JP6546952B2 - Transport device, program and transport system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transfer device, a program, and a transfer system.

There has been known a transport apparatus which supports pallets loaded with luggage with a fork and automatically transports the pallet to a designated place (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[Prior art document]
[Patent Document]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-053395

  It is desirable to be able to provide a transport device capable of removing and transporting pallets placed on any shelf from the shelf.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a transport apparatus is provided. The transfer device may comprise a fork supporting the transfer pallet. The transport apparatus may include one or more cameras that capture the transport pallet stored on the shelf. The transport apparatus may include a detection unit that detects the position and orientation of the transport pallet based on the images captured by one or more cameras. The transport device may include a control unit that controls the position and orientation of the transport device and the height of the fork based on the position and orientation of the transport pallet detected by the detection unit.

  The one or more cameras may include a camera that moves up and down together with the fork, and the detection unit detects the position and orientation of the transport pallet based on an image captured by the camera that moves up and down together with the fork. You may The one or more cameras may include a plurality of cameras arranged at different positions in the height direction, and the detection unit is based on an image captured by at least one of the plurality of cameras. The position and orientation of the transport pallet may be detected. The detection unit may detect the position and the orientation of the transport pallet based on the distance to the transport pallet measured by the one or more cameras.

  The transport apparatus generates a map data of the transport space by moving the transport apparatus in the transport space in which a plurality of shelves are arranged, and the map data generator generates the map data. And a map data transmission unit for transmitting map data. The transport apparatus is configured to adjust the height of the shelf board from the reference height based on the height of the one or more cameras from the reference height and the image captured by the one or more cameras. And a shelf information transmission unit for transmitting the height of the shelf board measured by the shelf board measurement unit. The transport device may include a battery, an electrode disposed on an outer surface of the fork, and a charging unit configured to charge the battery by the power supplied through the electrode, and the control unit may be configured to perform the transport device. The position of the electrodes and the height of the forks may be controlled to position the electrodes relative to the external power supply.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for causing a computer including the fork and the one or more cameras to function as the transport device.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a delivery system comprising the transport device and a management device that manages the transport device. The management device may have a storage unit for storing map data in the transport space in which a plurality of shelves are arranged. The management device may have a conveyance information acquisition unit that acquires the current position of the conveyance object and the position of the conveyance destination of the conveyance object. The management device may have a path generation unit that generates a movement path of the transfer device based on the current position of the transfer object, the position of the transfer destination, and the map data. The management device may include a route transmission unit that transmits the moving route acquired by the route acquisition unit to the transport device.

  Note that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention. In addition, a subcombination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

An example of the conveyance apparatus 100 is shown roughly. An example of the conveyance system 300 is shown roughly. An example of the conveyance pallet 60 accommodated in the shelf 30 is shown roughly. An example of processing to shelf 30 by conveying machine 100 is shown roughly. 11 schematically shows another example of the configuration of the transfer apparatus 100. An example of a detection method which detects direction of pallet 60 for conveyance is shown roughly. An example of the flow of processing by conveyance system 300 is shown roughly. An example of functional composition of control unit 104 is shown roughly. An example of a function structure of the management apparatus 200 is shown roughly. An example of the hardware constitutions of the computer 1000 which functions as control unit 104 is shown roughly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through the embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Moreover, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the solution of the invention.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of the transfer apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. The transport apparatus 100 includes a main body 102, wheels 106, a post 108, a fork 110, a camera 120, a LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) sensor 124, and a display 126. The main body 102 includes a control unit 104, a battery 114, and a sensor 116. The sensor 116 may include various sensors such as, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor. In addition, it is not necessarily required that the conveyance apparatus 100 is equipped with all these structures.

  The transport apparatus 100 performs various operations under the control of the control unit 104 using the power of the battery 114. For example, the transport apparatus 100 rotationally drives the wheels 106 by a drive motor (not shown). The wheel 106 is rotatably mounted in the horizontal direction with respect to the main body 102, and the transport apparatus 100 may be movable in any direction and may be rotationally movable.

  The transport apparatus 100 has a self position estimation function. The transport apparatus 100 may estimate its own position using any method. For example, the transport apparatus 100 estimates the position using the peripheral recognition function by the LIDAR sensor 124 and the recognition function of the acceleration and the angular velocity by the sensor 116. The transport apparatus 100 may estimate its position by, for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The transport apparatus 100 may perform line tracing.

  The support 108 extends in the vertical direction with respect to the main body 102. The fork 110 is vertically movably attached to the support post 108. The transport apparatus 100 adjusts the height of the fork 110 by raising and lowering the fork 110 by an elevating mechanism (not shown).

  The transport apparatus 100 may know the height of the fork 110 from the reference height. The reference height may be set arbitrarily, such as the height of the lower end of the movement range in the vertical direction of the fork 110, the height of the ground on which the conveyance device 100 moves, and the like. The transport apparatus 100 grasps the height of the fork 110 from the reference height, for example, by the pulse count of the motor of the elevating mechanism. In addition, the transport apparatus 100 may grasp the height of the fork 110 from the reference height by using a laser range finder.

  The camera 120 moves up and down together with the fork 110. The camera 120 captures an image of the periphery of the transport apparatus 100. The camera 120 captures, for example, an object to be conveyed, a pallet for conveyance on which the object to be conveyed is mounted, and a shelf in which the pallet for conveyance is stored. The camera 120 may be a sensor camera capable of recognizing color and depth. The transport apparatus 100 may use the camera 120 to detect the position and orientation of the transport pallet with respect to the transport apparatus 100.

  Also, the camera 120 captures, for example, an obstacle, a person, and another transport device 100 and the like. The transport apparatus 100 may perform obstacle avoidance, human avoidance, other transport apparatus 100 avoidance, and the like, using the image captured by the camera 120 and the information measured by the sensor 116 and the LIDAR sensor 124. .

  The fork 110 has an electrode 112. The electrode 112 is disposed on the outer surface of the fork 110. Although FIG. 1 exemplifies that the electrode 112 is disposed at the tip of the fork 110, the present invention is not limited to this, and the electrode 112 may be disposed at any position on the outer surface of the fork 110.

  The transfer device 100 may control the position and orientation of the transfer device 100 and the height of the fork 110 to position the electrode 112 relative to the external power supply. Then, the transport apparatus 100 may charge the battery 114 with the power supplied from the power supply unit via the electrode 112. By providing the electrode 112 on the outer surface of the fork 110, the vertical position of the electrode 112 can be adjusted by raising and lowering the fork 110 without separately providing a mechanism for adjusting the vertical position of the electrode 112.

  The display 126 displays various information. The display 126 displays, for example, the remaining amount of the battery 114, the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor 116, and the like. The display 126 may display the contents of the transfer task when the transfer apparatus 100 is executing the transfer task. For example, when the product ○ is being transported from the shelf A to the shelf C, the display 126 displays a message to that effect. The display 126 may display the content of the transport task by text only, or may display text and images. Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which the display 126 is attached to the fork 110 and moved up and down together with the fork 110, the present invention is not limited to this, and the display 126 may be attached at any position.

  FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a delivery system 300. The transport system 300 includes at least one transport apparatus 100 and a management apparatus 200. At least one transfer device 100 is disposed in the transfer space including the plurality of shelves 30. The management device 200 is disposed on the network 10 and communicates with the transport device 100 via the network 10. The network 10 includes, for example, a telephone network and the Internet. The transport apparatus 100 is a management apparatus via the network 10 using any wireless communication technology such as mobile communication methods such as 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 4G, and WiFi (registered trademark) (Wireless Fidelity). Communication with 200 may be performed.

  In FIG. 2, as an example of the transfer space, a warehouse 20 that handles so-called small-lot, multi-variety products is mentioned. In the warehouse 20, a storage box such as a cardboard box in which at least one product is stored is mounted on the transport pallet and stored in the shelf 30. A storage box is an example of a conveyance object. For example, when shipping a certain product, the transport system 300 takes out the transport pallet on which the storage box is mounted from the shelf 30 in which the storage box in which the product is stored is stored, and Transport to In the work rack 50, an operation of taking out the product from the storage box and an operation of packing the taken out product are performed. The work on the work rack 50 may be performed manually or by a robot. In addition, although the warehouse 20 is mentioned as an example of conveyance space here, not only this but conveyance space may be arbitrary places, if the some shelf 30 can be arrange | positioned.

  The management device 200 stores map data in the warehouse 20. The map data includes layout information in the warehouse 20. The map data includes the positions of the rack 30, the storage rack 40 and the work rack 50. The map data may include information on the structure of the rack 30, the storage rack 40 for temporarily storing the received storage box, and the work rack 50. The structures of the shelf 30, the storage shelf 40, and the work shelf 50 include the height, the width, the depth, the height of the shelf board, and the like. The map data may include the positions of goods and storage boxes stored in the warehouse 20, if any. The map data may include the position of the power supply 22.

  The map data is generated by, for example, the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus 100 generates map data by, for example, SLAM. Also, map data may be generated manually.

  The management device 200 uses the map data in the warehouse 20 to generate a movement path of the transport device 100. For example, when the management device 200 receives an instruction to transport the storage box to one of the plurality of shelves 30 from the storage shelf 40, the storage shelf 40 can be obtained from the current position of the transport device 100 using map data. A movement path up to the movement destination and a movement path from the storage rack 40 to the rack 30 of the transfer destination are generated. Further, for example, when the management device 200 receives an instruction to transport a product stored in one of the plurality of shelves 30 to the work shelf 50, the product is stored from the current position of the transport device 100. A movement path to the rack 30 and a movement path from the rack 30 to the work rack 50 are generated. The management device 200 transmits the generated movement route to the transport device 100. The transport apparatus 100 transports the storage box according to the movement path received from the management apparatus 200.

  The management device 200 may periodically collect status information of the transport device 100. The status information includes information such as the status of the transfer apparatus 100 and the surrounding environment of the transfer apparatus 100. For example, the status information includes the position of the transfer device 100, the remaining amount of the battery 114, the usage state of the motor, the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor 116, and the like. The transport apparatus 100 transmits status information to the management apparatus 200 in response to a request received from the management apparatus 200, for example. In addition, the transport apparatus 100 may periodically transmit status information to the management apparatus 200 according to the set timing.

  The management device 200 may control the transport device 100 based on the collected status information. For example, when the management device 200 receives an instruction to transport the storage box, the management device 200 is located closer to the current position of the storage box among the plurality of transport devices 100, and the remaining amount of the battery 114 transports the storage box. Select a transport device 100 sufficient to complete the process. Then, the management device 200 generates a movement path from the current position of the selected conveyance device 100 to the current position of the storage box, and a movement path from the current position of the storage box to the position of the transfer destination of the storage box. , Transmit to the transport apparatus 100.

  Also, for example, when the remaining amount of any one of the plurality of transfer devices 100 in the transfer device 100 becomes lower than a predetermined threshold, the management device 200 receives from the current position of the transfer device 100 to the power supply unit 22. The movement route of the above is generated and transmitted to the transport apparatus 100. The management device 200 may transmit the movement path to the transport device 100 after the task is completed when the transport device 100 is executing the transport task.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of the transport pallet 60 stored in the shelf 30. As shown in FIG. The transport pallet 60 mounts the storage box 70. The transport pallet 60 includes holes 62 and marks 64. Hole 62 receives fork 110. The marks 64 may be for identifying the transport pallet 60. For example, the mark 64 may be a one-dimensional bar code, a two-dimensional bar code, or the like in which identification information of the transport pallet 60 is encoded. The transport pallet 60 may not include the mark 64.

  FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example of processing on the shelf 30 by the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus 100 may move to the shelf 30 according to the movement path received from the management apparatus 200 and observe the shelf 30 with the camera 120 by raising and lowering the fork 110.

  The transport apparatus 100 may recognize the transport pallet 60 in the captured image by the mark 64 when the transport pallet 60 has the mark 64 attached thereto. In the case where the transport pallet 60 is not marked with the mark 64, the transport apparatus 100 may recognize the transport pallet 60 by specifying a portion matching the feature of the transport pallet 60 from the captured image. The transport apparatus 100 may recognize the storage box 70 in the captured image by, for example, a barcode attached to the storage box 70, and transports the image within the captured image limited to the lower area of the storage box 70. The portions that match the features of the pallet 60 may be identified.

  When the information received from the management device 200 includes the identification information of the conveyance pallet 60 on which the storage box 70 is loaded, the conveyance apparatus 100 identifies the conveyance pallet 60 that matches the identification information as the conveyance target. You may When the information received from the management apparatus 200 includes the identification information of the storage box 70, the conveyance apparatus 100 has the transfer pallet 60 loaded with the storage box 70 to which the barcode corresponding to the identification information is attached. May be identified as the transport target. The transport apparatus 100 includes, in the information received from the management apparatus 200, at least one of information on the position of the storage box 70 or the transport pallet 60 on the shelf 30, that is, information on the height and the position on the shelf board 32. In the case where it is determined, the transfer target may be specified using the information, or the range for searching for the transfer target may be narrowed.

  When the map data received from the management apparatus 200 includes information on the height of the shelf board 32 of the shelf 30, the transport apparatus 100 may search for a transport target using the information. That is, the transport apparatus 100 may search for a transport target by limiting the periphery of the height of the shelf board 32.

  In addition, the conveyance apparatus 100 measures the height of the shelf board 32, when it detects that the shelf board 32 does not exist in the height which the information of the height of the shelf board 32 contained in map data shows. Information on the height of the shelf board 32, which is the measurement result, may be transmitted to the management device 200. Thereby, after the map data is generated, the map data can be appropriately updated, for example, when the shelf 30 is replaced. When the map data does not include the information on the height of the shelf board 32, the transport apparatus 100 measures the height of the shelf board 32, and manages the information on the height of the shelf board 32 as a measurement result. May be sent to

  FIG. 5 schematically shows another example of the configuration of the transfer apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. FIG. 5 exemplifies a case where the transport apparatus 100 has a plurality of cameras 122 arranged at different positions in the height direction, instead of the camera 120 which moves up and down together with the fork 110. The camera 122, like the camera 120, may be a sensor camera that can recognize color and depth.

  The transport apparatus 100 stores information on the height of each of the plurality of cameras 122 from the reference plane. The transport apparatus 100 uses the image taken by at least one of the plurality of cameras 122 and the height from the reference plane of the camera 122 to use the height of the transport pallet 60 and the height of the storage box 70. And the height of the shelf board 32 may be measured. Note that the transport apparatus 100 may include both the camera 120 and the plurality of cameras 122.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of a detection method for detecting the position and orientation of the transport pallet 60. As shown in FIG. The transport apparatus 100 detects the position and the orientation of the transport pallet 60 based on an image captured by the camera 120 or the camera 122.

  For example, the transport apparatus 100 recognizes the transport pallet 60 in the captured image, and obtains distances Da and Db from a plane perpendicular to the orientation of the transport apparatus 100 to each of both ends of the front surface of the transport pallet 60. . Further, the transport apparatus 100 acquires the width W of the transport pallet 60. The transport apparatus 100 may obtain the width W from the standard of the transport pallet 60 when the transport pallet 60 is marked with a mark 64 and the transport pallet 60 can be identified by the mark 64. Further, the transfer apparatus 100 assumes a straight line parallel to the upper surface or the bottom surface of the transfer pallet 60 on the front surface of the transfer pallet 60, specifies the three-dimensional position of both ends of the straight line, and determines the length of the straight line. The width W may be obtained by calculation. Then, the transport apparatus 100 may calculate the direction of the transport pallet 60 from the acquired Da, Db, and W.

  The transport apparatus 100 controls the orientation of the transport apparatus 100 so that the orientation of the transport pallet 60 matches the orientation of the fork 110 based on the position and orientation of the transport pallet 60 to be transported. Thereby, the forks 110 can be appropriately inserted into the holes 62 of the transport pallet 60.

  As described above, according to the transfer apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the fork 110 is appropriately inserted into the transfer pallet 60 stored at an arbitrary height to support the transfer pallet 60. be able to. As a result, since loading and unloading of luggage can be realized for any shelf without using a dedicated shelf, automatic transport of luggage can be widely available.

  FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an example of the flow of processing by the transport system 300. Here, a state where a plurality of transport apparatuses 100 are newly arranged in the warehouse 20 in which the storage box (hereinafter, referred to as a package) in which the product is stored is not stored will be described as the start state.

  In step 702 (step S may be abbreviated as S). In step 702, the management apparatus 200 manages map data generated by the transfer apparatus 100 of the plurality of transfer apparatuses 100 moving in the warehouse 20. Send to The map data may include the position of the plurality of shelves 30 and the height of the shelf board 32 of each of the plurality of shelves 30. The map data may be generated by a plurality of transport devices 100. For example, each of the plurality of transport apparatuses 100 may generate map data of different areas in the warehouse 20 and generate map data of the entire warehouse 20 by combining them.

  In S704, the management device 200 transmits the map data to the transport device 100 other than the transport device 100 that has generated the map data. In S706, each of the plurality of transport apparatuses 100 transmits status information to the management apparatus 200. The plurality of transport apparatuses 100 periodically transmit status information to the management apparatus 200.

  In S708, the communication terminal 400 transmits a package warehousing instruction to the management device 200. The management device 200 may provide, for example, a web-based service for receiving transport instructions such as loading and unloading of packages. The communication terminal 400 may transmit a package conveyance command to the management device 200 via the web-based service.

  The cargo to be received is attached to a bar code in which identification information is encoded, and placed on the receiving rack 40 in a state of being mounted on the transport pallet 60. The package storage instruction may include package data including identification information of a package to be transported, a current position of the package, and information of a transfer destination of the package. The transport destination information may be any information as long as it can identify the transport destination. For example, the transfer destination information is the name of the transfer destination shelf.

  In S710, the management device 200 selects, from among the plurality of transport devices 100, the transport device 100 that executes the transport task according to the cargo storage instruction received in S708. The management device 200 generates a movement route from the current position of the selected conveyance device 100 to the current position of the package and a movement route from the current position of the package to the position of the conveyance destination, and route data indicating the movement route. The package data is transmitted to the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus 100 moves to the current position of the package according to the received route data, takes out the package matching the identification information included in the package data, moves to the transport destination position, and stores the package at the transport destination.

  In S712, the transport apparatus 100 transmits a completion report to the management apparatus 200. The completion report may include the storage location of the transport pallet 60. The storage location includes the position of the shelf 30, the name of the shelf 30, the position of the load on the shelf 30, and the like. In addition, when the mark 64 is attached to the transported pallet 60, the completion report may include identification information of the transported pallet 60 indicated by the mark 64. In S <b> 714, the management apparatus 200 transmits a completion report to the communication terminal 400. By repeating S 708 to S 714, a plurality of packages are stored in the warehouse 20, and the information is stored in the management device 200.

  In S716, the communication terminal 400 transmits a package delivery instruction to the management device 200. The package delivery instruction may include package data including identification information of a package to be transported, and information of a transport destination of the package. In S718, the management device 200 selects, from among the plurality of transport devices 100, the transport device 100 that executes the transport task according to the package delivery instruction received in S716. The management device 200 specifies the current position of the package to be transported from the stored information, and the movement path from the current position of the selected transport device 100 to the current location of the package and the transport destination of the package from the current location The movement route to the position is generated, and the route data indicating the movement route and the package data are transmitted to the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus 100 moves to the current position of the package in accordance with the received route data, takes out the package which matches the identification information included in the package data, moves to the transport destination position, and stores the package at the transport destination.

  In S720, the transport apparatus 100 transmits a completion report to the management apparatus 200. The management device 200 updates the information accumulated according to the completion report. At S722, the management device 200 transmits a completion report to the communication terminal 400.

  FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an example of a functional configuration of the control unit 104. The control unit 104 includes a control unit 130, a camera communication unit 140, a detection unit 142, a sensor communication unit 144, a map data generation unit 150, a map data transmission unit 152, a shelf board measurement unit 154, a shelf information transmission unit 156, and transport information. The receiver 158 is provided. It is not essential for the control unit 104 to have all these configurations.

  The control unit 130 includes a position and orientation recognition unit 132, a drive control unit 134, and a display control unit 136. The control unit 130 controls various operations of the transport apparatus 100.

  The camera communication unit 140 communicates with the camera 120. The camera communication unit 140 receives an image captured by the camera 120 and incidental information such as depth information. The camera communication unit 140 communicates with the camera 122. The camera communication unit 140 receives an image captured by the camera 122 and incidental information such as depth information. The camera communication unit 140 transmits the received image and incidental information to the control unit 130 and the detection unit 142.

  The detection unit 142 detects the position and orientation of the transport pallet 60 based on the image and incidental information received by the camera communication unit 140, and the height from the reference surface of the camera 120 or the camera 122. The detection unit 142 transmits the detected position and orientation of the transport pallet 60 to the control unit 130.

  The sensor communication unit 144 receives detection information from the LIDAR sensor 124. The sensor communication unit 144 receives detection information from the sensor 116. The sensor communication unit 144 transmits the received information to the control unit 130.

  The position and orientation recognition unit 132 recognizes the position and orientation of the transport apparatus 100 using the information received from the camera communication unit 140 and the sensor communication unit 144. The drive control unit 134 drives the wheel 106 and the fork 110. The display control unit 136 causes the display 126 to display various information. The display control unit 136 causes the display 126 to display the information received from the sensor communication unit 144, for example.

  The map data generation unit 150 generates map data in the transport space in which the plurality of shelves 30 are arranged. In the map data generation unit 150, the position and orientation of the transfer device 100 recognized by the position and orientation recognition unit 132 and the camera communication unit 140 while moving the transfer device 100 by the drive control unit 134 driving the wheels 106. Map data is generated using the received image. The map data transmission unit 152 transmits the map data generated by the map data generation unit 150 to the management apparatus 200.

  The shelf board measuring unit 154 measures the height of the shelf board 32. The shelf board measuring unit 154 measures the height of the shelf board 32 from the reference height based on the height of the camera 120 or the camera 122 from the reference height and the image captured by the camera 120 or the camera 122 You may The map data generation unit 150 may generate map data including the height of the shelf board 32 measured by the shelf board measurement unit 154. The shelf information transmission unit 156 transmits the height of the shelf board 32 measured by the shelf board measurement unit 154 to the management device 200.

  The transport information receiving unit 158 receives the transport information from the management device 200. The transport information may include route data and package data. The control unit 130 executes the transfer task by driving the wheel 106 and the fork 110 in accordance with the transfer information received by the transfer information receiving unit 158. The display control unit 136 may cause the display 126 to display the contents of the ongoing transfer task when the transfer task is being executed according to the transfer information received by the transfer information receiving unit 158.

  FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an example of a functional configuration of the management device 200. The management device 200 includes a conveyance device communication unit 202, a storage unit 204, a conveyance command reception unit 206, and a control unit 210.

  The transport device communication unit 202 communicates with the transport device 100. The transport apparatus communication unit 202 receives map data from the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus communication unit 202 receives status information from the transport apparatus 100.

  The storage unit 204 stores various data. The storage unit 204 stores the map data received by the transport apparatus communication unit 202. The storage unit 204 stores the status information received by the transport apparatus communication unit 202.

  The transport command reception unit 206 receives a transport command. The transport command reception unit 206 receives, for example, a package warehousing instruction and a package warehousing instruction from the communication terminal 400 via the Web service. Also, for example, the transport command reception unit 206 receives a package movement command for moving a package from one of the plurality of shelves 30 in the warehouse 20 to another shelf 30.

  The control unit 210 includes a conveyance device selection unit 212, a path acquisition unit 214, and a conveyance device management unit 216. The transport device selection unit 212 selects the transport device 100 that is to execute the transport task according to the transport command in accordance with the transport command received by the transport command receiving unit 206.

  The transfer device selecting unit 212 selects, for example, the transfer device 100 that is to execute the transfer task, giving priority to the transfer device 100 closer to the current position of the package to be transferred. The transport device selection unit 212 identifies, for example, a transport device 100 having a sufficient remaining amount of the battery 114 to complete the transport task among the plurality of transport devices 100, and the transport target among the transport devices 100 identified. The transport device 100 closest to the current position of the package is selected. The transport apparatus selection unit 212 may select the transport apparatus 100 that is to execute the transport task, giving priority to the transport apparatus 100 with a lower execution frequency of the transport task.

  The path acquisition unit 214 acquires the movement path of the transport apparatus 100 selected by the transport apparatus selection unit 212 in accordance with the transport command received by the transport command reception unit 206. The path acquisition unit 214 generates a movement path of the transport apparatus 100 using, for example, the current position of the package to be transported and the position of the transport destination, and the map data. The route acquisition unit 214 may specify the shortest route from the current position of the package to be transported to the position of the transport destination, and generate a movement route indicating the shortest route. In addition, the route acquisition unit 214 may generate a route that is not necessarily the shortest route so that the movement routes of the plurality of transfer apparatuses 100 do not intersect at the same time. The route acquisition unit 214 may hold the history of the generated movement route. When the route acquisition unit 214 has generated a movement route from the current position of the package to be conveyed to the position of the conveyance destination in the past, the route acquisition unit 214 may acquire the movement route.

  The transport apparatus management unit 216 manages the transport apparatus 100. The transport apparatus management unit 216 manages the state of the transport apparatus 100 using, for example, status information periodically received from the transport apparatus 100. For example, when the remaining amount of the battery 114 included in the status information is lower than a predetermined threshold, the transport device management unit 216 moves the route from the current position of the transport device 100 that has transmitted the status information to the power supply unit 22. May be generated and transmitted to the transfer apparatus 100 to charge the transfer apparatus 100 with the battery 114.

  FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an example of a computer 1000 functioning as the control unit 104. A computer 1000 according to this embodiment includes a CPU peripheral unit having a CPU 1010, a RAM 1030, and a graphic controller 1085 mutually connected by a host controller 1092, a ROM 1020 connected to a host controller 1092 by an input / output controller 1094, and a communication I / O. F 1040, a hard disk drive 1050, and an input / output unit having an input / output chip 1080.

  The CPU 1010 operates based on programs stored in the ROM 1020 and the RAM 1030 to control each part. The graphic controller 1085 acquires image data generated by the CPU 1010 or the like on a frame buffer provided in the RAM 1030 and causes the display 126 to display the image data. Alternatively, the graphic controller 1085 may internally include a frame buffer for storing image data generated by the CPU 1010 or the like.

  The communication I / F 1040 communicates with other devices via a network by wire or wirelessly. The communication I / F 1040 also functions as hardware for performing communication. The hard disk drive 1050 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1010.

  The ROM 1020 stores a boot program executed when the computer 1000 starts up, a program depending on the hardware of the computer 1000, and the like. The input / output chip 1080 connects various input / output devices to the input / output controller 1094 via, for example, a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, and the like.

  The program provided to the hard disk drive 1050 via the RAM 1030 is stored in a recording medium such as a USB memory and an IC card and provided by the user. The program is read from the recording medium, installed in the hard disk drive 1050 via the RAM 1030, and executed by the CPU 1010.

  A program installed in the computer 1000 and causing the computer 1000 to function as the control unit 104 may operate on the CPU 1010 or the like to cause the computer 1000 to function as each part of the control unit 104. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 1000, and the control unit 130, the camera communication unit 140, and the detection unit are specific means in which the software and the various hardware resources described above cooperate. It functions as the unit 142, the sensor communication unit 144, the map data generation unit 150, the map data transmission unit 152, the shelf board measurement unit 154, the shelf information transmission unit 156, and the transport information reception unit 158. Then, by realizing calculation or processing of information according to the purpose of use of the computer 1000 in this embodiment by these specific means, a unique control unit 104 according to the purpose of use is constructed.

  In the above description, each unit of the management apparatus 200 may be realized by hardware or may be realized by software. Also, it may be realized by a combination of hardware and software. Also, the computer may function as the management device 200 by executing the program. The program may be installed on a computer that constitutes at least a part of the management device 200 from a computer readable medium or a storage device connected to a network.

  The program installed in the computer and causing the computer to function as the management apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment causes the CPU or the like to cause the computer to function as each part of the management apparatus 200. The information processing described in these programs functions as a specific means in which software and hardware resources of the management apparatus 200 cooperate by being read into a computer.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be added to the above embodiment. It is also apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such alterations or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The order of execution of each process such as operations, procedures, steps and steps in the devices, systems, programs and methods shown in the claims, the specification and the drawings is as follows. It is to be noted that “it can be realized in an arbitrary order unless it is explicitly stated as“ etc. ”and the output of the previous process is not used in the later process. With regard to the flow of operations in the claims, the specification and the drawings, even if it is described using “first,” “next,” etc. for the sake of convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It is not a thing.

Reference Signs List 10 network, 20 warehouses, 22 power supply units, 30 shelves, 32 shelves, 40 storage shelves, 50 work shelves, 60 transport pallets, 62 holes, 64 marks, 70 storage boxes, 100 transport devices, 102 main bodies, 104 controls Unit 106 wheel 108 post 110 fork 112 electrode 114 battery 116 sensor 120 camera 122 camera 124 LIDAR sensor 126 display 130 control unit 132 position / posture recognition unit 134 drive control unit 136 display Control unit, 140 camera communication unit, 142 detection unit, 144 sensor communication unit, 150 map data generation unit, 152 map data transmission unit, 154 shelf measurement unit, 156 shelf information transmission unit, 158 transport information reception unit, 200 management device , 202 transport device communication unit, 204 storage unit, 206 conveyance command reception unit, 210 control unit, 212 conveyance device selection unit, 214 route acquisition unit, 216 conveyance device management unit, 300 conveyance system, 400 communication terminal, 1000 computer, 1010 CPU, 1020 ROM, 1030 RAM 1040 communication I / F 1050 hard disk drive 1080 I / O chip 1085 graphic controller 1092 host controller 1094 I / O controller

Claims (8)

A transport device,
A fork supporting the transport pallet,
One or more cameras for photographing the transport pallet stored in the shelf;
A detection unit that detects the position and orientation of the transport pallet based on the image captured by the one or more cameras;
A control unit that controls the position and the orientation of the conveyance device and the height of the fork based on the position and the orientation of the conveyance pallet detected by the detection unit ;
With the battery,
An electrode disposed at the tip of the fork,
And a charging unit for charging the battery by the power supplied through the electrode .
The control unit controls the position and orientation of the transfer device and the height of the fork to position the electrode relative to a power supply outside the transfer device.
Adjustment of the height of the electrode is realized by a lifting mechanism of the fork . The one or more cameras include a camera that moves up and down with the fork,
The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the position and the orientation of the transport pallet based on an image captured by a camera moving up and down together with the fork. The one or more cameras include a plurality of cameras disposed at different positions in the height direction,
2. The conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the position and the orientation of the conveyance pallet based on an image captured by at least one of the plurality of cameras.   The said detection part detects the position and direction of the said pallet for conveyance based on the distance to the said pallet for conveyance measured by the said 1 or several camera, It is described in any one of Claim 1 to 3 Transport device. A map data generation unit that generates map data of the transfer space by moving the transfer device in the transfer space in which a plurality of shelves are arranged;
The transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a map data transmission unit that transmits the map data generated by the map data generation unit. A shelf board for measuring the height of the shelf board of the shelf from the reference height based on the height of the one or more cameras from a reference height and the image captured by the one or more cameras Measurement unit,
6. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a shelf information transmission unit that transmits the height of the shelf board measured by the shelf board measurement unit. The program for functioning the computer provided with the said fork and the said 1 or several camera as a conveyance apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-6 . A transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
A management device that manages the transport device;
The management device is
A storage unit for storing map data in the transport space in which a plurality of shelves are arranged;
A transport information acquisition unit that acquires the current position of the transport object and the transport destination position of the transport object;
A path acquisition unit for acquiring a movement path of the transport apparatus based on the current position of the transport target, the position of the transport destination, and the map data;
A route transmission unit that transmits the movement route acquired by the route acquisition unit to the conveyance device.

Images