MANEUVERING A MOBILE DRIVE UNIT

• US 20140195040A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wurman, Peter R., D'Andrea, Raffaello, Barbehenn, Michael T., Hoffman, Andrew Edward, Koehler, David C., Mountz, Michael Cordell
• Granted Patent: US 9,511,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0216 Vehicle for transporting goods in a warehouse, factory or similar
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of rotating an inventory holder includes moving an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction. The rotation area includes a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders. The method further includes moving the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment with an orientation of the first face perpendicular to the first arced segment. The method additionally includes executing a rotation maneuver within the rotation area and moving the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment with a second face facing the first direction.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit operable to:

dock with an inventory holder;

move the inventory holder towards a destination;

while docked with the inventory holder, selectively rotate the inventory holder while moving, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit; and

continue moving the inventory holder towards the destination.

39. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, the mobile drive unit further operable to:

receive a route to the destination;

reserve a rotation area adjacent to the route to the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through the reserved rotation area.

40. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, wherein docking with the inventory holder comprises:

moving the mobile drive unit to a location of the inventory holder;

docking the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder at the location, and the mobile drive unit is further operable to;

undock the mobile drive unit from the inventory holder at the destination; and

move away from the inventory holder.

41. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to prevent collisions with other mobile drive units by selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through a reserved rotation area.

42. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, the mobile drive unit further operable to:

receive a request from a management module to present a selected face of the inventory holder to an inventory station at the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder comprises rotating the inventory holder by an amount calculated to present the selected face to the inventory station.

43. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, wherein docking with the inventory holder comprises:

positioning the mobile drive unit beneath the inventory holder; and

raising a docking head of the mobile drive unit towards the inventory holder.

44. The mobile drive unit of claim 38, the mobile drive unit comprising a docking head;

and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises independently rotating the docking head of the mobile drive unit.

45. A method for transporting inventory holders, comprising:

docking with an inventory holder;

moving the inventory holder towards a destination;

while docked with the inventory holder, selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit; and

continuing to move the inventory holder towards the destination.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

receiving a route to the destination;

reserving a rotation area adjacent to the route to the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through the reserved rotation area.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein docking with the inventory holder comprises:

moving a mobile drive unit to a location of the inventory holder;

docking the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder at the location, and the method further comprises;

undocking the mobile drive unit from the inventory holder at the destination; and

moving away from the inventory holder.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

preventing collisions of the inventory holder with mobile drive units by selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through a reserved rotation area.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

receiving a request from a management module to present a selected face of the inventory holder to an inventory station at the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder comprises rotating the inventory holder by an amount calculated to present the selected face to the inventory station.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein clocking with the inventory holder comprises:

positioning a mobile drive unit beneath the inventory holder; and

raising a docking head of the mobile drive unit towards the inventory holder.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises independently rotating a docking head of a mobile drive unit.

52. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit comprising:

a first actuator that selectively rotates the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is moving; and

a second actuator that moves the mobile drive unit, wherein the first and second actuators are different.

53. The mobile drive unit of claim 52, wherein the mobile drive unit is operable to:

receive a route to the destination;

reserve a rotation area adjacent to the route to the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through the reserved rotation area.

54. The mobile drive unit of claim 52, wherein the mobile drive unit is operable to;

move to a location of an inventory holder;

dock with the inventory holder at the location;

undock the mobile drive unit from the inventory holder at a destination; and

move away from the inventory holder.

55. The mobile drive unit of claim 52, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to prevent collisions with the other mobile drive units by selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through a reserved rotation area.

56. The mobile drive unit of claim 52, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to:

receive a request from a management module to present a selected face of the inventory holder to an inventory station at the destination; and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder comprises rotating the inventory holder by an amount calculated to present the selected face to the inventory station.

57. The mobile drive unit of claim 52, wherein the mobile drive unit further comprises a docking head;

and

wherein selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving comprises independently rotating the docking head of a mobile drive unit.