Agent Management System and Agent Management Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025315744-A1
Application number	US-202318866873-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2023
Priority date	May 25, 2022
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are an agent management system and method capable of calculating, in real time, a route plan for efficiently moving a large number of agents. This agent management system is characterized by comprising agents that can move within a management area, and local calculation units that determine movement routes for moving the agents from initial positions to target positions, wherein the management area is divided into a plurality of control areas, and wherein each local calculation unit is provided for a respective control area, determines a movement route for the agents within the control area, and assigns the movement route to these agents.

First claim

1 . An agent management system including an agent movable in a management area, and a local computing section for determining a moving route for movement of the agent from an initial position to a target position, wherein
the management area is divided into a plurality of control areas, and the local computing section is placed for each of the divided control areas for determining the moving route to be given to the agent in the control area.

2 . The agent management system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the agent includes a detection unit for acquiring a value of state quantity of its own, a control section for controlling the agent using the state quantity acquired by the detection unit, and a route following unit for controlling a position of the agent, which has been acquired by the detection unit in accordance with the moving route from the agent; and the local computing section performs a route computing operation for the agent in a target control area to make an evaluation that becomes higher as a position of the agent moved forward by arbitrary steps from a present time makes a closer approach to the target position.

3 . The agent management system according to claim 1 , having an initial position of the agent and a target position of the agent located in the different control areas, wherein:
among a plurality of local computing sections, a first local computing section for managing the initial position sets an integrated control area for integrating all control areas from the initial position to the target position, determines a moving route for each of all the agents in the control area of the integrated control area, which is managed by the first local computing section, sets the moving route from the initial position to the target position based on a condition that the agent does not exist in the control area which is not managed by the first local computing section, and transmits a determination result to another local computing section for the integrated control area; and the another local computing section determines the moving route for the agent to be managed by the another local computing section on the assumption that the transmitted moving route exists.

4 . The agent management system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the local computing section determines the moving route in response to an instruction from a task management unit for managing the target position of the agent in the management area; and upon updating of the target position of each agent, the task management unit preferentially allocates the target position in the control area where a target agent exists.

5 . The agent management system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the local computing section determiners the moving route in response to an instruction from a task management section for managing the target position of the agent in the management area; and upon updating of the target position of each agent, the task management unit calculates a priority order of the control area through which the agent passes so as not to make the number of agents in each of the control areas beyond a throughput of the local computing section corresponding to the control area when allocating the target position that requires passage through a plurality of control areas.

6 . The agent management system according to claim 1 , wherein it is possible to change division into the control area in an optional timing so long as the number of agents beyond a throughput of the local computing section corresponding to the control area do not exist.

7 . The agent management system according to claim 3 , wherein a route planning is performed not to cause a direction change in the moving route at a boundary between the control area to be managed by the first local computing section and the control area to be managed by another local computing section.

8 . An agent management method for determining a moving route for movement of an agent movable in a management area from an initial position to a target position, wherein
the management area is divided into a plurality of control areas, and a local computing section placed for each of the divided control areas determines the moving route for the agent in the control area, and gives the determined moving route to the agent.

9 . The agent management method according to claim 8 , the initial position of the agent and the target position of the agent being located in the different control areas, wherein:
among a plurality of local computing sections, a first local computing section for managing the initial position sets an integrated control area for integrating all control areas from the initial position to the target position, determines a moving route for each of all the agents in the control area of the integrated control area, which is managed by the first local computing section, sets the moving route from the initial position to the target position based on a condition that the agent does not exist in the control area which is not managed by the first local computing section, and transmits a determination result to another local computing section for the integrated control area; and the another local computing section determines the moving route for the agent to be managed by the another local computing section on the assumption that the transmitted moving route exists.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Ishihara Shinji
• Narikawa Ryu
• Kanai Masaki
• Sugimoto Kazuya
• Kotani Tadashi

Classifications

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/047 Primary

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• G05D1/6987 Primary

  by centralised control off-board any of the vehicles · CPC title

• G05D2105/28

  of freight · CPC title

• G05D2107/70

  Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories · CPC title