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Methods, systems and apparatus for controlling movement of transporting devices

  • US 10,086,999 B2
  • Filed: 06/03/2015
  • Issued: 10/02/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for controlling movement of one or more transporting devices arranged to transport containers, the containers being stored in one or more stacks in a facility, wherein the facility has a plurality of pathways arranged in a grid-like structure above the stacks, the one or more transporting devices configured to operate on the grid-like structure, the system comprising:

  • a control unit configured to;

    determine and reserve routes for moving one or more transporting devices through a plurality of pathways, and routes for moving the one or more transporting devices when transporting one or more of a plurality of containersdetermine and control retrieval of at least one first container by the one or more transporting devices from within one or more of the stacks, wherein the retrieval of the at least one first container is achieved by moving at least one second container from a stack prior to accessing the at least one first container for retrieval;

    control retrieval and movement of the at least one first container retrieved by a transporting device; and

    instruct one or more of the transporting devices to move the at least one second container to an alternative position within the facility, wherein the control unit includes a product placement optimization unit configured to determine the alternative position from among empty locations within any one of the stacks other than the stack from which the at least one second container was removed.

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