THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAREHOUSE HANDLING AND DISPATCHING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING ITEM PICKING

Three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching systems, devices, and methods for implementing item picking are provided. In one aspect, a system includes: one or more control centers, one or more first handling devices, one or more second handling devices, at least one lifting device, and at least one three-dimensional warehouse including floors communicated by the at least one lifting device. The one or more control centers are configured to: determine, according to a handling task, a first handling device, a second handling device, and a lifting device for performing the handling task, and send a handling instruction for performing the handling task separately to the first handling device, the second handling device, and the lifting device, such that the lifting device is used to handle an item indicated in the handling instruction, and the first and second handling devices cooperate to transport the item in the at least one three-dimensional warehouse.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010722774.0, entitled “THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAREHOUSE HANDLING AND DISPATCHING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING ITEM PICKING” and filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Jul. 24, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular, to a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system and method for implementing item picking.

BACKGROUND

Currently, with the rapid development of the logistics industry, to improve the operating efficiency of a warehouse, an automated handling device such as an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is usually used to implement the automated transportation of items. In addition, because a warehouse area is usually limited, the cost of acquiring and using a land is relatively high. To maximize the space utilization and reduce the operating cost, a dense storage method is also adopted in an existing warehouse for storing items.

In an existing technology, to simultaneously resolve two problems of improving the efficiency of the automated transportation and reducing the cost of dense storage, a four-way shuttle vehicle (referred to as a four-way vehicle below) for a dense storage warehouse and a dedicated warehouse for the operating of the four-way vehicle are designed, as shown inFIG.1aandFIG.1b.FIG.1ais a cross-sectional view of a warehouse. It can be seen that each floor of the warehouse includes a plurality of adjacent storage spaces for storing items, which are interspersed with a plurality of aisles for the four-way vehicle to transport items. In addition, each rack includes a rail for the four-way vehicle to travel, a support for holding a vehicle is arranged in each storage space, and there are uprights shared by the storage spaces for support.FIG.1bis a top view of a warehouse. It can be seen that the dense stacking of items can save a lot of space. In addition, a relatively small four-way vehicle capable of flexibly traveling between the storage spaces transports items on a holder vehicle to the storage spaces, or transports items to a docking point of the warehouse for outbound.

However, the four-way vehicle is a high-cost handling device and needs to travel on rails, so that in a warehouse in which the four-way vehicle is used for storing or picking items, the layout of the warehouse is difficult to change flexibly due to the setting of the rails, and the construction and use cost of the warehouse is relatively high.

SUMMARY

A three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system, method, and apparatus for implementing item picking provided in embodiments of this specification are used for partially resolving a problem in the related art that in a dense storage warehouse applying a four-way shuttle vehicle, because rails are required to be arranged on a bottom floor, and only the four-way shuttle vehicle can perform a handling task, the operating cost of the warehouse is relatively high and the warehouse layout cannot be flexibly changed.

The following technical solutions are adopted in the embodiments of this specification:

A three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system is provided in this specification, including: one or more control centers, one or more first handling devices, one or more second handling devices, at least one three-dimensional warehouse, and at least one lifting device, where the at least one three-dimensional warehouse is provided with a plurality of floors, the floors of the three-dimensional warehouse are communicated by the at least one lifting device, and the control centers each communicate with the one or more first handling devices and the one or more second handling devices, where: a bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse is provided with at least one bottom-floor docking point, at least some bottom-floor storage spaces of the bottom floor are provided with at least one of a vehicle and a vehicle support, and the vehicle support in the bottom-floor storage spaces is configured for placing a vehicle transported by the second handling devices; higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse other than the bottom floor are each provided with at least one higher-floor docking point, the higher floors are each provided with a rail for the first handling devices to run on, and at least some higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors are provided with a vehicle; the control centers are each configured to determine, according to a handling task, a first handling device, a second handling device, and a lifting device for performing the handling task, and send a handling instruction for performing the handling task to the first handling device, the second handling device, and the lifting device separately; the first handling device is configured to take a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction out of or put the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction into the higher-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control centers, and transport the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction between the higher-floor storage spaces and the higher-floor docking point; the second handling device is configured to take the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction out of or put the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction into the bottom-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control centers, and transport the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction between the lifting device and the bottom-floor storage spaces and between the bottom-floor storage spaces and the bottom-floor docking point, or between the lifting device and the bottom-floor docking point; and the lifting device is configured to ascend or descend to a specified floor according to the handling instruction sent by the control centers, and transport at least one or a combination of the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction, the first handling device, and the second handling device between the floors.

A three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching method is provided in this specification, where: there are at least one or more three-dimensional warehouses, floors of the three-dimensional warehouses are communicated by at least one lifting device, a bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouses is provided with at least one bottom-floor docking point, at least some bottom-floor storage spaces are provided with a vehicle and a vehicle support, the vehicle support in the bottom-floor storage spaces is configured for placing a vehicle transported by a second handling device, higher floors other than the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouses are each provided with at least one higher-floor docking point, the higher floors are each provided with a rail for a first handling device to run on, at least some higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors are provided with a vehicle, and the method includes: determining a to-be-performed handling task; determining, according to the handling task, a first handling device, a second handling device, and a lifting device for performing the handling task; and sending a handling instruction to the determined first handling device, second handling device, and lifting device separately, so that the first handling device, the second handling device, and the lifting device cooperate to transport a vehicle from the higher-floor storage spaces or the bottom-floor storage spaces of the three-dimensional warehouses to the bottom-floor docking point, or transport a vehicle at the bottom-floor docking point into the higher-floor storage spaces or the bottom-floor storage spaces of the three-dimensional warehouses.

At least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this specification can achieve the following beneficial effects: through a combination of using first handling devices and second handling devices in a three-dimensional warehouse, a handling function of a lifting device in the three-dimensional warehouse is used, so that the first handling devices and the second handling devices can cooperate to transport items in a dense storage warehouse, which avoids laying rails on a bottom floor of the warehouse, the layout of the warehouse can be changed flexibly, a quantity of first handling devices required can be reduced, the operating cost of the warehouse can be reduced, and the transport efficiency can be improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To clearly state the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this specification, the technical solutions of the present disclosure are clearly and completely described below with reference to specific embodiments of this specification and corresponding accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are only some embodiments rather than all the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of this specification without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG.2is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system for implementing item picking according to an embodiment of this specification, and the system includes: one or more control centers100, one or more first handling devices102, one or more second handling devices104, at least one three-dimensional warehouse106, and at least one lifting device108, where the at least one three-dimensional warehouse106is provided with a plurality of floors, the floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106are communicated by the at least one lifting device108, and the control centers100each communicate with the one or more first handling devices102and the one or more second handling devices104. The three-dimensional warehouse106may be divided into a bottom floor and a plurality of higher floors. Storage spaces arranged on the bottom floor are bottom-floor storage spaces, and storage spaces arranged on the higher floors are higher-floor storage spaces. For the convenience of understanding, only one control center100and one three-dimensional warehouse106are included inFIG.2.

Because an objective of storing items in a warehouse is to store a variety of large quantities of items in a centralized manner, for example, to facilitate the selection of required items according to the needs of an order, in a system provided in this specification, items in a three-dimensional warehouse are carried by a vehicle, and the vehicle needs to be transported by a first handling device102, a second handling device104, and a lifting device108, a handling task in this specification is also for implementing item picking, and can be determined by a control center100according to the order.

Specifically, when sorting items in a three-dimensional warehouse, it is necessary to first determine storage spaces of the items according to items that need to be sorted, then perform a handling task through devices, so that the items are delivered to a sorting area and sorted, and then the remaining items are stored in the warehouse after the sorting is completed, so as to implement the sorting of the items. Therefore, the handling task in this specification is a task of transporting a vehicle carrying items, which is performed in order to implement the sorting of the items.

During the sorting of items, the control center100is configured to determine, according to a received order, storage spaces of items included in the order, then determine a path from the storage spaces to a bottom-floor docking point110, determine, according to the path, a first handling device102, a second handling device104, and a lifting device108for performing a handling task, and send a handling instruction for performing the handling task to the first handling device102, the second handling device104, and the lifting device108separately. After the items are sorted in a sorting area, the control center100may then determine a path from the bottom-floor docking point110to the storage spaces according to the bottom-floor docking point110at which a vehicle is located and positions of the storage spaces in which the items need to be stored, determine, according to the path, a first handling device102, a second handling device104, and a lifting device108for performing a handling task, and send a handling instruction for performing the handling task to the first handling device102, the second handling device104, and the lifting device108separately. After a process described above, a three-dimensional warehouse completes the sorting of items.

Additionally, it should be further noted that, the three-dimensional warehouse and related methods for implementing item picking in this specification are not only applicable to the picking of commodity items in a warehousing scenario, but also applicable to the picking of finished products, semi-finished products, or semi-processed items in a factory production scenario, and the picked items are used for implementing a specific production link or a specific production node. The application scenario of item picking is not specifically limited in this specification. Therefore, in this specification, a bottom floor of a three-dimensional warehouse106is provided with at least one bottom-floor docking point110, at least some bottom-floor storage spaces of the bottom floor are provided with at least one of a vehicle114and a vehicle support116, and the vehicle support116in the bottom-floor storage spaces is configured for placing a vehicle114to be transported by a second handling device104. The vehicle support116may be mounted in the bottom-floor storage spaces or removed from the bottom-floor storage spaces as required. In a case that different bottom-floor storage spaces are selected for mounting the vehicle support116, the vehicle support may be mounted in areas in which the vehicle114is placed and having different bottom strokes, a space between the areas in which the vehicle114is placed may be used as an aisle for the second handling device104carrying the vehicle114to pass through. The vehicle support116is used for the second handling device104to place the vehicle114, and the second handling device104places the vehicle114including items on the vehicle support116in the bottom-floor storage spaces, that is, storing the items into the warehouse.

In addition, the bottom-floor docking point110of the three-dimensional warehouse106is a docking point outside the three-dimensional warehouse106. For example, a forklift or another handling device may take out the vehicle114that need to be out of the warehouse from the bottom-floor docking point1101. or transport the vehicle114that need to be stored to the bottom-floor docking point110, and then at least one of the first handling device102, the second handling device104, and the lifting device108transports the vehicle114from the bottom-floor docking point110into the bottom-floor storage spaces or the higher-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100.

In this specification, the vehicle114is configured to carry items, but the specific form of the vehicle114is not limited in this specification. For example, the vehicle114may be a tray, a box, or the like, as long as it can accommodate or support items.

In addition, higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106other than the bottom floor are each provided with at least one higher-floor docking point112, the higher floors are each provided with a rail118for the first handling device102to run on, and at least some higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors are provided with the vehicle114. A structure configured for placing the vehicle114, such as a support rod, a tray, or the like, is arranged in each of the higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors.

Further, in this specification, the vehicle114arranged on each floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106may include items stored in the warehouse or other idle vehicles114. An occupancy rate of storage spaces of each floor, that is, a ratio of a quantity of storage spaces in which the vehicle114is arranged to a total quantity of storage spaces may be configured as required. Then, an occupancy rate of higher-floor storage spaces of higher floors may be set between 0 and 100%, and an occupancy rate of bottom-floor storage spaces of a bottom floor may be set between 0 and 100%.

Still further, due to structures such as reinforcing ribs and beams in the three-dimensional warehouse106and the vehicle114already stored in the storage spaces, the first handling device102or the second handling device104cannot directly travel from one storage space to another adjacent storage space when carrying the vehicle114. Therefore, each floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is provided with an aisle for the first handling device102or the second handling device104carrying the vehicle114to pass through.

FIG.3provided in this specification is a schematic diagram of a top view of a three-dimensional warehouse. The left side is a schematic diagram of higher floors, and it can be seen that the higher floors include rails118, so that the first handling device102can travel on the rails118. The right side is a schematic diagram of a bottom floor, and it can be seen that the bottom floor does not include rails118. Moreover, it can be seen from the top view that each floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is provided with aisles for the first handling device102or the second handling device104to pass through.

In addition, it should be noted that in this specification, layouts of aisles of different floors may not be the same, and may be set as required. In a dense storage warehouse, if it is necessary to transport items in storage spaces not adjacent to an aisle, items in storage spaces adjacent to the aisle need to be transported first, the storage spaces adjacent to the aisle is referred to as a temporary aisle, and then the items in the storage spaces not adjacent to the aisle are transported by a handling device. Therefore, usually for the consideration of transport efficiency, a stock keeping unit (SKU) of items stored in storage spaces not adjacent to an aisle is the same as an SKU of items stored in storage spaces adjacent to the aisle. In this case, an arrangement order of storage spaces and aisles in a warehouse is as follows: 1 aisle, 4 storage spaces, and 1 aisle, as shown inFIG.4a, which can increase the storage density of items without affecting the operating efficiency of the warehouse.

However, in a case that a single SKU does not have enough items requiring two or more storage spaces for storage, a layout shown inFIG.4amay affect the operating efficiency of the warehouse. Therefore, a layout shown inFIG.4bmay usually be used, that is, the arrangement order of storage spaces and aisles in the warehouse is: 1 aisle, 2 storage spaces, and 1 aisle.

In this specification, each floor of the three-dimensional warehouse may adopt the layout shown inFIG.4aorFIG.4bor a combination of the two layouts, which is not limited in this specification. Moreover, according to the needs of storing items, each floor may adopt different layouts. For example, bulky commodities that take up a lot of space are stored on a floor A, and a single SKU has enough items requiring two or more storage spaces for storage, then the floor A may all adopt the layout ofFIG.4a. Small commodities are stored on a floor A+1, then the floor A+1 may all adopt the layout ofFIG.4b.

In this specification, the first handling device102may be specifically a handling device traveling on a rail, such as a four-way shuttle, and the second handling device104may be specifically a handling device traveling on a plane, such as an AGV. Certainly, the specific forms of the first handling device102and the second handling device104are not limited in the present disclosure, which can be set as required, as long as the first handling device102can travel along a rail and transport the vehicle114in the higher-floor storage spaces, and the second handling device104can travel on the bottom floor and transport the vehicle114in the bottom-floor storage spaces.

When a control center100determines a to-be-performed handling task according to an order, the control center100may first determine the to-be-performed handling task, determine, according to the handling task, a first handling device102for performing the handling task, and send a handling instruction to the first handling device102.

Then, the first handling device102may take a vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction out of or put the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction into higher-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center1001. and transport the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction between the higher-floor storage spaces and a higher-floor docking point1102.

A second handling device104may take out the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction or put the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction into bottom-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100, and transport the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction between a lifting device108and the bottom-floor storage spaces, between the bottom-floor storage spaces and a bottom-floor docking point110, or between the lifting device108and the bottom-floor docking point110. A bottom surface of the three-dimensional warehouse106is a plane on which the second handling device104travels. Specifically, the bottom surface may be a ground on which the three-dimensional warehouse106is located, or a platform provided on the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106for the second handling device104to travel on, for example, a steel platform on the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106for the second handling device104to travel on.

The lifting device108is configured to ascend or descend to a specified floor according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100, and transport at least one or a combination of the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction, the first handling device, and the second handling device between floors.

The specified floor is a floor that the lifting device108performing the handling task needs to reach, for example, the vehicle114is transported from a third floor to the bottom floor. Then, the control center100may separately send two handling instructions to the lifting device108, the lifting device108reaches the third floor according to a handling instruction received for the first time (that is, a specified floor indicated in the handling instruction received for the first time), and when the vehicle114has been transported into the lifting device108, the lifting device108may reach the bottom floor according to the received handling instruction (that is, a specified floor indicated in the received handling instruction for the second time). Certainly, the foregoing is only an example. In the example described above, the control center100may alternatively send only one handling instruction. Then, the specified floor is separately the third floor and the bottom floor in order, so that the lifting device108reaches the third floor and the bottom floor in sequence according to the handling instruction, and transports a vehicle114of the third floor to the bottom floor.

In addition, in this specification, at least some higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors are further provided with a vehicle support114configured for placing the vehicle. The vehicle support114is the same as the vehicle support114arranged in the bottom-floor storage spaces described above, the specific arrangement has been described, and details are not described herein again.

In addition, in this specification, a distance between the vehicle support116arranged in the higher-floor storage spaces or a structure for placing the vehicle114arranged in the higher-floor storage spaces and a rail118is greater than a height of the first handling device102not carrying the vehicle114, so that the first handling device102can travel to below the higher-floor storage spaces, and transport the vehicle114from below the higher-floor storage spaces in a piggyback manner and leave the higher-floor storage spaces.

In an embodiment provided in this specification, taking a process of transporting the vehicle114from any one of the higher-floor storage spaces to the bottom-floor docking point110for item outbound as an example, a process in which a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system performs a handling task is described.

A control center100of the three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system first determines, according to a to-be-performed handling task after determining that items located in higher-floor storage spaces need to be transported to a bottom-floor docking point110for outbound, first handling devices102of floors on which the higher-floor storage spaces are located; and

then determines a first handling device102for performing the handling task from the determined first handling devices102, and sends a handling instruction. The control center100may determine, according to whether the first handling devices102are idle or a quantity of to-be-executed handling instructions, the first handling device102for performing the handling task from the first handling devices102,

Certainly, the policy adopted to select the first handling device102is not limited in the present disclosure, which can be set as required. For example, the control center100may simply select any one of the idle first handling devices102as the first handling device 1 02 for performing the handling task, or further, determine a first handling device102closest to the higher-floor storage spaces in which the items of the handling task are located from the idle first handling devices102as the first handling device102for performing the handling task.

In addition, when sending a handling instruction to the first handling device102, the control center100may also send a handling instruction to a lifting device108asynchronously, so that the lifting device108ascends or descends to a floor on which the higher-floor storage spaces are located (that is, the specified floor), that is, a floor on which a vehicle114of the handling task is located. Then, the lifting device108may move to the floor according to the handling instruction, wait for the first handling device102to transport the vehicle114to a higher-floor docking point112, and receive the vehicle114through the higher-floor docking point112. It should be noted that, in this specification, handling instructions sent by the control center100to different handling devices are not the same.

Then, the first handling device102travels through, according to the received handling instruction, an aisle of the located floor to below the higher-floor storage spaces in which the vehicle114of the handling task is located, transports the vehicle114in the higher-floor storage spaces in a piggyback manner, travels through the aisle of the floor again to the higher-floor docking point112of the located floor, and places the vehicle114into the lifting device108through the higher-floor docking point112; and after placing, sends information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100.

It should be noted that, the handling instruction sent to the first handling device102includes identifiers of the higher-floor storage spaces requiring transport, an identifier of the higher-floor docking point112, and a path from the higher-floor storage spaces to the higher-floor docking point112. In a case that the three-dimensional warehouse106includes a plurality of higher-floor docking points112, the control center100may determine identifiers and paths of the higher-floor docking points112through path optimization as information included in a first handling instruction, and send the information to the first handling device102, so that the first handling device102transports the vehicle114to the higher-floor docking point112according to the optimized path,

The control center100determines, according to the information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the first handling device102, that the lifting device108has obtained the vehicle114through the higher-floor docking point112, and sends a handling instruction to the lifting device108according to the handling task corresponding to the currently transported vehicle114. The handling instruction includes a specified floor to be reached by the lifting device108next, and in this example, the specified floor is a bottom floor.

Then, the lifting device108may determine, according to a handling instruction sent again by the control center100, to transport the currently transported vehicle114to the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106, and send information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100.

The control center100determines, according to the information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the lifting device108, that the vehicle114has been transported to the bottom floor; and then may determine a second handling device104for performing the handling task from second handling devices104, and send a handling instruction to the determined second handling device104. The logic for determining the second handling device104for performing the handling task from the second handling devices104may be the same as the logic for determining the first handling device102for performing the handling task from the first handling devices102, and details are not described herein again in this specification.

The second handling device104travels through an aisle of the bottom floor to the lifting device108according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100, and transports the vehicle114transported by the lifting device108; and then travels through the aisle of the bottom floor again to the bottom-floor docking point110, places the vehicle at the bottom-floor docking point110, and sends information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100.

Finally, the control center100may determine that the handling task is performed according to completed information sent by the second handling device104,

A vehicle support116may also be arranged at the bottom-floor docking point110. The vehicle support116may be a conveyor and may be connected to a conveyor line, so that items transported by the second handling device104to the bottom-floor docking point110can be transported to a specified area (for example, a picking area or a packing area.) along the conveyor line.

Finally, after receiving information that a third handling instruction is executed, the control center100determines that the items are correctly transported to the bottom-floor docking point110, and the handling task is performed.

In another embodiment of this specification, in a case that items that need to be delivered are located in bottom-floor storage spaces, the control center100may determine a second handling device104for performing the handling task from the second handling devices104, and send a handling instruction to the determined second handling device104.

The second handling device104travels through the aisle of the bottom floor to the bottom-floor storage spaces according to the received handling instruction, and transports a vehicle114stored in the bottom-floor storage spaces.

Then, the second handling device104travels through the aisle of the bottom floor again to the bottom-floor docking point110, places the vehicle at the bottom-floor docking point110, and sends information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100.

Finally, after receiving the information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the second handling device104, the control center100determines that the vehicle114is correctly transported to the bottom-floor docking point110, and the handling task is performed.

In an embodiment provided in this specification, taking a process of transporting a vehicle114from a bottom-floor docking point110into any one of higher-floor storage spaces for inventory as an example, a process in which a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system for implementing item picking performs a handling task is described.

First, according to the to-be-performed handling task, and when determining that a vehicle114that has been transported to the bottom-floor docking point110needs to be transported to the higher-floor storage spaces for inventory, a control center100of the system may first determine a second handling device104for performing the handling task from second handling devices104, and send a handling instruction to the determined second handling device104. Certainly, for the logic for determining the second handling device104for performing the handling task, details are not described in this specification.

Then, the second handling device104travels through, according to the received handling instruction, an aisle of a bottom floor to the bottom-floor docking point110to transport the vehicle114, then travels through the aisle of the bottom floor again to a lifting device108, and places the vehicle on the lifting device108; and after placing, sends information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100.

In addition, when sending the handling instruction to the second handling device104, the control center100may also send a handling instruction to the lifting device108asynchronously, so that the lifting device108moves to the bottom floor (that is, a specified floor), that is, a floor on which the bottom-floor docking point110is located. Then, the lifting device108may move to the bottom floor according to the handling instruction, and wait for the second handling device104to transport the vehicle114to the lifting device108.

After receiving information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the second handling device104, the control center100may continue to send a handling instruction to the lifting device108according to the information that the handling instruction is performed and a floor on which higher-floor storage spaces for storing the items are located included in the handling task, and the specified floor corresponding to the handling instruction is the floor on which the higher-floor storage spaces for storing the items are located.

The lifting device108transports, according to the received handling instruction sent by the control center100again, the vehicle114to the floor on which the higher-floor storage spaces are located, and sends information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100. In addition, when the lifting device108reaches the specified floor, the vehicle114may further be transported out of the lifting device108through the higher-floor docking point112.

The control center100determines, according to the information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the lifting device108, a first handling device102for performing the handling task from first handling devices102on the floor on which the higher-floor storage spaces are located, and sends a handling instruction to the determined first handling device102.

The first handling device102travels to the higher-floor docking point112through an aisle of the located floor according to the received handling instruction, transports the vehicle114lifted from the bottom floor by the lifting device108, then travels through the aisle of the located floor again to below the higher-floor storage spaces, and places the vehicle114into the higher-floor storage spaces.

Finally, after placing the vehicle114, the first handling device102may send information that the handling instruction is executed to the control center100, after receiving the information that the handling instruction is executed sent by the first handling device102, the control center100determines that the vehicle114is correctly transported to the higher-floor storage spaces, and the handling task is performed.

Further, in this specification, the first handling device102may use various methods for transporting the vehicle114out of or storing the vehicle114into the higher-floor storage spaces.

Specifically, the control center100determines, according to the handling task, the higher-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task. For example, higher-floor storage spaces for storing the vehicle114may be considered as the higher-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task, or higher-floor storage spaces determined when the vehicle114is stored for inventory may also be considered as the higher-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task.

Then, the control center100may send a handling instruction to the determined first handling device102according to positions of the higher-floor storage spaces and positions of aisles adjacent to the higher-floor storage spaces.

Then, the first handling device102may, at a rail position adjacent to the higher-floor storage spaces, take out the vehicle114from a side of the higher-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100to the first handling device102, or put the transported vehicle114in the first handling device102into the higher-floor storage spaces from the side of the higher-floor storage spaces. As shown inFIG.5,FIG.5is a schematic diagram of a first handling device picking and placing a vehicle from a side provided in this specification. The first handling device102is located at an aisle position adjacent to a higher-floor storage space, and picks and places items from the side of the higher-floor storage space.

Alternatively, after determining the higher-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task, the control center100sends a handling instruction to the determined first handling device102according to positions of the higher-floor storage spaces and positions of other storage spaces above the higher-floor storage spaces.

Then, the first handling device102may take out the vehicle114from above the higher-floor storage spaces into the first handling device102according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100, or put the vehicle114in the first handling device102into the higher-floor storage spaces from above the higher-floor storage spaces.

Still further, in this specification, the second handling device104may also use various methods for transporting the vehicle114out of or storing the vehicle114into the bottom-floor storage spaces.

Specifically, the control center100determines, according to the handling task, the bottom-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task. For example, bottom-floor storage spaces for storing the vehicle114may be considered as the bottom-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task, or bottom-floor storage spaces determined when the vehicle114is stored for inventory may also be considered as the bottom-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task.

Then, the control center100may send a handling instruction to the determined second handling device104according to positions of the bottom-floor storage spaces and positions of aisles adjacent to the bottom-floor storage spaces.

Then, the second handling device104may, at an aisle position adjacent to the bottom-floor storage spaces, take out the vehicle114from a side of the bottom-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100to the second handling device104, or put the transported vehicle114in the second handling device104into the bottom-floor storage spaces from the side of the bottom-floor storage spaces.

Alternatively, after determining the bottom-floor storage spaces corresponding to the handling task, the control center100sends a handling instruction to the determined second handling device104according to the positions of the bottom-floor storage spaces.

Then, the second handling device104may, at an aisle position adjacent to the bottom-floor storage spaces, enter to below the bottom-floor storage spaces according to the handling instruction sent by the control center100, and take out the vehicle114from below the bottom-floor storage spaces to the second handling device104, or place the vehicle114indicated in the handling instruction in the second handling device104into the bottom-floor storage spaces.

In addition, in this specification, because for each three-dimensional warehouse106, at least one lifting device108may be arranged in the three-dimensional warehouse106, to allow the vehicle114to be placed on any floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106, in a case that the three-dimensional warehouse106includes a plurality of lifting devices108, at least an overlap exists between specified floors reachable by the plurality of lifting devices108.

That is, through the overlapping floors, the lifting devices108can communicate floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106. As shown inFIG.6, the three-dimensional warehouse106includes a total of four floors, and three lifting devices108respectively communicating a bottom floor and a first floor, the first floor and a second floor, and the second floor and a third floor. Certainly, the lifting device108may be located at different positions of the three-dimensional warehouse106.

A control center100may transport a vehicle to any floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106through one or more lifting devices108. For example, inFIG.6described above, in a case that items on the third floor need to be transported to the bottom floor, the control center may dispatch first handling devices102and corresponding lifting devices108of the first to third floors respectively, so that the lifting devices108and the first handling devices102on the floors transport the items from the third floor to the bottom floor in a relay manner.

In this specification, rails118may be arranged in the lifting devices108, so that the rails118in the lifting devices108can be connected to rails118arranged in higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106. Then, when moving along the rails on the higher floors, the first handling devices102may travel into the lifting devices108, and directly place the vehicle114into the lifting devices108, or the first handling devices102may be transported by the lifting devices108to other floors, as shown inFIG.7.

Still further, in this specification, in a case that rails118are also arranged in the lifting devices108, the control center100may also dispatch the first handling devices102between different floors through the lifting devices108.

Specifically, in this specification, the control center100may determine, according to a to-be-performed handling task corresponding to some or all of the higher floors, a quantity of first handling devices102required by the higher floors. The control center100may determine a floor on which higher-floor storage spaces involved in the handling task are located as a higher floor corresponding to the handling task. For example, in a case that in a handling task A, a vehicle114needs to be transported from the third floor, then the third floor is a higher floor corresponding to the handling task A, or in a case that in a handling task B, a vehicle114needs to be transported to a specific higher-floor storage space of the third floor, then the third floor is a higher floor corresponding to the handling task B. In addition, the control center100may determine, according to a quantity of to-be-performed handling tasks corresponding to the higher floors, the quantity of first handling devices102required by the higher floors. In a case that there are more to-be-performed handling tasks corresponding to the higher floors, the quantity of first handling devices102required by the higher floors is more. Certainly, due to a limited space of each floor in the warehouse, an excessive quantity of first handling devices102may result in a reduction in travel paths for devices or congestion in paths. Therefore, in this specification, the control center100may also determine, according to a preset maximum quantity of first handling devices102of each higher floor, the quantity of first handling devices102required by the higher floors. The maximum quantity of first handling devices102may vary according to the layout of each floor. In a case that a quantity of vehicles114arranged in the higher floors is less, it means that a quantity of areas through which the first handling devices102can pass is greater.

Then, the control center100may determine, according to the quantity of first handling devices102required by the each of the higher floors and a current quantity of first handling devices102of the each of the higher floors, first handling devices102that need to be dispatched to the each of the higher floors, and send a dispatching instruction to the first handling devices102that need to be dispatched.

Then, the first handling devices102are further configured to travel into the lifting devices108along the rails118according to the received dispatching instruction sent by the control center100, and reach a higher floor specified in the dispatching instruction through the lifting devices108.

In addition, in the description of the structure of the three-dimensional warehouse106described above in this specification, higher-floor docking points112respectively set on the higher floors are independent of the lifting devices108. This is because if the first handling devices102cannot reach the lifting devices108, a vehicle114needs to be transported to the lifting devices108through the higher-floor docking points112, and then the lifting devices108transport the vehicle114to a specified floor.

However, if rails118are also arranged in the lifting devices108and the first handling devices102can travel into the lifting devices108, the higher-floor docking points112may alternatively be set in the lifting devices108in this specification,

Then, the first handling devices102are further configured to travel to the higher-floor docking points112in the lifting devices108according to a handling instruction sent by the control center100, and place the vehicle114at the higher-floor docking points112, or take out the vehicle114from the higher-floor docking points112.

Further, in this specification, because the construction of a warehouse may be affected by various aspects, the layout of floors may be different. In a case that there is a floor where not all areas are communicated by rails among the higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106, as shown inFIG.8, if a first handling device102needs to be dispatched between two areas, the control center100may be configured to:

for the floor where not all areas are communicated by rails118, in a case that a first handling device102needs to be dispatched between different areas of the floor, determine an area from which the first handling device102is to be dispatched as a departure area, and determine an area into which the first handling device102is to be dispatched as a destination area, and determine another floor closest to the floor where all areas are communicated by rails as a transit floor.

The control center100sends a dispatching instruction to the first handling device102in the departure area, sends a handling instruction to a lifting device108communicating the transit floor and the departure area, and sends a handling instruction to a lifting device108communicating the transit floor and the destination area, so that the first handling device102reaches the destination area from the departure area through the two lifting devices108and a rail116of the transit floor.

Still further, in the system provided in this specification, in a case that there are two or more three-dimensional warehouses106, bottom surfaces of the three-dimensional warehouses106are in communication with each other. As shown inFIG.9aandFIG.9b,FIG.9ais a simple schematic diagram corresponding toFIG.8in which the bottom surfaces of the two three-dimensional warehouses are in communication with each other, indicating that because only the bottom floors of the two three-dimensional warehouses are in communication, the two three-dimensional warehouses can be considered as a whole.FIG.9bis a detailed schematic diagram, it can be seen that the two three-dimensional warehouses are independently arranged on the bottom surfaces.

In addition, the control center100may determine, according to at least some to-be-performed handling tasks corresponding to the three-dimensional warehouses106, a quantity of first handling devices102required by each of the three-dimensional warehouses106; anddetermine, according to the quantity of first handling devices102required by the each of the three-dimensional warehouses106and a current quantity of first handling devices102of the each of the three-dimensional warehouses106, first handling devices102that need to be dispatched to the each of the three-dimensional warehouses106; anddetermine a three-dimensional warehouse106from which first handling devices102are to be dispatched as a departure warehouse, and determine a three-dimensional warehouse106into which the first handling devices106are to be dispatched as a destination warehouse, send a dispatching instruction to the first handling devices102in the departure warehouse, and send a handling instruction to second handling devices104, a lifting device108of the departure warehouse, and a lifting device108of the destination warehouse, so that the first handling devices102are dispatched from the departure warehouse to the destination warehouse through the two lifting devices108and the second handling devices104.

The second handling devices104are configured to transport the first handling devices102from a bottom floor of the departure warehouse to a bottom floor of the destination warehouse according to the dispatching instruction.

It should be noted that, because the first handling devices102can travel into the lifting devices108through rails, the second handling devices104may consider the first handling devices102in the lifting devices108as the vehicle114in the lifting devices108, and transport the first handling devices102out of the lifting devices108in the same manner as the vehicle114. Moreover, because the bottom floors of the three-dimensional warehouses106are in communication, the second handling devices104can reach another three-dimensional warehouse106from one three-dimensional warehouse106through the bottom floors, so as to dispatch the first handling devices102between different three-dimensional warehouses106.

In addition, in this specification, an unpowered carrier120or a powered carrier120is arranged in the lifting device108, and the higher-floor docking point112is provided with at least the carrier120located in the lifting device. The powered carrier120, such as a roller line, a transport line, a two-way telescopic fork, or the like, may actively move a vehicle114placed on the carrier120, and the specific form is not limited, while the unpowered carrier120may include at least a vehicle support116for placing a vehicle114thereon.

The first handling device102is further configured to travel to the carrier120used as a higher-floor docking point112in the lifting device108, and place the vehicle114on the carrier120, or take out the vehicle114from the carrier120used as the higher-floor docking point112.

Further, in this specification, the unpowered carrier120or the powered carrier120is arranged outside at least some positions at which the lifting devices108are docked with the higher floors on the higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse106. Then, the higher-floor docking point in this specification is at least further provided with the carrier located outside the lifting device, as shown inFIG.10.

In a case that the lifting device108is located on a higher floor, the carrier120located outside the lifting device108is docked with the carrier120located in the lifting device108, so that the vehicle114is transported from the carrier120in the lifting device108to the carrier120outside the lifting device108, or the vehicle114is transported from the carrier120outside the lifting device108to the carrier120in the lifting device108.

It should be noted that, in this specification, in a case that the carriers120inside and outside the lifting devices108are all unpowered carriers120, the first handling devices102may take out or store the vehicle114from the side, and push the vehicle114onto the carrier120. In a case that any one of the carriers120inside and outside the lifting devices108is a powered carrier120, the vehicle114may be pushed by the powered carrier120.

In addition, in this specification, a specified area of the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is provided with at least one bottom-floor docking point110, that is, the bottom-floor docking point110may also be a specified area of the bottom floor.

Then, the second handling device104is configured to take the vehicle114out of the bottom-floor storage spaces or the lifting devices108, transport the vehicle114to the bottom-floor docking point110, and place the vehicle114in the specified area; or take out the vehicle114from the bottom-floor docking point110in the specified area, and transport the vehicle114into the bottom-floor storage spaces or the lifting devices108.

Because the bottom-floor storage spaces may be provided with a vehicle support116for placing the vehicle114, and a minimum distance between the vehicle support.116and the bottom floor may be greater than a height of the second handling device104, there is usually a height difference between the vehicle support of the bottom-floor storage spaces116and the bottom floor. Similarly, because the lifting device108needs to obtain items from the higher-floor docking point112, and a height of the higher-floor docking point112is adapted to the first handling devices102, there is usually a height difference between the lifting device108and the bottom floor.

Then, in a case that the bottom-floor docking point110is located in a specified area on the bottom floor, an apparatus for lifting the vehicle114and placing the vehicle114needs to be arranged in the second handling device104, such as a fork that can be lifted or lowered, so that the second handling device104transport the vehicle114from the specified area on the bottom floor into the bottom-floor storage spaces or the lifting devices108at different heights.

Further, in this specification, when the lifting device108include a built-in carrier120, the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106may also be provided with a powered carrier120, so that when the lifting device108is located on the bottom floor, the carrier120on the bottom floor is docked with the carrier120located in the lifting device108, to transport the vehicle114from the carrier120in the lifting device108to the carrier120on the bottom floor, so that the second handling device104can take out the vehicle114from the carrier120on the bottom floor, or when the second handling device104places the vehicle114on the carrier120on the bottom floor, the carrier120on the bottom floor can transport the vehicle114from the carrier120on the bottom floor to the carrier120in the lifting device108.

