Patent Document ID: 7953514
Application ID: 11893706
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for operating an article storage facility, the article storage facility comprising: an article storage shelf having a plurality of storage sections lined up in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein the plurality of storage sections are lined up in a plurality of vertically layered rows of storage sections extending in the horizontal direction and a plurality of horizontally layered columns of storage sections extending in the vertical direction; a transfer device configured to transfer an article out of and into the storage section; an article transporting device having a horizontal travel device configured to move the transfer device horizontally within a traveling space in front of the article storage shelf and a vertical travel device configured to move the transfer device vertically within the traveling space in front of the article storage shelf; a horizontal travel distance detection device configured to detect a horizontal travel distance in a horizontal travel direction of the transfer device from a standard horizontal position to the transfer device; a vertical travel distance detection device configured to detect a vertical travel distance in a vertical travel direction of the transfer device from a standard vertical position to the transfer device; a plurality of learning markers installed for each of the plurality of storage sections based on an installation setting condition for determining target horizontal distance information and target vertical distance information for each of the plurality of storage sections; a learning marker detection device, provided on the article transporting device so as to move as one with the transfer device, configured to detect the learning markers; and an operation control device configured to control an operation of the horizontal travel device, an operation of the vertical travel device, and an operation of the transfer device; the method comprising the steps of: (a) controlling an operation of the horizontal travel device to move the transfer device in the horizontal travel direction along a first row of storage sections; (b) sequentially detecting with the learning marker detection device both edge sections in the horizontal direction of each learning marker installed for each of the storage sections lined up in the first row of storage sections; (c) obtaining detection information from the horizontal travel distance detection device upon detection of both edge sections in the horizontal direction of each learning marker installed for each of the storage sections lined up in the first row of storage sections; (d) acquiring learning distance information in the horizontal direction based on the detection information from the horizontal travel distance detection device; (e) acquiring learning distance information in the vertical direction based on the detection information from the horizontal travel distance detection device; and (f) repeating steps (a)-(e) for a second row of storage sections.