CN110712907A

CN110712907A - Control method for AGV and intelligent warehousing system

Info

Publication number: CN110712907A
Application number: CN201910860906.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杨坤; 唐丹; 冯峻
Original assignee: Shanghai Quicktron Intelligent Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Quicktron Intelligent Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-09-11
Filing date: 2019-09-11
Publication date: 2020-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2039-09-11
Also published as: CN110712907B

Abstract

The invention provides a control method for carrying a goods shelf by using an AGV (automatic guided vehicle) to select goods, which comprises the following steps: s101: transporting a first goods shelf to a sorting area by using a first AGV, and transporting a second goods shelf to the side of the first goods shelf by using a second AGV; s102: unbinding the first rack from the first AGV; s103: controlling the first AGV to exit; s104: the binding between the second goods shelf and the second AGV is released; s105: and after the first goods shelf picking task is finished, controlling the second AGV to move away the first goods shelf.

Description

Control method for AGV and intelligent warehousing system

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of smart storage, and more particularly, to a method for controlling an AGV and a smart storage system.

Background

In the current logistics warehousing field, Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) have been increasingly used to replace or supplement manual labor. The automatic guided vehicle can automatically receive the object conveying task, reaches the first position under the control of a program, acquires the object, then travels to the second position, unloads the object, and continues to execute other tasks. The warehousing system with the automatic guide vehicle has the characteristics of instant response and the flexibility of a distributed system, and can greatly reduce the comprehensive cost of warehousing.

In the current dispatching method of the automatic guided vehicle, one automatic guided vehicle is distributed to one goods shelf, the goods shelf is transported to a goods sorting position by the automatic guided vehicle, and after corresponding goods sorting operation is carried out, the goods shelf is moved away by the automatic guided vehicle. The inventor of the application finds that the efficiency of the scheduling control mode is low, and the working efficiency of the intelligent warehousing system is not improved favorably.

The statements in the background section are merely prior art as they are known to the inventors and do not, of course, represent prior art in the field.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a control method for carrying a goods shelf by using an AGV (automatic guided vehicle) to select goods, which comprises the following steps:

s101: transporting a first goods shelf to a sorting area by using a first AGV, and transporting a second goods shelf to the side of the first goods shelf by using a second AGV;

s102: unbinding the first rack from the first AGV;

s103: controlling the first AGV to exit;

s104: the binding between the second goods shelf and the second AGV is released;

s105: and after the first goods shelf picking task is finished, controlling the second AGV to move away the first goods shelf.

According to an aspect of the invention, the step S104 further comprises: moving a second AGV under the first rack and binding with the first rack.

According to one aspect of the invention, the picking zone includes a first shelf location and a second shelf location, the step S101 includes: the first goods shelf is conveyed to a first goods shelf position of the sorting area by the first AGV, and the second goods shelf is conveyed to a second goods shelf position of the sorting area by the second AGV.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the scheduling method further includes:

s106: transporting a third rack to a waiting position outside the sorting area using a third AGV

S107: and after the first rack is removed, a third AGV is used for conveying the third rack to the first rack position.

According to an aspect of the invention, said step S107 further comprises: unbinding the third AGV from the third rack.

s108: and when detecting that the picking operation of a second goods shelf is started, moving the third AGV to the position below the second goods shelf and binding the third AGV with the second goods shelf.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the scheduling method further includes: judging whether the cost of the residual tasks of the first AGV is greater than the exchange cost of the AGVs, and if so, executing the steps S102, S103, S104 and S105; otherwise, after the first goods shelf is operated, the first AGV moves away the first goods shelf.

The invention also provides an intelligent warehousing system, comprising:

a plurality of shelves;

a picking zone, the picking zone housing at least two shelves;

a plurality of AGVs which can carry the goods shelf;

a control system coupled to and controlling the AGVs, wherein the control system is configured to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1-7.

According to one aspect of the invention, the smart warehousing system further comprises a waiting area located outside the picking area.

