Container handling method and apparatus, and warehousing system

Abstract

A container handling method and apparatus (1100), and a warehousing system (100). The warehousing system (100) comprises an inventory area (10), a control apparatus (110), first handling devices (120), second handling devices (130), and workstations (140). When each first handling device (120) completes a picking task at a corresponding workstation (140), in response to a return-to-warehouse instruction, on the basis of the position of the first handling device (120), the control apparatus (110) plans a pre-movement path for the first handling device (120); the control apparatus (110) controls the first handling device (120) to move along the pre-movement path, and during the movement of the first handling device (120) along the pre-movement path, determines a target return-to-warehouse path corresponding to the first handling device (120) returning from the workstation (140) to the inventory area (10); and the control apparatus (110) controls the first handling device (120) to return to the inventory area (10) along the target return-to-warehouse path.

Description

Container handling methods, apparatus and warehousing systems

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410674823.6, filed on May 28, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of warehousing and logistics technology, and in particular to a container handling method, apparatus and warehousing system. Background Technology

[0003] In existing warehousing systems, handling robots can move between the inventory area and workstations, transporting boxes from the inventory area to the workstation to complete outbound tasks; alternatively, handling robots can also transport boxes from the workstation to the inventory area to complete inbound tasks (also known as receiving tasks). Typically, when a handling robot completes a picking task at a workstation, a control device (e.g., a robot management system) can plan a return path for the handling robot, which then returns to the inventory area based on the return path sent by the control device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a container handling method, apparatus, and warehousing system.

[0005] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a container handling method, the method comprising: when a first handling device completes a picking task at a workstation, a control device responds to a return-to-warehouse command and plans a pre-movement path for the first handling device based on the position of the first handling device; the control device controls the first handling device to travel along the pre-movement path, and during the process of the first handling device traveling along the pre-movement path, determines a target return-to-warehouse path corresponding to the first handling device returning from the workstation to the inventory area; and the control device controls the first handling device to return to the inventory area according to the target return-to-warehouse path.

[0006] In some embodiments, the control device, in response to a return-to-warehouse command, plans a pre-movement path for the first handling device based on its location, including: the business task layer of the control device sending the return-to-warehouse command to the robot task layer of the control device in response to the return-to-warehouse command; the robot task layer receiving and responding to the return-to-warehouse command, determining a pre-movement task for the first handling device based on its location, and sending the pre-movement task to the robot control layer of the control device; and the robot control layer receiving the pre-movement task and planning a pre-movement path for the first handling device based on the pre-movement task.

[0007] In some embodiments, during the process that the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target return-to-stock path for the first handling device to return from the work station to the stock area, including: during the process that the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path, a robot task layer of the control device determines a return-to-stock task of the first handling device; the robot task layer sends the return-to-stock task to a robot control layer of the control device; the robot control layer receives the return-to-stock task and determines the target return-to-stock path based on the return-to-stock task.

[0008] In some embodiments, the pre-moving path includes a path that moves a preset number of unit cells in a preset direction with the position of the first handling device as a starting point.

[0009] In some embodiments, during the process that the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target return-to-stock path for the first handling device to return from the work station to the stock area, including: during the process that the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target storage location in the stock area; the target storage location is used to store a target container carried by the first handling device; and the control device determines the target return-to-stock path for the first handling device to travel from the work station to the target storage location based on the target storage location.

[0010] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target storage location in the stock area, including: the control device determines a storage location vacancy rate of each aisle in a plurality of aisles of the stock area and / or a distance between the first handling device and each aisle; the control device determines a target aisle in the plurality of aisles based on the storage location vacancy rate of each aisle and / or the distance between the first handling device and each aisle; and the control device determines the target storage location in the target aisle.

[0011] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target aisle in the plurality of aisles based on the storage location vacancy rate of each aisle and / or the distance between the first handling device and each aisle, including: in a case that the aisle with the largest storage location vacancy rate is one, the control device determines the aisle with the largest storage location vacancy rate as the target aisle; and in a case that the aisles with the largest storage location vacancy rate are multiple, the control device determines the aisle closest to the first handling device among the aisles with the largest storage location vacancy rate as the target aisle.

[0012] In some embodiments, the target aisle includes multiple columns of storage locations, each column of storage locations including at least one buffer location and multiple storage locations; the control device determines the target buffer location in the target aisle by determining, for each idle buffer location in the target aisle, an occupancy rate of the storage locations in the target column of storage locations in which the idle buffer location is located, and / or a distance between the idle buffer location and the first handling device; and determining the target buffer location from the idle buffer locations based on the occupancy rate of the storage locations in the target column of storage locations in which each idle buffer location is located, and / or the distance between the idle buffer location and the first handling device.

[0013] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target buffer location from the idle buffer locations based on the occupancy rate of the storage locations in the target column of storage locations in which each idle buffer location is located, and / or the distance between the idle buffer location and the first handling device, by: in a case where there is only one target column of storage locations with the highest occupancy rate of storage locations, determining the idle buffer location corresponding to the target column of storage locations as the target buffer location; and in a case where there are multiple target columns of storage locations with the highest occupancy rate of storage locations, determining the idle buffer location closest to the first handling device from the multiple idle buffer locations corresponding to the multiple target columns of storage locations as the target buffer location.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target return path for the first handling device to travel from the work station to the target buffer location based on the target buffer location, by: determining at least one return path based on the position of the first handling device and the target buffer location; determining a path length and a congestion level of each return path; and determining the target return path as the return path with the shortest path length and the lowest congestion level from the at least one return path.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further includes: during the travel of the first handling device along the pre-moving path, determining a target storage location based on the target buffer location; and wherein the target storage location is used to store the target container carried by the first handling device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target storage location based on the target buffer location, including: in a case where there is an idle storage location in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, and the number of idle storage locations is one, the control device determines the idle storage location as the target storage location; in a case where there are multiple idle storage locations in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, the control device determines the idle storage location closest to the target buffer location as the target storage location.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control device determines the target storage location based on the target buffer location, including: in a case where there is no idle storage location in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, the control device determines any idle storage location closest to the target buffer location in other storage columns as the target storage location.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes: in a case where the first conveying device conveys the target container to the target buffer location, the control device plans a conveying path for a second conveying device based on the target buffer location and the target storage location; and the control device controls the second conveying device to travel to a corresponding position of the target buffer location according to the conveying path, so as to convey the target container from the target buffer location to the target storage location.

[0019] In some embodiments, the starting point of the target storage area return path is a first position of the first conveying device when the first conveying device completes the picking task at the workstation, or the starting point of the target storage area return path is a second position of the first conveying device after the first conveying device travels according to the pre-moving path; wherein, in a case where the starting point of the target storage area return path is the first position, the target storage area return path includes the pre-moving path; and in a case where the starting point of the target storage area return path is the second position, the target storage area return path does not include the pre-moving path.

[0020] The second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a container conveying device, including: a pre-moving path planning module configured to, in a case where a first conveying device completes a picking task at a workstation, a control device plans a pre-moving path for the first conveying device based on a position of the first conveying device in response to a storage area return instruction; a storage area return path determination module configured to, in a case where the first conveying device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target storage area return path of the first conveying device from the workstation to a storage area; and a control module configured to, in a case where the first conveying device travels according to the target storage area return path, the control device controls the first conveying device to return to the storage area.

[0021] The third aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a warehouse system, comprising: a control device configured to, in a case that a first handling device completes a picking task at a workstation, in response to a return-to-storage instruction, plan a pre-moving path for the first handling device based on a position of the first handling device; generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path; in a process that the first handling device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to a storage area to which the first handling device returns from the workstation; generate a return-to-storage instruction based on the target return-to-storage path; and the first handling device is configured to travel along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, and return to the storage area along the target return-to-storage path based on the return-to-storage instruction.

[0022] In some embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises a second handling device; and the control device is further configured to: in a process that the first handling device travels along the pre-moving path, determine a target storage location based on a target buffer location; wherein the target buffer location is used to buffer a target container carried by the first handling device, and the target storage location is used to store the target container carried by the first handling device; in a case that the first handling device carries the target container to the target buffer location, plan a carrying path for the second handling device based on the target buffer location and the target storage location; generate a carrying instruction based on the carrying path; and the second handling device is configured to travel to a position corresponding to the target buffer location along the carrying path based on the carrying instruction, so as to carry the target container from the target buffer location to the target storage location.

[0023] The fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an electronic device, comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory is used to store computer executable instructions; the processor is used to read the instructions from the memory and execute the instructions to implement the container handling method of the first aspect.

[0024] The fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a computer readable storage medium, the storage medium stores computer program instructions, when a computer reads the instructions, the container handling method of the first aspect is executed.

[0025] The sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a computer program product, the computer program product comprises a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program comprises program instructions, when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer executes the container handling method of the first aspect.

[0026] The seventh aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the container carrying method of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiments will be briefly introduced as follows. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a warehouse system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first carrying device and a second carrying device in a storage area according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a container carrying method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of another container carrying method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a control device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a container carrying method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a first carrying device returning to a storage area according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of another container carrying method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of determining a target buffer position according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another container carrying method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0038] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a container carrying device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of another warehouse system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application by those skilled in the art, and to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more apparent and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0042] In the warehouse system, after the handling device completes the picking task at the workstation, it needs to carry the container (such as a bin or a box) that has completed picking at the workstation to the inventory area. Therefore, the control device (for example, a robot management system (RMS)) can plan a return-to-inventory path for the handling device from the workstation to the inventory area, so that the handling device carries the container to the inventory area according to the return-to-inventory path. However, because the distance from the workstation to the inventory area is relatively long and the road condition is relatively complex, the control device usually takes a long time to plan the return-to-inventory path for the handling device, which causes the handling device to wait for a period of time at the workstation before receiving the return-to-inventory path sent by the control device and returning to the inventory area according to the return-to-inventory path, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of the handling device in performing the return-to-inventory task. Moreover, in the case where other handling devices are waiting behind the handling device to enter the workstation, if the handling device leaves the workstation slowly, it will affect the entry of the other handling devices into the workstation, thereby reducing the overall work efficiency of the warehouse system.

[0043] Based on the above technical problem, the present disclosure provides a container handling method, device and warehouse system, which can plan a pre-moving path for a first handling device when the first handling device completes a picking task at a workstation and prepares to leave the workstation, and control the first handling device to travel according to the pre-moving path first, thereby ensuring that the first handling device can quickly leave the workstation after completing the picking task and shortening the waiting time of the first handling device at the workstation. In addition, the quick departure of the first handling device enables other handling devices queuing behind the first handling device to reach the workstation faster, thereby improving the work efficiency of the warehouse system.

[0044] Moreover, during the travel of the first handling device according to the pre-moving path, the return-to-inventory path can be planned for the first handling device at the same time, so that the first handling device continues to travel according to the target return-to-inventory path to the inventory area after receiving the target return-to-inventory path, thereby eliminating the need to wait for the completion of the return-to-inventory path planning before leaving the workstation, and improving the efficiency of the handling device in returning to the inventory area from the workstation.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a warehouse system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the warehouse system 100 includes an inventory area 10, a control device 110, a plurality of first handling devices 120, a plurality of second handling devices 130 and at least one workstation 140. It should be noted that FIG. 1 shows a top view of the inventory area 10.

[0046] In some examples, the first handling device 120, the second handling device 130, and the work station 140 can communicate with the control device 110 through a network, respectively. The control device 110 can include a server or a terminal. The terminal can include at least one of a personal computer, a notebook computer, a smart phone, a tablet computer, and a portable wearable device; and the server can include a stand-alone server or a server cluster composed of multiple servers. For example, the control device 110 can be a robot management system (RMS), and the type of the control device 110 is not limited in the embodiments.

[0047] In some embodiments, the inventory area 10 includes multiple carriers 11, which can be placed in a preset arrangement. For example, the multiple carriers 11 can be arranged in a single-column multi-row manner. The passage formed between two adjacent carriers 11 can be referred to as a lane.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a first handling device and a second handling device in an inventory area according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, each carrier 11 in the inventory area 10 is provided with a buffer area 12 and a storage area 13. The buffer area 12 is located at the bottom layer of the carrier, and the storage area 13 is located at the upper layer of the carrier, i.e., the storage area 13 is located above the buffer area 12.

[0049] For example, each carrier 11 can include multiple layers of crossbeams, and each layer of crossbeams can be provided with multiple storage locations. According to the number of layers of crossbeams, each carrier 11 is divided into two parts in the vertical direction; the upper part is referred to as the storage area 13, and the lower part is referred to as the buffer area 12. The number of layers of crossbeams occupied by the buffer area 12 can be less than the number of layers of crossbeams occupied by the storage area 13.

[0050] For example, the bottom layer of the crossbeams of the carrier 11 can be determined as the buffer area 12. For example, the carrier 11 in FIG. 2 is a carrier with 6 columns and 5 layers. The buffer area 12 of the carrier 11 is the bottom layer of the carrier 11, and the storage area 13 of the carrier 11 is the upper layer of the carrier 11, i.e., the storage area 13 of the carrier 11 is located above the buffer area 12. In the following embodiments, the bottom layer of the carrier is taken as the first layer of the carrier, and the number of layers increases sequentially from the bottom layer of the carrier to the upper layer of the carrier (all the layers above the bottom layer of the carrier can be referred to as the upper layer).

[0051] In some embodiments, with continued reference to FIG. 2, the buffer area 12 and the storage area 13 of the carrier 11 can each be provided with a plurality of locations for placing the containers 14 for storing the items. The locations in the buffer area 12 can be referred to as buffer locations 15, and the locations in the storage area 13 can be referred to as storage locations 16. For example, in the carrier 11 shown in FIG. 2, the buffer area 12 includes 6 buffer locations 15, and the storage area 13 includes 24 storage locations 16.

[0052] Exemplarily, each of the buffer locations 15 and each of the storage locations 16 can or can not have a container placed therein. A buffer location 15 having a container placed therein can be referred to as a non-idle buffer location 15, and a buffer location 15 not having a container placed therein can be referred to as an idle buffer location 15. A storage location 16 having a container placed therein can be referred to as a non-idle storage location 16, and a storage location 16 not having a container placed therein can be referred to as an idle storage location 16.

[0053] In some embodiments, with continued reference to FIG. 2, the first handling device 120 can be a handling robot that can pick and place containers on the bottom layer buffer area 12 of the carrier 11. The first handling device 120 can move within the inventory area 10, or between the inventory area 10 and the work station 140.

[0054] Exemplarily, the first handling device 120 can handle containers in the work station 140 to the bottom layer buffer area 12 in the inventory area 10, or handle containers placed in the bottom layer buffer area 12 to the work station 140.

[0055] In some examples, the first handling device 120 includes a carrying mechanism and a lifting mechanism (also referred to as a jacking mechanism), and the carrying mechanism includes at least a carrying surface for carrying objects such as containers, files, items, etc. The carrying surface can be a planar structure or composed of a plurality of spaced structures. The containers include pallets, boxes, file bags, sacks, or bags, etc., and the boxes can be wooden boxes, paper boxes, or plastic boxes, etc.

[0056] The bearing mechanism can be provided with a limiting part for limiting the transport object placed on the bearing surface. The limiting part can be provided on the bearing surface or not provided on the bearing surface, and the shape of the limiting part is various. Among them, the limiting part can include a protrusion or a concave structure on the bearing surface; or the limiting part can include a columnar structure or a plate-shaped structure at a preset angle with the bearing surface, for example, the limiting part includes plate-shaped structures or columnar structures arranged at intervals on the bearing surface, which can be comb-shaped or other shapes; or the limiting part can include a layered structure covered on the bearing surface, and the limiting part can be used to increase the friction between the bearing surface and the transport object to prevent the transport object from falling during transportation. Taking the comb structure as an example, the bearing mechanism includes a bottom plate and a limiting part; the limiting part includes a support layer for bearing the object, and the support layer includes a plurality of protruding pieces arranged on the first side of the bottom plate and protruding from the first side of the bottom plate in the height direction, and the plurality of protruding pieces are arranged at intervals in the first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the height direction.

[0057] The first conveying device 120 can drive to the bottom of the container, lift the container through the lifting mechanism to convey the container, or convey the container completed by the workstation to the target buffer position, and place the container on the target buffer position through the lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism can be a linkage structure, a slide rail structure, etc.; when the lifting mechanism is a linkage structure, the lifting mechanism can be a scissor fork or other shape; the number of links can be adjusted according to actual needs; the driving part of the lifting mechanism can be arranged on the lifting mechanism, the bearing mechanism or the motion mechanism; the driving part can be a motor or a hydraulic cylinder, etc.

[0058] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to FIG. 2, the second conveying device 130 can be a box robot, which can move in the inventory area 10. The second conveying device 130 is provided with a container taking and placing device 17, which can move up and down in the vertical direction and take and place the container 14 placed on the carrier 11 through a telescopic fork, a suction cup, a clamping fork, a hook claw structure, a mechanical arm, etc.

[0059] When the container taking and placing device 17 takes and places the container through the suction cup, the action force position of the suction cup and the container is not limited to the middle line position of the side of the container, and the action force position can be adjusted according to the center of gravity of the container / goods; when the container taking and placing device 17 takes and places the container through the hook claw, the hook claw can hook the edge of the side of the container, the top edge, the bottom edge, the protrusion or handle on the container, etc., and can also hook the groove, protrusion or handle on the bottom surface of the container, etc.; when the container taking and placing device 17 takes and places the container through the clamping fork, the clamping fork can clamp the container from both sides, or can take the container from below or hook the container from above.

[0060] Exemplarily, the second carrying device 130 can carry the container 14 located in the bottom layer buffer area 12 to the upper layer storage area 13 and carry the container 14 located in the upper layer storage area 13 to the bottom layer buffer area 12 through horizontal movement and movement of the container taking and placing device 17 in the vertical direction.

[0061] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the container can be put back and taken out by mutual cooperation between the first carrying device 120 and the second carrying device 130. For example, the first carrying device 120 can carry the container in the workstation 140 to the idle buffer site 15 in the bottom layer buffer area 12; the second carrying device 130 can take out the container in the buffer site 15 through the container taking and placing device 17, and carry the container to the idle storage site 16 in the upper layer storage area 13 through horizontal movement of the second carrying device 130 and / or movement of the container taking and placing device 17 in the vertical direction, so as to put the container back.

[0062] For another example, the second carrying device 130 can take out the container in the upper layer storage area 13 through the container taking and placing device 17, and carry the container to the idle buffer site 15 in the bottom layer buffer area 12 through horizontal movement of the second carrying device 130 and / or movement of the container taking and placing device 17 in the vertical direction; the first carrying device 120 can carry the container in the buffer site 15 to the workstation 140, so as to take the container out.

[0063] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, when the first carrying device 120 completes the picking task at the workstation 140, the control device 110 can plan a pre-moving path for the first carrying device 120 based on the position of the first carrying device 120 in response to the put-back instruction. After determining the pre-moving path, the control device 110 controls the first carrying device 120 to travel according to the pre-moving path; and during the process that the first carrying device 120 travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device 110 determines a target put-back path of the first carrying device 120 from the workstation 140 to the corresponding storage area 10. After determining the target put-back path, the control device 110 controls the first carrying device 120 to return to the storage area 10 according to the target put-back path, so as to put the container back. The present disclosure can shorten the waiting time of the first carrying device at the workstation by planning a pre-moving path for the first carrying device and controlling the first carrying device to travel according to the pre-moving path when the first carrying device completes the picking task, and ensure that the first carrying device can quickly leave the workstation after completing the picking task at the workstation.

[0064] The container carrying method provided by the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a container handling method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The container handling method shown in FIG. 3 can be implemented by the control device 110 in the warehouse system 100 according to the above embodiments. As shown in FIG. 3, the container handling method can include the following steps 310-330.

[0066] At step 310, in a case where the first handling device completes the picking task at the workstation, the control device, in response to the return instruction, plans a pre-moving path for the first handling device based on the position of the first handling device.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first handling device can perform the picking task at the workstation to pick out the order-matched goods in the target container. After the first handling device completes the picking task at the workstation, the control device can plan a return path for the first handling device and control the first handling device to carry the target container to the inventory area according to the return path to return the target container to the inventory area. In order to shorten the waiting time of the first handling device at the workstation and ensure that the first handling device can quickly leave the workstation after completing the picking task, the control device can first plan a pre-moving path for the first handling device and control the first handling device to travel according to the pre-moving path.

[0068] For example, the pre-moving path can be a relatively short distance, so that the control device can quickly plan the pre-moving path and control the first handling device to travel a distance according to the pre-moving path to shorten the waiting time of the first handling device at the workstation. Moreover, the control device can complete the planning of the return path during the travel of the first handling device according to the pre-moving path, so as to control the first handling device to continue to travel according to the return path to the inventory area after the travel of the first handling device according to the pre-moving path is completed.

[0069] In some examples, the pre-moving path includes a path corresponding to a preset number of unit cells in a preset direction, starting from a position (i.e., a first position) where the first handling device is located when completing the picking task at the workstation. The preset direction is a pre-set direction of movement of the first handling device when leaving the workstation. For example, the direction of movement of the first handling device when leaving the workstation is set to be leftward movement or rightward movement, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Since each handling device can leave the workstation in an orderly manner after completing the picking task (for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first handling device 120 moves leftward when leaving the workstation), each handling device leaves the workstation in an orderly manner. By planning the pre-moving path for the first handling device, the present disclosure can ensure that the first handling device quickly leaves the workstation after completing the picking task, and the first handling device will not collide with other handling devices when quickly leaving the workstation in the case of orderly leaving the workstation by each handling device.

[0070] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of another container handling method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the step 310 can include steps 410-430 as shown below.

[0071] At step 410, the service task layer of the control device sends the warehouse- returning instruction to the robot task layer of the control device in response to the warehouse- returning instruction.

[0072] Referring to a schematic diagram of a control device shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 110 can communicate with an upstream system and receive a control instruction issued by the upstream system. The upstream system can be a warehouse executing system (WES) or a warehouse management system (WMS), etc. The control instruction issued by the upstream system can include an instruction for controlling a handling device, or an instruction for controlling other devices in the warehouse system, etc.

[0073] The control device 110 can include multiple software layers, such as a service task layer 1110 (Warehouse Task System, WTS), a robot task layer 1120 (Robot Task System, RTS), and a robot control layer 1130 (Robot Control System, RCS), etc.

[0074] The service task layer 1110 can be configured to distribute the control instruction issued by the upstream system. In response to the control instruction issued by the upstream system being an instruction for controlling a handling device, the service task layer 1110 sends the control instruction to the robot task layer 1120. The robot task layer 1120 can schedule a related task for the handling device based on the control instruction, such as a warehouse- returning task, a pre-moving task, a handling task, etc. After determining the task of the handling device, the robot task layer 1120 sends the task to the robot control layer 1130. After receiving the task, the robot control layer 1130 can control the handling device based on the task. For example, the robot control layer 1130 can plan a path based on the task, and control the handling device to move according to the planned path.

[0075] Referring to a schematic diagram of a container handling method shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, when the first handling device completes the picking task at the workstation, the upstream system (such as a warehouse executing system WES or a warehouse management system WMS) sends a warehouse- returning instruction to the control device to instruct the control device to control the first handling device to perform a warehouse- returning task. The service task layer WTS in the control device receives the warehouse- returning instruction, and sends the warehouse- returning instruction from the service task layer WTS to the robot task layer RTS.

[0076] At step 420, the robot task layer receives the return-to-stock instruction and determines a pre-moving task of the first carrying device based on the position of the first carrying device, and sends the pre-moving task to the robot control layer of the control device.

[0077] In some embodiments, with continued reference to FIG. 6, after the robot task layer RTS receives the return-to-stock instruction sent by the work task layer WTS, the robot task layer RTS can schedule a pre-moving task for the first carrying device.

[0078] By way of example, the pre-moving task can be determined based on a carrying target of the first carrying device and a preset moving distance. The carrying target of the first carrying device is the target container, and the preset moving distance can be a preset number of unit cells. For example, the pre-moving task of the first carrying device can be to carry the target container for a distance of a preset number of unit cells.

[0079] Referring to a schematic diagram of a first carrying device returning to a stock area shown in FIG. 7, the ground between the workstations and the stock area in the warehouse system can be divided into a plurality of unit cells. Taking a preset moving distance of 2 unit cells as an example, the pre-moving task of the first carrying device 120 can be to carry the target container for a distance of 2 unit cells (i.e., the first carrying device 120 carries the target container from point g to the position corresponding to point h).

[0080] At step 430, the robot control layer receives the pre-moving task and plans a pre-moving path for the first carrying device based on the pre-moving task.

[0081] In some embodiments, with continued reference to FIG. 6, after the robot task layer RTS determines the pre-moving task, the robot task layer RTS can send the pre-moving task to the robot control layer RCS. After the robot control layer RCS receives the pre-moving task, the robot control layer RCS can plan a pre-moving path for the first carrying device based on the pre-moving task.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 7, taking a preset direction of moving left as an example, the pre-moving path generated by the robot control layer RCS based on the pre-moving task in the above embodiment can refer to the pre-moving path g-h. That is, when the first carrying device 120 travels along the pre-moving path g-h, it starts from the first position g and moves left by 2 unit cells, thereby reaching the position corresponding to point h.

[0083] At step 320, the control device controls the first carrying device to travel along the pre-moving path, and determines a target return-to-stock path of the first carrying device from the workstation to the stock area during the travel of the first carrying device along the pre-moving path.

[0084] In some embodiments, after the robot control layer RCS determines the pre-moving path, the first carrying device can be controlled to travel according to the pre-moving path. Thus, when the first carrying device completes the picking task at the work station and is ready to leave the work station, the first carrying device can be controlled to travel according to the pre-moving path to the inventory area first, so as to shorten the waiting time of the first carrying device at the work station and ensure that the first carrying device can quickly leave the work station after completing the picking task. In addition, other carrying devices queuing behind the first carrying device can also reach the work station faster, thereby improving the work efficiency of the warehouse system.

[0085] In some embodiments, during the travel of the first carrying device according to the pre-moving path, the control device can simultaneously determine a target return-to-inventory path of the first carrying device from the work station to the inventory area.

[0086] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of another container carrying method provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8, the above step 320 can include steps 810 to 830 as shown below.

[0087] Step 810, during the travel of the first carrying device according to the pre-moving path, the robot task layer of the control device determines a return-to-inventory task of the first carrying device.

[0088] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, the robot task layer RTS can schedule the return-to-inventory task of the first carrying device at the same time of scheduling the pre-moving task. For example, the return-to-inventory task can be determined based on the carrying target (i.e., the target container) of the first carrying device and the end position of the return-to-inventory task. For example, the end position of the return-to-inventory task can be a corresponding position of a target buffer position in the inventory area, where the target buffer position is used to buffer the target container carried by the first carrying device. For example, the return-to-inventory task of the first carrying device can be to carry the target container to the corresponding position of the target buffer position.

[0089] For example, during the travel of the first carrying device according to the pre-moving path, the target buffer position in the inventory area is determined by the robot task layer RTS, and the robot task layer RTS sends the target buffer position to the robot control layer RCS. Based on the target buffer position, the robot control layer RCS determines a target return-to-inventory path of the first carrying device from the work station to the target buffer position.

[0090] In some embodiments, when determining the target cache location, the robot task layer RTS can first determine the target aisle, and then determine the target cache location based on the target aisle. Illustratively, the robot task layer RTS determines the target cache location in the inventory area, including: the robot task layer RTS determines the vacancy rate of each aisle in the plurality of aisles of the inventory area and / or the distance between each aisle and the first carrying device; the robot task layer RTS determines the target aisle in the plurality of aisles based on the vacancy rate of each aisle and / or the distance between each aisle and the first carrying device; and the robot task layer RTS determines the target cache location in the target aisle.

[0091] In some examples, the robot task layer RTS can determine the target aisle based on the vacancy rate of each aisle in the plurality of aisles of the inventory area and / or the distance between each aisle and the first carrying device.

[0092] In some examples, the robot task layer RTS can determine the target aisle based on the vacancy rate of each aisle in the plurality of aisles of the inventory area and / or the distance between each aisle and the first carrying device.

[0093] In some examples, when determining the target aisle, the robot task layer RTS can first consider the vacancy rate of each aisle, and then consider the distance between each aisle and the first carrying device. For example, the robot task layer RTS can first determine the aisle with the highest vacancy rate in the plurality of aisles; in the case where the aisle with the highest vacancy rate is one, the aisle with the highest vacancy rate can be determined as the target aisle; in the case where the aisle with the highest vacancy rate is multiple, the aisle closest to the first carrying device can be further determined as the target aisle.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 7, taking the aisle A, the aisle B, and the aisle C in the inventory area 10 as an example. In the case where the vacancy rate of the aisle A is 50%, the vacancy rate of the aisle B is 30%, and the vacancy rate of the aisle C is 20%, since the vacancy rate of the aisle A is the highest, the aisle A can be determined as the target aisle. In the case where the vacancy rate of the aisle A is 30%, the vacancy rate of the aisle B is 30%, and the vacancy rate of the aisle C is 20%, since the vacancy rates of the aisle A and the aisle B are both the highest, the distances between the aisle A and the first carrying device and the aisle B and the first carrying device can be further determined. In response to the distance between the aisle A and the first carrying device being less than the distance between the aisle B and the first carrying device, the aisle A can be determined as the target aisle.

[0095] It should be noted that the above manner of determining the target aisle is merely an example, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the same. For example, instead of determining the aisle with the largest vacancy rate, the aisle closest to the first handling device and having at least one idle buffer can be directly determined as the target aisle according to the distance between the first handling device and each aisle. For another example, when the aisle with the largest vacancy rate is multiple, any aisle with the largest vacancy rate can be determined as the target aisle.

[0096] In some embodiments, after determining the target aisle, the robot task layer RTS can further determine a target buffer in the target aisle.

[0097] In some examples, the robot task layer RTS can determine the target buffer based on the vacancy rate of the storage positions in the target location column in which each idle buffer in the target aisle is located, and / or the distance between each idle buffer in the target aisle and the first handling device.

[0098] In some examples, the robot task layer RTS can determine the target buffer based on the vacancy rate of the storage positions in the target location column in which each idle buffer in the target aisle is located, and / or the distance between each idle buffer in the target aisle and the first handling device.

[0099] In some examples, when determining the target buffer, the robot task layer RTS can first determine a target location column including an idle buffer in the multiple location columns of the target aisle. When the target location column including an idle buffer is one, the idle buffer corresponding to the target location column is determined as the target buffer. When the target location column including an idle buffer is multiple, the vacancy rate of the storage positions corresponding to each target location column can be considered first, and the distance between each idle buffer and the first handling device can be considered second. For example, a target location column with the largest vacancy rate of storage positions can be first determined in each target location column. When the target location column with the largest vacancy rate of storage positions is one, the idle buffer corresponding to the target location column is determined as the target buffer. When the target location column with the largest vacancy rate of storage positions is multiple, the idle buffer closest to the first handling device among the multiple idle buffers corresponding to the multiple target location columns can be determined as the target buffer.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 7, taking the target aisle as aisle A for example. The target aisle A includes storage location columns a1, a2, b1, b2, c1, c2, d1, d2, e1, e2, f1 and f2. Among these storage location columns, in response to only the storage location column c1 including the idle buffer location, the storage location column c1 is determined as the target storage location column, and the idle buffer location in the target storage location column c1 is determined as the target buffer location.

[0101] In the case that the idle buffer locations are included in the storage location columns b2, c2 and f2 (and no idle buffer location is included in the remaining storage location columns), the storage location columns b2, c2 and f2 can be determined as the target storage location columns. Referring to a schematic diagram for determining the target buffer location shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, taking the idle buffer location in the target storage location column b2 as buffer location B, the idle buffer location in the target storage location column c2 as buffer location C, and the idle buffer location in the target storage location column f2 as buffer location F for example. Taking the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column b2 as 1 / 4, the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column c2 as 1 / 2, and the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column f2 as 0 for example, since the vacancy rate of the storage locations corresponding to the target storage location column c2 is the largest, the idle buffer location C corresponding to the target storage location column c2 can be determined as the target buffer location.

[0102] Taking the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column b2 as 1 / 4, the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column c2 as 1 / 4, and the vacancy rate of the storage locations in the target storage location column f2 as 0 for example, since the vacancy rates of the storage locations corresponding to the target storage location column b2 and the target storage location column c2 are both the largest, the idle buffer location B corresponding to the target storage location column b2 and the idle buffer location C corresponding to the target storage location column c2 can be further determined to have distances from the first handling device, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, it can be seen that the distance between the idle buffer location C and the first handling device is closer than that between the idle buffer location B and the first handling device, and thus the idle buffer location C can be determined as the target buffer location.

[0103] For example, as shown in FIG. 7, taking the target buffer location as the target buffer location C in the target storage location column c2 for example, the backstock task corresponding to the first handling device can be that the first handling device 120 carries the target container to the position corresponding to the target buffer location C.

