System and method for filling an order
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for fulfilling inventory requests, comprising:
- a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items;
an order holder operable to store orders, wherein each order comprises one or more inventory items and is associated with a particular inventory request;
a plurality of mobile drive units operable to move the inventory holders and order holder within a workspace;
a management module operable to;
receive an inventory request requesting an inventory item;
instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move an inventory holder storing the requested inventory item to a first location;
instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to the first location, wherein the requested inventory item is transferred from the inventory holder to the order holder at the first location;
instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to a storage space within the workspace;
detect a triggering event; and
in response to detecting a triggering event, transmit a priority message to any one of the plurality of mobile drive units instructing it to adjust a priority level of a task assignment, wherein the mobile drive unit which received the transmitted priority message, in response to receiving the priority message, retrieves the order holder from the storage space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for fulfilling inventory requests includes receiving an inventory request requesting an inventory item and selecting the requested inventory item from an inventory holder. The method further includes storing the requested inventory item in an order holder associated with the inventory request and moving the order holder to a storage space. In addition, the method includes detecting a triggering event and in response to detecting the triggering event, retrieving the order holder from the storage space.
55 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for fulfilling inventory requests, comprising:
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a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items; an order holder operable to store orders, wherein each order comprises one or more inventory items and is associated with a particular inventory request; a plurality of mobile drive units operable to move the inventory holders and order holder within a workspace; a management module operable to; receive an inventory request requesting an inventory item; instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move an inventory holder storing the requested inventory item to a first location; instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to the first location, wherein the requested inventory item is transferred from the inventory holder to the order holder at the first location; instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to a storage space within the workspace; detect a triggering event; and in response to detecting a triggering event, transmit a priority message to any one of the plurality of mobile drive units instructing it to adjust a priority level of a task assignment, wherein the mobile drive unit which received the transmitted priority message, in response to receiving the priority message, retrieves the order holder from the storage space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for fulfilling inventory request, comprising:
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a memory operable to store processor instructions; and a processor operable, when executing the processor instructions, to receive an inventory request requesting an inventory item; instruct any one of a plurality of mobile drive units to move an inventory holder storing the requested inventory item to a first location; instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to the first location, wherein the requested inventory item is transferred from the inventory holder to the order holder; instruct any one of the plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to a storage space within the workspace after the requested inventory item has been transferred from the inventory holder to the order holder; detect a triggering event; and in response to detecting a triggering event, transmit a priority message to any one of the plurality of mobile drive units instructing it to adjust a priority level of a task assignment, wherein the mobile drive unit which received the transmitted priority message, in response to receiving the priority message, retrieves the order holder from the storage space. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program operable when executed to:
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receive an inventory request requesting an inventory item; instruct a user to select the requested inventory item from an inventory holder; instruct the user to store the requested inventory item in an order holder associated with the inventory request; instruct any one of a plurality of mobile drive units to move the order holder to a storage space; detect a triggering event; and in response to detecting a triggering event, transmit a priority message to any one of the plurality of mobile drive units mobile drive unit instructing it to adjust a priority level of a task assignment, wherein the mobile drive unit which received the transmitted priority message, in response to receiving the priority message, retrieves the order holder from the storage space. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification