Method and system for transporting inventory items
First Claim
1. A system for navigation, comprising:
- a plurality of fiducial marks arranged in a two-dimensional grid in a workspace;
a mobile drive unit, comprising;
a position sensor operable to sense information associated with a first fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid;
a processing unit operable to process the information to produce information that identifies a location associated with the first fiducial mark within the two-dimensional grid; and
a wireless transmission module operable to wirelessly transmit the information identifying the location associated with the first fiducial mark to a remote control module, wherein the remote control module utilizes the information identifying the location associated with the first fiducial mark to facilitate navigation within the workspace.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transporting inventory items includes an inventory holder capable of storing inventory items and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is capable of moving to a first point with the inventory holder at least one of coupled to and supported by the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is additionally capable of determining a location of the inventory holder and calculating a difference between the location of the inventory holder and the first point. The mobile drive unit is then capable of determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined tolerance. In response to determining that the difference is greater than the predetermined tolerance, the mobile drive unit is also capable of moving to a second point based on the location of the inventory holder, docking with the inventory holder, and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to the first point.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for navigation, comprising:
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a plurality of fiducial marks arranged in a two-dimensional grid in a workspace; a mobile drive unit, comprising; a position sensor operable to sense information associated with a first fiducial mark in the two-dimensional grid; a processing unit operable to process the information to produce information that identifies a location associated with the first fiducial mark within the two-dimensional grid; and a wireless transmission module operable to wirelessly transmit the information identifying the location associated with the first fiducial mark to a remote control module, wherein the remote control module utilizes the information identifying the location associated with the first fiducial mark to facilitate navigation within the workspace. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A mobile drive unit operable to:
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detect a first fiducial mark within a two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks in a workspace, wherein the second fiducial mark identifies a fixed location of the mobile drive unit within the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks in the workspace; determine the location of the mobile drive unit within the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks in the workspace based on the identified particular location; and navigate from the first fiducial mark to a second fiducial mark by providing the location of the mobile drive unit to a remote control module. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for transporting inventory items, comprising:
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sensing, by a mobile drive unit, information associated with a first fiducial mark within a two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks; processing, by the mobile drive unit, the information to produce an identifier associated with a location of the first fiducial mark within the two-dimensional grid of fiducial marks; transmitting, by the mobile drive unit, the information identifying the identifier associated with the location of the first fiducial mark to a remote control module; and receiving, by the mobile drive unit, navigation information from the remote control module instructing the mobile drive unit to move to a second fiducial mark, the navigation information calculated by the remote control module based at least in part upon the information identifying the identifier associated with the location of the first fiducial mark. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification