specific storage location within the target shelf area where the goods are to be placed.

[0122] S202b: Determine the horizontal moving distance and vertical moving distance of the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area according to the position of the goods on the shelf, wherein the horizontal moving distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area.

[0123] The horizontal moving distance is the distance that the transport robot's column gantry drives the transport mechanism to move horizontally on the guide rail, and the vertical moving distance is the distance that the transport robot's transport mechanism moves along the column gantry.

[0124] If the goods need to be taken out of the warehouse, the scheduling device can first determine the horizontal distance between the current position of the transport robot and the storage position of the goods in the target shelf area as the first horizontal moving distance; and determine the height difference between the current height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot and the height of the storage position of the goods in the target shelf area as the first vertical moving distance.

[0125] After the transport robot takes out the goods from the storage location, the scheduling device can also determine the horizontal distance between the position of the transport robot after taking out the goods from the storage location and the cache location where the goods are to be placed, as a second horizontal movement distance; and determine the height difference between the height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot after taking out the goods from the storage location and the height of the cache location where the goods are to be placed, as a second vertical movement distance.

[0126] If the goods need to be put into storage, the scheduling device can first determine the horizontal distance between the current position of the transport robot and the cache location where the goods are placed as the third horizontal movement distance; and determine the height difference between the current height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot and the height of the cache location where the goods are placed as the third vertical movement distance.

[0127] After the transport robot takes out the goods from the cache position, the scheduling device can also determine the horizontal distance between the position of the transport robot after taking out the goods from the cache position and the storage position of the goods to be placed, as the fourth horizontal movement distance; and determine the height difference between the height of the transport mechanism of the transport robot after taking out the goods from the cache position and the height of the storage position of the goods to be placed, as the fourth vertical movement distance.

[0128] S202c: Send a movement instruction to the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work, wherein the movement instruction includes a horizontal movement distance and a vertical movement distance.

[0129] A movement instruction can directly include a horizontal movement distance and a vertical movement distance, instructing the transport robot to move according to these two distances. A movement instruction can also include a horizontal movement sub-instruction and a vertical movement sub-instruction. The horizontal movement sub-instruction instructs the transport robot to move a horizontal movement distance. The vertical movement sub-instruction instructs the transport mechanism to move a vertical movement distance along the column gantry.

[0130] After determining the horizontal moving distance and vertical moving distance of the transport robot in the above step S202b, the scheduling device can send a movement instruction containing the above horizontal moving distance and vertical moving distance to the transport robot, control the driving wheel of the transport robot to drive the column gantry and the transport mechanism to move the horizontal moving distance in the horizontal direction, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move the vertical moving distance along the column gantry.

[0131] For example, when goods need to be taken out of the warehouse, the dispatching device can control the driving wheels of the transport robot to drive the column gantry and the transport mechanism to move horizontally a first distance to the storage location of the goods in the target shelf area, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move along the column gantry a first distance vertically to the height of the storage location of the goods in the target shelf area, and then remove the goods from the storage location. The horizontal movement of the column gantry of the transport robot and the movement of the transport mechanism of the transport robot along the column gantry can be performed simultaneously or sequentially, and there is no limitation on this.

[0132] After removing the goods, the dispatching device can control the driving wheels of the transport robot to drive the column gantry and the transport mechanism to move horizontally a second distance to the front of the cache location where the goods are to be placed, and control the transport mechanism of the transport robot to move along the column gantry a second distance vertically to the height of the cache location where the goods are to be placed, thereby placing the goods removed from the storage location. The horizontal movement of the column gantry of the transport robot and the movement of the transport mechanism of the transport robot along the column gantry can be performed simultaneously or sequentially, without limitation.

[0133] During the above-mentioned transporting process, the driving wheels of the transport robot drive the column gantry and the transport mechanism to move in the horizontal direction, and the transport mechanism moves along the column gantry in the vertical direction simultaneously, which can improve the transport efficiency.

[0134] As can be seen, in the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application, upon receiving an order instruction, the dispatching device in the robot dispatching system first determines the shelf area to which the goods indicated in the order belong. Then, based on the pre-configured correspondence between shelf areas and STU robots, it determines the STU robot corresponding to that shelf area. It then determines the horizontal and vertical movement distances based on the STU robot's current position and the shelf location. Then, via wired or wireless means, it sends a movement instruction containing the movement distance information to the STU robot, thereby controlling the STU robot to move horizontally and vertically, thereby transporting goods into or out of the warehouse.

[0135] It should be understood that since the horizontal movement distance of the STU robot does not exceed the length of the shelf area corresponding to itself, it can ensure that the STU robot moves within a limited range, avoiding the problem of cross-conflict when multiple STU robots move.

[0136] It should be noted that the above S202a-S202c is only a specific implementation method of S202, and S202 can also be implemented in other ways. For example, the scheduling device first configures the shelf area that each STU robot is responsible for. After receiving the order instruction, the scheduling device determines the location of the goods, and then sends the location of the goods to each STU robot respectively. Each STU robot determines whether the location of the goods is located in the shelf area that it is responsible for. If the location of the goods is located in the shelf area that it is responsible for, the STU robot performs the handling operation according to the location of the goods. If the location of the goods is not located in the shelf area that it is responsible for, the STU robot does not perform the action. It should be understood that the implementation of S202 includes but is not limited to the above two implementation methods, and other feasible implementation methods can also be used, which will not be repeated here.

[0137] The following describes in detail the division method of the shelf areas in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0138] In some embodiments, during the division process, the scheduling device may divide the shelf into multiple shelf areas along the length and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf.

[0139] In a possible implementation, the attribute information is used to characterize the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether the shelf carries a cache location.

[0140] The storage capacity mentioned here can be represented by information such as the dimensions of the target shelf in the length, height and depth directions; the storage capacities corresponding to different shelf areas can be the same, or the dimensions of different shelf areas in the length direction can be the same.

[0141] That is to say, when dividing multiple shelf areas, they can be divided in a manner that the storage capacities corresponding to different shelf areas are the same, or they can be divided in a manner that the sizes of different shelf areas in the length direction are the same.

[0142] Whether a shelf carries a cache location can be determined, in one possible implementation, based on the height of each location on the bottom shelf from the ground. If the height of each location on the bottom shelf from the ground is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the shelf does not carry a cache location. If the height of each location on the bottom shelf from the ground is less than the preset threshold, the shelf carries a cache location. This is not limited to specifics.

[0143] In one possible implementation, the placement rules represent attribute conditions that must be met by the goods in each area of ​​the shelf. The attribute conditions include conditions regarding the category of the goods and / or the frequency of access to the goods. For example, the attribute conditions may include: the goods must be of the same category, and the frequency of access to the goods must be within a preset numerical range.

[0144] In this application, a certain type of goods and its related products, or primary and secondary products, can be referred to as a class of goods, i.e., belonging to a single category of goods. Examples include alcoholic beverages, perfumes, and cosmetics. The frequency of access to goods can reflect, for example, the shipment or inbound volume of a particular good per unit time. The frequency of access to goods can also indicate whether a good is a hot seller.

[0145] It should be understood that the dispatching device's database stores information about shelves and goods, and constantly records information about the flow of goods (inbound / outbound). Therefore, the dispatching device can obtain this information from the database and use it to rationally divide shelves into zones to accommodate various operational scenarios, as described in Scenario 1-5 below.

[0146] In other words, the dispatching device can obtain relevant information about the goods from the database to determine the category of the goods. The dispatching device can also obtain relevant information about the shelves and goods, as well as recorded information about the flow of goods, from the database to determine the frequency of access to the goods. The dispatching device can then divide the shelves into shelf areas based on the determined category of goods and the frequency of access to the goods.

[0147] The following scenarios 1 and 2 are ways of dividing the shelves into multiple shelf areas based on the shelf's attribute information.

[0148] Scenario 1

[0149] In the case where the attribute information is used to represent the storage capacity of a shelf, the plurality of shelf areas may be obtained by dividing the plurality of transport robots according to the storage capacity of the shelf.

[0150] The storage capacity of the target shelf can be represented by the dimensions of the target shelf in the length, height, and depth directions. Different shelf areas may have the same storage capacity, or different shelf areas may have the same dimensions in the length direction.

