Inventory system with efficient operator handling of inventory items

• US 9,475,639 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Horvath, Ibolya, Ambrogi, Robert Raymond, Mountz, Michael Cordell, Schechter, Jonathan Harris, Enright, John Joseph, Durham, Joseph W., Nice, Eryk Brian, Decker, Michael Harrison, Wurman, Peter R., Bragg, Timothy Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Logan, Kyle
• Application Number:
  US14/552,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20160145044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 700/216
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/06 Use of order trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/08 Orders with a high and a low volume
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

An inventory system can receive a receipt receptacle from a shipping vehicle. The receipt receptacle can be moved to a case shuttle without separating or sorting inventory items in the receipt receptacle. A mobile drive unit can move the case shuttle to a receiving station, where the receipt receptacle can be removed and where the inventory items can be stowed in a pickable inventory holder. A mobile drive unit can move the pickable inventory holder to an order-compiling station, where inventory items can be picked from the inventory holder into order receptacles. A mobile drive unit can move an order shuttle carrying order receptacles with completed orders to a shipping station, where the completed order receptacles can be transferred to a shipping vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising, under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions:

receiving information regarding a receipt receptacle moved from a shipping vehicle to a position on a case shuttle, the receipt receptacle containing one or more inventory items and moved from the shipping vehicle to the position on the case shuttle without separating or sorting the one or more inventory items contained in the receipt receptacle such that the one or more inventory items contained in the receipt receptacle are unseparated or unsorted;

instructing storage of the case shuttle with the receipt receptacle containing the unseparated or unsorted one or more inventory items;

receiving an order for a first item of the unseparated or unsorted one or more inventory items;

in response to receiving the order, instructing movement, using a mobile drive unit, of the case shuttle to a receiving station, removal of the receipt receptacle from the case shuttle at the receiving station, and stowing of the first item of the unseparated or unsorted one or more inventory items from the receipt receptacle into an inventory holder;

instructing movement, using a mobile drive unit, of the inventory holder with the stowed first item to an order-compiling station;

instructing transfer of the stowed first item from the inventory holder into an order receptacle at the order-compiling station;

instructing movement of the order receptacle with the first item to an order shuttle configured to be moved by a mobile drive unit to a shipping station; and

instructing transfer of the order receptacle with the first item from the order shuttle to a shipping vehicle at the shipping station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing removal of the receipt receptacle from the case shuttle at the receiving station and stowing of the first item from the receipt receptacle into the inventory holder further comprises instructing removal of the first item from the receipt receptacle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing removal of the receipt receptacle from the case shuttle at the receiving station and stowing of the first item from the receipt receptacle into the inventory holder further comprises instructing stowing of the receipt receptacle with the first item therein into the inventory holder.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising instructing removal of the receipt receptacle from the inventory holder after the first item has been removed from the receipt receptacle and stowing of any inventory items remaining in the receipt receptacle in one or more inventory holders.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon,

wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a computer system having at least one computer processor to perform a method comprising:

instructing movement of a plurality of receipt receptacles from a shipping vehicle to a plurality of case shuttles without separating or sorting inventory items contained in the receipt receptacles such that the receipt receptacles contain unseparated or unsorted inventory items;

instructing storage of the plurality of case shuttles with the plurality of receipt receptacles containing the unseparated or unsorted inventory items;

for each receipt receptacle of the plurality of receipt receptacles, obtaining information about the receipt receptacle regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the receipt receptacle;

selecting a receipt receptacle from the plurality of receipt receptacles based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle;

instructing movement, using a mobile drive unit, of the case shuttle bearing the selected receipt receptacle to a receiving station; and

instructing removal of the selected receipt receptacle from the case shuttle at the receiving station and stowing of one or more items from the selected receipt receptacle into an inventory holder to permit the one or more items to be pickable for fulfilling orders for inventory items.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an order requesting at least one inventory item;

wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a presence, in the selected receipt receptacle, of the at least one inventory item requested in the order.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a presence, in the selected receipt receptacle, of an inventory item that is frequently requested in orders requesting at least one inventory item.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a size of an inventory item in the selected receipt receptacle that is capable of being processed at the receiving station.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on an availability of the selected receipt receptacle to arrive at the receiving station before an operator at the receiving station is expected to finish processing another receipt receptacle.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a time that the selected receipt receptacle was moved to a case shuttle relative to another receipt receptacle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a proximity of the selected receipt receptacle to the receiving station relative to another receipt receptacle.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a presence of one or more inventory items of an unknown type in the selected receipt receptacle.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on at least one attribute related to the obtained information regarding the unseparated or unsorted inventory items contained in the selected receipt receptacle comprises selecting the receipt receptacle based at least in part on a designation for giftwrapping, additional packaging, and/or additional labeling for an inventory item in the selected receipt receptacle.

14. An inventory system comprising:

a workspace within a facility;

a plurality of inventory holders configured to store inventory items within the workspace;

a plurality of order shuttles configured to store order receptacles containing inventory items compiled to fulfill orders for inventory items;

a plurality of unmanned mobile drive units, at least some of the unmanned mobile drive units configured for moving the inventory holders, at least some of the unmanned mobile drive units configured for moving the order shuttles;

a pick-to-order station within the workspace, the station comprising;

a partition having openings configured to receive order receptacles;

a first area on a first side of the partition, the first area configured to accommodate at least one operator, the openings of the partition configured to receive order receptacles from the first area; and

a second area on a second side of the partition, the second area configured to receive inventory holders, the order receptacles placed in the openings of the partition from the first area configured to receive inventory items from inventory holders received in the second area;

the first area further configured to receive order shuttles and to receive, from the openings of the partition, order receptacles containing inventory items loaded from the second side of the partition; and

a management module configured to;

receive an order for a first inventory item;

instruct movement, by a mobile drive unit, of an inventory holder with the first inventory item to a position in the second area of the pick-to-order station;

instruct an operator in the first area to place a first order receptacle into an opening in the partition;

instruct an operator in the second area to transfer the first inventory item from the inventory holder positioned in the second area to the first order receptacle that has been placed in the opening in the partition;

instruct movement, by a mobile drive unit, of an order shuttle to a position in the first area of the pick-to-order station;

instruct an operator in the first area to remove the first order receptacle with the first inventory item from the opening in the partition and transfer the first order receptacle to the order shuttle positioned in the first area; and

instruct movement, by a mobile drive unit, of the order shuttle with the first order receptacle with the first inventory item from the pick-to-order station.

15. The inventory system of claim 14, wherein the management module is further configured to instruct movement, by a mobile drive unit, of the order shuttle with the first order receptacle with the first inventory item to a shipping station for transfer of the first order receptacle to a shipping vehicle or to a storage location to await a shipping vehicle.

16. The inventory system of claim 14, wherein the management module is further configured to instruct an operator in the first area to load the first order receptacle with the first inventory item into a space on the order shuttle designated for orders to be transferred by a common shipping vehicle.

17. The inventory system of claim 14, wherein the management module being configured to instruct an operator in the first area to place a first order receptacle into an opening in the partition comprises instructing the operator to place the first order receptacle into a particular opening in the partition based on at least one of:

a priority level of the order associated with the first order receptacle;

a size of the particular opening relative to a size of the first order receptacle;

a time cost for the operator on the first side of the partition to travel to the particular opening to load the first order receptacle into the partition;

a time cost for an operator on the second side of the partition to travel to the particular opening to place the first item into the first order receptacle;

or

a time cost for an operator on the first side of the partition to travel to the particular opening to remove the first order receptacle when all items of the order associated with the first order receptacle have been loaded into the first order receptacle.

18. The inventory system of claim 14, wherein the management module being configured to instruct an operator in the first area to place or remove a first order receptacle into or from an opening in the partition comprises instructing the operator to place or remove the first order receptacle into or from the opening in the partition such that placing or removing of the first order receptacle into or from the opening in the partition is sequenced relative to another order receptacle being placed into or removed from another opening in the partition.

19. The inventory system of claim 14, wherein the management module being configured to instruct an operator in the first area to transfer the first order receptacle with the first inventory item to the order shuttle positioned in the first area comprises instructing the operator to transfer the first order receptacle with the first inventory item as a completed order receptacle to the order shuttle positioned in the first area.

20. The inventory system of claim 19, wherein the management module is further configured to instruct an operator in the first area to transform the first order receptacle with the first inventory item into a completed order receptacle by at least one of:

adding dunnage to the first order receptacle;

adding a packing slip to the first order receptacle;

taping or sealing the first order receptacle;

weighing the first order receptacle;

or

adding a shipping label to the first order receptacle.