Warehouse system, and method for rearranging cargo

Abstract

This warehouse system is for conveying cargo arranged in a storage area to a predetermined area outside the storage area by means of a conveyance vehicle, and comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires abnormality occurrence information including position information indicating a point where an abnormality has occurred in the conveyance vehicle; a first setting unit that, on the basis of the abnormality occurrence information, sets a no entry area in the storage area, where the conveyance vehicle is prohibited from entering; a second setting unit that, on the basis of the abnormality occurrence information, sets a priority area in the storage area, which is different from the no entry area and in which the conveyance vehicle can move to the predetermined area without passing through the no entry area; an identification unit that identifies cargo to be shipped within a predetermined time from the time point at which the abnormality occurrence information was acquired; and an instruction unit that instructs the identified cargo to be rearranged in the priority area.

Description

Warehouse system and method for rearranging cargo

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a warehouse system and a method for rearranging loads.

[0002] In recent years, automated warehouses for receiving and shipping packaged goods have become widespread. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a configuration for controlling the transport of cases on multiple lines in order to improve the efficiency of picking work by workers in a warehouse.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-125191

[0004] The present disclosure has been devised in consideration of the above-described conventional situation, and aims to enable warehouse work to continue even after an abnormality occurs in a warehouse transport vehicle.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a warehouse system in which cargo placed in a storage area is transported by a transport vehicle to a predetermined area outside the storage area, the warehouse system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires abnormality occurrence information including at least location information indicating a location where an abnormality has occurred in the transport vehicle; a first setting unit that sets, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a no-entry area within the storage area where the transport vehicle is prohibited from entering; a second setting unit that sets, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area within the storage area that is different from the no-entry area and through which the transport vehicle can move to the predetermined area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification unit that identifies cargo scheduled to be shipped within a predetermined time from the time the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction unit that instructs the identified cargo to be relocated within the priority area.

[0006] The present disclosure also provides a luggage relocation method in which a processor and a memory work together to execute an acquisition step of acquiring abnormality occurrence information including at least location information indicating a location where an abnormality has occurred in a transport vehicle that transports luggage placed in a storage area to a specified area outside the storage area; a first setting step of setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a no-entry area within the storage area where entry of the transport vehicle is prohibited; a second setting step of setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area within the storage area that is different from the no-entry area and through which the transport vehicle can move to the specified area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification step of identifying luggage that is scheduled to be shipped within a specified time from the time the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction step of instructing the identified luggage to be relocated within the priority area.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, after an abnormality occurs in a transport vehicle, warehouse operations can be continued while recovery work is being carried out.

[0008] Schematic diagram for explaining the setting of an abnormality occurrence point and a no-entry area in warehouse floor data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Schematic diagram for explaining the setting of a temporary no-entry area and a priority area in warehouse floor data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Schematic diagram for explaining the rearrangement of luggage in warehouse floor data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Schematic diagram for explaining the setting of an entry area after luggage rearrangement in warehouse floor data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Schematic diagram for explaining the operation of a lighting device in a warehouse according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Schematic diagram showing a state in which a no-entry area is presented on the display of an operation terminal. Schematic diagram for explaining the cancellation of the setting of a no-entry area in warehouse floor data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Flowchart showing the procedure of a luggage rearrangement process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] (Background to the Contents of Each Embodiment) Warehouses that handle receiving, storing, packaging, shipping, and the like of packages require automation using robots and the like to reduce the manual workload. In such warehouses, bins or racks containing packages (including goods and merchandise) are mainly transported by automated guided vehicles. The automated guided vehicles are sometimes referred to as AGVs (Automatic Guided Vehicles). The automated guided vehicles move storage bins containing packages to a picking area based on shipping instructions. In the picking area, a robot or a worker moves one or more packages from the storage bin to a shipping bin that can hold the package to be shipped based on the shipping instructions. The packages stored in the shipping bins are loaded onto a transport vehicle such as a truck and transported (shipped) out of the warehouse.

[0010] In warehouses, automatic guided vehicles can sometimes experience malfunctions, such as damage from a collision or a dead battery. When such a malfunction occurs in an automatic guided vehicle, it is necessary to restore the affected automatic guided vehicle and, in some cases, the surrounding environment. During the time between the occurrence of the malfunction and the completion of restoration work, this can cause problems with the transport of goods by other automatic guided vehicles, making shipping operations difficult.

[0011] Therefore, in the following embodiment, an example of a system and method for rearranging cargo within a warehouse so that warehouse operations can continue while recovery work is being carried out after an abnormality occurs in a transport vehicle will be described.

[0012] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings as appropriate, a detailed description of embodiments specifically disclosing a warehouse system and a method for rearranging luggage according to the present disclosure will be provided. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters or redundant descriptions of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter recited in the claims.

[0013] <Embodiment> [System Configuration] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall overview of a warehouse system 1 according to this embodiment. Note that the system configuration shown in Fig. 1 is an example, and one system may be divided into multiple parts, or multiple systems may be integrated into one. Also, one system or device shown in Fig. 1 may be provided multiple times. Furthermore, the processing entities shown below are an example, and some of the functions of one system may be realized as functions of another system.

[0014] The warehouse system 1 includes a warehouse management system 100, a warehouse operations management system 200, warehouse control systems 300, 400, and 500, a robot 600, an automated warehouse 700, an automated guided vehicle 800, and an operation terminal 900. The components of the warehouse system 1 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network. The warehouse management system 100 is a system that manages and controls logistics within a warehouse and is positioned at the highest level in the configuration example shown in FIG. 1 . The warehouse management system 100 manages, for example, inventory management of items within the warehouse, as well as the inflow and outflow (receiving and shipping) and movement of items. The warehouse management system is sometimes referred to as a WMS (Warehouse Management System). The warehouse management system 100 may be configured to be able to communicate with external systems not shown in FIG. 1 to acquire and manage instructions related to the inflow and outflow of goods, product information, information on warehouse equipment such as robots, information on workers, and the like.

[0015] The warehouse operations management system 200 is a system that manages and controls work within a warehouse, and in the example configuration shown in Fig. 1, is positioned below the warehouse management system 100. The warehouse operations management system is sometimes referred to as a WES (Warehouse Execution System). The warehouse operations management system 200 comprehensively controls, for example, the work content of various work entities within the warehouse and the equipment within the warehouse.

[0016] The warehouse control systems 300, 400, and 500 manage and control various pieces of equipment in the warehouse. The warehouse control system may also be referred to as a WCS (warehouse control system). In the example configuration shown in FIG. 1 , the warehouse control systems 300, 400, and 500 manage and control the robot 600, the automated warehouse 700, and the automated guided vehicle 800, respectively. The robot 600 is equipped with, for example, a direct-travel mechanism or a multi-axis arm and is configured to be able to hold products at its tip. The tip of the robot 600 may have, for example, a suction mechanism or a multi-fingered gripping mechanism, but is not particularly limited thereto. Multiple types of robots 600 may be installed in the warehouse to accommodate picking operations for various products. Furthermore, a camera may be installed around the robot 600 to capture images of the surrounding area, particularly images of bins placed nearby.

[0017] The automated warehouse 700 is configured to be able to store multiple bins, and transports the bins using an automated guided vehicle 800 as required. Note that the method of transporting the bins is not limited to using the automated guided vehicle 800. For example, the bins may be transported using a belt conveyor or the like. The automated warehouse 700 is configured, for example, with a lattice frame so that multiple bins can be stored. Examples of bins stored in the automated warehouse 700 include storage bins for storing products. The storage bins may also include empty bins that do not contain any products, or bins for which no products have been determined to be stored. Note that the bins used in the automated warehouse 700 also include shipping bins for bundling products together before shipping. The shapes and dimensions of the storage bins and shipping bins may differ, but they are configured to be transportable by the automated guided vehicle 800, and will be described here as having the same rectangular box-shaped configuration.

[0018] Automated guided vehicle 800 is a vehicle for transporting bins to a predetermined location, and automatically moves or waits based on instructions created by warehouse management system 100, for example. Automated guided vehicle 800 may be configured to detachably mount bins on its top, or may be configured to transport bins by pushing or pulling them. Automated guided vehicle 800 is configured to include, for example, a traveling unit for performing operations related to movement, sensors for acquiring peripheral information, and a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from warehouse control system 300, etc.

[0019] The operation terminal 900 is an information processing device configured to be usable by workers both inside and outside the warehouse. The operation terminal 900 may be, for example, a stationary information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer), or may be a mobile terminal such as a tablet terminal, POS terminal, handheld terminal, or smartphone. The operation terminal 900 transmits and receives data to and from the warehouse management system 100, warehouse operations management system 200, warehouse control systems 300, 400, and 500, and is used to receive notifications from each system and to configure and operate each system.

[0020] (Hardware Configuration Example) Each system shown in FIG. 1 may be configured as an on-premise server device at a base where a warehouse is located, or may be configured as a cloud-based system on a network. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device that can be used as a device constituting each system. Here, the devices constituting each system are described as having the same configuration, but some components may be omitted or other components may be added depending on the functions provided. An example of a component that may be added is a barcode reader used to acquire information from barcodes attached to products and bins in the warehouse.

[0021] The information processing device 10 includes a processing device 11, a storage device 12, a communication device 13, an input device 14, an image acquisition unit 15, an external interface 16, and a display device 17. Each component is configured to be able to communicate via an internal interface 18. The processing device 11 may be configured using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The processing device 11 realizes various functions described below by, for example, referencing various databases (hereinafter, referred to as DBs) stored in the storage device 12 or reading programs. The storage device 12 is a storage unit for storing various data, programs, etc., and may be composed of volatile / non-volatile storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0022] The communication device 13 is an interface for communicating with external devices via the network 35. There are no particular limitations on the communication standards that can be supported by the communication device 13, and the communication standards may be wired or wireless. The communication device 13 may also be capable of supporting multiple communication standards. Therefore, the network 35 may be configured by combining networks based on multiple communication standards.

[0023] The input device 14 accepts operations and instructions from warehouse users (e.g., managers and workers). The input device 14 may be composed of a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel display, etc. The image acquisition unit 15 is an interface for acquiring images of the warehouse interior from cameras 30 installed in the warehouse. The external interface 16 is an interface for communicating with an external system 20. The external system 20 may be communicatively connected via the communication device 13 and a network 35. The external system 20 is not limited to the systems shown in FIG. 1 , and may be another system. The display device 17 displays various user interfaces to the user. The display device 17 may be composed of a liquid crystal display, a touch panel display, a lamp, etc.

[0024] 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration inside a warehouse of the warehouse system 1 according to this embodiment. An automated warehouse 700 and one or more robots 600 are installed inside the warehouse. Also, a plurality of automated guided vehicles 800 that transport bins are arranged in a drivable manner inside the warehouse.

[0025] A work area 830 is configured around the automated warehouse 700 for workers 850 who will be the main operators of the picking work. A work area is also provided for the robot 600 to work in. From the perspective of improving the efficiency of the entire shipping work, if it is desirable to temporarily hold a bin instead of moving it into the automated warehouse 700, a waiting area 840 is provided for holding the bin. Hereinafter, areas for carrying out picking work may be collectively referred to as picking areas. The picking area includes the work area 830, the work area for the robot to work in, and the waiting area 840.

[0026] 3 shows an example in which one area for the human worker 850 to work and one area for the robot 600 to work are provided, but this is not limiting. Multiple areas of each type may be provided. Alternatively, only one area for the human worker or one area for the robot to work may be provided. Furthermore, although an example in which the robot 600 equipped with a direct mechanism is provided is shown, a robot equipped with a multi-axis arm may also be provided.

[0027] (Example of software configuration of processing device) Figure 4 is a block diagram showing, from the viewpoint of software configuration, an information processing device 10A, which is one type of the information processing device 10 shown in Figure 2. The information processing device 10A basically has the same configuration as the information processing device 10, but has a software configuration in which the processing device 11, which is a processor, realizes various functions described below by reading, for example, programs stored in the storage device 12, which is a memory. In other words, the processing device 11 and the storage device 12 work together to realize various functions.

[0028] Figure 5 shows a state in which the floor of a warehouse (a type of automated warehouse 700) such as that shown in Figure 3 is divided into multiple grids. In the warehouse system 1 according to this embodiment, by operating the information processing device 10A shown in Figure 4, packages (including articles and merchandise) placed in a storage area 41 in such a warehouse 40 are transported to a picking area 42 by an automated guided vehicle 800. Floor surface data corresponding to the floor surface in Figure 5 is stored, for example, in the storage device 12, together with position information of each grid.

[0029] The picking area 42 is an area for picking work, and the storage area 41 is an area other than the picking area 42 in the warehouse 40. The picking work is the work of moving a package from a storage unit (e.g., storage bin 810 in FIG. 3 ) in which the package is stored in the storage area 41 to a storage unit (e.g., shipping bin 820 in FIG. 3 ) that will store one or more packages to be shipped, based on a shipping instruction.

[0030] An abnormality such as a breakdown or malfunction may occur in the automated guided vehicle 800 in the warehouse 40, and in such a situation, smooth shipment of packages may be hindered. The warehouse system 1 according to this embodiment acquires the location where the abnormality occurred in the automated guided vehicle 800 and sets the area around the abnormality location as a no-entry area 44 shown in FIG. 5 . This warehouse system 1 is a system that rearranges packages so that the automated guided vehicle 800 transporting packages to be shipped can smoothly move to the picking area 42 without passing through the no-entry area 44. The picking area 42 is an example of a predetermined area outside the storage area 41. The predetermined area may be an area where a belt conveyor is installed, an area for packaging work, or the like. This warehouse system 1 rearranges packages so that the automated guided vehicle 800 can smoothly move to the predetermined area without passing through the no-entry area 44.

[0031] 4 operates when an abnormality occurs in the automated guided vehicle 800. That is, the warehouse system 1 according to the embodiment includes a sensor information acquisition unit 51, a recovery time prediction unit 52, a luggage placement optimization unit 53, and a luggage movement instruction unit 54, which are realized in the processing device 11 of the information processing device 10A.

[0032] When an abnormality occurs in the automatic guided vehicle 800, the sensor information acquisition unit 51 acquires, from the automatic guided vehicle 800, abnormality occurrence information including position information indicating the location where the abnormality occurred. The sensor information acquisition unit 51 can acquire the position information of the automatic guided vehicle 800, for example, by image recognition of an image of the front of the automatic guided vehicle 800 captured by a camera mounted on the automatic guided vehicle 800, or by a magnetic sensor, optical sensor, or the like. The sensor information acquisition unit 51 can also detect at least one of the type and degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the automatic guided vehicle 800, for example, by image recognition of an image of the surroundings of the automatic guided vehicle 800 captured by a camera. That is, the sensor information acquisition unit 51 can detect at least one of information of the type and degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the automatic guided vehicle 800 as an example of the abnormality occurrence information. As shown in FIG. 5 , the sensor information acquisition unit 51 sets an abnormality occurrence point 43, which is the location where the abnormality occurred, in the floor surface data read out by the processing device 11 from the storage device 12. The sensor information acquisition unit 51 may acquire abnormality occurrence information based on information input by a user of the warehouse 40 via the operation terminal 900, for example.

[0033] The recovery time prediction unit 52 predicts the recovery time required for recovery based on the abnormality occurrence information of the automatic guided vehicle 800. The recovery time prediction unit 52 can predict the recovery time based on, for example, at least one of the type and severity of the abnormality that occurred in the automatic guided vehicle 800, which is included in the abnormality occurrence information. The recovery time prediction unit 52 can predict the recovery time based on, for example, the correspondence between the type or severity of past abnormality occurrence information and the recovery time required for each abnormality occurrence. This makes it possible to accurately predict the recovery time. For example, if the abnormality occurrence time is 12:50, the recovery time prediction unit 52 predicts that the recovery time required for recovery will be 2 hours and 10 minutes based on the abnormality occurrence information, and predicts the expected recovery time to be 15:00.

[0034] The luggage placement optimization unit 53 sets the no-entry area 44, the temporary no-entry area 45 (see FIG. 6), and the priority area 46 (see FIG. 6) shown in FIG. 5 based on abnormality occurrence information of the automatic guided vehicle 800, and also identifies luggage to be shipped. The luggage placement optimization unit 53 includes a first setting unit 55, a second setting unit 56, and an identification unit 57.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first setting unit 55 sets a no-entry area 44 within the storage area 41, into which the automated guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from entering. The temporary no-entry area 45, into which the automated guided vehicle 800 is temporarily permitted to enter, functions as a no-entry area when the automated guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from entering, as described below (see FIGS. 8 and 9 ). That is, the no-entry area 44 is a no-entry area into which the automated guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from entering, and includes the temporary no-entry area 45 into which the automated guided vehicle 800 is temporarily permitted to enter. Note that, as shown in FIG. 6 , the non-shipment schedule area 47 is an area within the storage area 41 that is not set as the picking area 42, the abnormality occurrence point 43, the no-entry area 44, or the temporary no-entry area 45. The non-shipment schedule area 47 is typically used to store packages for which shipping is not a priority, such as packages for which shipping is not scheduled within a certain period of time.

[0036] If the automatic guided vehicle 800 in which an abnormality has occurred is stopped at the abnormality occurrence point 43 and another automatic guided vehicle 800 enters the abnormality occurrence point 43 or its surrounding area, there is a concern that further trouble may be caused. Therefore, the first setting unit 55 sets the area around the abnormality occurrence point 43 as a no-entry area 44 based on the abnormality occurrence point 43 set by the sensor information acquisition unit 51. In Fig. 5, the no-entry area 44 is set so as to surround the abnormality occurrence point 43. The no-entry area 44 remains set until the setting is canceled by the operator, and entry of automatic guided vehicles 800 is prohibited while the no-entry area 44 is set.

[0037] The first setting unit 55 can set the no-entry area 44 by taking into consideration at least either the type or the degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the automated guided vehicle 800. This makes it possible to appropriately set the no-entry area 44. For example, if the automated guided vehicle 800 has stopped due to a dead battery, by setting only the abnormality occurrence point 43 as the no-entry area 44, it is possible to minimize the impact on warehouse operations.

[0038] The temporary no-entry area 45 is set so as to connect from a predetermined position within the storage area 41 to, for example, the no-entry area 44. Unlike the no-entry area 44, the temporary no-entry area 45 is an area where entry of the automatic guided vehicle 800 is temporarily permitted. For example, prior to recovery work, the automatic guided vehicle 800 is permitted to enter the temporary no-entry area 45 while the luggage is being rearranged, and entry of the automatic guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from the start to the end of the recovery work by the worker.

[0039] 6 , the first setting unit 55 can set a route from the entrance into the storage area 41 to the abnormality occurrence point 43 as a temporary no-entry area 45. The first setting unit 55 sets the temporary no-entry area 45 in accordance with the setting of the no-entry area 44, and therefore the temporary no-entry area 45 can be set appropriately in accordance with at least one of the type and degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the automatic guided vehicle 800.

[0040] The entrance into the storage area 41 is an entrance through which workers, automatic guided vehicles 800, etc. can enter the storage area 41. This ensures a route for workers to perform recovery work. The entrance may be set based on user settings. The user can set the entrance on the floor data by operating the operation terminal 900, for example. This makes it possible to set an appropriate entrance according to the user's intention. However, the first setting unit 55 may set the entrance regardless of the user's intention, or the information processing device 10A may ask the user to set the entrance via the operation terminal 900.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6 , the second setting unit 56 sets a priority area 46 based on the abnormality occurrence information of the automated guided vehicle 800. The priority area 46 is an area within the storage area 41 excluding the no-entry areas 44, and is an area that can be moved to the picking area 42 without passing through the no-entry areas 44. In other words, the automated guided vehicle 800 that transports packages can move from the priority area 46 to the picking area without being obstructed by the no-entry areas 44, allowing the packages to be shipped smoothly. In other words, the priority area 46 is an area where packages that are scheduled to be shipped soon and whose shipping work should be prioritized are placed. In other words, the priority area 46 is an area where packages that are scheduled to be shipped within a predetermined time from the time the sensor information acquisition unit 51 acquires the abnormality occurrence information are preferentially placed.

[0042] The parcels moved from the priority area 46 to the picking area 42 are subject to picking work. After the picking work is completed, the automated guided vehicle 800 that transported the shipping bin 820 containing the parcel to the priority area 46 may remain in the priority area 46 or may be moved out of the priority area 46.

[0043] The second setting unit 56 can set the priority area 46 by taking into consideration, for example, at least one of the type and the degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the automatic guided vehicle 800. This makes it possible to appropriately set the priority area 46.

[0044] The identification unit 57 identifies packages scheduled for shipment within a predetermined time from the time the sensor information acquisition unit 51 acquires the abnormality occurrence information. For example, if the recovery time prediction unit 52 predicts a recovery time, the identification unit 57 can identify packages scheduled for shipment within the recovery time based on the predicted recovery time and package shipping schedule information. This allows packages scheduled for shipment within the predicted recovery time to be identified, and the identified packages are moved to the priority area 46, making it possible to continue warehouse operations even while entry into the temporary no-entry area 45 is prohibited. The package shipping schedule information is stored in, for example, the storage device 12, and the identification unit 57 can identify packages scheduled for shipment within the recovery time by referring to the shipping schedule information.

[0045] However, the identifying unit 57 may identify packages that are scheduled to be shipped within a predetermined time (for example, within one hour) from the time when the abnormality occurrence information is acquired, regardless of the recovery time predicted by the recovery time predicting unit 52. For example, the identifying unit 57 may determine the predetermined time based on information that indicates the correspondence between the type and degree of abnormality and the predetermined time, which information is created from a history of past abnormality occurrences, and identify packages that are scheduled to be shipped within the predetermined time. In this case, the recovery time predicting unit 52 itself is not necessary.

[0046] The luggage movement instruction unit 54 issues an instruction to rearrange the luggage identified by the identification unit 57 of the luggage placement optimization unit 53 within the priority area 46 while the automated guided vehicle 800 is permitted to enter the temporary no-entry area 45. The luggage movement instruction unit 54 can rearrange the luggage by referring to, for example, shipping schedule information, storage location information, and product inventory information stored in the storage device 12.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 7 , the first setting unit 55 permits the automated guided vehicle 800 to enter the temporary no-entry area 45 from the time the sensor information acquisition unit 51 acquires the abnormality occurrence information until at least the time the luggage movement instruction unit 54 completes the instruction. A luggage scheduled for immediate shipment and for which shipping should be prioritized is placed within the priority area 46 by the automated guided vehicle 800 along the route indicated by arrow A while the automated guided vehicle 800 is permitted to enter the temporary no-entry area 45. On the other hand, a luggage that was originally placed in the priority area 46 but is not scheduled for immediate shipment and does not require urgent shipping is placed outside the priority area 46 by the automated guided vehicle 800 along the route indicated by arrow B. The luggage rearrangement is performed in this manner. The luggage rearrangement may include placing the luggage identified by the identification unit 57 within the priority area 46, as indicated by arrow A. It is not necessary to place the luggage outside the priority area 46 (in the non-shipment-scheduled area 47) (see arrow B), for example, when there is room in the priority area 46.

[0048] After the rearrangement of the luggage is completed, that is, after the luggage has been moved in accordance with the instruction of the luggage movement instruction unit 54, the first setting unit 55 sets the temporary no-entry area 45 to a state in which entry of the automated guided vehicle 800 is prohibited, as shown in Fig. 8, in other words, sets it to the no-entry area 44. The worker can enter the no-entry area 44 and perform recovery work.

[0049] As a result, the luggage can be rearranged until the instruction by the luggage movement instruction unit 54 is completed, but after the rearrangement is completed, the automatic guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from entering the temporary no-entry area 45 (the state set as the no-entry area 44). Therefore, after the movement (rearrangement) of the luggage scheduled for shipment from the priority area 46 to the picking area 42 is completed, the worker can start recovery work.

[0050] Furthermore, when a shipping instruction for a new package is received, the first setting unit 55 temporarily lifts the prohibition on the automatic guided vehicle 800 from entering the temporary no-entry area 45 in response to the shipping instruction. Then, the package movement instruction unit 54 instructs the automatic guided vehicle 800 to relocate the new package within the priority area 46. Furthermore, in response to the shipping instruction for the new package, a detour route along arrow C in FIG. 11 may be set. This makes it possible to respond to urgent shipment of the package even after entry into the temporary no-entry area 45 has been prohibited.

[0051] According to the warehouse system 1 of this embodiment, the package is placed in the priority area 46 while the automated guided vehicle 800 is permitted to enter the temporary no-entry area 45. By rearranging the package in this manner, even if the automated guided vehicle 800 is prohibited from entering the temporary no-entry area 45, the package can be moved from the priority area 46 to the picking area 42. This makes it possible to continue warehouse work on packages scheduled for shipment within a specified time. This makes it possible to continue warehouse work even while recovery work is being carried out after an abnormality occurs in the automated guided vehicle 800.

[0052] The warehouse system 1 may include a presentation unit that presents the no-entry area 44 to a worker when the no-entry area 44 is set. FIG. 9 shows an operating state of a lighting device 950 (see FIG. 4 ), which is an example of such a presentation unit. The lighting device 950 is installed, for example, on the ceiling of the storage area 41. The processing device 11 transmits a setting signal for the no-entry area 44 to the lighting device 950 via the external interface 16, and when the lighting device 950 receives this setting signal, it displays a blinking display or the like along the no-entry area 44. The worker can easily identify the no-entry area 44 by looking at the blinking display or the like of the lighting device 950.

[0053] 10 shows an operating state of a display 910 of an operation terminal 900, which is another example of a presentation unit. The operation terminal 900 transmits a setting signal for the no-entry area 44 to the lighting device 950 via the external interface 16, and when the lighting device 950 receives this setting signal, the display 910 displays the no-entry area 44. By looking at the display 910, the worker can easily understand the no-entry area 44.

[0054] Upon receiving the notification of the completion of the work, the first setting unit 55 may cancel the setting of the no-entry area 44. This allows for a smooth return to normal warehouse work after the work is completed. After the recovery work is completed and safety is confirmed, the worker can send a notification of the completion of the work to the information processing device 10A by operating a work completion button displayed on the operation terminal 900, for example.

[0055] 11, when the first setting unit 55 receives the notification that the recovery work is complete, the first setting unit 55 may cancel the no-entry setting for at least a part of the no-entry area 44, that is, the part that has been set from the temporary no-entry area 45 to the no-entry area 44 in FIG. 10. This ensures a route indicated by arrow A similar to that for packages that should be prioritized for shipping work, and allows for a return to normal warehouse work.

[0056] 12 is a flowchart showing the procedure for rearranging luggage. First, the sensor information acquisition unit 51 acquires abnormality occurrence information, including the abnormality occurrence point 43, from the automatic guided vehicle 800 (step S1). As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first setting unit 55 sets the no-entry area 44 and the temporary no-entry area 45 based on the abnormality occurrence information (step S2).

[0057] The luggage movement instruction unit 54 cancels the transportation of the luggage to the no-entry area 44, and the automated guided vehicle 800 places the luggage in another storage area other than the no-entry area 44 (for example, the non-shipment scheduled area 47) (step S3). Also, in step S3, the luggage movement instruction unit 54 reallocates the luggage that was scheduled to be stored in the no-entry area 44 to another storage location. Furthermore, for example, if the automated guided vehicle 800 in which the abnormality occurred is carrying a bin containing a specific product as luggage scheduled for shipping, the bin itself cannot be transported, so for example, an empty shipping bin can be reallocated and the work of storing the same specific product can be started again.

[0058] The recovery time prediction unit 52 predicts the recovery time required for recovery based on the abnormality occurrence information (step S4). The identification unit 57 identifies packages that are scheduled to be shipped within a predetermined time from the time when the abnormality occurrence information is acquired (step S5).

[0059] As shown in Fig. 6, the second setting unit 56 sets the priority area 46 (step S6). Based on the rearrangement instruction from the luggage movement instruction unit 54, the automated guided vehicle 800 rearranges the luggage as shown in Fig. 7, arranging luggage scheduled for shipping in the priority area 46 and luggage not scheduled for shipping outside the priority area 46 (for example, in the non-shipment scheduled area 47) (step S7).

[0060] 8, the first setting unit 55 sets the temporary no-entry area 45 in the no-entry area 44, thereby enabling the worker to carry out the recovery work (step S8). Upon receiving a notification of the completion of the recovery work, for example, input by the user, the first setting unit 55 cancels the no-entry setting of at least a part of the no-entry area 44 (the temporary no-entry area 45), as shown in FIG. 11 (step S9).

[0061] In addition, the present disclosure also applies to programs and storage media that realize the functions of the devices of the above-mentioned embodiments, which are supplied to the device via a network or various storage media and read and executed by a computer within the device.

[0062] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents may be made within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] In the above embodiment, a temporary no-entry area 45 is set, but the setting of the temporary no-entry area 45 is not essential. For example, if the no-entry area 44 is set at the end of the storage area 41 or in an area far away from the picking area 42, the impact on transportation is extremely small even without setting up the temporary no-entry area 45, and warehouse work can continue. Also, the temporary no-entry area 45 in the above embodiment may be set as the no-entry area 44 from the beginning. In this case, taking the detour route along arrow C in FIG. 11 reduces the efficiency of reallocation, but it is possible to reallocate to the priority area 46.