The present disclosure also relates to a control method for carrying out goods picking by using an AGV to carry a rack, including:

transporting a first goods shelf to a sorting area by using a first AGV, and transporting a second goods shelf to the side of the first goods shelf by using a second AGV;

calculating a cost of the first AGV performing the remaining tasks of the first rack;

calculating an exchange cost for the first AGV leaving the first rack and the second AGV moving to the first rack;

determining whether the remaining task cost is greater than the swap cost;

if the residual task cost is larger than the exchange cost, the first goods shelf and the first AGV are unbound, the first AGV is controlled to leave, the second goods shelf and the second AGV are unbound, and after the first goods shelf picking task is completed, the second AGV is controlled to move away the first goods shelf;

and if the residual task cost is less than the exchange cost, controlling the first AGV to move away the first rack after the first rack picking task is completed.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the invention and not to limit the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of controlling the handling of a rack for picking of goods by an AGV according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of the smart storage system after a first AGV exits a first rack in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of the smart storage system after a second AGV has moved to a first rack in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of the smart storage system after a second AGV has moved a first rack away according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system, according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 shows a diagram of a smart warehouse after a first rack has been removed according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a smart storage system after a third AGV has moved to a second rack in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 11 illustrates a method for controlling the handling of pallets for picking using an AGV according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

In the following, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art can appreciate, the described embodiments can be modified in various different ways, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. 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 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.

In the description of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "straight", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", and the like, indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, but do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the present disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined as "first", "second", may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality" means two or more unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and the like are to be construed broadly and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected: may be mechanically connected, may be electrically connected or may be in communication with each other; either directly or indirectly through intervening media, either internally or in any other relationship. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art as appropriate. For example, the present disclosure uses the term "coupled" to indicate that the connection between two terminals can be direct connection, indirect connection through an intermediate medium, electrically wired connection, or wireless connection.

In the present disclosure, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may comprise the first and second features being in direct contact, or may comprise the first and second features being in contact, not directly, but via another feature in between. Also, the first feature being "on," "above" and "over" the second feature includes the first feature being directly on and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "under," "below," and "beneath" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply meaning that the first feature is at a lesser level than the second feature.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the disclosure. To simplify the disclosure of the present disclosure, specific example components and arrangements are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Moreover, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or reference letters in the various examples, which have been repeated for purposes of simplicity and clarity and do not in themselves dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or arrangements discussed. In addition, the present disclosure provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize applications of other processes and/or use of other materials.

It is to be noted that, unless otherwise specified, technical or scientific terms used in the present disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the appended drawings, it being understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are merely for purposes of illustrating and explaining the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 1, the smart warehousing system 10 includes a shelf storage area 11 and a picking area 12, wherein the shelf storage area 11 can be used for placing a plurality of shelves 13; at picking zone 12, a picking robot or picker may perform picking operations on shelves 13 located at picking zone 12, such as removing items from shelves 13 or placing items on shelves 13. The smart storage system 10 also includes a plurality of automated guided vehicles AGVs 14 and a control system 15. The control system 15 may receive or manage work tasks or scheduling commands of the entire smart warehousing system 10, such as warehousing or ex-warehousing commands, and search for a corresponding rack 13, select one of the available automated guided vehicles 14, and assign the automated guided vehicle 14 to perform a specific rack handling operation.

The control system 15 and the automatic guided vehicle 14 may communicate wirelessly, for example, including but not limited to wireless communication methods such as WIFI, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, EDGE, GRPS, and bluetooth. The control system 15 may wirelessly transmit specific work instructions and related information to the automated guided vehicle 14, such as one or more of the number, position information, conveying route, conveying destination, and the like of the rack 13 to be conveyed; the automated guided vehicle 14 may also report data to the control system 15 in a wireless manner, including but not limited to the current location, current status, task execution status, and the like.

The description is given by way of example. For example, when the control system 15 receives a goods delivery instruction, the control system 15 searches the database to find the number and/or position information of the shelf 13 storing the goods, and allocates one automatic guided vehicle 14 among the currently available automatic guided vehicles 14 to perform the task. After receiving the task, the automated guided vehicle 14 automatically navigates and travels to the position of the rack 13, for example, lifts up the rack 13, then travels along a pre-planned route (the route may be planned by the control system 15 or may be planned by the automated guided vehicle itself), travels to the picking area 12, picks the rack 13 at the picking area 12 by a picking robot or a picking operator, for example, takes out the needed goods, and then the automated guided vehicle 14 may transport the rack 13 away from the picking area, for example, returns to the home position, or transports the rack 13 to another position designated by the control system 15.

