Inter-facility transport in inventory management and fulfillment systems

US9440790B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · US

Inventors

• Michael C. Mountz · Lexington, US
• Oleksandr Glazkov · Boston, US
• Timothy Bragg · Winterport, US
• Matthew David Verminski · Cambridge, US
• Jeremiah David Brazeau · Hudson, US
• Peter R. Wurman · Acton, US
• John W. Cullen · Boston, US
• Michael T. Barbehenn · North Reading, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 9, 2015
• Grant date: Sep 13, 2016
• Expiry date: Feb 9, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/087
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In an infrastructure that uses a mobile order fulfillment system, robotic drive units may be dispatched and instructed to bring inventory holders to a workstation where at least one of the inventory holders is packed and prepared for shipment. The robotic drive units are then instructed to move the prepared inventory holder to a transport vehicle such as a truck. Fiducial marks may be removably placed within the transport vehicle to aid navigation of the robotic drive units. At a destination facility, additional robotic drive units may be instructed to move the inventory holders from the truck and place the inventory holders at appropriate storage locations.