Material handling system and method using mobile autonomous inventory trays and peer-to-peer communications
US6950722B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 15, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 4, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/027
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An inventory system including a plurality of mobile inventory trays with a positioning system that enables the mobile inventory trays to determine their three-dimensional coordinates within a facility and thereby navigate a factory floor. The mobile inventory trays are also equipped with a communication system in order to determine optimum mobile inventory trays to fill order requests for items of inventory. The mobile inventory trays interface with a material handling system to receive order requests and deliver inventory items to pack stations located on the factory floor. The resulting system is a real-time parallel-processing order fulfillment and inventory management system. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.