[0151] Specifically, in scenario 1, when dividing the shelves, the shelves can be divided into the same number of shelf areas as the number of transport robots, and the storage capacity of these multiple shelf areas is the same, or the dimensions of these multiple shelf areas in the length direction are the same.

[0152] For example, if the shelf is pre-configured with two STU robots in charge, taking the example of different shelf areas with the same length dimensions, the target shelf can be divided into two shelf areas of equal length (equal within a certain error range), so that the storage capacity of the two shelf areas obtained by division is close.

[0153] That is to say, when dividing multiple shelf areas, if the shelf areas are divided in such a way that the length dimensions of the different shelf areas are the same, the storage capacities of the divided shelf areas will also be close.

[0154] For example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 4, taking the example of a shelf pre-configured with two STU robots, the shelf is evenly divided into two shelf areas, each of which is of equal length. These two shelf areas are Area A and Area B. Of the two pre-configured STU robots, one STU robot is responsible for tasks in Area A, and the other STU robot is responsible for tasks in Area B. Areas A and B have the same length, and their storage capacities are similar.

[0155] When there is an inbound task, the lurking robot transports the goods to the cache (shown in the bold box at the bottom of Figure 4). The STU robot responsible for the shelf area where the cache is located then moves the goods from the cache to the shelf for storage. When there is an outbound task, the STU robot responsible for the shelf area where the goods to be outbound are located transports the goods on the shelf to the cache at the bottom, and the lurking robot then moves the goods out of the cache.

[0156] It should be understood that Scenario 1 is applicable when tasks are evenly distributed across the shelves. Each STU robot is responsible for tasks covering the same range of shelves, avoiding duplication of effort and preventing interference between multiple STU robots. Furthermore, this prevents overburdening a single STU robot and ensures load balance. Furthermore, confining the STU robot's movement range to a fixed area increases its familiarity with the shelves and enables more precise task execution.

[0157] Scenario 2

[0158] When the attribute information is used to characterize whether a shelf carries cache bits, the portion of the shelf carrying cache bits may be divided into a first shelf area, and the portion of the shelf not carrying cache bits may be divided into a second shelf area.

[0159] The shelf's cache slots are located at the bottom along the height direction. The shelf's cache slots and the area directly above them are considered to carry the cache slots. The area carrying the cache slots can be divided into a first shelf area, and the remaining area without cache slots can be divided into a second shelf area. In other words, the boundary between the first shelf area and the second shelf area is a straight line along the height direction.

[0160] It should be understood that for shelves without cache slots, the height of each point from the bottom floor to the ground is greater than or equal to a preset threshold. This allows lurking robots and the like to move horizontally underneath the shelves without being blocked by the shelves. This eliminates the need for lurking robots to bypass the shelves when carrying goods, thereby improving handling efficiency.

[0161] For example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a scenario 2 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 5, there is no cache position at the bottom of shelf area A (that is, the height of each point on the bottom shelf from the ground is greater than or equal to a preset threshold), and shelf area A can be divided into a first shelf area separately. There is a cache position at the bottom of shelf area B (that is, the height of each point on the bottom shelf from the ground is less than a preset threshold), and shelf area B can be divided into a second shelf area. The STU robot assigned to area A and responsible for the operation tasks in area A can be called a non-cache position STU robot. When performing a handling task, the non-cache position STU robot transports the goods in area A to area B. The remaining STU robots assigned to area B can perform work tasks normally in area B, such as transporting goods to the cache position when performing an outbound task, or transporting goods from the cache position to the shelf when performing an inbound task.

[0162] By dividing the work area, specifically the shelf area, multiple STU robots assigned to different shelf areas can be assigned to different tasks, effectively improving operational efficiency. Furthermore, in current warehousing systems, the cache is located at the very bottom of the shelf. When lurking robots are moving goods, they are blocked by the cache and need to bypass the shelf to achieve lateral movement. This long detour affects cargo handling efficiency. However, in the embodiment of the present application, there is no cache at the very bottom of Area A. Therefore, the lurking robots can move horizontally under Area A without any obstructions, thereby improving cargo handling efficiency.

[0163] It should be understood that scenario 2 is suitable for large warehouses with a high workload. By dividing the area without buffering slots into a shelf area, lurking robots can move directly under the area without buffering slots during the entire logistics process, avoiding detours and thus improving logistics efficiency.

[0164] The following scenarios 3 and 4 are ways of dividing the shelves into multiple shelf areas based on the placement rules of the goods on the shelves.

[0165] Scenario 3

[0166] The placement rules for goods on a shelf can be attribute conditions satisfied by the goods in each area of ​​the shelf. The attribute conditions can include conditions for the category of the goods. In the above case, multiple shelf areas can be divided according to the category of the goods. That is, in embodiments of the present application, the shelf areas can be divided according to the principle that goods of the same category (or similar categories) are placed in the same shelf area.

[0167] In some scenarios, goods on shelves are stored by category, with goods of the same (or similar) category stored on the same row of shelves or adjacent shelves. Therefore, shelf areas can be divided according to the category of goods, that is, one shelf area corresponds to one category of goods or multiple categories of goods of similar categories.

[0168] In the embodiment of the present application, the area where one type of goods is located is divided into one shelf area. For example, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 3 provided in the embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, the shelf stores three categories of goods, namely, alcoholic beverages, daily necessities, and perfumes. Therefore, the shelf is divided into three shelf areas according to the above three categories (the lengths of the shelf areas can be the same or different, and Figure 6 shows different lengths as an example), and each STU robot corresponds to one shelf area.

[0169] It should be understood that an order may correspond to the purchase of a large number of goods of the same category (or similar categories). The division method of scenario 3 can enable one STU robot to complete the delivery task of an order, which can reduce the scheduling complexity when simultaneously scheduling multiple STU robots to complete orders.

[0170] Scene 4

[0171] The placement rules for goods on a shelf can be based on the attribute conditions satisfied by the goods in each area of ​​the shelf. The attribute conditions of the goods can also be set based on the access frequency of the goods. In this case, multiple shelf areas can be divided according to the access frequency of the goods. For example, one shelf area corresponds to a preset numerical range of the access frequency. In other words, the present application can divide the shelf areas according to the principle that goods with similar access frequencies are placed in the same shelf area.

[0172] In some scenarios, popular goods may be placed in the same shelf area, while less popular goods may be placed in the same shelf area. The warehouse system's scheduling equipment records the historical access frequency of each type of goods on the shelf, so shelf areas can be divided according to the access frequency of the goods.

[0173] In other words, popular goods, i.e., frequently accessed, hot-selling items, can be placed in the same shelf area; less popular goods, i.e., less frequently accessed, less popular items, can also be placed in the same shelf area. The scheduling device can record the historical access frequency of each type of goods on the shelf. Based on the historical access frequency of each type of goods and the preset access frequency range, the area containing goods with historical access frequencies within the same preset value range can be divided into a single shelf area.

[0174] Exemplarily, using the first access frequency threshold as the dividing line, areas with access frequencies greater than or equal to the first access frequency threshold are divided into one shelf area, and areas with access frequencies less than the first access frequency threshold are divided into another shelf area. Furthermore, using the second access frequency threshold and the third access frequency threshold as the dividing line (the second access frequency threshold is greater than the third access frequency threshold), areas with access frequencies greater than or equal to the second access frequency threshold are divided into shelf area 1, areas with access frequencies less than the second access frequency threshold and greater than or equal to the third access frequency threshold are divided into shelf area 2, and areas with access frequencies less than the third access frequency threshold are divided into shelf area 3.

[0175] In other words, in one example, using the first access frequency threshold as a dividing line, two preset numerical intervals are obtained: a numerical interval greater than or equal to the first access frequency threshold, and a numerical interval less than the first access frequency threshold. Based on these two preset numerical intervals, the shelf is divided into two shelf areas: an area containing goods with an access frequency greater than or equal to the first access frequency threshold, and an area containing goods with an access frequency less than the first access frequency threshold.

[0176] In another example, the second access frequency threshold and the third access frequency threshold are used as the division (the second access frequency threshold is greater than the third access frequency threshold), and three preset numerical intervals are obtained, including: a numerical interval in which the access frequency is greater than or equal to the second access frequency threshold, a numerical interval in which the access frequency is less than the second access frequency threshold and greater than or equal to the third access frequency threshold, and a numerical interval in which the access frequency is less than the third access frequency threshold. According to the above three preset numerical intervals, the shelf is divided into the following three shelf areas: shelf area 1, where goods with an access frequency greater than or equal to the second access frequency threshold are located; shelf area 2, where goods with an access frequency less than the second access frequency threshold and greater than or equal to the third access frequency threshold are located; and shelf area 3, where goods with an access frequency less than the third access frequency threshold are located.

[0177] For example, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 4 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 7, goods are stored according to hot and cold zones. Goods A, due to its high demand and popularity, requires high speed and efficiency in both warehousing and outbound operations. Therefore, the area storing Goods A is divided into a shelving area, with a dedicated STU robot assigned to handle Goods A. This ensures the STU robot's movement within a limited range, enabling rapid response and reducing waiting time for goods handling.

[0178] The following scenario 5 is a division method that may include overlapping areas.

[0179] Scene 5

[0180] When dividing shelf areas, there may be overlapping areas between two adjacent shelf areas.

[0181] In one case, the shelf areas can be divided based on their lengthwise dimensions, with the divided shelf areas being of the same size and adjacent shelf areas overlapping. For example, as shown in FIG8 , a shelf can be divided into two shelf areas, Area A and Area B, as shown in FIG8 . The lengthwise dimensions of these two shelf areas are both 60% of the entire shelf length, with the middle 20% being the overlapping area between Areas A and B.

[0182] In another case, shelf areas can be divided based on the type of goods, and adjacent shelf areas can overlap. For example, based on the arrangement of goods shown in Figure 6, the rightmost column of the area where daily necessities are located and the area where cosmetics are located are divided into the cosmetics shelf area, and the leftmost two columns of the area where cosmetics are located and the area where daily necessities are located are divided into the daily necessities shelf area. The rightmost column of the area where daily necessities are located and the leftmost two columns of the area where cosmetics are located are the overlapping areas of the daily necessities shelf area and the cosmetics shelf area, and can be used to place goods belonging to both the daily necessities and cosmetics categories.

[0183] After the shelf areas are divided according to the division method of scenarios 1-4, since there is no overlapping area between different shelf areas, when assigning handling robots to each shelf area, a fixed handling robot can be randomly assigned to each shelf area. When a handling task for each shelf area is subsequently received, the scheduling device can dispatch the corresponding handling robot in the shelf area to perform the handling task.

[0184] After the shelf areas are divided according to the division method of Scenario 5, since there are overlapping areas between different shelf areas, after assigning handling robots to each shelf area, the overlapping areas will be managed by two handling robots. If it is necessary to schedule handling robots to perform handling tasks in the overlapping areas, it is necessary to consider the problem that the two handling robots will conflict when performing handling tasks in the overlapping areas. In this case, the scheduling device can determine that the first handling robot is responsible for the overlapping area based on the task completion time priority and / or distance priority. The first handling robot is one of the two handling robots corresponding to the two adjacent shelf areas.

[0185] In other words, in this scenario, the shelf areas covered by adjacent STU robots may overlap. In this case, the STU robot scheduling method needs to be adjusted to address the overlapping areas to avoid conflicts caused by two STU robots operating simultaneously in the overlapping areas. When receiving a handling task for an overlapping area, the scheduling device determines a primary handling robot from the two STU robots based on the task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority, and schedules the primary handling robot to perform the handling task in the overlapping area, thus avoiding conflicts caused by two STU robots operating simultaneously in the overlapping area.

[0186] For example, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of Scenario 5 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 8, taking the presence of two STU robots as an example, the shelf is divided into two shelf areas, Area A and Area B, each occupying 60%. Areas A and B have an overlapping area (e.g., 20%). The 40% portion of Area A defaults to the shelf area for STU robot 1, and the 40% portion of Area B defaults to the shelf area for STU robot 2.

[0187] Since the overlapping area is the shared responsibility of both STU robots, to avoid conflicts, when there is a task in the overlapping area, if STU robot 1's current task completion time is earlier, for example, STU robot 1's current task completion time is earlier than STU robot 2's current task completion time, then the task is assigned to STU robot 1. Alternatively, if STU robot 1's current position is closer to the overlapping area, for example, the distance between STU robot 1's current position and the overlapping area is less than the distance between STU robot 2's current position and the overlapping area, then the task is assigned to STU robot 1. Alternatively, task allocation can be performed by comprehensively considering any two factors among task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority. For example, a weighted sum of the two factors can be used to determine the weight, and then task allocation can be performed based on the weight. For example, weights are set for task completion time and distance respectively. For STU robot 1, the current task completion time of STU robot 1, the distance between the current position and the overlapping area, and the weights corresponding to the task completion time and distance are used to perform weighted summation to obtain weighted result 1 corresponding to STU robot 1. Similarly, the weighted result 2 corresponding to STU robot 2 is obtained, and then the weighted result 1 is compared with the weighted result 2. If the weighted result 1 is smaller than the weighted result 2, the task is assigned to STU robot 1; otherwise, the task is assigned to STU robot 2.

[0188] In addition, task allocation can also be performed by comprehensively considering the three factors of task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority. This will not be repeated here. Refer to the above method of allocating tasks based on two factors and perform weighted summation based on the weights of the above three factors.

[0189] It should be understood that Scenario 5 can avoid the situation where one STU robot has to move to a distant location to perform operations, and it also prevents two STU robots from operating simultaneously on one side, and it also prevents one STU robot from blocking the operation of another STU robot. Furthermore, Scenario 5 can use fewer STU robots to simultaneously cover a larger number of shelf areas, reducing the investment cost of STU robots.

[0190] It should be noted that for overlapping areas, STU robots are assigned based on at least one of the following: time priority, distance priority, and task priority. Therefore, overlapping areas may correspond to different STU robots at different time periods. However, at any given moment, an overlapping area always corresponds to at least one STU robot.

[0191] That is, when the scheduling device receives a handling task for an overlapping area, it can schedule one of the two STU robots responsible for the overlapping area to handle the handling task based on at least one of their task completion time priority, distance priority, or task priority. Thus, during the time period when the handling task is being executed, the overlapping area corresponds to the STU robot scheduled by the scheduling device.

[0192] In some embodiments, the scheduling device also controls the third transport robot to work in the shelf area corresponding to the second transport robot when a failure of the second transport robot is detected; the third transport robot is a transport robot whose shelf area is adjacent to the shelf area of ​​the second transport robot.

[0193] For example, in Figure 4, if the STU robot in Area A fails, the STU robot in Area B can take over the failed robot's tasks, meaning the STU robot in Area B is now responsible for handling the entire shelf. For another example, in Figure 6, if the STU robot in the daily necessities area fails, the STU robots corresponding to the alcoholic beverages and cosmetics categories can be randomly selected to handle the daily necessities area's tasks. Alternatively, based on the workload of the two STU robots, the STU robot with the lesser workload can be selected to take on the new tasks.

[0194] It should be understood that the above-mentioned fault detection-related operation strategies can ensure that even if one STU robot fails, other STU robots can still operate normally, ensuring the continuity of the overall operation process and reducing the impact of STU robot failures on the logistics efficiency of the entire warehousing system.

[0195] It should be noted that in a fault scenario, if one STU robot fails, another STU robot will take over the shelf area corresponding to the faulty robot. In this case, two adjacent shelf areas will be assigned to the same STU robot (that is, one STU robot will be responsible for both shelf areas at the same time), still meeting the description of at least one STU robot corresponding to each shelf area.

[0196] It should be noted that in some scenarios, the operation strategies of the above scenarios can be used in combination. For example, in Scenario 4, the shelf area (A cargo storage area) divided according to the frequency of access to goods is difficult to meet the efficiency requirements by one STU robot due to the large number of operation tasks. In this case, Scenario 1 can be combined to divide the A cargo storage area into two sub-areas, and two STU robots can be set to work simultaneously in each area to further improve efficiency. For another example, the three shelf areas divided according to the category of goods in Scenario 3 can be combined with the operation strategy of Scenario 5 to set the daily necessities category as the overlapping area. In this way, setting up two STU robots can achieve the operation tasks of the three shelf areas, while ensuring operation efficiency and reducing the investment cost of STU robots.

[0197] It should be understood that the aforementioned scenarios are merely examples, and any changes and combinations based on the situations described in the aforementioned examples should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

[0198] After dividing the shelf areas in the above manner and assigning handling robots to each shelf area, the scheduling device can determine the target shelf area where the goods are located after receiving the order instruction according to the method shown in Figure 2, and control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to perform the goods handling work related to the order instruction.

[0199] The technical solution shown in FIG2 brings at least the following beneficial effects: In the robot scheduling system adopted by the present application, the shelves can be divided into multiple shelf areas based on the shelf attribute information and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelves, and each shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot. In this way, when performing transport operations, the transport robots can move within their respective corresponding shelf areas, ensuring that multiple transport robots can work together on a single shelf while avoiding conflicts. Therefore, the technical solution of the present application can ensure the concurrency of operational tasks in the warehousing system and improve the logistics efficiency of the warehousing system.

[0200] The embodiments of this application utilize STU robots, which can move turnover boxes vertically without the need for additional lifting mechanisms, reducing investment costs while improving handling efficiency. Furthermore, STU robots are smaller than CTUs and four-way shuttles, reducing the spacing between shelves in a warehouse system and increasing the flat storage area. Furthermore, STU robots are not restricted by shelf height, allowing for increased storage capacity, enabling the storage of more turnover boxes and increasing the system's cargo capacity.

[0201] In addition, the STU robot operates on fixed shelves and does not need to move pallets and shelves. It can select the nearest unloading location without occupying its own storage space, greatly shortening the unloading time.

[0202] This application has a wide range of application scenarios, and different operation strategies can be formulated for different scenarios to meet the needs of warehousing and outbound operations under various conditions.

[0203] The above mainly introduces the solution provided by the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of the method. In order to realize the above functions, it includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. It should be easy to realize that the technical goals in this field are combined with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, and the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technical goals can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0204] As shown in FIG9 , the embodiment of the present application further provides a robot scheduling device, which is used in the robot scheduling method shown in the above method embodiment. The robot scheduling device includes:

[0205] The receiving module 901 is used to receive order instructions;

[0206] The control module 902 is used to control the transport robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work when the order instruction indicates to transport the goods on the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of the multiple shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rules of the goods on the shelf; one shelf area corresponds to at least one transport robot.

[0207] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computing device, as shown in FIG10 . The computing device 1000 includes a memory 1002 and a processor 1001. The memory 1002 and the processor 1001 are coupled. The memory 1002 is used to store computer program code, which includes computer instructions. When the processor 1001 executes the computer instructions, the computing device 1000 performs each step of the method flow shown in the above method embodiment.

[0208] In actual implementation, the receiving module 901 and the control module 902 can be implemented by the processor 1001 shown in Figure 10 calling the computer program code in the memory 1002. The specific execution process can be referred to the description of the robot scheduling method above, which will not be repeated here.

[0209] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computing device, the computing device executes each step executed by the computing device in the method flow shown in the above method embodiment.

[0210] In another embodiment of the present application, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computing device, the computing device executes each step executed by the computing device in the method flow shown in the above method embodiment.

[0211] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), etc.

[0212] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application. Those skilled in the art may conceive of changes or substitutions based on the specific embodiment provided in this application, and all such changes or substitutions shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A robot scheduling system, characterized in that, It includes a scheduling device, shelves, and a plurality of handling robots corresponding to the shelves; the scheduling device is communicatively connected to the plurality of handling robots; The handling robot includes: a column gantry, a handling mechanism, and a guide rail; Wherein, the column gantry is installed along the vertical direction of the shelf; the handling mechanism is arranged on the column gantry and is used for vertically moving on the column gantry to handle goods at different heights on the shelf; the column gantry is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column gantry and the handling mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to handle goods in the length direction of the shelf; The scheduling device is configured to, when receiving an order instruction indicating to handle goods in a target shelf area, control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or the depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rule of the goods on the shelf; at least one handling robot corresponds to one shelf area.

