Transport Robot and Method and System for Operating a Transport Robot in a Warehouse

Abstract

A transport robot is used to carry out transport orders for transport of goods in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots. The transport robot includes a communication interface configured to receive an environment model of the warehouse and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots. The environment model defines a plurality of key points of the warehouse and, for each key point, at least one neighboring key point. The capability model defines, for each of the key points of the environment model, movement sequence data for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point. The transport robot includes a control unit configured to carry out a transport order from a starting key point to a destination key point of the plurality of key points to automatically control movement of the transport robot based on the environment model and the capability model.

Claims

1. A transport robot to carry out transport orders for transport of goods in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots, the transport robot comprising: a communication interface configured to receive an environment model of the warehouse and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots in the warehouse, wherein the environment model of the warehouse defines a plurality of key points of the warehouse and, for each key point, at least one neighboring key point, and wherein the capability model defines for each of the key points of the environment model, movement sequence data comprising at least one trajectory for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point; and a control unit to carry out a transport order from a starting key point to a destination key point of the plurality of key points, and configured to control movement of the transport robot on the basis of the environment model and first movement sequence data comprising a first trajectory and at least second movement sequence data comprising at least a second trajectory of the capability model, wherein the first movement sequence data comprising the first trajectory defines a movement from the starting key point to an intermediate key point neighboring the starting key point, and wherein the at least second movement sequence data comprising the at least one second trajectory defines a movement from the intermediate key point to a destination key point or a movement from the intermediate key point to an additional intermediate key point neighboring the intermediate key point.

2. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured, after movement of the industrial truck from the starting key point to the intermediate key point on the basis of a first movement sequence data comprising the first trajectory, to determine a deviation of a current position or current pose from a specified position or specified pose of the transport robot relative to the intermediate key point and to vary the movement of the transport robot from the intermediate key point to the destination key point or the additional intermediate key point neighboring the intermediate key point on the basis of the second movement sequence data comprising the at least one second trajectory to counteract the deviation.

3. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein, for each key point of the plurality of key points of the environment model, the movement sequence data comprising at least one trajectory of the capability model is based on at least one movement learned by imitation learning of a transport robot operated manually of the plurality of transport robots between the key point and the at least on neighboring key point.

4. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured, by means of a cost function, to determine movement of the transport robot from the starting key point to the destination key point via the one or more intermediate key points lying between the starting key point and the destination key point.

5. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein each key point of the plurality of key points has a marking, and wherein the transport robot further comprises a sensor unit, which is configured to detect the marking of a respective key point and to identify the respective key point on the basis of the detected marking.

6. The transport robot according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured, on the basis of the marking detected by the sensor unit of a respective key point, to determine a position of the transport robot relative to the respective key point.

7. The transport robot according to claim 5, wherein the marking is a visual marking, and wherein the sensor unit comprises a depth sensing camera for detection of the visual marking.

8. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein the transport robot further comprises a drive unit which is configured to drive movement of the transport robot on the basis of movement control signals from the control unit.

9. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein the transport robot is in the form of an industrial truck.

10. A system for operation of a plurality of transport robots in a warehouse, the system comprising: a plurality of transport robots according to claim 1; and a central device for the operation of the plurality of transport robots in the warehouse, wherein the central device is configured to make available to a transport robot of the plurality of transport robots the environment model of the warehouse and the capability model of the transport robots.

11. A method for operation of a transport robot to carry out transport orders for transport of goods in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots, the method comprising: receiving an environment model of the warehouse and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots in the warehouse, wherein the environment model of the warehouse defines a plurality of key points of the warehouse and, for each key point, at least one neighboring key point, and wherein the capability model defines for each of the key points of the environment model movement sequence data comprising at least one trajectory for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point; and controlling movement of the transport robot to carry out a transport order from a starting key point to a destination key point of the plurality of key points on the basis of the environment model and first movement sequence data comprising a first trajectory, and at least second movement sequence data comprising at least a second trajectory of the capability model, wherein the first movement sequence data defines a movement from the starting key point to an intermediate key point neighboring the starting key point, and wherein the at least second movement sequence data comprising the at least second trajectory defines a movement from the intermediate key point to the destination key point or a movement from the intermediate key point to an additional intermediate key point neighboring the intermediate key point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The terms Fig., Figs., Figure, and Figures are used interchangeably in the specification to refer to the corresponding figures in the drawings.

