System-directed robotic cart picking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939162-B2
Application number	US-202117173115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2021
Priority date	Feb 10, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A system-directed robotic cart picking system is described. In an example implementation, the system may generate a picking itinerary including pick-to-cart routing based on locations of items in an order fulfillment center and received order data identifying the items, and may transport the carts in the order fulfillment center according to the pick-to-cart routing. The system may determine a zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign a picker based on the picking itinerary and may determine tasks, such as picking at least one item from the locations to the carts, for the picker located in the zone. In some instances, the system may output pick instructions to a picker client device directing the picker to perform the tasks and may transport the carts to a defined point in the order fulfillment center in response to completion of the tasks.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating, by one or more processors, a picking itinerary based on one or more locations of items in an order fulfillment center and received order data identifying the items, the picking itinerary including pick-to-cart routing for one or more carts;
transporting, by the one or more processors, the one or more carts in the order fulfillment center according to the pick-to-cart routing;
determining, by the one or more processors, a zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign a picker based on the picking itinerary including:
determining, by the one or more processors, a zone score for each of a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones including the zone; and
assigning, by the one or more processors, the picker to the zone based on the zone scores;

determining, by the one or more processors, one or more tasks for the picker located in the zone, the one or more tasks including picking at least one of the items from the one or more locations to the one or more carts in association with the pick-to-cart routing;
outputting, by the one or more processors, pick instructions to a picker client device directing the picker to perform the one or more tasks; and
responsive to the one or more tasks being performed, transporting, by the one or more processors, the one or more carts to a defined point in the order fulfillment center.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting the one or more carts in the order fulfillment center includes autonomously navigating a cart autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) according to the pick-to-cart routing using a guidance system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign the picker is based on the one or more locations of the items, the one or more tasks including picking a subset of the items, which are located in the zone of the order fulfillment center.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the zone score for each of the plurality of zones is based on a quantity of the one or more carts and a quantity of the one or more tasks.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the zone score for each of the plurality of zones is further based on a distance between the one or more locations.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the zone of the order fulfillment center is further based on locations of a plurality of pickers, the plurality of pickers including the picker.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the zone of the order fulfillment center includes determining, by the one or more processors, one or more boundaries of the zone using a clustering algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting, by the one or more processors, zone instructions to the picker client device, the zone instructions directing the picker to move to the zone.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pick instructions include instructing the picker to retrieve the at least one of the items from the one or more locations and place the at least one of the items on a certain cart of the one or more carts in coordination with transportation of the certain cart to the zone by an AGV.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, a confirmation message from the picker client device indicating that the one or more tasks have been completed; and
in response to receiving the confirmation message, reassigning, by the one or more processors, the picker to a second zone of the order fulfillment center.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inducting, by the one or more processors, an order into a storage fetching system based on the order data identifying the items in orders to be fulfilled at the order fulfillment center.

12. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
generate a picking itinerary based on one or more locations of items in an order fulfillment center and received order data identifying the items, the picking itinerary including pick-to-cart routing for one or more carts;
transport the one or more carts in the order fulfillment center according to the pick-to-cart routing;
determine a zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign a picker based on the picking itinerary including determining one or more boundaries of the zone using a clustering algorithm;
determine one or more tasks for the picker located in the zone, the one or more tasks including picking at least one of the items from the one or more locations to the one or more carts in association with the pick-to-cart routing;
output pick instructions to a picker client device directing the picker to perform the one or more tasks; and
responsive to the one or more tasks being performed, transport the one or more carts to a defined point in the order fulfillment center.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein transporting the one or more carts in the order fulfillment center includes autonomously navigating a cart autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) according to the pick-to-cart routing using a guidance system.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign the picker is based on the one or more locations of the items, the one or more tasks including picking a subset of the items, which are located in the zone of the order fulfillment center.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
determine a zone score for each of a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones including the zone; and
assign the picker to the zone based on the zone scores.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the zone score for each of the plurality of zones is based on a quantity of the one or more carts and a quantity of the one or more tasks.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein determining the zone score for each of the plurality of zones is further based on a distance between the one or more locations.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein determining the zone of the order fulfillment center is further based on locations of a plurality of pickers, the plurality of pickers including the picker.

19. A system comprising:
an automated guided vehicle (AGV) adapted to transport a cart in an order fulfillment center according to pick-to-cart routing;
a picker client device adapted to output pick instructions directing a picker to perform a task; and
a processor performing operations including:
generating a picking itinerary based on one or more locations of items in the order fulfillment center and received order data identifying the items, the picking itinerary including the pick-to-cart routing for the AGV;
determining a zone of the order fulfillment center to which to assign the picker based on the picking itinerary including:
determining a zone score for each of a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones including the zone; and
assigning the picker to the zone based on the zone scores;

determining the task located in the zone for the picker, the task including picking at least one of the items from the one or more locations to the cart in coordination with transportation of the cart by the AGV;
transmitting the pick instructions to the picker client device directing the picker to perform the task; and
responsive to the task being performed, transporting the cart to a defined point by the AGV.

20. The system of claim 19 , whe

Assignees

• Staples Inc

Inventors

• Douglas Matthew Robert
• Nilsen Stephen
• Amador Paolo Gerli
• Cox Gregory Patrick

Classifications

• B65G1/1375 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G06Q10/047

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title