Method and apparatus for storaging and transferring containers

Abstract

A method for storing and transferring containers comprises the steps of a container information-receiving step for receiving information of the containers transmitted from a loading/unloading unit while the containers stacked in the container ship are unloaded by means of the loading/unloading unit, a transferring unit-moving step for moving a transferring unit to the loading/unloading unit having transmitted the information of the containers so that the containers are loaded onto the transferring unit, a storage-determining step for analyzing the received information of the containers to determine whether the containers placed on the transferring unit are to be moved to a stacking unit so that the containers can be stored or are to be moved to a taking-in/taking-out unit so that the containers can be removed from a container terminal, and a container-transferring step for moving the transferring unit to a position selected on the basis of the determination as to whether the containers are to be stored or not so that the containers can be transferred.

1 . A method for storing and transferring containers, comprising the steps of:
 a container information-receiving step for receiving information of the containers transmitted from a loading/unloading unit while the containers stacked in the container ship are unloaded by means of the loading/unloading unit;   a transferring unit-moving step for moving a transferring unit to the loading/unloading unit having transmitted the information of the containers so that the containers are loaded onto the transferring unit;   a storage-determining step for analyzing the received information of the containers to determine whether the containers placed on the transferring unit are to be moved to a stacking unit so that the containers can be stored or are to be moved to a taking-in/taking-out unit so that the containers can be removed from a container terminal;   a shortest route-selecting step for analyzing and selecting the shortest route among various routes along which the transferring unit can be moved to the selected position on the basis of the determination as to whether the containers are to be stored or not at the storage-determining step; and   a container-transferring step for moving the transferring unit to a position selected on the basis of the determination as to whether the containers are to be stored or not so that the containers can be transferred.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 a stacking position-selecting step for selecting a position on the stacking unit where the containers are to be stacked after storage of the containers is selected at the storage-determining step.   
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the transferring unit placed at the shortest distance from the loading/unloading unit is selected in the transferring unit-moving step. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the position on the stacking unit is selected on the basis of the lengths of the unloaded containers and depending upon when the containers are removed in the stacking position-selecting step. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the containers are stacked on different stacking units on the basis of the lengths of the containers, and containers necessary to be removed first are stacked such that the containers are closer to the taking-in/taking-out unit than containers necessary to be removed later. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control of the transferring unit is achieved in a wireless transmitting and receiving fashion. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the control of the transferring unit is achieved in a wireless transmitting and receiving fashion. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the control of the transferring unit is achieved in a wireless transmitting and receiving fashion. 
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the control of the transferring unit is achieved in a wireless transmitting and receiving fashion. 
     
     
         10 . A method for storing and transferring containers, comprising the steps of:
 a container information-receiving step for receiving information of containers to be loaded onto a container ship from a loading/unloading unit;   a container position-identifying step for identifying the position of the containers on the basis of the received information of the containers;   a transferring unit-moving step for moving a transferring unit to the identified position so that the containers can be loaded onto the transferring unit;   a shortest route-selecting step for analyzing and selecting the shortest route among various routes along which the transferring unit can be moved from the place corresponding to the position of the containers to the loading/unloading unit; and   a container-loading step for moving the transferring unit having the containers placed thereon to the loading/unloading unit so that the containers can be loaded onto the container ship.   
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the transferring unit placed at the shortest distance from the place corresponding to the position of the containers is selected in the transferring unit-moving step.