Therefore, the second handling device104in this specification is further configured to take out the vehicle114from the carrier120on the bottom floor, transport the vehicle to the bottom-floor docking point112, and place the vehicle114in the specified area; or the second handling device104may take out the vehicle114from the bottom-floor docking point112in the specified area, and transport the vehicle114to the carrier120on the bottom floor. As shown inFIG.11, a dashed line indicates a movement path of the vehicle114.

Further, in another implementation of this specification, the control center100may send a handling instruction for transporting to a specified area outside the three-dimensional warehouse106as required to a second handling device104, and the second handling device104may transport the vehicle114to the specified area according to the handling instruction. That is, in this specification, the second handling device104is not limited to only operating in the three-dimensional warehouse106. Because the second handling device104operates on a platform of the bottom floor, the second handling device is not limited by a rail, and can be more flexibly connected to an device outside the system or outside the three-dimensional warehouse106, so as to transport the vehicle114out or transport the vehicle114in. The device outside may be a forklift controlled by a worker, a roller line for conveying the vehicle114, a production line, an area where workers sort items, or the like, which is not limited in this specification.

Still further, the system may further include: at least one external temporary storage area, where the external temporary storage area is in a form of at least one of three-dimensional storage or planar storage, which is not limited in this specification. In a case that the external temporary storage area is in the form of three-dimensional storage, a lifting device108may also be arranged in the external temporary storage area for communicating floors of the external temporary storage area. Certainly, if the external temporary storage area is not provided with a lifting device108, a vehicle114of middle and higher floors of the external temporary storage area may also be transported by a three-dimensional handling device, such as a forklift, and a layout structure of the external temporary storage area may also be in the form shown inFIG.2toFIG.4b.

In this specification, the external temporary storage area and the three-dimensional warehouse106may share second handling devices104, and the second handling devices104transport the vehicle114between the external temporary storage area and at least one three-dimensional warehouse106, or are docked with the vehicle114. For example, when items in the three-dimensional warehouse106need to be transported to the external temporary storage area, the control center100may send a handling instruction to the second handling devices, and the second handling devices104may transport the vehicle114to the external temporary storage area for temporary storage.

Certainly, in a case that the external temporary storage area is in the form of planar storage, the external temporary storage area may also be a temporary storage area including a vehicle support116arranged on a ground. The external temporary storage area may be used for storing items with a relatively high inbound and outbound frequency, reducing the inbound and outbound frequency of the three-dimensional warehouse106by using the vehicle114, and reducing the time occupying the handling devices during transporting the items with a relatively high inbound frequency. Generally, the storage capacity of the external temporary storage area is less than that of the three-dimensional warehouse106, and the structure is simpler, as long as items can be temporarily stored. Therefore, the external temporary- storage area may only include a vehicle support116arranged on a ground as described above.

Based on a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system for implementing item picking shown inFIG.2and the description of the process of performing the handling task described above, it can be seen that in the system provided in this specification, through a combination of using first handling devices and second handling devices in a three-dimensional warehouse, a handling function of a lifting device in the three-dimensional warehouse is used, so that the first handling devices and the second handling devices can cooperate to transport items in a dense storage warehouse, which avoids laying rails on a bottom floor of the warehouse, the layout of the warehouse can be changed flexibly, a quantity of first handling devices required can be reduced, the operating cost of the warehouse can be reduced, and the handling efficiency can be improved.

In addition, in this specification, to increase the flexibility of the path selection of a second handling device104not transporting the vehicle114, a height of the vehicle support116in at least some bottom-floor storage spaces of the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is greater than a height of the second handling device104not carrying the vehicle114.

The second handling device104not carrying the vehicle114is further configured to selectively pass to below the at least some bottom-floor storage spaces, or transport the vehicle114from below the at least some bottom-floor storage spaces in a piggyback manner.

Further, an interval between uprights in the at least some bottom-floor storage spaces of the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is greater than a width of the second handling device104, and a height of a lowest point of a connector between at least some two adjacent uprights of the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse106is higher than the height of the second handling device104not carrying the vehicle114. The second handling device104not carrying the vehicle114is further configured to selectively travel between at least some two adjacent uprights of the bottom floor.

Based on the system shown inFIG.2, this specification also provides a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching method, as shown inFIG.12.

FIG.12is a flowchart of a three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching process provided in this specification. There are at least one or more three-dimensional warehouses, floors of the three-dimensional warehouses are communicated by at least one lifting device, a bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouses is provided with at least one bottom-floor docking point, at least some bottom-floor storage spaces are provided with a vehicle and a vehicle support, the vehicle support in the bottom-floor storage spaces is configured for placing a vehicle transported by a second handling device, higher floors other than the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouses are each provided with at least one higher-floor docking point, the higher floors are each provided with a rail for a first handling device to run on, at least some higher-floor storage spaces of the higher floors are provided with a vehicle, and the handling process may specifically include the following steps:

It should be noted that, the handling task is used for a three-dimensional warehouse to implement the sorting of items, so that a task of a handling device transporting a vehicle can be determined according to a received order.

S202: Determine, according to the handling task, a first handling device, a second handling device, and a lifting device for performing the handling task.

S204: Send a handling instruction to the determined first handling device, second handling device, and lifting device separately, so that the first handling device, the second handling device, and the lifting device cooperate to transport the vehicle from the higher-floor storage spaces or the bottom-floor storage spaces of the three-dimensional warehouses to the bottom-floor docking point, or transport the vehicle at the bottom-floor docking point into the higher-floor storage spaces or the bottom-floor storage spaces of the three-dimensional warehouses.

The handling method provided in this specification may be specifically performed by a control center. The control center may be one or more devices, such as a distributed server including a plurality of servers, which is not limited in this specification. Certainly, because there can be one or more three-dimensional warehouses, a control center may be set to determine handling tasks of the plurality of three-dimensional warehouses, and dispatch devices for performing the handling tasks, or a plurality of control centers may respectively determine different handling tasks and dispatch devices for performing the handling tasks. In a case that there are a plurality of control centers, the control centers may share determined handling tasks, to allow the plurality of control centers to cooperate to perform the plurality of handling tasks.

In addition, for the detailed process of performing the method, reference may be made to the description of the process of performing the handling task in the three-dimensional warehouse handling and dispatching system for implementing item picking described above, and details are not described herein again in this specification.

Further, in this specification, an example in which the control center executes the handling and dispatching process is used for description. Because the first handling device can transport the vehicle from above or from the side of the higher-floor storage spaces, when a handling instruction is sent to the determined first handling device, to enable the first handling device to perform the handling task, the control center may determine, according to the handling task, a higher-floor storage space corresponding to the handling task, and send a handling instruction to the determined first handling device according to a position of the higher-floor storage space and an aisle position adjacent to the higher-floor storage space, so that the first handling device, at the aisle position, takes out a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from a side of the higher-floor storage space to the first handling device according to the handling instruction, or the first handling device places the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction in the first handling device into the higher-floor storage space from the side according to the handling instruction.

The aisle position adjacent to the higher-floor storage spaces is an aisle position where there is no warehouse structure such as a three-dimensional warehouse reinforcement structure (such as reinforcing ribs) or partitions between higher-floor storage spaces. Because an aisle is a passage for the first handling device to travel through when transporting the vehicle, and the first handling device needs to transport the vehicle from the higher-floor storage spaces and travel along the aisle, an unblocked passage between each of the higher-floor storage spaces and an adjacent aisle exists necessarily. Certainly, in the system described above, there may be various plane layouts of the three-dimensional warehouse. Then, at least by transporting other vehicles, any one of the higher-floor storage spaces can also be in communication with the aisle.

Alternatively, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a higher-floor storage space corresponding to the handling task, and send the handling instruction to the determined first handling device according to a position of the higher-floor storage space and positions of other storage spaces above the higher-floor storage space, so that the first handling device takes out a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from the positions of other higher-floor storage spaces above the higher-floor storage space according to the handling instruction to the first handling device, or the first handling device lowers the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction in the first handling device to the higher-floor storage space according to the handling instruction.

In addition, in this specification, the second handling device may also take items out of the bottom-floor storage spaces in different manners, such as transporting the vehicle from below or from the side of the bottom-floor storage spaces. Therefore, when sending a handling instruction to the determined second handling device to enable the second handling device to perform the handling task, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a bottom-floor storage space corresponding to the handling task, and send the handling instruction to the second handling device according to a position of the bottom-floor storage space and an aisle position adjacent to the bottom-floor storage space, so that the second handling device, at the aisle position adjacent to the bottom-floor storage space, takes out a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from a side of the bottom-floor storage space to the second handling device, or places the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction in the second handling device into the bottom-floor storage space from the side.

Further, the control center may further determine, according to a handling task, a bottom-floor storage space corresponding to the handling task, and send the handling instruction to the second handling device according to a position of the bottom-floor storage space, so that the second handling device, at an aisle position adjacent to the bottom-floor storage space, enters to below the bottom-floor storage space, and takes out a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from below the bottom-floor storage space to the second handling device, or places the vehicle indicated in the handling instruction in the second handling device into the bottom-floor storage space.

In addition, in a case, a rail is arranged in the lifting device, and is configured to be connected to the rail arranged in each of the higher floors, to allow the first handling device to travel into the lifting device.

The control center may further be configured to determine, at least in part according to a to-be-performed handling task of each of the higher floors, a quantity of first handling devices required by the each of the higher floors, and determine, according to the quantity of first handling devices required by the each of the higher floors and a current quantity of first handling devices of the each of the higher floors, first handling devices that need to be dispatched to the each of the higher floors; and then send a dispatching instruction to the determined first handling devices that need to be dispatched, so that the first handling devices are further configured to travel into the lifting devices according to the received dispatching instruction, and reach a higher floor specified in the dispatching instruction through the lifting devices.

Further, if the higher-floor docking point is set to be located in the lifting device, when sending a handling instruction to the first handling device, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a higher-floor docking point in the lifting device corresponding to the handling task, and send the handling instruction to the determined first handling device according to a position of the higher-floor docking point in the lifting device, so that the first handling device travels to the higher-floor docking point in the lifting device, and places a vehicle at the higher-floor docking point, or takes out a vehicle from the position of the higher-floor docking point.

Still further, an unpowered carrier or a powered carrier is arranged in the lifting device, and the higher-floor docking point is provided with at least the carrier located in the lifting device. Then, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a higher-floor docking point in a lifting device corresponding to the handling task; and send the handling instruction to the determined first handling device according to a position of the higher-floor docking point in the lifting device, so that the first handling device travels to a carrier that is used as the higher-floor docking point in the lifting device, and places a vehicle on the carrier, or takes out a vehicle from the carrier that is used as the higher-floor docking point.

In addition, if an unpowered carrier or a powered carrier is further arranged outside the lifting device, and the higher-floor docking point is further provided with at least the carrier outside the lifting device, the control center may further determine, according to a handling task, a higher-floor docking point corresponding to the handling task, and send the handling instruction to the lifting device according to a floor on which the higher-floor docking point is arranged, so that the lifting device, on the floor on which the higher-floor docking point is arranged, is docked with the carrier located in the lifting device through the carrier located outside the lifting device, and transports the vehicle from the carrier located in the lifting device to the carrier that is located outside the lifting device and used as the higher-floor docking point, or transports the vehicle on the carrier that is located outside the lifting device and used as the higher-floor docking point to the carrier in the lifting device.

In addition, in this specification, the bottom-floor docking point of the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse is an area of the three-dimensional warehouse for the docking with a vehicle outside, and if there is a device such as a forklift outside the three-dimensional warehouse that can fork and pick a vehicle from the bottom floor, at least one bottom-floor docking point can be arranged in a specified area on the bottom floor of the three-dimensional warehouse. When sending the handling instruction to the determined second handling device, the control center may also determine, according to a handling task, a bottom-floor docking point arranged in a specified area corresponding to the handling task, and send a handling instruction to the second handling device according to the bottom-floor docking point arranged in the specified area, so that the second handling device takes a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction out of the bottom-floor storage spaces or the lifting devices, transports the vehicle to the bottom-floor docking point, and places the vehicle in the specified area, or takes outs a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from the bottom-floor docking point in the specified area, and transports the vehicle into the bottom-floor storage spaces or the lifting devices.

Further, a powered carrier may further be arranged in the lifting device, and correspondingly, the bottom ground of the three-dimensional warehouse is provided with a powered carrier. When controlling the lifting device to transport the vehicle, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a bottom-floor docking point corresponding to the handling task, and send a handling instruction for moving to the bottom floor to the lifting device, so that the lifting device moves to the bottom floor, and the carrier on the bottom ground is docked with the carrier located in the lifting device, to transport the vehicle from the carrier in the lifting device to the carrier on the bottom ground, or transport the vehicle on the carrier on the bottom ground to the carrier in the lifting device.

In a case described above, the vehicle on the bottom floor is transported from the lifting device to the carrier on the bottom floor. Then, the control center may determine, according to a handling task, a bottom-floor docking point arranged in a specified area corresponding to the handling task, and send a handling instruction to the second handling device according to the bottom-floor docking point arranged in the specified area, so that the second handling device takes out a vehicle from the carrier on the bottom ground, transports the vehicle to the bottom-floor docking point, and places the vehicle in the specified area, or when the second handling device is to transport the vehicle to the lifting device, and the vehicle can be lifted to other floors by the lifting device, the second handling device may take out a vehicle indicated in the handling instruction from the bottom-floor docking point in the specified area according to the received handling instruction, and transport the vehicle to the carrier on the bottom ground.

In addition, in a case that the higher floors of the three-dimensional warehouse include a higher floor where not all areas are communicated by rails, for the higher floor where not all areas are communicated by rails, in a case that the control center determines that a first handling device needs to be dispatched between different areas of the higher floor, for example, the first handling device needs to be dispatched according to the need to perform the handling task as described in the foregoing system, then the control center may determine an area from which the first handling device is to be dispatched as a departure area, determine an area into which the first handling device is to be dispatched as a destination area, and determine another higher floor closest to the higher floor where all areas are communicated by rails as a transit floor; and send a dispatching instruction to the first handling device in the departure area, send a handling instruction to a lifting device communicating the transit floor and the departure area, and send a handling instruction to a lifting device communicating the transit floor and the destination area, so that the first handling device reaches the destination area from the departure area through the two lifting devices and the transit floor.

Still further, in a case that there are two or more three-dimensional warehouses, in this specification, the bottom surfaces of the three-dimensional warehouses are in communication with each other, and when determining that the first handling device needs to be dispatched between different three-dimensional warehouses, the control center may determine a three-dimensional warehouse from which the first handling device is to be dispatched as a departure warehouse, and determine a three-dimensional warehouse into which the first handling device is to be dispatched as a destination warehouse; and

send a dispatching instruction to the first handling device in the departure warehouse, and send a handling instruction to a second handling device, a lifting device of the departure warehouse, and a lifting device of the destination warehouse, so that the first handling device is dispatched from the departure warehouse to the destination warehouse through the two lifting devices and the second handling device.

In addition, in another embodiment provided in this specification, one or more external temporary storage areas are arranged outside the three-dimensional warehouses, where the external temporary storage areas are in a form of three-dimensional storage or planar storage. The external temporary storage areas and the three-dimensional warehouses share at least some of the second handling devices, or the second handling devices transport and/or are docked with the vehicle between the external temporary storage areas and at least one of the three-dimensional warehouses.

Then, when determining a to-be-performed handling task, the control center may determine the to-be-performed handling task according to item inventory information and order information stored in the external temporary storage areas and the three-dimensional warehouses. That is, items stored in the external temporary storage areas and the item storage capacity of the external temporary storage areas need to be taken into consideration.

Based on the method shown inFIG.12, through a combination of using first handling devices and second handling devices in a three-dimensional warehouse, a handling function of a lifting device in the three-dimensional warehouse is used, so that the first handling devices and the second handling devices can cooperate to transport items in a dense storage warehouse, which avoids laying rails on a bottom floor of the warehouse, the layout of the warehouse can be changed flexibly, a quantity of first handling devices required can be reduced, the operating cost of the warehouse can be reduced, and the transport efficiency can be improved.

In the 1990s, improvements of a technology can be clearly distinguished between hardware improvements (for example, improvements to a circuit structure such as a diode, a transistor, or a switch) and software improvements (improvements to a method procedure). However, with the development of technology, improvements of many method procedures can be considered as direct improvements of hardware circuit structures. Designers almost all program an improved method procedure to a hardware circuit, to obtain a corresponding hardware circuit structure. Therefore, it does not mean that the improvement of a method procedure cannot be implemented by using a hardware entity module. For example, a programmable logic device (PLD) (for example, a field programmable gate array (FPGA)) is a type of an integrated circuit whose logic function is determined by a user by programming the device. The designers perform voluntary programming to “integrate” a digital system into a single PLD without requiring a chip manufacturer to design and prepare a dedicated integrated circuit chip. Moreover, nowadays, instead of manually making integrated circuit chips, this programming is mostly implemented by using “logic compiler” software, which is similar to the software compiler used in program development and writing. The original code is written in a specific programming language before compiling, and this language is referred to as a hardware description language (HDL). There are various kinds of HDLs, for example, advanced Boolean expression language (ABEL), altera hardware description language (AHDL), Confluence, Cornell university programming language (CUPL), HDCal, Java hardware description language (JHDL), Lava, Lola, MyHDL, PALASM, Ruby hardware description language (RHDL), and the like. Currently, the most commonly used HDLs are very-high-speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL) and Verilog. A person skilled in the art should also understand that provided that a method procedure is logically programmed and then programmed to an integrated circuit by using the foregoing hardware description languages, a hardware circuit that implements the logical method procedure can be easily obtained.

The controller can be implemented in any appropriate manner. For example, the controller can take the form of, for example, a microprocessor or processor and a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program code (for example, software or firmware) executable by the (micro)processor, a logic gate, a switch, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic controller, and an embedded microcontroller. Examples of the controller include, but are not limited to, the following microcontrollers: ARC 625D, Atmel AT91SAM, Microchip PIC18F26K20, and Silicone Labs C8051F320. The memory controller can also be implemented as a part of the memory control logic. A person skilled in the art also appreciates that, in addition to implementing the controller in the form of pure computer-readable program code, it is also possible to implement, by logically programming the method steps, the controller in the form of a logic gate, switch, ASIC, programmable logic controller, and embedded microcontroller and other forms to achieve the same function. Such a controller can thus be considered as a hardware component, and apparatuses included therein for implementing various functions can also be considered as structures inside the hardware component. Alternatively, apparatuses configured to implement various functions can be considered as both software modules implementing the method and structures inside the hardware component.

For ease of description, when the apparatus is described, the apparatus is divided into units according to functions, which are separately described. Certainly, during implementation of this specification, the functions of the units may be implemented in the same piece of or a plurality of pieces of software and/or hardware.

A person skilled in the art can understand that the embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as a method, a system, or a computer program product. Therefore, the present disclosure may use a form of hardware-only embodiments, software-only embodiments, or embodiments combining software and hardware. In addition, the present disclosure may use a form of a computer program product that is implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to a disk memory, a CD-ROM, an optical memory, and the like) that include computer-usable program code.

The present disclosure is described with reference to flowcharts and/or block diagrams of the method, device (system), and computer program product in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that computer program instructions can implement each procedure and/or block in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams and a combination of procedures and/or blocks in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams. These computer program instructions may be provided to a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, an embedded processor, or a processor of another programmable data processing device to generate a machine, so that an apparatus configured to implement functions specified in one or more procedures in the flowcharts and/or one or more blocks in the block diagrams is generated by using instructions executed by the general-purpose computer or the processor of another programmable data processing device.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded into a computer or another programmable data processing device, so that a series of operation steps are performed on the computer or another programmable data processing device to generate processing implemented by a computer, and instructions executed on the computer or another programmable data processing device provide steps for implementing functions specified in one or more procedures in the flowcharts and/or one or more blocks in the block diagrams.

In a typical configuration, a computing device includes one or more processors (CPUs), an input/output (I/O) interface, a network interface, and an internal memory.

The internal memory may include a form such as a volatile memory, a random-access memory (RAM) and/or a non-volatile memory such as a read-only memory (ROM) or a flash RAM in a computer-readable medium. The internal memory is an example of the computer-readable medium.

The computer-readable medium includes a non-volatile medium and a volatile medium, a removable medium and a non-removable medium, which may implement storage of information by using any method or technology. Information may be a computer-readable instruction, a data structure, a program module, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include but are not limited to a phase change memory (PRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), another type of RAM, a ROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory or another memory technology, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disc (DVD) or another optical storage, a cassette magnetic tape, tape and disk storage or another magnetic storage device or any other non-transmission media that may be configured to store information that a computing device can access. Based on the definition in this specification, the computer-readable medium does not include transitory computer readable media (transitory media), such as a modulated data signal and a carrier.

It should be further noted that the terms “include”, “comprise”, or any variants thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. Therefore, a process, method, article, or device that includes a series of elements not only includes such elements, but also includes other elements not specified expressly, or may include inherent elements of the process, method, article, or device. Unless otherwise specified, an element limited by “include a/an...” does not exclude other same elements existing in the process, the method, the article, or the device that includes the element.

This specification can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions executed by a computer, for example, program modules. Generally, the program module includes a routine, a program, an object, a component, a data structure, and the like for executing a particular task or implementing a particular abstract data type. This specification may also be implemented in a distributed computing environment in which tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected by using a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, the program module may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including storage devices.

The embodiments of this specification are all described in a progressive manner, for same or similar parts in the embodiments, refer to these embodiments, and descriptions of each embodiment focus on a difference from other embodiments. Especially, a system embodiment is basically similar to a method embodiment, and therefore is described briefly; for related parts, reference may be made to partial descriptions in the method embodiment.

The descriptions are merely embodiments of this specification, and are not intended to limit this specification. For a person skilled in the art, various modifications and changes may be made to this specification. Any modification, equivalent replacement, and improvement made within the spirit and principle of this specification shall fall within the scope of the claims of this specification.