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WO2025143399A1 - Logistics picking system using robots - Google Patents

Logistics picking system using robots Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2025143399A1
WO2025143399A1 PCT/KR2024/008865 KR2024008865W WO2025143399A1 WO 2025143399 A1 WO2025143399 A1 WO 2025143399A1 KR 2024008865 W KR2024008865 W KR 2024008865W WO 2025143399 A1 WO2025143399 A1 WO 2025143399A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
robot
transfer robot
call
picking
node
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/KR2024/008865
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Eun Sol Choi
Dongjun Shin
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Twinny Co Ltd
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Twinny Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Twinny Co Ltd filed Critical Twinny Co Ltd
Publication of WO2025143399A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025143399A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
    • G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
    • G05B19/418—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
    • G05B19/4189—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] characterised by the transport system
    • G05B19/41895—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] characterised by the transport system using automatic guided vehicles [AGV]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/60—Intended control result
    • G05D1/656—Interaction with payloads or external entities
    • G05D1/667—Delivering or retrieving payloads
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/60—Intended control result
    • G05D1/656—Interaction with payloads or external entities
    • G05D1/686—Maintaining a relative position with respect to moving targets, e.g. following animals or humans
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/60—Intended control result
    • G05D1/69—Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
    • G05D1/692—Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/60—Intended control result
    • G05D1/69—Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
    • G05D1/698—Control allocation
    • G05D1/6987—Control allocation by centralised control off-board any of the vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D2105/00—Specific applications of the controlled vehicles
    • G05D2105/20—Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation
    • G05D2105/28—Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D2109/00—Types of controlled vehicles
    • G05D2109/10—Land vehicles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a logistics picking system using a robot, and more particularly relates to a logistics picking system using a tracking robot that tracks workers within a workspace and a transport robot that takes items from the tracking robot and moves the taken items to a lowering site, and that can perform logistics utilization such as packaging, unloading, transporting, storage and communication of materials and products more easily.
  • the picking process means that accurate products are brought from places where the products are located by an accurate quantity according to the order quantity, and the packing process means that the ordered products are collected and packaged in an appropriate manner.
  • the above-described method of picking up and packaging directly by hand suitable for a small online store is referred to as piece picking.
  • piece picking there is a method of processing the corresponding product by the administrator at once, that is, batch picking, which is used when sufficient order quantity is generated for a single or a small number of products handled by the store.
  • zone picking method which is a method of picking up and delivering only the corresponding product. Although it can operate efficiently, systematic cooperation is required, and additional means for rapid delivery of the picked-up product may be required.
  • wave picking method in which a zone picking method and a batch picking method are combined, and this is operated in a method of collectively picking up the same product in one area and delivering the same product to the next area for a large quantity order of small items.
  • robots e.g., automated guided vehicles (AGV), autonomous mobile robots (AMR), and the like, which are present at a force advantage than a person, are recently used in the process of picking up the items and delivering the picked up items.
  • AGV automated guided vehicles
  • AMR autonomous mobile robots
  • the limit weight means a weight that can safely transfer the item loaded in the loading means for the logistics, and for example, 80% to 90% of the maximum loading possibility of the loading means may be set as the limit weight.
  • it may be sufficiently changed according to the specifications of the robot and the acceptable specifications of the loading means.
  • a stacking box providing a stacking space may be stacked in the stacking means, and products may be stacked or stored in the stacking box.
  • Each of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may further include an input and output means.
  • the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may output the sensed weight information through the input and output means such as the display means when the weight information of the loading means sensed by the sensor means is equal to or greater than the threshold weight.
  • the worker located in the work space may easily know that the weight information of the loading means of the corresponding picking robot 30 is equal to or greater than the threshold weight.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive the weight information of the loading stage from the picking robot 30, and if the weight information exceeds the loading threshold weight, the integrated server 10 may perform subsequent measures for this.
  • the subsequent measures may be for outputting the current weight information through the input and output means included in the picking robot 30 or may be for transmitting the current weight information to the terminal means carried by the worker.
  • the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may meet at the call node set based on the setting by the worker or the setting by the integrated server 10. The setting operation of the call node will be described in detail later.
  • the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may be controlled to move to a pre-set direction such that the worker easily works in a situation where the worker transfers the products loaded in the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20.
  • the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may further include at least one recognition means for recognizing the robot included in a different robot group, wherein the robot is located around the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
  • the recognition means may be positioned at a surface of each of picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
  • the picking robot 30 may include a recognition means for recognizing the transfer robot 20 located around the periphery, and the transfer robot 20 includes a recognition means for recognizing a picking robot 30 located around the periphery.
  • the recognition means may be a means for recognizing a robot, and is not limited to the means itself.
  • the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to face a pre-set direction.
  • the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to face a pre-set direction based on the fact that the picking robot 30 is fixedly controlled to face the preset direction while following the worker when the picking robot 30 moves to the set call node. It is for that the worker can easily transfer the logistics loaded on the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20.
  • the transfer robot 20 may recognize the direction of the picking robot 30 through a marker (an embodiment of the recognition means) formed in the picking robot 30, recognizes which surface the recognized marker corresponds to a front surface, a rear surface, a left side surface, or a right side surface of the picking robot 30, and adjusts the posture of the transfer robot 20 so that the pre-set surfaces face each other.
  • a marker an embodiment of the recognition means
  • following stop command information may be inputted to the corresponding picking robot 30 by the integrated server 10, so that the picking robot 30 does not move for following the worker during the worker moves between the transfer robot 20 from the picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information.
  • the picking robot 30 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10, and the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information.
  • the integrated server 10 may be connected, through a network, to at least one robot (hereinafter referred to as a picking robot 30) included in the robot group corresponding to the picking robot 30 and at least one robot (hereinafter referred to as a transfer robot 20) included in the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot 20, respectively, and generates commands for controlling the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
  • a picking robot 30 included in the robot group corresponding to the picking robot 30
  • a transfer robot 20 included in the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot 20, respectively, and generates commands for controlling the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
  • the integrates server 10 may generate preparation command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105a, and the transfer robot 20 may recognize node location information in operation 107a.
  • the transfer robot 20 may recognize location information of all nodes set in the work space, when the preparation command information is input by the integrated server 10.
  • the logistics picking system using the robot is preferably a first process of starting logistics work, and input preparation command information to the transfer robot 20 through the integrated server 10.
  • the preparation command information may be generated by receiving the input of the work in the work space from the integrated server 10 itself, or if the preparation command information is inputted through the terminal means owned by the worker located in the work space. Or if the preparation command information is inputted through the input/output means of the transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may receive the input of the preparation command information and generate the command information.
  • the transfer robot 20 recognizes the location information about all the nodes, the time of the work itself may be delayed. So it is most preferable that, if the work is scheduled in any work space in the integrated server 10, before the worker is located in the work space, the integrated server 10 inputs the preparation command information to the transfer robot 20 as a so-called "preparation" process, and the transfer robot 20 recognizes the location information about all the nodes based on the preparation command information.
  • the location information of the nodes may include information about the indoor side, or information about a preset cycling order based on the nodes set/arranged in the work space in advance, rather than the location information including the GPS coordinates, because the operation is performed in the logistics warehouse rather than the open space by the characteristics of the present invention.
  • the location information may include any information capable of distinguishing each node.
  • the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may be used to be compatible with each other. Based on this point, the following description will be given.
  • the picking robot 30 may follow the worker in the work space and may continuously load the picked products from the rack (the shipboard) located in the work space by the worker.
  • the transfer robot 20 may take the products loaded in the picking robot 30 and may move to the preset un-loading node to take the picked items.
  • the transfer robot 20 may perform a simple circular movement until the worker located in the work space starts the work and may load the products as much as the limit weight in the loading means of the picking robot 30 or before receiving the un-loading movement command information by the integrated server 10.
  • the integrates server 10 may generate a basic operation command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105b, and the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement and stop for a certain time period in operation 107b.
  • the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation for a moving in one direction along a plurality of stop nodes set by using the location information about all the nodes set in the work space by receiving the preparation command information, when the basic operation command is inputted by the integrated server 10.
  • the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation in one direction by using the location information about the stop nodes set in the work space.
  • the stop node means a node formed at points where the paths between two or more nodes located adjacent to intersect in different directions. In other words, a node formed at a point where two different passages intersect among the plurality of nodes may beset as a stop node.
  • the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation while stopping each stop node by a predetermined time.
  • the transfer robot 20 may perform a movement operation along a circular path set by the integrated server 10 using the stop nodes and may stop at each of the stop nodes for a predetermined time, and the logistics in the picking robot 30 may be transferred to the transfer robot 20 during the time the transfer robot 20 is stopped.
  • the transfer robot 20 may only stop at the stop nodes during the circular movement.
  • the transfer robot 20 may comprise at least one robot, e.g., two or more robots, as described above. If two or more robots circularly moves all nodes located in the work space in different directions, problems occur, such as overlapping movement paths. Even though they have a default obstacle avoidance function, if they move circularly while avoiding other robots with overlapping moving paths, they are inevitably ineffective.
  • the two or more transfer robots may sequentially circularly move in a preset direction along the set circulation path using the stop nodes.
  • the following robot may flexibly react with the sudden change of the route of the preceding robot and the avoidance of the obstacle by spacing a predetermined distance between each robot.
  • the basic operation command information may be generated in accordance with the set schedule of the work performed in the work space in the integrated server 10 itself, or may be generated as command information when the integrated server 10 receives it through the terminal means owned by the worker located in the work space.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 201, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 203.
  • the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 205, may analyze a location based on the picking robot 30 of which movement is stopped in operation 207, may set a call node and extract a closest transfer robot 20, and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 211.
  • the integrated server 10 may analyze the call command information for the input transfer robot 20 and determines whether to include specific location information, which is location-related information.
  • the adjacent node may be extracted based on the specific location information and may be set as the call node. Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may extract the transfer robot 20 located closest to the set call node, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the call node along the call driving path.
  • the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 following the worker as the specific location information.
  • the location-related information may include at least one of current location information of the picking robot 30, location information of nodes set in the operating space, or preset area information in the work space.
  • the location-related information may be information that can specify the location at which the transfer robot 20 must arrive.
  • the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 based on the corresponding time point, may extract the generated location information and the nearest node to set as the call node, may extract the transfer robot 20 located nearest to the call node, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the call node based on the driving path.
  • the integrated server 10 may transmit information about the controlled transfer robot 20 to a terminal owned by a worker.
  • the integrated server 10 may transmit the information about the controlled transfer robot 20 that starts in response to the worker's call command information along with the call node, e.g., the node closest to the location information of the picking robot 30, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive.
  • the worker may input the call command information after completing the picking operation, or may input the call command information in the middle of the picking operation.
  • the transfer robot 20 may arrive at the call node through the call driving path generated based on the location information of the picking robot 30 generated at the time of the calling command information or the inputted specific location information.
  • the scenario can be constructed more easily.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 301, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 303.
  • the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 305, may analyze location related information, set a call node, and extract closest transfer robot in operation 307, and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 309.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 311, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 313.
  • the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 315.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 317, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 319. And then, in operation 321, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
  • the integrated server 10 may extract the closest nodes and may set them as call nodes based on the specific location information, the location of the picking robot 30, the specific node information, and the preset area information, e.g., information about racks in the work space, information about passage in the work space, included in the call command information, may extract the transfer robot 20 located closest to the set call nodes, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 so that the extracted transfer robot 20 can move to the call nodes along the call driving path.
  • the preset area information e.g., information about racks in the work space, information about passage in the work space, included in the call command information
  • the scenario of FIG. 2 and the scenario of FIG. 3 may perform the operation under the assumption that the picking robot 30 and the loading means of the transfer robot 20 have the same limit weight.
  • the inputting of the following stop command information for the corresponding picking robot 30 to the integrated server 10 means that the picking robot 30 is loaded with a logistics equal to or greater than the loading limit weight or the picking operation is finished, it is necessary to have the transfer robot 20 that can sufficiently transfer and store the logistics carried in the picking robot 30.
  • the operation may be performed in another scenario to be described later.
  • the worker may input not only the location-related information in the call command information, but also the number of transfer robot 20 necessary.
  • the integrated server 10 may set the number of a plurality of transfer robots matching one picking robot 30 by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
  • the integrated server 10 may calculate and set the extraction number of the plurality of transfer robots necessary by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20, or may analyze the requested number of the transfer robot 20 included in the call command information to set the extraction number of the plurality of transfer robots necessary.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 401, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 403.
  • the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 405, may analyze a location based on the picking robot 20 in operation 407, set a call node in operation 409, and extract the needed number of transfer robots and extract the transfer robots as needed number based on the location of the set call node in operation 411 and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 413.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 415, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 417. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 419. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 421, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 423. And then, in operation 425, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
  • the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current location for the corresponding picking robot 30, and if the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 based on the corresponding time point, may extract the generated location information and the nearest node, set the extracted node as the call node, and may extract the plurality of transfer robots located closest to the set call node.
  • the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the extracted call node, and to transmit the information about the transfer robots that are moved controlled, e.g., the information about the transfer robots that start corresponding to the call command information of the worker, together with the node, e.g., the node nearest to the location information of the picking robot 30, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive to the terminal carried by the worker.
  • the information about the transfer robots that are moved controlled e.g., the information about the transfer robots that start corresponding to the call command information of the worker, together with the node, e.g., the node nearest to the location information of the picking robot 30, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive to the terminal carried by the worker.
  • the integrated server 10 may control the extracting of the transfer robots by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the call node.
  • the call node preferably consists of combinations of a plurality of nodes.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 501, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 503.
  • the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 505, may analyze location related information in operation 507, set a call node in operation 509, and extract the needed number of transfer robots and extract the transfer robots as needed number based on the location of the set call node in operation 511 and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 513.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 515, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 517. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 519. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 521, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 523. And then, in operation 525, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
  • the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current position for the corresponding picking robot 30. And when the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may extract the closest node based on the location-related information included in the call command, may set the extracted node as the call node, and may extract the plurality of transfer robots located closest to the set call node. The control may be performed to move the extracted transfer robots to the call node.
  • the following stop command information for the corresponding picking robot 30 may be input to the integrated server 10 by using the terminal means owned by the worker or through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30 following themselves.
  • the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current position for the corresponding picking robot 30.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive at least one of the node information set in the region where the worker is currently located in the call command information, or the predetermined area information, e.g., information about racks such as shelves in the work space, information about the passages in the work space, as the location information that can know the location in which the picking robot 30 is stopped, may analyze the corresponding location information, extracts the closest node, and may set the closest node as the call node.
  • the predetermined area information e.g., information about racks such as shelves in the work space, information about the passages in the work space, as the location information that can know the location in which the picking robot 30 is stopped
  • the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of the needed transfer robots to be extracted by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20, or may analyze the number of the requested transfer robot 20 included in the call command information, and may set the number of the necessary transfer robots to be extracted.
  • the integrated server 10 may extract the needed number of the transfer robots based on the setting of the number of the necessary transfer robots to be extracted. And the integrated server 10 may extract the needed number of the transfer robots according to the call node by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the extracted node.
  • the loading means of the transfer robot 20 preferably may have a larger limited weight than the loading means of the picking robot 30, and the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of the plurality of picking robots matched with one transfer robot 20 by using the difference in the amount of loading, and may set the limit processing number.
  • one transfer robot 20 may correspond to the plurality of call command information. Based on this, the scenario of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 can be performed when the plurality of picking robots follow one worker, or when a plurality of workers are in the work space and each of the picking robots follows each of the workers.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a plurality of following stop commands inputted by an external input E in operation 601, and may generate each of a plurality of stop commands for the picking robot 30 in operation 603.
  • the external input E may include a plurality of inputs by the terminal means owned by the plurality of worker and/or the input/output means of the plurality of picking robots.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 605, may analyze location based on each of the plurality of picking robots in operation 607, set each of a plurality of call nodes in operation 609.
  • the integrated server 10 may determine whether there are existing overlapping nodes in operation 611, and when there are overlapping nodes (611-Y) integrated server 10 may determine whether the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is less than the limit processing number in operation 613. And, when the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is less than the limit processing number (613-Y), the integrated server 10 may extract a transfer robot closest from the overlapping nodes in operation 615. And referring to FIG. 8, when the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is greater than the limit processing number (613-N), the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of the transfer robots, and may extract the transfer robots as need number in order of distance in operation 801.
  • the limit processing number may be set based on a limit weight difference between the transfer robot 20 and each loading space of the picking robot 30, and may be arbitrarily set by the worker.
  • the integrated server 10 may receive at least one of the node information set in the area currently located by the worker or the predetermined area information, e.g., information about racks in the work space, information about passages in the work space as the location-related information for each of the plurality of call command information, may analyze the corresponding location-related information, may extract the closest node, and may set the closest node as the call node. Since FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B differ only in which the location-related information for setting the call node is included in the call command information, the follows will be simultaneously described for ease of explanation.
  • the integrated server 10 may determine whether the overlapping call node exists using the extracted closest call nodes.
  • the existence of the overlapping call node means that the existence of the overlapping picking robots. Accordingly, picking robots associated with overlapping nodes may be calculated.
  • the integrated server 10 may transmit information about the controlled transfer robot 20 to a terminal owned by a worker associated with a corresponding picking robot 30, e.g., a worker followed by a picking robot 30 associated with overlapping call nodes.
  • information about the transfer robot 20 departing in response to the worker's call command information is transmitted along with information about the node, e.g., overlapping call node, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive.
  • the integrated server 10 may generate the shortest path for moving the overlapping call node extracted from the current location information using the current location information of the corresponding transfer robot 20, and may control the transfer robot 20 to move to the overlapping call node through the shortest path.
  • the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of transfer robots by using the calculated number of transfer robots, the number of picking robots associated with overlapping nodes, if the calculated number of transfer robots is equal to or larger than the set limit processing number, that is, if the amount of loading of corresponding picking robots cannot be processed by one transfer robot 20, may analyze distance information of each transfer robot 20 based on the overlapping call nodes, may extract transfer robots by the set needed number of transfer robots by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the extracted overlapping call nodes, and may transmit information about the extracted transfer robots to a terminal owned by a worker.
  • the number of picking robots that are associated with overlapping call nodes and the limited processing number set by the transfer means are used to set the number of transfer robots that are additionally needed, that is, the needed number of transfer robots.
  • the distance information of each transfer robot 20 may be analyzed based on the overlapping call nodes, the transfer robots may be extracted by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and the extracted transfer robots may be controlled to move to the overlapping call nodes extracted.
  • the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all the matching call nodes by using the location information for the matching call nodes, and thus may allow the transfer robots to process the loading amount of all the matching picking robots.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a logistics picking system using a robot. In detail, it is a technology that performs logistics picking within a preset workspace using at least two groups of robots, each including at least one robot, by controlling the operation of the robots for various conditions without linking with a warehouse management system.

Description

LOGISTICS PICKING SYSTEM USING ROBOTS
The present invention relates to a logistics picking system using a robot, and more particularly relates to a logistics picking system using a tracking robot that tracks workers within a workspace and a transport robot that takes items from the tracking robot and moves the taken items to a lowering site, and that can perform logistics utilization such as packaging, unloading, transporting, storage and communication of materials and products more easily.
For example, when a product order is done online, all products are subjected to a picking and packing process.
The picking process means that accurate products are brought from places where the products are located by an accurate quantity according to the order quantity, and the packing process means that the ordered products are collected and packaged in an appropriate manner.
In order to effectively reduce the logistics cost, it is preferable to simplify the above-described picking and packing process.
If a small online store is used, it is sufficient for an administrator (worker, seller, and the like) to pick up and packaged directly by hand, but the larger the size, the larger the cost and time are naturally required when a person is taking a day.
Accordingly, an effective and suitable product picking method has been studied.
To explain the traditional picking method, the above-described method of picking up and packaging directly by hand suitable for a small online store is referred to as piece picking. And when the same product is included in several orders, there is a method of processing the corresponding product by the administrator at once, that is, batch picking, which is used when sufficient order quantity is generated for a single or a small number of products handled by the store.
In order to increase the size, if each administrator is assigned to a specific area and a product is located in the area for each order, there is a zone picking method, which is a method of picking up and delivering only the corresponding product. Although it can operate efficiently, systematic cooperation is required, and additional means for rapid delivery of the picked-up product may be required.
In addition, there is a wave picking method in which a zone picking method and a batch picking method are combined, and this is operated in a method of collectively picking up the same product in one area and delivering the same product to the next area for a large quantity order of small items.
There is a clear weight limit of the logistics that can be processed because all the above-described processes must be done manually by the administrator. That is, in order to pick one item, several administrators are required, or only a small quantity of items can be picked up at once due to the inevitable force limit, and there is a problem in that the same items in the same area must be repeatedly picked up.
In order to solve this problem, robots, e.g., automated guided vehicles (AGV), autonomous mobile robots (AMR), and the like, which are present at a force advantage than a person, are recently used in the process of picking up the items and delivering the picked up items.
In this regard, Korean Patent No 10-258469 ("a logistics transfer system including a picking robot") discloses a logistics transfer system including picking robots that are selectively coupled to racks so that can pick up only the items that will be shipped and transfer the items to a set destination.
[Prior Arts]
Korean Patent Registration No 10-258469 (registered date 2023.09.27.)
Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a logistics picking system using a robot that operates a robot in various ways and can perform logistics picking.
The logistics picking system using a robot of the present invention to achieve the above objectives is preferable to include a picking robot that follows a worker located in a work space, a picking robot that includes any one selected robot group, and a picking robot that includes another selected robot group, wherein the robot includes a transfer robot that recognizes a position of a plurality of nodes in the work space in advance and moves using the recognized nodes, and an integrated server that generates a command for controlling the picking robot and the transfer robot.
Furthermore, when the basic operation command information is input by the integrated server, the transfer robot may cyclically move a plurality of stop nodes included in a plurality of nodes in one direction and stop each stop node by a predetermined time, wherein the stop nodes are formed at points where paths between two or more nodes located adjacent to each other intersect in different directions.
Furthermore, the transfer robot is located on the stop by the integrated server, and when time extension command information is input, the transfer robot is as long as a predetermined extension time.
Furthermore, the transfer robot is desirable to stop the moving after the transfer robot moves to the un-loading nodes included in the plurality of nodes when the un-loading movement command information is input by the integrated server.
Furthermore, if the transfer robot is input with resume command information by the integrated server, it is preferable to resume circular movement after moving to a stop node or a starter node included in a plurality of nodes that was located before performing a movement action immediately before.
Furthermore, the transfer robot moves to a call node that is set when a call command is input by the integrated server, and the call node is set as a node that is set based on specific location information included in the call command information or location information of the picking robot.
Furthermore, the integrated server preferably extracts the nearest node and sets it as the call node based on the specific location information included in the calling command information, extracts the transfer robot located nearest to the set call node, and controls the extracted transfer robot to move to the call node.
Furthermore, the integrated server preferably extracts the node closest to the location of the picking robot based on the location information of the picking robot included in the call command information and sets it as the call node, extracts the transfer robot closest to the set call node, and controls the extracted transfer robot to move to the call node.
Furthermore, the integrated server preferably receives one of the current location information of the picking robot, the location information of the nodes set in the operating space, and the predetermined area information in the work space as location-related information.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the picking robot and the transfer robot each include at least one loading means having a preset limit weight, and the integrated server configures the extraction number of the transfer robot based on the limit weight information of the picking robot and the transfer robot, based on the above description, reflecting the call command information.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the integrated server determines whether there is an overlapping call node among call nodes set by each calling command information when the call command information for the transfer robot is input multiple times, calculates the number of the picking robot associated with the overlapping call node when there is an overlapping call node, and extracts one transfer robot located closest to the overlapping call node when the calculated number is less than the limit processing number of the set transfer robot, and controls the extracted transfer robot to move to the overlapping call node.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the integrated server determines whether there is a duplicate transfer robot by using each of the extracted transfer robots, calculates the number of call nodes matched to the duplicate transfer robot when there is a duplicate transfer robot, and controls the duplicate transfer robot to move to the matching call node when the calculated number is less than the limit processing number of the set transfer robot, and controls the duplicate transfer robot to move through all call nodes matched by using the location information of the matching call nodes.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the picking robot and the transfer robot each include at least one loading means having a preset limit weight and sensing means for sensing the weight of the loading means, and the integrated server generates call command information for calling the transfer robot to a location where the picking robot is present when the sensor means of the picking robot senses the limit weight or more, and generates charging down movement command information for moving the transfer robot to a charging down node included in a plurality of nodes when the sensor means of the transfer robot senses the limit weight or more.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the integrated server receives at least one command information from among basic operation command information, time extension command information, charging down movement command information, operation resume command information, following stop command information, and call command information from the outside.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the picking robot and the transfer robot each include input and output means, the transfer robot receives at least one command information from among basic operation command information, time extension command information, charging down movement command information, and operation resume command information through the input and output means, the picking robot receives at least one command information from among following stop command information and call command information through the input and output means, and transmits the input command information to the integrated server.
Furthermore, the logistics picking system using the robot is preferably configured such that when two or more robots are included in a robot group corresponding to the picking robot, the two or more robots follow workers located in the work space and are located in one direction based on a set following direction.
In addition, the logistics picking system using the robot is preferably configured such that when two or more robots are included in a robot group corresponding to the transfer robot, the two or more robots sequentially cyclically move a plurality of stop nodes formed by recognizing nodes in the work space or move by the shortest time path to the call node input by the integrated server or the shortest distance path.
In addition, the picking robot and the transfer robot each include recognition means configured to recognize robots included in different robot groups located around one surface, and the integrated server is preferably configured to control the transfer robot to face a predetermined direction when a robot recognition signal is transmitted from the picking robot or the recognition means of the transfer robot.
According to the present invention, a logistics picking system using a robot is a technology for performing logistics picking in a preset work space using at least two robot groups each including at least one robot, and has an advantage of controlling the operation of the robot with various conditions without interlocking with a warehouse management system to perform logistics picking.
FIGS. 1 to 8 are timing diagrams illustrating a logistics picking system using a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Hereinafter, a logistics picking system using a robot according to the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following drawings are provided as examples so that the spirit of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the drawings presented below, but may be embodied in other forms. In addition, the same reference numerals denote the same components throughout the specification.
In this case, unless otherwise defined in the technical terminology and scientific terms used, they may have the meaning that they are commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and the description of known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
In addition, the system may aim to a set of components including devices, instruments, and means that are organized and regularly interacted to perform the necessary functions.
The logistics picking system using a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a technology for performing logistics picking in a predetermined work space using at least two robot groups each including at least one robot, and may relate to a technology capable of performing logistics picking by controlling the operation of the robot for various conditions without interworking with a warehouse management system (WMS).
The logistics picking system using a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is a logistics picking system using a robot, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the logistics picking system may include an integrated server 10, a transfer robot 20, and a picking robot 30, wherein the integrated server 10 integrates and manages them.
The picking robot 30 may include any one selected robot group, and at least one robot included in the corresponding robot group may follow a worker located in the work space.
The picking robot 30 preferably may include at least one of a LiDAR sensor, a camera sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor to follow the worker, and the robot itself that performs an operation of following any set object, e.g., worker, corresponds to a conventional technology, and thus detailed descriptions of the detailed configuration of the picking robot 30 will be omitted.
When two or more robots are included in the robot group corresponding to the picking robot 30, in other words, when two or more picking robots follow the worker, the two or more robots may follow the worker located in the work space, and may be located back-to-back in one direction based on the set following direction. In this case, the setting of the following direction may be set in a direction in which the worker easily moves logistics to the loading means of the picking robot 30 based on the worker. In addition, it may allow the following robot to flexibly react with the sudden route change and obstacle avoidance of the leading robot by a predetermined distance between two or more robots.
In other words, when a plurality of picking robots follow a worker, the plurality of picking robots may consist of a leader robot following a worker right after the worker, and following robots following the leader robot.
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrated server 10 may generate a stop command in operation 101. For example, the stop command may include a following stop command configured to control the picking robot 30 to stop the following operation for a worker, and the picking robot 30 may stop the following in operation 103. For example, the picking robot 30 may stop the following operation at the current position, when the following stop command is inputted by the integrated server 10.
The following stop command may be generated by the integrated server 10 itself according to a set schedule of a work that is carried out within the work space, or may be generated as command information by the integrated server 10 when it is inputted through a terminal means owned by a worker located within the work space.
In addition, by including a separate input/output means in the picking robot 30, if a worker located in the work space inputs the following stop command through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30, the transfer robot 20 may transmit the inputted following stop command to the integrated server 10. And the integrated server 10 may generate command information based on the following stop command.
The transfer robot 20 may include another selected robot group, and at least one robot included in the corresponding robot group recognizes the position of the predetermined number of nodes in the work space in advance and moves using the recognized node.
The transfer robot 20 may include at least one of a LiDAR sensor, a camera sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor to recognize a node and move to the node. Since the transfer robot 20 that recognizes the node and moves to the node also may correspond to a common technology, detailed descriptions of the detailed configuration of the transfer robot 20 are omitted.
When the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot 20 includes two or more robots, that is, when the robot is located in two or more transfer robots in the workspace, the two or more robots may sequentially circularly move a plurality of stop nodes formed by recognizing nodes in the workspace, or move by the shortest time route or the shortest distance route to the call node input by the integrated server 10. The movement control for the transfer robot 20 will be described in detail later.
In addition, the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may further include at least one loading means having a preset weight and a sensing means for sensing the weight of the loading means.
The picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may transmit weight information sensed by the sensor means to the integrated server 10.
In this case, the limit weight means a weight that can safely transfer the item loaded in the loading means for the logistics, and for example, 80% to 90% of the maximum loading possibility of the loading means may be set as the limit weight. Of course, it may be sufficiently changed according to the specifications of the robot and the acceptable specifications of the loading means. In addition, a stacking box providing a stacking space may be stacked in the stacking means, and products may be stacked or stored in the stacking box.
The integrated server 10 may generate call command information for calling the transfer robot 20 to the location where the picking robot 30, when the weight information sensed from the sensor means of the picking robot 30 is equal to or greater than the limit weight of the picking robot 30.
In addition, when the weight information sensed by the sensor means of the transfer robot 20 is equal to or greater than the limit weight of the transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may generate the un-loading movement command information that the transfer robot 20 moves to the un-loading node included in the plurality of nodes.
Here, the un-loading node may be set as at least one node among a plurality of nodes, and may be set in advance.
That is, the integrated server 10 may receive the loading weight of the loading space of each of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 by the sensing means of each of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20, and when each loading weight is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold weight, the integrated server 10 may automatically generate call command or un-loading movement command information.
In addition, the integrated server 10 may generate command information for controlling the state of the corresponding robot when the weight information sensed from the sensing means of the picking robot 30 or the transfer robot 20 is equal to or greater than the threshold weight of the corresponding robot, and may transmit the state information of the corresponding robot, that is, call command information or un-loading movement command information, to the terminal means carried by the worker to share the state information of the robot in the work space with the worker.
That is, if the integrated server 10 generates command information for controlling each robot based on the threshold weight of the picking robot 30 or the threshold weight of the transfer robot 20, the robot may be controlled through the terminal means carried by the worker or the input and output means included in each of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
The worker may check the transmitted information through the terminal means carried by the worker. When the transmitted information corresponds to the call command information, the worker may move to the nearest node based on the current position to wait the transfer robot 20 to transfer the products loaded in the corresponding picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20.
Each of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may further include an input and output means.
Through this, the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may output the sensed weight information through the input and output means such as the display means when the weight information of the loading means sensed by the sensor means is equal to or greater than the threshold weight.
Accordingly, there is an advantage that the worker located in the work space may easily know that the weight information of the loading means of the corresponding picking robot 30 is equal to or greater than the threshold weight.
In other words, the integrated server 10 may receive the weight information of the loading stage from the picking robot 30, and if the weight information exceeds the loading threshold weight, the integrated server 10 may perform subsequent measures for this.
The subsequent measures may be for outputting the current weight information through the input and output means included in the picking robot 30 or may be for transmitting the current weight information to the terminal means carried by the worker. Through this, the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may meet at the call node set based on the setting by the worker or the setting by the integrated server 10. The setting operation of the call node will be described in detail later.
The picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may be controlled to move to a pre-set direction such that the worker easily works in a situation where the worker transfers the products loaded in the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20.
Specifically, the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may further include at least one recognition means for recognizing the robot included in a different robot group, wherein the robot is located around the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20. The recognition means may be positioned at a surface of each of picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
In other words, the picking robot 30 may include a recognition means for recognizing the transfer robot 20 located around the periphery, and the transfer robot 20 includes a recognition means for recognizing a picking robot 30 located around the periphery. The recognition means may be a means for recognizing a robot, and is not limited to the means itself.
When the robot recognition signal is transmitted to the integrated server 10 from the recognition means of the picking robot 30 or the transfer robot 20 in a situation where the worker transfers the products loaded on the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20 in the set call node as described above, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to face a pre-set direction.
Since the picking robot 30 is a robot for natively following the worker, it is natural that the picking robot 30 is set to follow the worker in a direction that is easy to transfer the products to the loading means of the picking robot 30 for the worker. Therefore, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to face a pre-set direction based on the fact that the picking robot 30 is fixedly controlled to face the preset direction while following the worker when the picking robot 30 moves to the set call node. It is for that the worker can easily transfer the logistics loaded on the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20.
For example, the transfer robot 20 may recognize the direction of the picking robot 30 through a marker (an embodiment of the recognition means) formed in the picking robot 30, recognizes which surface the recognized marker corresponds to a front surface, a rear surface, a left side surface, or a right side surface of the picking robot 30, and adjusts the posture of the transfer robot 20 so that the pre-set surfaces face each other.
In addition, following stop command information may be inputted to the corresponding picking robot 30 by the integrated server 10, so that the picking robot 30 does not move for following the worker during the worker moves between the transfer robot 20 from the picking robot 30.
When the integrated server 10 determines that the picking robot 30 meets the transfer robot 20 at the set call node and generates command information or inputs through a terminal means carried by the worker located in the work space, the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information.
Alternatively, when the worker inputs the following stop through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30, the picking robot 30 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10, and the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information.
The integrated server 10 may be connected, through a network, to at least one robot (hereinafter referred to as a picking robot 30) included in the robot group corresponding to the picking robot 30 and at least one robot (hereinafter referred to as a transfer robot 20) included in the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot 20, respectively, and generates commands for controlling the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
Based on the above description, various scenarios of the logistics picking system using robot will be described in detail below,
[Embodiment 1-1: Preparation command]
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrates server 10 may generate preparation command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105a, and the transfer robot 20 may recognize node location information in operation 107a. For example, the transfer robot 20 may recognize location information of all nodes set in the work space, when the preparation command information is input by the integrated server 10.
Since the transfer robot 20 may generate a path between the node and the node and may move along the path, a process of recognizing location information about all the nodes must be preceded. At this time, the logistics picking system using the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is preferably a first process of starting logistics work, and input preparation command information to the transfer robot 20 through the integrated server 10.
In this case, the preparation command information may be generated by receiving the input of the work in the work space from the integrated server 10 itself, or if the preparation command information is inputted through the terminal means owned by the worker located in the work space. Or if the preparation command information is inputted through the input/output means of the transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may receive the input of the preparation command information and generate the command information.
However, if the worker inputs the preparation command information and then the transfer robot 20 recognizes the location information about all the nodes, the time of the work itself may be delayed. So it is most preferable that, if the work is scheduled in any work space in the integrated server 10, before the worker is located in the work space, the integrated server 10 inputs the preparation command information to the transfer robot 20 as a so-called "preparation" process, and the transfer robot 20 recognizes the location information about all the nodes based on the preparation command information.
In this case, the location information of the nodes may include information about the indoor side, or information about a preset cycling order based on the nodes set/arranged in the work space in advance, rather than the location information including the GPS coordinates, because the operation is performed in the logistics warehouse rather than the open space by the characteristics of the present invention. But is not limited thereto, the location information may include any information capable of distinguishing each node.
The picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20 may be used to be compatible with each other. Based on this point, the following description will be given.
The picking robot 30 may follow the worker in the work space and may continuously load the picked products from the rack (the shipboard) located in the work space by the worker.
The transfer robot 20 may take the products loaded in the picking robot 30 and may move to the preset un-loading node to take the picked items.
That is, in other words, the transfer robot 20 may perform a simple circular movement until the worker located in the work space starts the work and may load the products as much as the limit weight in the loading means of the picking robot 30 or before receiving the un-loading movement command information by the integrated server 10.
[Embodiment 1-2: Basic operation command]
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrates server 10 may generate a basic operation command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105b, and the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement and stop for a certain time period in operation 107b. For example, the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation for a moving in one direction along a plurality of stop nodes set by using the location information about all the nodes set in the work space by receiving the preparation command information, when the basic operation command is inputted by the integrated server 10.
That is, if no additional command is inputted, the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation in one direction by using the location information about the stop nodes set in the work space.
The stop node means a node formed at points where the paths between two or more nodes located adjacent to intersect in different directions. In other words, a node formed at a point where two different passages intersect among the plurality of nodes may beset as a stop node.
When the basic operation command information is inputted by the integrated server 10, the transfer robot 20 may perform a circular movement operation while stopping each stop node by a predetermined time. In other words, the transfer robot 20 may perform a movement operation along a circular path set by the integrated server 10 using the stop nodes and may stop at each of the stop nodes for a predetermined time, and the logistics in the picking robot 30 may be transferred to the transfer robot 20 during the time the transfer robot 20 is stopped.
In this case, depending on the situation in which the nodes are positioned, there may be a plurality of nodes between the stop nodes, and the transfer robot 20 may only stop at the stop nodes during the circular movement.
The reason why movement is required in one direction during the circular movement is performed may be that the transfer robot 20 may comprise at least one robot, e.g., two or more robots, as described above. If two or more robots circularly moves all nodes located in the work space in different directions, problems occur, such as overlapping movement paths. Even though they have a default obstacle avoidance function, if they move circularly while avoiding other robots with overlapping moving paths, they are inevitably ineffective.
Therefore, when the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot 20 includes two or more robots, the two or more transfer robots may sequentially circularly move in a preset direction along the set circulation path using the stop nodes. In this case the following robot may flexibly react with the sudden change of the route of the preceding robot and the avoidance of the obstacle by spacing a predetermined distance between each robot.
The basic operation command information may be generated in accordance with the set schedule of the work performed in the work space in the integrated server 10 itself, or may be generated as command information when the integrated server 10 receives it through the terminal means owned by the worker located in the work space.
In addition, when a worker located in the workspace inputs basic operation command information through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, the transfer robot 20 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10, and the integrated server 10 may receive the input command information and generate the command information.
Since the most basic existence of the transfer robot 20 is for transferring the products, the transfer robot 20 may stop at each stop nodes for a preset predetermined time while moving circularly, and standby for an additional command, or standby such that the worker transfers the products to the nearby transfer robot 20.
Here, the preset predetermined time may be determined in consideration of the time when the worker performs the picking operation, such as the size, weight, and quantity of the items handled in the work space, and may be set from the integrated server 10 or the worker may set through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20. The predetermined time for stopping is not limited, but it may relate to stopping a predetermined time when the transfer robot 20 arrives at each stop node while performing circular movement along each stop node.
In addition to the above example, when two or more transfer robots circularly move along the circular path set in the work space, the two or more transfer robots may sequentially arrive at the predetermined stop node and may sequentially stop on the stop node for a predetermined time. That is, if the transfer robot 20 moving at the forefront arrives at the predetermined stop node and stops on the stop node for the predetermined time, the most basic setting may be that the following transfer robots wait a predetermined distance apart from the transfer robot 20 moving at the forefront.
However, when the setting by the integrated server 10 or the worker's setting through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20 or the terminal owned by the worker is performed, and if the transfer robot 20 circularly moving at the forefront arrives at the predetermined stop node and stops on the stop node for the predetermined time, the following robots may recognize the robot stopped as an obstacle and continue to circularly move to the next stop node along the set circular path. In this case, when the transfer robot 20 circularly moving at the forefront of the following robots arrives at the next stop node and stops on the stop node for the predetermined time, the remaining following robots except the forefront transfer robot 20 may recognize the other robot stopped as the obstacle and continue to circularly move to the next stop node.
As such, whether the transfer robot 20 stopped at the stop node is treated as the obstacle or the following robots sequentially stops at the corresponding stop node and waits, may be determined by setting of the integrated server 10 or the worker's setting through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20 or the terminal owned by the worker.
[Embodiment 1-3: Time extension command]
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrates server 10 may generate a time extension command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105c, and the transfer robot 20 may stop for an additional extended time in operation 107c. For example, when the transfer robot 20 is located on the stop node and time extension command information is inputted by the integrated server 10, to the transfer robot 20 may additionally stop transfer robot 20for a preset extension time.
In detail, in a state where the transfer robot 20 is positioned on a predetermined stop node while performing circular movement along the circular path set by the basic operation command information, which is the basic operation of the transfer robot 20, when the time extension command information is inputted by the integrated server 10, the transfer robot 20 may stop for a sum of a predetermined time set as a default and an additional time. When the worker determines that the additional time is needed to transfer the products from the picking robot 30 to the transfer robot 20, the operation may be performed as described above.
Therefore, when the worker inputs the time extension command information through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, the transfer robot 20 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10. And the integrated server 10 may receive the input information and generates the time extension command information.
Alternatively, when the time extension command information is inputted through the terminal means owned by the worker located in the workspace, the integrated server 10 may receive the time extension command information and generate the command information.
When the worker inputs the time extension command information through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may control only the corresponding transfer robot 20 to additionally stop for a preset extension time.
Of course, even when the time extension command information is inputted through the terminal means owned by the worker, the desired transfer robot 20 may be selected by the terminal means, and the integrated server 10 may control the selected transfer robot 20 to additionally stop for the preset additional time.
In this case, whether the following robots, which are following behind the transport robot that has stopped with additional time added to the predetermined time, treats the transport robot stopped at the stop node as an obstacle, or wait and sequentially stop at the stop node, may be determined by the settings of the integrated server 10 or by the settings through the input/output means included in the transport robot or the terminal device owned by the worker
In this case, whether the robots, that are following based on the transfer robot 20 that has been additionally stopped by adding the extension time at a predetermined time, treat the transport robot stopped at the stop node as an obstacle, or wait and sequentially stop at the stop node may be determined by setting of the integrated server 10, setting of the worker through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, or the terminal owned by the worker.
[Embodiment 1-4: Un-loading location movement command]
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrates server 10 may generate a command to move to an un-loading location for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105d, and the transfer robot 20 may move to the unloading location in operation 107d. For example, when the un-loading location movement command information is inputted by the integrated server 10, the transfer robot 20 may move the preset un-loading location node by using the location information of all the nodes set in the workspace and then may stop the movement.
The un-loading location movement command information may be generated according to the set schedule of the work performed in the workspace by the integrated server 10, or may be generated as command information by receiving the command information from the integrated server 10 when the worker located in the workspace inputs through the terminal means owned by the worker.
In addition, when the worker located in the workspace inputs the unloading location movement command information through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, the transfer robot 20 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10. And the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information to the corresponding transfer robot 20.
[Embodiment 1-5: Operation resume command]
Referring to FIG. 1, the integrates server 10 may generate an operation resume command for the transfer robot 20 in operation 105e, and the transfer robot 20 may perform a resumption of a circular movement in operation 107e. For example, when the operation resume command information is inputted by the integrated server 10 the transfer robot 20 may move to the preset starter node by using the location information of all the nodes set in the workspace, and then may resume the circular movement along the preset circular path.
In detail, except when the unloading location movement command is inputted, for the rest of the commands, the transfer robot 20 may circularly move according to the preset circular path with only differences between times the transfer robot 20 stops at the stop node. However, when the un-loading movement command information is inputted, the transfer robot 20 may move to the un-loading node and then stops moving.
Therefore, the transfer robot 20 must return to the workspace and perform the circular movement again, except when the work is finished.
Accordingly, the operation resume command information may generate command information according to a set schedule of a work performed in a work space by the integrated server 10 itself, or if the operation resume command information is inputted through a terminal means owned by a worker located in the work space, the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generate the command information.
Of course, if a worker located in the work space inputs the operation resume command information through the input/output means included in the transfer robot 20, the transfer robot 20 may transmit the input command information to the integrated server 10. And the integrated server 10 may receive the command information and generates the command information for the corresponding transfer robot 20.
In this case, the transfer robot 20 receiving the operation resume command information may move to a stop node in which the transfer robot 20 was positioned immediately before performing the movement operation. That is, the stop node is a node in which the transfer robot 20 was positioned immediately before starting or moving to the un-loading location node. And then, the transfer robot 20 may resume the circular movement, or moves to a predetermined starter node and then resumes the circular movement.
The first node to move by receiving the operation resume command information, may be set in an advance or may be set by an input through the integrated server 10 or the terminal means.
In addition, the transfer robot 20 may receive new command information from the integrated server 10 in the un-loading location and perform the circular movement according to a new circular path rather than the existing circular path.
[Embodiment2]
If the call command information is inputted by the integrated server 10, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node to be set.
In the first embodiment, the transfer robot 20 may perform various command scenarios in the process of circularly moving in one direction along the fixed nodes according to the set circular path.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the transfer robot 20 may wait for a command in a state that the transfer robot 20 is freely located in the work space such as a predetermined standby node or a standby area in the work space, and may move to the call node when the call command information is inputted by the integrated server 10. The call node may be set as a node set based on specific location information included in the call command information or location information of the picking robot 30, and the transfer robot 20 may move according to the call driving path from the current position to the call node.
To this end, the integrated server 10 may generate the call driving path by using the location information of all the nodes set in the work space, and the call driving path may include a plurality of nodes for the transfer robot 20 to move to the call node.
Referring to FIG. 2, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 201, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 203. For example, the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 205, may analyze a location based on the picking robot 30 of which movement is stopped in operation 207, may set a call node and extract a closest transfer robot 20, and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 211. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 213, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 215. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 217. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 219, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 221. And then, in operation 223, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
For example, the integrated server 10 may analyze the call command information for the input transfer robot 20 and determines whether to include specific location information, which is location-related information.
As a result of the determination, when call command information contains the specific location information, the adjacent node may be extracted based on the specific location information and may be set as the call node. Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may extract the transfer robot 20 located closest to the set call node, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the call node along the call driving path.
In this way, when the call command information may include the specific location information and the weight of the loading means of the picking robot 30 is equal to or greater than the limit weight, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 by including the specific location information.
Of course, even when the worker inputs the call command information of the transfer robot 20 by using the terminal means owned by the worker or the input/output means of the picking robot 30, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 following the worker as the specific location information.
Here, the location-related information may include at least one of current location information of the picking robot 30, location information of nodes set in the operating space, or preset area information in the work space. In other words, the location-related information may be information that can specify the location at which the transfer robot 20 must arrive.
As a result of the determination, if the location-related information is not included in the call command information, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 based on the corresponding time point, may extract the generated location information and the nearest node to set as the call node, may extract the transfer robot 20 located nearest to the call node, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the call node based on the driving path.
In addition, the integrated server 10 may transmit information about the controlled transfer robot 20 to a terminal owned by a worker. In other words, the integrated server 10 may transmit the information about the controlled transfer robot 20 that starts in response to the worker's call command information along with the call node, e.g., the node closest to the location information of the picking robot 30, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive.
The worker may input the call command information after completing the picking operation, or may input the call command information in the middle of the picking operation. However, the transfer robot 20 may arrive at the call node through the call driving path generated based on the location information of the picking robot 30 generated at the time of the calling command information or the inputted specific location information.
If the location-related information is included in the call command information, the scenario can be constructed more easily.
Referring to FIG. 3, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 301, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 303. For example, the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 305, may analyze location related information, set a call node, and extract closest transfer robot in operation 307, and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 309. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 311, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 313. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 315. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 317, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 319. And then, in operation 321, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
For example, the integrated server 10 may extract the closest nodes and may set them as call nodes based on the specific location information, the location of the picking robot 30, the specific node information, and the preset area information, e.g., information about racks in the work space, information about passage in the work space, included in the call command information, may extract the transfer robot 20 located closest to the set call nodes, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 so that the extracted transfer robot 20 can move to the call nodes along the call driving path.
The scenario of FIG. 2 and the scenario of FIG. 3 may perform the operation under the assumption that the picking robot 30 and the loading means of the transfer robot 20 have the same limit weight.
That is, since the inputting of the following stop command information for the corresponding picking robot 30 to the integrated server 10, using the terminal means owned by the worker or through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30 following themselves, means that the picking robot 30 is loaded with a logistics equal to or greater than the loading limit weight or the picking operation is finished, it is necessary to have the transfer robot 20 that can sufficiently transfer and store the logistics carried in the picking robot 30.
If there is a difference between the limit weight of the loading means of the transfer robot 20 and the limit weight of the loading means of the picking robot 30, the operation may be performed in another scenario to be described later.
Following the above assumptions, if the picking robot 30 following the worker is two or more, the worker may input not only the location-related information in the call command information, but also the number of transfer robot 20 necessary.
In the scenario of FIGS. 4 and 5, if the loading means of the picking robot 30 has a larger limit weight than the loading means of the transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may set the number of a plurality of transfer robots matching one picking robot 30 by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20.
Specifically, if the call command information of the transfer robot 20 associated with one picking robot 30 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may calculate and set the extraction number of the plurality of transfer robots necessary by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20, or may analyze the requested number of the transfer robot 20 included in the call command information to set the extraction number of the plurality of transfer robots necessary.
Referring to FIG. 4, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 401, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 403. For example, the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 405, may analyze a location based on the picking robot 20 in operation 407, set a call node in operation 409, and extract the needed number of transfer robots and extract the transfer robots as needed number based on the location of the set call node in operation 411 and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 413. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 415, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 417. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 419. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 421, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 423. And then, in operation 425, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
For example, if the following stop command information for the picking robot 30 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current location for the corresponding picking robot 30, and if the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 based on the corresponding time point, may extract the generated location information and the nearest node, set the extracted node as the call node, and may extract the plurality of transfer robots located closest to the set call node. In other words, the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the extracted call node, and to transmit the information about the transfer robots that are moved controlled, e.g., the information about the transfer robots that start corresponding to the call command information of the worker, together with the node, e.g., the node nearest to the location information of the picking robot 30, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive to the terminal carried by the worker.
In addition, based on the extracted call node, the integrated server 10 may control the extracting of the transfer robots by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the call node.
In this case, since only one robot is occupied to one node, the call node preferably consists of combinations of a plurality of nodes.
Referring to FIG. 5, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command inputted by an external input E in operation 501, and may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 503. For example, the external input E may include an input by the terminal means owned by the worker and/or the input/output means of the transfer robot 20/the picking robot 30. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 505, may analyze location related information in operation 507, set a call node in operation 509, and extract the needed number of transfer robots and extract the transfer robots as needed number based on the location of the set call node in operation 511 and control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 513. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 515, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 517. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the call node in operation 519. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 521, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 523. And then, in operation 525, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
when the following stop command information for the picking robot 30 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current position for the corresponding picking robot 30. And when the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted, the integrated server 10 may extract the closest node based on the location-related information included in the call command, may set the extracted node as the call node, and may extract the plurality of transfer robots located closest to the set call node. The control may be performed to move the extracted transfer robots to the call node.
In detail, the following stop command information for the corresponding picking robot 30 may be input to the integrated server 10 by using the terminal means owned by the worker or through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30 following themselves.
Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may stop the movement at the current position for the corresponding picking robot 30.
Thereafter, when the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted to the integrated server 10 by using the terminal means owned by the worker or through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30 following themselves, the integrated server 10 may determine whether the location-related information is included in the call command information.
The integrated server 10 may receive at least one of the node information set in the region where the worker is currently located in the call command information, or the predetermined area information, e.g., information about racks such as shelves in the work space, information about the passages in the work space, as the location information that can know the location in which the picking robot 30 is stopped, may analyze the corresponding location information, extracts the closest node, and may set the closest node as the call node.
Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of the needed transfer robots to be extracted by using the difference between the limit weights of the picking robot 30 and the transfer robot 20, or may analyze the number of the requested transfer robot 20 included in the call command information, and may set the number of the necessary transfer robots to be extracted.
Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may extract the needed number of the transfer robots based on the setting of the number of the necessary transfer robots to be extracted. And the integrated server 10 may extract the needed number of the transfer robots according to the call node by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the extracted node.
In the scenario of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the loading means of the transfer robot 20 preferably may have a larger limited weight than the loading means of the picking robot 30, and the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of the plurality of picking robots matched with one transfer robot 20 by using the difference in the amount of loading, and may set the limit processing number.
In detail, when the loading means of the transfer robot 20 has a larger limit weight than the loading means of the picking robot 30 by a multiple or more, one transfer robot 20 may correspond to the plurality of call command information. Based on this, the scenario of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 can be performed when the plurality of picking robots follow one worker, or when a plurality of workers are in the work space and each of the picking robots follows each of the workers.
Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, the integrated server 10 may receive a plurality of following stop commands inputted by an external input E in operation 601, and may generate each of a plurality of stop commands for the picking robot 30 in operation 603. For example, the external input E may include a plurality of inputs by the terminal means owned by the plurality of worker and/or the input/output means of the plurality of picking robots. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a call command inputted by an external input E in operation 605, may analyze location based on each of the plurality of picking robots in operation 607, set each of a plurality of call nodes in operation 609. And, the integrated server 10 may determine whether there are existing overlapping nodes in operation 611, and when there are overlapping nodes (611-Y) integrated server 10 may determine whether the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is less than the limit processing number in operation 613. And, when the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is less than the limit processing number (613-Y), the integrated server 10 may extract a transfer robot closest from the overlapping nodes in operation 615. And referring to FIG. 8, when the number of picking robots related to the overlapping call nodes is greater than the limit processing number (613-N), the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of the transfer robots, and may extract the transfer robots as need number in order of distance in operation 801. And, the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robot to move in operation 617. And, the transfer robot 20 may move to the overlapping call nodes in operation 619. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a termination command for the following stop inputted by an external input E in operation 621, may generate the following command for the picking robot 30 in operation 623. And, the picking robot 30 may move to the overlapping call nodes in operation 625. And, the integrated server 10 may receive a following stop command in operation 627, may generate a stop command for the picking robot 30 in operation 629. And then, in operation 631, the loaded product in the picking robot 30 is transferred to the transfer robot 20.
Referring, FIG. 7A, when there are overlapping nodes (611-N), integrated server 10 may determine whether there are existing an overlapping transfer robots in operation 701a. When there are not overlapping transfer robots (701a-N), integrated server 10 may extract transfer robots closest from each of the call nodes and control each of the transfer robots to ach of the matched call nodes in operation 703a. When there are overlapping transfer robots (701a-Y), integrated server 10 may calculate the number of call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots in operation 705a. And, integrated server 10 may determine whether the number of the call nodes is less than the limit processing number in operation 707a. When the number of the call nodes is greater than the limit processing number (707a-N), integrated server 10 may set the needed number of the transfer robots, may extract the transfer robots as need number in order of distance, may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the matched call nodes, and control the each of the related picking robots to move to the call nodes in operation 709a. When the number of the call nodes is less than the limit processing number (707a-Y), integrated server 10 may control the overlapping transfer robots to move to the matched call nodes, and control the related picking robots to move to each of the closest nodes in operation 711a.
For example, when the call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted a plurality of times, the integrated server 10 may determine whether there is an overlapping call node among call nodes set by each call command information. As a result of the determination, when there is an overlapping call node, the number of picking robots associated with the overlapping call node is calculated, and when the calculated number is less than the set limit processing number of the transfer robot 20, one transfer robot 20 located closest to the overlapping call node may be extracted, and the extracted transfer robot 20 may be controlled to move to the overlapping call node.
The limit processing number may be set based on a limit weight difference between the transfer robot 20 and each loading space of the picking robot 30, and may be arbitrarily set by the worker.
In addition, the call command information may include the current loading weight of the picking robot 30, and the integrated server 10 may calculate the extracted number of transfer robots by considering both the current loading weight of the picking robot 30 and the current loading weight of the transfer robot 20.
For example, when the limit weight of the transfer robot 20 is 50 kg, the limit weight of the picking robot 30 is 100 kg, and the worker inputs the call command information to the integrated server 10 while only 40 kg is loaded on the picking robot 30, two transfer robots are extracted by only considering the limit weight. However, when the call command information includes the current loading weight of the picking robot 30, one transfer robot 20 may be extracted. On the other hand, when the limit weight of the transfer robot 20 is 100 kg, the limit weight of the picking robot 30 is 50 kg, and the worker inputs the call command information to the integrated server 10 while 50 kg is loaded on the picking robot 30, one picking robot 30 may be extracted by only considering the limit weight. But when 60 kg is loaded on the first transfer robot 20 and 70 kg is loaded on the second transfer robot 20, both first and second transfer robots may be extracted.
Specifically, when a plurality of call command information for the transfer robot 20 are inputted to the integrated server 10 by using the terminal means owned by the worker, or through the input/output means included in the picking robot 30 following themselves, the integrated server 10 may determine whether location-related information is included in each of the call command information.
When the location-related information is not included, the integrated server 10 may generate the location information of the picking robot 30 based on the corresponding time point, may extract the node closest to the generated location information, and may set it as the call node.
On the other hand, referring, FIG. 7B, when the number of the call nodes is less than the limit processing number (707a-Y), integrated server 10 may control the overlapping transfer robots to move to the matched call nodes, and control the related picking robots to move to each of the call nodes in operation 711b.
For example, the integrated server 10 may receive at least one of the node information set in the area currently located by the worker or the predetermined area information, e.g., information about racks in the work space, information about passages in the work space as the location-related information for each of the plurality of call command information, may analyze the corresponding location-related information, may extract the closest node, and may set the closest node as the call node. Since FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B differ only in which the location-related information for setting the call node is included in the call command information, the follows will be simultaneously described for ease of explanation.
Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may determine whether the overlapping call node exists using the extracted closest call nodes.
If there is an overlapping call node, the integrated server 10 will calculate the number of picking robots associated with the overlapping call node.
That is, as a result of extracting each nearest call node for each location of each picking robot 30 and analyzing the extracted each nearest call node, the existence of the overlapping call node means that the existence of the overlapping picking robots. Accordingly, picking robots associated with overlapping nodes may be calculated.
When the calculated number, e.g., number of picking robots associated with overlapping call nodes, is less than the set limit processing number, that is, when the loading amount of corresponding picking robots can be processed by one transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may extract one transfer robot 20 located closest to the overlapping call node, and may control the extracted transfer robot 20 to move to the extracted call node.
In addition, the integrated server 10 may transmit information about the controlled transfer robot 20 to a terminal owned by a worker associated with a corresponding picking robot 30, e.g., a worker followed by a picking robot 30 associated with overlapping call nodes.
In other words, information about the transfer robot 20 departing in response to the worker's call command information is transmitted along with information about the node, e.g., overlapping call node, that the corresponding transfer robot 20 will arrive.
In this case, since the transfer robot 20 departing in response to the worker's call command information must move to the overlapping call node, the integrated server 10 may generate the shortest path for moving the overlapping call node extracted from the current location information using the current location information of the corresponding transfer robot 20, and may control the transfer robot 20 to move to the overlapping call node through the shortest path.
In this case, the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of transfer robots by using the calculated number of transfer robots, the number of picking robots associated with overlapping nodes, if the calculated number of transfer robots is equal to or larger than the set limit processing number, that is, if the amount of loading of corresponding picking robots cannot be processed by one transfer robot 20, may analyze distance information of each transfer robot 20 based on the overlapping call nodes, may extract transfer robots by the set needed number of transfer robots by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, may control the extracted transfer robots to move to the extracted overlapping call nodes, and may transmit information about the extracted transfer robots to a terminal owned by a worker.
In other words, since the loading amount of picking robots that are associated with overlapping call nodes cannot be processed by one transfer robot 20, the number of picking robots that are associated with overlapping call nodes and the limited processing number set by the transfer means are used to set the number of transfer robots that are additionally needed, that is, the needed number of transfer robots.
After that, the distance information of each transfer robot 20 may be analyzed based on the overlapping call nodes, the transfer robots may be extracted by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and the extracted transfer robots may be controlled to move to the overlapping call nodes extracted.
In this case, since the transfer robots departing in response to the worker's call command information must move to the overlapping call nodes, the integrated server 10 may generate each shortest path moving to the overlapping call nodes extracted from each current location information using each current location information of the extracted transfer robots, and may control the transfer robot 20 to move to the overlapping call nodes extracted through each shortest path. In this case, since only one robot is preferably occupied at one node, when a plurality of transfer robots move to the call nodes, the call nodes may consist of a plurality of node combinations, e.g., a plurality of adjacent nodes.
Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the integrated server 10 may extract the transfer robot 20 located closest to each call node set by each call command information when a plurality of call command information for the transfer robot 20 is inputted, and may determine whether there is an overlapping transfer robot 20 by using each of the extracted transfer robots. As a result of the determination, when there is an overlapping transfer robot 20, the number of call nodes matching the overlapping transfer robot 20 is calculated, and when the calculated number is less than the limit processing number of the set transfer robot 20, the integrated server 10 may control the overlapping transfer robots to move to the matching call nodes.
In this case, the integrated server 10 may control the overlapping transfer robots to move through all the matching call nodes by using the location information for the matching call nodes.
As such, the limit processing number can be considered as in the case where there is an overlapping call node, which is the above-described embodiment.
Specifically, when there are not overlapping call nodes as a result of extracting each of nodes closest from each of locations of picking robots, setting the each of the nodes as the call nodes, and analyzing it, and there are overlapping robots as a result of extracting transfer robots closest from each of closest call nodes, it means that the associated picking robots that are stopped to move are not adjacent, but the location of the transfer robots is adjacent to the location of the picking robot.
Using this, the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of call nodes matching the overlapping transfer robots. That is, since the integrated server 10 may determine the overlapping transfer robots by using the result of extracting the transfer robot 20 located closest to each closest call node, the number of closest call nodes matching the corresponding overlapping transfer robots may be calculated as the number of matching call nodes.
Since each call node is the closest node to the location of each picking robot 30, each call node can be interpreted as one picking robot 30, and through this, the integrated server 10 may control the overlapping transfer robots to move to the matching call nodes when the calculated number of matching call nodes is less than the set limit processing number.
In this case, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all the matching call nodes by using the location information for the matching call nodes, and thus may allow the transfer robots to process the loading amount of all the matching picking robots.
To this end, the integrated server 10 may generate an appropriate path, for example, after randomly selecting any one call node from among all call nodes to be matched, the integrated server 10 may controls the transfer robot 20 to move through all call nodes to be matched starting from the selected any one of call nodes, and may controls the transfer robot 20 to move in the shortest time path or the shortest distance path through all call nodes to be matched starting from the selected any one of call nodes. In addition, if the most preferable path for passing through all call nodes to be matched is generated, the path of the transfer robot 20 may be controlled through this.
Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the integrated server 10 may extract one transfer robot 20 closest each of the extracted call nodes, when there are not overlapping call nodes. And, when the integrated server 10 determines that there are not overlapping transfer robots by determining whether there are overlapping transfer robot 20 by using each of the extracted transfer robots, the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robots to move to each call node, and may transmit information about the controlled transfer robots to the terminal owned by the worker.
That is, as a result of setting each call node for each location of the picking robot 30 and analyzing it, there is no overlapping call node. And if there is no overlapping transfer robot 20 as a result of extracting the transfer robot 20 closest located from each of the call nodes, it means that any association between the picking robots that have stopped move cannot be found.
Therefore, the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robots to move to each call node when there is no overlapping call node, and may control the extracted transfer robots to move to each call node when there is no overlapping call node.
Referring FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the integrated server 10 may extract one transfer robot 20 closest to each of the extracted call nodes, when there are not overlapping call nodes. And, when the integrated server 10 determines that there are overlapping transfer robots by determining whether there are overlapping transfer robot 20 by using each of the extracted transfer robots, the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots. And the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of transfer robots considering the overlapping transfer robots by using the calculated number and the limit processing number when the calculated number is greater than or equal to the set limit processing number, may analyze distance information of each transfer robots based on the overlapping transfer robots, may extract the transfer robots by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, may control the overlapping transfer robots and the extracted transfer robots to move to the call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots, and may transmit information about the controlled transfer robots to the terminal carried by the worker. The overlapping transfer robots and the extracted transfer robots may be controlled to move through the all of the call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots by using current location information of each of the transfer robots and location information about the call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots.
In other words, when there is no overlapping call node as a result of setting call node by extracting each closest nodes and analyzing it, and there are overlapping transfer robots as a result of extracting a transfer robot 20 located closest to each call node, it means that the stopped picking robots are not adjacent to each other , but the location of the transfer robot 20 is adjacent to these.
Using this, the integrated server 10 may calculate the number of call nodes matched to overlapping transfer robots. In other words, because the overlapping transfer robots were determined using the results of extracting the transfer robots located closest to each call node, the number of the plurality of closest call nodes matched to the corresponding overlapping transfer robots is calculated as the number of matched call nodes.
Because each call node is the node closest to the location of each picking robot 30, it means that each node can be interpreted as one picking robot 30. And through this, it means that it is impossible to process all the nodes of each picking robot 30 associated with the matching call nodes by only one overlapping transfer robot 20 if the number of matched call nodes is equal to or larger than the set limit processing number.
Therefore, the integrated server 10 may set the needed number of transfer robots considering the transfer robots that are overlapping by using the calculated number, e.g., the number of call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots, and the limit processing number. In other words, if a total of two transfer robots are needed using the calculated number, e.g., the number of call nodes matched to overlapping transfer robots, and the limit processing number, the needed number may beset to one in consideration of the overlapping transfer robots.
After that, the integrated server 10 may analyze distance information of each transfer robot 20 based on the location of the overlapping transfer robot 20, may extracts transfer robots by the set needed number by using the analyzed distance information in ascending order, and may control the overlapping transfer robot 20 and the extracted transfer robots to move to call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robots.
In this case, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all the matching call nodes using the location information of the matching call nodes so that the transfer robot 20 can process the loading amount of all the matching picking robots.
To this end, it is necessary for the integrated server 10 to create an appropriate path, for example, after randomly selecting any one call node from among all call nodes to be matched, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all call nodes to be matched starting from the any one of selected call nodes, and then the transfer robot 20 is preferably controlled to move in the shortest time path or shortest distance path for moving through all call nodes to be matched starting from the any one of selected call nodes. In addition, if the most desirable path is created to pass all matching call nodes, the integrated server 10 may control the path of the transfer robot 20 through the most desirable path.
Here, the integrated server 10 may control the extracted transfer robots to move apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and move through all the matching call nodes while moving alongside the preset direction after controlling the extracted transfer robot 20s to move based on the current location information of the overlapping transfer robots, so that the plurality of transfer robots can move to the matching call nodes more efficiently. That is, all the transfer robots controlled to the position of the overlapping transfer robots are moved, and then the movement is controlled.
After any one of the matching call nodes is selected, and then the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all the matching call nodes while moving starting from the any one of selected call nodes, and then the transfer robot 20 may be controlled to move in the shortest time path or the shortest distance path for moving through all the matching call nodes starting from the any one of selected call nodes. In addition, if the most preferable path through which all the matching call nodes can pass is generated, the path of the transfer robot 20 may be controlled through the generated path.
Alternatively, the integrated server 10 may calculate the distance information for the matching call nodes based on the current location information of the overlapping transfer robots, and may move the overlapping transfer robots and the extracted transfer robots to the call nodes corresponding to the shortest distance information, and then the overlapping transfer robots and the extracted transfer robots may move all the matching call nodes while moving alongside the preset direction, apart from each other by a predetermined distance. That is, all the transfer robots including the overlapping transfer robots are moved to the closest call node among the matching call nodes based on the current position of the overlapping transfer robots, and then the movement is controlled.
Thereafter, the integrated server 10 may control the transfer robot 20 to move through all the matching call nodes starting from the call node corresponding to the shortest distance information , and control the transfer robot 20 to move in the shortest time path or the shortest distance path through all the matching call nodes starting from the call node corresponding to the shortest distance information. In addition, if the most preferable path through which all the matching call nodes can pass is generated, the path of the transfer robot 20 may be controlled through the generated path.
Meanwhile, in one embodiment of the present invention, the logistics picking system using a robot may be implemented as a program command format that can be performed through a means for processing various electronically information and recorded in a storage medium. The storage medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, and the like alone or in combination.
The program commands recorded in the storage medium may be specially configured for the present invention or may be known to those skilled in the software field. Examples of the storage medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical media s such as CD-ROM and DVD, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and flash memories, and specially configured hardware devices to store and perform program commands. Examples of program commands include not only machine codes such as those made by a compiler, but also higher-level language codes that can be executed by electronically processing information using interpreters and the like, for example, computers.
As described above, the present invention has been described by specific things such as concrete components and limited embodiments of the drawings, but this is provided to help provide a more overall understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications and modifications from these descriptions.
Therefore, it is noted that the spirit of the present invention is limited to the described embodiments, and it will be understood that not only the scope of the claims described below, but everything with equivalent or equivalent modifications with the claims belongs to the scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

  1. A logistics picking system for using a robot that performs logistics picking in a preset work space by using at least two robot groups each including at least one robot, the logistics picking system comprising:
    a picking robot configured to follow workers located in the work space, wherein the picking robot is included in a first robot group among the at least two robot groups;
    a transfer robot configured to recognize locations of a plurality of nodes in the work space and move using the recognized locations of the plurality of nodes, wherein the transfer robot is included in a first robot group among the at least two robot groups; and
    an integrated server configured to generate a command for controlling the picking robot and the transfer robot.
  2. The logistics picking system of claim 1,
    wherein the transfer robot is configured to:
    perform a circulating movement in one direction for a plurality of stop nodes included in a plurality of nodes, and
    stop at each stop node for a predetermined time, when basic operation command information is input by the integrated server,
    wherein the plurality of stop nodes are formed at points where paths between two or more adjacent nodes intersect in different directions.
  3. The logistics picking system of claim 2, wherein the transfer robot is configured to:
    when a time extension command information is input by the integrated server, be located on at least one of the plurality of stop nodes, and
    additionally stop a predetermined extension time at the at least one of the plurality of stop nodes.
  4. The logistics picking system of claim 2, wherein the transfer robot is configured to:
    when un-loading movement command information is input by the integrated server, move to an un-loading node included in the plurality of nodes, and
    stop a movement after the moving to the un-loading node.
  5. The logistics picking system of claim 4, wherein the transfer robot is configured to:
    when operation resume command information is input by the integrated server, resume the circulating movement after moving to a specific stop node located immediately prior to an movement operation or a starting node included in the plurality of nodes.
  6. The logistics picking system of claim 1,
    wherein the transfer robot is configured to move to a call node that is set when call command information is input by the integrated server, and
    wherein the call node is set as a node that is set based on specific location information included in the call command information or location information of the picking robot.
  7. The logistics picking system of claim 6, wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    extract a closest node based on the specific location information included in the call command information,
    set the extracted node as the call node,
    extract a first transfer robot closest the set call node, and
    control the first transfer robot to move to the call node.
  8. The logistics picking system of claim 6, wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    extract a node closest to a location of the picking robot based on the location information of the picking robot included in the call command information,
    set the extracted node as the call node,
    extract a second transfer robot closest the set call node, and
    control the second transfer robot to move to the call node.
  9. The logistics picking system of claim 1, wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    receive at least one of current location information of the picking robot, location-related information of nodes set in the work space, or predetermined area information in the work space as location-related information.
  10. The logistics picking system of claim 6,
    wherein each of the picking robot and the transfer robot includes at least one loading means having a preset limit weight, and
    wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    set an extraction number of the transfer robot by applying the call command information based on information about the preset limit weight of each of the picking robot and the transfer robot.
  11. The logistics picking system of claim 6, wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    when the calling command information for the transfer robot is input multiple times, determine whether there is an overlapping call node among call nodes set by each calling command information,
    when there is an overlapping call node, calculate the number of picking robots associated with the overlapping call node,
    when the calculated number is less than a limit processing number of the set transfer robot, extract one transfer robot located closest to the overlapping call node, and
    control the extracted transfer robot to move to the overlapping call node.
  12. The logistics picking system of claim 6, wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    when the calling command information for the transfer robot is input multiple times, extract a specific transfer robot closest from each of the call nodes set by the calling information,
    determine whether there is an overlapping transfer robot by using the extracted transfer robot closest from each of the call nodes,
    calculate the number of call nodes matched to the overlapping transfer robot when there is an overlapping transfer robot, and
    when the calculated number is less than the limit processing number of the set transfer robot, control the overlapping transfer robot to move to the matched call node,
    wherein the overlapping transfer robot is controlled to move through all the matched call nodes by using location information of the matched call nodes.
  13. The logistics picking system of claim 1,
    wherein each of the picking robot and the transfer robot includes at least one loading mean having a preset limit weight, and a sensor means configured to sense the weight of the at least one loading mean, and
    wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    when the sensor means of the picking robot senses the limit weight or more, generate call command information for calling the transfer robot to a location where the picking robot is located when the sensor means of the picking robot senses the limit weight or more, and
    when the sensor means of the transfer robot senses the limit weight or more generate un-loading location movement command information for moving the transfer robot to a un-loading node included in a plurality of nodes.
  14. The logistics picking system of claim 1, wherein the integrated server is configured to receive at least one command information from basic operation command information, time extension command information, un-loading location movement command information, operation resume command information, following stop command information, or calling command information from a terminal owned by an worker and/or input and output means of the picking robot.
  15. The logistics picking system of claim 14,
    wherein each of the picking robot and the transfer robot includes input and output means,
    wherein the transfer robot is configured to:
    receive at least one command information from the basic operation command information, the time extension command information, the un-loading movement command information, or the operation resume command information through the input and output means, and
    transmit the received command information to the integrated server, and
    wherein the picking robot is configured to:
    receive at least one command information from the following stop command information, or the calling command information through the input and output means, and
    transmit the received command information to the integrated server.
  16. The logistics picking system of claim 1, wherein, when the robot group corresponding to the picking robot includes two or more robots, two or more robots are configured to follow workers located in the work space and be located back-to-back in one direction based on a set following direction.
  17. The logistics picking system of claim 1, wherein, when the robot group corresponding to the transfer robot includes two or more robots, the two or more robots are configured to sequentially circulate a plurality of stop nodes formed by recognizing nodes in the work space or move by the shortest time path or the shortest distance path of a call node input by the integrated server.
  18. The logistics picking system of claim 1,
    wherein each of the picking robot and the transfer robot includes recognition means configured to recognize robots included in different robot groups located around the each of the picking robot and the transfer robot, and the recognition means is positioned any one of surfaces of each of the picking robot and the transfer robot, and
    wherein the integrated server is configured to:
    when a robot recognition signal is received from the recognition means of the transfer robot or the picking robot, control the transfer robot to face a predetermined direction.
PCT/KR2024/008865 2023-12-27 2024-06-26 Logistics picking system using robots Pending WO2025143399A1 (en)

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KR20220010883A (en) * 2020-07-20 2022-01-27 현대자동차주식회사 Mobile robot cluster driving system and control method thereof
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KR102508289B1 (en) * 2022-09-19 2023-03-09 흥일기업주식회사 Logistics automation system and method in logitics market using transfer robot and logistics management device for executing the same

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KR20220010883A (en) * 2020-07-20 2022-01-27 현대자동차주식회사 Mobile robot cluster driving system and control method thereof
JP2023004755A (en) * 2021-06-28 2023-01-17 株式会社東芝 Handling system, instruction device, handling method, program, and storage medium
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