Method and system for transporting inventory items
First Claim
1. A system for inventory management, comprising:
- a two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks within a workspace;
a plurality of inventory holders, each of the plurality of inventory holders associated with a fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks;
a plurality of mobile drive units, each mobile drive unit operable to;
move beneath an inventory holder at a first fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks, wherein the first fiducial mark identifies a first location of the inventory holder and facilitates navigation within the workspace from the first location to a second location in the two-dimensional grid by providing location information that is used by a management module to generate a path from the first fiducial mark to the second location;
lift the inventory holder at the first location;
move while the inventory holder is lifted from the first location to the second location in the two-dimensional grid by following the path generated by the management module;
lower the inventory holder at the second location; and
move away from the second location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transporting inventory items includes an inventory holder capable of storing inventory items and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is capable of moving to a first point with the inventory holder at least one of coupled to and supported by the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is additionally capable of determining a location of the inventory holder and calculating a difference between the location of the inventory holder and the first point. The mobile drive unit is then capable of determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined tolerance. In response to determining that the difference is greater than the predetermined tolerance, the mobile drive unit is also capable of moving to a second point based on the location of the inventory holder, docking with the inventory holder, and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to the first point.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A system for inventory management, comprising:
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a two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks within a workspace; a plurality of inventory holders, each of the plurality of inventory holders associated with a fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks; a plurality of mobile drive units, each mobile drive unit operable to; move beneath an inventory holder at a first fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks, wherein the first fiducial mark identifies a first location of the inventory holder and facilitates navigation within the workspace from the first location to a second location in the two-dimensional grid by providing location information that is used by a management module to generate a path from the first fiducial mark to the second location; lift the inventory holder at the first location; move while the inventory holder is lifted from the first location to the second location in the two-dimensional grid by following the path generated by the management module; lower the inventory holder at the second location; and move away from the second location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification