System and method for arranging an order

• US 10,482,401 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wurman, Peter R., Mountz, Michael C., Brunner, Daniel T., Eddy, Victoria M., Peng, Zhouzhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Shannon S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Freda A
• Application Number:
  US16/031,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20180322424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 705 22, 705 28, 705338, 705 712, 705 722, 705 269, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/043 Optimisation of two dimensional placement, e.g. cutting of clothes or wood
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method includes obtaining, by a management module, an inventory unpacking sequence for a remote facility. The inventory unpacking sequence indicates a sequence for unpacking a shipment at the remote facility. An order associated with the remote facility is received that includes inventory items. The management module determines an order packing arrangement for the inventory items based on the inventory unpacking sequence. Mobile drive units are instructed to transport one or more inventory holders storing the inventory items to an inventory station, where the inventory items are packed into a shipment according to the order packing arrangement. The shipment is arranged to be unpacked at the remote facility according to the inventory unpacking sequence.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to display an unpacking sequence; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the interface and operable to;

determine a packing arrangement for a facility according to the unpacking sequence, wherein the packing arrangement is used to set a packing order of a plurality of items for a package; and

instruct one or more mobile drive units, wherein a mobile drive unit comprises a self-powered device, to transport the package along a replenishment path at the facility while docked with the package, the replenishment path comprising information that is received wirelessly by the mobile drive unit from a management module, wherein the replenishment path is calculated by the management module according to an inventory unpacking sequence that is based on an arrangement of items in the package and the inventory holders receive items from the package along the path;

instruct the one or more mobile drive units to stop at points along the replenishment path such that the items in the package are unloaded from the package at the points that correspond to inventory holders designated to receive the items.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packing arrangement comprises instructions for arranging a plurality of items for transport.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packing arrangement comprises instructions for arranging a plurality of order holders for transport.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the processor further operable to modify the packing arrangement according to a packing constraint.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the packing constraint comprises one or more of a shape of an item, a weight of an item, and a crushability of an item.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unpacking sequence is based on one or more characteristics of the facility.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a layout of items in one or more inventory holders at the facility and determining a packing, arrangement comprises determining the packing arrangement of the plurality of items such that a package is configured to be unpacked at the facility according to the layout.

8. A system comprising:

a plurality of inventory holders at a facility that store a plurality of items and are operable to receive items from a container; and

a mobile drive unit comprising a self-powered device operable to;

dock with the container at the facility;

transport the container along a replenishment path at the facility while docked with the container, the replenishment path comprising information that is received wirelessly by the mobile drive unit from a management module, wherein the replenishment path is calculated by the management module according to an inventory unpacking sequence that is based on an arrangement of items in the container and the inventory holders receive items from the container along the path; and

stop at points along the replenishment path such that the item in the container are unloaded from the container at the points that correspond to inventory holders designated to receive the items.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the arrangement of the inventory items in the container is based on the inventory unpacking sequence.

10. The system of claim 8, the mobile drive unit further operable to:

detect an amount of items in an inventory holder;

transmit information to the management module indicating the amount, wherein an order for additional items is made in response to a determination that the amount is below a predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, the management module operable to:

place an order for the additional items based on determining that the amount is below the predetermined threshold.

12. The system of claim 8, the mobile drive unit further operable to:

detect items in an inventory holder; and

transmit information indicating the items to the management module, the management module operable to determine whether the items in the inventory holder are misplaced.

13. The system of claim 8, the mobile drive unit further operable to:

move forward along the replenishment path to a first location at which a first item having a first packing constraint is received by a first inventory holder; and

move backward along the replenishment path to a second location at which a second item having a second pack ng constraint is received by a second inventory holder.

14. A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a management module, an unpacking sequence for a facility, the unpacking sequence indicating a sequence for unpacking a package at the facility;

receiving an order associated with the facility comprising a plurality of items;

determining, by the management module, a packing arrangement for the plurality of items based on the unpacking sequence;

instructing one or more mobile drive units, wherein a mobile drive unit comprises a self-powered device, to transport one or more inventory holders storing the plurality of items to an inventory station, wherein the plurality of items are packed at the inventory station into a package according to the packing arrangement, such that the package is arranged to be unpacked at the facility according to the unpacking, sequence; and

instructing, by the management module, one or, more mobile drive units to transport the package along a replenishment path at the facility while docked with the package, the replenishment path based on information that is received wirelessly by the mobile drive unit from the management module, wherein the replenishment path is calculated by the management module according to the unpacking sequence.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the facility comprises a plurality of inventory holders arranged into aisles and the unpacking sequence indicates that items stored in a sequential order in the aisles should be unpacked in the sequential order.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein;

the unpacking sequence indicates an item to be removed first from the package; and

the package is packed according to the packing arrangement such that the item is packed last at the inventory station.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising;

determining the replenishment path for the facility, wherein the replenishment path directs movement of the package within the facility as the package is unloaded.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

instructing a mobile drive unit at the facility to transport the package along the replenishment path; and

instructing the mobile drive unit to stop along the replenishment path at an inventory holder designated for storing a particular item, wherein the particular inventory item is unpacked from the package and placed in the inventory holder.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining one or more properties of the plurality of items;

determining whether the one or more properties comprise a packing constraint;

in response to determining that the one or more properties comprise the packing constraint, modifying the packing arrangement according to the packing constraint.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein the packing constraint comprises one or more of a shape of an item, a weight of an item, and a crushability of an item;

and

the method further includes determining that one or more of the items should be packed later than another of the one or more items based on the packing constraint.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the packing arrangement comprises arranging a sequence in which the plurality of items are packed in a shipping container associated with the package.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the packing arrangement comprises arranging a sequence in which a plurality of shipping containers are assembled for transport.