Robotic induction and stowage in materials handling facilities

• US 8,718,814 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, David H., Young, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Ramya
• Assistant Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/981,159
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 198/349
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for robotic induction in materials handling facilities with multiple inventory areas are disclosed. A control system directs one of one or more robotic devices to transport a particular portable storage unit of a plurality of portable storage units from a stock storage area to a particular induction and stowage station of one or more induction and stowage stations. The control system directs induction of one or more single units of items from one or more locations of the particular portable storage unit, while the particular portable storage unit is located at the induction and stowage station, into the conveyance mechanism. The control system directs stowage of received stock comprising one or more types of items to one or more indicated locations of the particular portable storage unit while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular induction and stowage station.

Claims

1. A materials handling system, comprising:

a plurality of portable storage units located in a stock storage area, wherein each portable storage unit of the plurality of portable storage units comprises one or more locations for storing one or more types of items;

one or more mobile robotic devices;

one or more stations, wherein each of said one or more stations is configured for both induction and stowage operations,

wherein an induction operation at a given one of said one or more stations comprises placing, into a conveyance mechanism, an item removed from one of said plurality of portable storage units at said given station,

wherein a stowage operation at same said given station comprises placing a different item into one of said plurality of portable storage units,

wherein each station is located proximate to a portion of the conveyance mechanism; and

a control system configured to;

direct one of the one or more robotic devices to transport a particular portable storage unit of the plurality of portable storage units from the stock storage area to a particular station of the one or more stations;

direct induction of one or more single units of items from one or more locations of the particular portable storage unit into the conveyance mechanism, while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular station; and

direct stowage of received stock comprising one or more types of items to one or more indicated locations of the particular portable storage unit while the particular portable storage unit is located at the same particular station.

2. The materials handling system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to direct the conveyance of the inducted single units of the items to one or more downstream processing stations via the conveyance mechanism.

3. The materials handling system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to direct the one of the one or more robotic devices to transport the particular portable storage unit to the stock storage area after stowage of the received stock.

4. The materials handling system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to direct activation of an indicator associated with a particular location among the one or more locations to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

5. The materials handling system of claim 4, wherein the control system is further configured to direct the indicator to emit light to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

6. The materials handling system of claim 4, wherein the control system is further configured to direct the indicator to emit sound to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

7. The materials handling system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to direct display of graphical directions on a monitor at an induction station to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

8. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the at least one processor to;

direct one of one or more robotic devices to transport a particular portable storage unit of a plurality of portable storage units from a stock storage area to a particular station of one or more stations, wherein each of said one or more stations is configured for both induction and stowage operations,

wherein an induction operation at a given one of said one or more stations comprises placing, into a conveyance mechanism, an item removed from one of said plurality of portable stowage units at said given station,

wherein a stowage operation at same said given station comprises placing a different item into one of said plurality of portable storage units;

direct induction of one or more single units of items from one or more locations of the particular portable storage unit into the conveyance mechanism, wherein to direct induction the program instructions are executable to direct induction while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular station; and

direct stowage of received stock comprising one or more types of items to one or more indicated locations of the particular portable storage unit, wherein to direct stowage the program instructions are executable to direct stowage to a same one of the particular portable storage units from which stock was removed to induct into the conveyance mechanism while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct the conveyance of the inducted single units of the items to one or more downstream processing stations via the conveyance mechanism.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct the one of the one or more robotic devices to transport the particular portable storage unit to the stock storage area after stowage of the received stock.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct activation of an indicator associated with a particular location among the one or more locations to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct the indicator to emit light to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct the indicator to emit sound to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct display of graphical directions on a monitor at an induction station to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to direct delivery of the received stock to the particular station.

16. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to:

direct one of one or more robotic devices to transport a particular portable storage unit of a plurality of portable storage units from a stock storage area to a particular station of one or more stations, wherein both induction and stowage operations are performed at each station of the one or more stations, wherein induction comprises placing an item into a conveyance mechanism, wherein stowage comprises placing an item into one of the plurality of portable storage units;

direct induction of one or more single units of items from one or more locations of the particular portable storage unit into the conveyance mechanism, wherein to direct induction the program instructions are computer-executable to direct induction while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular station; and

direct stowage of received stock comprising one or more types of items to one or more indicated locations of the particular portable storage unit, wherein to direct stowage the program instructions are computer-executable to direct stowage to a same one of the particular portable storage units from which stock was removed to induct into the conveyance mechanism while the particular portable storage unit is located at the particular station.

17. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct the conveyance of the inducted single units of the items to one or more downstream processing stations via the conveyance mechanism.

18. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct the one of the one or more robotic devices to transport the particular portable storage unit to the stock storage area after stowage of the received stock.

19. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct activation of an indicator associated with a particular location among the one or more locations to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

20. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 19, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct the indicator to emit light to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

21. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct the indicator to emit sound to indicate that the received stock is to be placed in the particular location.

22. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement a materials handling facility control system operable to direct delivery of the received stock to the particular station.