Delivery system, delivery method, non-transitory computer readable medium

1 . A delivery system, comprising:

a storage shelf;

a delivery robot capable of moving to the storage shelf and delivering an article to the storage shelf;

a detection unit configured to detect an obstacle present near the storage shelf; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the delivery robot,

wherein the control unit is configured to, when the detection unit detects an obstacle present in a predetermined area near the storage shelf and the control unit determines that the delivery robot is able to deliver an article to the storage shelf, determine a stop position and a stop direction of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf based on a combination of all of

(a) a position of the detected obstacle,

(b) a position of the storage shelf,

(c) a maximum length of an extendable arm of the delivery robot,

(d) a size of the delivery robot, and

(e) a range of movement of the delivery robot, and

then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

2 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein

the delivery robot comprises a carriage part, a mounting table provided on the carriage part and configured so as to be able to move up and down while an article is placed thereon, a groove formed in the mounting table, and a storage unit provided on the carriage part and capable of storing a plurality of articles,

the storage shelf comprises a guide rail capable of being engaged with the groove formed in the mounting table, and

the control unit is configured to determine a stop position of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf and a stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that one of a left side and a right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf based on the position of the detected obstacle and the position of the storage shelf, the stop position and the stop direction enabling the groove formed in the mounting table of the delivery robot to be engaged with the guide rail of the storage shelf, and then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

3 . The delivery system according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to, when the delivery robot is unable to determine the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that one of the left side and the right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, determine a stop position of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf and a stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that a front side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf based on the position of the detected obstacle and the position of the storage shelf, the stop position and the stop direction enabling the groove formed in the mounting table of the delivery robot to be engaged with the guide rail of the storage shelf, and then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

4 . The delivery system according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to, when the delivery robot is unable to determine the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that one of the left side and the right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf and the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that the front side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, determine a stop position of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf and a stop direction relative to the storage shelf in which the groove formed in the mounting table of the delivery robot is unable to be engaged with the guide rail of the storage shelf and an article is able to be stored in the storage shelf based on the position of the detected obstacle and the position of the storage shelf, and then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

5 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to, when the storage shelf has a plurality of possible storage spaces, determine a position corresponding to the storage space where the detected obstacle is not present as a stop position, and then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

6 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to, when the storage shelf has a plurality of possible storage spaces and an article is stored in the storage place where the detected obstacle is not present, take predetermined measures to move the article to the storage place where the obstacle is present.

7 . The delivery system according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined measures include sending a request to a specific person to move the article to the storage place where the obstacle is present, or causing a manipulator provided in the storage shelf to move the article to the storage place where the obstacle is present.

8 . A delivery method comprising, when a detection unit detects an obstacle present in a predetermined area near a storage shelf and it is determined that a delivery robot is able to deliver an article to the storage shelf,

determining a stop position and a stop direction of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf based on a combination of all of

(a) a position of the detected obstacle,

(b) a position of the storage shelf,

(c) a maximum length of an extendable arm of the delivery robot,

(d) a size of the delivery robot, and

(e) a range of movement of the delivery robot, and

then stopping the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to, when a detection unit detects an obstacle present in a predetermined area near a storage shelf and it is determined that a delivery robot is able to deliver an article to the storage shelf,

determine a stop position and a stop direction of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf based on a combination of all of

(a) a position of the detected obstacle,

(b) a position of the storage shelf,

(c) a maximum length of an extendable arm of the delivery robot,

(d) a size of the delivery robot, and

(e) a range of movement of the delivery robot, and

then stop the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf.

10 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to preferentially determine the stop position and the stop direction of the delivery robot relative to the storage shelf in a following order,

a first preference where the control unit determines the stop position of the delivery robot so that one of a left side and a right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, then the control unit stops the delivery robot at the determined stop position in the determined stop direction to store the article in the storage shelf,

a second preference where the control unit determines that the delivery robot is unable to determine the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that one of the left side and the right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, then the control unit stops the delivery robot in front of the storage shelf so that a front side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, and

a third preference where the control unit determines that the delivery robot is unable to determine the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that one of the left side and the right side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf and the stop direction in which the delivery robot stops in front of the storage shelf so that the front side of the delivery robot faces the storage shelf, then the control unit stops the delivery robot at an angled position with respect to the storage shelf so that an article is able to be stored in the storage shelf, and

a fourth preference where the control unit determines that all of the first, second and third preferences are unavailable, then the control unit controls the delivery robot to stop delivering the article to the storage shelf and move in order to deliver another article.

11 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a traveling robot including a sensor, the traveling robot communicating monitoring information to the delivery robot through a wireless network.