WO2019154441A1

WO2019154441A1 - Article sorting system and article sorting method

Info

Publication number: WO2019154441A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/081195
Authority: WO
Inventors: 吴海贤; 王鑫浩; 罗磊; 李国辉; 邢志伟
Original assignee: 上海快仓智能科技有限公司
Priority date: 2018-05-31
Filing date: 2019-04-03
Publication date: 2019-08-15

Abstract

An article sorting method, comprising: at a loading point, loading an article to be sorted to a first mobile transportation apparatus (1); an article identification apparatus (2) identifying the article to be sorted, and sending identified article information to a dispatch system (3); in response to the identified article information, the dispatch system sending to the first mobile transportation apparatus article receiving container information of an article receiving container (4) assigned to the article to be sorted; according to the article receiving container information, the first mobile transportation apparatus transporting the article to be sorted to the article receiving container; delivering the article to be sorted to the article receiving container. The present disclosure also relates to an article sorting system. The method and system have greater flexibility and higher efficiency, and the number of chutes and the number of robots can be rapidly expanded according to actual requirements.

Description

Item sorting system and item sorting method

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of item sorting technology, and in particular to an item sorting system and an item sorting method.

Background technique

Item sorting refers to the operation of transporting, distributing, and sorting a large number of items into corresponding positions according to the type, location or other predetermined requirements. At present, a commonly used item sorting system is a cross-belt sorting system, which is a closed transport sorting system composed of a group of trolleys, generally in a ring shape, driven by a main drive belt conveyor and carrying a small belt conveyor. The trolleys are coupled together, the trolley moves along the track, and the surface of the trolley carries the items to be sorted. When the "car" moves to the specified sorting position, the belt is rotated to complete the task of sorting the goods to the corresponding grid. However, the equipment of the cross-belt sorting system is fixed and non-detachable, with long construction time, large floor space, low efficiency and poor expansion. The design capacity is the maximum capacity, the one-time input cost is high, the initial investment return is low, and The number of sorting grids is small, the sorting quantity of express delivery is uneven, the efficiency of operation is not flexible (full or full stop), the delivery error is large, and the full line speed is too fast, resulting in more floating phenomenon.

Another commonly used item sorting system is a flap sorter, which consists of a series of interconnected flaps, guide rods, traction devices, driving devices, support devices, etc., when the goods arrive at the designated compartment, conform to the goods. The sized flaps are controlled to flip so that the goods they carry slide into the corresponding pockets. Compared with the cross-belt sorting system, the flap sorter has certain flexibility, but it still has the following disadvantages: it needs to build a steel platform, and the construction time is long; the parcel is transported to the steel platform, which requires a longer conveyor line; steel Platform cost, recycling and other issues will cause waste; the delivery process will be paused and the efficiency will be affected.

Summary of the invention

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a flexible flexible sorting system and corresponding sorting method.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an item sorting method is provided, comprising:

Loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device at the loading point;

The item identification device identifies the item to be sorted and transmits the identified item information to the dispatching system;

The dispatching system transmits the item receiving container information of the item receiving container assigned to the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device in response to the identified item information;

The first mobile transport device transports the item to be sorted to the item receiving container according to the item receiving container information;

The item to be sorted is delivered to the item receiving container.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device is located at the loading point, and the step of identifying the item to be sorted is before or after the step of loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device, wherein Preferably, the step of delivering the item to be sorted to the item receiving container is performed in a state in which the first mobile transport device moves.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device is located at a different location from the loading point, and the identifying the item to be sorted comprises:

And in response to the loading of the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device, the first mobile transport device sends a loading notification that the item to be sorted has been loaded to the dispatching system;

Dispatching system transmits the assigned item identification device information of the item identification device to the first mobile transportation device in response to the loading notification;

The first mobile transport device transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device according to the item identification device information;

The item identification device identifies the item information of the item to be sorted.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises:

The second mobile transport device transports a plurality of items to be sorted including the item to be sorted to the loading point for loading and identification.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises:

Measuring the loaded quantity of the item receiving container after delivering the item to be sorted and transmitting the loaded quantity to a dispatching system;

The dispatching system determines whether the loaded quantity meets a predetermined requirement;

In a case where the loaded amount satisfies the predetermined requirement, the dispatching system notifies the third mobile transport device to a position at the article receiving container to transport the article receiving container to a predetermined sorting location.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises:

Arranging the articles loaded in the article receiving container at the predetermined finishing location, and loading the packaged articles into the fourth mobile transport device;

And transmitting, by the fourth mobile transport device, a notification that the finishing is completed to the dispatching system in response to loading of the item;

The dispatching system notifies the fourth mobile transport device to transport the item to the designated shipping position in response to the notification of completion of the sorting, and notifies the third mobile transport device to return to the designated standby position.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises:

In response to receiving the loaded amount, the dispatch system notifies the first mobile transport device to return to the loading point.

According to an embodiment, the loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device comprises loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device by a robotic arm or manual operation.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device identifies one or more of a barcode, a two-dimensional code, an image, a text, and a sound carried on the item to be sorted by identifying a form, a color of the item to be sorted, or Identify the item information contained in it.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises the item identification device identifying an identifier of the first mobile transport device and transmitting it to the dispatch system along with the identified item information.

According to an embodiment, the item receiving container information is location information and/or identifier information of the item receiving container.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device information is location information and/or identifier information of the item identification device.

According to an embodiment, the item information is one or more of a category, a destination address, and an item attribute of the item to be sorted.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an article sorting system is provided that includes a first mobile transport device, an item identification device, a dispatch system, and an item receiving container, wherein:

The first mobile transport device is configured to receive the loaded item to be sorted at the loading point, and transport the item to be sorted to and in response to the item receiving container information for the item to be sorted from the dispatching system The item receiving container corresponding to the item receiving container;

The item identification device is configured to identify the item information of the item to be sorted and send the item information to a dispatching system;

The dispatching system is configured to assign the item receiving container to the item to be sorted according to the received item information and send the item receiving container information of the item receiving container to the item to be sorted First mobile transport device;

The item receiving container is configured to receive the item to be sorted delivered to the item,

Wherein the first mobile transport device, the article identification device and the article receiving container are physically independent of each other, and the article identification device and the article receiving container are respectively disposed independently of each other at the first mobile transport device and can be identified therein. The device and the item receiving container are each capable of communicating with the dispatch system at any location.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device is located at the loading point.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device is located at a different location than the loading point, wherein the first mobile transport device transmits the said mobile system to the dispatch system in response to loading the item to be sorted into the first mobile transport device a loading notification that the item to be sorted has been loaded, the dispatching system transmitting the item identification device information of the item identification device to the first mobile transport device in response to the loading notification, the first mobile transport device identifying the device information according to the item The item to be sorted is transported to the item identification device.

According to one embodiment, the item sorting system further includes a second mobile transport device for transporting a plurality of items to be sorted including the item to be sorted to the loading point for loading and identification.

According to one embodiment, the first mobile transport device delivers the item to be sorted into the item receiving container after transporting the item to be sorted to the item receiving container.

According to an embodiment, the item sorting system further includes load amount measuring means for measuring the loaded amount of the item receiving container after the item to be sorted is delivered, and transmitting the loaded amount to Dispatch system.

According to an embodiment, the item sorting system further includes a third mobile transport device, wherein the dispatch system determines whether the loaded amount satisfies a predetermined requirement, and notifies if the loaded amount satisfies the predetermined requirement The third mobile transport device arrives at the location of the item receiving container to transport the item receiving container to a predetermined sorting location by the third mobile transport device.

According to an embodiment, the item sorting system further includes a fourth mobile transport device for receiving the packaged items loaded in the item receiving container at the predetermined finishing location in response to a notification of the dispatching system, The packaged items are transported to a designated shipping location.

According to an embodiment, the load measuring device is included in the first mobile transport device or disposed on or near the item receiving container.

According to an embodiment, the item identification device is included in the first mobile transport device.

According to one embodiment, the item sorting system includes a plurality of the first mobile transport devices and a plurality of the item receiving devices.

According to one embodiment, the item sorting system includes a plurality of the item identification devices.

The inventors of the present invention have found that there is no means in the prior art that can be carried by the above-described embodiments of the present invention (for example, using a mobile transport device to carry items to be sorted and transported to a recognition location and/or delivery location). A solution that enhances transportation safety. Therefore, the technical task to be achieved by the present invention or the technical problem to be solved is not thought of or expected by those skilled in the art, so the present invention is a new technical solution.

Through one or more of the embodiments of the present invention, a flexible sorting system and a sorting method are proposed, wherein a transport device for transporting articles, an identification device for identifying item information, and The containers for receiving the sorted items are independent of each other, and their respective positions are not interdependent and can be flexibly arranged arbitrarily, so that the entire sorting system does not depend on a rigid common platform or environment. The item sorting system and the item sorting method according to the embodiments of the present method do not need to set up a steel pipeline or platform, and the floor space is small, more flexible and more flexible, and it is convenient to change the quantity and position of the feed port and the grid mouth, and is convenient. The system is constructed to facilitate the removal of the system and the cleaning of the site, and since the transportation and delivery of the articles are performed independently, the loading, transportation, identification and delivery of other items are not required to be suspended during delivery, thereby improving system efficiency. Additionally, in accordance with some embodiments, multiple mobile transport devices and multiple identification devices can be placed in the sorting system such that they operate in parallel, increasing system throughput, throughput speed, and system efficiency. In addition, the system can quickly expand the number of grids and the number of robots according to actual needs.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of the <RTIgt;

DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in FIG

1 is a schematic diagram showing the composition of an item sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic flow chart of an item sorting method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a schematic diagram of a scene of an item sorting method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement of the components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise specified.

The following description of the at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way

Techniques, methods and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but the techniques, methods and apparatus should be considered as part of the specification, where appropriate.

In all of the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values are to be construed as illustrative only and not as a limitation. Thus, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

1 shows a schematic diagram of the composition of an item sorting system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the example article sorting system includes a first mobile transport device 1, an item identification device 2, a dispatch system 3, and an article receiving container 4, wherein the first mobile transport device 1, the article identification device 2, and the article The receiving container 4 communicates with the dispatching system 3 via a wired or wireless network (e.g., a mobile communication network, a wifi network, an Ethernet network, a private network, other public networks, etc.). In one embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1, the article identification device 2, and the article receiving container 4 are physically independent of each other, and the article identification device 2 and the article receiving container 4 may be separately disposed on the first mobile transport independently of each other. The device 1 is capable of arriving at any location where the item identification device 2 and the item receiving container 4 are capable of communicating with the dispatch system 3, respectively. In one example, the item identification device 2 may be disposed on the first mobile transport device 1 or included in the first mobile transport device 1 (ie, the first mobile transport device 1 itself has an item identification function). In another example, the item identification device 2 is disposed at the same or a different location than the item loading point at which the first mobile transport device 1 was originally located. Similarly, the article receiving container 4 for receiving the sorted article may be disposed at the same or a different position from the article identification device 2 or the article loading point, which may be any capable of loading and accommodating the sorted article. container.

At the loading point, there are multiple items to be sorted. In one embodiment, the item sorting system can also include a second mobile transport device 6 for transporting the plurality of items to be sorted to a loading point for loading and identification. The first mobile transport device 1 receives a item to be sorted loaded thereon at a loading point. The item to be sorted can be loaded to the first mobile transport device 1 by a robotic arm or manual operation. According to one embodiment, the item sorting system may comprise a plurality of first mobile transport devices 1, the plurality of first mobile transport devices 1 operating in parallel, each first mobile transport device 1 having its own identifier.

The item identification device 2 identifies the item to be sorted and transmits the identified item information to the dispatch system 3. The item sorting system may have one item identification device 2, or may have a plurality of item identification devices 2 working in parallel. In the case of having a plurality of article identification devices 2, the scheduling system 3 determines which article identification device 2 to use for each item identification, for example, based on the distance between the article identification device 2 and the first mobile transportation device 1 or the article identification device The busyness of 2 is determined by the level of work. In one embodiment, the item identification device 2 is located at the loading point, and the item to be sorted may be identified before or after loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device 1. In another embodiment, the item identification device 2 is located at a different location than the loading point, in which case the first mobile transport device 1 is sent to the dispatch system 3 in response to the item to be sorted being loaded thereon. A load notification that the item has been loaded. In one embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1 has an inductor for automatically sensing the loading of the item, and once the item to be sorted is loaded thereon, the first mobile transport device 1 can sense it and send it to the dispatch system. Load notifications. In one example, the load notification includes an identifier and/or location of the first mobile transport device 1. The dispatching system 3 assigns the article identifying device 2 and transmits the article identifying device information of the assigned article identifying device 2 to the first mobile transport device 1 in response to the loading notification (in the case of only one article identifying device 2, the dispatching system 3 The article identification device information of the article identification device 2 is directly transmitted to the first mobile transportation device 1). The item identification device information may include the location and/or identifier of the assigned item identification device, and the first mobile transportation device 1 transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device 2 according to the position of the assigned item identification device 2, or The first mobile transport device 1 determines its position based on the identifier of the assigned item identification device 2, and thereby transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device 2.

Thereafter, the item identification device 2 identifies the item to be sorted, and transmits the identified item information to the dispatching system 3. In one embodiment, the item identification device 2 identifies one or more of the barcode, the two-dimensional code, the RFID, the image, the text, and the sound carried on the item to be sorted by identifying the form, color, or item to be sorted. Contained item information. The item information may include one or more of a category of the item to be sorted, a destination address, and an attribute of the item (eg, size, weight of the item, whether it is an urgent item, whether there is a special requirement, etc.).

In one embodiment, the item identification device identifies the identifier to be sorted on the first mobile transport device in addition to identifying the item to be sorted and transmits it to the dispatch system 3 along with the identified item information.

The dispatching system 3 assigns each item to be sorted to the corresponding item receiving container 4 based on the received item information based on a predetermined sorting rule. According to one embodiment, the sorting rule may be a combination of one or more of the following: delivering an item with a destination address within a given range to an item receiving container at position A (assuming its item receiving container identifier "401"); delivers the item of the dispatch to an item receiving container at position B (assuming its item receiving container identifier is "402"); delivers items of a size within a given range to position C An item receiving container (assuming its item receiving container identifier is "403"), and so on. The dispatching system 3 transmits the item receiving container information (for example, the position and/or identifier containing the item receiving container) assigned to the item receiving container 4 of the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device carrying the item to be sorted 1 (i.e., sent to the first mobile transport device 1 whose identifier is the identifier of the first mobile transport device included in the item information).

The first mobile transport device 1 transports the items to be sorted to the corresponding item receiving container based on the received item receiving container information. After the first mobile transport device 1 arrives at the article receiving container 4 designated by the dispatching system 3, it can then pass through the first mobile transport device 1 with a stop or continue walking, or by manual operation, or by a robotic arm or the like. The item is delivered to the item receiving container 4. In one embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1 automatically initiates the delivery operation after stopping at the designated item receiving container 4. In another embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1 transmits an arrival notification to the dispatch system 3 after stopping at the designated item receiving container 4, the dispatching system 3 responding to the first mobile transport device 1 or related in response to the arrival notification The robot arm issues a delivery command, and the first mobile transport device 1 or the robot arm performs a delivery operation in response to the delivery command. In one embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1 has a reversible tray for carrying items that perform a delivery operation by flipping the reversible tray by a certain angle. In one embodiment, after the delivery operation is performed, the first mobile transport device 1 senses that there is no item thereon, and then sends a delivery completion notification to the dispatching system 3, and the dispatching system 3 commands the first mobile transport device in response to the notification. 1 Return to the loading point to continue working, and perform loading, identification, sorting, and delivery operations of the next item to be sorted. Alternatively, the dispatch system 3 can also command the first mobile transport device 1 to return to other designated locations for standby or perform other operations.

The example sorting system shown in Figure 1 further includes a load measuring device 5 capable of communicating with the dispatching system 3 over a wired or wireless network for measuring the loaded quantity of the item receiving container 4 and transmitting the loaded quantity to the dispatching system 3. In one embodiment, the load measuring device 5 performs a measuring operation after each delivery is completed. In one embodiment, the load measuring device 5 is disposed above the article receiving container 4, one for each of the article receiving containers 4, or one for the plurality of article receiving containers 4. In another embodiment, the load measuring device 5 is disposed on or contained in the first mobile transport device 1. For example, the load measuring device 5 is located on the side of the first mobile transport device 1 and is inclined downwardly opposite the article receiving container 4 for measurement. In this embodiment, the first mobile transport device 1 does not transmit the delivery completion notification after the completion of the delivery operation, but continues the loaded amount measurement, and transmits the measured loaded amount of the article receiving container 4 to the dispatching system. 3. According to another embodiment of the invention, the load measuring device 5 is disposed on or near the article receiving container, such as in the vicinity of the container, or has a separate mobile inspection device (such as a patrol robot), or is located in the air. A measuring device capable of simultaneously detecting a plurality of container loads.

The measured amount of the article receiving container 4 is measured to identify whether the article receiving container 4 has reached a load that can be carried away. In order to carry away the item receiving container 4, in one embodiment, the item sorting system may further comprise a third mobile transport device 7. The dispatching system 3 judges whether the received loaded quantity satisfies the predetermined requirement, and if the loaded quantity satisfies the predetermined requirement, the dispatching system 3 notifies the third mobile transporting device 7 to the position of the article receiving container 4 to The receiving container 4 is transported to a predetermined sorting location. The predetermined request may be, for example, equal to or greater than a predetermined load amount, equal to or greater than a predetermined percentage (eg, 80%, 90%, 100%, etc.) of the total volume of the article receiving container 4, and the like. In one embodiment, the dispatch system 3 commands the first mobile transport device 1 to return to the loading point or other designated location in response to receiving the loaded amount.

In one embodiment, the item sorting system may also include a fourth mobile transport device 8. In one embodiment, the fourth mobile transport device 8 is at a predetermined finishing location. In another embodiment, the fourth mobile transport device 8 arrives at a predetermined sorting location from elsewhere in response to a notification from the dispatch system. The sorted items loaded in the article receiving container 4 can be repackaged and packaged by an automatic tool such as an operator or a robot after being transported by the third moving transport device 7 to a predetermined sorting place, for example, into a parcel post. in. In one embodiment, the third mobile transport device 7 also has an inductor that detects if an item is loaded thereon. When the third mobile transport device 7 senses that the article receiving container 4 loaded thereon and/or its loaded items have been unloaded, the third mobile transport device 7 sends a notification to the dispatching system that the packing is completed. Of course, the above actions can also be started manually, instead of being detected by sensors. The dispatching system 3 orders the fourth mobile transport device 8 located elsewhere to arrive at the predetermined sorting location based on the packaged notification. In another embodiment, the fourth mobile transport device 8 is on standby at a predetermined finishing location. The operator or other automated sorting tool loads the packaged item to the fourth mobile transport device 8 at a predetermined finishing location. In one example, the fourth mobile transport device 8 has a sensor that detects whether an item is loaded thereon, and after detecting that the packaged item has been loaded thereon at a predetermined sorting point, the fourth mobile transport device 8 dispatches to the dispatcher System 3 sends a notification that the packaged item has been loaded. The dispatch system 3 commands the fourth mobile transport device 8 to transport the packaged item to the designated shipping location in response to the notification. The packaged item is then transported away from the sorting site at the designated shipping location.

In the above and below embodiments of the present invention, the first mobile transport device 1, the second mobile transport device 6, the third mobile transport device 7, and the fourth mobile transport device 8 are capable of carrying articles (such as postal parcels) and are free to move A small transport that transports items to a designated location that can move without relying on the laid track. Specifically, the first mobile transport device 1 may be a smaller type of transport capable of carrying one or several items, and the second mobile transport device 6, the third mobile transport device 7, and the fourth mobile transport device 8 are capable of carrying a large number of items. A slightly larger transport. The first mobile transport device 1, the second mobile transport device 6, the third mobile transport device 7, and the fourth mobile transport device 8 each have a communication module for communicating with the dispatch system 3 or with other components of the item sorting system Communicate. Alternatively, the first mobile transport device 1, the second mobile transport device 6, the third mobile transport device 7, and the fourth mobile transport device 8 may also have sensors for automatically detecting whether an item is loaded thereon. It will be appreciated that any apparatus having associated functionality to which the item sorting system or method according to various embodiments of the present invention may be considered may be considered to be the first mobile transport device 1, the second mobile transport device 6, and the third mobile transport. Device 7 or fourth mobile transport device 8.

In the above and below embodiments of the present invention, the dispatch system 3 may be capable of communicating with other components of the item sorting system over a network (eg, a mobile communication network, a wifi network, an Ethernet network, a private network, other public networks, etc.) Any computer device that communicates and performs the related functions involved in the item sorting system or method in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Related functions of the item sorting system or method of the dispatching system 3 in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a computer device by software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the scheduling system 3 is implemented as a computer device including a processor and a memory having stored thereon program code executable by the processor, the program code causing the computer device to implement implementations when executed by the processor The functions associated with the scheduling system 3 in the example. Specifically, the computer device may include: a communication unit for transceiving and processing signals through a network; a human machine interface for the user to use for interaction; a processing unit for processing data and performing calculation, control, coordination, and the like. Optionally, a keyboard including a physical key, a touch key overlayed on the display screen, or a combination thereof; a memory device including a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, or any combination thereof; Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and/or Or Bluetooth interface; power management circuitry with associated battery; USB interface and connector; audio management system with associated microphone, speaker and headphone jack; and various optional accessory components such as digital cameras, accelerators, etc. In addition, various client applications can be installed on the computer device, and the client application can be used to allow the use of the computer device to transmit commands suitable for operation of other devices. Such applications can be downloaded from a server and installed into the memory of a computer device, or pre-installed on a computer device.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an item sorting method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a corresponding scene diagram thereof is shown in FIG. 3. In this scenario, the sorting field 100 includes a first mobile transport device 1, an item identification device 2, a dispatch system 3, four article receiving containers 4, a load measuring device 5, a second mobile transport device 6, and a third movement. The transport device 7 and the fourth mobile transport device 8, wherein the loading point is at the position 102, the item identification device 2 is located at the position 103, and the four item receiving containers 4 are located at the position 104, the position 105, the position 106, and the position 107, respectively. The fourth mobile transport device 8 is located at a predetermined sorting location, position 108. Therein, the load measuring device 5 is disposed on the first mobile transport device 1. Although the dispatch system 3 is shown in the sorting field 100 in FIG. 3, it will be appreciated that the dispatch system 3 may not be located in the sorting yard 100 as long as it is capable of communicating with other devices that make up the sorting system. Just fine. As shown in FIG. 1, the example article sorting method may include the steps of:

S201, the second mobile transport device 6 transports the plurality of items to be sorted to the loading point, that is, at the position 102.

S202, at position 102, a item to be sorted is loaded to the first mobile transport device 1.

S203. The first mobile transport device 1 senses loading of the item to be sorted and sends a loading notification to the dispatching system 3.

S204, the dispatching system 3 transmits the position 103 of the item identification device 2 to the first mobile transport device 1 in response to the loading notification.

S205, the first mobile transport device 1 transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device 2 herein according to the received position 103.

S206. The item identification device 2 identifies the item to be sorted and transmits the identified item information to the dispatching system 3.

S207. The dispatching system 3 assigns the item to be sorted to the item receiving container 4 at the position 105 according to the item information, and transmits the position 105 to the first mobile transport device 1.

S208, the first mobile transport device 1 transports the item to be sorted to the item receiving container 4 according to the received position 105, and sends an arrival notification to the dispatching system.

S209. The dispatching system 3 commands the first mobile transport device 1 to perform a delivery operation in response to the arrival notification.

S210, the load measuring device 5 on the first mobile transport device 1 measures the loaded amount of the article receiving container 4 at the position 105 and transmits it to the dispatching system 3.

S211, the dispatching system 3 determines whether the loaded quantity meets a predetermined requirement.

S212, in a case where it is determined that the predetermined request is satisfied, the dispatching system 3 commands the third mobile transport device 7 to carry the article receiving container 4 at the position 105.

S213, the third mobile transport device 7 transports the article receiving container 4 at the position 105 to the position 108, that is, the predetermined sorting location, according to the command of the dispatching system 3.

S214. After the third mobile transport device 7 arrives at the location 108, it sends an arrival notification to the dispatch system 3.

S215, the dispatching system 3 delivers an item sorting task to the operator at the location 108 in response to the arrival notification.

S216, the operator loads the packaged item to the fourth mobile transport device 8 at the location 108 and sends a notification to the dispatch system 3 that the packaged item has been loaded.

S217, the dispatching system 3 in response to the notification command the fourth mobile transport device 8 to transport the packaged item to the designated shipping location.

For details of the item sorting in the above embodiment, refer to the system embodiment as described above, and details are not described herein again.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and apparatus in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment, or a portion of an instruction that includes one or more components for implementing the specified logical functions. Executable instructions. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may also occur in a different order than those illustrated in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It is also noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowcharts, can be implemented in a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or function. Or it can be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. It is well known to those skilled in the art that implementation by hardware, implementation by software, and implementation by a combination of software and hardware are equivalent.

It should be noted that each embodiment in the specification is described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on differences from other embodiments, and the same similar parts between the embodiments are referred to each other. can. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be used alone or in combination with each other as needed. In addition, for the method embodiment, since it corresponds to the device embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the description of the corresponding parts of the device embodiment. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative, and the modules illustrated as separate components may or may not be physically separate.

Through the embodiments of the present invention, a flexible sorting system and a sorting method with greater flexibility and higher efficiency can be provided.

While the invention has been described in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and/or combinations of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

An item sorting method comprising:

Loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device at the loading point;

The item identification device identifies the item to be sorted and transmits the identified item information to the dispatching system;

The dispatching system transmits the item receiving container information of the item receiving container assigned to the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device in response to the identified item information;

The first mobile transport device transports the item to be sorted to the item receiving container according to the item receiving container information;

The item to be sorted is delivered to the item receiving container.
The method of claim 1, wherein the item identification device is located at the loading point, and the step of identifying the item to be sorted is to load the item to be sorted to the first mobile transportation device Preferably, before or after the step, wherein the step of delivering the item to be sorted into the item receiving container is performed in a state in which the first mobile transport device moves.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the item identification device is located at a different position from the loading point, and the identifying the item to be sorted comprises:

And in response to the loading of the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device, the first mobile transport device sends a loading notification that the item to be sorted has been loaded to the dispatching system;

Dispatching system transmits the assigned item identification device information of the item identification device to the first mobile transportation device in response to the loading notification;

The first mobile transport device transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device according to the item identification device information;

The item identification device identifies the item information of the item to be sorted.
The method of any of claims 1-3, further comprising:

The second mobile transport device transports a plurality of items to be sorted including the item to be sorted to the loading point for loading and identification.
The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising:

Measuring the loaded quantity of the item receiving container after delivering the item to be sorted and transmitting the loaded quantity to a dispatching system;

The dispatching system determines whether the loaded quantity meets a predetermined requirement;

In a case where the loaded amount satisfies the predetermined requirement, the dispatching system notifies the third mobile transport device to a position at the article receiving container to transport the article receiving container to a predetermined sorting location.
The method of claim 5 further comprising:

Arranging the articles loaded in the article receiving container at the predetermined finishing location, and loading the packaged articles into the fourth mobile transport device;

And transmitting, by the fourth mobile transport device, a notification that the finishing is completed to the dispatching system in response to loading of the item;

The dispatching system notifies the fourth mobile transport device to transport the item to the designated shipping position in response to the notification of completion of the sorting, and notifies the third mobile transport device to return to the designated standby position.
The method of claim 5 or 6, further comprising:

In response to receiving the loaded amount, the dispatch system notifies the first mobile transport device to return to the loading point.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the loading the item to be sorted to the first mobile transport device comprises: loading the item to be sorted to the first by a robot arm or a manual operation Mobile transport device.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the item identification means identifies a form, a color of the item to be sorted, or a barcode, a two-dimensional code carried on the item to be sorted, One or more of RFID, image, text, and sound to identify the item information contained therein.
The method of any of claims 1-9, further comprising the item identification device identifying an identifier of the first mobile transportation device and transmitting it to the dispatch system along with the identified item information.
The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the item receiving container information is location information and/or identifier information of the item receiving container.
The method of claim 3, wherein the item identification device information is location information and/or identifier information of the item identification device.
The method of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the item information is one or more of a category, a destination address, and an item attribute of the item to be sorted.
An item sorting system includes a first mobile transport device, an item identification device, a dispatch system, and an item receiving container, wherein:

The first mobile transport device is configured to receive the loaded item to be sorted at the loading point, and transport the item to be sorted to and in response to the item receiving container information for the item to be sorted from the dispatching system The item receiving container corresponding to the item receiving container;

The item identification device is configured to identify the item information of the item to be sorted and send the item information to a dispatching system;

The dispatching system is configured to assign the item receiving container to the item to be sorted according to the received item information and send the item receiving container information of the item receiving container to the item to be sorted First mobile transport device;

The item receiving container is configured to receive the item to be sorted delivered to the item,

Wherein the first mobile transport device, the article identification device and the article receiving container are physically independent of each other, and the article identification device and the article receiving container are respectively disposed independently of each other at the first mobile transport device and can be identified therein. The device and the item receiving container are each capable of communicating with the dispatch system at any location.
The article sorting system of claim 14 wherein said item identification device is located at said loading point.
The article sorting system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said article identifying means is located at a position different from said loading point, wherein said first moving transport means is loaded to said first in response to said item to be sorted Transmitting the transport device to send to the dispatching system a loading notification that the item to be sorted has been loaded, and the dispatching system transmits the item identification device information of the item identifying device to the first mobile transport device in response to the loading notification, first The mobile transport device transports the item to be sorted to the item identification device based on the item identification device information.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising a second mobile transport device for transporting a plurality of items to be sorted including the item to be sorted to the loading point, For loading and identification.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14-17, wherein the first mobile transport device delivers the item to be sorted after transporting the item to be sorted to the item receiving container To the item receiving container.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 18, further comprising load amount measuring means for measuring the loaded amount of the article receiving container after the item to be sorted is delivered, and The loaded amount is sent to the dispatch system.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 19, further comprising a third mobile transport device, wherein the dispatching system determines whether the loaded amount satisfies a predetermined requirement, and satisfies the loaded amount In the case where the predetermined request is made, the third mobile transport device is notified to the position of the article receiving container to transport the article receiving container to the predetermined sorting site by the third mobile transport device.
An article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 20, further comprising a fourth mobile transport device for receiving the loading in the article receiving container at the predetermined sorting location in response to a notification of the dispatching system The packaged items are transported and the packaged items are transported to a designated shipping location.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein the load amount measuring device is included in the first mobile transport device or disposed on or near the article receiving container.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the article identification device is included in the first mobile transport device.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein the article sorting system includes a plurality of the first mobile transport devices and a plurality of the article receiving devices.
The article sorting system according to any one of claims 14 to 24, wherein the article sorting system includes a plurality of the article identifying devices.