[0064] (Note) The above description of the embodiment discloses the following technology. Note that the parentheses indicate corresponding components in the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0065] (Technology 1) A warehouse system (1) that transports luggage placed in a storage area (41) by a transport vehicle (automated transport vehicle 800) to a predetermined area (picking area 42) outside the storage area, the warehouse system (1) comprising: an acquisition unit (sensor information acquisition unit 51) that acquires abnormality occurrence information including position information indicating a location (abnormality occurrence location 43) where an abnormality has occurred in the transport vehicle; a first setting unit (55) that sets, within the storage area, a no-entry area (44) where entry of the transport vehicle is prohibited, based on the abnormality occurrence information; a second setting unit (56) that sets, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area (46) in the storage area that is different from the no-entry area, and through which the transport vehicle can move to the predetermined area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification unit (57) that identifies luggage that is scheduled to be shipped within a predetermined time from the time when the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction unit (luggage movement instruction unit 54) that instructs the identified luggage to be relocated within the priority area.

[0066] With this configuration, by placing the package in the priority area, the package can be moved from the priority area to the specified area. This allows warehouse work to continue for packages scheduled for shipping within a specified time. Therefore, after an abnormality occurs in a transport vehicle, warehouse work can be continued while recovery work is being carried out.

[0067] (Technology 2) The warehouse system described in Technology 1, wherein the first setting unit sets a temporary no-entry area (45) in at least a part of the no-entry area, where entry of the transport vehicle is temporarily permitted, and the instruction unit instructs the luggage identified by the identification unit to be relocated within the priority area while entry of the transport vehicle into the temporary no-entry area is permitted.

[0068] With this configuration, while the transport vehicle is permitted to enter the temporary no-entry area, the package is placed in the priority area, so that even if the transport vehicle is prohibited from entering the temporary no-entry area, the package can be moved from the priority area to the picking area. This makes it possible to continue warehouse work on packages scheduled for shipment within a specified time. Therefore, after an abnormality occurs in the transport vehicle, warehouse work can be continued while recovery work is being carried out.

[0069] (Technology 3) The warehouse system according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, further comprising a prediction unit (recovery time prediction unit 52) ​​that predicts a recovery time required for recovery based on the abnormality occurrence information, and the identification unit identifies the parcels that are scheduled to be shipped within the recovery time based on the recovery time and shipping schedule information of the parcels.

[0070] This configuration allows shipments to be identified within the predicted recovery time, allowing warehouse operations to continue.

[0071] (Technology 4) The warehouse system according to Technology 3, wherein the prediction unit predicts the recovery time according to at least one of the type and the degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the transport vehicle.

[0072] This configuration makes it possible to accurately predict the recovery time.

[0073] (Technology 5) The warehouse system according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 4, wherein the first setting unit sets the no-entry area taking into consideration at least one of the type and the degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the transport vehicle.

[0074] This configuration makes it possible to appropriately set no-entry areas.

[0075] (Technology 6) The warehouse system according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 5, wherein the first setting unit sets a route from an entrance into the storage area to the point where an abnormality has occurred in the transport vehicle as the temporary no-entry area.

[0076] This configuration ensures that a route is available for workers to carry out recovery work.

[0077] (Technology 7) The warehouse system according to Technology 6, wherein the entrance is determined based on user settings.

[0078] This configuration makes it possible to set an appropriate entrance based on the user's wishes.

[0079] (Technology 8) The warehouse system described in Technology 2, wherein the first setting unit permits entry into the temporary no-entry area from the time when the acquisition unit acquires the abnormality occurrence information until the instruction by the instruction unit is completed, and prohibits entry into the temporary no-entry area after the rearrangement of the luggage is completed.

[0080] With this configuration, it is possible to rearrange cargo until the instruction from the instruction unit is completed, but after the rearrangement is complete, entry into the temporary no-entry area is prohibited, so that cargo scheduled for shipment can be rearranged, and after this rearrangement is complete, recovery work can begin.

[0081] (Technology 9) The warehouse system according to Technology 8, wherein the first setting unit lifts the prohibition on entry to the temporary no-entry area in response to a shipping instruction for a new package, and the instruction unit instructs the new package to be relocated within the priority area.

[0082] This configuration allows for emergency shipment of packages even after entry into the temporary no-entry area has been prohibited.

[0083] (Technology 10) The warehouse system according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 9, further comprising a presentation unit (lighting device 950, display 910) that presents the no-entry area to a worker.

[0084] This configuration allows workers to easily identify no-entry areas.

[0085] (Technology 11) The warehouse system according to Technology 10, wherein the presentation unit is a lighting device installed in the storage area.

[0086] With this configuration, workers can easily identify no-entry areas by looking at the lighting device.

[0087] (Technology 12) The warehouse system according to Technology 10, wherein the presentation unit is a display of an operation terminal that can be operated by a worker.

[0088] With this configuration, workers can easily identify no-entry areas by looking at the display on the operation terminal.

[0089] (Technology 13) The warehouse system according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 12, wherein the first setting unit cancels the setting of the no-entry area upon receiving a notification of completion of the work.

[0090] This configuration allows for a smooth return to normal warehouse operations after work is completed.

