| CPC B65G 43/08 (2013.01) [B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0233 (2013.01); B65G 2203/041 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A method for controlling the material flow of goods being conveyed in a conveyance technique to and from storage racks of a real warehouse by means of a virtual three-dimensional model, wherein the conveyance technique comprises a conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system comprises a plurality of components comprising;
a distribution path that conveys goods inwards and outwards, wherein the distribution path includes a feed area; and
conveyors arranged between the storage racks and distribution path for conveying goods into and out of storage in the storage racks;
wherein the conveyors are connected to the distribution path by introducing areas and discharging areas, and wherein actuators are provided at the introducing areas and discharging areas for controlling the conveyance of goods to and from the conveyors;
wherein the conveyors are connected to the storage racks via goods lifts, wherein the goods lifts are configured to transport goods from the conveyors into the storage rack for storage and are configured to transport goods from the storage racks to the conveyors for discharging to the distribution path, and wherein goods are transported to and from the goods lifts and within levels of the storage racks by rack serving apparatuses; and
wherein cameras are provided for taking images of the goods during operation of the conveyance technique;
said method comprising:
virtualizing the conveyance technique of the real warehouse in a central computer wherein a virtual three-dimensional model of the real conveyance technique is stored, wherein the virtual three-dimensional model includes dimensions of individual components of the conveyance technique, movement parameters of individual components of the conveyance technique, and properties of the actuators, and wherein the virtual three-dimensional model further comprises the identity, form and position of the goods being conveyed;
cyclically capturing images of the goods with the cameras, wherein said cyclically capturing images of the goods comprises capturing images of the goods being conveyed in the real conveyance technique;
identifying the goods from the captured images in the central computer by image recognition, wherein the form of the goods is translated into a three-dimensional model;
determining the position of the goods from the captured images in the central computer at the point in time of the image capture in the real conveyance technique;
controlling the conveyance technique of the real warehouse centrally from the virtual model;
and
cyclically adjusting the virtual model to reality on the basis of said identifying the goods and said determining the position of the goods from the captured images.
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