JPH04201904A - Automatic warehouse control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute accurate information control for inventory objects by reading the ID codes of objects while a stacker crane is traveling, comparing the read ID code with appropriate information given by an inventory information memory means, and updating the information corresponding to the rack address and putting it in memory. CONSTITUTION:When a storage demand receiving means 1 receives a storage demand (a), a storage processing control means 3 makes storage control for the object concerned, and this is put in memory in a rack stock information memory means 5 as rack stock object information 9. When a discharge demand receiving means 2 receives a discharge demand (b), it is controlled by a discharge processing control means 4, and the information 9 in the memory means 5 is updated. While a stacker vrane is traveling, on the other hand, the ID codes (e) of objects on its traveling route are read by an ID code reading means 7. A comparing/updating means 8 reads the ID code (f) of the address corresponding to the rack address (d) given by the control means 3, 4 and compares this (f) with the ID code (e). If the two are not identical, the ID code (f) is updated into (e).

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a group of warehouse shelves for storing incoming goods until they are taken out of the warehouse;
It is a device for controlling an automatic warehouse consisting of a stacker crane that transports and takes out goods by transporting them to and from each column of a group of warehouse shelves, and in particular handles inventory for normal loading and unloading, such as temporary storage, temporary retrieval, or replacement of goods. The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse control device that is capable of accurately managing information on shelf stock items even in the case of disorderly loading and unloading for purposes other than management.

(Prior Art) In general, a group of warehouse shelves stores incoming goods until they are shipped out,
In an automated warehouse, which is composed of a stacker crane that transports articles to and from each column of a group of warehouse shelves, and that stores articles on the shelves of a three-dimensional warehouse and takes out the articles from the stored shelves at any time, By assigning a shelf address consisting of a series of numbers to each column of a warehouse group, and also assigning an identification code to identify the article to each column, inventory management in each column is possible. Controls shipping.

On the other hand, when retrieving goods from a group of warehouse shelves, similarly, the goods with the shelf address corresponding to the identification code of the goods for which the retrieval request is issued are taken out, and the identification code of the same shelf address is deleted from the shelf stock information storage means. I do this and register when the shelves become empty.

In this way, for each item sent to the warehouse shelf group,
In addition to storing items one by one on empty shelves at a shelf address, when a request for retrieval is received, the system specifies the shelf address where the item with the corresponding identification code is to be stored, and the item stored at that shelf address is taken out and removed. be.

However, in the automatic warehouse control device as described above,
Temporary storage, temporary removal, or replacement of items, etc.
If you perform random stocking/unloading other than normal inventory management, it becomes complicated to check the identification code of the item and the shelf address in the shelf inventory information storage means, and once the shelf inventory item information becomes incorrect, In some cases, it is not easy to modify and restore inventory information, and there is a problem in that even if there is a warehousing or warehousing request, the warehousing or warehousing cannot be performed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in conventional automatic warehouse control devices, random loading and unloading operations other than normal inventory management such as temporary storage, temporary retrieval, or shuffling of articles are not performed. In this case, there is a problem in that the information on the stocked items on the shelf is incorrect, and the information on the stocked items on the shelf cannot be managed accurately.

The purpose of the present invention is to perform accurate shelf inventory information management to ensure that even when items are put in and taken out randomly other than normal inventory management, such as temporary storage, temporary removal, or replacement. In stock.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an extremely reliable automatic warehouse control device capable of carrying out stock removal.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a warehouse shelf group for storing incoming articles until they are shipped out, and a system for transporting articles to each column of the warehouse shelf group. A warehousing request received by a warehousing/unloading request receiving means for a device that controls an automated warehouse consisting of a stacker crane that takes goods in and out.

Based on the retrieval request and the determined movement route, move the stacker crane to stock the warehouse shelves,
A storage/output processing control unit that executes storage and outputs the shelf address at the time of execution of the storage/output; a shelf inventory information storage unit that stores the identification code of the item together with the shelf address as shelf inventory item information; Based on the shelf stock article information in the inventory information storage means and the warehousing request and warehousing request received by the warehousing/receiving request receiving means, search for a movement route that will detect as much shelf stock article information as efficiently as possible; A route search control means that outputs this as a movement route to a warehousing/output processing control means, and an identification code reader that is attached to a stacker crane and reads the identification code of an article existing at a shelf address on the movement route that the stacker crane moves. reading the identification code of the address corresponding to the shelf address outputted from the storage/receiving processing control means from the shelf stock information storage means, and reading the read identification code and the identification code read by the identification code reading means. Comparing/updating means for comparing and updating the identification code of the corresponding shelf address of the shelf inventory information recording means to the identification code read by the identification code reading means if the two do not match as a result. It consists of

(Function) Therefore, in the automatic warehouse control device of the present invention, while the stacker crane is moving, the identification code of the article existing at the shelf address on the movement route is read by the identification code reading means, and the shelf inventory information storage means is always read by the identification code reading means. A comparison is made with the shelf stock article information stored in the. And as a result of this comparison,
If a mismatched shelf address exists, the shelf inventory article information in the shelf inventory information storage means corresponding to the shelf address is corrected to the article with the identification code read by the identification code reading means;
The storage information in the shelf inventory information storage means is updated and stored.

In this way, by efficiently utilizing the various equipment in the automated warehouse, it is possible to accurately manage information on shelf stock items, and to ensure that warehouses receive and issue goods in response to requests for incoming or outgoing goods. I can do it.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an automated warehouse to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 2, the automated warehouse is comprised of a warehouse shelf group 10 for storing incoming goods until they are removed from the warehouse, and a stacker crane 11 for transporting articles to and from each column of the warehouse shelf group 10 and loading and unloading the articles.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automatic warehouse control device according to the present invention. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the automatic warehouse control device of this embodiment includes a warehousing request receiving means 1, a warehousing request receiving means 2, a warehousing processing control means 3, a warehousing processing control means 4, and a shelf inventory control means 1. It is composed of an information storage means 5, a route search control means 6, an identification code reading means 7, and a comparing/updating means 8.

Here, the warehousing request receiving means 1 receives the warehousing request a and temporarily stores it. Further, the exit request receiving means 2 is for receiving and temporarily storing the exit request. Further, the warehousing processing control means 3 moves the stacker crane 11 to warehove the goods to the warehouse shelf group 10 based on the warehousing request a accepted by the warehousing request receiving means 1 and the determined moving route c. Along with executing
The shelf address d at the time of execution of the warehouse is output.

Furthermore, when the delivery request is received by the delivery request receiving unit 2, the delivery processing control means 4 moves the stacker crane 11 to place the articles on the warehouse shelf group 10 based on the determined movement route c. In addition to executing the delivery, the shelf address d at the time of execution of the delivery is output.

On the other hand, the shelf stock information storage means 5 is for storing the identification code of the article together with the shelf address as shelf stock article information 9. In addition, the route search control means 6 can perform a search based on the shelf stock article information 9 of the shelf stock information storage means 5 and the warehousing requests a and warehousing requests a and b received by the people and the warehousing request receiving means 1 and 2. 3. Search for a movement route that can detect as much shelf stock item information as efficiently as possible, and use this as the warehousing processing control means 3. This is output as the above-mentioned movement route c to the shipping processing control means 4. Furthermore, the identification code reading means 7 is attached to the stacker crane 11,
This is to read the identification code e of the article existing at the shelf address on the moving route of the stacker crane 11. Furthermore, the comparison/updating means 8 includes the warehousing processing control means 3. The identification code f of the address corresponding to the shelf address d outputted from the shipping processing control means 4 is read from the shelf inventory information storage means 5, and the read identification code f and the identification code read by the identification code reading means 7 Compare with e,
As a result, if the two do not match, the identification code f of the corresponding shelf address in the shelf inventory information storage means 5 is updated to the identification code e read by the identification code reading means 7.

Next, the operation of the automatic warehouse control device configured as above will be explained.

In FIG. 1, when goods are to be warehoused, the warehouse request receiving means 1 receives a warehouse request a, and the warehouse processing control means 3 moves the goods to be warehoused to the requested warehouse shelf group 10 using the stacker crane 11. Control is performed to sequentially receive the goods into the shelf addresses, and the identification code of the received goods is assigned to the stored shelf address, and the shelf stock goods information 9 is stored in the shelf stock information storage means 5.
is stored as. In this case, when the goods are stored in the warehouse shelf group 10, the shelf address d at that time is output.

When the goods are to be delivered, the delivery request is accepted by the delivery request receiving means 2, and the delivery processing control unit 4 sends the goods to be delivered by the stacker crane 11 to the shelf address of the warehouse shelf group 10 where the goods are stored. The shelf inventory information storage means 5 deletes the identification code of the shipped article from the stored shelf address, and the shelf inventory information 9 of the shelf inventory information storage means 5 is updated. In this case, when the goods are removed from the warehouse shelf group 10, the shelf address d at that time is output.

Here, when the warehousing processing control means 3 or the warehousing processing control means 4 processes the warehousing request a or the warehousing request a, the movement route C of the stacker crane 11 is given from the route search control means 6. That is, this route search control means 6 uses the shelf stock article information 9 of the shelf stock information storage means 5 and the person.

A warehousing request accepted by the warehousing request receiving means 1.2.

Based on the retrieval requests a and b, the stacker crane 11 moves quickly and efficiently to collect information on a large number of shelf stock items without going through the same route as much as possible in order to understand the storage status of the entire warehouse evenly. A process is performed to search for a movement route that detects the . It is given as a movement route C for the shipping processing control means 4. Incidentally, since the algorithm of this route search control means 6 is a well-known fact, detailed explanation thereof will be omitted here.

On the other hand, when moving the stacker crane 11 to carry out the above-mentioned loading or unloading, as the stacker crane 11 moves, the identification code reading means 7 attached to the stacker crane 11 detects the existing shelf address on the movement route. The identification code e of the article is read. Also, comparison
In the updating means 8, the warehousing processing control means 3. The identification code f of the address corresponding to the shelf address d outputted from the shipping processing control means 4 is read from the shelf stock information storage means 5, and the read identification code f and the identification code read by the identification code reading means 7 are e is compared and verified.

As a result, if the two do not match, that is, if the shelf inventory article information 9 does not match, the shelf inventory information storage means 5
The identification code f of the corresponding shelf address is updated to the identification code e read by the occupation code reading means 7.

As a specific example, in Fig. 2, warehouse shelf group 1 is already
When the stacker crane 11 passes through the movement route indicated by the illustrated arrow determined by the route search control means 6 when taking out the article A stored in the storage shelf No. 0, the article B stored in the storage shelf.

The identification code of C is read by the identification code reading means 7, and it is compared with the stored shelf address to see whether the identification code of the article matches the shelf stock article information 9 of the shelf stock information storage means 5, As a result, if there is a mismatch, the shelf inventory article information 9 of the shelf inventory information storage means 5 is rewritten to become the storage information of the read article. As a result, the storage status of the article always matches the shelf inventory article information 9 in the shelf inventory information storage means 5.

As described above, the automatic warehouse control device of this embodiment includes the warehousing request receiving means 1 that receives and temporarily stores the warehousing request a.
Based on the warehousing request receiving means 2 for accepting and temporarily storing the warehousing request, the warehousing request a accepted by the warehousing request receiving means 1, and the determined movement route C,
A warehousing processing control means 3 moves the stacker crane 11 to execute the warehousing of articles to the warehouse shelf group 10, and outputs the shelf address d at the time of execution of the warehousing, and a warehousing processing control means 3 that moves the stacker crane 11 to execute the warehousing of articles to the warehouse shelf group 10, and outputs the shelf address d at the time of execution of the warehousing, and a warehousing process that is accepted by the warehousing request receiving means 2. When the request is made, the stacker crane 11 is moved based on the determined movement route C to execute the unloading of the article to the warehouse shelf group 10, and the unloading process outputs the shelf address d at the time when the unloading is executed. A control means 4 and a shelf stock information storage means 5 (!) for storing the identification code of the article together with the shelf address as shelf stock article information 9.
:, the shelf inventory article information 9 of the shelf inventory information storage means 5, and the person.

