JP2015147653A - Conveyance order determination device, delivery assorting system, and conveyance order determination method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conveyance order determination device capable of reducing inconvenience caused during delivery accommodation operations, a delivery assorting system, and a conveyance order determination method.SOLUTION: A conveyance order determination device of an embodiment includes a selection part and a determination part. The selection part selects an arrangement position of a delivery in a transportation medium, on the basis of information on the delivery. The determination determines a delivery conveyance order on the basis of the selected arrangement position.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a transport order determination device, a delivery item sorting system, and a transport order determination method.

  Conventionally, a conveying device such as a belt conveyor has been used for sorting deliveries (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the delivery work for sorting deliveries using the transport device, the sort destination is determined based on the slip affixed to the deliverable, and the delivery goods are transported to the sort destination by transport control.

JP-A-7-232820

However, deliveries come in various sizes and shapes. Therefore, in the delivery work of the delivery goods to the loading platform of a transport facility such as a truck, it is necessary for the worker himself / herself to consider the size and shape of the delivery goods. For this reason, the time required for the housing operation increases.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a transport order determination device, a delivery product sorting system, and a transport order determination method capable of reducing the troublesomeness that occurs during the delivery work of a delivery product.

  The transport order determination device of the embodiment includes a selection unit and a determination unit. The selection unit selects an arrangement position of the delivery item on the transport medium based on the information on the delivery item. The determination unit determines an order in which the delivery items are conveyed based on the selected arrangement position.

1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a system configuration of a delivery sorting system 10 in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a conveyance order determination apparatus 400. The figure which shows the specific example of a classification reference | standard table and a delivery thing information database. The schematic diagram used as the reference | standard for determining the order which conveys the delivery thing 300. FIG. The figure which shows the example of application of the delivery sorting system 10 in this embodiment. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the conveyance order determination apparatus 400 in this embodiment. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the conveyance order determination apparatus 400 in this embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a system configuration of a delivery sorting system 10 in the present embodiment.
The delivery item sorting system 10 includes an information reading device 100, a transport device 200, a transport order determination device 400, and a transport control device 500.
The information reading apparatus 100 includes a plurality of imaging devices (for example, scanners), and images a delivery item 300 conveyed by the conveying device 200. The plurality of imaging devices are installed at different positions or different angles. For example, the imaging device is provided corresponding to each surface so that any one of the surfaces (for example, six surfaces) of the delivery object 300 is imaged, and the delivery device 300 is provided by each imaging device. Take images of each side. An imaging window (transparent window) is formed in a part of the transport apparatus 200, and at least one of the imaging apparatuses can capture the bottom surface of the delivery object 300 through the imaging window. The imaging devices can be installed at the same position at different angles, or can be installed at the same angle but at different positions. Among the plurality of imaging devices, at least one of the imaging devices is set to take an image at a wide angle so that the entire delivery object 300 can be accommodated at an angle of view. In addition, the imaging device can use, for example, a line sensor that images the delivery object 300 being conveyed line by line.

The external shape of the delivery object 300 has various shapes, and the slip attached to the delivery object 300 does not necessarily have a fixed position on the delivery object 300. Furthermore, the delivery 300 is not always transported in the same direction. However, by installing a plurality of imaging apparatuses at different positions at different angles as described above, for example, when a certain delivery object 300 is conveyed to the imaging target position by the conveying apparatus 200, the plurality of imaging apparatuses One delivery object 300 can be imaged, each image of each surface of the delivery object 300 can be generated, and the plurality of generated images can be associated with each other and output to the transport order determination apparatus 400. That is, even if the position and surface of the slip attached to the delivery item 300 are not constant and the direction in which the delivery item 300 is conveyed is not constant, any of the imaging devices included in the information reading apparatus 100 is provided. The slip can be imaged.
In addition, the information reading apparatus 100 acquires size information of the delivery item 300 by using a plurality of imaging devices. The size information is, for example, vertical (depth), horizontal, and height information of the delivery item 300.

The transport apparatus 200 transports the delivery 300 supplied from the upstream side toward the downstream side (for example, the direction indicated by the arrow 110). The transport device 200 is, for example, a belt conveyor. Further, the transport device 200 is provided with a weight measuring device such as a load cell, and the weight (weight) of the delivery item 300 is measured. Further, the transport device 200 is provided with a scanner, and reads the slip number of the slip attached to the delivery object 300 whose weight is measured. Each piece of information (slip number and weight) acquired by the weight measuring device and the scanner is output to the conveyance control device 500 in association with each other.
The delivery item 300 has a multi-sided shape, for example, a six-sided shape, and a slip on which destination information such as a destination (delivery destination) is written is attached to at least one side.
The transport order determination apparatus 400 determines the order in which the delivery 300 is transported for each sorting destination (transport destination) corresponding to the destination of the delivery 300.
The transport control device 500 is a device that controls the transport device 200. The transport control device 500 changes the order of transporting the delivery 300 according to the order determined for each sorting destination by the transport order determination device 400, for example. Further, the transport control device 500 transmits information output from each device (weight measuring device and scanner) included in the transport device 200 to the transport order determination device 400.

Next, the flow of the delivery item 300 in the delivery item sorting system 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
First, the delivery item 300 is flowed to the transport apparatus 200 by an operator. When the delivery object 300 supplied (flowed) from the upstream side of the conveying apparatus 200 is conveyed to the photographing target position of the information acquisition apparatus 100 by the conveying apparatus 200, the delivery object 300 is imaged by a plurality of imaging devices. The Thereafter, the delivery item 300 is conveyed counterclockwise by the conveying device 200. The transport apparatus 200 has a plurality of chutes 201 for outputting to a sorting destination corresponding to the destination of the delivery item 300. When the delivery device 300 approaches the sorting destination chute 201 corresponding to the destination of the delivery product 300 in the sorting destination area 113, the transport device 200 controls the delivery control device 500 to deliver the delivery product 300 to the sorting destination chute 201. Transport. Thereafter, the worker puts the delivery 300 conveyed to the chute 201 into a transport medium such as a container such as a roll box pallet 600 or a carrier of a transportation facility (for example, an aircraft, a truck, a ship, etc.) according to a predetermined standard. Accommodate.

The evacuation routes 202-1 to 202-6 shown in FIG. 1 are routes used to change the order in which the delivery 300 is conveyed. The branch points 111-1 to 111-8 are switching points for transporting the deliverables 300 transported by the transport device 200 to the retreat routes 202-1 to 202-6. The conveyance control device 500 determines whether or not to carry the material to the evacuation routes 202-1 to 202-6. For example, when the order of a certain delivery 300 (for example, delivery 300-1 in FIG. 1) is replaced with the order of another delivery 300 (for example, delivery 300-2 in FIG. 1) that is the same sorting destination, When delivery object 300-2 approaches branch point 111-2, control device 500 controls the rotation direction of the roller near branch point 111-2 to change the conveyance direction of delivery object 300-2. Specifically, the conveyance control device 500 changes the rotation of the roller that is rotating in the straight direction to the right angle direction. Thereby, the delivery item 300-2 is conveyed to the evacuation route 202-1. Moreover, the conveyance control apparatus 500 does not perform control which changes a conveyance direction, when the delivery 300-1 approaches the branch point 111-2. Therefore, the order of the delivery item 300-2 and the delivery item 300-1 can be switched.
As described above, the transport control device 500 changes the order of transporting the delivery item 300 using any one of the retreat routes 202-1 to 202-6. The transport order determining device 400 determines the order in which the delivery 300 is transported for each sorting destination in order to cause the transport control device 500 to execute the above-described processing.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the conveyance order determination apparatus 400. The transport order determination device 400 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, an auxiliary storage device, and the like connected by a bus, and executes a transport order determination program. By executing the conveyance order determination program, the conveyance order determination apparatus 400 includes an image input unit 401, a packing form information storage unit 402, an information acquisition unit 403, a calculation unit 404, a recognition processing unit 405, a result output unit 406, a VCS (Video Coding). System) 407, a delivery information storage unit 408, a determination unit 409, a classification reference information storage unit 410, a classification unit 411, a size information storage unit 412, a selection unit 413, a determination unit 414, and a communication unit 415. . The VCS system 407 functions as a display unit 4071 and an operation unit 4072. Note that all or part of the functions of the transport order determination apparatus 400 may be realized using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Good. Further, the transport order determination program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk built in the computer system. Further, the transfer order determination program may be transmitted / received via a telecommunication line.

The image input unit 401 inputs images from a plurality of imaging devices included in the information acquisition device 100.
The package information storage unit 402 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The package information storage unit 402 stores the package information and the package type of the delivery 300 in association with each other. The package form information is information relating to the appearance shape of the delivery object 300, and is image data representing the appearance shape of any delivery object 300, for example. The package form type represents the type of delivery 300 determined from the package form information. Examples of the package type include a square type, a rectangular type, and a thin square type.

The information acquisition unit 403 acquires size information of the delivery item 300 acquired by the information reading apparatus 100.
The calculation unit 404 calculates the volume of the delivery item 300 from the size information acquired by the information acquisition unit 403.
The recognition processing unit 405 recognizes the destination information and package type of the delivery item 300 from the input image. For example, the recognition processing unit 405 stores dictionary data in which reference characters are stored, and destination data in which address candidates representing addresses that can be described in the destination information column are stored. Then, the recognition processing unit 405 detects the description area of the destination information column from the captured image of each surface of the delivery object 300, detects the character string from the detected description area, and detects each character included in the detected character string To do. When each character is detected, the recognition processing unit 405 extracts a character candidate that is a similar character for each character by calculating the similarity between the detected character and the character registered in the dictionary data. As the character candidates, for example, a predetermined number of character candidates are extracted for each character in descending order of similarity.

  When each character candidate is extracted for each character, the recognition processing unit 405 generates a word candidate by combining the character candidates of each character, and calculates the similarity between the generated word candidate and the address candidate of the destination data. To output destination information as a character recognition result. For example, the recognition processing unit 405 outputs, as destination information, a combination of character candidates having the highest similarity based on the calculated similarity. Note that the recognition processing unit 405 may recognize encoded destination information (numeric string, barcode, etc.) printed on a slip attached to the delivery item 300 from the captured image. The recognition processing unit 405 may recognize a barcode obtained by coding destination information using an external device (not shown) provided with a laser or the like.

  Further, the recognition processing unit 405 refers to the package information storage unit 402, and the package type of the delivery item 300 (hereinafter referred to as “new delivery item 300”) identified by the image input by the image input unit 401. Recognize For example, first, the recognition processing unit 405 acquires the input image feature amount and the feature amount of each image data stored as the package form information in the package form information storage unit 402. Next, the recognition processing unit 405 extracts image data candidates similar to the input image by calculating the similarity between the feature amount of the input image and the feature amount of each image data. As image data candidates, for example, image data having the highest similarity is extracted. Then, the recognition processing unit 405 outputs the package form type associated with the extracted image data as the package form type of the new delivery item 300.

The result output unit 406 records the destination information and the packing form type recognized by the recognition processing unit 405 in the delivery information storage unit 408.
The VCS system 407 displays an image when the recognition processing unit 405 cannot recognize the sorting destination of the delivery item 300, the operator visually recognizes the sorting destination, and inputs destination information based on the operation contents of the operator. To do. Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the VCS system 407 will be described.
The display unit 4071 displays a captured image that could not be recognized by the recognition processing unit 405 when the recognition processing unit 405 could not recognize the sorting destination of the delivery item 300.
The operation unit 4072 is configured using an existing input device such as a keyboard, a pointing device (such as a mouse or a tablet), a button, or a touch panel. The operation unit 4072 is operated by the operator when an operator's instruction is input to the transport order determination device 400. The operation unit 4072 receives input of destination information according to the operation content of the operator. The operation unit 4072 records the input destination information in the delivery information storage unit 408.

The delivery information storage unit 408 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The delivery information storage unit 408 stores a delivery information database. In addition,
The determination unit 409 refers to the delivery information database and determines whether there is a delivery 300 having the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300.
The classification reference information storage unit 410 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The classification standard information storage unit 410 stores a classification standard table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the delivery item information database and the classification criterion table stored in the transport order determining apparatus 400.
FIG. 3A is a configuration diagram of the delivery information database. The delivery item information database has a plurality of records 700 representing information about the delivery item 300. The record 700 has values of ID, sorting code, packing type, volume, height and width, weight, type, and chute. The ID represents information for uniquely identifying the delivery item 300. In the present embodiment, the ID is a slip number of a slip attached to the delivery item 300. The sorting code represents code information for uniquely identifying a sales office or the like as a sorting destination of the delivery item 300. In this embodiment, the sorting code is the destination information of the delivery item 300. The package form type represents the type of the delivery 300. The volume represents the volume of the delivery item 300. The vertical and horizontal height represents the vertical (depth), horizontal (width), and height of the delivery item 300. The weight represents the weight of the delivery item 300. The type represents the classification of the delivery item 300. Specific examples of the classification of the delivery item 300 include an upper product and a lower product. In the following description, a delivery product 300 whose type value is “top product” is referred to as an upper product delivery item 300, and a delivery product 300 whose type value is “bottom product” is referred to as a bottom product delivery product 300. The on-board delivery item 300 represents the delivery item 300 accommodated on the upper stage of the container or the carrier bed of the transportation facility. Further, the lower delivery product 300 represents the delivery product 300 accommodated in the lower stage of the container or the carrier bed of the transportation facility. The chute represents a shipping port through which the delivery item 300 is conveyed.

  FIG. 3B is a configuration diagram of the classification reference table. In the classification reference table, conditions and classification results are registered in association with each other. The condition represents a condition for classifying the delivery item 300. The classification result represents the type in which the delivery 300 that satisfies the condition is classified when the condition is satisfied.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3B, there are two conditions in the classification criteria table. In FIG. 3B, a record 701 registered at the top of the classification criteria table has a condition value “weight is a predetermined value or more (for example, 5 kg or more)” and a classification result value is “bottom product”. ". That is, when the weight of the delivery item 300 is “a weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, 5 kg or more)”, it is indicated that the delivery item 300 that satisfies the condition is classified as the lower delivery item 300 as a type. Has been.

  In FIG. 3B, the record 701 registered in the second row of the classification criterion table has a condition value “weight is less than a predetermined value (for example, less than 5 kg)” and the classification result value is It is “top product”. That is, when the weight of the delivery 300 is “less than a predetermined value (for example, less than 5 kg)”, it is indicated that the delivery 300 that satisfies the condition is classified as the top delivery 300 as a type. Has been.

Returning to FIG. 2, the description of the conveyance order determination device 400 will be continued.
The classification unit 411 classifies the new delivery 300 based on the delivery information database and the classification reference table. For example, the classification unit 411 refers to the conditions registered in the classification standard table, and classifies the new delivery 300 based on the weight value of the new delivery 300 recorded in the delivery information database. More specifically, when the weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the classifying unit 411 classifies the new delivery product 300 whose weight is equal to or greater than the predetermined value as the lower delivery product 300. On the other hand, when the weight is less than the predetermined value, the classification unit 411 classifies the new delivery product 300 whose weight is less than the predetermined value as the upper delivery product 300. The classification unit 411 records the classification result in the type item of the delivery information database.

  The size information storage unit 412 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The size information storage unit 412 stores size information of an object that accommodates the delivery item 300. Specific examples of the object for accommodating the delivery object 300 include a container such as a roll box pallet 600 and an air freight transportation container, and a loading platform of a transportation facility. The size information is, for example, information on the vertical (depth), horizontal, and height of the container, and information on the vertical (depth), horizontal, and height of the carrier platform.

The selection unit 413 selects an arrangement position of the delivery item 300 in the transport medium for each sorting destination corresponding to the destination based on the delivery item information database and the size information.
Hereinafter, the process of the selection part 413 is demonstrated concretely.
First, the selection unit 413 refers to the delivery item information database and selects the record 700 of the new delivery item 300 and the record 700 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery item 300. That is, the selection unit 413 refers to the delivery information database and selects the record 700 of the new delivery 300 and the record 700 having the same sorting destination code value as the sorting code of the new delivery 300. Next, the selection unit 413 acquires ID, vertical / horizontal height, and type values from the selected record 700. Then, the selection unit 413 determines the arrangement positions of the new delivery 300 and the delivery 300 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300 based on the size information and the acquired vertical and horizontal heights and types. select. More specifically, the selection unit 413 first calculates the lower product based on the vertical and horizontal height values of the delivery item 300 whose type value is “bottom product” among the acquired type values and the size information. The arrangement position of the delivery item 300 is selected. In addition, the object (container or loading platform of the delivery vehicle) used as the value of the size information is set in advance and can be changed as appropriate. At this time, the selection unit 413 selects an arrangement position of the lower product delivery item 300 so as to be within a vertical (depth) and horizontal range of size information set in advance. It should be noted that the lower delivery products 300 do not necessarily have to be arranged at positions where they are in close contact with each other. For example, there may be a gap having a predetermined width. Further, the selection unit 413 selects and arranges the lower delivery products 300 having the same vertical and horizontal height values so as to be adjacent to each other within the vertical (depth) and horizontal ranges of the size information. Also good. When the selection of the arrangement position of the lower delivery product 300 is completed, the selection unit 413 next performs the upper delivery based on the vertical and horizontal height values of the delivery product 300 whose type value is “super product” and the size information. The arrangement position of the object 300 is selected. Since the method for selecting the arrangement position of the upper delivery product 300 is the same as the method for selecting the arrangement position of the lower delivery product 300, the description thereof will be omitted. The selection unit 413 selects the placement position of the new delivery 300 and the delivery 300 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300 by performing the above processing.
Above, description about the process of the selection part 413 is complete | finished.

The determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery item 300 is transported according to a predetermined criterion based on the arrangement position selected by the selection unit 413.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram that serves as a reference for the determination unit 414 to determine the order in which the delivery items 300 are conveyed. In FIG. 4, a container (for example, roll box pallet 600) will be described as an example.
FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a case where the arrangement positions of the four deliverables 300 are selected in one stage of the roll box pallet 600. In such a case, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery 300 is conveyed in the order indicated by the arrows. That is, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery item 300 is conveyed in the order of left back → right back → left front → right front. Also in the second and subsequent stages, as described above, the order in which the delivery items 300 are conveyed is determined in the order of left back → right back → left front → right front.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a case where nine delivery items 300 are selected in one stage of the roll box pallet 600. In such a case, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery items 300 are transported in the order of smaller numbers as the order in which the delivery items 300 are transported. That is, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery 300 is conveyed in the order of 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 →. As described above, the order in which the delivery items 300 are conveyed in the order of 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 →.

