A method in which a probability of the occurrence of a disruption is issued and/or a measure is initiated which reduces the probability of the occurrence of this disruption if the occurrence of a disruption is probable, bases the probability on unit load properties of a conveyed unit load. In this method, the transport of this unit load is classified with regard to whether or not a disruption occurs during the transport of this unit load. The unit load properties are fed into a learning algorithm together with the transport classification. By repeating the steps for a number of unit loads, the probability of the occurrence of a disruption during the transport of the unit loads can be computed. Further, a picking system carries out the method presented.

A method in which a probability of the occurrence of a disruption is issued and/or a measure is initiated which reduces the probability of the occurrence of this disruption if the occurrence of a disruption is probable, bases the probability on unit load properties of a conveyed unit load. In this method, the transport of this unit load is classified with regard to whether or not a disruption occurs during the transport of this unit load. The unit load properties are fed into a learning algorithm together with the transport classification. By repeating the steps for a number of unit loads, the probability of the occurrence of a disruption during the transport of the unit loads can be computed. Further, a picking system carries out the method presented.

A storage device (1′) for storing transport units (3′) includes a number of transport units (3′), a number of storage lines (12a′-12g′) which are configured to store transport units (3′), a feeding line (11′) which is connected by a respective first switch point (111′) to the storage lines (12a′-12g′), a measuring device (15′) which is arranged on the feeding line (11′) and which is configured to determine a respective extent of a transport unit (3′), and a controller (16′) which is connected to the measuring device (15′) and to the first switch pointes (111′) and which is configured to select a storage line (12a′-12g′) for storing the transport unit (3′) on the basis of the extent of the transport unit (3′) determined by the measuring device (15′).

A storage device (1′) for storing transport units (3′) includes a number of transport units (3′), a number of storage lines (12a′-12g′) which are configured to store transport units (3′), a feeding line (11′) which is connected by a respective first switch point (111′) to the storage lines (12a′-12g′), a measuring device (15′) which is arranged on the feeding line (11′) and which is configured to determine a respective extent of a transport unit (3′), and a controller (16′) which is connected to the measuring device (15′) and to the first switch pointes (111′) and which is configured to select a storage line (12a′-12g′) for storing the transport unit (3′) on the basis of the extent of the transport unit (3′) determined by the measuring device (15′).

A sorting conveyor, which may be a cross-belt sorter, comprises a basic structure, a guide element arranged on the basic structure, and at least one conveying cart configured to be conveyed along the guide element of the sorting conveyor in a conveying direction. The sorting conveyor further includes a measuring device configured to monitor at least one operating state of the conveying cart and/or of the guide element.

A sorting conveyor, which may be a cross-belt sorter, comprises a basic structure, a guide element arranged on the basic structure, and at least one conveying cart configured to be conveyed along the guide element of the sorting conveyor in a conveying direction. The sorting conveyor further includes a measuring device configured to monitor at least one operating state of the conveying cart and/or of the guide element.

The transfer operation of moving the slider between one fixed linear module and the movable linear module while locating the movable linear module in the facing range facing toward the one fixed linear module, out of the plurality of linear modules arranged in parallel, is performed. At this time, a judgement process of judging whether or not the coordinate axis of the one fixed linear module and the coordinate axis of the movable linear module are continuous is performed. If it is judged that the coordinate axes are not continuous, the transfer operation is performed while the speed control is executed for the slider. Thus, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the transfer operation of moving the slider between the movable linear modules cannot be performed due to the discontinuity of the coordinate axes respectively set for the movable linear modules.

The transfer operation of moving the slider between one fixed linear module and the movable linear module while locating the movable linear module in the facing range facing toward the one fixed linear module, out of the plurality of linear modules arranged in parallel, is performed. At this time, a judgement process of judging whether or not the coordinate axis of the one fixed linear module and the coordinate axis of the movable linear module are continuous is performed. If it is judged that the coordinate axes are not continuous, the transfer operation is performed while the speed control is executed for the slider. Thus, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the transfer operation of moving the slider between the movable linear modules cannot be performed due to the discontinuity of the coordinate axes respectively set for the movable linear modules.

According to one embodiment, a detection apparatus includes a processor. The processor acquires height information at a plurality of points in a subject. The processor determines whether or not one or more steps are present at a height equal to or higher than a predetermined height from a reference in the subject based on the height information. The processor detects that the subject is in a state in which a plurality of objects are overlapped, if the number of the steps is equal to or greater than a first threshold value.

According to one embodiment, a detection apparatus includes a processor. The processor acquires height information at a plurality of points in a subject. The processor determines whether or not one or more steps are present at a height equal to or higher than a predetermined height from a reference in the subject based on the height information. The processor detects that the subject is in a state in which a plurality of objects are overlapped, if the number of the steps is equal to or greater than a first threshold value.