[0091] (Technology 14) A method for rearranging luggage, in which a processor (processing device 11) and a memory (storage device 12) work together to perform the following steps: an acquisition step for acquiring abnormality occurrence information including location information indicating a location where an abnormality has occurred in a transport vehicle that transports luggage placed in a storage area to a specified area outside the storage area; a first setting step for setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a no-entry area within the storage area where entry of the transport vehicle is prohibited; a second setting step for setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area within the storage area that is different from the no-entry area, and through which the transport vehicle can move to the specified area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification step for identifying luggage that is scheduled to be shipped within a specified time from the time the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction step for instructing the identified luggage to be rearranged within the priority area.

[0092] This configuration allows packages to be placed in the priority area, allowing them to be moved from the priority area to the picking area. This allows warehouse work to continue for packages scheduled for shipping within a specified time. Therefore, after a transport vehicle malfunction occurs, warehouse work can continue while recovery work is being carried out.

[0093] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents may be made within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the various embodiments described above may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0094] The present disclosure is useful as a warehouse system and a method for rearranging cargo within a warehouse.

[0095] 1 Warehouse system 10 Information processing device 10A Information processing device 11 Processing device (processor) 12 Storage device (memory) 13 Communication device 14 Input device 15 Image acquisition unit 16 External interface 17 Display device 18 Internal interface 20 External system 30 Camera 35 Network 40 Warehouse 41 Storage area 42 Picking area 43 Abnormality occurrence point 44 No entry area 45 Temporary no entry area 46 Priority area 51 Sensor information acquisition unit 52 Recovery time prediction unit 53 Baggage placement optimization unit 54 Baggage movement instruction unit 55 First setting unit 56 Second setting unit 57 Identification unit 100 Warehouse management system 200 Warehouse operation management system 300, 400, 500 Warehouse control system 600 Robot 700 Automated warehouse 800 Automated guided vehicle (guide vehicle) 900 Operation terminal 910 Display 950 Lighting device

Claims

1. A warehouse system in which cargo placed in a storage area is transported by a transport vehicle to a specified area outside the storage area, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires abnormality occurrence information including location information indicating the point where an abnormality has occurred in the transport vehicle; a first setting unit that sets, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a no-entry area within the storage area where the transport vehicle is prohibited from entering; a second setting unit that sets, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area within the storage area that is different from the no-entry area and through which the transport vehicle can move to the specified area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification unit that identifies cargo that is scheduled to be shipped within a specified time from the time the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction unit that instructs the identified cargo to be relocated within the priority area.

2. The warehouse system described in claim 1, wherein the first setting unit sets a temporary no-entry area in at least a part of the no-entry area, where entry of the transport vehicle is temporarily permitted, and the instruction unit instructs the cargo identified by the identification unit to be relocated within the priority area while entry of the transport vehicle into the temporary no-entry area is permitted.

3. The warehouse system of claim 1, further comprising a prediction unit that predicts the recovery time required for recovery based on the abnormality occurrence information, and the identification unit that identifies the parcels that are scheduled to be shipped within the recovery time based on the recovery time and the parcel shipping schedule information.

4. The warehouse system according to claim 3, wherein the prediction unit predicts the recovery time according to at least one of the type and the degree of the abnormality that has occurred in the transport vehicle.

5. The warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the first setting unit sets the no-entry area taking into account at least one of the type and severity of the abnormality that has occurred in the transport vehicle.

6. The warehouse system according to claim 2, wherein the first setting unit sets the route from the entrance into the storage area to the point where an abnormality has occurred in the transport vehicle as the temporary no-entry area.

7. The warehouse system according to claim 6, wherein the entrance is determined based on a user setting.

8. The warehouse system of claim 2, wherein the first setting unit permits entry into the temporary no-entry area from the time the acquisition unit acquires the abnormality occurrence information until the instruction by the instruction unit is completed, and prohibits entry into the temporary no-entry area after the rearrangement of the luggage is completed.

9. The warehouse system described in claim 8, wherein the first setting unit lifts the prohibition on entry to the temporary no-entry area in response to a shipping instruction for a new package, and the instruction unit instructs the new package to be relocated within the priority area.

10. The warehouse system according to claim 1, further comprising a presentation unit that presents the no-entry area to a worker.

11. The warehouse system according to claim 10, wherein the display unit is a lighting device installed in the storage area.

12. The warehouse system according to claim 10, wherein the presentation unit is a display of an operation terminal that can be operated by a worker.

13. The warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the first setting unit cancels the setting of the no-entry area upon receiving a notification that the work has been completed.

14. A method for rearranging luggage, in which a processor and a memory work together to execute the following steps: an acquisition step for acquiring abnormality occurrence information including location information indicating a location where an abnormality has occurred in a transport vehicle that transports luggage placed in a storage area to a specified area outside the storage area; a first setting step for setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a no-entry area within the storage area where entry of the transport vehicle is prohibited; a second setting step for setting, based on the abnormality occurrence information, a priority area within the storage area that is different from the no-entry area and through which the transport vehicle can reach the specified area without passing through the no-entry area; an identification step for identifying luggage that is scheduled to be shipped within a specified time from the time the abnormality occurrence information is acquired; and an instruction step for instructing the identified luggage to be rearranged within the priority area.

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