2. A robot scheduling system, characterized in that, It includes a scheduling device, a plurality of handling robots corresponding to the shelves, and a guide rail; the scheduling device is communicatively connected to the plurality of handling robots; The handling robot includes: a column gantry and a handling mechanism; Wherein, the column gantry is installed along the vertical direction; the handling mechanism is arranged on the column gantry and is used for vertically moving on the column gantry to handle goods at different heights on the shelf; the column gantry is movably connected to the guide rail so that the column gantry and the handling mechanism move horizontally along the guide rail to handle goods in the length direction of the shelf; The scheduling device is configured to, when receiving an order instruction indicating to handle goods in a target shelf area, control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or the depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rule of the goods on the shelf; at least one handling robot corresponds to one shelf area.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The scheduling device is specifically configured to, After receiving an order instruction indicating to handle goods in a target shelf area, determine the position of the goods on the shelf; According to the position of the goods on the shelf, determine the horizontal moving distance and the vertical moving distance of the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area; the horizontal moving distance does not exceed the length of the target shelf area; Send a moving instruction to the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to control the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the moving instruction includes the horizontal moving distance and the vertical moving distance.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The attribute information is used to characterize the storage capacity of the shelf and / or whether the shelf has a cache position.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein When the attribute information is used to characterize the storage capacity of the shelf, the plurality of shelf areas are obtained by dividing according to the storage capacity of the shelf according to the number of the plurality of handling robots.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein The storage capacity of the shelf includes the dimensions of the target shelf in the length, height, and depth directions; the storage capacities corresponding to different shelf areas are the same, or the dimensions of different shelf areas in the length direction are the same.

7. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that When the attribute information is used to characterize whether the shelf carries a cache position, the part of the shelf that carries the cache position is divided into a first shelf area, and the part of the shelf that does not carry the cache position is divided into a second shelf area.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein The attribute information includes the height of each location on the bottommost layer of the shelf from the ground. When the height of each location on the bottommost layer of the shelf from the ground is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the shelf does not carry a cache position. When the height of each location on the bottommost layer of the shelf from the ground is less than a preset threshold, the shelf carries a cache position.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The placement rule is used to characterize the attribute conditions satisfied by the goods in each area of the shelf, and the attribute conditions include: conditions for the category of the goods and / or the access frequency of the goods.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein When the attribute condition includes the category of the goods, the multiple shelf areas are divided according to the category of the goods.

11. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the attribute condition includes the storage frequency of the goods, the multiple shelf areas are divided according to the access frequency of the goods, and one shelf area corresponds to a preset numerical interval of the access frequency.

12. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that The scheduling device is further configured to, when there is an overlapping area between two adjacent shelf areas, determine that the first handling robot is responsible for the overlapping area according to at least one of the task completion time priority, distance priority, and task priority; the first handling robot is one of the two handling robots corresponding to the two adjacent shelf areas.

13. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that The scheduling device is further configured to, when a second handling robot fails, control a third handling robot to work in the shelf area corresponding to the second handling robot; the third handling robot is a handling robot adjacent to the shelf area of the second handling robot.

14. A robot scheduling method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receiving an order instruction; When the order instruction indicates handling the goods on the target shelf area, controlling the handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work; the target shelf area is one of the multiple shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or depth direction according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rule of the goods on the shelf; at least one handling robot corresponds to one shelf area.

15. A robot scheduling device, characterized in that, The device includes: A receiving module, configured to receive an order instruction. A control module, configured to control a handling robot corresponding to the target shelf area to work when the order instruction indicates handling goods on the target shelf area; the target shelf area is one of a plurality of shelf areas obtained by dividing the shelf along the length direction and / or the depth direction of the shelf according to the attribute information of the shelf and / or the placement rule of the goods on the shelf; at least one handling robot corresponds to one shelf area.

16. A computing device, characterized in that, Comprising: One or more processors; one or more memories; Wherein, one or more memories are used to store computer program code, and the computer program code includes computer instructions. When the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the computing device executes the robot scheduling method according to claim 14.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, and when the computer-executable instructions run on a computer, the computer executes the robot scheduling method according to claim 14.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer instructions, and when the computer instructions run on the computing device, the computing device executes the robot scheduling method according to claim 14.

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