Method and system for fulfilling requests in an inventory system

• US 8,483,869 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wurman, Peter R., Brunner, Daniel T., Barbehenn, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US12/413,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20090185884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 700/215, 700/216
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/10 with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for fulfilling requests in an inventory system includes receiving a request indicating an activity to be completed. The method also includes selecting a holder to fulfill the request and an inventory station at which to fulfill the request. The inventory station is associated with a queue that includes a plurality of queue spaces. The method further includes moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station. Additionally, the method also includes determining that a trigger event has occurred and, in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, moving the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.

Claims

1. A method for fulfilling requests in an inventory system, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a request indicating an activity to be completed;

selecting, by the processor, from a plurality of holders, a holder to fulfill the request;

selecting, by the processor, from a plurality of inventory stations, at least one inventory station at which to fulfill the request, wherein each of the plurality of inventory stations is associated with a queue comprising a plurality of queue spaces;

facilitating, by the processor, moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station;

determining, by the processor, that a trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, facilitating, by the processor, moving the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location comprises:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already assigned to holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already assigned, moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer assigned to a holder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location comprises:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already occupied by holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already occupied, moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer occupied.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location comprises:

transmitting information identifying a location of the selected holder to a mobile drive unit;

moving the mobile drive unit to the location of the selected holder;

coupling the mobile drive unit to the selected holder; and

moving the mobile drive unit and the selected holder from the location of the selected holder to the second location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, from a plurality of mobile drive units, a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder, and wherein moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location comprises moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location with the selected mobile drive unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises an inventory holder operable to store inventory items.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises determining that a particular inventory holder has moved into the queue.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises determining that multiple inventory holders associated with a particular order have moved into the queue.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of predetermined locations reserved for drifting; and

moving the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selected holder from the first location to the second location comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of unoccupied locations in a workspace; and

moving the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the second location based on a distance between the second location and the first location.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the second location based on a distance between the second location and the selected inventory station.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the second location based on a length of a path from the first point to the queue through the second point.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request indicating an activity to be completed;

selecting a second holder to fulfill the second request;

selecting a second inventory station at which to fulfill the request;

facilitating moving the second selected holder from a third location to the second location;

determining that a second trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the second trigger event has occurred, moving the second selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the second selected inventory station.

17. A system for storing inventory items, comprising:

a plurality of holders operable to store objects;

a plurality of inventory stations, wherein each of the plurality of inventory stations is associated with a queue comprising a plurality of queue spaces; and

a management module operable to;

receive a request indicating an activity to be completed;

select, from a plurality of holders, a holder to fulfill the request;

select, from a plurality of inventory stations, at least one inventory station at which to fulfill the request;

instruct a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station;

determine that a trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already assigned to holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already assigned, instructing the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the management module is operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer assigned to a holder.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already occupied by holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already occupied, instructing the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the management module is further operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer occupied.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

transmitting information identifying a location of the selected holder to the mobile drive unit;

moving the mobile drive unit to the location of the selected holder;

coupling the mobile drive unit to the selected holder; and

moving the mobile drive unit and the selected holder from the location of the selected holder to the second location.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile drive unit comprises one of a plurality of mobile drive units operable to move the holders, and wherein the management module is further operable to select the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder, from the plurality of mobile drive units.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the holders comprise inventory holders operable to store inventory items.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that a second inventory holder has moved into the queue.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to instruct a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location by:

selecting one of a plurality of predetermined locations reserved for drifting; and

instructing a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to instruct a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location by:

selecting one of a plurality of unoccupied locations in a workspace; and

instructing a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is operable to select the second location based on a distance between the second location and the first location.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is operable to select the second location based on a distance between the second location and the selected inventory station.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is operable to select the second location based on a length of a path from the first point to the queue through the second point.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the management module is further operable to:

receive a second request indicating an activity to be completed;

select a second holder to fulfill the second request;

select a second inventory station at which to fulfill the request;

instruct a second mobile drive unit to move the second selected holder from a third location to the second location;

determine that a second trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the second trigger event has occurred, instruct the second mobile drive unit to move the second selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the second selected inventory station.

32. A computer-program product stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising code operable, when executed, to:

receive a request indicating an activity to be completed;

select, from a plurality of holders, a holder to fulfill the request;

select, from a plurality of inventory stations, at least one inventory station at which to fulfill the request, wherein each of the plurality of inventory stations is associated with a queue comprising a plurality of queue spaces;

instruct a mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station;

determine that a trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.

33. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already assigned to holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already assigned, instructing the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

34. The computer-program product of claim 33, wherein the code is further operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer assigned to a holder.

35. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

determining that a threshold number of queue spaces in a queue associated with the selected inventory station are already occupied by holders; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of queue spaces are already occupied, instructing the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location remote from the selected inventory station.

36. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein the code is further operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that one or more of the queue spaces in the queue associated with the selected inventory station are no longer occupied.

37. The computer-program product of claim 36, wherein the code is further operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from a first location to a second location by:

transmitting information identifying a location of the selected holder to the mobile drive unit;

instruct the mobile drive unit to move to the location of the selected holder;

instruct the mobile drive unit to couple to the selected holder; and

instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the location of the selected holder to the second location.

38. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the mobile drive unit comprises one of a plurality of mobile drive units operable to move the holders, and wherein the code is further operable to select the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the plurality of mobile drive units.

39. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is operable to determine that the trigger event has occurred by determining that a second inventory holder has moved into the queue.

40. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location by:

selecting one of a plurality of predetermined locations reserved for drifting; and

instructing the mobile drive unit moving the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

41. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is operable to instruct the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the second location by:

selecting one of a plurality of unoccupied locations in a workspace; and

instructing the mobile drive unit to move the selected holder from the first location to the selected location.

42. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to select the second location based on a distance between the second location and the first location.

43. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to select the second location based on a distance between the second location and the selected inventory station.

44. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to select the second location based on a length of a path from the first point to the queue through the second point.

45. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the code is further operable to:

receive a second request indicating an activity to be completed;

select a second holder to fulfill the second request;

select a second inventory station at which to fulfill the request;

instruct a second mobile drive unit to move the second selected holder from a third location to the second location;

determine that a second trigger event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the second trigger event has occurred, instruct the second mobile drive unit to move the second selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the second selected inventory station.

46. A system for retrieving inventory items within an inventory system, comprising:

means for receiving a request indicating an activity to be completed;

means for selecting, from a plurality of holders, a holder to fulfill the request;

means for selecting, from a plurality of inventory stations, a least one inventory station at which to fulfill the request, wherein each of the plurality of inventory stations is associated with a queue comprising a plurality of queue spaces;

means for moving the selected holder from a first location to a second location remote from the selected inventory station;

means for determining that a trigger event has occurred; and

means for in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, moving the selected holder from the second location to a queue space of a queue associated with the selected inventory station.