Re-arrange stored inventory holders
First Claim
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1. An inventory system, comprising:
- mobile drive units configured to move inventory holders that are configured to store inventory items; and
a management module configured to;
access a designated set of tasks comprising tasks designated for performance at a station that is configured for performance of a task related to one or more inventory items associated with an inventory holder when the inventory holder is positioned at the station;
instruct a first set of the mobile drive units to move respective inventory holders of a first set of inventory holders from respective storage locations to the station, the respective inventory holders of the first set of inventory holders meeting criteria of respective tasks of the designated set of tasks, each storage location for storing an inventory holder apart from the station when the inventory holder is not at the station;
determine a predicted set of tasks comprising tasks predicted to be designated for performance at the station; and
instruct a second set of the mobile drive units to move respective inventory holders of a second set of inventory holders from respective initial storage locations to respective subsequent storage locations further from the station, the respective inventory holders of the second set of inventory holders not meeting criteria of respective tasks of the predicted set of tasks.
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Abstract
Inventory holders in an inventory system can be moved among differing storage positions. The moves can be performed by mobile drive units not otherwise transporting inventory holders directly to or from inventory stations. A free mobile drive unit can move an inventory holder not likely to be useful soon at any nearby station from a storage position near the station to a position farther away from the station. A mobile drive unit can move an inventory holder likely to be useful soon from a storage position farther away from one or more stations to a storage position nearby one or more stations.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inventory system, comprising:
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mobile drive units configured to move inventory holders that are configured to store inventory items; and a management module configured to; access a designated set of tasks comprising tasks designated for performance at a station that is configured for performance of a task related to one or more inventory items associated with an inventory holder when the inventory holder is positioned at the station; instruct a first set of the mobile drive units to move respective inventory holders of a first set of inventory holders from respective storage locations to the station, the respective inventory holders of the first set of inventory holders meeting criteria of respective tasks of the designated set of tasks, each storage location for storing an inventory holder apart from the station when the inventory holder is not at the station; determine a predicted set of tasks comprising tasks predicted to be designated for performance at the station; and instruct a second set of the mobile drive units to move respective inventory holders of a second set of inventory holders from respective initial storage locations to respective subsequent storage locations further from the station, the respective inventory holders of the second set of inventory holders not meeting criteria of respective tasks of the predicted set of tasks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An inventory system comprising:
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a plurality of mobile drive units configured to move a plurality of inventory holders configured to store inventory items, the plurality of mobile drive units configured to move the plurality of inventory holders among locations including a plurality of stations and a plurality of storage locations, each station of the plurality of stations including at least one station location configured to receive an inventory holder for completion of a task involving at least one inventory item associated with the inventory holder, each storage location of the plurality of storage locations configured to store an inventory holder when the inventory holder is not at a station location; and a management module configured to; determine possible movements of the plurality of inventory holders among the plurality of storage locations; determine a utility of an arrangement of inventory holders in the plurality of storage locations resulting from each of the possible movements, wherein the utility is based at least in part on a utility score assigned to each of the possible movements, wherein the utility score of each possible movement is based on at least one of; a drive time involved in the possible movement for a mobile drive unit; an amount of time a mobile drive unit would deviate from other tasks to perform the possible movement; an amount of distance a mobile drive unit would deviate from other tasks to perform the possible movement; a change in distance of an inventory holder relative to a particular station provided by the possible movement; a degree to which contents of an inventory holder moved by the possible movement match criteria or demands of a particular station; a timeframe of the demands of a particular station; future gains in total system efficiency provided by the possible movement;
orfuture losses in total system efficiency provided by the possible movement; and instruct at least one of the plurality of mobile drive units to perform at least one of the possible movements based on the determined utility. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An inventory system comprising:
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a plurality of mobile drive units configured to move a plurality of inventory holders configured to store inventory items, the plurality of mobile drive units configured to move the plurality of inventory holders among locations including a plurality of stations and a plurality of storage locations, each station of the plurality of stations comprising at least one station location configured to receive an inventory holder for completion of a task involving at least one inventory item associated with the inventory holder, each storage location of the plurality of storage locations configured to receive an inventory holder for storage of the inventory holder when the inventory holder is not at a station location; and a management module configured to; provide primary instructions to each of a first set of mobile drive units to at least one of move an inventory holder at a station location, move an inventory holder to a station location, or move an inventory holder from a station location; and provide secondary instructions, to be performed when not performing one of the primary instructions, to at least one mobile drive unit of a second set of mobile drive units to swap storage locations of at least two inventory holders. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An inventory system comprising:
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a plurality of mobile drive units configured to move a plurality of inventory holders configured to store inventory items, the plurality of mobile drive units configured to move the plurality of inventory holders among locations including a plurality of stations and a plurality of storage locations, each station of the plurality of stations comprising at least one station location configured to receive an inventory holder for completion of a task involving at least one inventory item associated with the inventory holder, each storage location of the plurality of storage locations configured to receive an inventory holder for storage of the inventory holder when the inventory holder is not at a station location; and a management module configured to; provide primary instructions to each of a first set of mobile drive units to at least one of move an inventory holder at a station location, move an inventory holder to a station location, or move an inventory holder from a station location; and provide secondary instructions, to be performed when not performing one of the primary instructions, to each of a second set of mobile drive units to move an inventory holder from one storage location to another storage location so as to facilitate moves predicted to be instructed by the primary instructions based on a determined utility of the secondary instructions for facilitating the moves predicted to be instructed by the primary instructions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification