Inventory scheduling method and device and non-transitory computer readable storage medium

{
  "publication_number": "US11544645B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Inventory scheduling method and device and non-transitory computer readable storage medium",
  "abstract": "The present disclosure relates to the technical field of automated warehousing, and relates to an inventory scheduling method and device and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The method of the present disclosure includes: obtaining an order to be picked, the order to be picked comprising a kind(s) of goods to be picked; determining order processing capability information of each of a plurality of picking workstations, according to at least one of position distribution information of a rack(s) storing at least one kind of the goods to be picked relative to each of the picking workstations, position distribution information of an available transfer machine(s) relative to each of the picking workstations, or load information of each of the picking workstation; and allocating the order to be picked to one of the picking workstations according to the order processing capability information of each of the picking workstations.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An inventory scheduling method carried out by an inventory scheduling device, the method comprising: obtaining an order to be picked, the order to be picked comprising a kind(s) of goods to be picked; determining order processing capability information of each of a plurality of picking workstations, according to position distribution information of a rack(s) storing at least one kind of the goods to be picked relative to each of the picking workstations, position distribution information of an available transfer machine(s) relative to each of the picking workstations, and load information of each of the picking workstation including a number of a free rack buffer location(s) at each of the picking workstations, including: for each of the picking workstations: determining a goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation, and determining the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation; allocating the order to be picked to one of the picking workstations according to the order processing capability information of each of the picking workstations to pick the goods to be picked in the order to be picked at the picking workstation to which the order to be picked allocated; determining a picking rack(s) according to at least one of a kind(s) and a quantity of goods to be picked on each of the rack(s), a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, and a distance from each of the rack(s) to each of the available transfer machine(s), to pick the goods to be picked from the picking rack(s); for each of the picking rack(s), determining a picking transfer machine for conveying the picking rack according to a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking rack; and controlling the picking transfer machine to convey the picking rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, wherein the goods distribution density value (PDV) corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to the following formula: PDV = 1 / ∑ i N ⁢ 1 ∑ j M ⁢ V i, j L i, j where Li, j represents a distance from a rack j storing a goods i to be picked to the picking workstation, and the distance is a distance that takes into account a turning cost, Vi, j represents a conveying speed of the rack j storing the goods i to be picked, N is the number of the kind(s) of the goods to be picked, 1≤i≤N, and i is a positive integer, M is the number of a rack(s) storing the goods i to be picked, 1≤j≤M, and j is a positive integer.",
    "2. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to the position distribution information of the available transfer machine(s) relative to the picking workstation; determining a load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation according to the load information of the picking workstation; and determining a weighted sum of the goods distribution density value, the transfer machine distribution density value, and the load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation as the order processing capability information of the picking workstation.",
    "3. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein for each of the rack(s), the distance from the rack to the picking workstation is set to a preset distance, in a case where the rack is located at the picking workstation or on a way to the picking workstation; wherein for a rack that is not located at the picking workstation and is not on the way to the picking workstation, a difference between a distance from the rack to the picking workstation and the preset distance is greater than a preset value.",
    "4. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking workstation; and determining the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation.",
    "5. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 4, wherein: the transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to a sum of a reciprocal of the distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking workstation; or the transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to the number of an available transfer machine(s) in a preset region corresponding to the picking workstation and a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) in the preset region to the picking workstation.",
    "6. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a picking rate of an operator at the picking workstation and the number of a free rack buffer location(s) at the picking workstation; and determining the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation.",
    "7. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 6, wherein the load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to a weighted sum of the picking rate of the operator at the picking workstation and the number of the free rack buffer location(s) at the picking workstation.",
    "8. The inventory scheduling method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining a priority of each of a plurality of orders according to at least one of a user requirement or an order type; wherein obtaining the order to be picked comprises: obtaining the order to be picked from the orders according to the priority of each of the orders.",