Fig. 2 illustrates a control method 100 for transporting a rack by an AGV for picking goods according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an intelligent storage system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of an intelligent storage system after a first AGV leaves a first rack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of an intelligent storage system after a second AGV moves to the first rack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of an intelligent storage system after the second AGV transports the first rack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. As described in detail below with reference to fig. 2-6.

In step S101, a first rack 13-1 is transported to the picking area 12 by a first AGV14-1, and a second rack 13-2 is transported beside the first rack 13-1 by a second AGV 14-2.

As shown in fig. 3, the control system 15 schedules the first rack 13-1 for transport to the picking area 12 by a first AGV14-1 and the second rack 13-2 for transport to the side of the first rack 13-1 by a second AGV 14-2. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the picking zone 12 includes, for example, at least two picking or shelf locations, with a second shelf 13-2 also located at the picking zone 12. It will be readily appreciated that in FIG. 3, first AGV14-1 and second AGV14-2 are located below first rack 13-1 and second rack 13-2, respectively, and thus are coincident when viewed in top plan view. In addition, the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the order of transporting the first rack and the second rack, and both of them arrive sequentially or simultaneously, and is within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

In step S102, the first rack 13-1 is unbound from the first AGV 14-1.

Typically, in the picking zone 12, a plurality of racks need to be individually sorted. The first shelf 13-1 is first sorted as an example.

In the scheduling control method in the prior art, after the AGV carries the rack to the sorting area, the AGV usually waits for the sorting operation to proceed, and after the sorting operation is completed, the AGV directly carries the rack from the sorting area.

Unlike the prior art, in the present disclosure, after the first AGV14-1 carries the first rack 13-1 to the picking area 12, if the first rack 13-1 starts the picking operation, the first AGV14-1 will be unbound from the first rack 13-1, for example, the first AGV14-1 will lower the height of the first rack 13-1 and place it on the ground. Alternatively, the status of first AGV14-1 may be identified as "idle" or "available" at this time, for example.

In step S103, the first AGV14-1 is controlled to exit.

After the first AGV14-1 is unbound from the first rack 13-1, the control system 15 may control the first AGV14-1 to exit, for example, to perform other transport tasks, as shown in FIG. 4.

At step S104, the binding of second rack 13-2 with second AGV14-2 is released.

In step S105, after the picking task of the first rack 13-1 is completed, the second AGV14-2 is controlled to move the first rack 13-1 away.

As shown in fig. 5, after the first AGV14-1 is dispatched and left, the control system 15 dispatches and controls the second AGV14-2 to be unbound from the second rack 13-2, the second AGV14-2 places the second rack 13-2 on the ground, and after waiting for the completion of the picking task of the first rack 13-1, the second AGV14-2 transports the first rack 13-1 away in the direction of the arrow in fig. 5, and fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram after the second AGV14-2 transports the first rack 13-1 away.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the step S104 further includes: a second AGV14-2 is moved under the first rack 13-1 and is bound to the first rack 13-1. For example, after the first AGV14-1 leaves the unbound state and leaves, the second rack 13-2 is unbound from the second AGV14-2, the second AGV14-2 is moved to the lower side of the first rack 13-1, and the first rack 13-1 is lifted up and bound to the first rack 13-1, and the picking task of the first rack 13-1 is waited for to be completed.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sorting region 12 includes a first shelf position and a second shelf position, in which case step S101 may include: the first goods shelf is conveyed to a first goods shelf position of the sorting area by the first AGV, and the second goods shelf is conveyed to a second goods shelf position of the sorting area by the second AGV. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the number of shelf locations in the picking zone 12, and that the picking zone 12 may include one shelf location or may include a greater number of shelf locations, all within the scope of the present disclosure. Further preferably, the step S104 may be performed before the step S103. For example, the first rack 13-1 and the second rack 13-2 are transported to the sorting area by the first AGV14-1 and the second AGV14-2, and then are directly unbound from the first AGV14-1 and the second AGV 14-2.

In the above control method 100 of the present disclosure, the steps are not necessarily performed in the described order, and the order may be adjusted as needed by those skilled in the art, which are within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a smart warehousing system according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, where the smart warehousing system 10 further includes a waiting location outside the picking zone 12, as shown in fig. 7. The shelf 13 in the waiting position cannot perform the picking operation, and needs to wait for the picking operation to be carried to the picking area 12 before the picking operation is started. As shown in fig. 5, the picking zone 12 has two shelf positions, a first shelf position and a second shelf position (the position of the first shelf 13-1 is the first shelf position and the position of the second shelf 13-2 is the second shelf position in fig. 5). Outside the picking zone, there are also waiting positions, which may serve as shelf buffers, and when one of the shelf positions in the picking zone 12 is emptied, the shelf in the waiting position may be immediately transported to the picking zone 12, thereby improving the picking efficiency.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control method 100 further includes:

step S106: a third rack 13-3 is transported to a waiting position outside the picking zone 12 by a third AGV 14-3.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a smart storage system according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, where a third AGV14-3 transports a third rack 13-3 to a waiting position, as shown in FIG. 8. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that although step S106 is shown in fig. 8 as being performed after step S105, i.e., after first rack 13-1 is removed, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Step S106 may also be performed before, for example, before or after step S101, which are within the scope of the present disclosure.

Step S107: after the first rack 13-1 is removed, the third rack 13-3 is transported to the first rack position by a third AGV 14-3. Fig. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the smart warehouse after the first rack is removed according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, and as shown in fig. 9, after the first rack 13-1 is removed, a vacancy appears in the picking zone 12, at this time, the third rack 13-3 can be transported from the waiting position to the first rack position by using the third AGV14-3 to wait for picking.

Preferably, in step S107, after the third AGV14-3 has transported the third rack 13-3 to the first rack position, the third AGV14-3 is unbound to the third rack 13-3, and the third rack 13-3 is placed on the floor.

Step S108: when it is detected that a picking operation is to be initiated on second rack 13-2, third AGV14-3 is moved under second rack 13-2 and is bound to second rack 13-2.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the smart storage system after a third AGV moves to a second rack according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 10, where the second rack 13-2 and the third rack 13-3 are in the picking area 12, and when it is detected that the second rack 13-2 starts picking operation, the third AGV14-3 which has been unbound is moved to the position below the second rack 13-2 and is bound with the second rack 13-2 to lift it.

The above-mentioned operation is repeated in cycles, the rack which is carrying out the picking operation is unbound from the original AGV, and the AGV which is allocated with the rack at the waiting position is bound with the rack which is being picked. The efficiency of the system can be obviously improved by the control mode. The inventors of the present application found that the system efficiency can be improved by 30% by the control method of the embodiments of the present disclosure, compared to the control method described in the background art.

In the above embodiment, the rack on which the sorting operation is performed is directly unbound from the original AGV, and the AGV exchange operation is performed. According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the control method 100 further includes: judging whether the cost of the residual tasks of the first AGV is greater than the exchange cost of the AGVs, and if so, executing the steps S102, S103, S104 and S105; otherwise, after the first goods shelf is operated, the first AGV moves away the first goods shelf. The following examples are given.

The remaining task cost and exchange cost may be calculated, for example, by:

remaining task cost is the number of remaining tasks per single-task picker count and average single picking operation duration

The exchange cost is the length of the AGV estimating the time of arriving at the operating point of the workstation, the length of the tray from jacking to descending, the length of the tray moving to the vehicle changing and picking point and the length of the AGV tray from descending to jacking

Example 1 is not exchanged:

if the AGV reaches the sorting point, 1 of the remaining job tasks are selected at the workstation, 1 item is sorted, and the average time spent on each job task is 5S, namely the cost of the remaining job tasks is 1 × 5 — 5S. And the exchange cost: if the AGV has arrived at the station, 2S is needed for lowering the tray, 2S is needed for moving to the vehicle-changing picking point, 2S is needed for jacking the tray, and the total exchange cost is 2+2+2 which is 6S. 6S >5S, exchange cost > not exchange cost, so the AGV does not exchange in this scenario.

Example 2 is not exchanged:

if the AGV reaches the sorting point, 1 of the remaining job tasks are selected at the workstation, 1 item is sorted, and the average time spent on each job task is 5S, namely the cost of the remaining job tasks is 1 × 5 — 5S. And the exchange cost: if the AGV needs 20S to arrive at the station, 2S is needed for descending the tray, 2S is needed for moving to the vehicle changing and picking point, 2S is needed for jacking the tray, and the total exchange cost is 20+2+2+2 which is 26S. 26S >5S, exchange cost > no exchange cost, so the AGV does not exchange in this scenario.

Exchange example:

if the AGV reaches the picking point, 3 remaining job tasks are available at the workstation, the total number of picked job tasks is 8, and the average time spent on each job task is 5S, namely the cost of the remaining job tasks is 3X 8X 5-120S. And the exchange cost: if the AGV is already at the workstation, 2S is needed to lower the tray, 2S is needed to move to the vehicle-changing picking point, 2S is needed to lift the tray, and the total exchange cost is 0+2+2+2 which is 6S. 6S <120S, exchange cost < no exchange cost, so AGV exchanges in this scenario.

FIG. 11 illustrates a control method 200 for transporting pallets for picking of goods using an AGV according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 11.

In step S201, a first rack is transported to the sorting area by a first AGV, and a second rack is transported to the side of the first rack by a second AGV. For example, as shown in fig. 3, and will not be described in detail herein.

In step S202, the remaining task cost of the first AGV to perform the first rack is calculated.

In step S203, an exchange cost for the first AGV leaving the first rack and the second AGV moving to the first rack is calculated.

The remaining task cost and the exchange cost of the first shelf are calculated as described above, and are not described herein again.

In step S204, it is determined whether the remaining task cost is greater than the exchange cost. If the judgment concludes "yes", it proceeds to step S205, otherwise, it proceeds to step S209.

If the remaining task cost is greater than the exchange cost, in step S205, unbinding the first rack from the first AGV; in step S206, controlling the first AGV to exit; in step S207, the binding of the second rack with the second AGV is released; in step S208, after the first rack picking task is completed, the second AGV is controlled to move the first rack away.

If the remaining task cost is less than the exchange cost, in step S209, after the first rack picking task is completed, the first AGV is controlled to move the first rack away.

The steps S205, S206, S207 and S208 are similar to the steps S102, S103, S104 and S105 described above.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the step S207 further includes: moving a second AGV under the first rack and binding with the first rack.

The step S201 includes: the first goods shelf is conveyed to a first goods shelf position of the sorting area by the first AGV, and the second goods shelf is conveyed to a second goods shelf position of the sorting area by the second AGV.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the control method 200 further includes:

s106: a third AGV is used for transporting a third goods shelf to a waiting position outside the sorting area;

s107: after the first rack is removed, a third AGV is used to transport the third rack to the first rack position, for example, the third AGV is unbound to the third rack;

The present disclosure also provides a smart warehousing system 10 of a fifth embodiment, including: a plurality of shelves 13, a picking area 12, a plurality of AGVs 14, and a control system 15. Wherein the picking area can accommodate at least two shelves; the AGV is available for scheduling and used for carrying the goods shelf; a control system is coupled to and can control the AGVs, wherein the control system is configured to perform the control methods 100 and/or 200 as described above.

The smart warehousing system according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure, further comprising a waiting area located outside the picking area.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, two waiting areas can be arranged at two sides of the picking area, two sides are queued for entering and picking, the current picking point is off-line operated, the robot (or AGV) waiting for the picking point waits on line, after the current picking point finishes picking, the robot waiting for the picking point puts down the waiting point shelf, drives to the point which finishes picking, and removes the goods shelf which finishes picking, the above processes are alternately operated, and the efficiency of the system operation can be obviously improved.

Examples are: the positions of the goods shelf A and the goods shelf B are picking points, and the picking points are as follows: the robot (or AGV) A, B and the robot C, D transport the goods shelves to the sorting workstation, when the robot A, B reaches the picking point, the robot A, B is unbound from the bound goods shelves A, B, the remaining waiting point C, D robots are continuously bound with the goods shelves C, D, if the staff or the mechanical arm preferentially starts to pick the goods shelves a, the robot a at the picking point receives a new round of transporting operation and drives away from the workstation, and the robot B at the picking point waits to pick the goods shelves a, drives to the picking point where the goods shelves a are located, and is bound with the goods shelves a. After the shelf A finishes picking. The robot B carries the shelf a to the storage area. The robot C carries the goods shelf C to the sorting point, the robot C is unbound with the goods shelf C, meanwhile, a worker or a robot arm starts to sort the goods shelf B, the robot C drives to the sorting point where the goods shelf B is located and is bound with the goods shelf B, and when the goods shelf B sorting work is completed, the goods shelf B is carried to the storage area. The above processes are operated alternately.

The control method and the intelligent warehousing system disclosed by the invention support two ways of vehicle changing and scheduling methods.

