CN110554688B

CN110554688B - Method and device for generating topological map

Info

Publication number: CN110554688B
Application number: CN201810537255.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 芦杰; 奚伟
Original assignee: Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Beijing Jingbangda Trade Co Ltd; Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-05-30
Filing date: 2018-05-30
Publication date: 2024-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2038-05-30
Also published as: CN110554688A

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses a method and a device for generating a topological map. One embodiment of the method comprises the following steps: acquiring a map of a target warehouse; determining a channel identifier contained in the map and used for identifying a channel in the target warehouse; responsive to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold, a guidance location for guiding the mobile robot to travel in the channel with the node identification based on the location of the channel identification in the map; connecting nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guiding positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines. This embodiment enables the generation of a topological map comprising nodes and connecting lines.

Description

Method and device for generating topological map

Technical Field

The embodiment of the application relates to the field of warehouse logistics, in particular to a method and a device for generating a topological map.

Background

In modern warehouses, mobile robots are used to replace manual work to accomplish many repetitive manual tasks, such as handling freight and the like. The application of the mobile robot can save a great deal of manpower, thereby improving the efficiency of each link.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a method and a device for generating a topological map.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for generating a topological map, the method including: acquiring a map of a target warehouse; determining a channel identifier contained in the map and used for identifying a channel in the target warehouse; responsive to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold, a guidance location for guiding the mobile robot to travel in the channel with the node identification based on the location of the channel identification in the map; connecting nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guiding positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines.

In some embodiments, based on the location of the lane identification in the map, directing the mobile robot to travel in the lane with the node identification includes: determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel; responsive to determining that the class of channels is a first class of channels, determining whether the width of the channels is less than a second target threshold; in response to determining that the width of the channel is less than the second target threshold, a guidance location for the mobile robot to travel in the channel is identified with a row of nodes.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of using the node identifier to identify a guiding position for guiding the mobile robot to run in the channel based on the position of the channel identifier in the map, and the method further comprises the steps of: in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the second target threshold, a guideline location for the mobile robot to operate in the channel is identified with at least two rows of nodes.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of using the node identifier to identify a guiding position for guiding the mobile robot to run in the channel based on the position of the channel identifier in the map, and the method further comprises the steps of: in response to determining that the class of the lane is not a first class lane, a guidance location of the mobile robot running in the lane is identified with at least one row of nodes.

In some embodiments, connecting nodes with connection lines with directions and weights, comprises: in response to identifying a pointing location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with a row of nodes, the nodes are connected with a bi-directional connection line.

In some embodiments, connecting nodes with connection lines with directions and weights, comprises: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot running in the channel with two rows of nodes, the nodes are connected with unidirectional connection lines, wherein the connection lines of the two rows of nodes are in opposite directions.

In some embodiments, connecting nodes with connection lines with directions and weights, comprises: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with at least three rows of nodes, connecting at least one row of nodes with a bi-directional connection line and connecting at least two rows of nodes with a unidirectional connection line.

In some embodiments, the weight is determined based on at least one of: speed limit in the channel, channel occupation degree and node occupation condition.

In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a method for determining an order in which a mobile robot passes through locations in a warehouse, the method comprising: obtaining a map and a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the topological map is generated by using the map according to the method described in any implementation manner of the first aspect; acquiring node information of an initial node and node information of a termination node of goods to be carried in a target warehouse; determining at least two nodes from a start node to a stop node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on a shortest path algorithm; determining at least two positions corresponding to the at least two nodes on the map; based on the traversal order, an order of the locations in the warehouse indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two locations is determined.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: the position information of the at least two positions is transmitted to the mobile robot, and information indicating the order of the positions indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions is transmitted to the mobile robot.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus for generating a topology map, the apparatus including: a map acquisition unit configured to acquire a map of a target warehouse; a channel identification determination unit configured to determine a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse; an identification unit configured to identify, with the node, a guidance position for guiding the mobile robot to run in the channel based on the position of the channel identification in the map in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold; the connecting unit is configured to connect the nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights, so as to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guiding positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines.

In some embodiments, the identification unit is further configured to: determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel; responsive to determining that the class of channels is a first class of channels, determining whether the width of the channels is less than a second target threshold; in response to determining that the width of the channel is less than the second target threshold, a guidance location for the mobile robot to travel in the channel is identified with a row of nodes.

In some embodiments, the identification unit is further configured to: in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the second target threshold, a guideline location for the mobile robot to operate in the channel is identified with at least two rows of nodes.

In some embodiments, the identification unit is further configured to: in response to determining that the class of the lane is not a first class lane, a guidance location of the mobile robot running in the lane is identified with at least one row of nodes.

In some embodiments, the connection unit is further configured to: in response to identifying a pointing location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with a row of nodes, the nodes are connected with a bi-directional connection line.

In some embodiments, the connection unit is further configured to: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot running in the channel with two rows of nodes, the nodes are connected with unidirectional connection lines, wherein the connection lines of the two rows of nodes are in opposite directions.

In some embodiments, the connection unit is further configured to: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with at least three rows of nodes, connecting at least one row of nodes with a bi-directional connection line and connecting at least two rows of nodes with a unidirectional connection line.

In a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide an apparatus for determining an order in which a mobile robot passes through locations in a warehouse, the apparatus comprising: a map and topology map acquisition unit configured to acquire a map and a topology map of the target warehouse, wherein the topology map is generated using the map according to the method described in any implementation of the first aspect; a node information acquisition unit configured to acquire node information of a start node and node information of an end node of goods to be handled in a target warehouse; a node order determining unit configured to determine at least two nodes from the start node to the end node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on a shortest path algorithm; a position determining unit configured to determine at least two positions corresponding to the at least two nodes on the map; a position order determining unit configured to determine an order of positions in the warehouse indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions based on the traversal order.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises: and an information transmitting unit configured to transmit the position information of the at least two positions and information indicating an order of the positions indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions to the mobile robot.

In a fifth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide an electronic device, including: one or more processors; a storage device having one or more programs stored thereon; the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the method as described in any of the implementations of the first aspect.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements a method as described in any of the implementations of the first aspect.

The method and the device for generating the topological map are used for generating the topological map comprising the nodes and the connecting lines based on the map of the target warehouse. In the process, whether the passage is suitable for passing or not is determined by the width of the passage so as to ensure the passing safety. In addition, as the topological map is generated based on the map of the warehouse, a foundation is provided for the matched use of the two subsequent maps.

Drawings

Other features, objects and advantages of the present application will become more apparent upon reading of the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments, made with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary system architecture diagram in which an embodiment of the present application may be applied;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method for generating a topological map according to the present application;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of one application scenario of a method for generating a topological map according to the present application;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method for determining a location of a mobile robot through a warehouse according to the present application;

FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of an apparatus for generating a topological map according to the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a computer system suitable for use in implementing embodiments of the present application.

Detailed Description

The present application is described in further detail below with reference to the drawings and examples. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not limiting of the invention. It should be noted that, for convenience of description, only the portions related to the present invention are shown in the drawings.

It should be noted that, in the case of no conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in conjunction with embodiments.

Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary system architecture 100 to which the methods for generating a topological map or the apparatus for generating a topological map of the embodiments of the present application may be applied.

As shown in fig. 1, the system architecture 100 may include a mobile robot 101, a network 102, and a controller 103. The network 102 is a medium used to provide a communication link between the mobile robot 101 and the controller 103. Network 102 may include various connection types such as wired, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables, among others.

The mobile robot 101 may interact with the controller 103 through the network 102 to receive or transmit messages, and may carry goods to be carried according to the received messages (instructions). The mobile robot 101 may be a robot capable of autonomous movement. In general, in addition to receiving instructions, the mobile robot 101 may also perceive the environment. Thereby moving according to the perceived environment or the received instruction. Mobile robots include, but are not limited to: wheeled mobile robots, walking mobile robots, tracked mobile robots, and the like.

The controller 103 may be hardware or software. When the controller 103 is hardware, it may be implemented as a distributed device cluster composed of a plurality of devices, or may be implemented as a single device. When the controller is software, it may be implemented as a plurality of software or software modules (for example, to provide distributed services), or may be implemented as a single software or software module, which is not specifically limited herein.

The controller 103 may be provided independently of the mobile robot 101, or may be provided in an internal structure of the mobile robot 101, and is not limited thereto.

It should be noted that, the method for generating a topology map provided in the embodiments of the present application is generally performed by the controller 103, and accordingly, the device for generating a topology map is generally disposed in the controller 103.

It should be understood that the number of mobile robots 101, networks 102, and controllers 103 in fig. 1 is merely illustrative. There may be any number of mobile robots 101, networks 102, and controllers 103 as desired for implementation.

With continued reference to fig. 2, a flow 200 of one embodiment of a method for generating a topological map in accordance with the present application is shown.

Step 201, a map of a target warehouse is acquired.

In the present embodiment, an execution subject (e.g., the controller 103 in fig. 1) of the method for generating a topological map may acquire a map of a target warehouse from a terminal storing the map of the target warehouse in a wired or wireless manner. In addition, the map of the target warehouse may be stored locally to the execution subject. At this time, the execution subject may directly acquire the map of the target warehouse from the local. The target warehouse can be a warehouse appointed by a technician, or can be a warehouse screened according to preset conditions. It will be appreciated that since the purpose of this embodiment is to generate a topological map. Thus, the map herein may be another type of map than a topological map. As an example, a map which is widely used, displaying various objects within a corresponding area and positional relationships thereof, may be used. As an example, a plan view of the warehouse is also possible.

Step 202, determining a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse.

In this embodiment, the executing body may determine the channel identifier included in the map acquired in step 201. Wherein the channel identification may be an identification for identifying a channel in the target repository. The passage may be a road available for passage in the warehouse. In practice, particularly in the modern logistics industry, a plurality of rows of racks are often provided in a warehouse to store the acquisitions. A channel can be arranged between the goods shelves to facilitate taking and placing goods. In addition to the aisles between shelves, other types of aisles may be included in the warehouse. Such as a aisle between shelves and building walls, a main aisle between different shelf areas, an aisle to a parking spot, a charging station etc. and so on.

In this embodiment, the executing body may determine the channel identifier included in the map in various manners. As an example, electronic maps typically use a specific identifier to identify the actual channel when stored, and are displayed on a display device with the channel identification. Thus, the executing entity may identify a particular identifier to determine the channel identification. The execution entity described above may also determine the channel identification by receiving a technician's input, as an example.

In response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold, a guidance location for guiding the mobile robot through the channel is identified with the node based on the location of the channel identification in the map, step 203.

In this embodiment, the execution body may first determine whether the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold. In practice, the width of the channels in the warehouse will vary. To ensure traffic safety, it is possible to determine whether the passage is suitable for traffic by the width of the passage. Wherein the first target threshold may be a threshold defining a width of the channel. It can be determined by the skilled person or calculated according to preset conditions. For example, the preset condition may be a sum of a width of the mobile robot passing through the passage and a preset safety distance.

If the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold, the execution body may use the node identifier to guide the mobile robot to run in the channel based on the position of the channel identifier in the map.

In practice, the guiding modes of the mobile robot can be divided into two types: fixed path guidance and free path guidance. The fixed path guidance may guide the operation of the mobile robot by disposing the medium substance. The free path guidance may be guided by mobile robot navigation based on coordinates of the current location and the next location.

In the case of fixed path guidance, the guidance location may be a location where the medium substance is provided. Whereas in the case of free path guidance, the guiding position may be specified by the technician. In addition, a position satisfying the preset condition may be set as the guide position. As an example, for each storage location on a shelf, a guideline location may be determined within the aisle at a preset location for that storage location. It will be appreciated that the same index location may be determined for similar or opposite storage locations, as desired. At this time, after the mobile robot reaches the guiding position, the goods in the storage positions of the preset number can be carried. After the guide position is determined, the coordinates thereof can also be determined. When the mobile robot runs, each time the mobile robot runs to one guiding position, the next guiding position can be used as a target position to move.

In this embodiment, the executing entity may identify the guiding location with a node. Thus, the mobile robot can acquire position information (e.g., coordinates) of the guidance position by acquiring node information of the node at the time of operation.

In this embodiment, the executing entity may identify the guiding location with the node based on the location of the channel identifier in the map. As an example, the execution subject may index the location with the node identification at the same location as the location of the channel identification in the map.

If the channel width is smaller than the first target threshold, the executing may output a prompt message for indicating that the channel width does not meet the safety threshold.

It should be noted that in practice, different types of nodes may be set to identify different types of locations. For example, the index locations near the charging point may be identified with the same type of node. At this time, the node of this type may be referred to as a charging node.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the guiding location for guiding the mobile robot to operate in the channel with the node identifier based on the location of the channel identifier in the map includes: determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel; responsive to determining that the class of channels is a first class of channels, determining whether the width of the channels is less than a second target threshold; in response to determining that the width of the channel is less than the second target threshold, a guidance location for the mobile robot to travel in the channel is identified with a row of nodes.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, based on the location of the channel identifier in the map, the guiding location for guiding the mobile robot to operate in the channel with the node identifier further includes: in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the second target threshold, a guideline location for the mobile robot to operate in the channel is identified with at least two rows of nodes.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, based on the location of the channel identifier in the map, the guiding location for guiding the mobile robot to operate in the channel with the node identifier further includes: in response to determining that the class of the lane is not a first class lane, a guidance location of the mobile robot running in the lane is identified with at least one row of nodes.

And 204, connecting nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse.

In this embodiment, the executing body may connect the nodes with connection lines with directions and weights, so as to obtain a topology map of the target warehouse. The direction of the connecting line is used for indicating the passing direction of the mobile robot. In practice, the connection lines may be unidirectional or bidirectional. When the connecting line is unidirectional, the mobile robot can only pass along the direction indicated by the connecting line. When the connecting line is bidirectional, the mobile robot can pass along any one of two directions indicated by the connecting line. The weights of the connection lines are used to identify distances between the index locations identified by the nodes to which the connection lines are connected.

When the topology map is stored in the electronic device, the topology map may be stored by using a storage map. As an example, the storage may be in the form of an adjacency matrix or adjacency table. Taking the adjacency list as an example, the weights of the connection lines can be stored with one data area. That is, the nodes and the connection lines included in the topology map in the present embodiment may be included in the visual display of the topology map data.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, connecting the nodes with connection lines with directions and weights may include: in response to identifying a pointing location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with a row of nodes, the nodes are connected with a bi-directional connection line.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, connecting the nodes with connection lines with directions and weights may include: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot running in the channel with two rows of nodes, the nodes are connected with unidirectional connection lines, wherein the connection lines of the two rows of nodes are in opposite directions.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, connecting the nodes with connection lines with directions and weights may include: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with at least three rows of nodes, connecting at least one row of nodes with a bi-directional connection line and connecting at least two rows of nodes with a unidirectional connection line.

In some alternative implementations of the present embodiment, the weights may be determined based on at least one of: speed limit in the channel, channel occupation degree and node occupation condition.

In these implementations, as an example, the weights are determined by: first, an initial weight is determined based on the distance between nodes. Second, the ratio of the limit in the first class of lanes (e.g., inter-shelf lanes) to the limit in the second class of lanes (e.g., inter-shelf lanes) is calculated and recorded as a deceleration factor. And finally, calculating the product of the initial weight and the deceleration coefficient, and determining the calculated product as the weight between the nodes.

With continued reference to fig. 3, fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the method for generating a topology map according to the present embodiment. In the application scenario of fig. 3, an execution subject of the method for generating a topological map may first acquire a map 301 of warehouse a. Included in map 301 are composite station identification 3011 and repository identification 3012. Thereafter, the channel identifier contained in the map 301 for identifying the channel in the warehouse a may be determined, specifically including: channel identification 3013, channel identification 3014, channel identification 3015, channel identification 3016, channel identification 3017, and channel identification 3018. The channel identifier 3013 is an channel formed between the left and right shelf regions. Channel identifiers 3014, 3015, 3016, 3017 identify inter-shelf channels. The aisle identity 3018 identifies the aisle between the pallet and the composite station.

On this basis, the execution body may compare the width of the channel identified by the respective channel identifications with a preset security threshold. Taking the channel identification 3014 as an example, the channel identified by it is denoted as channel B. In response to determining that the width of the lane B is greater than or equal to the preset safety threshold, the guidance locations for guiding the mobile robot to travel in the lane B are identified with the nodes at the same locations as the lane identification 3014 in the map 301 (i.e., within the area of the lane identification 3014 described above). In the application scene, the guiding position can be determined in the channel and in front of the storage position, and the position of the guiding position is determined from the preset distance of the storage position, namely, each storage position identifier corresponds to one node. For example, the bin identifier 3012 corresponds to the node 3021. For other locations in the channel, the index location may also be set as desired. For example, the index position may be set at a preset orientation of the compounding station. Taking the composite station identity 3011 as an example, node 3023 may be corresponding.

Finally, the nodes are connected by connecting lines with directions and weights, resulting in a topology map 302 of the target warehouse. Wherein the illustration 3022 is one of the connection lines. As an example, the weight of the connection line may be represented by the length of the connection line. The direction of the connection line may represent a direction in which the mobile robot is allowed to pass. In this application scenario, one-way access is allowed to be represented by a connection line with a one-way arrow, and two-way access is allowed to be represented by a connection line without an arrow.

In practice, the topology map is usually a connected graph. I.e. any two of the nodes may communicate with each other. In this application scenario, for convenience of description. The topology map 302 shows only a portion of the nodes and connection lines.

The method for generating a topological map provided by the embodiment of the application generates a topological map comprising nodes and connecting lines based on the map of the target warehouse. In the process, whether the passage is suitable for passing or not is determined by the width of the passage so as to ensure the passing safety. Further, since the topological map is generated based on a map of the warehouse. There is a certain correspondence between the topological map and the map of the warehouse. The corresponding relation provides a foundation for the matched use of the two subsequent maps.

With further reference to fig. 4, there is shown a flow 400 of one embodiment of a method for determining the order in which a mobile robot passes through locations in a warehouse, the flow 400 of the method for determining the order in which a mobile robot passes through locations in a warehouse, comprising the steps of:

step 401, obtaining a map and a topological map of a target warehouse.

In the present embodiment, an execution subject of the method for determining the order in which the mobile robot passes through the positions in the warehouse may first acquire a map and a topological map of the target warehouse. Wherein the topological map may be generated using a map of the target warehouse in any of the ways shown in fig. 2.

Step 402, acquiring node information of a start node and node information of a stop node of goods to be carried in a target warehouse.

In this embodiment, the executing body may acquire node information of a start node and node information of an end node of the goods to be handled in the target warehouse. The node information may be an identifier, a number, etc. of the node. As an example, a conveyance start position and an end position of a load to be conveyed may be first determined. And then, respectively taking the nodes corresponding to the guiding positions in the preset range as a starting node and a terminating node. In practice, the goods to be moved often need to be moved from the storage location to the review station. Referring to the description in the application scenario corresponding to fig. 3, both the storage location and the review station may correspond to the node. In this case, the start node and the end node of the goods to be handled may be determined. Thus, the node information of the starting node and the node information of the ending node of the goods to be carried can be obtained.

Step 403, determining at least two nodes from the start node to the end node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on the shortest path algorithm.

In this embodiment, the execution body may determine at least two nodes from the start node to the end node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on a shortest path algorithm. The shortest path algorithm is a classical algorithm in graph theory research, and can calculate a path with the smallest sum of weights, namely a shortest path, in paths passing from one node to another node. Shortest path algorithms include, but are not limited to: dijkstra algorithm, bellman-Ford algorithm, floyd algorithm, SPFA algorithm, and the like.

At step 404, at least two locations corresponding to the at least two nodes are determined on the map.

In this embodiment, since the topological map is generated using a map of the warehouse. Thus, for nodes in the topology, the executing body can find the position corresponding to the node in the map. As an example, in case the topological map is the same as the map size of the warehouse, the same coordinate system may be established. And then determining the same position on the map as the coordinates of the node and taking the same as the position corresponding to the node. It will be appreciated that in the case of different sizes, the location corresponding to the node may be determined according to the size ratio.

Step 405, based on the traversal order, determines an order of the positions in the warehouse indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions.

In this embodiment, the nodes are in one-to-one correspondence with the locations determined in step 405 on the map. Therefore, the traversal order of the at least two nodes may be regarded as the traversal order of the corresponding at least two positions. I.e. the order in which the mobile robot passes the positions in the warehouse indicated by the at least two positions.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the method may further include: the position information of the at least two positions is transmitted to the mobile robot, and information indicating the order of the positions indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions is transmitted to the mobile robot.

In these implementations, the execution body may transmit the position information of the at least two positions and the information indicating the order of the positions indicated by the robot through the at least two positions to the mobile robot. Thereby, the mobile robot passes the positions in the warehouse indicated by the at least two positions in sequence.

The method provided by the above embodiment determines at least two nodes from the start node to the end node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on the topological map and the shortest path algorithm. I.e. determining the shortest path from the originating node to the terminating node. Thereafter, at least two locations corresponding to the map and an order thereof are determined based on the determined shortest path. Thus, the path along which the mobile robot travels in the warehouse can be determined.

With further reference to fig. 5, as an implementation of the method shown in fig. 2, the present application provides an embodiment of an apparatus for generating a topological map, where the embodiment of the apparatus corresponds to the embodiment of the method shown in fig. 2, and the apparatus is particularly applicable to various electronic devices.

As shown in fig. 5, the apparatus 500 for generating a topological map of the present embodiment includes: a map acquisition unit 501, a channel identification determination unit 502, an identification unit 503, and a connection unit 504. Wherein the map acquisition unit 501 is configured to acquire a map of the target warehouse. The channel identification determination unit 502 is configured to determine a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse. The identification unit 503 is configured to identify a guiding position for guiding the mobile robot to run in the tunnel with the node based on the position of the tunnel identification in the map in response to determining that the width of the tunnel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold. The connection unit 504 is configured to connect the nodes with connection lines with directions and weights, wherein the directions of the connection lines are used to indicate the traffic direction of the mobile robot, and the weights of the connection lines are used to represent the distances between the guiding locations identified by the nodes connected by the connection lines, resulting in a topological map of the target warehouse.

In this embodiment, specific processes and technical effects of the map acquisition unit 501, the channel identifier determining unit 502, the identifier unit 503, and the connection unit 504 included in the apparatus 500 for generating a topological map may refer to steps 201 to 204 in the embodiment corresponding to fig. 2, and are not described herein.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the identification unit 503 may be further configured to: determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel; responsive to determining that the class of channels is a first class of channels, determining whether the width of the channels is less than a second target threshold; in response to determining that the width of the channel is less than the second target threshold, a guidance location for the mobile robot to travel in the channel is identified with a row of nodes.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the identification unit 503 may be further configured to: in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the second target threshold, a guideline location for the mobile robot to operate in the channel is identified with at least two rows of nodes.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the identification unit 503 may be further configured to: in response to determining that the class of the lane is not a first class lane, a guidance location of the mobile robot running in the lane is identified with at least one row of nodes.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the connection unit 504 may be further configured to: in response to identifying a pointing location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with a row of nodes, the nodes are connected with a bi-directional connection line.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the connection unit 504 may be further configured to: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot running in the channel with two rows of nodes, the nodes are connected with unidirectional connection lines, wherein the connection lines of the two rows of nodes are in opposite directions.

In some optional implementations of the present embodiment, the connection unit 504 may be further configured to: in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot operating in the pathway with at least three rows of nodes, connecting at least one row of nodes with a bi-directional connection line and connecting at least two rows of nodes with a unidirectional connection line.

In some alternative implementations of the present embodiment, the weights are determined based on at least one of: speed limit in the channel, channel occupation degree and node occupation condition.

In the present embodiment, first, the map acquisition unit 501 may acquire a map of a target warehouse. Thereafter, the channel identification determination unit 502 may determine a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse. Then, the identification unit 503 and the connection unit 504 may perform node identification and connection of the nodes, respectively, to generate a topology map including the nodes and the connection lines. In the process, whether the passage is suitable for passing or not is determined by the width of the passage so as to ensure the passing safety. In addition, as the topological map is generated based on the map of the warehouse, a foundation is provided for the matched use of the two subsequent maps.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a schematic diagram of a computer system 600 suitable for use in implementing an electronic device of an embodiment of the present application is shown. The electronic device shown in fig. 6 is only an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of the present application.

As shown in fig. 6, the computer system 600 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 601, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a Read Only Memory (ROM) 602 or a program loaded from a storage section 608 into a Random Access Memory (RAM) 603. In the RAM 603, various programs and data required for the operation of the system 600 are also stored. The CPU 601, ROM 602, and RAM 603 are connected to each other through a bus 604. An input/output (I/O) interface 605 is also connected to bus 604.

The following components are connected to the I/O interface 605: an input portion 606 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output portion 607 including a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and the like, a speaker, and the like; a storage section 608 including a hard disk and the like; and a communication section 609 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, a modem, or the like. The communication section 609 performs communication processing via a network such as the internet. The drive 610 is also connected to the I/O interface 605 as needed. Removable media 611 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like is installed as needed on drive 610 so that a computer program read therefrom is installed as needed into storage section 608.

In particular, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processes described above with reference to flowcharts may be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising program code for performing the method shown in the flowcharts. In such an embodiment, the computer program may be downloaded and installed from a network through the communication portion 609, and/or installed from the removable medium 611. The above-described functions defined in the method of the present application are performed when the computer program is executed by a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 601.

It should be noted that, the computer readable medium described in the present application may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium, or any combination of the two. The computer readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or a combination of any of the foregoing. More specific examples of the computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In the present application, however, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, with computer-readable program code embodied therein. Such a propagated data signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable signal medium may also be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, fiber optic cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present application may be written in one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, smalltalk, C ++ and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any kind of network, including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider).

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present application. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The units involved in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by software, or may be implemented by hardware. The described units may also be provided in a processor, for example, described as: a processor includes a map acquisition unit, a channel identification determination unit, an identification unit, and a connection unit. The names of these units do not constitute a limitation on the unit itself in some cases, and the acquisition unit may also be described as "a unit that acquires a map of a target warehouse", for example.

As another aspect, the present application also provides a computer-readable medium that may be contained in the electronic device described in the above embodiment; or may exist alone without being incorporated into the electronic device. The computer readable medium carries one or more programs which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the apparatus to: acquiring a map of a target warehouse; determining a channel identifier contained in the map and used for identifying a channel in the target warehouse; responsive to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the first target threshold, a guidance location for guiding the mobile robot to travel in the channel with the node identification based on the location of the channel identification in the map; connecting nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guiding positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines.

The foregoing description is only of the preferred embodiments of the present application and is presented as a description of the principles of the technology being utilized. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the scope of the invention referred to in this application is not limited to the specific combinations of features described above, but it is intended to cover other embodiments in which any combination of features described above or equivalents thereof is possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such as the above-described features and technical features having similar functions (but not limited to) disclosed in the present application are replaced with each other.

Claims

1. A method for generating a topological map, comprising:

acquiring a map of a target warehouse;

determining a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse;

responsive to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to a first target threshold, identifying, with a node, a guidance location for guiding the mobile robot through the channel based on the location of the channel identification in the map;

connecting nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guide positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines;

The guiding position for guiding the mobile robot to run in the channel by using the node identifier based on the position of the channel identifier in the map comprises the following steps:

determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel;

responsive to determining that the class of the channel is a first class of channel, determining whether a width of the channel is less than a second target threshold;

responsive to determining that the width of the channel is less than a second target threshold, a guidance location for the mobile robot to operate in the channel is identified with a row of nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the directing location to direct mobile robot travel in the aisle with a node identification based on the location of the aisle identification in the map further comprises:

in response to determining that the width of the channel is greater than or equal to the second target threshold, at least two rows of nodes are used to identify a guidance location for the mobile robot to travel in the channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the directing location to direct mobile robot travel in the aisle with a node identification based on the location of the aisle identification in the map further comprises:

In response to determining that the class of the lane is not a first class lane, a guidance location for the mobile robot to operate in the lane is identified with at least one row of nodes.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said connecting nodes with connection lines with direction and weight comprises:

in response to identifying a pointing location of the mobile robot operating in the lane with a row of nodes, the nodes are connected with a bi-directional connection line.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said connecting nodes with connection lines with direction and weight comprises:

in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot running in the channel with two rows of nodes, connecting the nodes with unidirectional connection lines, wherein the connection lines of the two rows of nodes are in opposite directions.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said connecting nodes with connection lines with direction and weight comprises:

in response to identifying a relevant location of the mobile robot operating in the channel with at least three rows of nodes, connecting at least one row of nodes with a bi-directional connection line and connecting at least two rows of nodes with a unidirectional connection line.

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein the weight is determined based on at least one of: speed limit in the channel, channel occupation degree and node occupation condition.

8. A method for determining an order in which a mobile robot passes through locations in a warehouse, comprising:

obtaining a map of a target warehouse and a topological map, wherein the topological map is generated by using the map according to the method of one of claims 1 to 7;

acquiring node information of an initial node and node information of a termination node of goods to be carried in the target warehouse;

determining at least two nodes from the start node to the end node and a traversal order of the at least two nodes based on a shortest path algorithm;

determining at least two positions corresponding to the at least two nodes on the map;

based on the traversal order, an order of the positions in the warehouse indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions is determined.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

and transmitting position information of the at least two positions to the mobile robot, wherein the information indicates the sequence of the positions indicated by the mobile robot through the at least two positions.

10. An apparatus for generating a topological map, comprising:

a map acquisition unit configured to acquire a map of a target warehouse;

A channel identification determination unit configured to determine a channel identification contained in the map for identifying a channel in the target warehouse;

an identification unit configured to identify, with a node, a guidance position for guiding a mobile robot to run in the channel based on a position of the channel identification in the map in response to determining that a width of the channel is greater than or equal to a first target threshold;

the connecting unit is configured to connect the nodes by using connecting lines with directions and weights, so as to obtain a topological map of the target warehouse, wherein the directions of the connecting lines are used for indicating the passing directions of the mobile robots, and the weights of the connecting lines are used for representing the distances between guiding positions marked by the nodes connected by the connecting lines;

the identification unit is further configured to:

determining whether the category of the channel is a first category channel;

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the identification unit is further configured to:

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the identification unit is further configured to:

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connection unit is further configured to:

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connection unit is further configured to:

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connection unit is further configured to:

16. The apparatus of any of claims 10-15, wherein the weight is determined based on at least one of: speed limit in the channel, channel occupation degree and node occupation condition.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a storage device having one or more programs stored thereon;

when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to implement the method of any of claims 1-7.

18. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, wherein the program when executed by a processor implements the method of any of claims 1-7.