    "9. An inventory scheduling device, comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: obtain an order to be picked, the order to be picked comprising a kind(s) of goods to be picked; determine order processing capability information of each of a plurality of picking workstations, according to position distribution information of a rack(s) storing at least one kind of the goods to be picked relative to each of the picking workstations, position distribution information of an available transfer machine(s) relative to each of the picking workstations, and load information of each of the picking workstation including a number of a free rack buffer location(s) at each of the picking workstations, including: for each of the picking workstations: determine a goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation, and determine the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation; allocate the order to be picked to one of the picking workstations according to the order processing capability information of each of the picking workstations to pick the goods to be picked in the order to be picked at the picking workstation to which the order to be picked allocated; determine a picking rack(s) according to at least one of a kind(s) and a quantity of goods to be picked on each of the rack(s), a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, and a distance from each of the rack(s) to each of the available transfer machine(s), to pick the goods to be picked from the picking rack(s); for each of the picking rack(s), determine a picking transfer machine for conveying the picking rack according to a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking rack; and control the picking transfer machine to convey the picking rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, wherein the goods distribution density value (PDV) corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to the following formula: PDV = 1 / ∑ i N 1 ∑ j M V i, j L i, j where Li, j represents a distance from a rack j storing a goods i to be picked to the picking workstation, and the distance is a distance that takes into account a turning cost, Vi, j represents a conveying speed of the rack j storing the goods i to be picked, N is the number of the kind(s) of the goods to be picked, 1≤i≤N, and i is a positive integer, M is the number of a rack(s) storing the goods i to be picked, 1≤j≤M, and j is a positive integer.",
    "10. The inventory scheduling device according to claim 9, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to the position distribution information of the available transfer machine(s) relative to the picking workstation; determining a load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation according to the load information of the picking workstation; and determining a weighted sum of the goods distribution density value, the transfer machine distribution density value, and the load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation as the order processing capability information of the picking workstation.",
    "11. The inventory scheduling device according to claim 9, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking workstation; and determining the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the transfer machine distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation.",
    "12. The inventory scheduling device according to claim 9, wherein determining the order processing capability information of each of the plurality of picking workstations comprises: for each of the picking workstations, determining a load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a picking rate of an operator at the picking workstation and the number of a free rack buffer location(s) at the picking workstation; and determining the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the load capacity value corresponding to the picking workstation.",
    "13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform: obtain an order to be picked, the order to be picked comprising a kind(s) of goods to be picked; determine order processing capability information of each of a plurality of picking workstations, according to position distribution information of a rack(s) storing at least one kind of the goods to be picked relative to each of the picking workstations, position distribution information of an available transfer machine(s) relative to each of the picking workstations, and load information of each of the picking workstation including a number of a free rack buffer location(s) at each of the picking workstations, including: for each of the picking workstations: determine a goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation according to a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation, and determine the order processing capability information of the picking workstation according to the goods distribution density value corresponding to the picking workstation; allocate the order to be picked to one of the picking workstations according to the order processing capability information of each of the picking workstations to pick the goods to be picked in the order to be picked at the picking workstation to which the order to be picked allocated; determine a picking rack(s) according to at least one of a kind(s) and a quantity of goods to be picked on each of the rack(s), a distance from each of the rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, and a distance from each of the rack(s) to each of the available transfer machine(s), to pick the goods to be picked from the picking rack(s); for each of the picking rack(s), determine a picking transfer machine for conveying the picking rack according to a distance from each of the available transfer machine(s) to the picking rack; and control the picking transfer machine to convey the picking rack(s) to the picking workstation to which the order to be picked is allocated, wherein the goods distribution density value (PDV) corresponding to the picking workstation is determined according to the following formula: PDV = 1 / ∑ i N 1 ∑ j M V i, j L i, j where Li, j represents a distance from a rack j storing a goods i to be picked to the picking workstation, and the distance is a distance that takes into account a turning cost, Vi, j represents a conveying speed of the rack j storing the goods i to be picked, N is the number of the kind(s) of the goods to be picked, 1≤i≤N, and i is a positive integer, M is the number of a rack(s) storing the goods i to be picked, 1≤j≤M, and j is a positive integer."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a technical field of automated warehousing, and in particular, to an inventory scheduling method, an inventory scheduling device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.\n\nOrder picking efficiency in contemporary logistics warehouses is an important factor affecting order fulfillment efficiency. The traditional mode is that pickers move to fixed racks with goods in orders to pick the goods according to paths specified by the system, that is, a “picker looking for goods” mode.\n\nWith the development of Internet technology, automatic transfer machines have been used in warehouses to move movable racks on which goods in orders are stored to fixed picking workstations, so that the pickers at these picking workstations can pick the goods, in a “goods looking for picker” mode. The application of the automatic transfer machines in a picking system improves the overall order picking efficiency, and the method of allocating an order to a picking workstation determines the overall order picking efficiency and cost of the system. A method generally used in warehouses is that orders to be picked are randomly allocated to picking workstations and then goods are transferred to the picking workstations by transfer machines according to the orders.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06Q 10/06312",
    "B65G 1/1371",
    "B65G 1/1378",
    "G06Q 10/00",
    "G06Q 10/04",
    "G06Q 10/06315",
    "G06Q 10/08",
    "G06Q 10/087",
    "G06Q 10/0875"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 1/137",
    "G06Q 10/06",
    "G06Q 10/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Technology Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Wei Li",
    "Hengle QIN",
    "Jixin ZHOU",
    "Hengbin ZHU"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-10-08",
  "publication_date": "2023-01-03",
  "grant_date": "2023-01-03",
  "priority_date": "2017-12-28",
  "application_number": "US-201816958467-A",
  "family_id": "67065061",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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