System and Method for Inventory Management Using Mobile Drive Units
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for inventory management includes deploying a first mobile drive unit having first dimensions and deploying a second mobile drive unit having second dimensions, the first and second dimensions being different. The first and second mobile drive units are operable to transport inventory items to a plurality of inventory stations in the same workspace.
89 Citations
62 Claims
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1-42. -42. (canceled)
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43. A method for coordinating mobile drive units, comprising:
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storing, by a memory unit of a management module, information indicative of a first three-dimensional volume reserved by a first mobile drive unit; receiving, by a wireless interface of the management module, a request from a second mobile drive unit to reserve a second three-dimensional volume corresponding to a dimension of the second mobile drive unit; and determining, by a central processing unit of the management module, whether the second three-dimensional volume requested by the second mobile drive unit intersects with the first three-dimensional volume reserved by the first mobile drive unit; and based at least in part on a determination that the requested second three-dimensional volume does not intersect with the first three-dimensional volume reserved by the first mobile drive unit, granting the request from the second mobile drive unit to reserve the second three-dimensional volume. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An inventory management system, comprising:
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a remote management module operable to communicate with a plurality of mobile drive units; and a mobile drive unit comprising one of the plurality of mobile drive units, the mobile drive unit operable to; receive at least a portion of a path between a first location and a second location within a workspace; access information indicating a three-dimensional volume of space associated with the mobile drive unit; request, via a first wireless message to the remote management module, reservation of at least the portion of the path, the request comprising the information indicating the three-dimensional volume of space associated with the mobile drive unit; and based at least in part upon receiving a second wireless message from the remote management module indicating a grant of the reservation requested by the first message, proceeding along at least the portion of the path towards the second location. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A system comprising:
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a management module; a mobile drive unit operable to request to reserve a volume of space by transmitting a wireless message to a management module; and wherein the management module is operable to grant the reservation request from the mobile drive unit by determining whether the volume intersects with any reserved volume segments. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification