Shelf, dispatching method, dispatching device and operation dispatching system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11500362-B2
Application number	US-201816641831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A shelf, a dispatching method, a dispatching device, and an operation dispatching system relating to the field of intelligent warehousing technology, the shelf including: a storage device for placing an article; a motion device for moving the shelf; a power device for providing energy to the motion device; a communication device configured to communicate with a control center; and a controller that controls communication of the communication device with the control center and controls motion of the motion device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf, comprising:
a storage device for placing an article;
a motion device for moving the shelf;
a power device for providing energy to the motion device;
a communication device configured to communicate with a control center;
an article sensor that detects a storage state of each part of the storage device; and
a controller that controls communication of the communication device with the control center and controls motion of the motion device,
wherein the controller is configured to send a path planning request to the control center through the communication device in a case that it is determined a quantity of the article in the storage device has reached a predetermined threshold according to detection data of the article sensor, and receive a dispatching instruction which is generated by performing path planning by the control center according to a location of the shelf and a location of a delivery vehicle.

2. The shelf according to claim 1 , wherein,
the controller is configured to drive the motion device to move the shelf according to a path information in a dispatching instruction, in the case that the communication device receives the dispatching instruction from the control center.

3. The shelf according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises at least one of the following structures: a telescopic structure that adjusts a size of a storage space according to a control signal from the controller;
or
a separator that adjusts its position in the storage space according to the control signal from the controller.

4. The shelf according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more of the following structures:
a tag to be identified by at least one of an article sorting device or a staff;
a display device that displays at least one of a storage state of the storage device or an endurance of the power device; or
a lighting device that adjusts a brightness of an illuminated area according to an ambient light condition.

5. The shelf according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to perform at least one of the following operations in the case that an endurance of the power device reaches a predetermined lower limit: controlling the motion device to move the shelf to reach an energy charging area so as to charge energy; or controlling the power device to charge energy.

6. The shelf according to claim 1 , wherein the shelf conforms to one or more of the following conditions:
the motion device is located at the bottom of the shelf;
a lower area of the storage device is a large article loading area; or
the shelf has a height no more than 2 meters.

7. A dispatching method, comprising:
obtaining, by a shelf, a dispatching instruction from a control center;
obtaining a path information from the dispatching instruction;
driving a motion device of the shelf to lead to a motion of the shelf according to the path information;
obtaining a storage state of the shelf; and
sending a path planning request to the control center in the case that a quantity of the carried article on the shelf reaches a predetermined threshold, so that the control center performs path planning according to a location of the shelf and a location of a delivery vehicle, and feeds back the dispatching instruction.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the quantity of the carried article on the shelf reaches the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of the followings:
the quantity of the carried article on the shelf reaches a predetermined maximum value during a loading process; or
the article on the shelf is cleared during an unloading process.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one of the followings:
adjusting a telescopic structure to adjust a size of a storage space according to a telescopic structure adjustment instruction from the control center;
or
adjusting a location of a separator in the storage space according to a separator adjustment instruction from the control center.

10. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
obtaining an endurance of the shelf;
performing at least one of the following operations when the endurance reaches a predetermined endurance threshold:
controlling the shelf to reach an energy charging area to charge energy, or controlling a power device of the shelf to charge energy.

11. A dispatching method, comprising:
obtaining a location information of a shelf and a location information of a delivery vehicle;
planning a path according to the location information of the shelf and the location information of the delivery vehicle to obtain a path information; and
sending a dispatching information including the path information to the shelf,
wherein, planning path and sending a dispatching information to the shelf in a case of obtaining a dispatching request from the shelf, and the shelf sending a path planning request to a control center in a case that a quantity of a carried article on the shelf reaches a predetermined threshold.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein obtaining the location information of the delivery vehicle comprises:
determining identifiers of target delivery stations of delivery vehicles according to identifiers of the delivery vehicles;
determining a delivery vehicle heading for a target delivery station according to an identifier of the target delivery station; and
obtaining a location information of the delivery vehicle heading for the target delivery station.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein,
planning path and sending a dispatching information to the shelf in the case of obtaining a dispatching operation from a staff.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one of the following:
sending an article loading instruction to an article sorting device which corresponding to an identifier of the shelf in the case that the shelf is located at a warehousing station;
sending an unloading instruction to the article sorting device in the case that the shelf is located at a delivery station;
obtaining a location information of the shelf and a target location information of the shelf at the warehousing station in the case that the delivery vehicle arrives at the warehousing station; performing path planning, and sending a get-off instruction including a path information to the shelf;
or
obtaining the location information of the shelf and the target location information of the shelf at the delivery station in the case that the delivery vehicle arrives at the delivery station; performing path planning, and sending a get-off instruction including a path information to the shelf.

15. A dispatching device, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform a method according to claim 8 based on instructions stored in the memory.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement steps of a method according to claim 7 .

17. An operation dispatching system, comprising:
a shelf that includes:
a storage device for placing an article,
a motion device for driving motion of the shelf,
a power device for providing energy to the motion device,
a communication device that communicates with a control center, and
a controller that controls communication of the communication device with the control center and controls motion of the motion device;
and
an operation dispatching center configured to e

Assignees

• Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co Ltd
• Beijing Jingdong Century Trading Co Ltd
• Beijing Jingdong Zhenshi Information Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gu Weiwei
• Xiao Jun
• Cai Jinhua
• Liu Yanguang
• Fan Chen

Classifications

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G05B19/41895 Primary

  using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] (control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00) · CPC title

• G06Q10/06 Primary

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title