After the selection unit 413 selects the arrangement position of the delivery item 300, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery control device 500 conveys the delivery item 300 according to the above-described criteria.
The communication unit 415 transmits information on the determined order to the transport control device 500. The order information transmitted by the communication unit 415 includes the ID of the delivery item 300 whose arrangement position has been selected by the selection unit 413 and the information indicating the order in which the delivery item 300 identified by the ID is transported. Further, the communication unit 415 receives the weight information of the delivery item 300 and the ID of the delivery item 300 from the transport control device 500.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an application example of the delivery item sorting system 10 in the present embodiment.
When the delivery item sorting system 10 in the present embodiment is applied, a delivery item 300 is accommodated as shown in FIG. 5, for example. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the deliverables 301 to 303 correspond to the lower product delivery product 300, and the delivery products 304 to 310 correspond to the upper product delivery product 300. That is, the deliverables 301 to 303 accommodated in the lowermost stage of the roll box pallet 600 are delivery articles 300 that are heavier than the deliverables 304 to 310 accommodated in the upper stage. In addition, the arrangement position is set by the selection unit 413 so that delivery items 300 of the same size are adjacent to each other like the delivery items 306 and 307. By storing the deliverables 300 in a roll box pallet according to a predetermined standard in the order in which the workers have been transported, the upper stages of the deliverables 306 and 307 are flat as shown in FIG. 5, and the appearance is also clean. Can be accommodated in shape. Furthermore, since the delivery items 300 of the same size are accommodated adjacent to each other, it becomes easier to accommodate the new delivery item 300 on the upper stage of the adjacent delivery items 300.

6 and 7 are flowcharts showing the flow of processing of the transport order determining apparatus 400 in this embodiment.
The image input unit 401 inputs each captured image of the new delivery item 300 captured by the plurality of imaging devices of the information acquisition device 100 to the transport order determination device 400 (step S101). Further, the information acquisition unit 403 acquires size information of the new delivery 300 acquired by the information reading apparatus 100 (step S102). Thereafter, the calculation unit 404 calculates the volume of the new delivery item 300 from the size information acquired by the information acquisition unit 403, and records the calculated volume value in the delivery item information storage unit 408 (step S103). The recognition processing unit 405 performs destination information recognition processing from each input image (step S104). Thereafter, when the recognition processing unit 405 can recognize the destination information from each input image (step S105—YES), the result output unit 406 records the destination information in the delivery information database (step S106). Further, the recognition processing unit 405 refers to the package form information storage unit 402, recognizes the package form type of the new delivery 300 from the input image, and records the recognized package form type in the delivery product information database.

  On the other hand, when the recognition processing unit 405 cannot recognize the destination information from each input image (step S105—NO), the display unit 4071 displays an image that the recognition processing unit 405 could not recognize (step S107). Further, the recognition processing unit 405 refers to the package form information storage unit 402, recognizes the package form type of the new delivery 300 from the input image, and records the recognized package form type in the delivery product information database. The operator recognizes the sorting information by viewing the image displayed on the screen. The operation unit 4072 receives input of destination information from the operator (step S108). When the destination information is input from the operator, the operation unit 4072 records the input destination information in the delivery item information database (step S106). The communication unit 415 receives the weight information of the new delivery 300 from the transport control device 500 (step S109). Thereafter, the communication unit 415 records the received weight information of the new delivery item 300 in the delivery item information database in association with the information of the new delivery item 300 (step S110).

Next, the classification unit 411 classifies the new delivery item 300 based on a predetermined condition (step S111). Specifically, the classification unit 411 classifies the new delivery item 300 based on the weight value of the new delivery item 300 recorded in the delivery item information database with reference to the conditions of the classification standard table. After that, the classification unit 411 records the classification result in the type item of the delivery information database.
The determination unit 409 refers to the delivery item information database and determines whether there is a delivery item 300 having the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery item 300 (step S112). That is, the determination unit 409 refers to the delivery item information database and determines whether there is a delivery item 300 having the same sorting destination code as the sorting destination code of the new delivery item 300. If there is no delivery 300 of the same sorting destination (step S112—NO), the transport order determination device 400 ends the process.

  On the other hand, when there is a delivery 300 of the same sorting destination (step S112—YES), the selection unit 413 determines the arrangement positions of the new delivery 300 and the delivery 300 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300. select. More specifically, first, the selection unit 413 selects an arrangement position of the lower product delivery item 300 based on the delivery item information database and the size information (step S113). Next, the selection unit 413 selects an arrangement position of the top delivery 300 based on the delivery information database and the size information (step S114). Thereafter, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery item 300 is transported in accordance with a predetermined standard determined based on the arrangement position selected by the selection unit 413 (step S115). And the communication part 415 transmits the information of the determined order to the conveyance control apparatus 500 (step S116).

  According to the delivery item sorting system 10 of the present embodiment described above, the conveyance control is performed based on the arrangement position of the delivery item 300 for each sorting destination. Specifically, the selection unit 413 of the transport order determination device 400 selects the arrangement position of the delivery item 300 of the same sorting destination that is transported by the transport device 200 based on a predetermined condition. Thereafter, the determination unit 414 determines the order in which the delivery items 300 are conveyed from the selected arrangement position. Then, the transport control device 500 controls the transport device 200 so that the order determined by the transport order determination device 400 is obtained. Therefore, the worker only needs to accommodate the delivery 300 conveyed to the chute 201 in a predetermined order. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the annoyance that occurs during the delivery operation of the delivery items.

The delivery sorting system 10 in the present embodiment is realized by using information acquired by an existing system. Therefore, capital investment can be suppressed.
Further, the order in which the delivery 300 is transported by the transport order determination device 400 is determined for each sorting destination. Then, the conveyance control device 500 controls the conveyance device 200 so as to be in the determined order. Therefore, when the delivery item 300 is accommodated, there is no need to reinsert the delivery item 300 or temporarily evacuate the delivery item 300 to another location. Therefore, the time required for accommodation can be reduced.

<Modification>
The transport apparatus 200 may be provided with seven or more evacuation routes, or may be provided with less than six evacuation routes. The direction in which the transport apparatus 200 transports the delivery item 300 may be clockwise instead of counterclockwise.
When the selection unit 413 selects an arrangement position of the delivery 300 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300, the selection unit 413 has the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery 300 recorded in the delivery information database. It is not necessary to use all the information of the delivery item 300. For example, when the upper limit of the weight stored in the container is set in advance, the selection unit 413 sorts the new delivery item 300 that falls within the upper limit of the set weight and the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the new delivery item 300. The arrangement position with the previous delivery 300 is selected. Further, for example, when the upper limit of the volume (volume) to be accommodated in the container is set in advance, the selection unit 413 and the new delivery 300 to be stored within the upper limit of the set volume (volume) and the new delivery The arrangement position of the delivery object 300 of the same sorting destination as the sorting destination of the article 300 is selected.

  In the present embodiment, the weight information of the delivery item 300 is used as the classification condition in the classification reference table, but it is not necessary to be limited to this. For example, in the classification reference table, information such as the shape (packaging type) of the delivery item 300, the volume, and the characteristics of the contents of the delivery item 300 may be used as classification conditions in addition to the weight information. Information on the characteristics of the contents of the delivery 300 may be acquired as follows. For example, the information acquisition device 100 acquires information indicating the characteristics of the contents of the delivery 300 from the delivery 300 attached with a wireless IC tag in which information indicating the characteristics of the contents of the delivery 300 is stored. Then, the information acquisition apparatus 100 outputs information indicating the characteristics of the contents of the acquired delivery item 300 to the transport order determination apparatus 400. Thereby, the conveyance order determination apparatus 400 can acquire information indicating the characteristics of the contents of the delivery item 300.

When the information on the shape (packing type) of the delivery item 300 is used as the classification condition in the classification standard table, the condition item of the classification standard table registers a condition as to whether or not it is a thin type. As each classification result, for example, when the shape of the delivery item 300 is “thin type”, “top product” is registered in the item of the classification result, and the shape of the delivery item 300 is not “thin type”. In this case, “bottom product” is registered in the classification result item.
When the information on the characteristics of the contents of the delivery 300 is used as the classification condition in the classification standard table, the condition item of the classification standard table is registered as a condition item. As each classification result, for example, when the characteristics of the contents of the delivery item 300 are “bad”, “top product” is registered in the item of the classification result, and the characteristics of the contents of the delivery item 300 are “deleted”. In the case of “not a thing”, “bottom product” is registered in the classification result item.

  If the classification criteria table stores information such as the shape (packaging type) and volume of the delivery item 300 and the contents of the delivery item 300 in addition to the weight information, the classification unit 411 includes one item. The delivery item 300 may be classified based on the conditions, or the delivery item 300 may be classified based on a plurality of conditions. For example, when the delivery item 300 is classified based on one condition, a priority is set for each condition. In this case, the classification unit 411 classifies the delivery item 300 based on a condition with a high priority (for example, a condition with the highest priority). The priority can be changed as appropriate. In addition, when the delivery item 300 is classified based on a plurality of conditions, the classification unit 411 classifies the delivery item 300 according to a preset condition. In this case, a classification result is appropriately set for each combination of a plurality of conditions.

In the present embodiment, two classifications of “upper product” and “lower product” have been described as examples of delivery classification, but it is not necessary to be limited to this. For example, the delivery product may be classified into three categories of “upper product”, “middle product”, and “lower product”. When configured in this way, the value of the condition item in the classification criteria table is also changed as appropriate according to the classification.
The delivery sorting system 10 in the present embodiment may be configured to include an accommodating arm robot in the sorting destination area 113. When the accommodating arm robot is provided, the accommodating arm robot receives the package type and size information from the transfer order determining device 400 and performs control according to the shape.
Further, the image input unit 401, the packing form information storage unit 402, the information acquisition unit 403, the calculation unit 404, the recognition processing unit 405, the result output unit 406, and the VCS system 407 included in the transport order determination device 400 are not necessarily included in the transport order determination device. 400 does not need to be provided, and may be configured as an external device. In this case, the transport order determination device 400 acquires information about the delivery item 300 from the external device, and determines the order in which the delivery item 300 is transported for each sorting destination based on the acquired information about the delivery item 300. In the case of such a configuration, the transport order determining apparatus 400 does not execute the processing from step S101 to step S105 and the processing of step S107 and step S108 in the flowchart of FIG. Then, the transport order determining apparatus 400 acquires information on the delivery 300 from the external device in the process of step S106 and records it in the delivery information database. Thereafter, the processing after step S106 is executed.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Information reading apparatus, 200 ... Conveyance apparatus (conveyance path), 300 ... Delivery goods, 400 ... Conveyance order determination apparatus, 500 ... Conveyance control apparatus (conveyance control part), 600 ... Roll box pallet (container), 401 ... Image input unit, 402 ... Package information storage unit, 403 ... Information acquisition unit, 404 ... Calculation unit, 405 ... Recognition processing unit, 406 ... Result output unit, 407 ... VCS system, 4071 ... Display unit, 4072 ... Operation unit, 408 ... Delivery information storage unit, 409 ... Determination unit, 410 ... Classification reference information storage unit, 411 ... Classification unit, 412 ... Size information storage unit, 413 ... Selection unit, 414 ... Determining unit, 415 ... Communication unit

Claims (7)

A selection unit that selects an arrangement position in the transport medium of the delivery based on information about the delivery;
A determination unit that determines an order of transporting the delivery based on the selected arrangement position;
A transport order determination apparatus comprising: A classification unit that classifies the delivery items based on predetermined conditions;
The transport order determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects an arrangement position of a delivery item according to a classification result.   The conveyance order determination device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes at least one of a weight, a shape, a size, and a content characteristic of the delivery item. There are a plurality of transport destinations according to the delivery destination of the delivery item on the conveyance path for conveying the delivery item,
The said selection part is a conveyance order determination apparatus of any one of Claims 1-3 which selects the arrangement position of the said delivery for every said conveyance destination. The transport order determining device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A transport path for transporting the delivery;
Based on the determination of the transport order determination device, a transport control unit that changes the order of transporting the deliverables transported by the transport path;
Delivery goods sorting system with.   6. The delivery product sorting system according to claim 5, wherein the transport control unit changes the order by changing a route along which the delivery product whose order is to be changed is transported. A selection step of selecting an arrangement position in the transport medium of the delivery based on information about the delivery;
A determining step for determining an order of transporting the deliverables based on the selected placement position;
A method for determining the order of conveyance.

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