[0104] It should be noted that the above manner of determining the target buffer position is merely an example, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the same. For example, any idle buffer position corresponding to a target rack column including an idle buffer position can be determined as the target buffer position after the target rack column is determined. For another example, an idle buffer position corresponding to a target rack column closest to the first conveying device can be determined as the target buffer position after the target rack column is determined. For yet another example, any idle buffer position corresponding to a target rack column having a storage position control rate higher than a preset threshold can be determined as the target buffer position after the target rack column is determined.

[0105] At step 820, the robot task layer sends the warehouse return task to the robot control layer of the control device.

[0106] In some embodiments, after the robot task layer RTS determines the warehouse return task of the first conveying device, the robot task layer RTS can send the warehouse return task to the robot control layer RCS.

[0107] At step 830, the robot control layer receives the warehouse return task and determines a target warehouse return path based on the warehouse return task.

[0108] In some embodiments, after the robot control layer RCS receives the warehouse return task, the robot control layer RCS can determine a corresponding target warehouse return path according to the warehouse return task.

[0109] In some examples, the robot control layer RCS can determine at least one warehouse return path for the first conveying device to travel from the workstation to the target buffer position according to the first position of the first conveying device and the corresponding position of the target buffer position; or the robot control layer RCS can also determine at least one warehouse return path for the first conveying device to travel from the workstation to the target buffer position according to the position (i.e., the second position) of the first conveying device after moving according to the pre-moving path and the corresponding position of the target buffer position.

[0110] That is, the starting point of the warehouse return path can be the first position of the first conveying device when the first conveying device completes the picking task at the workstation, or can be the second position of the first conveying device after moving according to the pre-moving path. Moreover, when the starting point of the warehouse return path is the first position, the warehouse return path includes the pre-moving path; when the starting point of the warehouse return path is the second position, the warehouse return path does not include the pre-moving path.

[0111] Then, the robot control layer RCS determines a warehouse return path having the shortest path length and the lowest congestion degree as the target warehouse return path from the at least one warehouse return path according to the path length and the congestion degree of each warehouse return path. The congestion degree of the warehouse return path can be reflected as the time length required for the first conveying device to return to the storage area according to the warehouse return path.

[0112] It can be understood that the congestion degree of the return-to-storage path can be determined according to the number of robots on the return-to-storage path, the time length for which the first carrying device stays and waits for other robots to leave in the return-to-storage path, and the like. For example, the more the number of robots on the return-to-storage path, the longer the time length for which the first carrying device stays and waits for other robots to leave in the return-to-storage path, the higher the congestion degree of the return-to-storage path; on the contrary, the fewer the number of robots on the return-to-storage path, the shorter the time length for which the first carrying device stays and waits for other robots to leave in the return-to-storage path, the lower the congestion degree of the return-to-storage path.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 7, in the case where the return-to-storage path includes a pre-moving path (i.e., the return-to-storage path includes the path segment g-h, and the starting point is point g), the return-to-storage path determined by the robot control layer RCS according to the first position g of the first carrying device 120 and the corresponding position of the target buffer site C includes, for example, the return-to-storage path g-h-m-j-k, the return-to-storage path g-i-k, and the return-to-storage path g-n-p-j-k. Among the three return-to-storage paths, the path length of the return-to-storage path g-h-m-j-k and the return-to-storage path g-i-k is the shortest, and the path length of the return-to-storage path g-n-p-j-k is the longest. Therefore, the path with the lowest congestion degree among the return-to-storage path g-h-m-j-k and the return-to-storage path g-i-k can be determined as the target return-to-storage path. For example, in the case where the congestion degree of the return-to-storage path g-i-k is lower than the congestion degree of the return-to-storage path g-h-m-j-k, the return-to-storage path g-i-k can be determined as the target return-to-storage path.

[0114] In step 330, the control device controls the first carrying device to return to the storage area according to the target return-to-storage path.

[0115] In some embodiments, after the robot control layer RCS determines the target return-to-storage path, the first carrying device can continue to return to the storage area according to the target return-to-storage path and place the target container in the target buffer site when the first carrying device completes driving according to the pre-moving path, thereby completing the return-to-storage task.

[0116] As shown in FIG. 7, in the case where the pre-moving path is the pre-moving path g-h, and the target return-to-storage path is the target return-to-storage path g-i-k, after the first carrying device drives according to the pre-moving path g-h, the first carrying device continues to drive according to the path h-i-k in the target return-to-storage path g-i-k to the position corresponding to the target buffer site C in the storage area 10, and places the target container in the target buffer site C, thereby completing the return-to-storage task.

[0117] By the above scheme, during the process that the first conveying device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device can simultaneously plan a target return path for the first conveying device, so that the first conveying device continues to travel according to the target return path to the storage area after receiving the target return path, to ensure that the first conveying device does not need to wait for the completion of the return path planning before leaving the station, thereby improving the efficiency of the conveying device returning to the storage area from the work station.

[0118] In some embodiments, after the first conveying device conveys the target container to the target buffer position, the second conveying device is also required to convey the target container in the target buffer position to a target storage position in the upper storage area. The robot task layer RTS can schedule a conveying task for the target container for the second conveying device during the process that the first conveying device travels according to the pre-moving path, and send the conveying task to the robot control layer RCS.

[0119] For example, the conveying task of the second conveying device can be determined based on the conveying target of the second conveying device and the end position of the conveying task. The conveying target of the second conveying device is the target container in the target buffer position, and the end position of the conveying task includes the corresponding position of the target buffer position and the corresponding position of the target storage position. For example, the conveying task of the second conveying device can be: the second conveying device travels to the target buffer position and takes out the target container in the target buffer position; and conveys the target container to the target storage position.

[0120] In some embodiments, during the process that the first conveying device travels according to the pre-moving path, the robot task layer RTS can determine the target storage position based on the determined target buffer position.

[0121] For example, the robot task layer RTS can first determine whether there is an idle storage position in the plurality of storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position. In the case that there is an idle storage position in the plurality of storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position, and the number of idle storage positions is one, the robot task layer RTS determines the idle storage position as the target storage position; in the case that there is an idle storage position in the plurality of storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position, and the number of idle storage positions is more than one, the robot task layer RTS can determine the idle storage position closest to the target buffer position as the target storage position.

[0122] In the case where there is no free storage site in the plurality of storage sites in the same storage column as the target storage site, the robot task layer RTS can determine at least one free storage site in other storage columns, and determine any one of the free storage sites closest to the target storage site as the target storage site. Among them, the free storage site closest to the target storage site in other storage columns can include: the free storage site closest to the target storage site in horizontal distance, and the free storage site closest to the target storage site in vertical distance.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 9, taking the target storage site C in the target storage column c2 as an example, the free storage sites in the same storage column c2 as the target storage site C are free storage site A and free storage site B, and the free storage site A closest to the target storage site C can be determined as the target storage site.

[0124] Taking the target storage site F in the target storage column f2 as an example. In the case where there is no free storage site in the target storage column f2, the free storage site closest to the target storage site F in other storage columns can be determined as the target storage site. For example, the free storage site A closest to the target storage site F can be determined as the target storage site.

[0125] In some embodiments, after the robot task layer RTS determines the target storage site, the robot task layer RTS can determine the carrying task based on the carrying target of the second carrying device and the target storage site.

[0126] As shown in FIG. 9, taking the target storage site C in the target storage column c2 as an example, the target storage site is the target storage site A, and the carrying task of the second carrying device 130 can be: the second carrying device 130 travels to the target storage site C; the target container in the target storage site C is taken out, and the target container is carried to the target storage site A.

[0127] In some embodiments, after the first carrying device carries the target container to the target storage site, the robot control layer RCS can plan a carrying path for the second carrying device based on the carrying task of the second carrying device; and control the second carrying device to travel to the corresponding position of the target storage site according to the carrying path, so as to carry the target container from the target storage site to the target storage site.

[0128] In some examples, the robot control layer RCS can determine, according to the current position of the second conveying device and the corresponding position of the target buffer position, a horizontal movement path of the second conveying device from the current position of the second conveying device to the corresponding position of the target buffer position. Wherein the current position of the second conveying device is the position of the second conveying device when the first conveying device conveys the target container to the target buffer position. And determine, according to the corresponding position of the target buffer position and the corresponding position of the target storage position, a vertical movement path of the container taking and placing device of the second conveying device for taking the target container from the target buffer position and conveying the target container to the target storage position. Thus, the conveying path of the second conveying device is determined according to the horizontal movement path and the vertical movement path.

[0129] It should be noted that before the first conveying device conveys the target container to the target buffer position, the second conveying device may also need to perform other conveying tasks, that is, the position of the second conveying device may change in this process. Therefore, the current position of the second conveying device can be determined when the first conveying device conveys the target container to the target buffer position and the second conveying device completes other conveying tasks, and the conveying path of the second conveying device is determined based on the current position of the second conveying device, the target buffer position, the target storage position, and the like.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 9, taking the target buffer position C in the target storage column c2 as an example, and the target storage position A as an example, the horizontal movement path of the second conveying device 130 can be: moving from the current position of the second conveying device 130 to the corresponding position of the target buffer position C; the corresponding vertical movement path of the container taking and placing device 17 of the second conveying device 130 can be: moving from the current position of the container taking and placing device 17 to the corresponding position of the target buffer position C; and after taking the target container in the target buffer position C, moving from the corresponding position of the target buffer position C to the corresponding position of the target storage position A.

[0131] In some embodiments, after determining the conveying path of the second conveying device, the robot control layer RCS can control the second conveying device to move to the corresponding position of the target buffer position according to the conveying path, so as to convey the target container from the target buffer position to the target storage position, thereby completing the conveying task.

[0132] Through the above scheme, before the control device determines the target return path and the target storage position, the first conveying device can be controlled to move a distance in advance according to the pre-moving path, and after the target return path is determined, the first conveying device can be controlled to continue moving to the inventory area according to the target return path. Thus, the waiting time of the first conveying device at the workstation can be shortened, and it is ensured that the first conveying device can quickly leave the station after completing the picking task. In addition, other conveying devices queuing behind the first conveying device can also reach the workstation faster, thereby improving the working efficiency of the warehouse system.

[0133] The container handling method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is summarized as follows.

[0134] Referring to another schematic diagram of a container handling method shown in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10, the control device can schedule a pre-moving task for the first handling device in scheduling the return-to-storage task of the first handling device and the handling task of the second handling device. After determining the pre-moving task, the control device can plan a pre-moving path for the first handling device based on the pre-moving task, and control the first handling device to travel according to the pre-moving path (for example, travel two cells).

[0135] During the travel of the first handling device according to the pre-moving path, the control device plans a target return-to-storage path for the first handling device based on the return-to-storage task, so that the target return-to-storage path is also planned when the travel of the first handling device according to the pre-moving path is completed. Therefore, the control device can control the first handling device to continue returning to the storage area according to the target return-to-storage path, and handle the target container to the target buffer position, so as to complete the return-to-storage task. After controlling the first handling device to handle the target container to the target buffer position, the control device can also control the second handling device to handle the target container in the target buffer position to the target storage position, so that the control device can plan the target return-to-storage path and determine the target storage position at the same time when planning the pre-moving path for the first handling device.

[0136] It can be understood that the length of the pre-moving path (such as the preset number of cells corresponding to the pre-moving path) can be set according to actual conditions, which can ensure that the control device obtains the target return-to-storage path when the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path. For example, the target return-to-storage path can be obtained at the same time as the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path (i.e. t1=t2); or the target return-to-storage path can also be obtained before the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path (i.e. t1>t2).

[0137] After the first handling device places the target container in the target buffer position, the control device can plan a handling path for the second handling device based on the handling task of the second handling device, and control the second handling device to travel according to the handling path to handle the target container in the target buffer position to the target storage position, thereby completing the handling task.

[0138] The container carrying method provided by the present disclosure can plan a pre-moving path for the first carrying device when the first carrying device completes the picking task at the workstation and is ready to leave the workstation, and control the first carrying device to travel according to the pre-moving path, thereby shortening the waiting time of the first carrying device at the workstation, ensuring that the first carrying device can quickly leave the workstation after completing the picking task. In addition, other carrying devices queuing behind the first carrying device can also reach the workstation faster, thereby improving the working efficiency of the warehouse system. Moreover, during the travel of the first carrying device according to the pre-moving path, the target return-to-storage path and the target storage position can be planned for the first carrying device at the same time, so that the first carrying device continues to travel to the storage area according to the target return-to-storage path after receiving the target return-to-storage path, ensuring that the first carrying device does not need to wait for the completion of the return-to-storage path planning before leaving the workstation, and improving the efficiency of the carrying device returning to the storage area from the workstation.

[0139] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a container carrying device provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11, the container carrying device 1100 includes a pre-moving path planning module 1101, a return-to-storage path determination module 1102, and a control module 1103.

[0140] The pre-moving path planning module 1101 is configured to, in the case that the first carrying device completes the picking task at the workstation, control the device to plan a pre-moving path for the first carrying device based on the position of the first carrying device in response to the return-to-storage instruction.

[0141] The return-to-storage path determination module 1102 is configured to control the device to control the first carrying device to travel according to the pre-moving path, and determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to the first carrying device returning to the storage area from the workstation during the travel of the first carrying device according to the pre-moving path.

[0142] The control module 1103 is configured to control the device to control the first carrying device to return to the storage area according to the target return-to-storage path.

[0143] In some embodiments, the pre-moving path planning module 1101 is specifically configured to: control the business task layer of the device to send the return-to-storage instruction to the robot task layer of the device in response to the return-to-storage instruction; the robot task layer receives the return-to-storage instruction and determines a pre-moving task of the first carrying device based on the position of the first carrying device in response to the return-to-storage instruction, and sends the pre-moving task to the robot control layer of the device; and the robot control layer receives the pre-moving task and plans a pre-moving path for the first carrying device based on the pre-moving task.

[0144] In some embodiments, the return path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: during the process that the first handling device travels along the pre-moving path, the robot task layer of the control device determines a return task of the first handling device; the robot task layer sends the return task to the robot control layer of the control device; and the robot control layer receives the return task and determines a target return path based on the return task.

[0145] In some embodiments, the pre-moving path includes a path corresponding to a preset number of unit cells moving in a preset direction with the position of the first handling device as a starting point.

[0146] In some embodiments, the return path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: during the process that the first handling device travels along the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target storage location in the inventory area; the target storage location is used to store a target container carried by the first handling device; and the control device determines a target return path of the first handling device from the workstation to the target storage location based on the target storage location.

[0147] In some embodiments, the return path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: the control device determines an empty rate of each aisle in the plurality of aisles of the inventory area and / or a distance between each aisle and the first handling device; the control device determines a target aisle in the plurality of aisles based on the empty rate of each aisle and / or the distance between each aisle and the first handling device; and the control device determines a target storage location in the target aisle.

[0148] In some embodiments, when the aisle with the largest empty rate is one, the control device determines the aisle with the largest empty rate as the target aisle; and when the aisles with the largest empty rate are multiple, the control device determines the aisle closest to the first handling device among the multiple aisles with the largest empty rate as the target aisle.

[0149] In some embodiments, the target aisle includes a plurality of columns of storage locations, each column of storage locations includes at least one storage location and a plurality of storage locations; and the return path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: the control device determines an empty rate of the storage locations in a target column of storage locations where each idle storage location is located and / or a distance between each idle storage location and the first handling device in the target aisle; and the control device determines a target storage location among the idle storage locations based on the empty rate of the storage locations in the target column of storage locations where each idle storage location is located and / or the distance between each idle storage location and the first handling device in the target aisle.

[0150] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: in the case that the target storage column with the largest vacancy rate of storage positions is one, the control device determines the idle buffer position corresponding to the target storage column as the target buffer position; in the case that the target storage column with the largest vacancy rate of storage positions is multiple, the control device determines the idle buffer position closest to the first handling device from the multiple idle buffer positions corresponding to the multiple target storage columns as the target buffer position.

[0151] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: the control device determines at least one warehouse returning path based on the position of the first handling device and the target buffer position; the control device determines the path length and the congestion degree corresponding to each warehouse returning path; and the control device determines the warehouse returning path with the shortest path length and the lowest congestion degree from the at least one warehouse returning path as the target warehouse returning path.

[0152] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is further configured to: during the process that the first handling device travels according to the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target storage position based on the target buffer position; wherein the target storage position is used to store the target container handled by the first handling device.

[0153] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: in the case that there is one idle storage position in the multiple storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position, and the number of idle storage positions is one, the control device determines the idle storage position as the target storage position; in the case that there are multiple idle storage positions in the multiple storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position, and the number of idle storage positions is multiple, the control device determines the idle storage position closest to the target buffer position from the multiple idle storage positions as the target storage position.

