Routing based on automation capabilities in inventory system

• US 10,029,851 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Durham, Joseph W., Dresser, Scott, Longtine, John Gregory, Mills, Diane Grieselhuber, Wellman, Parris S., Wilson, Steven Augustine
• Primary Examiner(s): Logan, Kyle O
• Application Number:
  US15/268,377
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 700214
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/10 with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/30 End effector

Abstract

Item information such as an identity or arrangement of a selected inventory item of an inventory system can be determined. A classification of the selected inventory item can be obtained based at least in part on the item information. The selected inventory item can be routed based at least in part on the classification of the selected inventory item. For example, the selected inventory item may be routed for manual handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a human operator. Alternatively, the selected inventory item may be routed for automated handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a robotic manipulator.

Claims

1. An inventory system, comprising:

a manual station within a facility and configured for operations performed relative to inventory items by human operators;

an automated station within the facility and comprising a robotic manipulator and configured for operations performed relative to at least some of the inventory items by the robotic manipulator;

containers configured for carrying at least some of the inventory items;

racks each configured for carrying at least some of the containers;

mobile drive units configured for moving the racks between locations within the facility; and

a management module configured to;

receive item information about a selected inventory item that is carried within a selected container of the containers, the item information comprising at least one of an identity of the selected inventory item or information about an arrangement of the selected inventory item within the selected container;

determine a classification for the selected inventory item based at least in part on the item information about the selected inventory item, the classification comprising;

a manual classification indicating that the selected inventory item is designated for manual handling corresponding to an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a human operator, or

an automatic classification indicating that the selected inventory item is designated for automated handling corresponding to an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by the robotic manipulator; and

instruct a selected mobile drive unit of the mobile drive units to move a selected rack carrying the selected container so as to;

move the selected container to the manual station if the classification of the selected inventory item comprises the manual classification;

or

move the selected container to the automated station if the classification of the selected inventory item comprises the automatic classification.

2. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the management module is further configured to determine instructions for storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on whether the classification is the automatic classification or the manual classification.

3. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the management module is further configured to determine instructions for retrieval from storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on whether the classification is the automatic classification or the manual classification.

4. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the management module is further configured to change the classification for the selected inventory item based on information received about a change in automated operations available relative to the selected inventory item.

5. A management module for an inventory system, the management module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:

receive item information about a selected inventory item, the item information comprising at least one of an identity of the selected inventory item or information about an arrangement of the selected inventory item within a selected container containing the selected item;

access a classification for the selected inventory item based at least in part on the item information about the selected inventory item;

provide instructions for routing the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification accessed, the instructions for routing comprising;

instructions for causing the selected inventory item to be routed for manual handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a human operator;

or

instructions for causing the selected inventory item to be routed for automated handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a robotic manipulator.

6. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer system to:

provide instructions to cause a mobile drive unit to move a rack carrying the selected inventory item based at least in part on the instructions for routing the inventory item.

7. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions for routing the selected inventory item comprises instructions for routing a container carrying the selected inventory item.

8. The management module of claim 5, wherein the classification is based at least in part on an assessment of whether the robotic manipulator is capable of satisfying parameters for performing an operation of removing the selected inventory item from a container carrying the selected inventory item.

9. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer system to:

determine instructions for storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification.

10. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer system to:

provide, if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a robotic manipulator, instructions to cause the selected inventory item to be transferred into a container and at an orientation configured to facilitate performance by the robotic manipulator of an operation of removing the selected inventory item from the container.

11. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer system to:

determine instructions for retrieval from storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification.

12. The management module of claim 5, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer system to:

change the classification for the selected inventory item based on information received about a change in automated operations available relative to the selected inventory item.

13. A method comprising:

obtaining item information about a selected inventory item, the item information comprising at least one of an identity of the selected inventory item or information about an arrangement of the selected inventory item within a selected container;

classifying the selected inventory item to obtain a classification of the selected inventory item based at least in part on the item information about the selected inventory item;

routing the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification of the selected inventory item such that;

the selected inventory item is routed for manual handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a human operator;

or

the selected inventory item is routed for automated handling if the classification of the selected inventory item indicates that the selected inventory item is designated for an operation to be performed relative to the selected inventory item by a robotic manipulator.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

instructing a mobile drive unit to move a rack carrying the selected inventory item based at least in part on how the selected inventory item is routed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein routing the selected inventory item comprises routing a container carrying the selected inventory item.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the classification is based at least in part on an assessment of whether the robotic manipulator is capable of satisfying parameters for performing an operation of removing the selected inventory item from a container carrying the selected inventory item.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining instructions for storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining instructions for retrieval from storage of the selected inventory item based at least in part on the classification.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising, based at least in part on the classification, determining instructions for removal of the selected item from a container that contains the selected item and has been routed to bypass storage in response to the selected item corresponding to an ordered item.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising, based at least in part on the classification, determining instructions for removal of the selected item for order consolidation in response to the selected item corresponding to an ordered item.