Order processing method and apparatus for ordering system

Abstract

Disclosed are an order processing method and apparatus for an ordering system, relating to the technical field of warehouse management. A specific embodiment of the method comprises: generating a target picking task on the basis of aisles corresponding to shelves where items in the same order are located and the volume of a picking container configured for a picking device; and on the basis of the priority of the order, selecting the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking device in an idle state, and issuing the target picking task to the picking device in the idle state. The method realizes automated processing of orders.

Description

Order processing method and apparatus for an order placement system

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This patent application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411434514.8, filed on October 14, 2024, entitled “Order Processing Method and Apparatus for Order Placement System”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of computer technology, specifically to the field of warehouse management technology, and in particular to an order processing method and apparatus for an order placement system. Background Technology

[0004] Currently, ultra-small items, represented by contact lenses, are characterized by a large number of SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), shallow inventory depth per SKU, and a high proportion of long-tail products.

[0005] In daily operations management, for the above-mentioned oversized items, the on-site operations staff usually assign tasks, pick, check, and pack them. This method involves many steps, low efficiency, high error rate, and is not easy to manage. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides an order processing method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for an order placement system.

[0007] According to the first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an order processing method for an order placement system. The method includes generating a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured on the picking equipment; selecting the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the order and sending the target picking task to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0008] According to a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide an order processing apparatus for an order placement system. The apparatus includes: a generation module configured to generate a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured on the picking equipment; and a distribution module configured to select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the order and distribute the target picking task to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0009] According to a third aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including one or more processors; a memory storing 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 an order processing method for an order placement system as described in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements an order processing method for an order placement system as described in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0011] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 is an exemplary system architecture diagram in which this application can be applied;

[0013] Figure 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment of an order processing method for an order placement system according to this application;

[0014] Figure 3A is a flowchart of yet another embodiment of the order processing method for an order placement system according to this application;

[0015] Figure 3B is a flowchart of another embodiment of the order processing method for an order placement system according to this application.

[0016] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the order processing method for an order placement system according to this application;

[0017] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an order processing apparatus for an order placement system according to the present application;

[0018] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system suitable for implementing the server of the present application embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments of this application, including various details to aid understanding. These should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0020] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary system architecture 100 to which the order processing method for an order system of this application can be applied.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the system architecture 100 may include picking devices 101, 102, and 103, a network 104, and a control device 105. The network 104 serves as the medium for providing communication links between the picking devices 101, 102, and 103 and the control device 105. The network 104 may include various connection types, such as wired or wireless communication links or fiber optic cables, etc.

[0023] Picking devices 101, 102, and 103 interact with control device 105 via network 104 to receive or send messages, etc. Picking devices 101, 102, and 103 can receive target picking tasks issued by control device 105 and perform picking based on the received target picking tasks.

[0024] Picking equipment 101, 102, and 103 can be any equipment with picking function, including but not limited to picking robots and picking carts.

[0025] The control device 105 can be a server that provides various services, such as generating target picking tasks based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured on the picking device; selecting the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking device in an idle state according to the priority of the order and sending the selected target picking task to the picking device in an idle state.

[0026] It should be noted that the order processing method for the order system provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is usually executed by the control device 105, and all the parts (e.g., various units, sub-units, modules, sub-modules) of the order processing device for the order system can be set in the control device 105.

[0027] It should be understood that the number of control devices, networks, and picking devices shown in Figure 1 is merely illustrative. Any number of control devices, networks, and picking devices can be included depending on implementation needs.

[0028] Figure 2 illustrates a flow chart 200 of an embodiment of an order processing method for an order placement system applicable to this application. The order placement system may include control equipment and picking equipment. In this embodiment, the order processing method for the order placement system includes the following steps:

[0029] Step 201: Generate a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured by the picking equipment.

[0030] In this embodiment, after the execution entity (control device 105 shown in FIG1) obtains the order to generate the picking task, for each order, it can first determine the shelf where the item is located according to the picking storage location corresponding to the item in the order, and further determine the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located according to the shelf where the item is located.

[0031] Furthermore, the executing entity can generate a target picking task corresponding to the order based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item in the order is located and the volume of the picking container configured in the picking equipment.

[0032] The picking equipment can run on the aisles corresponding to the shelves and perform picking operations. The picking equipment can be any equipment with picking function, such as a cart equipped with a robotic arm or a robot equipped with a suction cup.

[0033] Here, the picking equipment can be equipped with one or more picking containers. The volume of the picking containers for picking equipment in the same aisle is usually the same, while the volume of the picking containers for picking equipment in different aisles can be the same or different. This application does not limit this. The form of the picking container can include various forms, such as a basket, a box, etc.

[0034] One picking container can correspond to one target picking task.

[0035] It should be noted that one lane can correspond to one or more picking devices, and different lanes correspond to different picking devices.

[0036] Specifically, the current order A includes item A and item B. Both item A and item B are located on shelf A, and the aisle corresponding to shelf A is aisle 1. If the total volume of item A and item B is less than or equal to the volume of the picking container, a target picking task can be generated for order A. If the total volume of item A and item B is greater than the volume of the picking container, a specified number (e.g., two, three, etc.) of target picking tasks can be generated for order A. The specified number can be the minimum value that makes the volume of the items corresponding to the generated target picking tasks less than the volume of the picking container.

[0037] In some alternative approaches, a target picking task is generated based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured on the picking equipment. This includes: generating an initial picking task corresponding to each aisle based on the aisle where the item is located in the same order; and splitting the initial picking task into multiple target picking tasks in response to determining that the total volume of the items corresponding to the initial picking task is greater than the volume of the corresponding picking container.

[0038] In this implementation, for each order, the executing entity can determine whether the aisles corresponding to the items in the order are the same. If they are not the same, the order is a merged order, that is, the items in the order correspond to multiple aisles. The executing entity can generate initial picking tasks corresponding to each aisle according to the aisle corresponding to the items.

[0039] Furthermore, the executing entity can determine whether the total volume of the items corresponding to the initial picking task is greater than the volume of the picking container of the picking equipment in the corresponding aisle. If so, the initial picking task can be split into multiple target picking tasks; if not, the initial picking task can be directly determined as the target picking task.

[0040] In this case, the total volume of the items corresponding to the target picking task is less than the volume of the picking container.

[0041] Specifically, the current order A includes items A, B, C, and D. Items A and B are located on shelf A, and items C and D are located on shelf B. The aisle corresponding to shelf A is aisle 1, and the aisle corresponding to shelf B is aisle 2. The executing entity can generate two initial picking tasks corresponding to the aisles of the items, such as initial picking task A (picking task for items A and B corresponding to aisle 1) and initial picking task B (picking task for items C and D corresponding to aisle 2). If the total volume of the items corresponding to initial picking task A is greater than the volume of the picking container, initial picking task A can be further divided into multiple target picking tasks; if the total volume of the items corresponding to initial picking task B is greater than the volume of the picking container, initial picking task B can be further divided into multiple target picking tasks.

[0042] This implementation generates initial picking tasks corresponding to each aisle based on the aisle of the shelf where the items in the same order are located. In response to determining that the total volume of the items corresponding to the initial picking task is greater than the volume of the corresponding picking container, the initial picking task is split into multiple target picking tasks, thus realizing the splitting of picking tasks for orders with items in different aisles.

[0043] Step 202: Select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment that is in an idle state according to the priority of the order, and send the selected target picking task to the picking equipment that is in an idle state.

[0044] In this embodiment, after generating a target picking task, the executing entity can construct a task pool of target picking tasks based on the target picking task. Furthermore, the executing entity can select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the order and send the selected target picking task to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0045] In particular, all picking containers configured in the idle picking equipment are empty.

[0046] Here, one picking container corresponds to one target picking task. Different orders correspond to different target picking tasks. The task type of target picking tasks assigned to the same picking equipment can be the same task type or different task types, and this application does not limit this.

[0047] The priority of orders can be determined according to actual needs, such as the order generation time, order type, priority of the corresponding wave of the order, etc., which are not limited in this application.

[0048] Specifically, one aisle corresponds to one picking device, and there are two orders, namely Order 1 and Order 2. Order 1 corresponds to 5 target picking tasks, of which 3 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 1 and picking device A, and 2 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 2 and picking device B. Order 2 corresponds to 2 target picking tasks, of which 2 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 1 and picking device A. Both picking devices A and B have 5 picking containers, such as baskets. If picking device A is idle, and the priority of Order 1 is higher than that of Order 2, then the 5 target picking tasks corresponding to Order 1 can be sent to picking device A for picking.

[0049] In some optional methods, the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state is selected according to the priority of the order and the selected target picking task is sent to the picking equipment in an idle state, including: selecting the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the specified merged order and the priority of the non-specified merged order and sending the selected target picking task to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0050] In this implementation, there can be multiple orders. If the multiple orders include designated merging orders and non-designated merging orders, the executing entity can select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in the idle state according to the priority of the designated merging orders and the priority of the non-designated merging orders, and send the selected target picking task to the picking equipment in the idle state.

[0051] Among them, designated merging orders have a higher priority than non-designated merging orders. Designated merging orders are used to indicate merging orders in which some of the target picking tasks in the corresponding target picking tasks have been issued and completed. The target picking tasks corresponding to the merging orders correspond to different lanes.

[0052] Here, the priority of non-designated merged orders can be determined based on the order type, order generation time, and wave priority corresponding to the order.

[0053] This implementation method achieves flexible order priority settings by selecting the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the specified merged order and the priority of the non-specified merged order, and then sending the selected target picking task to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0054] In some optional methods, the priority of non-specified merge orders is determined based on the wave priority corresponding to the non-specified merge order.

[0055] In this implementation, the executing entity can directly determine the wave priority corresponding to the non-designated merging order as the priority of the non-designated merging order.

[0056] One wave (also known as a "batch") can correspond to multiple orders. The priority of a wave can be determined based on the order generation time, order type, and picking priority of the items in the order.

[0057] Specifically, aisle 1 corresponds to picking equipment A, aisle 2 corresponds to picking equipment B, and there are 3 orders, namely order 1, order 2 and order 3. Order 1 corresponds to 5 target picking tasks, of which 3 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 1 and picking equipment A, and 2 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 2 and picking equipment B. Order 2 corresponds to 2 target picking tasks, both of which correspond to aisle 1. Order 3 corresponds to 2 target picking tasks, both of which correspond to aisle 1.

[0058] For lane 1, if the two target picking tasks corresponding to lane 2 in the target picking task of order 1 have been issued and completed, and the target picking tasks corresponding to order 2 and order 3 have not been issued, then order 1 is a designated merged order, and order 2 and order 3 are non-designated merged orders. The priority of order 1 is higher than that of order 2 and order 3.

[0059] Furthermore, for orders 2 and 3, the wave priority of order 2 is higher than that of order 3. Therefore, the priorities of orders 1, 2 and 3 decrease in that order.

[0060] If picking equipment A is idle and has 5 picking containers, the 3 target picking tasks of the corresponding aisle 1 in order 1 and the 2 target picking tasks of order 2 can be prioritized and sent to picking equipment A.

[0061] This implementation method further enhances the flexibility of order priority settings by determining the priority of non-specified merged orders based on the wave priority corresponding to the non-specified merged orders.

[0062] In some alternative embodiments, the method further includes: in response to determining that the picking device has received a target picking task, changing the state of the picking device from idle to picking state; in response to determining that a target picking device exists among the picking devices in the picking state, identifying a designated picking task corresponding to an empty picking container from the unissued target picking tasks, and issuing the designated picking task to the target picking device.

[0063] In this implementation, the executing entity can detect in real time or periodically whether the picking device has received the corresponding target picking task. If so, the state of the picking device is changed from idle state to picking state.

[0064] Furthermore, if it is determined that there is a target picking device among the picking devices in the picking state, a designated picking task corresponding to the empty picking container can be identified from the unissued target picking tasks, and the designated picking task can be issued to the target picking device.

[0065] Here, the picking state can include a picking state, which can include the process of the picking device receiving a target picking task and performing picking based on the received target picking task. Further, the picking state can also include a locked state, which can include the process of the picking device transporting the picked items to the merging station after performing picking based on the target picking task.

[0066] Among them, there are empty picking containers in the picking containers configured in the target picking equipment, and the specified picking task is the same task type as the target picking task already assigned to the target picking equipment.

[0067] Here, the task type of the target picking task is the same as the task type of the order corresponding to the target picking task.

[0068] The task types can include various types, such as outbound tasks, transfer tasks, and inventory tasks.

[0069] Here, the tasks mentioned above can be further divided into single-customer tasks and non-single-customer tasks.

[0070] This implementation manages the state of picking devices by changing their status from idle to picking state in response to receiving a target picking task from a picking device that is currently in an idle state; in response to determining that a target picking device exists among the picking devices in the picking state, it identifies the designated picking task corresponding to the empty picking container from the unissued target picking tasks and issues the designated picking task to the target picking device, thereby achieving state management of picking devices and adding tasks according to the status of picking tasks.

[0071] Figure 3 illustrates a flow chart 300 of an embodiment of the order processing method for an order placement system applicable to this application. The order placement system may further include a merging station, a packing station, and a first transmission line connecting the merging station and the packing station. In this embodiment, the order processing method for the order placement system includes the following steps:

[0072] Step 301: Generate a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured by the picking equipment.

[0073] In this embodiment, the implementation details and technical effects of step 301 can be found in the description of step 201, and will not be repeated here.

[0074] Step 302: According to the order priority, select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment that is in an idle state and send the selected target picking task to the picking equipment that is in an idle state.

[0075] In this embodiment, the implementation details and technical effects of step 302 can be found in the description of step 202, and will not be repeated here.

[0076] Step 303: In response to determining that the picking device in the picking state will transport the items picked based on the received target picking task to the merging station, the state of the picking device in the picking state is changed from picking state to idle state.

[0077] In this embodiment, the executing entity can select the target picking task to be issued corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in an idle state according to the priority of the order, and issue the target picking task to be issued to the picking equipment in an idle state.

[0078] After receiving the corresponding target picking task, the picking equipment can execute the received target picking task, that is, pick the items corresponding to the target picking task, and transport the picked items to the merging station after picking.

[0079] The merging station is used to merge the picked items corresponding to the same order.

[0080] The executing entity can detect in real time or periodically whether the picking equipment transports the picked items to the merging station. If so, the status of the picking equipment can be changed from picking status to idle status.

[0081] Step 304: In response to determining that the merged order meets the preset conditions, the merging station is controlled to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the packing position via the first transmission line.

[0082] In this embodiment, the executing entity can determine whether the merged order meets the preset conditions via the merging station. If it does, the merging station can control the merging station to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the packing position for packing via the first transmission line.

[0083] The preset conditions can be set based on experience and actual needs. For example, the items picked for the merged order match the actual items required by the order; the merged order is a single customer order; the merged order is a single customer order and the items picked for the merged order match the actual items required by the order.

[0084] Here, the first transmission line can be a transmission track with any structure, such as a long strip track, an arc track, a spiral track, etc.

[0085] In some alternative approaches, the method further includes: in response to determining that the merged order does not meet preset conditions, controlling the merging station to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the manual processing station via a second transmission line.

[0086] In this implementation, the order placement system may further include a manual processing station and a second transmission line, with the second transmission line connecting the merging station and the manual processing station. The executing entity determines whether the merged order meets preset conditions via the merging station. If it does not meet the conditions, for example, if the items to be picked for the merged order do not match the actual items required in the order (i.e., there is a shortage or excess of goods), the merging station can be controlled to transmit the items to be picked for the merged order to the manual processing station via the second transmission line for manual processing.

[0087] Here, the second transmission line can be a transmission track with any structure, such as a long strip track, an arc track, a spiral track, etc.

[0088] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3B, aisle 1 corresponds to picking equipment A, and aisle 2 corresponds to picking equipment B. Both picking equipment A and picking equipment B have 5 picking containers, such as baskets, and 3 orders, namely order 1, order 2, and order 3. The priority of order 1, order 2, and order 3 decreases in that order. Order 1 corresponds to 3 target picking tasks, of which 2 target picking tasks correspond to aisle 1 and picking equipment A, and 1 target picking task corresponds to aisle 2 and picking equipment B. Order 2 corresponds to 3 target picking tasks, all of which correspond to aisle 1. Order 3 corresponds to 2 target picking tasks, all of which correspond to aisle 2. The target picking tasks corresponding to each order can be stored in a priority task pool.

[0089] The executing entity can first query the status information of the picking equipment. For example, for aisle 1, the executing entity can query the status information of the picking equipment corresponding to aisle 1. If picking equipment A is in an idle state, the executing entity can select the target picking task to be issued from the priority task pool according to the preset algorithm. For example, the target picking task to be issued can be determined directly according to the order priority, that is, the two unissued target picking tasks corresponding to aisle 1 in order 1 and the three unissued target picking tasks corresponding to aisle 1 in order 2 can be issued to picking equipment A.

[0090] In response to the determination that picking device A has received a target picking task, the state of picking device A can be changed from idle to picking. After receiving the target picking task, the picking device can perform the picking operation.

[0091] Furthermore, if there are empty baskets in picking equipment A (e.g., 0 pickings), that is, the number of idle baskets > 0, and picking equipment A is the target picking equipment, the target picking task corresponding to the empty basket can be determined by a preset algorithm from the same type of unissued target picking tasks of the same type as the target picking task corresponding to picking equipment A. That is, the specified picking task is issued to the target picking equipment.

[0092] If there are no empty baskets in picking equipment A, i.e., the number of empty baskets = 0, the process can be terminated directly.

[0093] Here, when picking equipment A has finished picking and is on its way to the merging station, the status of picking equipment A can be set to locked.

[0094] Furthermore, the picking equipment can transport the items picked based on the received target picking task to the merging station for merging. For each order after merging, the merging station can request the flow direction from the executing entity. In response to receiving the flow direction request, the executing entity can first determine whether the order is a customer order. If so, it can further determine whether the items picked for the order match the items in the order (i.e., the actual items required by the order). If they match, i.e., the picking is normal, the entity can request a package label and control the merging station to transfer the items picked for the order to the packing station for packing via the first transmission line. If they do not match, i.e., the picking is abnormal, the entity can control the merging station to transfer the items picked for the order to the manual processing station for manual review and packing via the second transmission line.

[0095] If not, meaning the order is not a customer order, the merging station can be controlled to transfer the picked items corresponding to the order to the manual processing station via the second transmission line for manual review and packaging.

[0096] This implementation method, in response to the determination that the merged order does not meet the preset conditions, controls the merging station to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the manual processing position via the second transmission line, thereby realizing the automated processing of non-compliant order items.

[0097] As can be seen from Figure 3A, compared with the embodiment corresponding to Figure 2, the flow 300 of the order processing method for the order placement system in this embodiment reflects the following: in response to determining that the picking equipment will transport the items picked based on the received target picking task to the merging station, the state of the picking equipment is changed from the picking state to the idle state; in response to determining that the merged order meets the preset conditions, the merging station is controlled to transmit the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the packing position via the first transmission line, thereby realizing the automated processing of the order items that meet the requirements.

[0098] Referring again to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the order processing method for the order system according to this embodiment.

[0099] In the application scenario shown in Figure 4, the order system includes control device 401, picking devices 402 and 403, a merging station 404, a first transmission line 405, a second transmission line 406, a packing station 407, and a manual handling station 408. Picking device 402 (e.g., picking device A) corresponds to aisle 409 and shelf 410 (e.g., aisle 1 and shelf A), while picking device 403 (e.g., picking device B) corresponds to aisle 411 and shelf 412 (e.g., aisle 2 and shelf B). Both picking devices A and B have three picking containers, such as baskets, and two orders, designated as order 1 and order 2. Order 1 has a higher priority than order 2. Order 1 corresponds to three target picking tasks: two target picking tasks correspond to aisle 1 and picking device A, and one target picking task corresponds to aisle 2 and picking device B. Order 2 corresponds to three target picking tasks, all of which correspond to aisle 1. The target picking tasks corresponding to each order can be stored in the priority task pool.

[0100] For aisle 1, if picking equipment A is idle, the executing entity can select target picking tasks to be issued from the priority task pool according to a preset algorithm. For example, the target picking tasks to be issued can be determined according to order priority, that is, the two unissued target picking tasks corresponding to aisle 1 in order 1 and the one unissued target picking task corresponding to aisle 1 in order 2 can be issued to picking equipment A. Picking equipment A receives the target picking tasks and performs the picking operation, that is, it picks the items corresponding to the target picking tasks and transports the picked items to the merging station 404 for merging.

[0101] For each merged order in the merging station 404, the executing entity can first determine whether the item corresponding to the order matches the required item corresponding to the order. If they match, i.e. the picking is normal, the entity can request a package label and control the merging station 404 to transfer the picked item corresponding to the order to the packing station 407 for packing via the first transmission line 405. If they do not match, i.e. the picking is abnormal, the entity can control the merging station 404 to transfer the picked item corresponding to the order to the manual processing station 408 for manual review and packing via the second transmission line 406.

[0102] This application generates target picking tasks based on the aisles corresponding to the shelves where items in the same order are located and the volume of the picking containers configured on the picking equipment. According to the priority of the orders, the target picking tasks corresponding to the picking containers of the picking equipment that are in an idle state are selected and the target picking tasks are sent to the picking equipment that are in an idle state. This enables the order system to automatically select orders, split orders, and send tasks that can be executed by the picking equipment, thereby realizing the automated processing of orders.

[0103] Referring further to Figure 5, as an implementation of the methods shown in the above figures, this application provides an embodiment of an order processing device for an order placement system. This device embodiment corresponds to the method embodiment shown in Figure 2, and the device can be specifically applied to various electronic devices.

[0104] As shown in Figure 5, the order processing device 500 for the order placement system in this embodiment includes: a generation module 501 and a distribution module 502.

[0105] The generation module 501 can be configured to generate a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured by the picking equipment.

[0106] The dispatch module 502 can be configured to select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking equipment in the idle state according to the priority of the order and dispatch the selected target picking task to the picking equipment in the idle state.

[0107] In some optional embodiments of this example, the generation module 501 is further configured to generate initial picking tasks corresponding to each aisle based on the aisle of the shelf where the items in the same order are located; in response to determining that the total volume of the items corresponding to the initial picking task is greater than the volume of the corresponding picking container, the initial picking task is split into multiple target picking tasks.

[0108] In some optional embodiments of this example, the dispatch module 502 is further configured to: select a target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking device in an idle state according to the priority of the specified merging order and the priority of the non-specified merging order, and dispatch the selected target picking task to the picking device in an idle state.

[0109] In some optional embodiments of this example, the priority of non-designated merging orders is determined based on the wave priority corresponding to the non-designated merging orders.

[0110] In some optional embodiments of this invention, the apparatus further includes an additional module configured to, in response to determining that a picking device in an idle state has received a target picking task, change the state of the picking device in the idle state from idle state to picking state; and in response to determining that a target picking device exists among the picking devices in the picking state, determine a designated picking task corresponding to an empty picking container from the unissued target picking tasks, and issue the designated picking task to the target picking device.

[0111] In some optional embodiments of this invention, the apparatus further includes a packing module configured to, in response to determining that a picking device in a picking state will transport items picked based on a received target picking task to a merging station, change the state of the picking device in the picking state from picking state to idle state; and in response to determining that the merged order meets preset conditions, control the merging station to transmit the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the packing position via a first transmission line.

[0112] In some optional embodiments of this invention, the device further includes a processing module configured to, in response to determining that the merged order does not meet preset conditions, control the merging station to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to a manual processing station for processing via a second transmission line.

[0113] It should be noted that the collection, gathering, updating, analysis, processing, use, transmission, and storage of user personal information involved in this disclosed technical solution all comply with relevant laws and regulations, are used for legitimate purposes, and do not violate public order and good morals. Necessary measures are taken to prevent unauthorized access to user personal information data and to safeguard user personal information security, network security, and national security.

[0114] According to embodiments of this application, this application also provides an electronic device and a readable storage medium.

[0115] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an electronic device for an order processing method for an order placement system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0116] 600 is a block diagram of an electronic device for an order processing method for an order placement system according to embodiments of this application. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The electronic device may also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processors, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present application described and / or claimed herein.

[0117] As shown in Figure 6, the electronic device includes one or more processors 601, a memory 602, and interfaces for connecting the components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. The components are interconnected via different buses and can be mounted on a common motherboard or otherwise as required. The processors can process instructions executed within the electronic device, including instructions stored in or on memory to display graphical information of a GUI on external input / output devices (such as display devices coupled to the interfaces). In other embodiments, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used with multiple memories and multiple memory modules, if desired. Similarly, multiple electronic devices can be connected, each providing some of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server array, a group of blade servers, or a multiprocessor system). Figure 6 uses a single processor 601 as an example.

[0118] The memory 602 is the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium provided in this application. The memory stores instructions executable by at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to perform the order processing method for the order placement system provided in this application. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of this application stores computer instructions for causing a computer to perform the order processing method for the order placement system provided in this application.

[0119] The memory 602, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs, non-transitory computer-executable programs, and modules, such as the program instructions / modules corresponding to the order processing method for the order system in the embodiments of this application (e.g., the generation module 501 and the distribution module 502 shown in Figure 5). The processor 601 executes various functional applications and data processing of the server by running the non-transitory software programs, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 602, thereby implementing the order processing method for the order system in the above method embodiments.

[0120] Memory 602 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created by the use of electronic devices for order processing in the order system. Furthermore, memory 602 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory 602 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to processor 601, which can be connected via a network to electronic devices for order processing in the order system. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0121] The electronic device for the order processing method of the order placement system may further include an input device 603 and an output device 604. The processor 601, memory 602, input device 603 and output device 604 may be connected by a bus or other means, as shown in Figure 6, which illustrates a connection via a bus.

[0122] Input device 603 can receive input numerical or character information, such as a touchscreen, keypad, mouse, trackpad, touchpad, joystick, one or more mouse buttons, trackball, joystick, etc. Output device 604 may include a display device, auxiliary lighting device (e.g., LED), and haptic feedback device (e.g., vibration motor). The display device may include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, and a plasma display. In some embodiments, the display device may be a touchscreen.

[0123] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include: implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transferring data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0124] These computational programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented using high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any computer program product, device, and / or apparatus (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0125] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0126] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as a data server), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., an application server), or computing systems that include frontend components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with embodiments of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication of any form or medium (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.

[0127] Computer systems can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located far apart and typically interact through communication networks. Client-server relationships are created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other.

[0128] According to the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, automated order processing is realized.

[0129] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this application can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this application can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0130] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An order processing method for an order placement system, the order placement system comprising: A control device and a picking device, and the method applied to the control device, comprising: Based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured by the picking equipment, a target picking task is generated, wherein different aisles correspond to different picking equipment; According to the order priority, select the target picking task corresponding to the picking container of the picking device in the idle state and send the target picking task to the picking device in the idle state. The picking container configured in the idle picking device is empty, and one picking container corresponds to one target picking task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The generation of a target picking task based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured by the picking equipment includes: Based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order, an initial picking task is generated for each aisle, and there are multiple aisles; In response to determining that the total volume of the items corresponding to the initial picking task is greater than the volume of the corresponding picking container, the initial picking task is split into multiple target picking tasks, wherein the total volume of the items corresponding to the target picking tasks is less than the volume of the picking container.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of selecting and issuing target picking tasks corresponding to picking containers of idle picking equipment according to order priority includes: Based on the priority of designated merging orders and non-designated merging orders, a target picking task corresponding to the picking container of an idle picking device is selected and the target picking task is issued to the idle picking device. The designated merging order is used to indicate a merging order in which some of the target picking tasks have been issued and completed. The target picking tasks corresponding to the merging order correspond to different lanes, and the priority of the designated merging order is higher than the priority of the non-designated merging order.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The priority of the non-designated merging order is determined according to the wave priority corresponding to the non-designated merging order.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to determining that the picking device in the idle state has received a target picking task, the state of the picking device in the idle state is changed from idle state to picking state; In response to determining that a target picking device exists among the picking devices in the picking state, a designated picking task corresponding to an empty picking container is determined from the unissued target picking tasks, and the designated picking task is issued to the target picking device. The target picking device is configured with an empty picking container, and the designated picking task is of the same task type as the target picking task already assigned to the target picking device.

6. The method of claim 5, the order placement system further comprising: The method includes a merging station, a packing station, and a first transmission line, wherein the first transmission line connects the merging station and the packing station. The merging station is used to merge picked items corresponding to the same order. The method further includes: In response to determining that the picking device in the picking state will transport the items picked based on the received target picking task to the merging station, the state of the picking device in the picking state is changed from the picking state to the idle state. In response to determining that the merged order meets the preset conditions, the merging station is controlled to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the packing position via the first transmission line.

7. The method of claim 6, the order placement system further comprising: The method further includes: a manual processing station and a second transmission line, the second transmission line connecting the merging station and the manual processing station; In response to the determination that the merged order does not meet the preset conditions, the merge station is controlled to transfer the picked items corresponding to the merged order to the manual processing position via the second transmission line.

8. An order processing apparatus for an order placement system, the order placement system comprising: A control device and a picking device, and the means thereof disposed in the control device, comprising: The generation module is configured to generate target picking tasks based on the aisle corresponding to the shelf where the item is located in the same order and the volume of the picking container configured for the picking equipment. Different picking equipment corresponds to different aisles. The dispatch module is configured to select and dispatch target picking tasks corresponding to picking containers of picking devices in an idle state according to the priority of orders. The picking containers configured for the picking devices in an idle state are empty, and one picking container corresponds to one target picking task.

9. An electronic device, comprising: include: At least one processor; as well as A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1-7.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions, wherein, The computer instructions are used to cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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