JP6011490B2 - Goods storage facility - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes an automatic warehouse for storing a plurality of containers whose upper surfaces are opened to accommodate a rectangular parallelepiped article therein, a warehousing transport device for transporting the container to the automatic warehouse, and a warehouse that has been delivered from the automatic warehouse. The present invention relates to an article storage facility including a picking device that takes out the article from the container.

  In JP 2007-130711 A (Patent Document 1), when an article in a container (pallet) once stored in an automatic warehouse is shipped from the automatic warehouse, a container containing the shipped article. Is taken out from a storage shelf of an automatic warehouse and transported to a picking location, and a technique is disclosed in which only a necessary number of articles are automatically taken out from the container by a picking robot. In the picking robot, the upper surface of the article belonging to the uppermost article layer is extracted as the uppermost area from the distance image generated from the stereo image captured by the imaging device, and a pattern by template matching is extracted from the extracted uppermost area. By executing the search, the position and orientation of the article belonging to the uppermost article layer in the container is detected, and the article is taken out based on the detected position and orientation of the article (see paragraph [0030 of Patent Document 1). 〕reference). In Patent Document 1, a template used for a pattern search is automatically generated based on article shape data stored in an article information database.

  By the way, a plurality of containers are stored in the automatic warehouse, and some of them may include a container in which an article different from an article that should be originally stored in the container is stored. However, the technique of Patent Document 1 described above automatically performs a series of operations from when a container is placed in an automatic warehouse to when the container is taken out until an article in the container is taken out, by managing the container. Therefore, once a container in a wrong state is stored in the automatic warehouse, the container is transported to the picking location in the wrong state. Since the picking robot executes pattern matching processing (pattern search) using a template generated based on shape data of an article (correct article) that should be accommodated originally, the picking robot erroneously puts it in the container transported to the picking location. When an article is accommodated, there is a possibility that the matching area cannot be detected on the upper surface (uppermost area) of the article belonging to the uppermost article layer, or an erroneous area is detected as the matching area. Therefore, the picking robot cannot correctly recognize the position and posture of the article belonging to the uppermost article layer in the container, and cannot appropriately perform the work of taking out the article from the container.

  In addition, since the template used in Patent Document 1 is a template generated from the shape data of an article, it can be considered as a template showing the outline of an article that does not include a surface pattern on the upper surface of the article. When a template including a pattern on the surface of an article is used as a template, a template indicating an outline and a pattern for a specific surface of the article is stored in the storage unit in advance, and the picking robot performs a pattern search using the template. In general, the goods stored in the container often have different patterns depending on the surface, and if the goods in the container transported to the picking location are not in a specific posture with the specific surface facing the top surface, specify The position and orientation of the article cannot be recognized by the pattern search using the surface template. Therefore, when the posture of the article in the container is not a specific posture, the picking robot cannot correctly recognize the position and posture of the article belonging to the uppermost article layer in the container. It is not possible to properly take out the article from the container.

JP 2007-130711 A

  Therefore, it is desired to realize an article storage facility that can prevent troubles occurring when the picking device using the picked-up image of the article performs the operation of taking out the article from the container delivered from the automatic warehouse.

  The characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention includes an automatic warehouse for storing a plurality of containers whose upper surfaces are opened to accommodate rectangular parallelepiped articles, and a warehousing transfer device for transferring the containers to the automatic warehouse. A picking device for picking up the article from the container delivered from the automatic warehouse, wherein the container to be picked up at a position corresponding to a picking location where the picking device picks up the article is selected. The picking device has a degree of coincidence with a predetermined template image corresponding to an image of a rectangular surface of the article in the work picked-up image picked up by the work image pick-up device. By detecting a portion that is greater than or equal to the first threshold as a work article existence area, and detecting the work article existence area A warehousing imaging apparatus configured to recognize the position of the article and take out the article from the container and to image the container from above at an inspection position set on a conveyance path of the warehousing conveyance apparatus. And a part having a matching degree equal to or higher than the first threshold value in the picked-up image picked up by the pick-up image pickup device as the warehousing article presence area, A pre-entry inspection device that determines whether or not the number of areas is equal to or greater than a second threshold, and the pre-entry inspection device has a detected number of article entry regions that are less than the second threshold. If it is determined, an error is output.

According to this characteristic configuration, when an article is taken out from a container that has been delivered from an automatic warehouse and transported to a picking location, the picking device detects a work article presence area in order to recognize the position of the article to be taken out. However, the same process as the process for detecting the work article presence area can be executed before the container is stored in the automatic warehouse. That is, before the container is received in the automatic warehouse, the picking device picks up the article from the container in the future by detecting the entry article existence area by the same process as the detection process of the work article existence area. It is possible to confirm at the time of warehousing that the work article presence area can be detected when the work is performed. Therefore, the second threshold value is set to such an extent that the picking device can ensure that the work article existence area can be detected during a future article removal operation, for example, the number of the plurality of work article existence areas can be detected. When the container that is assumed to be unable to properly recognize the position of the article, i.e., the container in which the number of detected goods-entry regions is less than the second threshold is transported to the inspection position Can do error output.
Therefore, the number of warehousing article presence areas detected at the inspection position is equal to or more than the second threshold value, and the work article existence area is detected and the position of the article is recognized at the time of picking up the article at the picking location. Only the containers that are assumed to be able to be stored are stored in the automatic warehouse, and the number of storage article presence areas detected at the inspection position is less than the second threshold. It is possible to operate such as not allowing a container that is assumed to be unable to appropriately perform the recognition process, that is, a container that has output an error. By the way, for a container that has output an error, the cause of the error output can be specified by an operator or the like, or the cause can be removed.
Therefore, it is possible to realize an article storage facility that can prevent the occurrence of trouble when the picking device using the picked-up image of the article performs the operation of taking out the article from the container delivered from the automatic warehouse.

  Here, a storage information storage unit that stores storage-related information including at least quantity information about an article stored in the container in association with container identification information attached to the container, and the container identification of the container A container identification information acquisition unit that acquires information, and the inspection device before warehousing is based on the accommodation related information about the container identified by the container identification information acquired by the container identification information acquisition unit. It is preferable that the second threshold value is set.

  According to this configuration, since the second threshold value is set based on the storage-related information about the articles stored in the container, the same second threshold value is uniformly set for any container. Compared to the case, for example, by storing information such as the total number of articles stored in the container and the quantity of articles belonging to the uppermost article layer as storage related information, the value of the second threshold is A more appropriate value can be set according to the actual accommodation state of the container to be inspected by the pre-warehousing inspection apparatus. As a result, the inspection by the inspection device before warehousing can be appropriately performed.

  In addition, the container that is connected to the warehousing device and the inspection position or the position downstream of the inspection position in the conveying direction and that has been subjected to the error output by the inspection device before warehousing is used as an operator. Conveyance information storage unit for storing the conveyor-related information about the articles stored in the container in association with the container identification information attached to the container; The container identification information acquisition unit for acquiring the container identification information of the container, the article identification information acquisition unit for acquiring the item identification information given to each of the articles, and the container located in the work location. An article discrimination notification unit for discriminating whether or not the article to be present and the article actually contained in the container match, and the accommodation information storage unit includes The container identification information of the scheduled container and the article identification information of the article to be accommodated in the container are stored in association with each other, and the article identification information acquisition unit is located at the work location The article identification information of the article accommodated in the container is acquired, and the article determination notification unit is configured to acquire the article identification information acquired by the article identification information acquisition unit and the container of the container located at the work location. When the article identification information stored in the accommodation information storage unit in association with the container identification information is different, the article to be accommodated in the container located at the work location, and the container actually It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which it is determined that the article contained therein does not match, and the operator is notified of information indicating that the article does not match.

  According to this configuration, an error is output by the inspection device before warehousing at the inspection position, and the article actually stored in the container branched and conveyed to the work location by the conveyor when there is an abnormality, and the container If the article to be printed does not match, the operator is notified of this. As a result, the operator may infer that the cause of the error output in the inspection device before warehousing is that the actual article in the container is different from the article that should be housed in the container. it can. Therefore, for example, the worker performs an operation of replacing an article accommodated in the actual container with an article that should be originally accommodated in the container, or an article associated with the container identification information of the container. It is possible to perform work to eliminate the cause of the error output by the pre-warehousing inspection device, such as a work to update the identification information to the article identification information of the article contained in the actual container.

Schematic configuration diagram of an article storage facility according to an embodiment of the present invention Control block diagram of article storage facility according to an embodiment of the present invention The perspective view of the container and article which concern on embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the picked-up image for warehousing which concerns on embodiment of this invention The conceptual diagram for demonstrating the single height image generation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention Sectional drawing of the container which concerns on embodiment of this invention Histogram used when generating a single height image according to an embodiment of the present invention The figure explaining the pattern matching process which concerns on embodiment of this invention Another figure explaining the pattern matching process which concerns on embodiment of this invention The flowchart of the inspection process before warehousing which concerns on embodiment of this invention Flow chart of target stage determination processing according to an embodiment of the present invention Flow chart of processing at the time of abnormality according to the embodiment of the present invention

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of an article storage facility 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the article storage facility 1 according to the present embodiment includes an automatic warehouse 2, a storage conveyor 3, a delivery conveyor 4, a picking conveyor 5, a re-entry conveyor 6, a picking device 7, and a supply conveyor. 8, an abnormal-time conveyor 11, and a control system 70 (see FIG. 2).

1. Article Storage Facility In the article storage facility 1 of the present embodiment, when the article 21 is taken out by the picking device 7 from the container 20 that has been delivered from the automatic warehouse 2 and transported to the picking location U, the article 21 that is the take-out object Is recognized using an image. For this purpose, the container 20 is imaged from above by the first imaging device 13 and coincides with a template image corresponding to an image of a predetermined rectangular surface of the predetermined article 21 included in the captured working image. One work article presence area whose degree is equal to or greater than the first threshold is detected. Then, the coordinate position of the center of the upper surface of the article 21 to be taken out is calculated from the position and height of the detected work article existence area in plan view, and the picking device 7 is operated based on the coordinate position. Then, the article 21 is taken out. In the article storage facility 1 in the present embodiment, the same function as that of the first imaging device 13 is provided before the container 20 is stored in the automatic warehouse 2 so that the picking device 7 can smoothly take out the article 21. The container 20 is picked up from above by the second image pickup device 14 having the above, and the warehousing article existence area M whose degree of coincidence with the template image included in the picked-up picked-up image is the first threshold value, that is, In addition, the present invention is characterized in that a pre-entry inspection device 50 is provided for inspecting whether or not a plurality (second threshold value) of incoming goods present areas M corresponding to the working goods present area can be detected. If a plurality of warehousing article existence areas M can be detected by the pre-warehousing inspection apparatus 50 (second threshold), it is assumed that the picking apparatus 7 can recognize a plurality of articles 21 to be taken out. It is assumed that the work of taking out the article 21 can be performed appropriately.

  The automatic warehouse 2 stores a plurality of containers 20, specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, two storage shelves 9 that are installed at an interval so that the loading and unloading directions of the containers 20 face each other; A stacker crane 10 that travels along a moving path formed between two storage shelves 9 is provided. The stacker crane 10 includes a traveling carriage (not shown) that can travel along a moving path, an elevator (not shown) that can be moved up and down, and a fork-type article transfer device (not shown) that is provided on the elevator. Z). The stacker crane 10 is controlled by a crane control unit 32 described later.

  Here, the container 20 is configured in a rectangular parallelepiped shape whose upper surface is opened so that the inside of the container can be imaged by the first imaging device 13 and the second imaging device 14, and a rectangular parallelepiped shaped article 21 is placed inside the container 20. Contained. For example, the container 20 is a cardboard box or the like from which a tray or an upper surface is removed. 3 and 5, the container 20 has a plurality of articles 21 stacked in each direction of the direction along the transport direction, the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction on the transport surface, and the vertical direction (height direction). Can be accommodated. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the container 20 has a height of an article layer formed by a plurality of articles 21 having the same shape and arranged so that the upper surface of the article belongs to the same height. It is housed in a stacked state in the direction. The container 20 may have a cubic shape.

  The article 21 is configured in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and article identification information is given to each article 21. In the present embodiment, the same item identification information is given to the same type of item 21. One container 20 is configured so that the same type of article 21 is accommodated, that is, the article 21 provided with the same article identification information is accommodated. In the present embodiment, the dimensions of the three sides of the article 21 are H1, W1, and L1, as shown in FIG. 3, and these dimension information is associated with the article identification information in the article information database 40 (see FIG. 2). Stored in advance. The relationship between the lengths of the sides of the article 21 is H1 <W1 <L1. In addition, a set storage posture that indicates which of the rectangular surfaces is stored in a posture in which each article 21 is stored as a top surface is predetermined for each container 20, and in this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. The setting storage posture is a posture in which the length along the height direction (vertical direction) is H1 (a posture in which the side having the smallest length among the three sides constituting one vertex is vertically aligned). The article 21 may be configured in a cubic shape.

  The warehousing conveyor 3 is a conveyor that conveys the containers 20 to the automatic warehouse 2. The warehousing conveyor 3 of the present embodiment is provided with an inspection location S and a first transfer location Q1 which is a warehousing gate to the automatic warehouse 2 where the container 20 is received by the stacker crane 10. Specifically, the warehousing conveyor 3 of the present embodiment is provided in a straight line, and a first transfer location Q1 is provided at an end portion on the most downstream side in the transport direction, with respect to the first transfer location Q1. An inspection point S is provided at a position adjacent on the upstream side. In addition, the warehousing conveyor 3 of this embodiment is corresponded to the conveying apparatus for warehousing of this invention.

  The inspection spot S is a place where the container 20 is inspected before entering the automatic warehouse 2 before being inspected. This pre-entry inspection is an inspection for confirming in advance whether or not the work of taking out the article 21 by the picking device 7 performed on the container 20 delivered from the automatic warehouse 2 can be smoothly performed. In addition, the specific process of the inspection before warehousing will be described later. The inspection location S of the present embodiment is set on the transport path of the warehousing conveyor 3 as shown in FIG. Specifically, it is set on the upstream side of the first transfer location Q1 in the warehousing conveyor 3 and connected to the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality. And according to the inspection result of the inspection before warehousing, the inspection location S of the present embodiment sets the transport destination of the container 20 for which the inspection before warehousing has been completed to either the first transfer location Q1 or the abnormal-time conveyor 11. It is configured to be switchable. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the inspection location S is aligned with the conveyance direction of the warehousing conveyor 3 in order to store the containers 20 in the automatic warehouse 2 when the result of the inspection before warehousing is normal. The container 20 is cut out in the direction and conveyed to the first transfer location Q1. In addition, when the result of the inspection before warehousing is abnormal, the inspection location S is in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the warehousing conveyor 3 so as to convey the container 20 to the work location W set in the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality. Cut out and transport to the conveyor 11 in the event of an abnormality. Moreover, the warehousing conveyor 3 including the inspection location S is controlled by the conveyor control unit 33 (see FIG. 2). In addition, the test | inspection location S of this embodiment corresponds to the location corresponding to the test | inspection position of this invention. In addition, you may set the test | inspection location S in the conveyance direction of the warehousing conveyor 3 from the connection location with the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality in the warehousing conveyor 3 upstream. In this case, the container 20 after the inspection is branched and conveyed to the first transfer location Q1 or the work location W in the same manner as described above at the connection location with the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality.

  Further, the inspection location S is provided with a second imaging device 14 that images the container 20 from above at the inspection location S and a first barcode reader 12. The first barcode reader 12 reads the barcode 15 (see FIG. 3) attached to the outer surface of the container 20 conveyed to the inspection location S in a non-contact manner (for example, optical reading). The barcode 15 includes unique container identification information of the container 20, and the first barcode reader 12 converts the container identification information of the container 20 included in the read barcode 15 into the host controller 30 (see FIG. 2). ).

  The second imaging device 14 is a device (for example, a stereo camera) that can record distance information from the captured object to the second imaging device 14. The 2nd imaging device 14 images the container 20 conveyed to the test | inspection location S from upper direction. In the present embodiment, the second imaging device 14 includes a pair of cameras 14A and 14B as shown in FIG. The camera 14 </ b> A is provided immediately above the center position of the inspection location S, is provided at a position where the height from the conveyance surface of the inspection location S is known, and images the entire inspection location S in a planar manner. The other camera 14B is provided above a position separated from the center position of the inspection location S by a set distance in the transport direction of the warehousing conveyor 3 (in this example, a position spaced downstream in the transport direction of the warehousing conveyor 3). The whole inspection spot S is imaged from diagonally above. Then, the second imaging device 14 calculates distance information from the camera 14A at each pixel in the image captured by the camera 14A based on the parallax of the camera 14A and the camera 14B, and each pixel is a distance from the camera 14A. A captured image having information is generated. In addition, the 2nd imaging device 14 is corresponded to the imaging device for warehousing of this invention, and the captured image of the said 2nd imaging device 14 is equivalent to the captured image for warehousing of this invention.

  The delivery conveyor 4 is a conveyor that conveys the containers 20 delivered from the automatic warehouse 2 to the picking conveyor 5. Specifically, a second transfer location Q <b> 2 is provided at the end on the most upstream side in the transport direction of the delivery conveyor 4. The second transfer location Q2 is a place where the container 20 taken out from the storage shelf 9 and transported by the stacker crane 10 is delivered by the stacker crane 10, that is, a delivery gate from the automatic warehouse 2. The delivery conveyor 4 then transports the containers 20 delivered to the second transfer location Q2 to the picking conveyor 5. The delivery conveyor 4 is controlled by the conveyor control unit 33.

  The picking conveyor 5 transports the containers 20 transported from the delivery conveyor 4 to the picking location U and transports the containers 20 from which the articles 21 have been removed from the containers 20 at the picking location U to the re-entry conveyor 6. Conveyor. Further, in the picking conveyor 5, a picking location U is set in the entire width direction (direction perpendicular to the transport direction on the transport surface) in a partial region (in the vicinity of the center in this example) in the transport direction. The picking location U is a location where the work of taking out the article 21 from the container 20 by the picking device 7 is performed. Further, the article 21 taken out from the container 20 by the picking device 7 is transferred to a supply conveyor 8 described later. The picking conveyor 5 is controlled by the conveyor control unit 33.

  In addition, the picking location U is provided with a first imaging device 13 and a fourth barcode reader 23 that image the container 20 that is a target for taking out the article 21 from above. As shown in FIG. 1, the first imaging device 13 includes a pair of cameras 13A and 13B, and generates a captured image in which each pixel has distance information from the camera 13A. Note that the first imaging device 13 has the same configuration as the second imaging device 14, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. The first imaging device 13 corresponds to the working imaging device of the present invention, and the captured image of the first imaging device 13 corresponds to the working captured image of the present invention.

  The fourth barcode reader 23 reads the barcode 15 attached to the outer surface of the container 20 conveyed to the picking location U, and has the same configuration as the first barcode reader. The fourth barcode reader 23 outputs the container identification information of the container 20 included in the read barcode 15 to the host controller 30.

  The re-entry conveyor 6 is a conveyor that re-entries the containers 20 transported from the picking conveyor 5, that is, the containers 20 in which the operation of taking out the articles 21 at the picking location U is completed, into the automatic warehouse 2. Moreover, the 3rd transfer location Q3 is provided in the edge part of the most downstream side of the re-entry conveyor 6. FIG. The container 20 conveyed to the third transfer location Q3 is re-stocked into the storage shelf 9 via the stacker crane 10. The re-entry conveyor 6 is controlled by a conveyor control unit 33 described later.

  The picking device 7 is a device that takes out the article 21 from the container 20 that has been delivered from the automatic warehouse 2 and transported to the picking location U. The picking apparatus 7 includes an article recognition unit 36 and a picking robot 37 as shown in FIGS. The picking device 7 is connected to the host controller 30 so as to be able to transmit information, and is controlled by the picking device control unit 34. The picking device 7 is also connected to the first imaging device 13 so as to be able to transmit information. The picking device 7 uses the work image captured by the first image capturing device 13 as a work product for a portion whose degree of coincidence with a predetermined template image corresponding to the rectangular image of the product 21 is equal to or greater than a first threshold value. The position of the article 21 is recognized by detecting the existence area, and the work article existence area is detected, and the article 21 is taken out from the container 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, in the picking device 7, first, the picking device control unit 34 of the host controller 30 causes the container 20 to be picked by the operation of the picking conveyor 5 or a sensor (not shown). When it is detected that it has been conveyed to U, an article search command is output to the article recognition unit 36. The article recognizing unit 36 acquires a work captured image from the first imaging device 13 and executes a process of recognizing the three-dimensional position and the planar view posture of the article upper surface of the article 21 using the work captured image. Information (recognition result information) of the three-dimensional position and planar view posture of the article upper surface as a result of the recognition process is output to the picking device control unit 34. The picking device control unit 34 controls the operation of the picking robot 37 based on the recognition result information. In addition, the picking device control unit 34 of the host controller 30 acquires the container identification information of the container 20 located at the picking location U from the fourth barcode reader 23, so that the container 20 is transported to the picking location U. The configuration may be such that an article search command is output to the article recognition unit 36.

  The picking robot 37 includes a hand portion (not shown) provided rotatably at the distal end portion of an arm extending from a main body portion (not shown) of the picking robot and a lower surface of the hand portion. A plurality of suction nozzles that can expand and contract in a lower space of the hand portion; The picking device control unit 34 operates the hand unit above the upper surface of the article 21 whose position has been recognized by the article recognition unit 36, extends the suction nozzle to the upper surface of the article 21, and sucks it on the upper surface of the article 21. In this state, the picking robot 37 is controlled so as to be contracted upward.

  The supply conveyor 8 is a conveyor that supplies and conveys the articles 21 taken out from the containers 20 by the picking device 7 to a collection conveyor (not shown). The supply conveyor 8 is controlled by the conveyor control unit 33.

  The abnormality conveyor 11 is connected to the warehousing conveyor 3 at the inspection point S, and the container 20 (the container 20 on which the error output has been performed) from which the inspection result indicating abnormality is output from the inspection device 50 before warehousing is operated. It is a conveyor which conveys to W. Moreover, the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality of this embodiment also has a function which returns the container 20 which the operation | work in the work location W was complete | finished to the receipt conveyor 3. FIG. That is, the abnormal-time conveyor 11 of the present embodiment is configured in a U-shape that is square in plan view, and is disposed so that the opening of the U-shape faces the storage conveyor 3 side. Specifically, the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality is connected to the warehousing conveyor 3 at two locations, that is, the inspection location S and the joining location 17 located upstream of the inspection location S in the transport direction of the warehousing conveyor 3. . In addition, a work location W is provided on the U-shaped convex portion.

  Here, the work location W is a location where work by the worker 16 is performed. In the present embodiment, the work location W is a place where the worker 16 identifies the cause of the error and performs work for eliminating the identified cause of the error. Specifically, at the work location W, the operator 16 determines whether or not an article 21 other than the article 21 that should be contained in the container 20 located at the work location W is contained in the container 20. The cause of the error is specified, for example, whether there is an article 21 stored in a posture other than the set storage posture or whether there is a defect in the template image of the article 21 registered in advance. Then, the worker 16 performs a work for eliminating the error, for example, when another article 21 is mistakenly accommodated in the container 20, a work for replacing the article 21 that should be originally accommodated, An operation for correcting the storage posture of the articles 21 in the set 20 to the set storage posture, a template image update operation, and the like are performed, and the container 20 is joined to the warehousing conveyor 3 again.

  The work location W is provided with a second barcode reader 18, a third barcode reader 22, and a display device 19. In the second barcode reader 18 of the present embodiment, the worker 16 makes no contact with a barcode (not shown) attached to the outer surface of the article 21 in the container 20 located at the work location W (for example, For example, a hand-held bar code reader. The barcode attached to the outer surface of the article 21 includes article identification information, and the second barcode reader 18 converts the article identification information of the article 21 contained in the read barcode into the host controller 30 ( It outputs to the article | item discrimination | determination part 35).

  The third barcode reader 22 is a barcode reader having the same configuration as that of the first barcode reader 12, and reads the barcode 15 attached to the container 20 conveyed to the work location W in a non-contact manner. The container identification information included in the code 15 is output to the host controller (article discrimination unit 35).

  The display device 19 is a liquid crystal display device having a display screen, and the display is controlled by the host controller 30. The display device 19 displays at least information of the determination result in the article determination unit 35 (described later). Further, the display device 19 includes information on the container 20 associated with the container identification information read by the third barcode reader 22 and an article 21 associated with the article identification information read by the second barcode reader 18. It may be configured such that information on the information is displayed.

2. Article Storage Control System The article storage control system 70 (see FIG. 2) includes a host controller 30 that controls each functional unit of the article storage facility 1 and a pre-entry inspection for the container 20 before entering the automatic warehouse 2. A pre-entry inspection apparatus 50 to be executed and an article information database 40 are provided.

  The host controller 30 includes an article container information acquisition unit 31, a crane control unit 32, a conveyor control unit 33, a picking device control unit 34, and an article determination unit 35. The host controller 30 includes each conveyor (an incoming conveyor 3, an outgoing conveyor 4, a picking conveyor 5, a re-entry conveyor 6, a supply conveyor 8, an abnormal condition conveyor 11), a picking device 7, a stacker crane 10, and a display device 19. Each of them is connected to be able to communicate information and controls them. The host controller 30 can also transmit information from each barcode reader (the first barcode reader 12, the second barcode reader 18, the third barcode reader 22, and the fourth barcode reader 23). So connected. The host controller 30 is also connected to the pre-warehousing inspection device 50 so as to be able to transmit information. When the host controller 30 detects that the container 20 has been transported to the inspection location S by a sensor (not shown), the operation of the warehousing conveyor 3, etc., it outputs an inspection start command to the pre-warehousing inspection device 50 and before warehousing. The inspection device 50 starts inspection before warehousing, and when the inspection before warehousing ends, the inspection result is acquired from the inspection device 50 before warehousing. The host controller 30 acquires the container identification information of the container 20 located at the inspection location S from the first bar code reader 12 and assumes that the container 20 has been transported to the inspection location S. The structure which outputs a test | inspection start instruction | command may be sufficient.

