Method and system for predestination item transfer among agents within a materials handling facility

• US 7,774,243 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Antony, Felix F., Rouaix, François M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, TALIA F
• Application Number:
  US11/078,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 534/45, 414/273, 414/791.6, 700/216, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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

A method and system for transferring selected items among agents within a materials handling facility. According to one embodiment, a method may include a number of agents moving along respective paths through an inventory storage area of a materials handling facility. While moving along a respective path, a first agent may select items from the inventory storage area to be delivered to a corresponding order processing area, where each of the selected items may be specified in a corresponding customer order and at least two of the selected items may be delivered to two different corresponding order processing areas. After the first agent selects a particular item, the first agent may transfer the particular item to a second agent, and the second agent or another one of the agents may deliver the particular item to the corresponding order finalization area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending, by a control system comprising one or more computers, instructions directing movement of a plurality of agents along respective paths within an inventory storage area;

sending, by the control system and while a first one of said plurality of agents is moving along a respective path, instructions for the first agent to select each of a plurality of items from said inventory storage area, wherein each of said plurality of items is specified in a corresponding customer order, wherein each of said plurality of items is designated to be delivered to a corresponding order processing area, and at least two of said plurality of items selected by the first agent are designated to be delivered to two different corresponding order processing areas by different ones of said agents;

sending, by the control system and subsequent to selecting a particular one of said plurality of items and prior to said particular item being delivered to any order processing area, an instruction for said first agent for transferring said particular item to a second one of said plurality of agents, wherein transferring said particular item comprises said first agent transferring physical possession of said particular item to said second agent, and wherein said transferring occurs during conveyance of said particular item to said corresponding order processing area;

sending, by the control system, an instruction for said second agent or another one of said plurality of agents to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting said particular item comprises placing said particular item into a container corresponding to said customer order.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein transferring said particular item from said first agent to said second agent comprises said first agent exchanging said container including said particular item with said second agent.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transferring said particular item from said first agent to said second agent comprises said first agent depositing said particular item at an exchange station and said second agent subsequently retrieving said particular item from said exchange station.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the control system and subsequent to the transfer of said particular item to said second agent, an instruction for said second agent to select a different item specified in a corresponding customer order from said inventory storage area.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the control system and subsequent to the transfer of said particular item to said second agent, an instruction for said second agent to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area, wherein said second agent does not select any other items from said inventory storage area prior to or subsequent to said transferring.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the control system, instructions for said first agent to select one or more other items from an inventory receiving area, and, while moving along said respective path, for said first agent to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the control system, instructions for said first agent to select one or more other items from an inventory receiving area, and, subsequent to selecting said one or more other items, for said first agent to transfer said one or more other items to a third one of said plurality of agents; and

sending, by the control system, instructions for said third agent or another one of said plurality of agents to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first agent selecting said particular item from said inventory storage area comprises said first agent selecting said particular item from a pick module located within said inventory storage area.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the control system, instructions for a third agent to retrieve said particular item from an inventory receiving area for restocking within said inventory storage area;

wherein said first agent selecting said particular item from said inventory storage area comprises said third agent transferring said particular item to said first agent.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending, by the control system, instructions for packaging said particular item for shipment subsequent to delivering said particular item to said corresponding order processing area.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said respective paths of said plurality of agents are dynamically determined in response to evaluating a current system state, wherein said current system state includes state information associated with said plurality of agents and said customer orders.

13. A computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to:

instruct a first one of a plurality of agents to select each of a plurality of items from an inventory storage area, wherein each of said plurality of agents moves along a respective path within said inventory storage area, wherein each of said plurality of items is specified in a corresponding customer order, wherein each of said plurality of items is designated to be delivered to a corresponding order processing area, and wherein at least two of said plurality of items selected by the first agent are designated to be delivered to two different corresponding order processing areas by different ones of said agents;

subsequent to said first agent selecting a particular one of said plurality of items and prior to said particular item being delivered to any order processing area, instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to a second one of said plurality of agents, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item, the program instructions are further executable to instruct said first agent to transfer physical possession of said particular item to said second agent, such that transfer of said particular item occurs during conveyance of said particular item to said corresponding order processing area; and

instruct said second agent or another one of said plurality of agents to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area.

14. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein to instruct said first agent to select said particular item, the program instructions are further computer-executable to instruct said first agent to place said particular item into a container corresponding to said customer order.

15. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to said second agent, the program instructions are further computer-executable to instruct said first agent to exchange said container including said particular item with said second agent.

16. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to said second agent, the program instructions are further computer-executable to instruct said first agent to deposit said particular item at an exchange station and instructing said second agent to subsequently retrieve said particular item from said exchange station.

17. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to:

subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent, instruct said second agent to select a different item specified in a corresponding customer order from said inventory storage area.

18. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to:

subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent, instruct said second agent to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area, wherein said second agent does not select any other items from said inventory storage area prior to or subsequent to said transferring.

19. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to:

instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from a receiving area; and

while said first agent moves along said respective path, instruct said first agent to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

20. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to:

instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from a receiving area;

subsequent to said first agent selecting said one or more other items, instruct said first agent to transfer said one or more other items to a third one of said plurality of agents; and

instruct said third agent or another one of said plurality of agents to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

21. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein to instruct said first agent to select said particular item from said inventory storage area, the program instructions are further computer-executable to instruct said first agent to select said particular item from a pick module located within said inventory storage area.

22. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to instruct a third agent to retrieve said particular item from an inventory receiving area for restocking within said inventory storage area, wherein instructing said first agent to select said particular item from said inventory storage area comprises instructing said third agent to transfer said particular item to said first agent.

23. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to instruct a particular one of said plurality of agents to package said particular item for shipment subsequent to said particular item being delivered to said corresponding order processing area.

24. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are further computer-executable to dynamically determine said respective paths of said plurality of agents in response to evaluating a current system state, wherein said current system state includes state information associated with said plurality of agents and said customer orders.

25. A fulfillment center configured to fulfill orders, said fulfillment center comprising:

a plurality of receiving stations configured to receive items for storage;

a plurality of pick modules configured to store said received items;

a plurality of packing stations configured to package items selected from said pick modules;

a plurality of exchange stations interspersed among said pick modules; and

a control system configured to;

instruct a first one of a plurality of agents moving along a respective path within said fulfillment center to select each of a first plurality of items from one or more of said pick modules, wherein each of said first plurality of items is specified in a corresponding customer order, wherein each of said first plurality of items is designated to be delivered to a corresponding packing station, and wherein at least two of said plurality of items selected by the first agent are designated to be delivered to two different corresponding packing stations by different ones of said agents;

subsequent to said first agent selecting a particular one of said first plurality of items and prior to said particular item being delivered to any order processing area, instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to a second one of said plurality of agents via a particular one of said exchange stations, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item, the control system is further configured to instruct said first agent to transfer physical possession of said particular item to said second agent, such that transfer of said particular item occurs during conveyance of said particular item to said corresponding order processing area; and

instruct said second agent or another one of said plurality of agents to deliver said particular item to said corresponding packing station.

26. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein to instruct said first agent to select said particular item, said control system is further configured to instruct said first agent to place said particular item into a container corresponding to said customer order.

27. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 26, wherein said control system is further configured to instruct said second agent to transfer said particular item a third one of said plurality of agents, wherein said transferring from said second agent to said third agent comprises said second agent exchanging said container including said particular item with said third agent.

28. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein to instruct a transfer of said particular item from said first agent to said second agent, said control system is further configured to instruct said first agent to deposit said particular item at said particular exchange station and to instruct said second agent to subsequently retrieve said particular item from said particular exchange station.

29. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said control system is further configured to instruct said second agent to select a different item specified in a corresponding customer order from another one of said plurality of pick modules subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent.

30. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent, said control system is further configured to instruct said second agent to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area, wherein said second agent does not select any other items from said inventory storage area prior to or subsequent to said transferring.

31. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said control system is further configured to instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from one of said plurality of receiving areas, and while moving along said respective path, to restock said one or more other items within one or more corresponding pick modules.

32. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said control system is further configured to:

instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from one of said plurality of receiving areas and to transfer said one or more other items to a third one of said plurality of agents subsequent to selecting said one or more other items; and

instruct said third agent or another one of said plurality of agents to restock said one or more other items within one or more corresponding pick modules.

33. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said control system is further configured to instruct a third agent to retrieve said particular item from a receiving station for restocking within one or more corresponding pick modules, and wherein said control system instructing said first agent to select said particular item from said one or more pick modules comprises said control system instructing said third agent to transfer said particular item to said first agent.

34. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said receiving stations and said packing stations are interspersed in a substantially alternating fashion.

35. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 34, wherein each of said receiving stations is associated with a corresponding inbound dock, and wherein each of said packing stations is associated with a corresponding outbound dock.

36. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 25, wherein said control system is further configured to dynamically determine said respective paths of said plurality of agents in response to evaluating a current system state, wherein said current system state includes state information associated with said plurality of agents and said customer orders.

37. A computer system, comprising:

a system memory; and

a processor coupled to said system memory, wherein said processor is configured to execute instructions, and wherein said instructions are configured to;

instruct a first one of a plurality of agents to select each of a plurality of items from an inventory storage area, wherein each of said plurality of agents moves along a respective path within said inventory storage area, wherein each of said plurality of items is specified in a corresponding customer order, wherein each of said plurality of items is designated to be delivered to a corresponding order processing area, and wherein at least two of said plurality of items selected by the first agent are designated to be delivered to two different corresponding order processing areas by different ones of said agents;

subsequent to said first agent selecting a particular one of said plurality of items and prior to said particular item being delivered to any order processing area, instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to a second one of said plurality of agents, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item, the instructions are further executable to instruct said first agent to transfer physical possession of said particular item to said second agent, such that transfer of said particular item occurs during conveyance of said particular item to said corresponding order processing area; and

instruct said second agent or another one of said plurality of agents to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area.

38. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein to instruct said first agent to select said particular item, the instructions are further configured to instruct said first agent to place said particular item into a container corresponding to said customer order.

39. The computer system as recited in claim 38, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to said second agent, the instructions are further configured to instruct said first agent to exchange said container including said particular item with said second agent.

40. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein to instruct said first agent to transfer said particular item to said second agent, the instructions are further configured to instruct said first agent to deposit said particular item at an exchange station and instructing said second agent to subsequently retrieve said particular item from said exchange station.

41. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent, instruct said second agent to select a different item specified in a corresponding customer order from said inventory storage area.

42. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

subsequent to said first agent transferring said particular item to said second agent, instruct said second agent to deliver said particular item to said corresponding order processing area, wherein said second agent does not select any other items from said inventory storage area prior to or subsequent to said transferring.

43. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from a receiving area; and

while said first agent moves along said respective path, instruct said first agent to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

44. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

instruct said first agent to select one or more other items from a receiving area;

subsequent to said first agent selecting said one or more other items, instruct said first agent to transfer said one or more other items to a third one of said plurality of agents; and

instruct said third agent or another one of said plurality of agents to restock said one or more other items within said inventory storage area.

45. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein to instruct said first agent to select said particular item from said inventory storage area, the instructions are further configured to instruct said first agent to select said particular item from a pick module located within said inventory storage area.

46. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein said instructions are further configured to instruct a third agent to retrieve said particular item from an inventory receiving area for restocking within said inventory storage area, wherein instructing said first agent to select said particular item from said inventory storage area comprises instructing said third agent to transfer said particular item to said first agent.

47. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct a particular one of said plurality of agents to package said particular item for shipment subsequent to said particular item being delivered to said corresponding order processing area.

48. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured to dynamically determine said respective paths of said plurality of agents in response to evaluating a current system state, wherein said current system state includes state information associated with said plurality of agents and said customer orders.