Automated storage warehouse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900702-B2
Application number	US-201816003159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2018
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A product may be stored in a protective container that is surrounded with a fluid. A heat-sensitivity rating for the product may be obtained, and a product energy for the product may be calculated. The calculating may include adjusting the longest dimension of the product based on the heat-sensitivity rating and defining a sphere of enthalpy around the product. The sphere's radius may be equal to the adjusted product dimension and the sphere may be centered at the product center. The calculating may also comprise multiplying the volume of the sphere by the air pressure inside the protective container. An environmental condition within the sphere during a first time period may be forecasted. It may be determined that the product is likely to deteriorate during the first time period based on the product energy and heat-sensitivity rating. The altitude of the protective container may be altered to mitigate this deterioration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
storing a product in a protective container, wherein the protective container is surrounded with a fluid;
obtaining a heat-sensitivity rating for the product;
calculating a product energy for the product, the calculating comprising:
identifying a longest dimension of the product;
adjusting the longest dimension based on the heat-sensitivity rating for the product, resulting in an adjusted product dimension;
defining a sphere of enthalpy around the product, wherein the sphere of enthalpy has a radius equal to the adjusted product dimension and is centered at the center of the product;
calculating a volume of the sphere of enthalpy; and
multiplying the volume by the air pressure inside the protective container;

forecasting an environmental condition within the sphere of enthalpy during a first time period;
determining, based on the product energy and the heat-sensitivity rating, that the product is likely to deteriorate during the first time period due to the forecasted environmental condition; and
altering the altitude of the protective container to mitigate the deterioration due to the forecasted environmental condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is air and the protective container is an automated airborne warehouse.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein altering the altitude comprises ascending to a higher altitude.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water and the protective container is an automated submarine warehouse.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein altering the altitude comprises descending to a lower depth in the water.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising releasing an amount of pressurized air into the submarine warehouse, wherein the amount is sufficient to cause the air pressure within the submarine warehouse to equal the water pressure at the lower depth.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition is an air temperature.

8. An automated warehouse, the automated warehouse comprising:
a first product-monitoring system configured to:
obtain a heat-sensitivity rating for a product;
assign a tolerance condition to the product based on the heat-sensitivity rating; and
calculate a product energy for the product, the calculating comprising:
identifying a longest dimension of the product;
adjusting the longest dimension based on the heat-sensitivity rating for the product, resulting in an adjusted product dimension;
defining a sphere of enthalpy around the product, wherein the sphere of enthalpy has a radius equal to the adjusted product dimension and is centered at the center of the product;
calculating a volume of the sphere of enthalpy; and
multiplying the volume by the air pressure inside the protective container;

a lift mechanism configured to adjust the altitude of the warehouse to comply with the tolerance condition;
a first sensor configured to detect deterioration of the product;
a second sensor configured to determine, based on the detecting, that a current condition of the warehouse complies with the tolerance condition; and
wherein the first product-monitoring system adjusts, based on the detecting and the determining, the head sensitivity rating for the product.

9. The automated warehouse of claim 8 , wherein the heat-sensitivity rating comprises a number greater than zero and less than or equal to one.

10. The automated warehouse claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is a digital camera.

11. The automated warehouse of claim 8 , wherein the second sensor is a thermometer.

12. An automated submarine warehouse, the automated submarine warehouse comprising:
a flexible hull;
a stored product;
a product sensor configured to:
detect deterioration of the stored product;
calculate a product energy for the product, the calculating comprising:
identifying a longest dimension of the product;
adjusting the longest dimension based on the heat-sensitivity rating for the product, resulting in an adjusted product dimension;
defining a sphere of enthalpy around the product, wherein the sphere of enthalpy has a radius equal to the adjusted product dimension and is centered at the center of the product;
calculating a volume of the sphere of enthalpy; and
multiplying the volume by the air pressure inside the protective container; and
determine, based on the type of deterioration detected, the likely cause of the detected deterioration, wherein the determining is based on the product energy for the product;

a pressure tank configured to increase an air pressure of the submarine warehouse in response to the product sensor determining that the likely cause is a temperature below a tolerance condition for the product is measured; and
a ballast mechanism configured to cause the warehouse to descend to a first depth at which a first water pressure equals the increased air pressure of the submarine warehouse.

13. The submarine warehouse of claim 12 , wherein the submarine warehouse further comprises:
a valve configured to decrease air pressure of the submarine warehouse in response to the product sensor determining that the likely cause is a temperature about a tolerance condition for the product is measured;
wherein the ballast mechanism is further configured to cause the warehouse to ascend to a second depth at which a second water pressure equals the decreased air pressure of the submarine warehouse.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Baughman Aaron K
• Graham Barry M
• Urman Alexandra
• Dawson Christopher J

Classifications

• B64U50/15

  using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors · CPC title

• B64U10/30

  Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• G05D1/048

  specially adapted for water vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/042

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title