Storage and retrieval system case unit detection

• US 9,242,800 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Sullivan, Robert, Toebes, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US14/618,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20150239668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/20 Earthquake protection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system including a storage structure with storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is non-deterministic for each storage location on the storage racks, each case unit has a predetermined storage position and a controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position, a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and a seismic disturbance restorative system including seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks, a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.

Claims

1. An automated storage and retrieval system for cases in a case storage room, the automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

a storage structure with storage racks configured to support case units;

a controller, where each case unit has a predetermined dynamically allocated storage position in which the case unit is seated on the storage racks and the controller is configured to dynamically allocate each case unit into a respective predetermined dynamically allocated storage position;

a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure; and

an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being configured to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure;

wherein the controller is further configured to

compare the identified seated position of the at least one case unit received from the case mapper with the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit and identify a variance between the identified seated position and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit, and

generate a command with information for case unit position correction based on a variance type.

2. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, where the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one case unit by dynamically updating the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit with a respective identified seated position of each case unit.

3. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, where the case mapper comprises an autonomous transport vehicle configured to pick and place case units at storage locations within the storage structure.

4. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, where the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one case unit by providing the location of the at least one case unit to an operator of the storage and retrieval system for manual removal or repositioning of the at least one case unit.

5. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising an autonomous transport vehicle and the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one case unit by commanding the autonomous transport vehicle to pick and reposition the at least one case unit at a respective dynamically allocated storage location or move the at least one case unit to a respective different dynamically allocated storage location.

6. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 5, where the controller is configured to dynamically update a case position database where the at least one case unit is moved to a respective different dynamically allocated storage location.

7. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising an autonomous transport vehicle and the controller is configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one case unit by commanding the autonomous transport vehicle to perform a gross pick operation for picking the at least one case unit from the storage structure for transport out of the storage structure.

8. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising at least one movement detection device disposed in the storage structure and configured to detect movement of a respective portion of the storage structure and the controller is further configured to receive movement detection signals from the movement detection device and issue a command to the case mapper to identify a position of the case units within the storage structure.

9. A method comprising:

providing an automated storage and retrieval system with

a storage structure with storage racks configured to support case units,

a controller, where each case unit has a predetermined dynamically allocated storage position in which the case unit is seated on the storage racks and the controller is configured to dynamically allocate each case unit into a respective predetermined dynamically allocated storage position,

a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and

an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being configured to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure;

comparing, with the controller, the identified seated position of the at least one case unit received from the case mapper with the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit and identify a variance between the identified seated position and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit; and

generating, with the controller, a command with information for case unit position correction based on a variance type.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one case unit by dynamically updating the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit with a respective identified seated position of each case unit.

11. The method of claim 9, where the case mapper comprises an autonomous transport vehicle configured to pick and place case units at storage locations within the storage structure.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one case unit by providing the location of the at least one case unit to an operator of the storage and retrieval system for manual removal or repositioning of the at least one case unit.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an autonomous transport vehicle; and

effecting, with the controller correction of a position of the at least one case unit by commanding the autonomous transport vehicle to pick and reposition the at least one case unit at a respective dynamically allocated storage location or move the at least one case unit to a respective different dynamically allocated storage location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising dynamically updating, with the controller, a case position database where the at least one case unit is moved to a respective different dynamically allocated storage location.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an autonomous transport vehicle; and

effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one case unit by commanding the autonomous transport vehicle to perform a gross pick operation for picking the at least one case unit from the storage structure for transport out of the storage structure.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing at least one movement detection device disposed in the storage structure and configured to detect movement of a respective portion of the storage structure; and

receiving, with the controller, movement detection signals from the movement detection device and issuing a command to the case mapper to identify a position of the case units within the storage structure.

17. An automated storage and retrieval system for cases in a case storage room, the automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

a storage structure with storage racks, the storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is non-deterministic for each storage location on the storage racks;

a controller, where each case unit has a predetermined dynamically allocated storage position in which the case unit is seated on the storage racks and the controller is configured to dynamically allocate each case unit into a respective predetermined dynamically allocated storage position;

a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure; and

a seismic disturbance restorative system including

seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks,

a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and

an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.

18. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 17, wherein the seismic disturbance control module is further configured to

compare the identified seated position of the at least one case unit received from the case mapper with the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit and identify a variance between the identified seated position and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one case unit, and

generate a command with information for case unit position correction based on a variance type.

19. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 17, wherein the case units are positioned in the storage racks in a close packed spacing.