CN114620387B - Empty unit container handling method and apparatus - Google Patents

Empty unit container handling method and apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
CN114620387B
CN114620387B CN202210190009.8A CN202210190009A CN114620387B CN 114620387 B CN114620387 B CN 114620387B CN 202210190009 A CN202210190009 A CN 202210190009A CN 114620387 B CN114620387 B CN 114620387B
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empty
storage
unit
warehouse
target
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CN114620387A (en
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杨文祥
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Beijing Jingdong Zhenshi Information Technology Co Ltd
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Beijing Jingdong Zhenshi Information Technology Co Ltd
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
    • B65G1/02—Storage devices
    • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
    • B65G1/0492—Storage devices mechanical with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
    • B65G1/02—Storage devices
    • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
    • B65G1/137—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
    • B65G1/1373—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed for fulfilling orders in warehouses

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and a device for processing an empty unit container, and relates to the technical field of computers. One embodiment of the method comprises the following steps: when the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse exist in the warehouse-out workstation, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the warehouse-out rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-out distance; acquiring a storage type of the empty storage bit for storing the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse according to the distribution condition of the empty storage bit of the target roadway in the front row and the rear row; and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of the unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf. This embodiment is directed to a process flow design for empty unit containers for a warehouse-to-person system employing dual deep shelves.

Description

Empty unit container handling method and apparatus
Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of logistics, in particular to a method and a device for processing an empty unit container.
Background
In a goods-to-man automated warehouse system, the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers after the goods are picked, after which the empty unit containers need to be transported to storage locations in racks for storage or to an on-shelf workstation to assist in completing the warehousing of the goods.
In carrying out the invention, the inventors have found that the prior art has at least the following problems: first, the work station of leaving a warehouse and the work station of putting on shelf in the existing system keep apart each other, need carry the empty unit container that the work station produced to putting on shelf through handling units such as AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle ), therefore need occupy the AGV resource, influence whole operating efficiency and cost. In addition, since each ex-warehouse workstation has only a small number of buffer locations, and the AGV is generally capable of handling multiple unit containers at a time, the AGV often needs to travel between the multiple ex-warehouse workstations to collect empty unit containers, resulting in further degradation in work efficiency. Secondly, the existing system mostly adopts a single deep shelf to store goods, and designs an empty unit container warehouse returning process aiming at the single deep shelf, and does not have a related process aiming at the double deep shelf.
Disclosure of Invention
In view of this, the embodiment of the invention provides a method and a device for processing empty unit containers, which designs a processing flow of the empty unit containers for a goods-to-people warehouse system adopting double deep racks.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing an empty cell container.
The empty unit container processing method of the embodiment of the invention is applied to a goods-to-people warehouse system comprising a warehouse-out workstation, a shelf-loading workstation and unit shelves; wherein each unit shelf is provided with a front storage position and a rear storage position; the unit shelves are arranged in a row and are positioned at one side of the roadway; the method comprises the following steps: when the leaving work station has empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the leaving rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse returning distance; acquiring a storage type of the empty storage of the empty unit container for storing the to-be-returned warehouse according to the distribution condition of the empty storage of the unit shelf in the target roadway in front and back rows; and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
Optionally, the ex-warehouse workstation and the racking workstations are connected by a pre-established conveyor line, each racking workstation having an empty unit container racking replenishment buffer track comprising at least one buffer location; and, the method further comprises: after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, judging whether an idle cache position exists in each empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way: if yes, conveying the generated empty unit containers to the idle buffer storage position through the conveying line; and determining the empty unit container as the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse when the empty buffer storage position does not exist in the overhead replenishment buffer channel of each empty unit container and the empty unit container still exists in the ex-warehouse workstation.
Optionally, the conveying line is connected with at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel; and determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers of each roadway, the delivery rate of the real unit containers, the congestion time and the return distance, wherein the target roadway comprises: calculating the comprehensive cost of each roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is a weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the roadway, the ex-warehouse rate of real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-returning distance; the real box unit container ex-warehouse rate of the roadway is the sum of the ex-warehouse rates of the real box unit containers in the roadway, and the ex-warehouse rate of any real box unit container is the ratio of the ex-warehouse times of the real box unit container to the total ex-warehouse number of the real box unit containers of the goods arrival warehouse system in a preset history duration; the warehouse-returning distance of the roadway is the minimum value of the distance between the initial position of the roadway and each warehouse-returning cache road; and determining the roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost as the target roadway.
Optionally, the method further comprises: after the target roadway is determined, determining a warehouse-returning cache way closest to the target roadway as a target cache way of the empty unit container to be subjected to warehouse-returning; wherein the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse are to be handled at the target cache way by the handling units in the goods-to-people warehouse system.
Optionally, the obtaining a storage type of the empty storage for storing the empty unit container to be returned according to the distribution situation of the empty storage of the unit shelf in the target roadway in front and back rows includes: judging whether a first type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway or not: if so, determining the first type as the reservoir type; otherwise, judging whether a second type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if so, determining the second type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a third type of empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if yes, determining a third type as the storage type; wherein the first type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu bits just before the storage are also empty storage; the second type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu right before the storage is occupied; the third type of empty storage is a front storage, and the storage right behind the storage is occupied.
Optionally, the determining the target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf includes: calculating the comprehensive cost of each unit shelf with the empty storage position of the storage position type in the target roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is the weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the unit shelf and the warehouse-out distance of the unit shelf; the ex-warehouse distance is the distance between the initial position of the unit goods shelf and the target cache channel; the unit shelf with the smallest comprehensive cost is determined as the target unit shelf.
Optionally, the unit shelf is a multi-layer shelf, and each layer is provided with a plurality of front-row storage positions and a plurality of rear-row storage positions; and determining a target storage position for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf, wherein the target storage position comprises: when the target unit shelf is provided with a plurality of empty storage positions of the storage position type, determining the empty storage position with the minimum layer number as a primary selected storage position; and when the number of the primary selected storage bits is multiple, determining the primary selected storage bit with the smallest storage bit number as the target storage bit.
Optionally, the method further comprises: and controlling the conveying line to convey the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse to the target cache way, and indicating the carrying unit to carry the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse from the target cache way to the target storage position.
To achieve the above object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an empty cell container handling apparatus.
The empty unit container processing device is applied to a goods-to-people warehouse system comprising a warehouse-out workstation, a shelf-loading workstation and unit shelves; wherein each unit shelf is provided with a front storage position and a rear storage position; the unit shelves are arranged in a row and are positioned at one side of the roadway; the apparatus may include: the roadway positioning unit is used for: when the leaving work station has empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the leaving rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse returning distance; the storage type discriminating unit is used for: acquiring a storage type of the empty storage of the empty unit container for storing the to-be-returned warehouse according to the distribution condition of the empty storage of the unit shelf in the target roadway in front and back rows; a storage location unit for: and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
Optionally, the ex-warehouse workstation and the racking workstations are connected by a pre-established conveyor line, each racking workstation having an empty unit container racking replenishment buffer track comprising at least one buffer location; and, the apparatus further comprises: a pre-allocation unit for: after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, judging whether an idle cache position exists in each empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way: if yes, conveying the generated empty unit containers to the idle buffer storage position through the conveying line; and determining the empty unit container as the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse when the empty buffer storage position does not exist in the overhead replenishment buffer channel of each empty unit container and the empty unit container still exists in the ex-warehouse workstation.
To achieve the above object, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus.
An electronic apparatus of the present invention includes: one or more processors; and the storage device is used for storing one or more programs, and when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors are enabled to realize the empty unit container processing method provided by the invention.
To achieve the above object, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium.
A computer readable storage medium of the present invention has stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the empty cell container processing method provided by the present invention.
According to the technical scheme of the invention, the embodiment of the invention has the following advantages or beneficial effects:
establishing a conveying line to connect each ex-warehouse workstation with the on-shelf workstation, and automatically replenishing empty unit containers generated by ex-warehouse to the on-shelf workstation through the conveying line, thereby avoiding occupying AGV resources; at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel is arranged and connected with the conveying line, and the AGV can collect empty unit containers to be carried only by waiting in one warehouse-returning buffer channel, so that the AGV is prevented from running among a plurality of work stations. In addition, the embodiment of the invention designs the returning flow of the empty unit containers aiming at the goods-to-person warehouse system adopting the double deep shelves, can determine the roadway, the storage type, the unit shelves and the storage most suitable for storing the current empty unit containers according to the current storage quantity of the empty unit containers, the ex-warehouse rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and other factors, and is beneficial to realizing the circulation of the empty unit containers in the goods-to-person warehouse system with higher efficiency.
Further effects of the above-described non-conventional alternatives are described below in connection with the embodiments.
Drawings
The drawings are included to provide a better understanding of the invention and are not to be construed as unduly limiting the invention. Wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the main steps of a method for processing a hollow unit container according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a warehouse system architecture for goods to people in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of portion I of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of portion II of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing steps of a method for processing a hollow unit container according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a control system for a method of processing a hollow unit container in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the components of a hollow unit container processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is an exemplary system architecture diagram to which embodiments in accordance with the present invention may be applied;
fig. 9 is a schematic view of an electronic device for implementing a method for processing a hollow cell container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numerals illustrate:
10: a warehouse-out workstation; 20: a racking workstation; 30: a conveying line; 40: returning to a library cache way; 50: a unit shelf; 60: roadway; 70: a carrying unit; 21: the empty unit container is put on a shelf to supply the buffer channel; 51: a unit container; 52: front row storage; 53: a rear storage position; 41: jacking up the transfer device; 42: a return location of the return cache way; 80: a warehouse-out cache way; 54: front emptying storage; 55: then evacuating the storage position; 56: the shelves are back-to-back in gaps.
Detailed Description
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various details of the embodiments of the present invention are included to facilitate understanding, and are to be considered merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted in the following description for clarity and conciseness.
It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features in the embodiments may be combined with each other without collision.
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of main steps of a method for processing a hollow unit container according to an embodiment of the present invention, which can be applied to a warehouse system. Goods are picked by a person (Goods to Person or Goods to Man, G2P or G2M), i.e. during logistic picking, the goods are automatically transported to the person for picking before the person picks. Fig. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of the warehouse system according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein fig. 3 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a portion i in fig. 2, and fig. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a portion ii in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 2 to 4, the goods-to-person warehouse system according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a storage section, a conveying section, and a picking section, where the picking section includes at least one empty unit container 10 of the ex-warehouse workstation and at least one loading workstation 20 (i.e., a warehouse-in workstation), and the ex-warehouse workstation 10 generates an empty unit container (e.g., a turnover box, in which the unit container 51 is used to store goods in the embodiment of the present invention) after completing the goods picking, and the loading workstation 20 needs the empty unit container to store the goods to be warehoused. In the prior art, a carrying unit 70 (such as an AGV, a shuttle, etc.) is generally used to carry empty unit containers from the ex-warehouse workstation 10 to the on-shelf workstation 20, which has a disadvantage of occupying the resources of the carrying unit 70, and for this disadvantage, the embodiment of the present invention adopts a conveying line 30 to connect each ex-warehouse workstation 10 and the on-shelf workstation 20, and the empty unit containers generated by the ex-warehouse workstation 10 are automatically transferred to the on-shelf workstation 20 through the conveying line 30, thereby improving the working efficiency and avoiding occupying the resources of the carrying unit 70. The overhead workstation 20 has an empty unit container overhead supply buffer track 21 for receiving empty unit containers, the overhead unit container overhead supply buffer track 21 having a plurality of buffer locations, one empty unit container per buffer location.
As shown in fig. 2, in the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of warehouse-returning buffer lanes 40 may be provided at a plurality of positions of the conveying line 30 for transferring the goods or the unit containers 51 on the conveying line 30 to the conveying unit 70, and then the goods or the unit containers are conveyed to a storage area by the conveying unit 70 for warehouse-in. Similarly, a plurality of outbound buffer lanes 80 may be connected at various locations along the conveyor line 30 for transferring the load or unit containers 51 carried by the carrier units 70 from the storage area to the conveyor line 30 for transfer from the conveyor line 30 to the outbound workstation 10 for outbound. Referring to fig. 3, the return buffer track 40 and the outgoing buffer track 80 are connected to the conveying line 30 through the lifting transfer device 41, and the conveying unit 70 conveys the goods or the unit containers 51 at the return position 42 of the return buffer track. The conveying section of the warehouse system mainly includes the above handling units 70, and the storage section is a storage area constituted by unit racks 50.
Referring to fig. 4, in the embodiment of the present invention, the storage area includes a plurality of unit shelves 50, each unit shelf 50 may be a multi-layered double deep shelf, that is, the unit shelf 50 has multiple layers in the height direction (in terms of a rectangular plane coordinate system, i.e., multiple values in the Z direction), and has a plurality of front storage locations 52 and rear storage locations 53, and generally, the number of front storage locations 52 and rear storage locations 53 in any layer of one unit shelf 50 is equal, i.e., any unit shelf 50 has two values in the Y direction, one corresponding to the front storage location 52 and one corresponding to the rear storage location 53. For the front rows of storage locations 52 or the rear rows of storage locations 53 of any layer of any unit shelf 50, the storage locations numbers may be used to sequentially mark to achieve differentiation, for example, if any layer of a unit shelf has 4 front rows of storage locations and 4 rear rows of storage locations, the storage locations 1, 2, 3, 4 are used to sequentially mark, i.e., the unit shelf has four values in the X direction. For example, a unit shelf has 3 values in the Z direction (i.e., 3 layers), two values in the Y direction (i.e., it is a dual deep shelf), and 4 values in the X direction (i.e., it has four storage numbers), then each layer of the shelf has 8 storage bits, and three layers have 24 storage bits in total.
In an actual scene, a plurality of unit shelves 50 are arranged in a row, two rows of unit shelves are placed back to form a group of unit shelves, a shelf back to back gap 56 (a carrying unit cannot enter) is formed between the two rows of unit shelves, a roadway 60 is formed between the two groups of unit shelves, the unit shelves 50 corresponding to any roadway 60 are two rows of unit shelves on two sides of the roadway 60, and storage positions in any roadway 60 are storage positions in the two rows of unit shelves on two sides of the roadway 60. Each storage location may be empty or full unit containers (i.e., unit containers 51 currently storing cargo), and the storage location where no unit container 51 is placed is an empty storage location, which is divided into a front empty storage location 54 and a rear empty storage location 55. In particular, the front storage 52 refers to a storage adjacent to a roadway, and the carrying unit can carry the goods directly from the front storage 52 or place the goods directly to the front storage 52, and there is a front storage 52 (the front storage is located right in front of the rear storage and the rear storage is located right behind the front storage) between the rear storage 53 and the roadway 60, and if the front storage is placed with the unit container, the carrying unit needs to first remove the unit container on the front storage to place the goods in the rear storage or carry the goods from the rear storage.
It can be understood that the application scenario of the empty unit container processing method in the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the goods-to-people warehouse system with the above structure, and may be applied to other applicable warehouse systems using double deep racks, for example, warehouse systems using single-layer double deep racks and using a shuttle as a transporting unit. In addition, the empty unit container processing method of the embodiment of the invention can be executed by a control system of a goods-to-people warehouse system, and the system can control a carrying unit and a conveying line and can calculate a target roadway, a target unit goods shelf and a target storage position which are suitable for storing empty unit containers to be returned to a warehouse.
As shown in fig. 1, the empty unit container processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention may specifically be performed according to the following steps:
step S101: when the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse exist in the warehouse-out workstation, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the warehouse-out rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-out distance.
In an actual scene, after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, firstly judging whether an idle cache position exists in an on-shelf replenishment cache way of each empty unit container: if yes, automatically transporting the generated empty unit containers to an idle buffer memory position through a conveying line; otherwise, the empty unit containers generated by the ex-warehouse workstation are determined to be empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse. If there is no free buffer bit in the on-shelf replenishment buffer track for each empty unit container, while the out-of-stock workstation still has an empty unit container, then the empty unit container may be determined to be an empty unit container to be returned to the stock, and an empty unit container return workflow may be performed.
In step S101, the control system of the goods-to-people warehouse system may select a target lane most suitable for storing empty unit containers to be returned by calculating the comprehensive cost of each lane. Specifically, the comprehensive cost of any roadway is a weighted sum of the current storage quantity of empty unit containers, the ex-warehouse rate of real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-returning distance of the roadway. The real box unit container ex-warehouse rate of the roadway is the sum of the ex-warehouse rates of the real box unit containers in the roadway at present, and the ex-warehouse rate of any real box unit container is the ratio of the ex-warehouse times of the real box unit container to the total number of the real box unit containers ex-warehouse of the goods-arrival-person warehouse system in a preset history time (for example, the last week). The congestion time of the roadway can be the sum of waiting time for all carrying units of the roadway to wait in a queue before the roadway and waiting time for other carrying units to finish picking in the roadway in a certain historical period. The warehouse-returning distance of the roadway is the minimum value of the distance between the initial position of the roadway (the middle position where the carrying unit enters the roadway) and each warehouse-returning cache road. And finally, determining the roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost as a target roadway.
The principle of the step is as follows: preferably selecting a roadway storage empty unit container with fewer current empty unit containers, lower ex-warehouse rate (representing that corresponding roadways are not frequent in ex-warehouse), no congestion and closer distance from a warehouse-returning cache channel, and selecting a roadway with fewer current empty unit containers can enable the empty unit containers stored in each roadway to be more average, so that carrying units are prevented from being concentrated in part of roadways; the roadway with lower ex-warehouse rate is selected to facilitate the entering of the empty unit containers, and the later transportation of the empty unit containers is inconvenient (for example, the empty unit containers are transported to an upper rack workstation to finish the goods warehouse-in); selecting relatively non-jammed roadways is also beneficial to the current warehouse entry and later-period transportation of empty unit containers; selecting a roadway with a closer distance from the warehouse-returning buffer lane is beneficial to reducing the driving distance of the carrying unit.
After determining the target roadway, the control system of the goods-to-people warehouse system can determine the warehouse returning cache way closest to the target roadway as the target cache way of the empty unit container to be returned, and the empty unit container to be returned is carried by the carrying unit in the goods-to-people warehouse system in the target cache way to finish the warehouse returning.
Step S102: and acquiring the storage type of the empty storage position of the empty unit container for storing the to-be-returned storage according to the distribution condition of the empty storage position of the unit shelf in the target roadway in the front and rear rows.
In the step, a control system of the goods-to-people warehouse system judges whether a first type empty storage position exists in a target roadway or not: if so, determining the first type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a second type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if so, determining the second type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a third type of empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if yes, determining the third type as the storage type. Wherein the first type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu bits just before the storage are also empty storage; the second type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu right before the storage is occupied; the third type of empty storage is a front storage, and the storage right behind the storage is occupied.
The principle of this step is that the first type of empty storage is preferred, the type of empty storage is in the back row, the front row is also the empty storage, and the empty storage is convenient for the warehouse-in of the empty unit container and is also convenient for the later transportation. If the first type of empty storage is empty, the second type of empty storage is preferred, the empty storage is also in the rear row, but the front row is occupied by unit containers (possibly real box unit containers), the empty storage needs to be carried away when the empty unit containers enter the warehouse, but the real box unit containers in the current row can be directly carried when the real box unit containers in the current row are out of the warehouse, and thus the warehouse-out efficiency of cargoes is improved. If the second type of empty storage is empty, a third type of empty storage is selected, the type of empty storage is in the front row, the rear row is occupied by the unit containers (possibly the real box unit containers), the empty storage is convenient when the empty unit containers enter the warehouse, and the empty unit containers can be directly placed, but when the real box unit containers in the rear row are out of the warehouse, the empty unit containers in the front row are required to be removed firstly, so that the cargo delivery efficiency is influenced.
Step S103: and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
After determining that the target storage type is a first type of empty storage, a second type of empty storage, or a third type of empty storage, the control system of the warehouse system may determine the target unit pallet by. Specifically, if only one unit shelf in the target roadway has the above storage type, it is directly determined as the target unit shelf. If a plurality of unit shelves exist in the target roadway and have the storage position types, calculating the comprehensive cost of each unit shelf, and determining the unit shelf with the minimum comprehensive cost as the target unit shelf. In the specific application, the comprehensive cost of the unit shelf is a weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the unit shelf and the ex-warehouse distance of the unit shelf, and the above ex-warehouse distance is the distance between the initial position of the unit shelf and the target cache way. The principle of the above steps is as follows: on the premise of meeting the conditions of being in a target roadway and having a determined storage type, unit shelves with smaller storage quantity of empty unit containers and smaller ex-warehouse distance are preferably selected, the former is beneficial to realizing balance of the storage quantity of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf, and carrying units are prevented from crowding in front of part of the unit shelves; the latter facilitates a reduction of the handling time of the handling unit.
After the target unit shelves are determined, the control system of the warehouse system may determine the target storage locations in the following manner. Specifically, if only one empty storage bit with more than one storage bit type exists in the target storage shelf, the empty storage bit is directly determined as the target storage bit; if the target shelf has a plurality of empty storage bits with the storage bit types, continuing to judge whether the empty storage bits are distributed in different layers: if yes, determining the empty storage bit with the minimum layer number as a primary selected storage bit; if only one storage position is selected, directly determining the storage position as a target storage position; and if the number of the primary selected storage bits is multiple, determining the primary selected storage bit with the smallest storage bit number as the target storage bit. If a plurality of empty storage bits with the storage bit types are distributed in the same layer, the empty storage bit with the smallest storage bit number is directly determined as the target storage bit. Therefore, the empty storage positions with the lowest layer number and the minimum storage position number are selected in the steps, the lowest layer number is favorable for carrying units to place empty unit containers in the storage positions, so that the warehouse returning efficiency of the empty unit containers is improved, and the minimum storage position number is favorable for orderly placing and managing the unit containers according to the sequence from small storage position numbers to large storage position numbers.
Therefore, the target storage position which is most suitable for placing the empty unit containers can be determined, and then the control system of the goods-to-people warehouse system can control the conveying line to convey the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse to the target cache way and instruct the conveying unit to convey the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse from the target cache way to the target storage position. It will be appreciated that the act of "controlling the conveyor line to transport empty unit containers to be returned to the destination buffer track" may be performed after the destination buffer track has been determined.
In the following, an embodiment of the present invention is described, please refer to fig. 5.
Along with the rapid development of electronic commerce, the automation and intelligence degree of the warehouse logistics are higher and higher at present, large-scale automation equipment is put into, and along with the continuous increase of practical application scenes, various intelligent systems and decision strategies in the automation equipment are also synchronous and deep into each link; according to the scheme of the novel input multi-layer bin goods-to-person automatic equipment, a carrying AGV (multi-layer bin AGV for short) capable of bearing a plurality of bins is adopted, a plurality of warehousing workstations are matched synchronously, all goods are stored in unit containers (such as turnover boxes), and the automatic operation of loading corresponding goods is realized through the multi-layer bin AGV. This kind of AGV can carry a plurality of unit containers simultaneously, realizes putting on shelf unit container in batches, and this automation scheme can be constructed fast, installation debugging, input use, also conveniently adapts to current warehouse and moves fast and carry out the redesign and the construction that correspond the automation scheme simultaneously, consequently the application scenario is also more and more now, especially to the warehouse of many short-term leases (the warehouse of lease is likely because the warehouse is expired or the warehouse area of lease is less and need expand and lease again etc. lead to the warehouse to move), also the multiple extension of convenient automation scheme design simultaneously etc..
In recent years, as the multi-layer bin AGV is increasingly applied to the input of the human automation equipment, in order to further improve the storage efficiency of the whole system, the original single deep storage shelves (each storage shelf only has one row of storage positions in each layer) are used for storing and upgrading to double deep storage shelves (each storage shelf has front and rear rows of storage positions in each layer, see fig. 2 to 4), so that corresponding system flows are designed for the storage returning and automatic replenishment of the hollow unit containers in the above scenes, and in particular, the prior allocation of the front and rear rows of storage positions is designed.
In addition, existing systems typically provide for multiple outbound workstations, each with only a small number of buffer locations, to which each multi-tier bin AGV needs to travel each time an empty unit container is being transported. In addition, in the existing system, empty unit containers are transported to an on-shelf workstation from an off-warehouse workstation through AGVs, AGVs are required to occupy resources of the AGVs, and the AGVs in the whole warehouse system are key to influence the overall operation efficiency and the cost, so that more AGVs are required, and further the cost is increased.
Aiming at the problems, a set of empty unit container processing system of the goods-to-person warehouse system is designed aiming at the situation of double deep shelves in the multi-layer material box goods-to-person automatic warehouse system, all workstations are connected through a conveying line, automatic replenishment of empty unit containers generated by warehouse-out to the on-shelf workstations through the conveying line can be realized, and corresponding strategies and algorithms are designed aiming at positioning of a roadway, front-back row positions, shelves, storage positions and the like corresponding to the return of the empty unit containers so as to improve the flow efficiency of the empty unit containers in the goods-to-person warehouse system.
The specific operation and method of the cargo to empty unit container processing system of the embodiment of the invention are as follows:
first, an empty unit container processing task is acquired: when a real bin unit container with a good completes the picking of the good at the delivery station, the real bin unit container is referred to as an empty unit container, creating an empty unit container handling task.
Then, aiming at the empty unit container processing task generated by the ex-warehouse workstation, firstly judging whether the empty unit container needs to be automatically replenished to an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment buffer channel according to an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment matching strategy: if yes, automatically supplying by a conveying line; otherwise, triggering a empty unit container roadway matching strategy.
The empty unit container on-shelf replenishment matching strategy is calculated by the following function:
Case When B＞0&H i ＝1
P(i，B) (1)
Case When B＝0&H i ＝1
P(i，u) (2)
ELSE Then NULL (3)
wherein B represents the number of free cache bits of the empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way; i represents an empty cell container; h i =1 denotes a task of acquiring a process of an empty unit container i; p (i, B) represents matching an empty unit container i to an empty cache bit of an overhead replenishment cache way; p (i, u) denotes triggering an empty unit container lane matching policy for an empty unit container i. The above formula (1) indicates that when the number of idle buffer bits of the on-shelf replenishment buffer track of an empty unit container is greater than zero and there is an empty unit container processing task at this time, the empty unit container i is automatically matched to the corresponding on-shelf replenishment buffer track; the formula (2) shows that when the number of idle cache bits of the on-shelf replenishment cache way is zero and the empty unit container returns to the warehouse task, an empty unit container roadway matching strategy is automatically triggered to carry out the subsequent steps; equation (3) above indicates that the system is otherwise inactive.
And then determining a roadway to be returned to the warehouse, namely a target roadway, corresponding to the empty unit container through an empty unit container roadway matching strategy. Specifically:
1) Calculating the cost of the storage quantity of each roadway empty unit container: counting the number of empty unit containers stored in the roadway u and marking the number as n u The cost of the storage quantity of the empty unit containers is recorded as N u ＝α 1 *n u Wherein alpha is 1 Storing a weight of the number for the empty cell container;
2) Calculating the warehouse-out rate cost of the roadway real box unit container: the actual bin unit container j has a rate of delivery of the actual bin unit container over a historical period of time (e.g., 1-7 days) divided by the total number of all actual bin unit containers delivered in the warehouse over that period of time.
Is marked asThe cost of the warehouse-out rate of the (all) real box unit containers in the roadway is recorded as P u ＝α 2 *∑p ju 。
Wherein Q is ju The number of times of ex-warehouse of the real box unit container j in the tunnel u in a certain time t is represented;
wherein Q is tu Representing the total number of times of ex-warehouse of all real box unit containers in the warehouse within a certain time t;
wherein p is ju The ex-warehouse rate of the real box unit containers j in the roadway u is shown;
wherein P is u The real box unit container ex-warehouse rate cost of the roadway u is represented;
wherein alpha is 2 The weight of the warehouse-out rate of the roadway u is represented;
3) Calculating the AGV congestion time cost of the roadway: counting the sum of waiting time of waiting in front of the tunnel and waiting for other AGVs to finish picking in the tunnel through all AGVs of the tunnel within a period of history time (preferably 1-7 days), and marking as t u The AGV congestion time cost of the roadway is recorded as T u ＝α 3 *t u Wherein alpha is 3 A weight representing the congestion time cost of roadway u;
4) Calculating the roadway warehouse-returning distance cost: the middle position of the AGV of each roadway entering the roadway is recorded as the initial position of the roadway, and the minimum distance between each warehouse returning buffer channel and the initial position of the roadway is recorded as the warehouse returning distance l of the roadway u The cost of the warehouse-out distance of the roadway is recorded as L u ＝α 4 *l u Wherein alpha is 4 Representing the cost weight of the warehouse-out distance of the roadway;
5) Calculating the comprehensive cost of the roadway: the comprehensive cost of the roadway is equal to the sum of the storage quantity cost of the empty unit containers of the roadway, the ex-warehouse rate cost of the real box unit containers of the roadway, the AGV (automatic guided vehicle) congestion time cost of the roadway and the distance cost of the roadway returning to the warehouse, the roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost of the roadway is calculated for matching, and the calculation is performed through the following functions:
Min Z u ＝N u +P u +T u +L u
and calculating a roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost through the function as a target roadway, and if the same roadway exists, preferentially matching the corresponding roadway according to the mode of minimum roadway number.
Then, the corresponding return buffer channel of the empty unit container can be determined through a return buffer channel matching strategy, namely, the return buffer channel closest to the target roadway is determined as the target buffer channel, and the calculation is performed through the following functions:
Min D ku
Wherein k represents a store-back cache way k;
wherein D is ku Representing the distance between the cache way k of the return warehouse and the target roadway u;
and calculating a warehouse returning buffer channel closest to the target roadway u through the function, matching the empty unit container i to be returned to the target buffer channel, and automatically conveying the empty unit container to the target buffer channel through a conveying line.
Thereafter, the front or back row location of the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse (i.e., the aforementioned reservoir type is determined) may be determined by an empty unit container front-back row matching strategy: the empty unit container front-back row matching strategy comprises a first front-back row matching strategy, a second front-back row matching strategy and a third front-back row matching strategy, and is calculated through the following functions:
1) The first front-back row matching strategy preferentially screens the situation that the front row in the roadway is the empty storage position and the back row is the empty storage position, and preferentially records the corresponding back-empty storage position into a preferentially matched set:
Case When w 1 ＝0&w 2 ＝0
wherein w is 1 Representing the front row of storage sites, w 2 Representing the rear storage position, w 1 And w is equal to 2 For storing bits in front of and behind the same layer at the same position (i.e. same X value and Z value), i.e. w 1 And w is equal to 2 Is a double deep storage position at the same position; w (w) 1 =0 meansFront row storage position w 1 Is empty and stores, w 2 =0 indicates the post bank bit w 2 For empty storage, v denotes unit shelf, (v, w) 2 ) Representing rear storage location w on unit shelf v 2 。
Representing the set of empty bins (containing shelves) after the first front-to-back row matching strategy has selected the available for positioning (front row is empty).
The function represents the post-empty storage position w of the same position when the pre-empty storage position is empty and the post-empty storage position is also empty 2 Together with the corresponding pallet v, is recorded in the collection, thereby avoiding the placement of empty unit containers to the front row, which need to be carried repeatedly when the storage is later emptied again.
2) The second front-back row matching strategy records the corresponding back-emptying storage bits into the corresponding set by screening the condition that the front-emptying storage bits in the roadway are occupied and the back-emptying storage bits are empty:
Case When w 1 ＝1&w 2 ＝0
wherein w is 1 =1 indicates the front row of storage bits w 1 Occupied.
Representing the set of post-empty storage (containing shelves) that are screened out for positioning by the second front-to-back matching strategy (front-row occupied).
The function represents the post-empty storage location w for the same location when the post-empty storage location is empty and the pre-empty storage location is occupied (there is already storage in other unit containers) 2 Together with the corresponding pallet v, is recorded into a collection.
3) The third front-back row matching strategy records the corresponding front-emptying storage bits into the corresponding set by screening the conditions that the front-emptying storage bits are empty and the rear-emptying storage bits are occupied in the roadway:
Case When w 1 ＝0&w 2 ＝1
wherein w is 2 =1 represents the post bank bit w 2 Occupied.
Representing the set of front empty bins (containing shelves) that are screened out for positioning (rear occupied) by a third front-to-rear matching strategy.
The function represents the pre-empty storage position w of the same location when the post-empty storage position is occupied (there is already storage in the other unit container) and the pre-empty storage position is empty 1 Together with the corresponding pallet v, is recorded into a collection.
Thereafter, the target unit shelf is determined by the unit shelf matching policy: namely, calculating the comprehensive cost of each unit shelf in the roadway through the unit shelf matching strategy, and preferentially matchingThe lowest comprehensive cost of the unit shelves in the collection; if->Set is empty then match +.>The lowest comprehensive cost of the unit shelves of the collection; if->And->The sets are all empty, then the last match +.>The unit shelves within the collection have the lowest aggregate cost, thereby determining the target unit shelf. Wherein the unit goods shelf comprehensive cost Z v Includes, storage quantity cost N of goods empty unit container v And the shelf delivery distance cost L v The calculation is performed by the following function:
Else Then NULL (7)
the constraints of the above functions are as follows:
Z v ＝β 1 *n v +β 2 *l v (8)
wherein Z is v Representing the integrated cost of the unit shelf v; n (N) v Representing the cost of storing the number of empty unit containers for shelf v, N v ＝β 1 *n v ，n v Representation ofThe number of empty unit containers stored on shelf v, beta 1 A weight representing a cost of storing the number of empty unit containers for the corresponding shelf; l (L) v Representing the distance cost of goods shelves v ＝β 2 *l v Wherein the middle position of the AGV of each unit shelf entering the shelf is recorded as the initial position of the shelf, and the distance from the initial position of each shelf to the target buffer track is recorded as the warehouse-returning distance l of the shelf v ；β 2 And the weight is recorded as the cost of the shelf warehouse-back distance.
The above formula (4) is expressed asWhen the set is not empty, the set is preferentially calculated>The unit shelf with the minimum inner comprehensive cost is used as a target unit shelf; the above formula (5) indicates when +.>Aggregate is empty and +.>When the set is not empty, calculate set +.>The unit shelf with the minimum inner comprehensive cost is used as a target unit shelf; the above formula (6) indicates when +.> Aggregate is empty and +.>When the set is not empty, calculate set +.>The unit shelf with the minimum inner comprehensive cost is used as a target unit shelf; when the formula (7) represents other conditions, the system does not perform automatic calculation; the above formula (8) is a constraint condition and represents a method for calculating the unit shelf comprehensive cost.
Through the method, the target unit shelf can be calculated, and if the calculated target unit shelf is a plurality of target unit shelves, the unique target unit shelf is determined according to the principle that the unit shelf number is minimum.
Thereafter, a target reservoir is determined by a reservoir matching strategy, specifically as follows:
1) The lowest-layer matching strategy is to preferably select the empty storage bit with the lowest layer number of the shelf and containing the storage bit type, and when the conditions are met in the multiple layers, the method is calculated through the following functions:
Min(w，Z vw ＞0)
wherein Z is vw Indicating the number of empty slots on shelf v for which the w-th layer has the above slot type.
The function described above can calculate the lowest level empty bits with the above bit types.
2) And selecting the storage bit with the lowest layer number as the target storage bit according to the minimum matching strategy of the storage bit numbers.
Finally, the empty unit containers are automatically conveyed to the target storage position by the AGV. And repeating the steps to finish the processing flow of all the empty unit containers.
Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a control system of a method for processing empty unit containers according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the above empty unit container processing system may interact with a cargo-to-person control system to implement a process flow of empty unit containers, and the cargo-to-person control system is a central control system of a cargo-to-person warehouse system, and may interact with a conveyor line control system to control a conveyor line, and interact with a handling unit control system to control a handling unit, as shown in fig. 6. It will be appreciated that the above empty unit container handling system may also be a subsystem of a cargo-to-person control system, and that the empty unit container handling method of embodiments of the present invention may also be performed by the cargo-to-person control system.
In this way, aiming at the acquired empty unit container processing task, an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment matching strategy is designed, whether an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment buffer channel has an idle buffer position or not is firstly judged, if so, the empty unit container is automatically conveyed to the buffer position through a conveying line, so that the empty unit container can be quickly and automatically conveyed to an on-shelf workstation, the empty unit container is prevented from being returned to a warehouse for storage and then conveyed to the on-shelf workstation, a great amount of time is saved, and the working efficiency is improved; at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel is arranged and connected with the conveying line, and the AGV can collect empty unit containers to be carried only by waiting in one warehouse-returning buffer channel, so that the AGV is prevented from running among a plurality of work stations. In addition, a front-back row matching strategy of the empty unit containers is designed, the front-back row matching strategy comprises a first front-back row matching strategy, a second front-back row matching strategy and a third front-back row matching strategy, the priority order of the storage of the empty unit containers is optimized for the unit shelves with double deep storage positions, and the rapid warehouse-out operation of the subsequent empty unit containers and the real box unit containers is facilitated; in addition, the unit goods shelf matching strategy and the storage position matching strategy are used for finally determining the target unit goods shelf and the target storage position of the empty unit container for returning, so that a reasonable returning flow of the empty unit container is realized, and the circulation of the empty unit container in the goods-to-people warehouse system can be realized with higher efficiency.
It should be noted that, for the convenience of description, the foregoing method embodiments are expressed as a series of combinations of actions, but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by the described order of actions, and some steps may actually be performed in other order or simultaneously. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described in the specification are presently preferred embodiments, and that the acts and modules referred to are not necessarily required to practice the invention.
In order to facilitate better implementation of the above-described aspects of embodiments of the present invention, the following provides related devices for implementing the above-described aspects.
Referring to fig. 7, an empty unit container handling apparatus 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a warehouse-to-person system including an ex-warehouse workstation, an on-shelf workstation, and unit shelves; wherein each unit shelf is provided with a front storage position and a rear storage position; the unit shelves are arranged in a row and are positioned at one side of the roadway; the apparatus 700 may include: a roadway positioning unit 701, a storage type discriminating unit 702 and a storage positioning unit 703.
Among them, the roadway positioning unit 701 can be used to: when the leaving work station has empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the leaving rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse returning distance; the bin type discriminating unit 702 may be configured to: acquiring a storage type of the empty storage of the empty unit container for storing the to-be-returned warehouse according to the distribution condition of the empty storage of the unit shelf in the target roadway in front and back rows; the reservoir location unit 703 may be used to: and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
In the embodiment of the invention, the ex-warehouse workstation and the on-shelf workstations are connected by a pre-established conveying line, and each on-shelf workstation is provided with an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment buffer channel comprising at least one buffer position; and, the apparatus 700 may further include a pre-allocation unit for: after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, judging whether an idle cache position exists in each empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way: if yes, conveying the generated empty unit containers to the idle buffer storage position through the conveying line; and determining the empty unit container as the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse when the empty buffer storage position does not exist in the overhead replenishment buffer channel of each empty unit container and the empty unit container still exists in the ex-warehouse workstation.
As a preferred scheme, the conveying line is connected with at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel; and, the roadway locating unit 701 may be further configured to: calculating the comprehensive cost of each roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is a weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the roadway, the ex-warehouse rate of real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-returning distance; the real box unit container ex-warehouse rate of the roadway is the sum of the ex-warehouse rates of the real box unit containers in the roadway, and the ex-warehouse rate of any real box unit container is the ratio of the ex-warehouse times of the real box unit container to the total ex-warehouse number of the real box unit containers of the goods arrival warehouse system in a preset history duration; the warehouse-returning distance of the roadway is the minimum value of the distance between the initial position of the roadway and each warehouse-returning cache road; and determining the roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost as the target roadway.
In a specific application, the roadway positioning unit 701 may further be configured to: after the target roadway is determined, determining a warehouse-returning cache way closest to the target roadway as a target cache way of the empty unit container to be subjected to warehouse-returning; wherein the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse are to be handled at the target cache way by the handling units in the goods-to-people warehouse system.
Preferably, the storage type discriminating unit 702 is further configured to: judging whether a first type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway or not: if so, determining the first type as the reservoir type; otherwise, judging whether a second type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if so, determining the second type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a third type of empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if yes, determining a third type as the storage type; wherein the first type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu bits just before the storage are also empty storage; the second type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu right before the storage is occupied; the third type of empty storage is a front storage, and the storage right behind the storage is occupied.
In practical applications, the storage location unit 703 may further be configured to: calculating the comprehensive cost of each unit shelf with the empty storage position of the storage position type in the target roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is the weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the unit shelf and the warehouse-out distance of the unit shelf; the ex-warehouse distance is the distance between the initial position of the unit goods shelf and the target cache channel; the unit shelf with the smallest comprehensive cost is determined as the target unit shelf.
In an alternative solution, the unit shelves are multi-layer shelves, each layer having a plurality of front rows of storage locations and a plurality of rear rows of storage locations; and, the reservoir location unit 703 may be further configured to: when the target unit shelf is provided with a plurality of empty storage positions of the storage position type, determining the empty storage position with the minimum layer number as a primary selected storage position; and when the number of the primary selected storage bits is multiple, determining the primary selected storage bit with the smallest storage bit number as the target storage bit.
Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus 700 may further include an execution unit for: and controlling the conveying line to convey the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse to the target cache way, and indicating the carrying unit to carry the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse from the target cache way to the target storage position.
According to the technical scheme of the embodiment of the invention, a conveying line is established to connect each ex-warehouse workstation and the on-shelf workstation, and empty unit containers generated by ex-warehouse are automatically supplied to the on-shelf workstation through the conveying line, so that AGV resources are prevented from being occupied; at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel is arranged and connected with the conveying line, and the AGV can collect empty unit containers to be carried only by waiting in one warehouse-returning buffer channel, so that the AGV is prevented from running among a plurality of work stations. In addition, the embodiment of the invention designs the returning flow of the empty unit containers aiming at the goods-to-person warehouse system adopting the double deep shelves, can determine the roadway, the storage type, the unit shelves and the storage most suitable for storing the current empty unit containers according to the current storage quantity of the empty unit containers, the ex-warehouse rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and other factors, and is beneficial to realizing the circulation of the empty unit containers in the goods-to-person warehouse system with higher efficiency.
Fig. 8 illustrates an exemplary system architecture 800 to which the empty cell container processing method or empty cell container processing apparatus of embodiments of the present invention may be applied.
As shown in fig. 8, a system architecture 800 may include terminal devices 801, 802, 803, a network 804, and a server 805 (this architecture is merely an example, and the components contained in a particular architecture may be tailored to the application specific case). The network 804 serves as a medium for providing communication links between the terminal devices 801, 802, 803 and the server 805. The network 804 may include various connection types, such as wired, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables, among others.
A user may interact with the server 805 through the network 804 using the terminal devices 801, 802, 803 to receive or send messages or the like. Various client applications, such as an empty cell container store-back location application (by way of example only), may be installed on the terminal devices 801, 802, 803.
The terminal devices 801, 802, 803 may be a variety of electronic devices having a display screen and supporting web browsing, including but not limited to smartphones, tablets, laptop and desktop computers, and the like.
The server 805 may be a server providing various services, such as a logistical server (by way of example only) that provides support for empty unit container warehousing location applications operated by users using the terminal devices 801, 802, 803. The logistics server may process the received target storage location acquisition request and feed back the processing result (e.g. calculated target storage location—only as an example) to the terminal device 801, 802, 803. The server 805 may also control the AGV806, transport 807, and other devices.
It should be noted that, the method for processing empty unit containers according to the embodiment of the present invention is generally executed by the server 805, and accordingly, the empty unit container processing device is generally disposed in the server 805.
It should be understood that the number of terminal devices, networks and servers in fig. 8 is merely illustrative. There may be any number of terminal devices, networks, and servers, as desired for implementation.
The invention also provides electronic equipment. The electronic equipment of the embodiment of the invention comprises: one or more processors; and the storage device is used for storing one or more programs, and when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors are enabled to realize the empty unit container processing method provided by the invention.
Referring now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a schematic diagram of a computer system 900 suitable for use in implementing an electronic device of an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device shown in fig. 9 is only an example, and should not impose any limitation on the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.
As shown in fig. 9, the computer system 900 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 901, which can execute various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a Read Only Memory (ROM) 902 or a program loaded from a storage section 908 into a Random Access Memory (RAM) 903. In the RAM903, various programs and data necessary for the operation of the computer system 900 are also stored. The CPU901, ROM 902, and RAM903 are connected to each other through a bus 904. An input/output (I/O) interface 905 is also connected to the bus 904.
The following components are connected to the I/O interface 905: an input section 906 including a keyboard, a mouse, and the like; an output portion 907 including a display such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and a speaker; a storage portion 908 including a hard disk or the like; and a communication section 909 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, a modem, or the like. The communication section 909 performs communication processing via a network such as the internet. The drive 910 is also connected to the I/O interface 905 as needed. A removable medium 911 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like is installed on the drive 910 as needed, so that a computer program read out therefrom is installed into the storage section 908 as needed.
In particular, the processes described in the main step diagrams above may be implemented as computer software programs according to the disclosed embodiments of the invention. For example, embodiments of the present invention 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 main step diagrams. In the above-described embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from the network through the communication section 909 and/or installed from the removable medium 911. The above-described functions defined in the system of the present invention are performed when the computer program is executed by the central processing unit 901.
The computer readable medium shown in the present invention 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 invention, a computer readable signal medium may comprise 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 thereof. 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.
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 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 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 or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams 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 invention may be implemented in software or in hardware. The described units may also be provided in a processor, for example, described as: a processor includes a roadway locating unit, a storage type discriminating unit and a storage locating unit. The names of these units do not constitute limitations on the unit itself in some cases, and for example, a lane locating unit may also be described as "a unit that provides a target lane to a storage type discriminating unit".
As another aspect, the present invention also provides a computer-readable medium that may be contained in the apparatus described in the above embodiments; or may be present alone without being fitted into the device. The computer readable medium carries one or more programs which, when executed by the device, cause the device to perform steps comprising: when the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse exist in the warehouse-out workstation, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the warehouse-out rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-out distance; acquiring a storage type of the empty storage of the empty unit container for storing the to-be-returned warehouse according to the distribution condition of the empty storage of the unit shelf in the target roadway in front and back rows; and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
In the technical scheme of the embodiment of the invention, a conveying line is established to connect each ex-warehouse workstation and the on-shelf workstation, and empty unit containers generated by ex-warehouse are automatically supplied to the on-shelf workstation through the conveying line, so that AGV resources are prevented from being occupied; at least one warehouse-returning buffer channel is arranged and connected with the conveying line, and the AGV can collect empty unit containers to be carried only by waiting in one warehouse-returning buffer channel, so that the AGV is prevented from running among a plurality of work stations. In addition, the embodiment of the invention designs the returning flow of the empty unit containers aiming at the goods-to-person warehouse system adopting the double deep shelves, can determine the roadway, the storage type, the unit shelves and the storage most suitable for storing the current empty unit containers according to the current storage quantity of the empty unit containers, the ex-warehouse rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and other factors, and is beneficial to realizing the circulation of the empty unit containers in the goods-to-person warehouse system with higher efficiency.
The above embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alternatives can occur depending upon design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (11)

1. An empty unit container processing method is characterized by being applied to a goods-to-people warehouse system comprising a warehouse-out workstation, a loading workstation and unit shelves; wherein each unit shelf is provided with a front storage position and a rear storage position; the unit shelves are arranged in a row and are positioned at one side of the roadway; the method comprises the following steps:
when the leaving work station has empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the leaving rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse returning distance;
according to the distribution condition of the empty storage positions of the unit shelves in the target roadway in front and back rows, acquiring the storage position type of the empty storage positions of the empty unit containers for storing the to-be-returned warehouse, wherein the method comprises the following steps: judging whether a first type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway or not: if so, determining the first type as a storage type for storing the empty storage of the empty unit container to be returned to the library; otherwise, judging whether a second type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if so, determining the second type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a third type of empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if yes, determining a third type as the storage type; wherein the first type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu bits just before the storage are also empty storage; the second type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu right before the storage is occupied; the third type of empty storage is a front storage, and the storage right behind the storage is occupied;
And judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the out-of-stock workstation and the on-shelf workstation are connected by a pre-established conveyor line, each on-shelf workstation having an empty unit container on-shelf replenishment buffer track comprising at least one buffer location; and, the method further comprises:
after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, judging whether an idle cache position exists in each empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way: if yes, conveying the generated empty unit containers to the idle buffer storage position through the conveying line;
and determining the empty unit container as the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse when the empty buffer storage position does not exist in the overhead replenishment buffer channel of each empty unit container and the empty unit container still exists in the ex-warehouse workstation.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the conveyor line is connected to at least one return buffer; and determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers of each roadway, the delivery rate of the real unit containers, the congestion time and the return distance, wherein the target roadway comprises:
calculating the comprehensive cost of each roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is a weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the roadway, the ex-warehouse rate of real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse-returning distance; the real box unit container ex-warehouse rate of the roadway is the sum of the ex-warehouse rates of the real box unit containers in the roadway, and the ex-warehouse rate of any real box unit container is the ratio of the ex-warehouse times of the real box unit container to the total ex-warehouse number of the real box unit containers of the goods arrival warehouse system in a preset history duration; the warehouse-returning distance of the roadway is the minimum value of the distance between the initial position of the roadway and each warehouse-returning cache road;
and determining the roadway with the minimum comprehensive cost as the target roadway.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:
after the target roadway is determined, determining a warehouse-returning cache way closest to the target roadway as a target cache way of the empty unit container to be subjected to warehouse-returning; wherein the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse are to be handled at the target cache way by the handling units in the goods-to-people warehouse system.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining a target unit pallet for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the number of empty unit containers stored and the distance of delivery from each unit pallet comprises:
calculating the comprehensive cost of each unit shelf with the empty storage position of the storage position type in the target roadway, wherein the comprehensive cost is the weighted sum of the storage quantity of empty unit containers of the unit shelf and the warehouse-out distance of the unit shelf; the ex-warehouse distance is the distance between the initial position of the unit goods shelf and the target cache channel;
the unit shelf with the smallest comprehensive cost is determined as the target unit shelf.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the unit pallet is a multi-tier pallet, each tier having a plurality of front rows of storage locations and a plurality of rear rows of storage locations; and determining a target storage position for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf, wherein the target storage position comprises:
when the target unit shelf is provided with a plurality of empty storage positions of the storage position type, determining the empty storage position with the minimum layer number as a primary selected storage position;
and when the number of the primary selected storage bits is multiple, determining the primary selected storage bit with the smallest storage bit number as the target storage bit.
7. The method according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein the method further comprises:
and controlling the conveying line to convey the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse to the target cache way, and indicating the carrying unit to carry the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse from the target cache way to the target storage position.
8. An empty unit container processing device is characterized by being applied to a goods-to-people warehouse system comprising a warehouse-out workstation, a loading workstation and a unit shelf; wherein each unit shelf is provided with a front storage position and a rear storage position; the unit shelves are arranged in a row and are positioned at one side of the roadway; the device comprises:
the roadway positioning unit is used for: when the leaving work station has empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse, determining a target roadway for storing the empty unit containers to be returned to the warehouse by using the storage quantity of the empty unit containers in each roadway, the leaving rate of the real box unit containers, the congestion time and the warehouse returning distance;
the storage type discriminating unit is used for: according to the distribution condition of the empty storage positions of the unit shelves in the target roadway in front and back rows, acquiring the storage position type of the empty storage positions of the empty unit containers for storing the to-be-returned warehouse, wherein the method comprises the following steps: judging whether a first type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway or not: if so, determining the first type as a storage type for storing the empty storage of the empty unit container to be returned to the library; otherwise, judging whether a second type empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if so, determining the second type as the storage type; otherwise, judging whether a third type of empty storage bit exists in the target roadway: if yes, determining a third type as the storage type; wherein the first type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu bits just before the storage are also empty storage; the second type of empty storage is a rear storage, and the Fang Chu right before the storage is occupied; the third type of empty storage is a front storage, and the storage right behind the storage is occupied;
A storage location unit for: and judging a target unit shelf for storing the empty unit containers to be returned according to the storage quantity and the delivery distance of the empty unit containers of each unit shelf for a plurality of unit shelves with the empty storage types in the target roadway, and determining the target storage positions for storing the empty unit containers to be returned in the target unit shelf.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the ex-warehouse workstation and the racking workstations are connected by a pre-established conveyor line, each racking workstation having an empty unit container racking replenishment buffer track comprising at least one buffer location; and, the apparatus further comprises:
a pre-allocation unit for: after the ex-warehouse workstation generates empty unit containers, judging whether an idle cache position exists in each empty unit container on-shelf replenishment cache way: if yes, conveying the generated empty unit containers to the idle buffer storage position through the conveying line; and determining the empty unit container as the empty unit container to be returned to the warehouse when the empty buffer storage position does not exist in the overhead replenishment buffer channel of each empty unit container and the empty unit container still exists in the ex-warehouse workstation.
10. An electronic device, comprising:
one or more processors;
storage means for storing one or more programs,
when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to implement the method of any of claims 1-7.
11. A computer readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, characterized in that the program, when being executed by a processor, implements the method according to any of claims 1-7.
CN202210190009.8A 2022-02-28 2022-02-28 Empty unit container handling method and apparatus Active CN114620387B (en)

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