Inter-facility transport in inventory management and fulfillment systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An order fulfillment system, comprising:
- a plurality of portable inventory holders configured to store inventory items in first and second inventory facilities;
first unmanned drive units configured to move the portable inventory holders within the first inventory facility;
second unmanned drive units configured to move the portable inventory holders within the second inventory facility;
control logic configured to direct the first unmanned drive units to perform first actions comprising;
moving a receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a workstation of the first inventory facility;
moving one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the workstation for transfer of specified inventory items from the one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the receiving one of the portable inventory holders; and
placing the receiving one of the portable inventory holders on an inter-facility freight transporter for transport to the second inventory facility by entering the inter-facility freight transporter with one of the first unmanned drive units; and
the control logic being further configured to direct the second unmanned drive units to perform one or more second actions, the one or more second actions comprising;
removing the receiving one of the portable inventory holders from the inter-facility freight transporter by entering the inter-facility transporter with one of the second unmanned drive units.
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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.
188 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An order fulfillment system, comprising:
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a plurality of portable inventory holders configured to store inventory items in first and second inventory facilities; first unmanned drive units configured to move the portable inventory holders within the first inventory facility; second unmanned drive units configured to move the portable inventory holders within the second inventory facility; control logic configured to direct the first unmanned drive units to perform first actions comprising; moving a receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a workstation of the first inventory facility; moving one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the workstation for transfer of specified inventory items from the one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the receiving one of the portable inventory holders; and placing the receiving one of the portable inventory holders on an inter-facility freight transporter for transport to the second inventory facility by entering the inter-facility freight transporter with one of the first unmanned drive units; and the control logic being further configured to direct the second unmanned drive units to perform one or more second actions, the one or more second actions comprising; removing the receiving one of the portable inventory holders from the inter-facility freight transporter by entering the inter-facility transporter with one of the second unmanned drive units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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controlling unmanned drive units to move a plurality of portable inventory holders within a first inventory area, wherein the unmanned drive units are configured to navigate within the first inventory area based at least in part on fiducial marks placed within the first inventory area; moving a receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a workstation of the first inventory area with at least one of the unmanned drive units; moving one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the workstation with at least one of the unmanned drive units for transfer of specified inventory items from the one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the receiving one of the portable inventory holders; moving the receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a freight transporter with at least one of the unmanned drive units for transport of the receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a second inventory area; and based on fiducial marks placed in the freight transporter for navigation of the unmanned drive units in the freight transporter, navigating at least one of the unmanned drive units in the freight transporter. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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controlling unmanned drive units to move a plurality of portable inventory holders within a first inventory area; moving a receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a workstation of the first inventory area with at least one of the unmanned drive units; moving one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the workstation with at least one of the unmanned drive units for transfer of specified inventory items from the one or more stocked ones of the portable inventory holders to the receiving one of the portable inventory holders; moving the receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a freight transporter with at least one of the unmanned drive units for transport of the receiving one of the portable inventory holders to a second inventory area; and providing inventory data for use at the second inventory area in fulfilling orders from the receiving one of the inventory holders, wherein the inventory data indicates inventory items held by the receiving one of the portable inventory holders. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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controlling a plurality of unmanned drive units to move a plurality of portable inventory holders within a first inventory area, wherein the unmanned drive units are configured to navigate within the first inventory area based at least in part on fiducial marks placed within the first inventory area; moving one or more of the portable inventory holders on to or off of a freight transporter with one or more of the unmanned drive units for transport of the one or more portable inventory holders between the first inventory area and a second inventory area; and based on fiducial marks placed within the freight transporter for navigation of the unmanned drive units within the freight transporter, navigating one or more of the unmanned drive units in the freight transporter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification