INTER-FACILITY TRANSPORT IN INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND FULFILLMENT SYSTEMS
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an infrastructure that uses a mobile order fulfillment system, robotic drive units may be dispatched and instructed to bring inventory holders to a workstation where at least one of the inventory holders is packed and prepared for shipment. The robotic drive units are then instructed to move the prepared inventory holder to a transport vehicle such as a truck. Fiducial marks may be removably placed within the transport vehicle to aid navigation of the robotic drive units. At a destination facility, additional robotic drive units may be instructed to move the inventory holders from the truck and place the inventory holders at appropriate storage locations.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. An order fulfillment system comprising:
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an inter-facility freight transporter configured to transport an inventory item from a first inventory facility to a second inventory facility; and a fiducial mat configured for placement within the inter-facility freight transporter, wherein the fiducial mat comprises fiducial marks that are configured to facilitate sensor-based navigation by unmanned drive units that move the inventory item into, within, and out of the inter-facility freight transporter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method comprising:
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transporting, using an freight transporter, an inventory item from a first inventory facility to a second inventory facility; and arranging fiducial marks within the freight transporter, to facilitate sensor-based navigation by unmanned drive units within the freight transporter while the unmanned drive units move the inventory item into, within or out of the freight transporter. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A freight transporter comprising:
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a cargo holding area configured to hold an inventory item while the inventory item is being transported; and a fiducial mat configured for placement within the freight transporter, wherein the fiducial mat comprises fiducial marks that are configured to facilitate sensor-based navigation by unmanned drive units that move the inventory item into, within, or out of the freight transporter. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification