System and method for filling an order

• US 9,342,811 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mountz, Michael Cordell, Wurman, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARE, SCOTT A
• Application Number:
  US14/199,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

A method for fulfilling inventory requests includes receiving an inventory request requesting an inventory item and selecting the requested inventory item from an inventory holder. The method further includes storing the requested inventory item in an order holder associated with the inventory request and moving the order holder to a storage space. In addition, the method includes detecting a triggering event and in response to detecting the triggering event, retrieving the order holder from the storage space.

Claims

1. A management module, comprising memory and one or more processors, operable to:

transmit one or more tasks to a plurality of mobile drive units;

determine to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred by one or more of the following;

(i) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle and (ii) determining that a current time is within a predetermined range of a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle;

select, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit; and

transmit an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit located at a first location, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, cancels its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein the high priority task comprises moving from the first location to a second location associated with the transportation vehicle.

2. The management module of claim 1, wherein the first mobile drive unit maintains a list of assigned tasks and the interrupt message instructs the first mobile drive unit to reorder the list of assigned tasks such that the high priority task comes before any other task in the list.

3. The management module of claim 1, wherein the management module is further operable to transmit the canceled task to another one of the plurality of mobile drive units.

4. The management module of claim 1, wherein the management module is further operable to:

receive one or more orders requesting a plurality of inventory items; and

based upon analyzing the one or more orders, create the one or more tasks.

5. A management module, comprising memory and one or more processors, operable to:

transmit one or more tasks to a plurality of mobile drive units;

determine to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred by one or more of the following;

(i) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle and (ii) determining that a current time is within a predetermined range of a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle;

select, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit; and

transmit an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, ceases to perform its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein the high priority task comprises transporting an order holder to the transportation vehicle.

6. The management module of claim 5, wherein the management module is further operable to:

instruct the first mobile drive unit to move to the order holder;

instruct the first mobile drive unit to dock with the order holder; and

instruct the first mobile drive unit to move the order holder to a location associated with the transportation vehicle.

7. A method of filling inventory requests, comprising:

transmitting, by a management module, one or more tasks to a plurality of mobile drive units;

determining, by the management module, to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred by one or more of the following;

(i) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle at a second location and (ii) determining that a current time is within a predetermined range of a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle at a second location;

selecting, by the management module, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit; and

transmitting, by the management module, an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit located at a first location, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, cancels its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein the high priority task comprises moving from the first location to the second location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

at least a first task of the one or more tasks comprises storing a first inventory item in a first order holder; and

at least a second task of the one or more tasks comprises storing a second inventory item in a second order holder.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein:

at least a first task of the one or more tasks comprises moving a first order holder storing a first inventory item to a shipping station; and

at least a second task of the one or more tasks comprises moving a second order holder storing a second inventory item to the shipping station.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second location is associated with an order holder and the high priority task further comprises docking with the order holder at the second location.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the high priority task comprises a set of high priority tasks; and

the interrupt message instructs the first mobile drive unit to adjust a priority associated with each task in the set of high priority tasks such each task in the set of high priority tasks has a higher priority than any other task.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of high priority tasks comprises:

a first high priority task to move from the first location to the second location associated with an order holder; and

a second high priority task to move the order holder from the second location to a third location associated with a shipping station.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the canceled task to another one of the plurality of mobile drive units.

14. A method of filling inventory requests, comprising:

transmitting, by a management module, one or more tasks to a plurality of mobile drive units;

determining, by the management module, to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred;

selecting, by the management module, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit; and

transmitting, by the management module, an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, ceases to perform its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein;

the high priority task comprises instructions for transporting an inventory item to be delivered by a transportation vehicle configured to ship the inventory item; and

determining the trigger event comprises at least one of (i) receiving information indicating an arrival time for the transportation vehicle;

(ii) determining that the transportation vehicle has arrived, (iii) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for the transportation vehicle, or (iv) determining that the current time is within a predetermined range of the scheduled arrival time for the transportation vehicle.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of mobile drive units;

a management module configured to;

transmit one or more tasks to the plurality of mobile drive units;

determine to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred;

select, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit;

transmit an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit located at a first location, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, cancels its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein the high priority task comprises moving from the first location to a second location; and

wherein the management module is further configured to determine that the trigger event has occurred by one or more of the following;

(i) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle at the second location and (ii) determining that a current time is within a predetermined range of a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle at the second location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the interrupt message instructs the first mobile drive unit to adjust a priority associated with the current task such that the high priority task has a higher priority than any other task.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein, after beginning to perform the high priority task, the first mobile drive unit is configured to:

move to a storage area associated with an order holder; and

transport the order holder from the storage area to a shipping station.

18. A system comprising:

a plurality of mobile drive units;

a management module configured to;

transmit one or more tasks to the plurality of mobile drive units;

determine to transmit a high priority task based on a determination that a trigger event associated with the high priority task has occurred;

select, from the plurality of mobile drive units, a first mobile drive unit to complete the high priority task based on a determination that a first time to complete the high priority task by the first mobile drive unit is less than a second time to complete the high priority task by a second mobile drive unit; and

transmit an interrupt message to the first mobile drive unit, wherein the first mobile drive unit, in response to receiving the interrupt message, ceases to perform its current task and begins to perform the high priority task, wherein;

the current task comprises transporting an inventory holder to an inventory station;

the high priority task comprises transporting an order holder to a shipping station; and

the management module is further configured to determine that the trigger event has occurred by one or more of the following;

(i) determining that a current time matches a scheduled arrival time for a transportation vehicle at the shipping station and (ii) determining that a current time is within a predetermined range of a scheduled arrival time for the transportation vehicle at the shipping station.