  The article container information acquisition unit 31 acquires the container identification information and the article identification information, acquires the container information related to the containers 20 associated therewith from the master container information of the article information database 40, and the article information related to the article 21. Is a functional unit that obtains from the master article information. In the present embodiment, the article container information acquisition unit 31 corresponds to the container identification information when the container identification information is acquired from the first barcode reader 12, the third barcode reader 22, and the fourth barcode reader 23. The container information regarding the attached container 20 is acquired from the master container information. At that time, the article container information acquisition unit 31 obtains the article information of the article 21 associated with the article identification information from the master article information based on the article identification information associated with the container identification information. get. Specifically, the article container information acquisition unit 31 acquires the article information of the article 21 associated with the article identification information of the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 included in the acquired container information. To do. Further, the article container information acquisition unit 31 acquires article identification information of the article 21 accommodated in the container 20 located at the work location W from the second barcode reader 18. At that time, the article container information acquisition unit 31 may acquire article information regarding the article 21 associated with the article identification information from the master article information. The container information includes the dimension information of the container 20, the item identification information of the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20, and the uppermost article number information indicating the number of articles 21 present in the uppermost stage in the container 20. , And set storage posture information. Further, the article information includes dimension information of the article 21 and template image information. The article container information acquisition unit 31 of the present embodiment corresponds to the article identification information acquisition unit and the container identification information acquisition unit of the present invention.

  Specifically, when the host controller 30 acquires the container identification information from the first barcode reader 12, the article container information acquisition unit 31 uses the container 20 positioned at the inspection location S based on the acquired container identification information. And the product information is acquired based on the product identification information associated with the container identification information. When the host controller 30 outputs an inspection start command to the pre-warehousing inspection device 50, the container information and the article information are also output to the pre-warehousing inspection device 50.

  When the host controller 30 acquires the container identification information from the fourth barcode reader 23, the article container information acquisition unit 31 stores the container information of the container 20 located at the picking location U based on the acquired container identification information. And the article information of the article 21 is obtained based on the article identification information associated with the container identification information. When the host controller 30 outputs an article search command for starting the position recognition process for recognizing the position of the upper surface of the article 21 in the container 20 to the article recognition unit 36, the container information and Article information is also output to the picking device 7.

  When the host controller 30 acquires the container identification information from the third barcode reader 22, the article container information acquisition unit 31 stores the container information of the container 20 located at the work location W based on the acquired container identification information. To get. Further, when the barcode attached to the article 21 in the container 20 is read by the second barcode reader 18 by the operation of the operator 16, the host controller 30 (article container information acquisition unit 31) 2 The article identification information included in the barcode attached to the article 21 is acquired from the barcode reader 18. The host controller 30 then acquires the article identification information of the article 21 to be accommodated in the container 20 included in the container information acquired by the article container information acquisition unit 31 and the actual acquired from the second barcode reader 18. The article identification information of the article 21 accommodated in the container 20 is used by the article discrimination unit 35.

  The crane control unit 32 controls the operation of the stacker crane 10 and is connected to the stacker crane 10 so that information can be transmitted. The crane control unit 32 has an article transfer device (not shown) at a storage part (not shown) in the storage shelf 9 or an article transfer stop position set corresponding to the first and second transfer locations Q1, Q2. In order to move, the traveling operation of the traveling carriage (not shown) and the raising / lowering action of the lifting platform (not shown) are controlled. In addition, the crane control unit 32 is configured to control the operation of the article transfer device so that the container 20 can be taken out or taken out in a state where the article transfer device is stopped at the article transfer stop position. Has been.

  The conveyor control unit 33 controls the operation of each conveyor (incoming conveyor 3, outgoing conveyor 4, picking conveyor 5, re-entry conveyor 6, supply conveyor 8, abnormal conveyor 11). In this embodiment, the conveyor control unit 33 operates each conveyor so as to convey the container 20 (article 21) placed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of each conveyor toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction. Control. Moreover, the conveyor control part 33 also controls the warehousing conveyor corresponding to the test | inspection location S. FIG. Specifically, when the upper controller 30 acquires the result information indicating that there is an abnormality from the pre-entry inspection device 50, the conveyor control unit 33 moves the inspection unit S to transport the containers 20 on the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality. The warehousing conveyor 3 corresponding to the inspection location S is controlled so as to cut out the positioned containers 20 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. In addition, when the upper controller 30 acquires the result information indicating that the host controller 30 is normal from the pre-entry inspection device 50, the conveyor controller 33 moves the container 20 located at the inspection location S to the first transfer location Q1. The warehousing conveyor 3 corresponding to the inspection location S is controlled so as to cut out the containers 20 in the transport direction.

  The picking device control unit 34 controls the operation of the picking device 7. Specifically, when it is detected that the container 20 has been transported to the picking location U, the picking device control unit 34 outputs an article search command to the article recognition unit 36. And the picking apparatus control part 34 will control the action | operation of the picking robot 37 based on the said recognition result information, if recognition result information is acquired from the articles | goods recognition part 36. FIG.

  The article discriminating unit 35 is a functional unit that discriminates whether or not the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 located at the work location W matches the article 21 that is actually accommodated in the container 20. . In the present embodiment, the article determination unit 35 includes the article identification information acquired by the article container identification information acquisition unit 31 from the second barcode reader 18 and the container 20 positioned at the work location W acquired from the third barcode reader 22. If the article identification information stored in the article information database 40 in association with the container identification information is different from the article 21 to be stored in the container 20 located at the work location W, It is determined that the article 21 stored in the container does not match, and the operator is notified of information indicating that the article 21 does not match. In the present embodiment, the article determination unit 35 determines that the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 located at the work location W does not match the article 21 that is actually accommodated in the container 20. That effect is displayed on the display device 19 via a display control unit (not shown) of the controller 30. The article determination unit 35 and the display device 19 correspond to the article determination notification unit of the present invention.

  Here, the article information database 40 is a storage unit that stores accommodation related information including at least quantity information regarding the article 21 accommodated in the container 20 in association with the container identification information attached to the container 20. Further, in the article information database 40, the container identification information of the container 20 scheduled to be stored in the automatic warehouse 2 and the article identification information of the article 21 to be accommodated in the container 20 are stored in association with each other. The article information database 40 of the present embodiment is master-registered by another device (not shown) as well as master container information that is information regarding each container 20 master-registered by another device (not shown). And master article information that is information about each article 21. The master container information includes dimensional information of each container 20, article identification information of each article 21 that should be accommodated in each container 20, information on the number of uppermost articles in each container 20, and set storage posture information. , Each container is included in association with unique container identification information. The article information database 40 of this embodiment corresponds to the accommodation information storage unit of the present invention. Further, the article identification information of each article 21 that should be accommodated in each container 20 of the present embodiment, the number of uppermost articles in each container 20, and the set storage orientation information are the storage related information of the present invention. It corresponds to.

  The master article information includes dimension information and template images of each article 21 in association with the article identification information of each article 21. The dimension information of the article 21 is information indicating the dimensions of the three sides extending from one vertex of the article 21. Further, the template image is an image that serves as a template when detecting the warehousing article presence region M by pattern matching processing described later. The template image is an image corresponding to a pattern on a part of the six rectangular surfaces of the article 21, and in this embodiment, a color image corresponding to the pattern on the rectangular surface that is the upper surface in the set storage posture. It is. Specifically, as shown by a region surrounded by a broken line in FIG. 8, a rectangular surface (in this example, the product name “XX” in the example) is set on the upper surface when the article 21 is set and stored by another imaging device (not shown). A surface on which “○” is displayed is captured, and an image of a rectangular surface based on the captured image is master-registered in advance as a template image P. At that time, the size and resolution of the template image are also registered. Note that six template images corresponding to all six rectangular surface images may be master-registered in advance, but in order to reduce the burden of registration work by the operator, five or less rectangular surface images. In this embodiment, only one rectangular surface that is the upper surface in the set storage posture is registered. The template image is also a template for detecting the work article existence area in the pattern matching process executed by the article recognition unit 36 of the picking device 7.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, the article 21 to be accommodated in the container 20 and the set accommodation posture of the article 21 are determined in advance for each container 20, and are originally accommodated in the container 20. The article 21 to be stored should be stored in the set storage posture. However, for example, when the article 21 is accommodated in the container 20, an operator or the like erroneously accommodates an article 21 (an article 21 having different article identification information) different from the article 21 to be accommodated. In some cases, the storage is performed in a posture different from the set storage posture. In such a case, in the work of taking out the article 21 by the picking device 7 at the picking location U, the template image (the image of the rectangular surface that is the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 that should be originally stored in the work captured image) It is difficult to detect a portion whose degree of coincidence with the first threshold value is equal to or more than the first threshold value, and the position recognition process of the article 21 cannot be performed properly, and as a result, the take-out operation of the article 21 cannot be processed smoothly. . Therefore, in this embodiment, whether the position recognition processing of the article 21 at the picking location U can be appropriately performed by the pre-warehousing inspection device 50 is performed using the template image, before the container before warehousing to the automatic warehouse 2. Test 20 to confirm in advance. That is, the inspection device 50 before warehousing is an article 21 to be stored in the container 20 among the articles 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer in the container 20 that can be taken out at the picking location U, and It is inspected whether or not the articles 21 stored in the set storage posture can be detected by a predetermined number or more (second threshold in this example) using an image. Specifically, the pre-warehousing inspection device 50 detects, as the warehousing article existence region M, a portion of the picked-up image picked up by the second image pickup device 14 whose degree of coincidence with the template image is equal to or greater than the first threshold. And it is discriminate | determined whether the number of the detected goods presence area | region M detected is more than a 2nd threshold value. The pre-entry inspection apparatus 50 includes an article container information acquisition unit 51, an image acquisition unit 52, a container outer shape detection unit 53, an article search range setting unit 54, a pattern matching processing unit 57, an inspection unit 58, and a check process. Unit 59, storage unit 62, and second threshold value setting unit 63. Hereinafter, each functional unit will be described.

  The article container information acquisition unit 51 is a functional unit that acquires the container information of the container 20 located at the inspection location S and the article information of the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20, which are output from the host controller 30. . In the present embodiment, the article container information acquisition unit 51 stores the acquired container information and article information in the storage unit 62.

  The image acquisition unit 52 is a functional unit that acquires a captured image from the second imaging device 14. In the present embodiment, when receiving an inspection start command from the host controller 30, the image acquisition unit 52 outputs an imaging instruction to the second imaging device 14, and picks up the captured image for warehousing captured based on the imaging instruction. Obtained from the second imaging device 14. Moreover, since the captured image for warehousing includes distance information from the second imaging device 14 (camera 14A) to the upper surface of the article, the image acquisition unit 52 is a second imaging device that is known to the distance information. 14 (camera 14A) from the height from the container bottom surface (conveyance surface), the height indicating the height from the container bottom surface of the article upper surface at the position corresponding to each pixel for each pixel in the captured image for storage. Get information. And the image acquisition part 52 produces | generates the picked-up image for warehousing in which each pixel has the height information from a container bottom face. The height of the second imaging device 14 (camera 14A) from the bottom surface of the container is obtained by subtracting the thickness of the bottom surface of the container 20 previously included in the dimensional information of the container 20 from the known height from the transport surface. This can be calculated. And the image acquisition part 52 memorize | stores the picked-up image for warehousing in which the produced | generated each pixel has the height information from a container bottom face in the memory | storage part 62. FIG. An example of the picked-up image for warehousing is shown in FIG.

  The container outer shape detection unit 53 is a functional unit that detects whether or not the outer shape of the container 20 is included in the captured image for warehousing. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the container outer shape detection unit 53 first extracts the container outer shape from the contrast difference between the color of the transport surface of the inspection location S and the color of the container 20 in the warehousing image. . Further, the container outer shape detection unit 53 acquires the dimension information of the container 20 included in the container information of the storage unit 62, particularly the dimension information of two sides forming a rectangle in a plan view of the container 20. When the container outer shape detection unit 53 compares the extracted container outer shape with the acquired dimensional information of the container 20 and determines that they match within a predetermined allowable range, the container outer shape detection unit 53 Recognize that there is. In addition, when determining that the extracted container outer shape does not coincide with the dimensional information of the container 20 within a predetermined allowable range, the container outer shape detection unit 53 performs the second imaging again via the image acquisition unit 52. An imaging instruction is output to the device 14 to acquire a new image, and the container outline detection unit 53 again executes the container outline detection process. If the container outer shape detection unit 53 cannot detect the outer shape of the container even after re-imaging by the second imaging device 14 for a predetermined number of times (for example, twice) or more, the container outer shape detection unit 53 displays result information indicating that the host controller 30 is abnormal. Output.

  The article search range setting unit 54 executes the search process when searching for the upper surface of the article 21 that belongs to the uppermost article layer that is the detection target and is stored in the set storage posture in the captured image for warehousing. It is a function part which sets the article search range which is the range to do. In the present embodiment, first, the article search range setting unit 54 assumes the uppermost article layer and also assumes a surface that can be the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer. Then, the article search range setting unit 54 calculates the height of the surface that can be the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 belonging to the assumed uppermost article layer, and obtains the same height information as the calculated height. The first pixel image is extracted to generate a first single height image. Then, the article search range setting unit 54 determines whether or not an area (article search area) corresponding to the upper surface of the article 21 exists in the first single height image. If it is determined that it exists, the first single height image is set as the article search range.

  Further, when the article search range setting unit 54 determines that the article search area does not exist in the first single height image, the article search range setting unit 54 displays the upper surface in an attitude other than the set storage attitude of the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer. Assuming a possible surface, the height of the assumed surface is calculated, and pixels having height information identical to the height are extracted to generate a single height image. Then, the article search range setting unit 54 determines whether or not an article search area exists in the single height image corresponding to an attitude other than the set storage attitude, and determines that the article search area exists. Since the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer is considered to be stored in a posture other than the set storage posture, the result information indicating that it is abnormal is output to the host controller 30.

  Further, when the article search range setting unit 54 determines that the article search area does not exist in the single height image corresponding to the posture other than the set storage posture, the uppermost article layer is one step below. Assuming that it is a step, a surface that can be the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 belonging to the newly assumed uppermost article layer is newly assumed. Then, the article search range setting unit 54 calculates the height of the surface that can be the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 belonging to the newly assumed uppermost article layer, and is the same height as the calculated height. A pixel having information is extracted to generate a new second single height image. Similarly, the article search range setting unit 54 determines whether or not an article search area exists in the second single height image, and the article search area is included in the second single height image. If it is determined that it exists, the second single height image is set as the article search range. On the other hand, if the article search range setting unit 54 determines that the article search area does not exist in the second single height image, the article search range setting unit 54 outputs result information indicating that the article search area is abnormal to the upper controller 30.

  Also, the presence of the article search area in this case means that each single height image has a continuous area of a predetermined range or more. In this example, in the single height image It is assumed that an article search area exists when a continuous area equal to or larger than the surface area of the rectangular surface serving as the upper surface is included in the corresponding storage attitude (set storage attitude or other attitude). The article search area may exist when the area is a continuous area equal to or larger than the area of the rectangular surface × a predetermined threshold% (for example, 90%).

  And the article search range setting part 54 is provided with the virtual reference plane setting part 55 and the single height image generation part 56, in order to perform said process.

  The virtual reference plane setting unit 55 uses the virtual reference plane to determine the plane on which the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer is placed, that is, the plane to which the bottom face of the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer belongs. It is a function part set as a surface and a virtual reference lower surface. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the virtual reference plane setting unit 55 has a height to which the widest plane in the container 20 belongs in a plan view when the container 20 is viewed from above, that is, The reference height H is the height at which the most pixels having the same height information are included in the picked-up image for storage, and a plane formed by the pixel group having the height information of the reference height H is assumed to be virtual. Set as reference plane K. Specifically, the virtual reference plane setting unit 55 acquires, from the storage unit 62, a warehousing image in which each pixel has height information from the bottom surface of the container when the container outer shape detection unit 53 can detect the container outer shape. Then, based on the captured image for warehousing, as shown in FIG. 7, a histogram is generated with the vertical axis representing the pixel appearance rate (number of pixels) and the horizontal axis representing the pixel value (the height of each pixel). . Then, the virtual reference plane setting unit 55 determines the mountain having the largest area when the histogram is divided by valleys (the mountain on the left side of the paper in FIG. 7), and the pixel value having the highest appearance rate among the peaks. Is the reference height H (the pixel value of the third histogram from the left side of FIG. 7). 4 and 6, the plane formed from the article upper surface of the article 21 of the second layer from the bottom stacked in the height direction (vertical direction) has the widest planar area. Is set to the virtual reference plane K in the picked-up image for warehousing.

  The virtual reference plane setting unit 55 is a plane on which the article 21 belonging to the article layer one level below the virtual reference plane K is placed, that is, an article whose upper surface belongs to the virtual reference plane K. The surface to which the bottom surface of the base step article (the article in the second layer from the bottom in this example) belongs can be further set as the virtual reference lower surface KK. Specifically, the virtual reference plane setting unit 55 subtracts H1 that is the height of the article 21 in the set storage posture included in the article information acquired from the storage unit 62 from the reference height H of the virtual reference plane K. A plane formed by the pixel group having the height information of the height “H−H1” is set as the virtual reference lower surface KK. The virtual reference plane setting unit 55 stores information on the set virtual reference plane K and virtual reference lower surface KK in the storage unit 62.

  The single-height image generation unit 56 includes an upper base article (a third-layer article from the bottom in the example of FIG. 5) that is an article whose bottom belongs to the virtual reference plane K set by the virtual reference plane setting unit 55. In this case, that is, when the base upper article is assumed to be an article belonging to the uppermost article layer, the logical height from the container bottom surface of the upper surface when the article 21 is set in the set storage posture is calculated. To do. In the present embodiment, the single-height image generation unit 56 is configured to display the surface that is the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21 based on the dimension information of the article 21 acquired from the storage unit 62 and the height of the virtual reference plane. Calculate the logical height from the bottom of the container. And the single height image generation part 56 extracts the pixel which has the same height information as the said calculated logical height from the picked-up captured image, and produces | generates a 1st single height image. Specifically, to explain using the example of FIG. 5, the set storage posture of the article 21 in the present embodiment is a KC posture along the side of the length H1 in the height direction. The logical height from the bottom of the container of the upper surface of the base upper article 21 considered to be an article belonging to the layer from the bottom of the container in the set storage posture is set to a reference height H of the article 21 as shown on the left side of FIG. “H + H1” is obtained by adding the dimension H1 in the height direction. That is, the single height image generation unit 56 extracts the pixels having the height information of H + H1 from the captured image for warehousing, and generates a first single height image. Then, the single height image generation unit 56 stores the generated first single height image in the storage unit 62.

  When the article search range setting unit 54 determines that the article search area does not exist in the first single height image, the single height image generation unit 56 determines that the base to which the bottom surface belongs to the virtual reference plane. When it is assumed that the upper article is the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer, the logical height from the container bottom surface of the upper surface other than the set storage posture of the article 21 is calculated. Specifically, using the example of FIG. 5, the single-height image generation unit 56 performs the article in each of the rollover long posture KA and the rollover short posture KB, which are postures other than the set storage posture (KC posture). The logical height from the bottom surface of the container of the upper surface of 21 is calculated. Here, the rollover long posture KA indicates the posture of the article 21 along the side L1 which is the longest side among the three sides in the height direction, and the rollover short posture KB is a length in the height direction. The posture along the side of W1 is shown. Therefore, in each of the rollover long posture KA and the rollover short posture KB, the logical height from the bottom surface of the container that is the upper surface of the article 21 is “H + L1” and “H + W1”, respectively, as shown on the center side of the paper surface of FIG. It becomes. That is, the single height image generation unit 56 generates a single height image by extracting the pixels having the height information of H + L1 from the picked-up image for warehousing, and uses the pixels having the height information of H + W1 for warehousing. A single height image is generated by extracting from the captured image.

  Further, when the article search range setting unit 54 determines that there is no article search area in the first single height image, and other than the set storage posture of the base upper article whose bottom surface belongs to the virtual reference plane When it is determined that the article search area does not exist in the single height image corresponding to the posture (the rollover long posture or the rollover short posture), there is no base upper article to which the bottom belongs to the virtual reference plane, that is, the base It is considered that the upper article is not the article 21 belonging to the uppermost stage. Therefore, the single-height image generation unit 56 has a base step article (the article in the second layer from the bottom in the example of FIG. 5) on the virtual reference lower surface, which is the bottom surface of the step lower than the virtual reference plane. Assuming that the base stage article is the article 21 belonging to the uppermost stage, the logical height from the bottom surface of the container of the upper surface when the article 21 is set and stored is calculated. Then, the single height image generation unit 56 extracts a pixel having the same height information as the logical height from the storage captured image to generate a new second single height image, and stores the storage unit 62. The single height image generation unit 56 calculates the logical height from the container bottom surface of the upper surface in the set storage posture based on the dimension information of the article 21 acquired from the storage unit 62 and the virtual reference lower surface information. . Specifically, as shown on the right side of the page of FIG. 5, the single height image generation unit 56 sets the logical height from the container bottom surface of the upper surface to the height of the virtual reference lower surface KK in the set storage posture. By adding “H−H1” to the dimension H in the height direction when the article 21 is in the set storage posture, “H−H1 + H”, that is, “H” is calculated. Then, the single height image generation unit 56 extracts the pixels having the height information of “H” from the captured image for warehousing, and generates a second single height image.

  The pattern matching processing unit 57 is a functional unit that detects, as the warehousing article presence region M, a portion of the warehousing image captured by the second imaging device 14 that has a matching degree with the template image equal to or higher than the first threshold value. . In the present embodiment, the pattern matching processing unit 57 includes a first matching degree that is included in the single height image set as the article search range by the article search range setting unit 54 and has a predetermined degree of coincidence with the template image. An area that is equal to or greater than the threshold value is detected as an incoming goods existence area M. Specifically, when the article search range is set by the article search range setting unit 54, the pattern matching processing unit 57 acquires a template image included in the article information from the storage unit 62 as a search template and A single height image set as a search range is acquired. Then, the pattern matching processing unit 57 matches the search template with the color image of the single height image. If the resolution of the color image is different from the resolution of the search template, the pattern matching processing unit 57 enlarges the color image at a magnification calculated from these resolutions, and adds a search template to the enlarged color image. Match it. Then, the pattern matching processing unit 57 selects an area in the color image whose degree of coincidence with the search template image is equal to or higher than a predetermined first threshold (for example, 80% or more of the number of pixels constituting the template image). When detected, the detected area is stored in the storage unit 62 as the warehousing article existence area M. Then, the pattern matching processing unit 57 similarly performs pattern matching by using, as a new article search range, an area obtained by removing the detected article entry area M from the single height image set as the article search range. Execute the process. And the pattern matching process part 57 continues the said process until it becomes impossible to newly detect the goods presence area | region M for warehousing from the single height image corresponding to the said setting accommodation attitude | position.

  In the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, the pattern matching processing unit 54 matches the template image P as the search template with the single height image T set as the article search range. When the pattern matching processing unit 54 detects a region where the degree of coincidence with the template image P is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value (lower left rectangle in the region of the single height image T in FIG. 8), the detection is performed. The stored area is stored in the storage unit 62 as the warehousing article existence area M. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the pattern matching processing unit 54 sets the template image P as a new article search range from the single height image T excluding the previously detected warehousing article existence area M. Match it.

  On the other hand, the pattern matching processing unit 57 is stored in the storage unit 62 when it cannot detect an area in the single height image whose degree of coincidence with the search template image is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. There is no goods present area M for warehousing. Therefore, in the inspection unit 58 to be described later, since the detected warehousing article presence area M is less than the second threshold value, result information indicating that it is abnormal is output to the host controller 30.

  The inspection unit 58 is a functional unit that determines whether or not the number of warehousing article presence areas M detected by the pattern matching processing unit 54 is less than a second threshold value. Specifically, when all of the warehousing article existence areas M are detected by the pattern matching processing part 54, the inspection unit 58 detects the detected warehousing article existence area M stored in the storage unit 62. The number of is calculated. And the test | inspection part 58 acquires the information of the 2nd threshold value memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 62, and discriminate | determines whether the number of the detected goods presence area | regions M detected is less than a 2nd threshold value. If the inspection unit 58 determines that the number of detected goods present areas M for storage is less than the second threshold, the inspection unit 58 outputs result information indicating an abnormality to the host controller 30.

  Further, when the inspection unit 58 determines that the number of the detected article existence areas M detected is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the inspection unit 58 outputs each of the detected article existence areas M detected to the check processing unit 59 to perform the check. A predetermined check is performed by the processing unit 59. Further, the inspection unit 58 finishes the check on the goods present area M for warehousing classified as either the valid article present area or the invalid article present area according to the result of the predetermined check in the check processing unit 59. Obtained from the check processing unit 59 in the order in which they are performed. Then, the inspection unit 58 outputs the result information indicating that it is normal to the host controller 30 when the warehousing article existence area M classified as the effective article existence area becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold value. On the other hand, the inspection unit 58 obtains the number obtained by subtracting the number of warehousing article presence areas M classified as the invalid article existence area from the number of all warehousing article existence areas M detected by the pattern matching processing unit 57. When it becomes less than the threshold value, the result information indicating the abnormality is output to the host controller 30.

  The check processing unit 59 performs a predetermined check on each warehousing article existence area M detected by the pattern matching processing part 54, and classifies the goods into an effective article existence area and an invalid article existence area according to the check result. It is a functional part to do. Specifically, the check processing unit 59 includes a difference check unit 60 and a cell check unit 61. If it is determined that either the difference check unit 60 or the cell check unit 61 has failed, there is an invalid article. If it is determined that both the difference check unit 60 and the cell check unit 61 pass, the product is classified into an effective article existence region. Then, the check processing unit 59 outputs the warehousing article existence area M for which the classification of the valid article existence area or the invalid article existence area has been completed to the inspection unit 58.

  The difference check unit 60 generates a difference image between the template image and the warehousing article presence area M, and passes if the ratio of the area exceeding the allowable difference amount in the difference image with respect to the template image is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. It is a functional unit that discriminates. The predetermined threshold and the allowable difference amount are set in advance and stored in the storage unit 62. Specifically, the difference check unit 60 obtains a difference for each channel of R, G, and B at each corresponding coordinate position between the template image and the warehousing article existence area M, creates a difference image, and The difference image is binarized. Then, the difference checking unit 60 determines that the area is larger than the predetermined threshold value in the binarized difference image when the area ratio of the region exceeding the allowable difference amount is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and is not acceptable if the area ratio is smaller than the predetermined threshold value. Judged as passing.

  The cell check unit 61 similarly divides both the template image and the warehousing article existence area M into a plurality of cells, compares the similarities between corresponding cells after the division, and the similarity is less than a predetermined value. If the number of rejected cells is equal to or less than a predetermined allowable number, it is a functional unit that discriminates a pass. Note that the predetermined value of the degree of similarity and the information on the predetermined allowable number are determined in advance and stored in the storage unit 62. Specifically, the cell check unit 61 first obtains the template image and the warehousing article existence area M from the storage unit 62, and generates these edge images. At that time, the end portion of the template image is removed. Then, the cell check unit 61 divides the template image and the edge image of the warehousing article existence area M into a plurality of cells (for example, multiples of 32), and the corresponding cells display “characteristic patterns and characters”. When it does not have (in this example, when the edge amount is smaller than a certain threshold value), it is determined as a pass cell. When both corresponding cells have “characteristic patterns and characters”, the cell check unit 61 compares the similarities of the corresponding cells, and rejects the cells whose similarity is less than a predetermined value. It is determined whether the total number of these failed cells is equal to or less than a predetermined allowable number. Then, when the cell check unit 61 determines that the total number of rejected cells is equal to or less than the predetermined allowable number, the cell check unit 61 determines that the warehousing article existence area M is acceptable.

  The second threshold setting unit 63 is configured to set the second threshold based on the container information about the container 20 identified by the container identification information acquired from the article container information acquisition unit 31 of the host controller 30. Yes. In the present embodiment, when all the warehousing presence areas M are detected by the pattern matching processing unit 57, the second threshold setting unit 63 causes the uppermost article included in the container information regarding the container 20 located at the inspection location S. The number information is acquired from the storage unit 62. Then, the second threshold value setting unit 63 sets the number of a predetermined ratio (for example, 80%) of the uppermost article number as the second threshold value, and associates the information on the set second threshold value with the container identification information. Store in the storage unit 62. The second threshold value is, for example, 16 when the number of uppermost articles is 20 and the predetermined ratio is 80%. Moreover, the number of the predetermined ratio of the number of uppermost articles should just be 1 or more, and the said predetermined ratio can be set freely. In addition, when the number of the predetermined ratio of the number of uppermost articles is not an integer, it is set to an integer by rounding down or the like. Further, the second threshold setting unit 63 may use a predetermined constant (for example, 5) as the second threshold. In that case, when the set predetermined constant is a value larger than the uppermost article number, the second threshold value setting unit 63 can set the uppermost article number as the second threshold value. Further, the second threshold value setting unit 63 can set the second threshold value to a smaller one of the number of a predetermined ratio of the number of the uppermost articles or a predetermined constant, or the number of the uppermost articles. It can also be set to a larger one of the number of a predetermined ratio and a predetermined constant.

3. Processing procedure of article storage control Each processing procedure in the article storage control according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The processing procedure of article storage control described below is executed by the host controller 30, the pre-entry inspection device 50, and hardware and / or software (program) or both constituting each device associated therewith. When each of the above functional units is configured by a program, an arithmetic processing device (not shown) included in each of the host controller 30 and the pre-entry inspection device 50 executes a program configuring each functional unit included therein. The arithmetic processing unit of the host controller 30 may operate as a computer that executes a program that constitutes all the functional units of the article storage facility 1.

3-1. About the inspection process before warehousing In the inspection process before warehousing according to the present embodiment, first, when the inspection apparatus 50 before warehousing receives an inspection start command from the host controller 30, the container information and articles of the container 20 located at the inspection location S Information is acquired from the host controller 30 (step # 01). Next, a warehousing image is acquired from the second imaging device 14 (step # 02), and the outer shape of the container 20 is detected from the warehousing image acquired in step # 02 (step # 03). If the outer shape of the container 20 can be detected in step # 03 (step # 03: Yes), a process for determining an article search range that is a range in which the search process is executed next in the pattern matching process is performed (step # 04). If there is an article search range determined in step # 04 (step # 05: Yes), pattern matching processing is executed for the article search range determined in step # 04 (step # 06). Thereafter, the second threshold information and threshold information used in each check process and the like are acquired from the storage unit 62 (step # 07). Note that the processing procedures of step # 06 and step # 07 may be interchanged. Next, the number of all warehousing article presence areas M detected by the pattern matching process in step # 06 is compared with the second threshold acquired in step # 07, and the number of all warehousing article existence areas M is the second. If it is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step # 08: Yes), one warehousing article existence area M is selected from among them (step # 09), and a difference check is performed on the selected warehousing article existence area M (step # 09). Step # 10). If it is determined that the difference check in step # 10 is acceptable (step # 10: Yes), then a cell check is further performed on the warehousing article existence area M (step # 11). Then, the warehousing article existence area M determined to be acceptable in the cell check in step # 11 is determined as the effective article existence area (step # 11: Yes, step # 12). Note that the processing procedures of step # 10 and step # 11 may be interchanged.

  On the other hand, the warehousing article existence area M determined to be unacceptable in the difference check in Step # 10 (Step # 10: No), or the warehousing article existence area M determined to be unacceptable in the cell check in Step # 11 (Step # 10). 11: No) is determined as an invalid article existence area (step # 16). Then, in the process of sequentially performing the process from step # 09 to step # 12 or step # 16 for each of the goods present area M for warehousing detected by the pattern matching process of step # 06, the number of effective article existing areas is increased. When it is equal to or greater than the second threshold value (step # 13: Yes), the result information indicating that it is normal is output to the host controller 30 (step # 14). Also, when the number of valid article existence areas is less than the second threshold at the time when the processing of Step # 09 to Step # 12 for one warehousing article existence area M is completed (Step # 13: No) ), The process returns to step # 09, and the difference check in step # 10 is performed for the next selected article existence region M for warehousing. In addition, in the process of sequentially performing the processing from step # 09 to step # 12 or step # 16 for each of the warehousing article presence areas M detected at step # 06, all the warehousing articles detected at step # 06 are present. When the value obtained by subtracting the number of invalid article existence areas from the number of areas M is less than the second threshold value (step # 17: Yes), the result information indicating abnormality is output to the host controller 30 (step # 15). ). Further, when the processing of step # 09 to step # 16 for one warehousing article existence area M is completed, the number of invalid article existence areas is determined from the number of all warehousing article existence areas M detected in step # 06. When the value obtained by subtracting the number is equal to or larger than the second threshold (step # 17: No), the process returns to step # 09, and the difference check in step # 10 is performed on the next selected article existence area M for warehousing.

  In addition, the outer shape of the container 20 cannot be detected in Step # 03 (Step # 03: No), and the number of acquisitions of the picked-up captured image in Step # 02 does not exceed a predetermined number (Step # 18: No), returning to step # 02, the captured image for warehousing is acquired again from the second imaging device 14 (step # 02). If the outer shape of the container 20 cannot be detected in step # 03 (step # 03: No), and the number of acquisition captured images in step # 02 exceeds a predetermined number (step # 18: Yes), the upper rank Result information indicating abnormality is output to the controller 30 (step # 15). Even when the article search range is not set in step # 05 (step # 05: No), the result information indicating that there is an abnormality is output to the host controller 30 (step # 15). In step # 08, the number of all warehousing article existence areas M detected in the pattern matching process in step # 06 is compared with the second threshold acquired in step # 07, and the number of all warehousing article existence areas M is compared. Even when the number is less than the second threshold value (step # 08: No), the result information indicating the abnormality is output to the host controller 30 (step # 15).

3-2. Regarding the article search range determination process In the article search range determination process in step # 04, first, a plane on which the article 21 belonging to the uppermost article layer is placed is set as a virtual reference plane (step # 21). Then, when it is assumed that there is a base upper article that is an article to which the bottom belongs to the virtual reference plane set in step # 21, a single height image of the upper surface in the set storage posture of the article 21, that is, A single height image corresponding to the set storage posture of the article 21 is generated (step # 22). The single height image generated in step # 22 is binarized (step # 23), and the article search area exists in the single height image corresponding to the set storage posture binarized in step # 23. If it is determined that there is an article search area (step # 24: Yes), the article search range is a single corresponding to the set storage posture of the base upper article to which the bottom belongs to the virtual reference plane. A height image is determined (step # 25). In Step # 24, when it is determined that the article search area does not exist in the single height image corresponding to the set storage posture (Step # 24: No), the article belongs to the virtual reference plane. When it is assumed that the upper article of the base exists, a single height image of the upper surface is generated when the article 21 is in a posture other than the set storage posture (rolling long posture and rollover short posture) (step # 26). The single height image generated in step # 26 is binarized (step # 27), and the article search is performed on each single height image corresponding to the posture other than the set storage posture binarized in step # 27. It is determined whether or not an area exists, and if it is determined that there is an article search area (step # 28: Yes), it is determined that there is no article search range (step # 34), and article search range determination processing is performed. Exit. On the other hand, if it is determined in step # 28 that there is no article search area in each single height image corresponding to a posture other than the set storage posture (step # 28: No), the virtual reference lower surface is then displayed. Set (step # 29). Then, a single height image corresponding to the set storage posture of the article 21 is generated when it is assumed that there is a base-stage article that is an article whose bottom face belongs to the virtual reference lower surface and the upper face belongs to the virtual reference plane (step) # 30). The single height image generated at step # 30 is binarized (step # 31). And it is discriminate | determined whether the article search area | region exists in the single height image binarized by step # 31, and when it discriminate | determines that there exists an article search area | region (step # 32: Yes). Then, the article search range is determined to be a single height image corresponding to the set storage posture of the base article whose bottom surface belongs to the virtual reference lower surface (step # 33), and the article search range determination process ends. If it is determined in step # 32 that the article search area does not exist (step # 32: No), it is determined that there is no article search range (step # 34), and the article search range determination process is terminated.

3-3. Next, a description will be given of the processing of the host controller 30 (processing at the time of abnormality) when the result information indicating the abnormality output at step # 15 is acquired. When acquiring the result information indicating that there is an abnormality from the inspection device 50 before warehousing (step # 41), the conveyor control unit 33 conveys the container 20 located at the inspection point S of the warehousing conveyor 3 to the abnormal conveyor 11, The conveyor 11 is operated at the time of abnormality (step # 42). And when the said container 20 is conveyed to the work location W, the said article 21 obtained by an operator reading the barcode attached | subjected to the article 21 in the said container 20 using the 2nd barcode reader 18 is obtained. Item identification information is acquired from the second barcode reader 18 (step # 43). Further, the container identification information included in the barcode 15 attached to the container 20 conveyed to the work location W is acquired from the third barcode reader 22 (step # 44). Then, the article identification information associated with the container identification information obtained in step # 44 is obtained from the article information database 40, the article identification information obtained from the article information database 40 and the article identification information obtained in step # 43. Is matched (step # 45). When it is determined in step # 45 that they match (step # 45: Yes), since the article 21 that should be stored in the container 20 is actually stored in the container 20, Information indicating that the article 21 is correct is displayed on the display device 19 to notify the operator (step # 47). On the other hand, when it is determined in step # 45 that they do not match (step # 45: No), an article 21 different from the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 is accommodated in the container 20. Information indicating that the article 21 in the container 20 is not correct is displayed on the display device 19 to notify the operator (step # 46).

4). Other Embodiments Finally, other embodiments of the article storage facility 1 according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as no contradiction arises.

(1) In the above embodiment, using the second imaging device 14 having a pair of cameras 14A and 14B such as a stereo camera, the distance information from the camera 14A in each pixel in the image captured by the camera 14A, The configuration is based on the parallax of the pair of cameras 14A and 14B, and each pixel generates a captured image having distance information from the camera 14A. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration using a distance image sensor that can acquire both a captured image and distance information may be used as the second imaging device 14. Similarly, the first imaging device 13 may be configured to use a distance image sensor that can acquire a captured image and distance information together.

(2) In the above embodiment, the container identification information and the article identification information are included in the barcode information attached to the outer surface of each container and each article, and are not contacted by each barcode reader. It was configured to be read (optically). However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an RFID tag such as an IC tag for storing container identification information or article identification information is attached to each container or each article, and the information stored in the RFID tag may be read by wireless communication. .

(3) In the above embodiment, the host controller 30 and the pre-entry inspection device 50 are configured as separate devices. However, the same device functions as the upper controller 30 and the pre-entry inspection device 50. The structure provided may be sufficient.

(4) In the above embodiment, the article discriminating unit 35 determines that the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 located at the work location W does not match the article 21 that is actually accommodated in the container 20. If it discriminate | determines, it was the structure which alert | reports to an operator by displaying that on the display apparatus 19. FIG. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and the article determination unit 35 includes the article 21 that should be accommodated in the container 20 located at the work location W, and is actually accommodated in the container 20. The configuration may be such that the operator is notified by voice, vibration, or the like that the existing article 21 does not match.

(5) In the above embodiment, as the template image, only the image corresponding to the pattern of the rectangular surface that is the upper surface when the article 21 is in the set storage posture is included in the master article information in advance. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and an image corresponding to the pattern of the rectangular surface that is the lower surface when the article 21 is set and stored is included in the master article information as a template image in advance. Also good. In that case, the pattern matching processing unit 57 detects the warehousing article existence area M in the other template image after the detection of the warehousing article existence area M in one template image, and the inspection unit 58 The configuration may be such that, when the total number of warehousing article presence areas M detected in both template images is less than the second threshold value, result information indicating abnormality is output to the host controller 30.

(6) In the embodiment described above, the inspection unit 58 displays the result information indicating that it is normal at the time when the number of the warehousing article existence areas M classified as the effective article existence area becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold. Although it was the structure output with respect to the controller 30, embodiment of this invention is not limited to this. The inspection unit 58 determines whether or not the number of all effective article existence areas is equal to or more than the second threshold after checking all the goods entering existence areas M, and determines the number of all effective article existence areas. If the value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the result information indicating that the normal is present may be output, and if the number of all effective article presence areas is less than the second threshold, an abnormality report may be output.

(7) In the above embodiment, the inspection unit 58 outputs the result information indicating that the warehousing article existence area M classified as the effective article existence area by the check processing part 59 is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. It was a configuration. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and the pre-entry inspection apparatus 50 does not include the check processing unit 59, and all the incoming goods existence regions M detected by the pattern matching processing unit 57 are included. The configuration may be such that the result information indicating that the result is normal when it is equal to or greater than the second threshold is output to the host controller 30.

(8) In the above embodiment, the virtual reference plane setting unit 55 determines the peak having the largest area when the histogram is divided by valleys as the reference height H of the virtual reference plane K, The height of the pixel value having the highest appearance rate, that is, the height including the most pixels having the same height information is set as the reference height H. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the average value of pixel values (height) is calculated from the number of pixels and pixel values (height of each pixel) that make up the mountain with the largest area when the histogram is divided by valleys, and the average value is used as a reference It may be configured to have a height H.

(9) In the above-described embodiment, the abnormal-time conveyor 11 is configured in a U-shape that is square in plan view and connected to the warehousing conveyor 3 at two locations, the junction location 17 and the inspection location S. The embodiment of the invention is not limited to this. The abnormal-time conveyor 11 may be configured, for example, in an I-shape that is connected to the warehousing conveyor 3 only at one location. In that case, the structure by which the work location W is provided in the edge part on the opposite side to the edge part on the side connected with the warehousing conveyor 3 of the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality may be sufficient. Moreover, the structure which provides the work location W in the test | inspection location S without providing the conveyor 11 at the time of abnormality may be sufficient.

S: Inspection location (inspection position)
U: Picking location P: Template image M: Warehousing article existence area 1: Article storage facility 2: Automatic warehouse 3: Warehousing conveyor (conveying device for warehousing)
7: Picking device 11: Abnormal conveyor 13: First imaging device (working imaging device)
14: 2nd imaging device (imaging device for warehousing)
15: Barcode 16: Worker 17: Work location 19: Display device (article discrimination notification unit)
20: container 21: article 31: article container information acquisition unit (container identification information acquisition unit) (article identification information acquisition unit)
35: Article discrimination section (article discrimination notification section)
40: Article information database (accommodation information storage unit)
50: Inspection equipment before warehousing

Claims (3)

An automatic warehouse for storing a plurality of containers with open top surfaces for storing rectangular parallelepiped articles therein;
A warehousing device for transporting the container to the automatic warehouse;
A picking device for picking up the goods from the container delivered from the automatic warehouse, and an article storage facility comprising:
An operation imaging device that images the container to be picked up from above at a position corresponding to a picking location where the picking device picks up the article;
In the picking device, a work article having a degree of coincidence with a predetermined template image corresponding to an image of a rectangular surface of the article in the work image picked up by the work image pickup device is equal to or greater than a first threshold value. It is configured to detect as an existence area, recognize the position of the article by detecting the work article existence area, and take out the article from the container,
At the inspection position set on the conveyance path of the warehousing transport device, the warehousing imaging device that images the container from above,
A part having a degree of coincidence with the template image in the picked-up image picked up by the pick-up image pickup device is detected as a warehousing article existence area, and the detected warehousing article existence area is detected. A pre-entry inspection device that determines whether the number is equal to or greater than a second threshold,
When the pre-warehousing inspection apparatus determines that the detected number of the goods-entry-existing areas is less than the second threshold, the goods storage facility performs error output. A storage information storage unit for storing storage-related information including at least quantity information about an article stored in the container in association with container identification information attached to the container;
A container identification information acquisition unit for acquiring the container identification information of the container,
The pre-warehousing inspection device is configured to set the second threshold based on the accommodation related information about the container identified by the container identification information acquired by the container identification information acquisition unit. The article storage facility according to claim 1. The container which is connected to the warehousing transport device at the position for inspection or the position downstream in the transport direction from the inspection position and the error output is performed by the pre-warehousing inspection device is performed by an operator. An abnormal conveyor that transports to the work location where
A storage information storage unit for storing storage-related information about an article stored in the container in association with container identification information attached to the container;
A container identification information acquisition unit for acquiring the container identification information of the container;
An article identification information acquisition unit that acquires article identification information given to each of the articles;
An article discrimination notification unit for discriminating whether or not the article to be accommodated in the container located at the work location and the article actually accommodated in the container match,
In the storage information storage unit, the container identification information of the container scheduled to be stored and the article identification information of the article to be stored in the container are stored in association with each other in advance.
The article identification information acquisition unit acquires the article identification information of the article stored in the container located at the work location,
The article discrimination notification section is stored in the accommodation information storage section in association with the article identification information acquired by the article identification information acquisition section and the container identification information of the container located at the work location. When the article identification information is different, it is determined that the article that should be accommodated in the container located at the work location does not match the article that is actually contained in the container, and The article storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information indicating that they do not match is notified to the worker.

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