JP2803505B2 - Article position management system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable radio communication device which is mounted on an article and holds identification data of the article and which can perform only short-distance communication. It is about a system that manages whether or not it is doing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a system as described above, there is a system as shown in FIG. 4, for example. This system is a portable radio communication system mounted on a bumper 1 mounted on a vehicle as an article. Any one of a plurality of locations (partitions) where pallets 3 capable of accommodating a plurality of the bumpers 1 are placed in an inventory area as a predetermined management area accompanying the vehicle assembling process using the ID card 2 as a means. It manages whether or not each of the bumpers 1 is located.

[0003] That is, the ID card 2 here is:
A low-power wireless communication device, a memory holding identification data of the bumper 1 on which the ID card 2 is mounted, and a signal including the identification data in the memory when the wireless communication device receives a call signal. A portable microcomputer having a control microcomputer for transmitting the signal to the mobile phone (see, for example, the one disclosed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-108080). ) Can only be performed.

In the conventional system, the antennas 4 installed adjacent to the pallets 3 and the antennas 4 can be switched and connected so as to communicate with the ID card 2 mounted on each bumper 1. A programmable logic controller (PLC) 6 having a microcomputer, which is provided with a communicator 5 which is a wireless communication device, and which controls the operation of the communicator 5 and receives data from the communicator 5, and is connected to the PLC 6; And a designated location display device 7.

In such a conventional system, when the delivery instruction information P is sent from the vehicle assembling process, the PL
The communicator 5 switches and connects the antenna 4 to each of the pallets so that the C6 selectively calls only the ID card 2 holding the identification data corresponding to the vehicle type, the paint color, and the like indicated by the delivery instruction information P. ID card 2 in 3
And sequentially outputs the location data indicating the location where the pallet 3 corresponding to the antenna 4 communicated with each ID card 2 having the identification data corresponding to the delivery instruction information P responded. Then, the location data output by the communicator 5 is sent to the location display device 7, and the bumper 1 having the identification data corresponding to the delivery instruction information P is transmitted to the location display device 7 based on the location data. It is displayed whether or not the bumper 1 is located at the location, thereby facilitating the check of the stock position of the bumper 1 corresponding to the delivery instruction information P printed out by the printer 8 and the removal thereof.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, an antenna 4 is provided for each location.
Need to be installed, there is a problem that a large number of antennas 4 are required when managing a large number of locations and the equipment cost increases, and a large number of antennas 4 are moved when a layout change in the stock area is performed. There was a problem that it was necessary to make it take time and effort.

In recent years, a microcomputer has been provided, and while its own position is being grasped based on its operation, the vehicle travels autonomously in the stock area to carry goods into and out of the predetermined position in the stock area. Self-propelled vehicles that perform automatically are generally known.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a system which advantageously solves the problems of the conventional system by utilizing the function of the above-mentioned self-propelled trolley. The article position management system manages where the article is located in the predetermined management area by using portable wireless communication means that is mounted on the article and holds identification data of the article and can only perform short-range communication. A portable vehicle that is mounted on a self-propelled vehicle that circulates in the management area so as to sequentially pass near each article in the management area, and that is close to the portable wireless communication means. Upon receiving the identification data transmitted by the communication means, relay communication means for transmitting position data indicating the position of the self-propelled trolley at the time of the reception and the received identification data; and A fixed communication means for receiving and outputting the identification data and the position data transmitted by the relay communication means; a fixed communication means installed at a predetermined position for storing the position data and the identification data output by the fixed communication means; Is provided, the data storage / output unit outputs the position data corresponding to the identification data specified by the instruction signal.
Output means.

[0009]

In such a system, the relay communication means mounted on a self-propelled vehicle circulating in the management area so as to sequentially pass near each article in the management area, and moving with the self-propelled vehicle, It is mounted on an article housed in the management area and approaches portable wireless communication means capable of only short-distance communication holding identification data of the article, and is mounted by the portable wireless communication means to transmit. When receiving the identification data of the article, the relay communication means transmits position data indicating the position of the self-propelled trolley at the time of the reception together with the received identification data, and the fixed communication means installed at a predetermined position, The position data and the identification data transmitted by the relay communication means are received and output, and the data storage / output means installed at a predetermined position converts the position data and the identification data output by the fixed communication means. And the product, when the instruction signal is provided to output the position data corresponding to the identification data specified by the instruction signal.

Therefore, according to the system of the present invention, the position of the article corresponding to the instruction signal in the management area can be easily confirmed by the position data output by the data storage / output means. The position data accumulated by the data accumulation / output means is obtained by data transmitted from the relay communication means mounted on the self-propelled bogie which circulates in the management area so as to sequentially pass near each article in the area. Since the identification data is constantly updated at short time intervals, it is necessary to check the position of the item corresponding to the instruction signal at any time regardless of the time of entry of the item into the management area or the time of exit of the item therefrom. Since the data storage / output means is provided at a predetermined position, the position data of the article corresponding to the instruction signal can be easily obtained. Moreover, since it is not necessary to install an antenna for communication with the portable wireless communication means at each location, when managing a large number of locations, it may not be necessary to install a large number of antennas. The required equipment cost can be reduced, and when changing the layout in the management area, the operation of moving a large number of antennas can be made unnecessary, and the change can be easily handled.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an article position management system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, parts similar to those of the conventional system are denoted by the same reference numerals. That is,
The system of this embodiment also uses the ID card 2 as portable wireless communication means mounted on each of the bumpers 1 mounted on the vehicle as articles, and the predetermined management area accompanying the vehicle assembling process. In the stock area as above, each of the plurality of locations (compartments) on which the pallets 3 capable of accommodating a plurality of the bumpers 1 are placed is managed to manage where each of the bumpers 1 is located. The ID card 2 also has the same configuration as that used in the above-mentioned conventional system, and each bumper 1 moves the ID card 2 toward the aisle and places it in the pallet 3 in order to ensure the communication of the ID card 2. Is housed.

By the way, the system of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, one self-propelled trolley (AGV) including a track line 11 provided so as to pass between the pallets 3 placed at each location in the stock area and including a microcomputer. The microcomputer controls the drive / steering system based on a signal output from the sensor, for example, by optically reading the track line 11 and outputting the signal.
V12 is circulated along the trajectory line 11 so as to pass sequentially near each pallet 3, and the sensor reads the marker 13 provided on the trajectory line 11 optically, for example, based on a signal that is output. AGV12 in the above stock area
In this system of the present embodiment, two antennas 14 are attached to the AGV 12 toward both sides of the AGV 12, respectively, as shown in FIG. A communicator 15 as a relay communication means, which is an ordinary wireless communication device capable of switching and connecting the antennas 14, is mounted, and the communicator 15 is connected to the microcomputer of the AGV 12.

Further, in the system of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a fixed wireless receiver 16 as fixed communication means, a host computer 17 as data storage / output means, are provided at predetermined positions in the stock area. A programmable logic controller (PLC) 6 having the same configuration as that used in the conventional system is installed. In addition, a location display device 7 having the same configuration as that used in the conventional system is installed. Then, they are connected to each other, a normal printer 8 is installed, and the location display device 7 and the printer 8 are connected to a production management computer (not shown) in the vehicle assembling process.

In the system of this embodiment configured as described above, location management is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG. That is, here, the AGV 12 circulates so as to sequentially pass in the vicinity of each pallet 3 while grasping the position where the AGV 12 is traveling by the marker 13 in the above-mentioned stock area. At 21, AGV
The communicator 15 mounted on the 12 sequentially updates the data indicating the current position of the AGV 12 in the memory of the communicator 15 by using a signal which the microcomputer of the AGV 12 grasps the position by the marker 13 and outputs the signal. While alternately using the left and right antennas 14, transmission of a radio wave including a call signal for causing all ID cards 2 to respond and reception of a radio wave including a response signal to the call signal are repeated.

When one of the left and right antennas 14 enters the communicable distance of the ID card 2 mounted on the bumper 1 accommodated in one of the pallets 3 due to the cyclic movement of the AGV 12, The ID card 2 responds to the call signal transmitted by the communicator 15, whereby the communicator 15 communicates with the ID card 2 in step 22 to identify the bumper 1 on which the ID card 2 is mounted. Receives radio waves including data. The communicator 15 then proceeds to step 23 where the AGV 12 at the time of the
The data indicating the current position of the antenna 14 is read out from its own memory, the direction of the antenna 14 at the time of reception is grasped from the connection state at the time of reception, and the position of the AGV 12 at the time of reception and the antenna The data indicating the direction is transmitted as the position data together with the received identification data of the bumper 1 by the radio wave W using the antenna 14 immediately.

On the other hand, the fixed radio receiver 16 is always in a standby state in a receiving state, and while the communicator 15 moves with the AGV 12, the communicator 15 approaches
When the radio waves W including the identification data and the corresponding position data transmitted by the D card 2 are transmitted one after another, the radio waves W including the data are sequentially received and the data are sequentially transmitted to the host computer 17 in step 23. Output,
The host computer 17 receives the identification data sequentially output from the fixed wireless receiver 16 and the corresponding position data, and receives the AGV at the time of reception indicated by the corresponding position data.
Based on the positions of the twelve positions and the orientation of the antenna, it is determined which location of the bumper 1 is stored in the pallet 3 at which location, and the received identification data is accumulated while being classified by location.

The procedure of steps 21 to 23 is as follows.
Until the PLC 6 determines that the delivery instruction information P as an instruction signal has been sent from the production management computer in the vehicle assembling process, the process returns from step 24 to step 21 and is repeated. Instruction information P
Is sent, here, step 24 to step 25
Then, the PLC 6 transfers the delivery instruction information P to the host computer 17, and the host computer 17 first identifies the identification data corresponding to the vehicle type, paint color, and the like indicated by the delivery instruction information P in step 26. For example, the ID card 2 holding the identification data is attached by searching for the correspondence table given in advance by searching, and comparing the identification data with the data accumulated in the procedure of the above-mentioned steps 21 to 23. The location where the pallet 3 containing the bumper 1 is placed is checked, and location data indicating the location is output.
C6 gives the location data output by the host computer 17 to the location display device 7, and based on the location data, the bumper 1 having the identification data corresponding to the delivery instruction information P is given to the location display device 7. Indicate whether you are located at a location.

Therefore, according to the system of this embodiment, the confirmation of the stock position of the bumper 1 corresponding to the delivery instruction information P printed out by the printer 8 and the removal thereof can be easily performed by the display of the location display device 7. Can be. Moreover, according to this system, two antennas 14 on the AGV 12 are used for communication with the ID card 2.
When managing a large number of locations, there is no need to install each location.
The installation of a large number of antennas may be unnecessary, the equipment cost required for the installation of the antennas can be reduced, and when changing the layout in the management area, the work of moving a large number of antennas may be unnecessary, The change can be easily accommodated.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated examples, the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples. For example, a self-propelled vehicle contacts a communication line along a track line having the communication line. When traveling while traveling, the communication between the relay communication means and the fixed communication means may be performed in a wired manner using the communication line. Data storage /
The output unit may provide the self-propelled trolley with position data of the article having the identification data specified by the instruction signal, and cause the self-propelled trolley to automatically carry out the article from a certain location. . Further, the portable wireless communication means in the present invention is not limited to the ID card 2, but may have another configuration. The articles managed by the system of the present invention are not limited to the bumper 1, but may be other types. But it is good.

[0020]

As described above, according to the article position management system of the present invention, transmission is performed from the relay communication means mounted on the self-propelled vehicle traveling in the management area so as to sequentially pass near each article in the management area. The position data and the identification data stored in the data storage / output means are constantly updated at short time intervals by the data to be stored. Regardless, the position of the article corresponding to the instruction signal can be confirmed at any time, and since the data storage / output means is installed at a predetermined position, the position data of the article corresponding to the instruction signal can be easily obtained. When managing a large number of locations, there is no need to install an antenna for communication with portable wireless communication means at each location. And obtained by eliminating the need for installation of the number of antennas, it is possible to reduce the equipment cost required for installation of the antenna, and when performing the layout change of the management area, the work of moving the multiple antennas obtained as required,
The change can be easily accommodated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an article position management system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a trajectory provided in the stock area by the system of the embodiment and an AGV circulating along the trajectory.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure executed by the system of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional article position management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bumper 2 ID card 3 Pallet 6 Programmable logic controller (PLC) 7 Location display device 11 Track line 12 Self-propelled trolley (AGV) 13 Marker 14 Antenna 15 Communicator 16 Fixed wireless receiver 17 Host computer P Delivery instruction information W radio wave

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65G 1/00-1/137 B23Q 41/00-41/08 G06F 17/60

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A portable wireless communication means (2) mounted on an article (1) and holding identification data of the article and capable of only short-range communication, where the article is located in a predetermined management area. A system that manages whether or not the mobile radio communication means is mounted on a self-propelled trolley that circulates in the management area so as to sequentially pass near each article in the management area. Receiving the identification data transmitted by the portable wireless communication means, the relay communication means (15) transmitting position data indicating the position of the self-propelled vehicle at the time of reception and the received identification data; A fixed communication means (16) installed at a location and receiving and outputting the identification data and the location data transmitted by the relay communication means, and a location data installed at a predetermined location and output by the fixed communication means; Identification Data storage / output means (17) for, when an instruction signal is given, outputting the position data corresponding to the identification data specified by the instruction signal. system.