Storage System

Abstract

A storage system includes at least one storage unit that is configured to store at least one working material and at least one sensor unit configured to sense at least one state characteristic of the working material stored in the storage unit. The storage system also includes an allocation unit that is configured at least to allocate the at least one detected state characteristic to at least one target state characteristic.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising: at least one storage unit configured to store at least one work material; at least one sensor unit configured to capture at least one state characteristic variable of the work material stored in the storage unit; and an assignment unit configured at least to assign the at least one captured state characteristic variable to at least one target state characteristic variable.

2. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one assignment unit comprises at least one computer unit that determines the at least one target state characteristic variable on the basis of an activity characteristic variable.

3. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one assignment unit comprises an output unit configured to output at least one item of allocation information on the basis of a relationship between the target state characteristic variable and the captured state characteristic variable.

4. The storage system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the output unit comprises an external device.

5. The storage system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the output unit comprises at least one optical display device that is arranged on the at least one storage unit and is configured to optically output the at least one item of allocation information.

6. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one assignment unit comprises at least one communication unit that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one storage unit.

7. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: at least one further storage unit configured to store at least one work material; and at least one further sensor unit configured to capture at least one further state characteristic variable of work material stored in the further storage unit, wherein the assignment unit is configured to assign the at least one captured further state characteristic variable to the at least one target state characteristic variable.

8. The storage system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one storage unit and the at least one further storage unit each have at least one communication unit, the respective communication units configured to communicate with one another.

9. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a vehicle inventory unit that is configured to capture at least one vehicle inventory characteristic variable via at least one storage unit arranged in a vehicle.

10. A method for capturing the state of a storage system that includes at least one storage unit, at least one sensor unit, and at least one assignment unit, the method comprising: capturing with the at least one sensor unit at least one state characteristic variable of a work material stored in the at least one storage unit; and assigning with the at least one assignment unit the at least one captured state characteristic variable to at least one target state characteristic variable.

11. The storage system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the external device is configured as a smartphone.

Description

DRAWING

[0016] Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawing. The drawing illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and will combine them to form useful further combinations.

[0017] In the drawing:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a storage system,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a further schematic illustration of the storage system, and

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for capturing the state of a storage system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a storage system having a storage unit 10. The storage unit 10 is provided for the purpose of storing a work material 16. The storage unit 10 comprises a toolbox, in particular for storing a tool. The work material 16 is formed here, by way of example, by a handheld power tool. The storage system comprises a sensor unit 22 which is provided for the purpose of capturing a state characteristic variable of the work material 16 stored in the storage unit 10. The sensor unit 22 is provided for the purpose of capturing a presence of the work material 16. The sensor unit 22 is provided for the purpose of capturing a state of charge of the work material 16. In this case, the state of charge is a capacity of a rechargeable battery of the handheld power tool. The state characteristic variable comprises the information relating to the presence of the work material 16 and/or the state of charge of the work material 16.

[0022] However, in this context, it is also conceivable for the sensor unit 22 to comprise another status of the handheld power tool, such as, in particular, maintenance and/or testing information, anomalies of the handheld power tool with respect to particular components, for example excessive or noticeable vibrations of a ball bearing or operating parameters being exceeded and/or undershot in particular work situations, for example a current, a voltage and/or a rotational speed. In this case, communication between the storage unit 10 and the handheld power tool by means of NFC, WLAN, Bluetooth etc. is conceivable.

[0023] The storage system comprises a further storage unit 12. The further storage unit 12 is provided for the purpose of storing a work material 18. The further storage unit 12 comprises an accessory box, in particular for storing tool accessories. The work material 18 is formed here, by way of example, by extraction hoods, insertion tools, guide rails and/or additional rechargeable batteries. The storage system comprises a further sensor unit 24 which is provided for the purpose of capturing a further state characteristic variable of the work material 18 stored in the further storage unit 12. The further sensor unit 24 is provided for the purpose of capturing a presence of the work material 18. The state characteristic variable comprises the information relating to the presence of the work material 18.

[0024] The storage unit 10 and the further storage unit 12 each have a communication unit 40, 42 provided for the purpose of communicating with one another. The storage units 10, are networked to one another using data technology. The communication unit 40 is provided for the purpose of directly communicating with the communication unit 42.

[0025] The storage system comprises a third storage unit 14. The third storage unit 14 is provided for the purpose of storing a work material 20. The third storage unit 14 comprises a consumables box, in particular for storing a consumable, such as, in particular, screws, dowels, nuts, clamps, electrical components, fuses, luster terminals, connectors, switches, pipe elements, connecting pieces, holders, brackets and/or nails. The storage system comprises a third sensor unit 26 which is provided for the purpose of capturing a third state characteristic variable of the work material 20 stored in the third storage unit 14. The third sensor unit 26 is provided for the purpose of capturing a filling level and/or a weight of the work material 20. The state characteristic variable comprises the information relating to the filling level and/or weight of the work material 20. The third storage unit 14 has a communication unit 44 which is provided for the purpose of communicating with the communication units 40, 42.

[0026] The storage system comprises an assignment unit 28. The assignment unit 28 is provided for the purpose of assigning the captured state characteristic variable to a target state characteristic variable. The assignment unit is also provided for the purpose of assigning the captured further state characteristic variable to the target state characteristic variable. The assignment unit 28 is also provided for the purpose of assigning the captured third state characteristic variable to the target state characteristic variable. The assignment unit 28 comprises a computer unit 30.

[0027] The computer unit 30 determines the target state characteristic variable on the basis of an activity characteristic variable. The activity characteristic variable describes a relationship between a task or an activity and the work materials 16, 18, 20 required for the task/activity and/or the state of said materials. The activity characteristic variable can be stored, for example, in an external database 50 which can be accessed by the assignment unit 28. On the basis of activity and task descriptions, the database 50 can be used, for example by the assignment unit 28, to determine which work materials 16, 18, 20 are required. A check is carried out in order to determine whether these materials are available and missing work materials 16, 18, 20 are displayed. The storage system may additionally also prompt refilling, maintenance and/or repair. The storage units 10, 12, 14 each comprise a unique identifier. The identifier can be assigned to particular activity characteristic variables. Appropriate storage units 10, 12, 14 can therefore be deliberately output for a particular activity. In this case, it is conceivable for the corresponding storage units 10, 12, 14 to have already been reserved for the user and for no other users to be able and/or allowed to remove these units, for example from the warehouse.

[0028] The assignment unit 28 comprises a smartphone. However, in this context, it is also conceivable for the assignment unit 28 to comprise a computer or another data-processing means. The assignment unit 28 is connected to the database 50 and/or to other assignment units 52, 54, 56.

[0029] The assignment unit 28 comprises an output unit 32. The output unit 32 comprises an external device. The output unit 32 comprises a smartphone. In this case, the assignment unit 28 and the output unit 32 comprise the same smartphone. The output unit 32 is provided for the purpose of outputting at least one item of allocation information on the basis of a relationship between the target state characteristic variable and the captured state characteristic variable. In this case, the allocation information can also be determined by the assignment unit 28. The allocation information contains, in particular, an item of information relating to which of the storage units 10, 12, 14 can be used. Required and usable storage units 10, 12, 14 can be allocated to a user.

[0030] The output unit 32 comprises an optical display means 34. The display means 34 is arranged on the storage unit 10 and is provided for the purpose of optically outputting the allocation information. The output unit 32 comprises a further optical display means 36. The further display means 36 is arranged on the further storage unit 12 and is provided for the purpose of optically outputting the allocation information. The output unit 32 comprises a third optical display means 38. The third display means 38 is arranged on the third storage unit 14 and is provided for the purpose of optically outputting the allocation information. If a user enters a warehouse, it is conceivable for his required storage units 10, 12, 14 to be selected via the assignment unit 28. The respective display means 34, 36, 38 then display whether the assigned storage units 10, 12, 14 are required. In this case, it is conceivable for the respective display means 34, 36, 38 to flash, emit light etc. with a particular color or to provide another signal. A user can therefore remove the required storage units 10, 12, 14 from the warehouse in a purposeful manner. Alternatively, it is also possible for the storage units 10, 12, 14 to be assembled from an automatic high bay warehouse and to be transferred to the user.

[0031] The assignment unit 28 comprises a communication unit 62 which is provided for the purpose of wirelessly communicating with the storage unit 10. The communication unit 62 is also provided for the purpose of communicating with the storage units 12, 14. As also described, the communication unit 62 is provided for the purpose of communicating with further networked products 60, for example a hammer drill and/or a percussion hammer or another.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the storage system also comprises a vehicle inventory unit 46. The vehicle inventory unit 46 is provided for the purpose of capturing a vehicle inventory characteristic variable via at least one storage unit 10, 12, 14 arranged in a vehicle 48. The vehicle inventory unit 46 is provided for the purpose of identifying a discrepancy between required storage units 10, 12, 14 and storage units 10, 12, 14 available in the vehicle 48. The storage system comprises a vehicle communication unit 58 for transmitting, in particular wirelessly transmitting, the vehicle inventory characteristic variable to the assignment unit 28. The vehicle communication unit 58 is arranged inside the vehicle 48. The vehicle communication unit 58 is also provided for the purpose of communicating with various communication participants arranged, in particular, in a factory, an external server, on a handheld power tool, on an item of work clothing, in particular a shoe, or a tool.

[0033] The vehicle inventory unit 46 can be used to ensure that vehicles are and/or have been correctly loaded, for example. It is also conceivable that it is determined which vehicle from a selection of vehicles, for example belonging to a company, can undertake an order since they are carrying the required storage units 10, 12, 14. In this case, it is conceivable for the state characteristic variable of the storage units 10, 12, 14 or the vehicle inventory characteristic variable to be transmitted to the assignment unit 28 in real time and/or to be displayed by the output unit 32 in real time and/or with a slight time delay. It would therefore be possible to assess, from a control center, whether the vehicle 48 can undertake an order, for example in an emergency.

[0034] The assignment and/or selection can be carried out automatically via the storage system. In this context, it is also conceivable for location data relating to the vehicle 48 to be compared, for example by means of GPS data, route planners etc., and for an employee with a shortest detour and/or a lowest expenditure of time to be selected, for example. Furthermore, maintenance work or refilling of work materials 16, 18, 20 can be prepared in a preventive manner. For example, a replacement device can be obtained or held or consumables can accordingly be reordered if the state characteristic variable no longer corresponds to the target state characteristic variable, but rather is smaller, in particular. If an employee with his vehicle 48 returns to a company, these replacement devices and/or consumables can be made available to him. It is also conceivable for the employee to be requested, in particular by means of a notification using the output unit 32, to bring the vehicle 48 to a service station where his vehicle 48 is filled and serviced with regard to its content. Devices which are due for maintenance and/or have anomalies and should be repaired can be replaced, for example.

[0035] In a method for capturing the state of the storage system, a state characteristic variable of a work material 16, 18, 20 stored in a storage unit 10, 12, 14 of the storage system is captured by means of at least one of the sensor units 22, 24, 26 of the storage system in a method step 100. The assignment unit 28 of the storage system assigns the captured state characteristic variable to a target state characteristic variable in a next method step 101. The target state characteristic variable is determined by a computer unit 30 on the basis of an activity characteristic variable. The storage units 10, 12, 14 can therefore be assigned to different activities, work and/or components. If a user receives an order to carry out an activity, for example install fittings, the storage system may allocate at least one storage unit 10, 12, 14. The user receives the corresponding storage unit 10, 12, 14. The output unit 32 outputs the allocation information on the basis of a relationship between the target state characteristic variable and the captured state characteristic variable in a next method step 102. In this context, it is also conceivable for the user to indicate his vehicle 48 before leaving, for example by means of a scan, in which case he is advised if a corresponding storage unit 10, 12, 14 is not available and must also be loaded by him.