[0154] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is specifically configured to: in the case that there is no idle storage position in the multiple storage positions in the same storage column as the target buffer position, the control device determines any idle storage position closest to the target buffer position from other storage columns as the target storage position.

[0155] In some embodiments, the warehouse returning path determination module 1102 is further configured to: in the case that the first handling device handles the target container to the target buffer position, the control device plans a handling path for a second handling device based on the target buffer position and the target storage position; and the control module 1103 is further configured to: the control device controls the second handling device to travel to the corresponding position of the target buffer position according to the handling path, so as to handle the target container from the target buffer position to the target storage position.

[0156] In some embodiments, the starting point of the target warehouse-returning path is a first position where the first carrying device is located when the picking task at the workstation is completed, or the starting point of the target warehouse-returning path is a second position where the first carrying device is located after the first carrying device travels along the pre-moving path; wherein, when the starting point of the target warehouse-returning path is the first position, the target warehouse-returning path includes the pre-moving path; and when the starting point of the target warehouse-returning path is the second position, the target warehouse-returning path does not include the pre-moving path.

[0157] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of another warehouse system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 12, the warehouse system 1200 includes a control device 1201 and a first carrying device 1202.

[0158] The control device 1201 is configured to:

[0159] In a case where the first carrying device completes the picking task at the workstation, the control device 1201 is configured to, in response to the warehouse-returning instruction, determine a pre-moving task of the first carrying device based on the position of the first carrying device, and send the pre-moving task to a robot control layer of the control device.

[0160] The control device 1201 is configured to generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path.

[0161] In a case where the first carrying device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, the control device 1201 is configured to determine a target warehouse-returning path of the first carrying device from the workstation to the storage area, and generate a warehouse-returning instruction based on the target warehouse-returning path.

[0162] The first carrying device 1202 is configured to travel along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, and return to the storage area along the target warehouse-returning path based on the warehouse-returning instruction.

[0163] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: the task layer of the control device sends the warehouse-returning instruction to the robot task layer of the control device in response to the warehouse-returning instruction; the robot task layer receives the warehouse-returning instruction and determines the pre-moving task of the first carrying device based on the position of the first carrying device, and sends the pre-moving task to the robot control layer of the control device; and the robot control layer receives the pre-moving task and plans the pre-moving path for the first carrying device based on the pre-moving task.

[0164] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: in a case where the first carrying device travels along the pre-moving path, the robot task layer of the control device determines a warehouse-returning task of the first carrying device; the robot task layer sends the warehouse-returning task to the robot control layer of the control device; and the robot control layer receives the warehouse-returning task and determines the target warehouse-returning path based on the warehouse-returning task.

[0165] In some embodiments, the pre-moving path includes a path that starts from the position of the first carrying device and moves a preset number of unit cells in a preset direction.

[0166] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: determine, by the control device, a target storage location in the inventory area during the process that the first transfer device travels along the pre-moving path; and determine, by the control device, a target return path for the first transfer device to travel from the work station to the target storage location based on the target storage location.

[0167] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: determine, by the control device, an empty rate of each aisle of the plurality of aisles of the inventory area and / or a distance between each aisle and the first transfer device; determine, by the control device, a target aisle from the plurality of aisles based on the empty rate of each aisle and / or the distance between each aisle and the first transfer device; and determine, by the control device, a target storage location in the target aisle.

[0168] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: in a case that the aisle with the largest empty rate is one, determine, by the control device, the aisle with the largest empty rate as the target aisle; and in a case that the aisle with the largest empty rate is multiple, determine, by the control device, the aisle closest to the first transfer device from the multiple aisles with the largest empty rate as the target aisle.

[0169] In some embodiments, the target aisle includes a plurality of columns of storage locations, each column of storage locations includes at least one storage location and a plurality of storage locations; and the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: determine, by the control device, an empty rate of the storage locations in a target column of storage locations where each idle storage location is located and / or a distance between each idle storage location and the first transfer device in the target aisle; and determine, by the control device, a target storage location from the idle storage locations in the target aisle based on the empty rate of the storage locations in the target column of storage locations where each idle storage location is located and / or the distance between each idle storage location and the first transfer device in the target aisle.

[0170] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: in a case that the target column of storage locations with the largest empty rate is one, determine, by the control device, an idle storage location corresponding to the target column of storage locations as the target storage location; and in a case that the target column of storage locations with the largest empty rate is multiple, determine, by the control device, an idle storage location closest to the first transfer device from the multiple idle storage locations corresponding to the multiple target columns of storage locations with the largest empty rate as the target storage location.

[0171] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to: determine, by the control device, at least one return path based on the position of the first transfer device and the target storage location; determine, by the control device, a path length and a congestion level corresponding to each return path; and determine, by the control device, a target return path from the at least one return path based on the path length and the congestion level.

[0172] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is further configured to determine, based on the target buffer location, a target storage location during the process that the first carrying device travels along the pre-moving path; wherein the target storage location is used to store the target container carried by the first carrying device.

[0173] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to, in a case that there is one idle storage location in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, determine the idle storage location as the target storage location; and in a case that there are multiple idle storage locations in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, determine the idle storage location closest to the target buffer location as the target storage location.

[0174] In some embodiments, the control device 1201 is specifically configured to, in a case that there is no idle storage location in the multiple storage locations in the same storage column as the target buffer location, determine any idle storage location closest to the target buffer location in other storage columns as the target storage location.

[0175] In some embodiments, the warehouse system 1200 further comprises a second carrying device 1203. The control device 1201 is further configured to determine, based on the target buffer location, a target storage location during the process that the first carrying device travels along the pre-moving path; wherein the target buffer location is used to buffer the target container carried by the first carrying device, and the target storage location is used to store the target container carried by the first carrying device; in a case that the first carrying device carries the target container to the target buffer location, plan a carrying path for the second carrying device based on the target buffer location and the target storage location; generate a carrying instruction based on the carrying path; and the second carrying device 1203 is configured to travel to a corresponding position of the target buffer location along the carrying path based on the carrying instruction, so as to carry the target container from the target buffer location to the target storage location.

[0176] In some embodiments, the starting point of the target backstock path is a first position where the first carrying device is located when the picking task at the workstation is completed, or the starting point of the target backstock path is a second position where the first carrying device is located after traveling along the pre-moving path; wherein, in a case that the starting point of the target backstock path is the first position, the target backstock path comprises the pre-moving path; and in a case that the starting point of the target backstock path is the second position, the target backstock path does not comprise the pre-moving path.

[0177] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes one or more processors and a memory. The memory is configured to store one or more programs. When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the container handling method in the above embodiments.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 13, the electronic device 1300 includes a processor 1301 and a memory 1302. The electronic device 1300 may, for example, also include a communications interface 1303 and a communications bus 1304.

[0179] The processor 1301, the memory 1302, and the communications interface 1303 communicate with each other through the communications bus 1304. The communications interface 1303 is configured to communicate with network elements such as clients or other servers.

[0180] In some embodiments, the processor 1301 is configured to execute the program 1305, and specifically can execute the related steps in the container handling method embodiments described above. Specifically, the program 1305 can include program code including computer-executable instructions.

[0181] The processor 1301 may, for example, be a central processing unit (CPU), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement some embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device 1300 can include one or more processors that can be the same type of processor, such as one or more CPUs, or can be different types of processors, such as one or more CPUs and one or more ASICs.

[0182] In some embodiments, the memory 1302 is configured to store the program 1305. The memory 1302 can include a high-speed RAM memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk memory.

[0183] The program 1305 can be specifically invoked by the processor 1301 to cause the electronic device 1300 to perform the container handling method operations.

[0184] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one executable instruction, which, when executed on the electronic device 1300, causes the electronic device 1300 to perform the container handling method in the above embodiments.

[0185] The executable instructions can specifically be used to cause the electronic device 1300 to perform the container handling method operations.

[0186] For example, the computer readable storage medium can be a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, and an optical data storage device, etc.

[0187] The beneficial effects that can be achieved by the computer readable storage medium provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure can refer to the beneficial effects provided by the corresponding container handling method, which will not be described here again.

[0188] It should be noted that in the disclosure, the relationship terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between the entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "contain" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, article or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed or inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without more limitations, the element defined by the statement "including a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element.

[0189] Each of the embodiments in the specification is described in a relevant manner, and the same or similar parts between each of the embodiments can be referred to each other, and each of the embodiments focuses on the difference from other embodiments. In particular, for the device embodiments, since they are basically similar to the method embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can refer to the part of the method embodiment.

[0190] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered a list of executable instructions for implementing logic functions, and can be specifically embodied in any computer readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device, such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor or other system that can fetch the instructions from an instruction execution system, apparatus or device and execute the instructions, or in conjunction with these instruction execution systems, apparatus or devices.

[0191] For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can mean any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0192] More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include the following: electrical connections having one or more wires (electronic devices), portable computer disks (magnetic devices), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM).

[0193] Furthermore, the computer-readable medium can even be paper or other suitable media on which the program can be printed, because the program can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in computer memory. It should be understood that various parts of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0194] In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0195] The embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A container handling method, the method comprising: in response to a return-to-storage instruction, a control device plans a pre-moving path for a first handling device based on a position of the first handling device, in a case that the first handling device completes a picking task at a workstation; the control device controls the first handling device to travel along the pre-moving path, and determines a target return-to-storage path for the first handling device to return from the workstation to a storage area during the first handling device traveling along the pre-moving path; the control device controls the first handling device to return to the storage area along the target return-to-storage path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The control device plans a pre-moving path for the first handling device based on a position of the first handling device in response to a return-to-storage instruction, comprising: a service task layer of the control device sends the return-to-storage instruction to a robot task layer of the control device in response to the return-to-storage instruction; the robot task layer receives and determines a pre-moving task of the first handling device based on the position of the first handling device in response to the return-to-storage instruction, and sends the pre-moving task to a robot control layer of the control device; the robot control layer receives the pre-moving task and plans the pre-moving path for the first handling device based on the pre-moving task.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The control device determines a target return-to-storage path for the first handling device to return from the workstation to a storage area during the first handling device traveling along the pre-moving path, comprising: a robot task layer of the control device determines a return-to-storage task of the first handling device during the first handling device traveling along the pre-moving path; the robot task layer sends the return-to-storage task to a robot control layer of the control device; the robot control layer receives the return-to-storage task and determines the target return-to-storage path based on the return-to-storage task.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The pre-moving path comprises a path moving a preset number of unit cells in a preset direction with the position of the first handling device as a starting point.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The control device determines a target return-to-storage path for the first handling device to return from the workstation to a storage area during the first handling device traveling along the pre-moving path, comprising: during the first handling device traveling along the pre-moving path, the control device determines a target buffer position in the storage area; wherein the target buffer position is used to buffer a target container handled by the first handling device; the control device determines the target return-to-storage path for the first handling device to travel from the workstation to the target buffer position based on the target buffer position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The control device determines a target buffer position in the storage area, comprising: the control device determines a vacancy rate of each aisle in a plurality of aisles of the storage area and / or a distance between the each aisle and the first handling device; the control device determines a target aisle in the plurality of aisles based on the vacancy rate of each aisle and / or the distance between the each aisle and the first handling device; The control device determines the target buffer position in the target aisle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The control device determines a target aisle from the plurality of aisles based on a vacancy rate of storage locations corresponding to each aisle and / or a distance between each aisle and the first handling device, including: In a case where the aisle with the highest vacancy rate of storage locations is one, the control device determines the aisle with the highest vacancy rate of storage locations as the target aisle. In a case where the aisles with the highest vacancy rate of storage locations are multiple, the control device determines, from the multiple aisles with the highest vacancy rate of storage locations, an aisle closest to the first handling device as the target aisle.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The target aisle includes multiple columns of storage locations, each column of storage locations including at least one buffer position and multiple storage positions; the control device determines the target buffer position in the target aisle, including: The control device determines a vacancy rate of storage positions in a target column of storage locations where each idle buffer position is located in the target aisle and / or a distance between each idle buffer position and the first handling device in the target aisle. The control device determines the target buffer position from the idle buffer positions based on the vacancy rate of storage positions in the target column of storage locations where each idle buffer position is located and / or the distance between each idle buffer position and the first handling device in the target aisle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The control device determines the target buffer position from the idle buffer positions based on the vacancy rate of storage positions in the target column of storage locations where each idle buffer position is located and / or the distance between each idle buffer position and the first handling device in the target aisle, including: In a case where the target column of storage locations with the highest vacancy rate of storage positions is one, the control device determines an idle buffer position corresponding to the target column of storage locations as the target buffer position. In a case where the target columns of storage locations with the highest vacancy rate of storage positions are multiple, the control device determines, from multiple idle buffer positions corresponding to the multiple target columns of storage locations, an idle buffer position closest to the first handling device as the target buffer position.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein, The control device determines, based on the target buffer position, a target storage location from the target buffer position corresponding to the first handling device, including: The control device determines at least one storage location from the target buffer position based on a position of the first handling device and the target buffer position. The control device determines a path length and a congestion degree corresponding to each storage location. The control device determines, as the target storage location, a storage location with a shortest path length and a lowest congestion degree from the at least one storage location.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising: During travel of the first handling device along the pre-movement path, the control device determines a target storage location based on the target buffer position, wherein the target storage location is used to store the target container handled by the first handling device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The control device determines a target storage location based on the target buffer position, including: in a case where there is a free storage site in a plurality of storage sites in the same storage site column as the target storage site, and the number of the free storage sites is one, the control device determines the free storage site as the target storage site; in a case where there is a free storage site in a plurality of storage sites in the same storage site column as the target storage site, and the number of the free storage sites is a plurality, the control device determines the free storage site closest to the target storage site among the plurality of free storage sites as the target storage site.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, The control device determines a target storage site based on the target storage site, including: in a case where there is no free storage site in a plurality of storage sites in the same storage site column as the target storage site, the control device determines any free storage site closest to the target storage site among other storage site columns as the target storage site.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: in a case where the first handling device handles the target container to the target storage site, the control device plans a handling path for a second handling device based on the target storage site and the target storage site; The control device controls the second handling device to travel to the corresponding position of the target storage site according to the handling path, so as to handle the target container from the target storage site to the target storage site.

15. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The starting point of the target storage path is the first position of the first handling device when the first handling device completes the picking task at the workstation, or the starting point of the target storage path is the second position of the first handling device after traveling according to the pre-moving path; wherein, in a case where the starting point of the target storage path is the first position, the target storage path includes the pre-moving path; in a case where the starting point of the target storage path is the second position, the target storage path does not include the pre-moving path.

16. A container handling device, comprising: a pre-moving path planning module configured to, in a case where a first handling device completes a picking task at a workstation, a control device plans a pre-moving path for the first handling device based on the position of the first handling device in response to a storage instruction; a storage path determination module configured to the control device controls the first handling device to travel according to the pre-moving path, and determines a target storage path corresponding to the first handling device returning to the storage area from the workstation in the process of the first handling device traveling according to the pre-moving path; a control module configured to the control device controls the first handling device to return to the storage area according to the target storage path.

17. A warehouse system, comprising: The control device is configured to, in a case where the first conveying device completes a picking task at the workstation, in response to a return-to-storage instruction, plan a pre-moving path for the first conveying device based on a position of the first conveying device; generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path; in a process in which the first conveying device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to a return of the first conveying device from the workstation to the storage area. The control device is configured to, in a case where the first conveying device completes a picking task at the workstation, in response to a return-to-storage instruction, plan a pre-moving path for the first conveying device based on a position of the first conveying device; generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path; in a process in which the first conveying device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to a return of the first conveying device from the workstation to the storage area. The control device is configured to, in a case where the first conveying device completes a picking task at the workstation, in response to a return-to-storage instruction, plan a pre-moving path for the first conveying device based on a position of the first conveying device; generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path; in a process in which the first conveying device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to a return of the first conveying device from the workstation to the storage area.

18. The warehousing system of claim 17, wherein, The control device is configured to, in a case where the first conveying device completes a picking task at the workstation, in response to a return-to-storage instruction, plan a pre-moving path for the first conveying device based on a position of the first conveying device; generate a pre-moving instruction based on the pre-moving path; in a process in which the first conveying device travels along the pre-moving path based on the pre-moving instruction, determine a target return-to-storage path corresponding to a return of the first conveying device from the workstation to the storage area.

19. An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; and a memory configured to store one or more programs; wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the container conveying method according to any one of claims 1-15.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the container conveying method according to any one of claims 1-15 is implemented.

21. A computer program product, comprising a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the container conveying method according to any one of claims 1-15. ​ ​

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