Reading station structures

• US 9,613,338 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Ryan Scott, Ryle, Thomas Matthew, Lauka, Wesley Scott, Phillips, Jonathan David, Wood, James Hollis
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US15/181,360
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10099 the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

In some examples, a reader system is provided for managing inventory items in an inventory system. The reader system may be configured to read tags associated with items stowed in an inventory holder. The inventory holder may be detachably coupled to a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder to a first position near an antenna of the reader system and the tags may begin to be read. While reading or at other times in the reading process, the mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder relative to the antenna. The identified tags may be compared to a manifest list of items expected to be stowed in the inventory holder.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

instructing a mobile drive unit to move a holder to a first position relative a reading structure, the holder detachably coupled to the mobile drive unit and including a plurality of items stowed in the holder;

initiating an antenna attached to the reading structure;

reading, via the antenna, a first identifying tag associated with a first item when the mobile drive unit and the holder are located at the first position, the first item stowed in the holder;

responsive to reading the first identifying tag, instructing the mobile drive unit to move the holder to a second position relative to the antenna; and

reading, via the antenna, a second identifying tag associated with a second item when the mobile drive unit and the holder are located at the second position, the second item stowed in the holder.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising reading, via the antenna, a third identifying tag associated with a third item while the holder is being moved by the mobile drive unit from the first position to the second position.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the reading structure comprises an enclosed structure and the antenna is located within the enclosed structure.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first identifying tag comprises a first unique identifying tag attached to and uniquely identifying the first item and the second identifying tag comprises a second unique identifying tag attached to and uniquely identifying the second item.

5. A system, comprising:

a reading structure configured to receive a holder detachably coupled to a mobile drive unit;

an antenna attached to the reading structure, the antenna aligned in a first direction, the mobile drive unit configured to move the inventory holder relative to the antenna; and

a reader system in communication with the antenna and configured to read, via the antenna, tags associated with items stowed in the holder at least while the mobile drive unit moves the holder relative to the antenna.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the reading structure comprises two rigid structures extending up from a surface and spaced apart such that the mobile drive unit can move the holder between the two rigid structures.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the antenna is attached to a first rigid structure of the two rigid structures.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the reader system is configured to:

read a first tag associated with a first item when the holder is located at a first position relative to the antenna; and

read a second tag associated with a second item when the holder is located at a second position relative to the antenna, the inventory holder aligned differently with respect to the antenna when in the first position compared to the second position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the holder comprises four sides, at least two sides of the four sides comprising one or more compartments, the first item being stowed in a first compartment of a first side of the four sides and the second item being stowed in a second compartment of a second side of the four sides, the first side and the second side being separated by a corner of the inventory holder.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the antenna is a first antenna, the system further comprising a second antenna aligned in a second direction, the first direction different from the second direction.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the reading structure comprises an enclosed structure including at least one opening sized to receive the holder, and the antenna is located inside the enclosed structure.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the enclosed structure comprises at least one of a dome structure or a box structure.

13. The system claim 5, wherein the tags comprise radio-frequency identification tags.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the antenna is a first antenna that is attached to the reading structure at a first location; and

the system further comprises a second antenna aligned in a second direction and attached to the reading structure at a second location.

15. A system, comprising:

a frame comprising a plurality of flexible members hanging from the frame, extending below the frame, and being held above a surface by the frame, individual flexible members of the plurality of flexible members comprising antennas configured to communicate with identifying tags, wherein the frame and the plurality of flexible members are configured to receive a holder at a first position on the surface at least partially situated within a first portion of the plurality of flexible members; and

a reader system in communication with at least a portion of the antennas and configured to read an identifying tag to identify an item stowed in the holder at least when the holder is at the first position.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the holder is detachably coupled to a mobile drive unit and the mobile drive unit is configured to move the holder to the first position and move the holder to a second position on the surface at least partially situated within a second portion of the plurality of flexible members.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the antennas comprise coaxial cable antennas disposed within or on the plurality of flexible members.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of flexible members are configured according to an arrangement comprising two or more layers running substantially parallel to each other.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising one or more support members movably coupled to the frame, the plurality of flexible members attached to the one or more support members.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the one or more support members are configured to cause movement of the plurality of flexible members; and

the reader system is configured to read the identifying tag to identify the item stowed in the holder at least during the movement of the plurality of flexible members.