[0027] Additional advantages and details of the invention are further explained by way of example on the basis of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying schematic figures, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a transport robot in the form of an industrial truck for the transport of goods in a warehouse according to one embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system according to the invention with a plurality of transport robots in the form of industrial trucks and a central device for the provision of an environment model and of a capability model for the operation of the plurality of transport robots;

[0030] FIG. 3a is an illustration of a transport robot according to one embodiment in a warehouse shown by way of example with a key point in the form of a branch;

[0031] FIG. 3b is an illustration of an environment model of the warehouse in FIG. 3a;

[0032] FIG. 3c is an illustration of a transport robot according to one embodiment in a warehouse shown by way of example with two neighboring key points and the automated movement of the transport robot on the basis of the capability model;

[0033] FIG. 3d is an illustration of an environment model of the warehouse in FIG. 3c;

[0034] FIG. 3e is an illustration of the movement of a transport robot according to one embodiment on the basis of the capability model from a starting key point via an intermediate key point to a destination key point;

[0035] FIG. 3f illustrates an automated correction of the movement in FIG. 3e by a transport robot according to one embodiment; and

[0036] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the steps of a method for the operation of a transport robot for the transport of goods in a warehouse according to one embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a transport robot 120a configured as an industrial truck in the form of a forklift truck 120a according to one embodiment for the transport of goods 140 in an industrial environment, in particular a warehouse. The transport robot 120a configured as an industrial truck can be in particular an intermittently autonomous, semi-autonomous and/or manually operated forklift truck 120a, i.e. one guided by an operator. The goods 140 can be, for example, inventory items 143, such as packing boxes 143 that are located on a respective load carrier 141. The load carrier 141 can be, for example, a pallet 141, in particular a Europallet 141 or a mesh box 141.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the transport robot 120a configured as an industrial truck comprises load handling means in the form of a pair of load forks 124a,b which are configured to be inserted into respective recesses, in particular pockets 141a,b on one end side of the load carrier 141, to accept the load carrier 141 and the item 143 located on it. According to additional embodiments, the load handling means can also be configured in the form of a spike, for example to accept rolls of film or coils of wire, as interlinking load handling means (e.g. comparable to waste hauling trucks for the pickup of waste bins) or in the form of bale or roll clamps, for example to pick up rolls of paper.

[0039] The transport robot 120a configured as an industrial truck 120 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a drive unit 121, for example at least one motor 121, in particular an electric motor 121, wherein the drive unit 121 is configured to move the industrial truck 120a and the pair of load forks 124a,b relative to the item 140, for example to modify the orientation and/or the distance between the industrial truck 120a and the item 140 and/or to raise and lower the pair of load forks 124a,b. For this purpose, as indicated in FIG. 1, the drive unit 121 is appropriately connected with wheels 122a-d and/or the pair of load forks 124a,b of the industrial truck 120a.

[0040] The transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a can also comprise a sensor unit 130a, in particular an image acquisition unit 130a, which is configured to acquire, during the movement of the transport robot 120a, a plurality of images of the environment of the industrial truck 120a. The image acquisition unit 130a preferably comprises a camera 130a, in particular a depth sensing camera 130a. As indicated in FIG. 1, the image acquisition unit 130a is preferably mounted on the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a so that the field of view of the image acquisition device 130a lies essentially along a direction A of forward movement of the transport robot 120a. The image acquisition device 130a can preferably be mounted in the plane of symmetry between the two load forks 124a,b. In addition to the image acquisition device 130a with the field of view along the direction A of forward movement of the transport robot 120a, the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a can comprise additional image acquisition devices or sensor units, for example an image acquisition device with a field of view along a direction of reverse movement of the transport robot 120a and/or an image acquisition device with a field of view perpendicular to the direction A of forward movement of the transport robot 120a.

[0041] According to the invention, the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a further comprises a control unit 123 which can comprise, for example, one or more processors or micro-controllers with appropriate software which can control the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a in an at least semi-automated manner, as described in greater detail below.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system 100 according to the invention for the operation of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a and at least one additional transport robot 120b in the form of an industrial truck 120b, each of which can be operated in an automated, semi-automated and/or manual mode, to carry out transport orders for the transport of goods 140 in a warehouse.

[0043] The system 100 comprises, in addition to the plurality of transport robots 120a,b, a central management device 110 such as a server 110, for example, which is configured to communicate with each transport robot 120a,b of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b, and to transmit to each of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b, for example, transport orders for the transport of goods 140 in the warehouse. For this purpose, for example, the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck comprises a communication interface 126 which is configured to communicate with a corresponding communication interface 113 of the central management device 110 and with an external sensor unit 130b, such as, for example, a sensor unit 130b of the warehouse, for example via a wireless communication network 150, e.g. a wi-fi network or a mobile radio or cellular telephone network. The central management device 110 illustrated in FIG. 2 can be, for example, an industrial PC 110 or a cloud server, in particular an edge cloud server 110.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the central management device 110, in addition to the above-mentioned communication interface 113, can have one or more processors 111 and a memory 115, in particular a non-volatile memory 115. The memory 115 can be configured, for example, to store data and executable program code which, when executed by the processor 111 of the central management device 110, causes the processor 111 to execute the functions, operations and processes described below.

[0045] As will be described in detail below with further reference to FIGS. 3a-f, the communication interface 126 of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck is configured to receive an environment model of the warehouse (environment models 200 of a warehouse are illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 3b and 3d) and a capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b in the warehouse. In one embodiment, the communication interface 126 of the transport robot 120a is configured to receive the environment model 200 of the warehouse and the capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b in the warehouse from the central management device 110. In an additional embodiment, the communication interface 126 of the transport robot 120a is configured to receive the environment model 200 of the warehouse and the capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b from another transport robot, e.g. the transport robot 120b, of the plurality of transport robots.

[0046] As described in greater detail below, the environment model 200 of the warehouse defines a plurality of unambiguous key points 210a-c (hereinafter also referred to as semantic key points 210a-c or nodes 210a-c) of the warehouse in the form of a topological map. FIGS. 3a and 3c each show a detail of a warehouse with key points, and FIGS. 3b and 3d each show the corresponding environment model 200. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 3d, each key point 210a-h has at least one neighboring key point, i.e. one connected by means of an edge of the topological map. For example, in the environment model 200 shown by way of example in FIG. 3d, the key point 210a is connected by one edge 215a with the key point 210b.

[0047] As described in greater detail below, the capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b defines or comprises for each of the key points 210a-h of the environment model 200, i.e. of the topological map 200, movement sequence data 220a,b, in particular at least one trajectory 220a,b, for an automated movement from the corresponding key point to the at least one neighboring key point or for the handling of pallets (automatic deposition or pickup). In other words, the capability model with the movement sequence data 220a,b, in particular trajectories 220a,b, for each key point 201a-c of the environment model 200 enables the transport robot 120a to connect neighboring key points of the environment model 200 with one another.

[0048] In one embodiment, the central management device 110 is configured to generate the environment model 200 of the warehouse and the capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b configured as industrial trucks and to make it available to the transport robots 120a,b in the form of industrial trucks. In an additional embodiment, the plurality of transport robots can generate the environment model of the warehouse and the capability model in a distributed manner. In one embodiment, the environment model 200 of the warehouse and in particular the capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b are based on imitation knowledge collected in the warehouse, which can advantageously be used in particular for the setup of a new transport robot in the warehouse.

[0049] According to the invention, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a is configured to carry out the transport order from a starting key point 220a to a destination key point 220c of the plurality of key points (210a-c), to automatically control the movement of the industrial truck 120a on the basis of the environment model 200 and first movement sequence data 220a, in particular of a first trajectory 220a, and at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular of at least a second trajectory 220b, of the capability model, wherein the first movement sequence data 220a, in particular the first trajectory 220a, defines a movement from the starting key point 210a to an intermediate key point 210b neighboring the starting key point 210a and wherein the at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular the at least second trajectory 220b, defines a movement from the intermediate key point 210b to the destination key point 210c or a movement from the intermediate key point 210b to an additional intermediate key point neighboring the intermediate key point 210b.

[0050] In the example illustrated in FIG. 3c, the transport robot 120a according to the invention moves in an automated manner on the basis of a first trajectory 220a to a first key point provided with a first optical marking 230a. Then the transport robot 120a according to the invention is moved in an automated manner on the basis of a second trajectory 220b with a curve to the right from the first key point to a second key point provided with a second optical marking 230b to continue automated travel on the basis of a third trajectory 220c. As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, the second trajectory 220b shown by way of example in FIG. 3c, which is part of the capability model, is linked with the first key point defined by the environment model, which is provided with the first marking 230a. Of course, the first key point defined by the environment model 200 can also be linked with additional trajectories or movement sequence data of the capability model, for example with a trajectory which in the example illustrated in FIG. 3c describes a curve to the left.

[0051] For each key point of the plurality of key points 210a-h of the environment model 200, according to one embodiment the movement information 220a,b, in particular the at least one trajectory 220a,b of the capability model (which are linked with the corresponding key point) is based on at least one movement learned by imitation learning of an at least one transport robot operated at least partly manually, i.e. by an employee, of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b between the key point and the at least one neighboring key point. In other words, during the manual operation of the transport robots 120a,b in a warehouse, movement sequence data, in particular trajectories, can be recorded and collected to generate or to expand/update the capability model.

[0052] As will be apparent to the person skilled in the art, the environment model 200 and the capability model therefore define an annotated topological map of the warehouse with a plurality of key points 210a-h connected with one another, whereby by means of the capability model with each key point 210a-h movement sequence data, e.g. at least one trajectory 220a-c, of the capability model is concatenated for the movement to at least one neighboring key point. This movement sequence data 220a-c of the capability model can, as described above, define or comprise a trajectory for the description of necessary travel commands to reach the neighboring key points, as well as other types of movement sequence data that describe more complex movements, for example for the deposition or pickup of pallets, the loading of the transport robot etc.

[0053] As described above, the transport robot 120a further comprises a control unit 123 which is configured to carry out a transport order from a starting key point to a destination key point of the plurality of key points 210a-h, to automatically control the movement of the transport robot 120a on the basis of the environment model 200 and of the capability model. According to one embodiment of the invention, therefore, the expert knowledge or know-how required for the automatic operation of the transport robot 120a is transmitted to the transport robot 120a in the form of the environment model 200 and as imitation knowledge in the form of the capability model. The transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck 120a and the system 100 thereby provide a mapping of automated goods transport by imitation. The location and handling information required for this purpose can be generated concurrently by the observation of previously executed movements of a transport robot 120b configured in the form of an industrial truck (which can be identical or similar to the transport robot 120a) controlled manually (i.e. by a human being with expert knowledge, e.g. a warehouse employee), so that this information can be used for the generation or updating of the capability model. In this context concurrency describes an exploration phase of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b in the form of industrial trucks that automatically learn, by observation of the field of application during routine work, of all the movements executed and their geographic reference in the warehouse.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the invention, therefore, in the exploration phase, imitation knowledge in the form of environment knowledge can be learned automatically by observation of manual transports with the transport robots 120a,b in the form of industrial trucks. During the demonstration, for this purpose, as described above, the environment model 200 of the warehouse is generated in the form of a topological map 200, which is based on a plurality of semantic key points 210a-h of the warehouse. According to one embodiment, the semantic key points 210a-h may be considered for the transport of the goods 140 as locations of basic decisions in the warehouse in order to achieve the desired goal of automated transport orders. In addition to the information contained in the environment model 200, in addition, as described above, the capability model can also be learned, which is used for the concatenation between the previously observed semantic key points 210a-h.

[0055] In a subsequent exploitation phase, the imitation knowledge can be concatenated with the aid of AI-based handling planning with specific transport orders, so that the previously demonstrated manual transport operations can be carried out automatically. Potential disruptions in the execution of the learned movements caused by faults intrinsic to the system or dynamic obstacles can be compensated for, for example, by an adapted state-lattice-path planner. The localization required for the execution of automatic movements in the space can be based on a proximity-based localization approach which, for metrically continuous localization requirements utilizes the concatenation of the nodes 210a-h of the environment model 200 (i.e. of the key points 210a-h) via the capability model, and thus does not require a singular reference point, such as a coordinate point of origin in metric maps.

[0056] According to one embodiment, each key point of the plurality of key points 210a-h can have an artificial marking 230a,b, as described above in connection with FIGS. 3a and 3c. A respective marking 230a,b is thereby configured so that it can be detected with the sensor unit 130a, in particular a camera 130a of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck, to identify the respective key point on the basis of the detected marking 230a,b. According to one embodiment, the sensor unit 130a can comprise, in addition to a camera, in particular a depth sensing camera, an infrared light source for the illumination of the field of view of the depth sensing camera.

[0057] In one embodiment, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck is configured to determine, on the basis of the marking 230a,b detected by the sensor unit 130a of a respective key point the position, in particular the pose of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck relative to the respective key point.

[0058] FIG. 3e illustrates the movement of the transport robot 120a according to one embodiment on the basis of the capability model from a position at a starting key point 210a via a position at an intermediate key point 210b to a position at a destination key point 210c of the environment model 200. FIG. 3f illustrates an automated correction of the movement in FIG. 3e by a transport robot 120a according to one embodiment, as will be described in greater detail below.

[0059] In the example illustrated in FIG. 3e, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck is configured to carry out the transport order from the starting key point 210a to the destination key point 210c of the plurality of key points 210a-c, to automatically control the movement of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck on the basis of the environment model 200 and first movement sequence data 220a, in particular of a first trajectory 220a, and at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular of at least one second trajectory 220b, of the capability model. The first movement sequence data 220a, in particular the first trajectory 220a, defines a movement from the starting key point 210a to an intermediate key point 210b neighboring the starting key point 210a, and the at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular the at least one second trajectory 220b, defines a movement from the intermediate key point 210b to the destination key point 210c. According to one embodiment, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a can further be configured, by means of a cost function, to determine the movement of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck from the starting key point 210a to the destination key point 210c via the one or more intermediate key points 210b lying between them. For example, the control unit 123 can determine, on the basis of the cost function, a route from the starting key point 210a to the destination key point 210 via one or more intermediate key points 210b lying between them, which minimizes the travel time or travel distance of the transport robot 120a.

[0060] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 3f, in one embodiment the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck is further configured, after the movement of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck from the starting key point 210a to the intermediate key point 210b, which is based on the first movement sequence data 220a, in particular on the first trajectory 220a of the capability model, to determine a cumulative deviation of a current position or current pose 240b from a specified position or specified pose 240b of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck relative to the intermediate key point 210b. As illustrated in FIG. 3f and described in greater detail below, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a according to one embodiment is configured to vary the movement of the transport robot 120a from the intermediate key point 210b to the destination key point 210c, which takes place on the basis of the specified trajectory 220b, in order to counteract the cumulative deviation at the intermediate key point 210b, which can be considered the integral error propagation.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a is configured to counteract the integral error propagation illustrated in FIG. 3f during the movement to the intermediate key point 210b by the correction of the localization (proximity-based) at the intermediate key point 210b. For this purpose, in addition to the movement sequence data 220a, in particular the trajectory 220a for the movement to the intermediate key point 210b, the position of the intermediate key point 210b relative to the starting key point 210a can be stored in the environment model 200 (for example in the form of metadata) and used for the error correction.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the position of the starting key point 210a is used as a reference point for the realization of a metric localization for the individual mission. As soon as, in the further course of the automated movement of the transport robot 120a, expected nodes of the environment model 200 are reached, for example the intermediate key point 210b, these nodes can be used as correction variables on account of their known concatenated geometric relationship to the starting key point 210a. According to one embodiment, all relevant geometric relationships of the key points 220a-c can be taken from the topological map 200, i.e. from the environment model 200.

[0063] As described above, in the example illustrated in FIG. 3f, the movement of the transport robot 120a starts in the vicinity of the starting key point 210a (also designated node A in FIG. 3f), which is used as a reference point, and proceeds via the intermediate key point 210b (also designated node D in FIG. 3f) to the destination key point 210c (also designated node N in FIG. 3c). Therefore, the transport robot 120a starts its planned first trajectory 220a (i.e. the first specified trajectory 220a), which is part of the capability model, at the reference point A. On the assumption that the tracking of the first trajectory 220a, which maps the connection between the starting key point 220a (point A) and the intermediate key point 220b (point D), has no initial misalignment, the first actual trajectory 220a starts with the same pose as the planned first trajectory 220a. Because the localization of the semantic key point can be geographically limited, in one embodiment the location uses, in the further tracking of the movement of the transport robot 120a, odometry signals from the transport robot 120a. The odometry signals can generate a random error during the movement, resulting in the deviation illustrated in FIG. 3f between the specified trajectory 220a and the actual trajectory 220a.

[0064] According to one embodiment, a successful localization depends on the cumulative error (hereinafter designated e.sub.k) at the end of the movement along a trajectory of the capability model permitting a recognition of the next node. The ellipses 225b and 225c shown in FIG. 3f define this destination area, in which the sensory localization is possible, for the intermediate key point 210b and the destination key point 210c. When the destination area 250b is reached at the end of the movement from the starting key point 210a to the intermediate key point 210b, the intermediate key point 210b is used as a new reference point. The actual error can be calculated by the recognition of the intermediate key point 210b by the transport robot 120a. The error between the planned specified trajectory 220a and the actual trajectory 220b results from the difference between the expected Pose? and the measured Pose according to the following equation:

[00001]${}_{}^D{e}_d^{}={}_{}^D{x}_d^{}-{}_{}^D{x}_d^{}\mathrm{with}{}_{}^D{x}_d^{}={\left({}_D^{A}T\right)}^{-1}.Math.{}_{}^A{x}_d^{}$

[0065] With the error e.sub.d determined in this manner, at the intermediate key point 201b at the time d, according to one embodiment, this error can be compensated for, to adjust the movement of the transport robot 120a back to a planned specified movement. On account of the non-holonomic properties of a plurality of transport robots, according to one embodiment, the compensation for the determined error is made by a compensation trajectory with an individual length. The path required for this purpose is represented in FIG. 3f as the broken-line portion of the actual trajectory 220b. Therefore, the current cumulative error can be fully compensated for by the control unit 123 of the transport robot 120a.

[0066] As the transport robot 120a continues to move from the intermediate key point 210b to the destination key point 210c, an error can again occur (in particular on account of erroneous odometry signals), as soon as the transport robot 120a leaves the sensory node detection of the intermediate key point 210b. Until reaching the sensory perception of the destination key point 210c, the localization error, as during the movement from the starting key point 210a to the intermediate key point 210b, can now also increase during the current movement to the destination key point 210c. The error e can be recalculated as soon as the transport robot 120a enters the sensory detection range 225c of the destination key point 210c. For the overall movement from the starting key point 210a to the destination key point 210c, that means that the previously calculated error corrections make it possible to reach the next key point, if the transport robot 120a does not leave the maximum allowable error ellipse 225 (designated emax in FIG. 3f).

[0067] The generally derived calculation requirement for the determination of the error e.sub.k at the key point c and at the time k results from the concatenation of the nodes in the topological map 200 according to the following equation:

[00002]${}_{}^c{e}_k^{}={}_{}^c{x}_k^{}-{}_{}^c{x}_k^{}\mathrm{with}{}_{}^c{x}_k^{}=\left(\underset{i=S}{\overset{c}{.Math.}}{\left({}_{i+1}^{i}T\right)}^{-1}\right).Math.{}_{}^S{x}_k^{}$

[0068] The index S in the above equation corresponds in this context corresponds to the starting point of the movement of the transport robot at the starting key point 210a, while c represents the next expected key point. The notation Sx.sub.k corresponds to the current odometry-supported, error-corrected pose of the transport robot 120a at the discrete time k in the starting coordinate system.

[0069] As the person skilled in the art knows, according to the invention the number of mission nodes, i.e. key points, plays no role in a successful localization. Only the relative pose between the neighboring nodes is necessary for the correction of the localization. In addition, the sensory detection of the nodes by the transport robot 120a must be possible to be able to calculate their relative pose.

[0070] The mapping of the environment of a warehouse according to the invention stored in the form of a topological map or environment model has the immediate advantage that the location information can be stored in the form of a discrete planning network. This discrete planning network represents by means of its edges all the potential connections that the transport robot 120a can execute. The topological map can also unite the environment model 200 and the (learned) capabilities for the concatenation of neighboring nodes. The topological maps therefore fundamentally expand the geometric-semantic approach of current map models by the integration of a capability model. The capability model is used as a metric link between the nodes of the environment model 200. As a result of the connection of a plurality of nodes, a kinematic chain is formed which interrupts the accumulating unknown localization error at the node points (semantic key points), because the positions of the sensed nodes dare environmentally invariant. Initially, two important deductions result from this observation.

[0071] Integral localization errors that result from external factors such as slip, malfunctioning sensor systems, digital losses etc. can be limited in their effects on the sensed nodes. Therefore, the annotated, topological maps described here minimize the risk of an invalid community map, as it is automatically learned and expanded by a fleet of transport robots. The map itself can thereby be replaced without further action.

[0072] The mappable geometric length of the trajectories of the capability model for the connection of the nodes is dependent only on the transport robot sensor system used and can further be expanded to include sensory post-processing steps (e.g. visual odometry).

[0073] In an additional possible configuration, to restrict the resulting incremental error, which increases with increasing distance from the passed node point, a relative supporting localization can be used, e.g. with the aid of methods of visual odometry as well as colored roadway markings, curb stones etc. The distance between the supporting points in a warehouse can therefore be increased.

[0074] An additional advantage results from the mapping of logical information of the nodes perceived visually if they have a direct mapping reference to the inventory management. In this case, the inventory management can work directly with the node information, so that the complex transfer of logical information of the inventory management into geometric information of the transport robot 120a,b is no longer necessary.

[0075] FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram with steps of a method 400 for the operation of a transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck, to carry out transport orders for the transport of goods 140 in a warehouse with a plurality of transport robots 120a,b in the form of industrial trucks. The method 400 comprises a step 401 of the reception of an environment model 200 of the warehouse and of a capability model of the plurality of transport robots 120a,b in the warehouse (optionally from the central device 110 for the operation of the plurality of transport robots). As described in detail above, the environment model 200 of the warehouse defines a plurality of key points 210a-c of the warehouse, and for each key point at least one neighboring key point, and the capability model defines for each of the key points 210a-c of the environment model, movement sequence data 220a,b, in particular at least one trajectory 220a,b, for an automated movement to the at least one neighboring key point. The method 400 further comprises a step 403 of the control of the movement of the transport robot 120a to carry out a transport order from a starting key point 220a to a destination key point 210c of the plurality of key points 210a-c on the basis of the environment model 200 and first movement sequence data 220a, in particular of a first trajectory and at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular of at least one second trajectory 220b, of the capability model, wherein the first trajectory 220a, defines a movement from the starting key point 210a to an intermediate key point 210b neighboring the starting key point 210a and wherein the at least second movement sequence data 220b, in particular the at least one second trajectory 220b, defines a movement from the intermediate key point 210b to the destination key point 210c or a movement from the intermediate key point 210b to an additional intermediate key point neighboring the intermediate key point 210b.

[0076] The method 400 according to the invention can be carried out by means of the transport robot 120a in the form of an industrial truck. Therefore, additional embodiments of the method 400 according to the invention can be derived from the embodiments of the transport robot 120a according to the invention described above.