Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: multi-pick fulfillment

• US 9,563,197 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Stiernagle, Chad, Kraetsch, Glendon T., LaValle, Dean R., Sheikholeslami, Cameron P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US14/702,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/102 for input of programme steps, i.e. setting up sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4155 characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39102 Manipulator cooperating with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39106 Conveyor, pick up article, object from conveyor, bring to test unit, place it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45054 Handling, conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45083 Manipulators, robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) for a plurality of product items, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU, and places the bin onto a shelf that moves with the robot. The additional items are handled similarly. Once all the items are on the shelf, the robot transfers them to a dispensing chute to the consumer.

Claims

1. A method for retrieval of multiple product items from a robotic inventory dispensary using a robot, the method comprising:

controlling the robot to perform operations including;

translating a base section of an arm of the robot horizontally in a plane parallel to a face of the robotic inventory dispensary;

translating a bin-holding receptacle, which is attached to the base section, horizontally together with the base section;

translating the base section vertically in the plane; and

translating the bin-holding receptacle, vertically together with the base section;

receiving, by a computerized controller of a processing system through a user interface, a request to dispense multiple product items from the robotic inventory dispensary that fulfill a specification;

determining, using a database system in computer-accessible storage, by the controller;

product items stored in the robotic inventory dispensary to fulfill the specification, the product items being identified by respective product item identifiers;

unique bin identifiers corresponding to the product items, the unique bin identifiers being identified by the respective product item identifiers; and

respective locations of bins in the robotic inventory dispensary that store the product items, the respective locations of bins being identified by the unique bin identifiers;

extracting, by the robot, bins associated with the product items from the respective locations of bins in the robotic inventory dispensary;

transferring, by the robot, the bins associated with the product items to the bin-holding receptacle; and

dispensing the product items with the robot at a dispensing location, the product items obtained from the bins transferred to the bin-holding receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dispensing the product items with the robot at the dispensing location includes:

in response to all bins containing the product items being transferred to a holding area of the bin-holding receptacle, removing by the robot each product item from the holding area and placing each product item into a dispensing apparatus at the dispensing location.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein extracting the bins associated with the product items includes opening by the robot a first drawer of the robotic inventory dispensary into a tray that moves with the arm, and coupling to and lifting a first bin by a hand attached to the arm;

and

wherein transferring the bins associated with the product items includes inserting the bins associated with the product items into the tray.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing location is provided by an operator access drawer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing location is provided by a conveyor that carries bins between the robotic inventory dispensary and an operator access area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing location is provided by a dispensing chute.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the specification specifies all product items of a particular model.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the specification specifies all product items of a particular functionality.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the specification specifies all product items from a particular manufacturer or vendor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a point-of-sale payment system, an indication of payment for the product items before dispensing any product items in the product items at the dispensing location.

11. A robotic inventory dispensary, comprising:

a storage unit;

a dispensing apparatus;

a plurality of bins, each bin in the plurality of bins containing a product item;

a plurality of drawers hosted on the storage unit, the plurality of drawers including a first drawer hosting a first bin containing a first product item and a second bin containing a second product item, and the plurality of drawers further including a second drawer hosting a third bin containing a third product item; and

a robot that, under control of a computerized controller, has random access to locations in the storage unit for placement and removal of the bins, the robot including;

an arm that is articulated, so that the arm can tilt and swivel;

a hand on the arm that can couple to, lift, and translate bins and that can open drawers; and

a bin-holding receptacle that moves with the arm that is configured to hold multiple bins; and

wherein using the hand, the robot;

couples to the first drawer, opens the first drawer, couples to the first bin, lifts the first bin, and provides the first bin to the bin-holding receptacle;

while the first bin is in the bin-holding receptacle and the first drawer is open, couples to the second bin, lifts the second bin, and provides the second bin to the bin-holding receptacle;

couples to the first bin, and transfers the first product item to the dispensing apparatus; and

couples to the second bin, and transfers the second product item to the dispensing apparatus.

12. The robotic inventor dispensary of claim 11, wherein the dispensing apparatus is a dispensing chute.

13. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 11, wherein the dispensing apparatus is an operator access drawer.

14. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 11, wherein using the hand, the robot further:

closes the first drawer;

moves horizontally or vertically to the second drawer;

while the first and second bins are in the bin-holding receptacle, couples to the second drawer, opens the second drawer, couples to the third bin, lifts the third bin, and provides the third bin to the bin-holding receptacle; and

couples to the third bin and transfers the third product item to the dispensing apparatus.

15. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 11, further comprising:

a user interface, through which the controller electronically receives a request to dispense the first product item and the second product item.

16. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 15, further comprising:

a point of sale system, in communication with the controller, wherein the point of sale system receives payment for the first product item and the second product item before the robot transfers them to the dispensing apparatus.

17. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 11, wherein the robot operates to remove the first bin and the second bin in response to a request to dispense multiple product items from the robotic inventory dispensary that fulfill a specification.

18. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 17, wherein the specification specifies product items of a particular model, wherein the product items of the particular model are included in the first bin and the second bin.

19. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 17, wherein the specification specifies product items of a particular functionality, wherein the product items of the particular functionality are included in the first bin and the second bin.

20. The robotic inventory dispensary of claim 17, wherein the specification specifies product items from a particular manufacturer or vendor, wherein the product items of the particular manufacturer or vendor are included in the first bin and the second bin.