JP6016102B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport system, and more particularly to improvement of a GUI (graphical user interface) for an operator.

  In the conveyance system, articles are conveyed by an overhead traveling vehicle, an automatic guided vehicle, a stacker crane, or the like. For the operator who manages the transport system, the status of the system is displayed. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP2010-152605A) discloses displaying the number of conveyance commands, the number of conveyance devices, and the entry / exit of the conveyance devices in a bar graph for each area. If it does in this way, since it will be understood in which area a conveyance apparatus runs short, a conveyance apparatus can move a conveyance apparatus from an excess area to an insufficient area.

  In the transport system, an operator may wait for an article to arrive at the load port. At this time, the worker feels a psychological burden if he does not know when the article will arrive. However, the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is for a system administrator, and does not consider displaying the arrival time of an article for each worker.

JP2010-152605A

  An object of the present invention is to enable an operator to understand when an article arrives.

This invention is a transport system in which a controller assigns a transport command to a transport device and transports an article,
The controller is
A conveyance command management unit that assigns a conveyance command to the conveyance device and manages the execution status of the conveyance command;
A storage unit for storing the required time in the past conveyance results;
Progress rate consisting of the ratio of the time required for the completed part of the transport command and the time required for the entire transport command based on the execution status of the transport command and the required time in the past transport results, or the article arrives at the load port A time estimation unit for estimating the remaining time until
Provided for each of the plurality of articles of planned transport to the load port, generation of the display screen to be displayed to allow list the progress rate or the remaining time, the city,
The display screen is configured to be displayed on a terminal attached to the load port or a terminal portable by an operator.

  In this invention, the progress rate or remaining time of the conveyance command is displayed for the worker who is waiting for the arrival of the article at the load port. This allows the worker to understand when the article arrives at the load port. Therefore, there is no need to wait for the arrival of an article while the execution status of the conveyance command is unknown.

  Preferably, the conveyance command management unit is configured to detect a conveyance command in which an abnormality has occurred during execution, and the generation unit of the display screen determines a conveyance command in which an abnormality has occurred during execution as another conveyance command. It is configured to display on the display screen with different display colors. The abnormality of the conveyance command means that it is difficult to execute the conveyance command due to a hardware or software problem. By displaying the occurrence of abnormality by changing the display color, the worker does not continue to wait for an article that cannot be reached.

  Preferably, the required time estimation unit compares the required time of the conveyance command up to the present with the distribution of the required time in the past conveyance results to determine whether the conveyance command is normally executed or delayed. Is configured to determine. In addition, the display screen generation unit is configured to display a normally executed conveyance command and a delayed conveyance command on the display screen in different display colors. Comparing the required time of the conveyance command up to the present with the distribution of the required time in the past conveyance results, it is possible to determine the delay / normality of the conveyance command so as to fit the sensory judgment of the operator. When the delayed transfer command is displayed in a display color different from that of the normally executed transfer command, the operator can understand at a glance that the transfer command is delayed.

  Further preferably, the required time estimation unit is configured to estimate the progress rate or the remaining time from the required time of the transfer results excluding a predetermined ratio of the upper required time in the past transfer results. Yes. In this way, it is possible to estimate the required time, excluding those in which an abnormality has occurred from past transport results and those in which a significant delay has occurred. For this reason, it is possible to estimate an appropriate required time that is not excessively affected by delay or the like.

  Particularly preferably, the required time estimation unit decomposes the transport command into a plurality of events, and estimates the required time for each event from past transport results. Then, the progress rate is obtained from the ratio of the sum of the time required for the executed events and the time required for all the events included in the transport command, and the remaining time is obtained from the time required for the uncompleted event. The display screen generation unit displays both the progress rate and the remaining time on the display screen. The required time is obtained for each event and accumulated, and the progress rate is obtained from the ratio of the required time of the executed event (the required time estimated from the past results instead of the actual time required) and the total required time. This will give you a reliable progress rate. For example, if the total required time is estimated to be 2 minutes, and the transfer command consisting of 4 events of 30 seconds each is completed by taking the first event for 1 minute, the progress rate can be accurately obtained as 25%. it can. Note that events that are being executed may not be considered as being executed and reflected in the progress rate, or may be reflected in the progress rate by estimating up to what percentage of the event being executed has been completed.

The top view which shows the layout of the conveyance system of an Example The block diagram which shows the control system of the conveyance system of an Example The figure which shows the display screen in the user terminal in an Example Figure showing how to determine the event and how to calculate the required time in the example Diagram showing time distribution in log file The figure which shows the display algorithm to the user terminal in an Example

  In the following, an optimum embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be shown. The scope of the present invention should be determined according to the understanding of those skilled in the art based on the description of the scope of the claims, taking into account the description of the specification and well-known techniques in this field.

  The conveyance system 2 of an Example is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a layout of the transport system 2, and reference numerals 4 to 12 denote intrabay routes. In addition to this, an interbay route that connects the intrabay routes 4 to 12 may be provided. An overhead traveling vehicle (not shown) travels along these routes. 14 and 15 are stockers that temporarily store articles such as FOUPs and SMIF pods, and relay intrabay routes 4 to 6 and intrabay routes 7 to 12. The stockers 14 and 15 include a load port 16 for overhead traveling vehicles and a load port 17 for workers. The worker load port 17 is provided with a terminal 18 for displaying the remaining time until the article arrives and for the operator to make various inputs.

  20 is a processing apparatus such as a semiconductor, 21 is an inspection apparatus such as a semiconductor, and the processing apparatus 20 includes a load port 24 to exchange articles with an overhead traveling vehicle. The inspection apparatus 21 is similar to the stockers 14 and 15. In addition, an operator load port 17 and a terminal 18 are provided. A buffer 25 is provided directly below or on the side of the intra-bay routes 4 to 12, and temporarily stores articles. The type of the transfer device and the layout of the transfer system are arbitrary, and may be transferred by, for example, an automatic guided vehicle, a stacker crane of an automatic warehouse, or the like. Further, the type of article to be conveyed is arbitrary, and for example, a substrate of a flat panel display, a medicine, or the like may be conveyed.

  FIG. 2 shows a control system of the transport system 2. The stocker transport device 30 transports articles within the stocker according to a command from the stocker controller 31. Moreover, the overhead traveling vehicle 32 conveys the article along the intrabay route, the interbay route, and the like according to a command from the overhead traveling vehicle controller 33. A relay local controller may be interposed between the overhead traveling vehicle controller 33 and the overhead traveling vehicle 32. The system controller 34 receives a conveyance request from a production management controller (not shown) or the like, and controls the conveyance of articles by the conveyance system 2 via the stocker controller 31, the overhead traveling vehicle controller 33, and the like. Further, an ID reader is provided in each part of the transport system 2 to confirm the ID of the article being transported.

  The transport command management unit 35 of the system controller 34 creates a transport command in response to the transport request, and causes the intra-stocker transport device 30, the overhead traveling vehicle 32, and the like to execute the transport command. In the transport command, for example, a position (From position) for loading an article to be transported and a position (To position) for unloading are specified, and a travel route between them is specified. In addition, the ID of the article is described in the transport command. The conveyance command management unit 35 checks the position and status of the conveyance device every predetermined time, and detects an abnormality when an abnormality occurs in the conveyance device and the conveyance command cannot be executed.

  The required time estimation unit 36 estimates the required time from the start of execution of the conveyance command to the completion of the execution, and for this estimation, for example, the past conveyance result data stored in the log file storage unit 37 is used. The log file storage unit 37 disassembles the past conveyance command into a plurality of events, and stores the required time for each event. The required time estimation unit 36 determines the conveyance from the number of commands being executed and the number of commands waiting to be executed among the conveyance commands generated by the conveyance command management unit 35, or the distribution of the To position in the command being executed. The waiting time until execution of the command may be estimated. The required time estimation unit 36 estimates the progress rate of the conveyance command, that is, the ratio between the required time of the executed part in the conveyance command and the required time of the entire conveyance command from the execution status of the conveyance command. The required time estimation unit 36 further estimates the remaining time until the article arrives at the load port. The required time estimation unit 36 determines whether the transfer command is being executed normally or delayed from the required time of the transfer command up to now and the distribution of the required time in the past transfer results. For example, a delay that is more than the time obtained by multiplying the standard deviation of the distribution by a predetermined magnification from the average value or median of the required time is defined as the delay.

  In this specification, it is assumed that the conveyance command is assigned to a conveyance device such as an overhead traveling vehicle, and the execution of the conveyance command is started when the controller receives a confirmation signal from the conveyance device. Also, if it is allowed to assign a transport command to a transport device that requires a waiting time before the transport command is executed, the transport command is executed when the controller receives from the transport device that the transport command has been started. Is assumed to have started.

  The display screen generation unit 38 generates a screen or the like to be displayed on the worker's terminal 18 and transmits display screen data to the worker's terminal 18 via a communication unit (not shown). Various inquiries, search requests, data input, and the like can be made from the operator's terminal 18. For example, a list of articles scheduled to arrive at the load port 17 where the terminal 18 is placed can be requested. In response to this, the display screen generation unit 38 generates the display screen of FIG. 3 and displays it on the terminal 18. Further, when the operator makes an inquiry about each conveyance command, the display screen generation unit 38 generates detailed data such as HostID and conveyance items in FIG. 3 and displays them on the terminal 18.

  In the embodiment, an example in which the system controller 34 manages the conveyance command is shown, but the conveyance command may be created and managed by the stocker controller 31, the overhead traveling vehicle controller 33, or the like. In that case, the conveyance command management unit 35 to the display screen generation unit 38 are provided in each of the controllers 31 and 33, and the display screen is transmitted to the terminal 18. The terminal 18 is not limited to a terminal fixed to the load port 17 in FIG. 1, but may be a terminal carried by an operator, or may be provided in the normal load port 24 in FIG. Further, the system controller 34 provides data relating to the status of the transport system to an operator who monitors the status of the transport system 2.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen on the operator terminal 18. The load port 17 for the worker shown in FIG. 1 is a load port for an article that needs to be handled directly by the worker because inspection is necessary and the ID of the article is unknown. For this reason, the worker waits for the arrival of the article at the load port 17, and the worker feels stress if the remaining time until the article arrives is unknown. Therefore, a list of articles to be transported to the load port is displayed on the terminal 18 in the form of an ID of the transported object (article), a graph of the progress rate for each article, and an estimated value of the remaining time until arrival. The progress rate graph is, for example, a bar graph or a pie graph. Furthermore, the terminal 18 displays a progress rate graph in accordance with the status of the conveyance command.
・ Normal (running normally),
・ Abnormal occurrence (Hardware or software error occurs and maintenance is required, so arrival time cannot be estimated),
Delay (running, but there is a delay that cannot be ignored)
-Waiting for execution (execution of transfer command has not started),
For example, change the display color. The remaining time waiting for execution is, for example, the sum of the required time until the execution of the conveyance command is started and the required time from the start of execution to the arrival, but the required time from the start of execution to the arrival may be displayed. In the embodiment, the progress rate and the remaining time are displayed, but only one of them may be displayed. When only the remaining time is displayed, the normal / delay / abnormal type is displayed by changing the display color of the remaining time. In case of an abnormality, the remaining time is treated as unknown.

  When the operator designates each conveyance command on the display screen of FIG. 3, the details of the conveyance command and the details of the execution status of the conveyance command are displayed in a pop-up. Thus, for example, in the case of FIG. 3, it is possible to know in what state the conveyed product 111111 whose remaining time is unknown because an abnormality has occurred.

  FIG. 4 shows a mechanism for estimating the remaining time in the normal case. One transport command can be broken down into a plurality of event rows. In the example of FIG. 4, the conveyance command is that the overhead traveling vehicle travels from the current location to the From position (event e1, required time t1), loads an article at the From position (event e2, required time t2), and a branch / merging unit Travel to 40 entrance (event e3, required time t3), branch and merge (event e4, required time t4), travel to To position (event e5, required time t5), unload at To position (Event e6, required time t6). Each event can also be decomposed in more detail, and the method of decomposing into events is arbitrary. For example, the event e2 is stopped at the From position, the transfer confirmation signal is exchanged, the transfer is started at the From position, the transfer is completed at the From position, and the transfer completion signal is exchanged. Also, events e3, e4, e5 can be combined into one event.

  The total required time of these events is the total required time T of the transport command, and the ratio of the total required time of completed events and the total required time T is the progress rate. In the normal case, for example, the sum of the time required for an uncompleted event, or the sum of the time required for an unexecuted event and the remaining time for an event being executed is the remaining time on the display screen of FIG. is there. Each transport device transmits the current position, state, etc. to the overhead traveling vehicle controller, stocker controller, etc. at predetermined time intervals. Accordingly, the transport command management unit 35 and the required time estimation unit 36 of the controller 34 know up to which part of the event being executed by each transport device.

  FIG. 5 shows the distribution of the required time in the log file. For example, with respect to the conveyance command of FIG. 4, the conveyance command may be divided into two parts for traveling from the current position to the From position and conveying the article from the From position to the To position, and the results may be obtained for every two parts. However, when the From position and the To position are designated, when the number of achievements decreases, the achievement may be obtained in units of events in FIG. From the distribution of required time in the past results, excluding 10% on the long side, for example 10% on the short side, etc. is the effective range, and the average value or median of the required time in the effective range (Median value) etc. is the required time. Also, an amount representing the distribution of required time in the effective range or the distribution width such as standard deviation is obtained and used for normal / delay discrimination.

  When disassembling a transport command into multiple events and obtaining the required time and distribution for each event, the total required time for each event is taken as the total required time, and the sum of variance for each event is required for the entire transport command. Let time dispersion. The reason why data having an extremely long required time is ignored is to prevent the data corresponding to the abnormality from being ignored and to prevent the required time from becoming longer due to a significantly delayed example. It should be noted that what percentage of the long side and the short side is ignored is arbitrary. In the embodiment, data having an extremely short required time is ignored, but this data may be added to the effective range.

  For example, in the range from the first event to the running event, the average value or median of the duration of each event is multiplied by the sum of the variance of the duration, ie, the standard deviation of the duration to the running event , Plus a predetermined magnification of 1 etc. is obtained. This value can be regarded as a normal / delay boundary. Then, the delay time is longer than this value. For example, assuming that the magnification is 1, about 10% of the conveyance command is handled as a delay. The normal / delay boundary can be defined in any way. For example, the distribution of the required time to the event being executed is obtained, and the time required to the present is within 10% of the long side of the distribution as a delay Also good.

  FIG. 6 shows a progress display algorithm. For the articles to be transported to the load port for the worker where the terminal is placed, the status of the transport command is classified into normal / delayed / abnormal / waiting for execution, and the display colors are changed (step 1). In the normal / delay determination, for example, the actual required time from the first event to the running event is calculated by adding the average value or median to the running event to 1 / of the sum of the variance to the running event. If the sum of squares or more is exceeded, a delay is assumed. However, this determination condition is arbitrary.

  For a conveyance command that is being executed normally, for example, the ratio of the required time of an executed event and the total required time is set as the progress rate. Note that the progress rate may be obtained by adding the time required for the executed part of the event being executed to the time required for the executed event (step 2). Then, the sum of the required times of unexecuted events or the sum of the required times of unexecuted events plus the required time of the unexecuted portion of the event being executed is displayed as the remaining time (step 3).

  In response to the delayed conveyance command, the progress rate is displayed in the same manner as in step 2 (step 4). Next, the remaining time of the delayed event is estimated, and the sum of the required time of the unexecuted event is added to this and displayed as the remaining time (step 5). For example, a delayed overhead vehicle is executing event e5 in FIG. 4, and the time required for event e5 is 20 seconds, and 15 seconds have elapsed from the start of execution of event e5. If you run / 2, you can estimate that the remaining time of event e5 is 15 seconds.

  To estimate the remaining time more accurately in this situation, the number of preceding overhead vehicles that are located up to the To position, or the number of preceding overhead vehicles that are scheduled to stop in the range up to the To position, up to the To position It is better to count the number of preceding overhead traveling vehicles that are scheduled to merge or branch in the range of. These numbers represent the likelihood of traffic jams, and the remaining time of the event e5 can also be estimated by adding the delay time determined by these numbers to the average value of the required time.

  If not executed, the estimated value of the waiting time until the start of execution + the required time from the start of execution to the completion, or the required time from the start of execution to the completion is displayed as the remaining time ignoring the waiting time (step 6). If there is an abnormality (step 7), troubles have occurred in the overhead traveling vehicle, ID reader, load port, etc., so the remaining time is not displayed. In either case, the detailed display shown in FIG. 3 is displayed in response to the inquiry of the worker so that the worker can understand the situation (step 8).

  By these processes, the worker can visually understand the remaining time until the article arrives at the load port, and the stress caused by waiting for the arrival of the article can be minimized.

2 Transport System 4 to 12 Intrabay Routes 14 and 15 Stockers 16 and 24 Load Port 17 Load Port 18 for Worker 18 Terminal 20 Processing Device 21 Inspection Device 25 Buffer 30 Stocker Transport Device 31 Stocker Controller 32 Overhead Vehicle 33 Overhead Vehicle Controller 34 System controller 35 Transport command management unit 36 Time required estimation unit 37 Log file storage unit 38 Display screen generation unit 40 Branch / merging unit
From loading position
To unloading position
e1-e6 event
t1-t6 required time

Claims (5)

The controller is a transport system that assigns a transport command to the transport device and transports the article,
The controller is
A conveyance command management unit that assigns a conveyance command to the conveyance device and manages the execution status of the conveyance command;
A storage unit for storing the required time in the past conveyance results;
Progress rate consisting of the ratio of the time required for the completed part of the transport command and the time required for the entire transport command based on the execution status of the transport command and the required time in the past transport results, or the article arrives at the load port A time estimation unit for estimating the remaining time until
Provided for each of the plurality of articles of planned transport to the load port, generation of the display screen to be displayed to allow list the progress rate or the remaining time, the city,
A transport system configured to display the display screen on a terminal attached to the load port or a terminal portable by an operator. The conveyance command management unit is configured to detect a conveyance command in which an abnormality has occurred during execution,
The display screen generating unit is configured to display a transport command in which an abnormality has occurred during execution on the display screen in a display color different from that of other transport commands. Transport system. The required time estimation unit determines whether the conveyance command is normally executed or delayed by comparing the required time of the conveyance command up to the present with the distribution of the required time in the past conveyance results. Composed of
In addition, the display screen generation unit is configured to display the transport command that is normally executed and the transport command that is delayed on the display screen in different display colors. The transport system according to claim 2.   The required time estimation unit is configured to estimate the progress rate or the remaining time from the required time of the transfer results excluding the required transfer time included in the upper predetermined ratio in the past transfer results. The conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein The required time estimation unit decomposes the transport command into a plurality of events, estimates the required time for each event from the past transport results, and calculates the sum of the required time of executed events and all the transport commands included in the transport command. The progress rate is determined from a ratio to the duration of an event, and the remaining time is determined from the duration of an incomplete event.
The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the display screen generating unit is configured to display both the progress rate and the remaining time on the display screen.

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