System and method for configuring workstations

• US 9,501,756 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Rob, Watt, William J., Bragg, Timothy, Cravalho, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US14/333,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for managing an inventory system includes receiving an operation request that identifies an inventory item and selecting, from a plurality of workstations, a workstation at which to fulfill the operation request. The method also includes moving an inventory holder storing the identified inventory item to the selected workstation and moving a supply holder storing a supply item associated with the received operation request to the selected workstation. The method additionally includes fulfilling the operation request, at least in part, at the workstation.

Claims

1. An inventory system, comprising:

a first mobile drive unit operable to transport an inventory holder to a workstation, wherein the inventory holder stores an inventory item identified by an operation request;

a second mobile drive unit operable to transport a supply holder to the workstation, wherein the supply holder stores a supply item associated with the operation request, wherein the associated supply item is configured to facilitate processing of a container for the identified inventory item at the workstation;

a management module operable to initiate fulfillment of the operation request, at least in part, at the workstation; and

wherein the associated supply item comprises one or more of;

gift wrap, wherein the supply holder is transported to the workstation in response to a selection of a gift wrapping option of the container; and

a label operable to be applied to the container the label providing information sufficient to ship an order associated with the inventory item to a shipping destination specified by the order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the management module is further operable to select the workstation at which to fulfill the operation request from a plurality of workstations, the selection based on a capability of the workstation to process the container using the supply item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile drive unit is operable to move to a first location associated with the inventory holder, dock with the inventory holder at the first location by moving underneath the inventory holder and raising a docking head against a lower surface of the inventory holder, and move, while docked with the inventory holder, to the workstation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second mobile drive unit is operable to move to a second location associated with the supply holder, dock with the supply holder at the second location by moving underneath the supply holder and raising a docking head against a lower surface of the supply holder, and move, while docked with the supply holder, to the workstation.

5. An inventory system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile drive units configured to process wireless instructions and including at least a first mobile drive unit and a second mobile drive unit; and

a management module configured to transmit wireless instructions to the plurality of mobile drive units, the management module operable to;

determine, based at least in part upon an order, to process a container associated with the order using a supply item;

identify, based at least in part upon the order, an inventory item requested by the order and an inventory holder storing the inventory item;

transmit a first wireless instruction to the first mobile drive unit that initiates the first mobile drive unit to transport the inventory holder storing the identified inventory item to a workstation;

transmit a second wireless instruction to the second mobile drive unit that initiates the second mobile drive unit to transport a supply holder storing the supply item to the workstation; and

wherein the supply item is configured to facilitate processing the container from a first state into a second state at the workstation; and

wherein the supply item comprises one or more of;

gift wrap and wherein the first state comprises an unwrapped state and the second state comprises a wrapped state; and

a label operable to be applied to the container.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the management module is further operable to initiate movement of a supply holder by:

selecting, from a plurality of supply holders, the supply holder storing the supply item; and

initiating movement of the second mobile drive unit to transport the selected supply holder to the workstation.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the management module is operable to initiate movement of the inventory holder by:

instructing the first mobile drive unit to move to the inventory holder;

instructing the first mobile drive unit to dock with the inventory holder by moving underneath the inventory holder and raising a docking head against a lower surface of the inventory holder; and

instructing the first mobile drive unit to move, while docked with the inventory holder, to the workstation.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the management module is operable to select a supply holder by selecting a supply holder based, at least in part, on a quantity of the supply item currently stored in the selected supply holder.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the management module is further operable to initiate movement of the supply holder to a storage location after initiating movement of the supply holder to the selected workstation.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of supply holders, wherein the plurality of supply holders comprises:

a first supply holder storing a first supply item for a first task associated with the order; and

a second supply holder storing a second supply item for a second task associated with the order; and

wherein the management module is further operable to;

initiate movement of the first supply holder to the workstation; and

initiate movement of the second supply holder to the workstation.

11. A method for transporting items, comprising:

receiving an operation request that identifies an inventory item;

selecting, from a plurality of workstations, a workstation at which to fulfill the received operation request;

initiating movement of an inventory holder storing the identified inventory item to the selected workstation;

initiating movement of a supply holder storing a supply item associated with the received operation request to the selected workstation, wherein the associated supply item is reusable for a plurality of operation requests;

initiating fulfillment of the received operation request, at least in part, at the selected workstation, wherein the associated reusable supply item is configured to facilitate fulfilling the received operation request for the identified inventory item at the selected workstation; and

wherein the associated reusable supply item comprises a safety item configured to protect a human operator associated with the workstation during fulfillment of the received operation request.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the associated reusable supply item comprises a waste container operable to receive waste materials generated at the workstation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein initiating movement of the supply holder to the workstation is performed in response to receiving a request for the waste container.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein initiating movement of the supply holder comprises:

selecting, from a plurality of supply holders, the supply holder storing the supply item associated with the received operation request; and

initiating movement of the selected supply holder to the selected workstation.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

initiating movement of the inventory holder to a first storage area after initiating movement of the inventory holder to the workstation; and

initiating movement of the supply holder to a second storage area after initiating movement of the supply holder to the workstation.