The scheduling logic of the control method one:

1. a system scheduling robot or an AGV carries a target shelf to a target workstation, and if a picking point of the workstation has no empty position, the system scheduling robot or the AGV queues in a queuing area of the workstation for waiting; if the picking point of the workstation has a vacant position, the dispatching robot enters the picking point;

2. and (4) firstly, the robot arrives at the picking point of the workstation, the goods shelf is lowered, the binding is released, and the robot is released.

3. The system schedules the robot to perform other tasks;

4. the other robot which goes to the picking point lowers the goods shelf to release the binding, and the system dispatches the robot to the goods shelf which firstly enters the picking point to issue and binds the goods shelf;

5. after the operation of the goods shelves of the first picking point is finished, the system dispatching robot carries the goods shelves to drive away from the workstation, returns to the appointed position of the system to place the goods shelves, and lowers the goods shelves after the goods shelves arrive;

the job is cycled according to the above scheduling method.

Note: after the operation of the goods shelf at the picking point is finished, the system has no subsequent operation task to be assigned to the work station temporarily, and the robot can not carry the goods shelf to go to the operation point for carrying out the vehicle changing operation. After a certain time condition is met, the system assigns a robot which is not bound with a goods shelf to go to a work point of the workstation, binds the goods shelf which is finished, dispatches the robot to carry and drive away from the workstation, returns to the specified position of the system,

limitation conditions of the control method two:

the two robots are both stopped at the work station work points, the condition that the cost of the residual tasks of the first operation robot is greater than the exchange cost of the robots is met, and the robots can change vehicles at the work station work points;

the scheduling logic:

1. the system dispatching robot carries a target goods shelf to go to a target workstation, and if a picking point of the workstation has no empty position, the system dispatching robot queues in a queuing area of the workstation for waiting; if the picking point of the workstation has a vacant position, the dispatching robot enters the picking point;

2. the robot which firstly arrives at the picking point of the workstation defaults to not lower the goods shelf and not release the binding before the other picking point robot arrives. When the robot carrying goods shelf reaches another sorting point, the system judges whether the cost of the residual tasks of the operation robot is greater than the exchange cost of the robot or not, if so, the goods shelf is not released, and the system dispatches the robot shelf to leave the workstation after the operation is finished. If the number of the binding is larger than the preset value, the goods shelf is lowered, the binding is released, and the subsequent steps are shown in step 3.

3. The system schedules the robot to perform other tasks;

the job is cycled according to the above scheduling method.

It should be noted that although in the above detailed description several modules or sub-modules of the apparatus are mentioned, this division is only not mandatory. Indeed, the features and functions of two or more of the modules described above may be implemented in one module according to embodiments of the invention. Conversely, the features and functions of one module described above may be further divided into embodiments by a plurality of modules.

While the invention has been described with reference to what are presently considered to be the embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the embodiments and/or equivalents thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A control method for carrying a goods shelf by an AGV to pick goods comprises the following steps:

s102: unbinding the first rack from the first AGV;

s103: controlling the first AGV to exit;

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the step S104 further includes: moving a second AGV under the first rack and binding with the first rack.

3. The control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the picking zone comprises a first shelf position and a second shelf position, the step S101 comprises: the first goods shelf is conveyed to a first goods shelf position of the sorting area by the first AGV, and the second goods shelf is conveyed to a second goods shelf position of the sorting area by the second AGV.

4. The control method according to claim 3, further comprising:

5. The control method according to claim 4, said step S107 further comprising: unbinding the third AGV from the third rack.

6. The control method according to claim 4, further comprising:

7. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: judging whether the cost of the residual tasks of the first AGV is greater than the exchange cost of the AGVs, and if so, executing the steps S102, S103, S104 and S105; otherwise, after the first goods shelf is operated, the first AGV moves away the first goods shelf.

8. A control method for carrying a goods shelf by an AGV to pick goods comprises the following steps:

calculating the exchange cost of the first AGV leaving the first shelf and the second AGV moving to the first shelf;

determining whether the remaining task cost is greater than the swap cost;

9. A smart warehousing system comprising:

a plurality of shelves;

a picking zone, the picking zone housing at least two shelves;

a plurality of AGVs which can carry the goods shelf;

a control system coupled to and controlling the AGVs, wherein the control system is configured to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. The smart warehousing system of claim 9, further comprising a waiting area located outside of the picking area.