System and method for order fulfillment
First Claim
1. An inventory system, comprising:
- a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items; and
a workstation for processing a plurality of orders and comprising a first defined area located at the perimeter of the workstation, wherein the first defined area is designated for storing one or more inventory items associated with a product velocity and wherein the workstation is operable to;
receive, at the first defined area and based at least in part upon a determination of a first product velocity, a first inventory item from a first inventory holder, wherein the first inventory item is associated with the first product velocity;
receive a plurality of additional inventory items from a plurality of additional inventory holders at a second defined area located along a different portion of the perimeter of the workstation than the first defined area while the first inventory holder remains at the first defined area; and
receive, at the first defined area and based at least in part upon a determination of a second product velocity, a second inventory item from a second inventory holder, wherein the second inventory item is associated with the second product velocity and wherein the second inventory holder is transported to the first defined area from a location remote from the workstation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a first mobile drive unit and a second mobile drive unit. The system also includes a first inventory holder, a second inventory holder, and a third inventory holder. An inventory station includes a first location and a second location and the inventory station operable to receive a first inventory item from the first inventory holder at the first location. The first inventory holder is transported by the first mobile drive unit. The inventory station is also operable to receive a second inventory item from the second inventory holder at the first location. The second inventory holder is transported by the second mobile drive unit. The inventory station is also operable to receive a third inventory item from the third inventory holder at the second location. The third inventory holder is fixed at the second location while the inventory station receives the first inventory item and the second inventory item.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inventory system, comprising:
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a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items; and a workstation for processing a plurality of orders and comprising a first defined area located at the perimeter of the workstation, wherein the first defined area is designated for storing one or more inventory items associated with a product velocity and wherein the workstation is operable to; receive, at the first defined area and based at least in part upon a determination of a first product velocity, a first inventory item from a first inventory holder, wherein the first inventory item is associated with the first product velocity; receive a plurality of additional inventory items from a plurality of additional inventory holders at a second defined area located along a different portion of the perimeter of the workstation than the first defined area while the first inventory holder remains at the first defined area; and receive, at the first defined area and based at least in part upon a determination of a second product velocity, a second inventory item from a second inventory holder, wherein the second inventory item is associated with the second product velocity and wherein the second inventory holder is transported to the first defined area from a location remote from the workstation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An inventory system, comprising:
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a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items; a first mobile drive unit configured to receive wireless instructions from a management module and independently transport one or more of the plurality of inventory holders within a workspace, the first mobile drive unit operable to; transport, based at least in part upon a determination of a first product velocity associated with a first inventory item, a first inventory holder storing the first inventory item to a defined area associated with an inventory station configured to process a plurality of orders, wherein the defined area is located along a perimeter of the inventory station; a second mobile drive unit operable to transport, based at least in part upon a determination of an operation request to fulfill an order for the first inventory item and a second inventory item, a second inventory holder storing the second inventory item to a queue space associated with the inventory station, the inventory station configured to fulfill the order for the first and second inventory items, wherein the queue space is located along a different portion of the perimeter of the inventory station than the defined area; and a third mobile drive unit operable to transport, based at least in part upon a determination that the first product velocity is below a second product velocity associated with a third inventory item, a third inventory holder storing the third inventory item to the defined area, wherein the third inventory holder replaces the first inventory holder at the defined area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A management module comprising:
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one or more interfaces operable to transmit wireless instructions to a plurality of mobile drive units; one or more processing units configured to manage a flow of the plurality of mobile drive units and an associated plurality of inventory holders towards spaces associated with an inventory station configured to process one or more orders, the inventory station associated with one or more queue spaces located along a perimeter of the inventory station and one or more product velocity spaces located along a different portion of the perimeter of the inventory station than the queue spaces, the one or more product velocity spaces designated for products having a product velocity above a predetermined threshold, the one or more processing units operable to; facilitate fulfillment of a plurality of orders by transmitting wireless instructions to one or more of the plurality of mobile drive units to transport one or more inventory holders containing inventory items associated with the plurality of orders to the inventory station; manage transportation of one or more first inventory holders containing one or more first inventory items having a first product velocity above the predetermined threshold to the one or more product velocity spaces; and manage transportation of one or more second inventory holders containing one or more second inventory items having a second product velocity to replace the one or more first inventory holders, in response to a determination that the second product velocity is above the predetermined threshold or the first product velocity is below the predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification