Information processing apparatus, information processing method, computer-readable storage medium, and system

An information processing method executed by a processor, the method comprising:

• acquiring a plurality of orders from a host management apparatus configured to manage orders for picking up articles;
• extracting a specific order from the plurality of orders based on label information indicating the specific order acquired from a first work station among a plurality of work stations configured to pick up articles;
• and
• transmitting, to an automated guided vehicle, a control signal for transporting a rack that stores an article indicated by the extracted specific order to the first work station and a control signal for transporting another rack that stores an article indicated by a normal order other than the specific order to one of the work stations other than the first work station.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a processor to realize:

• a function of acquiring a plurality of orders from a host management apparatus configured to manage orders for picking up articles;
• a function of extracting a specific order from the plurality of orders based on label information indicating the specific order acquired from a first work station among a plurality of work stations configured to pick up articles;
• and
• a function of transmitting, to an automated guided vehicle, a control signal for transporting a rack that stores an article indicated by the extracted specific order to the first work station and a control signal for transporting another rack that stores an article indicated by a normal order other than the specific order to one of the work stations other than the first work station.

A system comprising:

• a host management apparatus configured to manage orders for picking up articles;
• a plurality of work stations configured to pick up articles;
• an automated guided vehicle configured to transport racks that store articles;
• and
• an information processing apparatus including:
• a communication interface configured to transmit and receive data to and from the host management apparatus, the plurality of work stations, and the automated guided vehicle;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• acquire a plurality of orders from the host management apparatus through the communication interface;
• extract, through the communication interface, a specific order from the plurality of orders based on label information indicating the specific order acquired from a first work station;
• and
• transmit, through the communication interface to the automated guided vehicle, a control signal for transporting one of the racks that stores an article indicated by the extracted specific order to the first work station and a control signal for transporting another one of the racks that stores an article indicated by a normal order other than the specific order to one of the work stations other than the first work station.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• a communication interface configured to transmit and receive data to and from a host management apparatus configured to manage orders for picking up articles, a plurality of work stations configured to pick up articles, and an automated guided vehicle configured to transport racks that store articles;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• acquire, through the communication interface from the host management apparatus, a plurality of orders and attribute information indicating whether or not each of the plurality of orders is a specific order requiring specific processing;
• and
• extract, through the communication interface, a specific order indicated by the attribute information based on a notification to start processing of the specific order received from a first work station, and transmit, to the automated guided vehicle, a control signal for transporting one of the racks that stores an article indicated by the specific order to the first work station and a control signal for transporting another one of the racks that stores an article indicated by a normal order other than the specific order to one of the work stations other than the first work station.