A warehousing request accepted by the warehousing request receiving means 1 and 2.

Based on the retrieval requests a and b, a movement route is searched that will detect as much shelf stock item information as efficiently as possible, and this is executed by the warehousing processing control means 3. Route search control means 6 outputting the above-mentioned movement route c to the shipping processing control means 4
, an identification code reading means 7 attached to the stacker crane 11 and reading the identification code e of an article existing at a shelf address on the moving route of the stacker crane 11; and a warehousing processing control means 3. The identification code f of the address corresponding to the shelf address d outputted from the shipping processing control means 4 is read from the shelf inventory information storage means 5, and the read identification code f and the identification code read by the identification code reading means 7 e and, if the two do not match, the identification code f of the corresponding shelf address in the shelf stock information storage means 5 is updated to the identification code e read by the identification code reading means 7. It is composed of updating means 8.

Therefore, even when carrying out random loading and unloading operations other than normal inventory management, such as temporary storage, temporary retrieval, or replacement of items, automated warehouse equipment can be effectively utilized to ensure accurate shelf inventory. It becomes possible to perform information management. Thereby, even if there is a warehousing request a or a warehousing request, the warehousing or warehousing can be carried out reliably.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, while the stacker crane is moving, the identification code reading means reads the identification code of the article existing at the shelf address on the movement route, and the shelf inventory information is always stored. When a comparison is made with the shelf stock article information stored in the means, and as a result, there is a mismatched shelf address, the shelf stock article information of the shelf stock information storage means corresponding to the shelf address is stored as an identification code. Since the stored information in the shelf inventory information storage means is updated and stored by correcting the identification code of the article read by the reading means, normal loading/unloading operations such as temporary storage, temporary removal, or replacement of articles are performed. To provide an extremely reliable automatic warehouse control device capable of accurately managing shelf inventory information and reliably carrying out stocking and stocking even when carrying out random loading and unloading other than stock management.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic warehouse control device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automatic warehouse to which the present invention is applied. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Warehousing request receiving means, 2... Warehousing request receiving means, 3... Warehousing processing control means, 4... Warehousing processing control means, 5... Shelf stock information storage means, 6... Route search control means, 7: Identification code reading means, 8: Comparison/update means, 9: Shelf stock item information, a: Input request, b: Output request, C... Travel route, d...
Shelf address, e...Identification code, f...Identification code. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A device for controlling an automated warehouse consisting of a warehouse shelf group for storing incoming goods until they are taken out of the warehouse, and a stacker crane for transporting articles to and from each shelf of the warehouse shelf group and loading and unloading the goods, moving the stacker crane and warehousing the articles into the warehouse shelf group based on the warehousing request and the warehousing request accepted by the warehousing/receiving request receiving means and the determined movement route;
A storage/dispatch processing control means that executes storage and outputs the shelf address at the time of execution of the relevant storage/output; a shelf inventory information storage means that stores the identification code of the article together with the shelf address as shelf inventory item information; Based on the shelf stock article information in the shelf stock information storage means and the warehousing request and warehousing request received by the warehousing/discharging request receiving means, a movement route is determined to detect as much shelf stock article information as efficiently as possible. route search control means for searching and outputting this as a movement route to the warehouse entry/exit processing control means; identification codes of articles attached to the stacker crane and existing at shelf addresses on the movement route traveled by the stacker crane; an identification code reading means for reading from the shelf inventory information storage means an identification code of an address corresponding to the shelf address output from the warehouse entry/exit processing control means, and an identification code reading means for reading the read identification code and the identification code reading means. and the identification code read by the identification code reading means, and if the two do not match, the identification code of the corresponding shelf address in the shelf inventory information storage means is updated to the identification code read by the identification code reading means. An automatic warehouse control device comprising: comparison/update means for comparing and updating;