System and method for positioning a mobile drive unit

• US 8,220,710 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kiva Systems, Inc (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Andrew E., Barbehenn, Michael T., Mountz, Michael C., Wurman, Peter R., D'Andrea, Raffaello
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis, Suezu
• Application Number:
  US11/425,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/375, 235/385, 700213-218, 700/225, 700/226, 700/228, 700/245, 701/209, 701/210, 701 23- 25, 701117-119, 701200-202, 705/28
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31004 Move vehicle to battery charge or maintenance area
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31005 Detect obstacles on path of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31006 Monitoring of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0217 in accordance with energy consumption, time reduction or distance reduction criteria
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• 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 for transporting inventory items includes determining an assignment state of a mobile drive unit. The method also includes selecting a location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit, in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is not currently completing a task. The method further includes transmitting information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected location.

Claims

1. A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:

a mobile drive unit operable to transport at least one of a plurality of inventory holders; and

a management module operable to;

determine an assignment state of a mobile drive unit;

in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is not currently completing a task, select a waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit and based on a traffic level associated with the waiting location, the traffic level based at least in part on a frequency with which the waiting location is included as part of a plurality of paths generated by the management module and associated with other mobile drive units; and

transmit information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein management module is operable to transmit information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location by instructing the mobile drive unit to move to the selected waiting location and to wait at the selected waiting location until receiving an additional instruction.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to move to the selected waiting location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile drive unit is further operable to park at the selected waiting location until the mobile drive unit receives the additional instruction.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected waiting location comprises a first selected waiting location, and wherein the management module is further operable to:

detect a change in a state of an inventory system in which the mobile drive unit is operating;

determine that the mobile drive unit is still not completing a task;

in response to detecting the change in the state of the inventory system, select a second waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit; and

transmit information to the mobile drive unit identifying the second selected waiting location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the management module is operable to detect the change in the state of the inventory system by detecting that another mobile drive unit is attempting to move through the first selected waiting location.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the management module is operable to detect the change in the state of the inventory system by detecting that the first selected waiting location is a current destination for another mobile drive unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the management module is operable to determine the assignment state of the mobile drive unit by receiving information from the mobile drive unit indicating that the mobile drive unit has completed an assignment previously assigned to the mobile drive unit.

9. A method for transporting inventory items, comprising:

determining an assignment state of a mobile drive unit;

in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is not currently completing a task, selecting a waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit and based on a traffic level associated with the waiting location, the traffic level based at least in part on a frequency with which the waiting location is included as part of a plurality of paths generated by the management module and associated with other mobile drive units; and

transmitting information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location comprises instructing the mobile drive unit to move to the selected waiting location and to wait at the selected waiting location until receiving an additional instruction.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising moving the mobile drive unit to the selected waiting location.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising parking the mobile drive unit at the selected waiting location until the mobile drive unit receives an additional instruction.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected waiting location comprises a first selected waiting location, and further comprising:

detecting a change in a state of an inventory system in which the mobile drive unit is operating;

determining that the mobile drive unit is still not completing a task;

in response to detecting the change in the state of the inventory system, selecting a second waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit; and

transmitting information to the mobile drive unit identifying the second selected waiting location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detect the change in the state of the inventory system comprises detecting that another mobile drive unit is attempting to move through the first selected waiting location.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the change in the state of the inventory system comprises detecting that the first selected waiting location is a current destination for another mobile drive unit.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the assignment state of the mobile drive unit comprises receiving information from the mobile drive unit indicating that the mobile drive unit has completed an assignment previously assigned to the mobile drive unit.

17. A management module operable to:

determining an assignment state of a mobile drive unit;

in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is not currently completing a task, select a waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit and based on a traffic level associated with the waiting location, the traffic level based at least in part on a frequency with which the waiting location is included as part of a plurality of paths generated by the management module and associated with other mobile drive units; and

transmit information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location.

18. The management module of claim 17, wherein the management module is operable to determine the assignment state of the mobile drive unit by receiving information from the mobile drive unit indicating that the mobile drive unit has completed an assignment previously assigned to the mobile drive unit.

19. A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:

means for determining an assignment state of a mobile drive unit;

means for selecting, in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is not currently completing a task, selecting a waiting location for the mobile drive unit based on the assignment state of the mobile drive unit and based on a traffic level associated with the waiting location, the traffic level based at least in part on a frequency with which the waiting location is included as part of a plurality of paths generated by the management module and associated with other mobile drive units; and

means for transmitting information to the mobile drive unit identifying the selected waiting location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining the assignment state of the mobile drive unit comprises means for receiving information from the mobile drive unit indicating that the mobile drive unit has completed an assignment previously assigned to the mobile drive unit.