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Inventory system with climate-controlled inventory

  • US 8,983,647 B1
  • Filed: 12/13/2012
  • Issued: 03/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An inventory system comprising:

  • a first inventory holder positioned in a first climate-controlled zone of a workspace that is at a below-freezing temperature;

    a second inventory holder positioned in a second climate-controlled zone of the workspace that is at an above-freezing refrigerated temperature;

    a third inventory holder positioned in a third climate-controlled zone of the workspace that is at ambient conditions;

    a management module operable to;

    receive an order for the first inventory item, an order for the second inventory item, and an order for the third inventory item;

    instruct a first mobile drive unit to transport the first inventory holder to an inventory station;

    instruct a second mobile drive unit to transport the second inventory holder to the inventory station;

    instruct a third mobile drive unit to transport the third inventory holder to the inventory station;

    assign a first priority to the first inventory holder based at least in part upon its position in the first zone;

    assign a second priority to the second inventory holder based at least in part upon its position in the second zone;

    assign a third priority to the third inventory holder based at least in part upon its position in the third zone, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority and the second priority is higher than the third priority; and

    based at least in part upon the assigned priorities, determine a sequence in which one or more of the first inventory holder, the second inventory holder, and the third inventory holder are transported to the inventory station.

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