AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AND CONTROL SYSTEM THEREOF

• US 20140343713A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Barbour, Russell G., Ziegler, Melanie, Earl, Matt
• Granted Patent: US 9,733,638 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: G05B 19/4148 characterised by using several processors for different functions, distributed (real-time) systems G05B19/4141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage space with storage locations defined therein, an automated transport system connected to the storage space and configured to transport store units for storage in the storage locations and retrieval from the storage locations, and a control system disposed for managing throughput performance of the automated storage and retrieval system, the control system being operably coupled to the automated transport system and having more than one separate and distinct control sections each configured for managing throughput performance with respect to a common group of the storage locations, wherein at least one of the control sections manages aspects of throughput performance of the common group independent of another of the control sections.

Claims

1. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

a storage space with storage locations defined therein;

an automated transport system connected to the storage space and configured to transport store units for storage in the storage locations and retrieval from the storage locations; and

a control system disposed for managing throughput performance of the automated storage and retrieval system, the control system being operably coupled to the automated transport system and having more than one separate and distinct control sections each configured for managing throughput performance with respect to a common group of the storage locations, wherein at least one of the control sections manages aspects of throughput performance of the common group independent of another of the control sections.

2. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the other control section is configured for managing other aspects of throughput performance of the common group of storage locations that are different than the aspects managed by the at least one of the control sections.

3. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control sections is communicably coupled to the other control section and wherein the at least one of the control sections is arranged to communicate information regarding the aspects of throughput performance managed thereby to the other control section.

4. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control sections is communicably coupled to the other control section and wherein the other control section is arranged to receive information from the at least one of the control sections and incorporate the information from the at least one of the control sections into throughput performance managing determinations performed by the other control section.

6. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising at least one independent automated vehicle configured for holding and transporting store units to and from the storage locations.

7. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the at least one independent automated vehicle is configured to traverse a transport space disposed in the storage space, the transport space being arranged to define access for the at least one independent automated vehicle to each storage location of the storage space.

8. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the at least one independent automated vehicle is configured so that it traverses the transport space to at least one of the storage locations via un-deterministic paths.

9. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the automated transport system comprises at least a lift configured for raising and lowering store units between levels of the storage locations.

10. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the automated transport system comprises a lifting and lowering transport section for transporting store units between storage levels at different heights of the storage space, and comprises a horizontal transport section for transporting store units to and from storage locations of at least one of the storage levels, wherein the lifting and lower transport section and the horizontal transport section are connected to each other.

5. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 5, wherein the information from the at least one of the control sections incorporated into throughput performance managing determinations of the other control section is related to aspects of throughput performance managed independently by the at least one of the control sections.

11. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

a storage space with storage locations distributed therein;

an automated storage and retrieval engine coupled to the storage space and arranged to transport, store and retrieve store units from storage locations of the storage space; and

a control system communicably coupled to the automated storage and retrieval engine and configured for managing storage and retrieval throughput performance of a common group of the storage locations of the storage space, the control system having more than one separate and distinct controllers managing throughput performance wherein, a first controller of the more than one distinct controllers is configured for controlling the engine to effect transport of store units to and from storage locations of the common group, and a second controller of the more than one distinct controllers is configured for controlling the disposition of store units in the storage locations of the common group.

12. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second controllers is operably independent from the other so that a control portion effected by the at least one of the first and second controllers and related to the throughput performance is decoupled from another control portion effected by another of the first and second controllers and related to the throughput performance.

13. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 12, wherein the first and second controllers are communicably connected to each other, the other controller being configured to receive information from the operably independent controller and incorporate the information in effecting the other control portion.

14. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 11, wherein the first controller or second controller defines an independent controller that provides the control system independent information effecting storage and retrieval and throughput performance independent of another of the first controller or second controller.

15. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 14, wherein the other controller provides the control system other information effecting storage and retrieval and throughput performance, the other information being based on the independent information from the independent controller.

16. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 15, wherein the independent information is related to determination of storage location for a predetermined one of the store units, and is based on predetermined characteristic of the storage location and predetermined characteristics of neighboring storage locations.

17. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 15, wherein the independent information represents storage efficiency of the common group of storage locations.

18. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 15, wherein the other information provides a determination of a storage location for the predetermined store unit and the independent information provides several selectable storage locations for the predetermined store unit, each of the selectable storage locations having a different storage efficiency associated therewith.

19. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 15, wherein the other controller is configured to determine a storage location for the predetermined store unit by selecting the storage location from the several selectable storage locations provided by the independent information.

20. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 19, wherein the other controller is configured to effect the selection by balancing, for each selectable storage location, the storage efficiency associated with the selectable storage location against throughput performance efficiency associated with the selectable storage location.

21. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 20, wherein the other controller is configured to determine the throughput performance efficiency associated with each selectable storage location.

22. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

a storage space with storage locations defined therein;

an automated transport system connected to the storage space and comprising automated components configured to transport store units for storage in the storage location and retrieval from the storage locations; and

a control system disposed for managing throughput performance of the automated storage and retrieval system, the control system having a distributed hierarchical arrangement comprising one or more high level controllers, one or more lower level controllers communicably connected to the one or more high level controllers, and one or more base controllers communicably connected to the lower level controllers, the one or more lower level controllers intervening between the one or more base controllers and the one or more high level controllers;

wherein the one or more high level controllers is configured for generating high level tasks effecting throughput performance and managing the high level tasks including assigning high level tasks that determine distinct storage locations of corresponding store units throughput by the automated storage and retrieval system to the one or more lower level controllers.

23. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 22, wherein the one or more lower level controllers are configured for generating commands for the one or more base controllers, the commands effecting performance of the tasks assigned the one or more lower level controllers, and are configured so that the commands are generated by the one or more lower level controllers independent of the one or more high level controllers wherein performance of the assigned tasks is managed by the lower level controllers independent of the one or more high level controllers.

24. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 22, wherein the one or more lower level controllers are configured for selecting automated components to effect performance of the assigned tasks, and for effecting selection of the automated components independent of the one or more high level controllers.

25. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 22, wherein the one or more base controllers interface with and are configured for generating command signals effecting control of the automated components automation.

26. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 22, wherein each of the one or more lower level controllers is arranged for controlling a different group of the automated components, and the one or more high level controllers is configured for selecting and assigning high level tasks to one of the one or more lower level controllers in accordance with a predetermined characteristic of the group of automated components controlled by that lower level controller.

27. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 26, wherein the predetermined characteristic is a disposition of the group of automated components within the storage space.

28. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 22, wherein each of the one or more lower level controllers is a group controller arranged for controlling a different group of the automated components so that the automated components of the group corresponding to the lower level controller are different and distinct from other automated components of other groups, and wherein the lower level controller is configured for independently selecting at least one of the automated components from the corresponding group for effecting performance of at least one of the assigned tasks.

29. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 28, wherein the lower level controller is configured for directing the selected automated component to a storage location in accordance with the at least one assigned task.