IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,448,232
Granted Patent B2
US 12,448,232 · App. 17/455,073 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Arrangement position determination method of object, control device, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, cargo handling device, and cargo handling system

Inventors: Takafumi Ushiyama (Sagamihara, JP); Osamu Maruyama (Yokohama, JP); Haruhiko Horiuchi (Yokohama, JP); Yoshihide Otsuru (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
B65G61/00B65G47/90B65G57/03B65G57/22B65G67/02B65G67/20G06Q10/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,448,232
App. No.
17/455,073
Filed
Nov 16, 2021
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3655
USPC
700/214
Abstract

An arrangement position determination method of an object, including: based on information of dimensions of a predetermined area and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the predetermined area stored in a storage section of a control device, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with a boundary of the predetermined area and other objects in a first direction; and when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Claims (59)

1. An arrangement position determination method of an object, comprising:

based on information of dimensions of a predetermined area and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the predetermined area stored in a storage section of a control device, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with a boundary of the predetermined area and other objects in a first direction; and

when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

2. An arrangement position determination method of an object, comprising:

based on information of dimensions of an accommodating portion and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the accommodating portion stored in a storage section of a control device, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with a boundary of the accommodating portion and other objects in a first direction; and

when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

3. The arrangement position determination method of an object according to claim 2 , further comprising:

setting a plurality of reference lines each parallel with the first direction and defining a tip of the object,

wherein a reference line set at one end of the accommodating portion in the second direction defines the tip of the object arranged on the one end side, and

another reference line defines the tip of the object whose arrangement position exceeds a maximum moving distance of the object along the second direction by a device included in a cargo handling device configured to arrange the object in the accommodating portion with respect to the reference line adjacent on the one end side and which is close to the reference line adjacent on the one end side.

4. The arrangement position determination method of an object according to claim 3 , further comprising calculating a distance between two reference lines adjacent in the second direction to determine the distance as a moving distance of the cargo handling device.

5. The arrangement position determination method of an object according to claim 3 , wherein

the accommodating portion includes an opening portion through which the cargo handling device passes and a wall portion facing the opening portion, and

a number of the objects to be stacked is reduced on the opening portion side as compared with the wall portion side.

6. The arrangement position determination method of an object according to claim 3 , further comprising:

when a total amount of shifting the search position from the reference line exceeds the maximum moving distance, searching for an arrangement position of the object to be stacked up to a predetermined height position with respect to the object whose arrangement position is determined; and

when the arrangement position of the object to be stacked is determined, searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction.

7. The arrangement position determination method of an object according to claim 6 , wherein

the accommodating portion includes an opening portion through which the cargo handling device passes and a wall portion facing the opening portion, and

the method further comprises performing correction for shifting an arrangement position of the object of a first layer to the opening portion side and arranging at least the object of an uppermost layer on the wall portion side as compared with the object of the first layer.

8. A control device comprising:

a storage section configured to store information of dimensions of an accommodating portion and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the accommodating portion; and

a calculation section configured to search for a position at which an object does not interfere with a boundary of the accommodating portion and other objects in a first direction based on the information of the dimensions of the accommodating portion and the dimensions of the objects stored in the storage section, and when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, to search for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

9. The control device according to claim 8 , wherein

the calculation section is configured to set a plurality of reference lines each parallel with the first direction and defining a tip of the object,

the reference line set at one end of the accommodating portion in the second direction defines the tip of the object arranged on the one end side, and

another reference line defines the tip of the object whose arrangement position exceeds a maximum moving distance of the object along the second direction by a device included in a cargo handling device configured to arrange the object in the accommodating portion with respect to the reference line adjacent on the one end side and which is close to the reference line adjacent on the one end side.

10. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the calculation section is configured to:

search for, when a total amount of shifting the search position from the reference line exceeds the maximum moving distance, an arrangement position of the object to be stacked up to a predetermined height position with respect to the object whose arrangement position is determined; and

search for, when the arrangement position of the object to be stacked is determined, a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction.

11. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the calculation section is configured to calculate a distance between two reference lines adjacent in the second direction to determine the distance as a moving distance of the cargo handling device.

12. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein

the accommodating portion includes an opening portion through which the cargo handling device passes and a wall portion facing the opening portion, and

the calculation section is configured to perform correction for shifting an arrangement position of the object of a first layer toward the opening portion side and arrange at least the object of an uppermost layer on the wall portion side as compared with the object of the first layer.

13. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein

the accommodating portion includes an opening portion through which the cargo handling device passes and a wall portion facing the opening portion, and

the calculation section is configured to reduce a number of the objects to be stacked on the opening portion side as compared with the wall portion side.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute:

a function of searching for, based on information of dimensions of an accommodating portion and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the accommodating portion stored in a storage section of a control device, a position at which the object does not interfere with a boundary of the accommodating portion and other objects in a first direction; and

a function of searching for, when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 14 , wherein the program further causes the computer to execute a function of setting a plurality of reference lines each parallel with the first direction and defining a tip of the object,

wherein a reference line set at one end of the accommodating portion in the second direction defines the tip of the object arranged on the one end side, and

another reference line defines the tip of the object whose arrangement position exceeds a maximum moving distance of the object along the second direction by a device included in a cargo handling device configured to arrange the object in the accommodating portion with respect to the reference line adjacent on the one end side and which is close to the reference line adjacent on the one end side.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 15 , wherein the program further causes the computer to execute:

a function of calculating a distance between two reference lines adjacent in the second direction to determine the distance as a moving distance of the cargo handling device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 15 , wherein the program further causes the computer to:

reduce a number of the objects to be stacked on an opening portion side of the accommodating portion as compared with a wall portion side facing the opening portion of the accommodating portion.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 15 , wherein the program further causes the computer to execute:

a function of searching for an arrangement position of the object to be stacked up to a predetermined height position with respect to the object whose arrangement position is determined when a total amount of shifting the search position from the reference line exceeds the maximum moving distance; and

a function of searching for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction when the arrangement position of the object to be stacked is determined.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 18 , wherein the program further causes the computer to execute:

a function of performing correction for shifting an arrangement position of the object of a first layer toward an opening portion side of the accommodating portion to arrange at least the object of an uppermost layer on a wall portion side facing the opening portion of the accommodating portion as compared with the object of the first layer.

20. A cargo handling device comprising:

a holding part configured to hold an object;

a device configured to move the holding part;

a traveling device configured to support the holding part and the device and travel; and

a control device that includes

a memory configured to store information of dimensions of an accommodating portion and dimensions of a plurality of objects to be accommodated in the accommodating portion, and

circuitry configured to search for a position at which an object does not interfere with a boundary of the accommodating portion and other objects in a first direction based on the information of the dimensions of the accommodating portion and the dimensions of the objects stored in the memory, and when there is no position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction, to search for a position at which the object does not interfere with the boundary and the other objects in the first direction at a position shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jul 23, 2025
From: TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 072179/0834 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: USHIYAMA, TAKAFUMI; HORIUCHI, HARUHIKO; OTSURU, YOSHIHIDE
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058574/0322 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-192056 · Nov 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220153541A1 · May 19, 2022
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