System and method of asynchronous robotic retrieval and delivery of items
US11372398B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 3, 2020 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 22, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/16
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Asynchronous item delivery utilizes a depot and a mobile robot. A method includes (1) receiving a specification by a user of a destination depot and an item, (2) selecting, based on item delivery data and by a depot control system, a drawer from a rack module in a depot that houses drawers, (3) receiving the item from the user via the depot user interface, (4) communicating the item to the drawer within the rack module that houses drawers, communicating, from the depot and to a mobile robot, a message to pick up the item, (5) swapping a first battery on the mobile robot with a second batter charged by the depot, (6) transferring the item from the drawer in the depot to the mobile robot using a depot drawer-swapping module and a mobile robot drawer-swapping module and (7) delivering, by the mobile robot, the item to the destination depot.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.