Method and system for transporting inventory items

• US 10,486,901 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: D'Andrea, Raffaello, Mansfield, Peter K., Mountz, Michael Cordell, Polic, Dennis, Dingle, Patrick R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumbess, Yolanda R
• Application Number:
  US15/288,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20170022010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for transporting inventory items includes an inventory holder capable of storing inventory items and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is capable of moving to a first point with the inventory holder at least one of coupled to and supported by the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is additionally capable of determining a location of the inventory holder and calculating a difference between the location of the inventory holder and the first point. The mobile drive unit is then capable of determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined tolerance. In response to determining that the difference is greater than the predetermined tolerance, the mobile drive unit is also capable of moving to a second point based on the location of the inventory holder, docking with the inventory holder, and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to the first point.

Claims

1. A method for transporting inventory holders, comprising:

moving a mobile drive unit beneath an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit having an optical sensor on a top surface of the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder having a holder identifier positioned on the inventory holder, wherein the inventory holder comprises a frame and a plurality of legs, wherein the legs are arranged to form at least one device opening that allows the mobile drive unit to move under the inventory holder;

optically aligning the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder using the holder sensor on the top surface of the mobile drive unit and the holder identifier on the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is underneath the inventory holder, including optically sensing, by the optical sensor, the holder identifier;

lifting the inventory holder with the mobile drive unit; and

moving the mobile drive unit while the inventory holder is lifted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory holder comprises at least one bin capable of holding a plurality of inventory items.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the mobile drive unit, a request from a requesting entity to move the inventory holder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory holder is identified from a plurality of inventory holders for transport by the mobile drive unit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the mobile drive unit, a location of the inventory holder from a requesting entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the holder sensor comprises an image capture device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein aligning the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder using the holder sensor comprises:

detecting a misalignment of a first position of the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder; and

correcting the misalignment of the first position by moving the mobile drive unit to a second position.

8. A system comprising:

an inventory holder comprising a plurality of vertical support members that form at least one device opening and a holder identifier; and

a mobile drive unit having a top surface and an optical holder sensor on the top surface, the mobile drive unit operable to;

move through one or more of the at least one device openings of the inventory holder;

move to a position under the inventory holder including moving the optical holder sensor on the top surface beneath the inventory holder and facing the inventory holder;

align with the inventory holder by adjusting the position by optically sensing the inventory identifier with the optical holder sensor; and

couple with the inventory holder at an adjusted position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to roll the inventory holder by moving while coupled with the inventory holder.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein coupling with the inventory holder comprises lifting a docking head against a portion of the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is beneath the inventory holder and lifting the inventory holder.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile drive unit is operable to transport the inventory holder while coupled to a mobile drive unit to a selected location from a plurality of locations within a workspace.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile drive unit is operable to transport the inventory holder in response to a command received wirelessly from a requesting entity.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein aligning with the inventory holder by adjusting the position comprises detecting a portion of the inventory holder using a holder sensor and aligning a portion of the mobile drive unit with the portion of the inventory holder.

14. An apparatus, comprising

a drive module comprising a plurality of wheels;

a housing that seats the drive module, the housing having a top surface and an optical holder sensor on the top surface; and

a control module that is controllably coupled to the drive module and operable to;

move the housing through at least one device opening formed by a plurality of support members of an inventory holder, the inventory holder having a holder identifier;

move the housing, including the optical holder sensor to a position under the inventory holder such that the optical holder sensor is facing the inventory holder;

adjust the position of the housing to align the housing with the inventory holder by optically sensing the inventory identifier with the optical holder sensor under the inventory holder; and

enable an actuator to couple the housing with the inventory holder at an adjusted position.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control module is further operable to adjust the position of the housing relative to the inventory holder based on input received by the control module from a holder sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein enabling the actuator to couple the housing with the inventory holder at the adjusted position comprises lifting a docking head against a portion of the inventory holder and lifting the inventory holder with the docking head.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control module is further configured to receive a wireless request for the inventory holder from a requesting entity.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the drive module is operable to propel the inventory holder while the coupling member is coupled with the inventory holder such that the inventory holder is transported to a selected location of a plurality of locations.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the drive unit is operable to roll the inventory holder while the housing is coupled to the inventory holder.