JPH06242826A - Unmanned carrier managing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately manage the position information of each carrier, to issue a route instruction appropriately, and to attain labor saving by discriminating travel destination information by baggage information read by a pallet part, and transmitting the travel destination information to the carrier by infrared rays when bagage is loaded. CONSTITUTION:The pallet part 14 reads the baggage information when the baggage is loaded, and discriminates the travel destination information by the baggage information. The pallet part 14 transmits those baggage information and travel destination information to an unmanned carrier 13 by infrared rays when the baggage is loaded. The unmanned carrier 13 receives those information transmitted from the pallet part 14 and the position information in a warehouse, and route information from a central control unit 11, and performs transport control. At this time, the central control unit 11 stores the route information in the warehouse, and instructs of the optimum route according to the position information from the unmanned carrier 13, and transmits the optimum route information to the unmanned carrier 13 by a radio modem 12. Thereby, it is possible to attain the labor saving by automatically inputting the travel destination information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to management of automated guided vehicles in a distribution warehouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to recent advances in mechanization, unmanned factories and warehouses by automation are advancing in factories and warehouses.

A prominent example is an automatic assembly factory using a belt conveyor and an assembling machine, and an unmanned warehouse using an automated guided vehicle.

As the technology of the automatic guided vehicle, there are a method of guiding the automatic guided vehicle by an induction cable buried in a traveling route of the floor in the warehouse (electromagnetic induction method) and a method of guiding the automatic guided vehicle by attaching a magnetic tape to the traveling route. Method (magnetic induction method)
And reflective tape (metal tape such as stainless steel and aluminum)
There are three types of methods (optical guidance method) in which an optical sensor is detected to guide the automated guided vehicle.

[0005] Recently, a guide system using a wireless automatic guided vehicle is being introduced.

[0006]

However, in the current wireless carrier vehicle system, when the loading is completed, the worker must make an input from a switch or a keyboard provided on the carrier vehicle when the loading is completed. After that, since the information of the moving destination was wirelessly received and carried from the control unit such as the center, it is not completely unmanned and the luggage may be carried to the wrong place due to input mistakes. was there.

In order to confirm the position information of the transport vehicle in the warehouse, there are a method in which an encoder is attached to the transport vehicle and the moving distance is confirmed from a pulse obtained from the encoder, and three guidance methods described in the conventional example. However, even if the accurate position can be grasped by any method, it is difficult to control the change of the route.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to transmit destination information to a transport vehicle at the time of loading a package so that the package can be transported, and an accurate transport of each transport vehicle can be achieved. The central control device manages the position information, gives an appropriate route instruction, and manages the automatic guided vehicle in the warehouse.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in a system for carrying goods in a physical distribution warehouse, receives the goods information and the destination information when the goods are loaded on a pallet unit. At the same time, the infrared receiving section that optically receives the position information at each place in the warehouse, the transfer control section that controls the transfer, the control of each section, and the transmission of the position information to the central control unit via the wireless modem In addition, an automatic guided vehicle consisting of a CPU that receives route information and the like from the central control unit, a map information storage unit that stores route information in the warehouse, and optimal based on position information transmitted from multiple automated guided vehicles The current information processing unit that directs different routes and controls each unit, and when the position information is received from the automated guided vehicle, the route information stored in the map information storage unit is sent to the automated guided vehicle. A central control unit consisting of a CPU that receives the data, a data reading unit that reads the package information when the package is set on the pallet unit, a CPU that determines the destination information from the package information, and the package as an automated guided vehicle. The pallet unit includes an infrared transmitter that optically transmits package information and destination information during loading, and a package transport controller that controls package transport.

[0010]

In the automatic guided vehicle management system of the present invention having the above-described structure, the reading information of the pallet unit is used to read the package information, the CPU determines the destination information from the package information, and the package is transported to the automated guided vehicle. It sends package information and destination information to the infrared receiver.

In the automatic guided vehicle, the package information and the destination information received from the pallet unit are transmitted to the central control unit via the wireless modem.

Upon receiving the destination information from the automatic guided vehicle, the central control unit transmits the route information stored in the map information storage section to the automatic guided vehicle.

The automated guided vehicle carries out transport control so as to move according to the route information received from the central control unit.

The infrared ray receiving section of the moving automatic guided vehicle receives the infrared ray from the infrared ray transmitting section installed at each place in the warehouse, and takes in the current position information in the warehouse, and the central control unit receives it. Send.

The current position information processing unit stores the position information transmitted from each automated guided vehicle and performs processing such as changing the route of each automated guided vehicle.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the automatic guided vehicle.

FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of the central control unit.

FIG. 4 shows the positional relationship between the automatic guided vehicle and the conveyor in the pallet section.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of the pallet unit.

FIG. 6 shows a processing flow in the automatic guided vehicle.

7 and 8 show the processing flow in the central control unit.

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of the system of the present invention, in which the central controller 11 controls the conveyance between the pallets 14 of the automatic guided vehicle 13. The conveyance instruction at this time is wirelessly issued from the central control unit 11 via the wireless modem 12.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the functional blocks of an automatic guided vehicle. The wireless modem 22 receives instructions from the central control unit 11 and sends luggage information, movement information and position information from the automated guided vehicle. And a transfer control unit 23 that controls the automatic guided vehicle according to the route information, and loading completion information, baggage information, and loading information that are transmitted from the infrared transmission unit of the pallet unit 14.
The destination information is received, and the infrared receiver 25 that receives the current position information from the infrared transmitter installed at each point in the warehouse and the destination information obtained by infrared from the pallet unit 14 are stored. The storage unit 24 and the CPU 21 are included.

FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a functional block diagram of the central control unit 11 and is map information in which route information to be returned to the automatic guided vehicle with respect to destination information transmitted from the automatic guided vehicle is stored. The current position information processing unit 33 that confirms the position information transmitted from the storage unit 32 and the automatic guided vehicle and controls the transfer of each automatic guided vehicle, and the CP that controls them
It is composed of U31.

FIG. 4 is an example showing the relationship between the automated guided vehicle in the pallet unit 14 and the pallet unit 14. When the cargo 40 of the pallet unit 14 is loaded on the automated guided vehicle 13 by the conveyor 41, The infrared information transmission unit 42 of the pallet unit 14 transmits the package information and the destination information to the automatic guided vehicle 13 by infrared rays. The destination information is automatically determined in the pallet unit when the pallet unit 14 reads the package information with a barcode or the like.

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a functional block diagram of the pallet unit 14, which is a data reading unit 54 for reading product data from a bar code or the like, a CPU 51 for discriminating a destination from the read product data, and package information. And an infrared transmitter 53 for transmitting destination information to the automatic guided vehicle, and a luggage transportation control unit 52 for controlling a conveyor for loading products on the automated guided vehicle.

FIG. 6 is an embodiment showing the processing flow in the automatic guided vehicle of this system.

From the central controller 11 to the destination pallet 14
It is confirmed whether or not the position information has been transmitted to (step S1).

If it is confirmed (Y in step S1),
It is determined whether or not the route information is transmitted from the central controller 11 (step S2).

If it is confirmed that the route information has been transmitted (Y in step S2), the process moves according to the route information being transmitted (step 3).

Next, the arrival at the target pallet unit 14 is confirmed (step S4). When the arrival at the pallet is confirmed (Y at step S4), the pallet unit 14 loads the package (step S4). S5).

After it is confirmed from the pallet unit 14 that the loading of the luggage on the automatic guided vehicle is completed (Y in step S5), it is confirmed whether or not the destination information of the product is stored (step S6).

Next, after confirming that the destination information of the product is stored (Y in step S6), the central control unit 11
The destination information is confirmed (step S7).

After that, it is confirmed whether or not the route information transmitted from the central control unit 11 is received (step S).
8).

After the receipt of the route information is confirmed (Y in step S8), the vehicle moves according to the route information (step S8).
9).

Next, it is confirmed whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination (step S10).

After it is confirmed that the user has arrived at the destination (Y in step S10), the work for unloading the carried luggage is performed (step S11).

This series of processing flow is continued until the system ends.

Next, FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of the flow of processing in the central control unit.

FIG. 7 is a flow of sending an instruction from the central control unit 11 to the automatic guided vehicle 13.

First, it is confirmed whether or not there is an empty automatic guided vehicle (step S20). If there is an empty automatic guided vehicle 13 (Y in step S20), the destination is instructed to the automatic guided vehicle. Is performed (step S21).

FIG. 8 shows the automatic guided vehicle 11 for transmitting the route information.
It is a flow when performing to.

When the pallet unit 14 loads a package, the central controller 11 confirms whether or not the destination information is transmitted from the automatic guided vehicle 13 (step S30), and if the transmission can be confirmed (step S30). (Y of S30), the route data is transmitted to the automatic guided vehicle 11 (step S31).

[0046]

As described above, in the unmanned guided vehicle management system of the present invention, the destination information is transmitted to the guided vehicles at the time of loading the packages, so that each guided vehicle conveys the packages without making a mistake in the destination information. There is an effect that can be made.

Further, there is an effect that the accurate position information of each transport vehicle can be managed by the central control unit and appropriate route instructions can be given.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the automated guided vehicle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a central controller of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the punch section of the present invention in a normal state.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a pallet unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a processing flow of the automated guided vehicle of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for transmitting destination information to an automated guided vehicle in the central control device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow when transmitting route information to an automatic guided vehicle in the central control device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Central Control Unit 12 Wireless Modem 13 Unmanned Transport Vehicle 14 Pallet Unit 21 CPU 22 Wireless Modem 23 Transport Control Unit 24 Storage Unit 25 Infrared Receiver 31 CPU 32 Map Information Storage Unit 33 Current Position Information Processing Unit 40 Luggage 41 Conveyor 42 Infrared Transmission 51 CPU 52 Luggage transport controller 53 Infrared transmitter 54 Data reader

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a system for transporting luggage in a distribution warehouse, loading and unloading of luggage, receipt of luggage information and destination information when a pallet is loaded, and location information at various locations in the warehouse. Infrared receiver for optically receiving, transport controller for controlling transport, control of each component, position information sent to the central controller via wireless modem, and route information etc. from the central controller. An automated guided vehicle including a receiving CPU, a map information storage unit that stores route information in the warehouse, and a current information processing unit that instructs an optimal route based on position information transmitted from a plurality of automated guided vehicles A CP that controls each unit and transmits the route information stored in the map information storage unit to the automatic guided vehicle when the position information is received from the automatic guided vehicle.
A central control unit consisting of U, a data reading unit that reads the package information when the package is set on the pallet unit, a CPU that determines the destination information from the package information, and when loading the package on an automated guided vehicle. An unmanned guided vehicle management system comprising an pallet unit including an infrared transmitter that optically transmits package information and destination information, and a package transportation control unit that controls transportation of packages.