Integrated item decanting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12134198-B2
Application number	US-202318487204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2023
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

Examples provide a method and system for customized item decanting. A decant manager, implemented on a processor, identifies a destination tote in a set of totes for placement of a selected item. The decant manager controls a robotic decanting device to remove the selected item from a selected case and places the selected item into the destination tote. The decant manager analyzes sensor data and item data associated with the selected item to confirm an identification of the selected item placed into the destination tote for inventory update.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for customized item decanting, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a decant manager, implemented on the processor, configured to;
identify a destination tote in a set of totes for placement of a selected item and control a robotic decanting device to remove the selected item from a selected case, wherein the robotic decanting device places the selected item into the destination tote, and wherein the decant manager analyzes sensor data and item data associated with the selected item to confirm an identification of the selected item placed into the destination tote for inventory update;
update tote inventory of the destination tote during decanting; and
update tote storage device inventory during induction of the destination tote.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveyor device; and
a robotic case opener device associated with the conveyor device, the robotic case opener device configured to open the selected case using an integrated cutting implement, wherein the robotic decanting device removes the selected item from the selected case in an open configuration on the conveyor device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the decant manager further controls the robotic decanting device to remove a smaller case from the selected case and wherein the robotic case opener device opens the smaller case using the integrated cutting implement prior to the robotic decanting device removing the selected item.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
another robotic decanting device that removes the selected case from a pallet and places the selected case on the conveyor device for decanting.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a robotic tote transfer device that transfers the destination tote to an induction point of a tote storage device.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of sensor devices that provide the sensor data and image data to the decant manager for processing.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the destination tote is segmented, the decant manager further configured to:
control the robotic decanting device to place the selected item into an individual compartment of the segmented destination tote based on item data associated with the selected item.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of totes includes at least one temperature-controlled tote.

9. A computer-implemented method for customized item decanting, the computer-implemented method comprising:
controlling, by a decant manager implemented on a processor, a robotic decanting device to remove a selected case from a pallet and place the selected case on a conveyor device;
controlling, by the decant manager, a robotic case opener device associated with the conveyor device to open the selected case on the conveyor device;
controlling, by the decant manager, a robotic picker device to remove a first item from the open selected case;
receiving, by the decant manager, sensor data date associated with the first item;
determining, by the decant manager, a destination tote in a set of totes for placement of a selected item based on the received sensor data;
controlling, by the decant manager, the robotic picker device to place the selected item into the destination tote;
analyzing sensor data and item data, by the decant manager, associated with the selected item to confirm an identification of the selected item placed into the destination tote; and
updating tote inventory based on the confirmation.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the decant manager controls the robotic case opener device associated with the conveyor device to open the selected case using an integrated cutting implement.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the decant manager, a robotic tote transfer device to transfer the destination tote to an induction point of a tote storage device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by the decant manager, that the destination tote is segmented; and
controlling the robotic picker device to place the selected item in an individual compartment of the segmented destination tote.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, by the decant manager, based on item data associated with the selected item, that the selected item is a temperature-controlled item; and
controlling the robotic picker device to place the selected item in a temperature-controlled compartment of the segmented destination tote.

14. A robotic decanting device comprising:
a processor;
a robotic case opener device;
a robotic picker device; and
a decant manager, implemented on the processor, configured to:
control the robotic case opener device to open a selected case;
control the robotic picker device to remove a selected item from the selected case;
receive sensor data associated with the selected item;
determine a destination tote in a set of totes for placement of the selected item;
analyze the sensor data and item data associated with the selected item to confirm an identification of the selected item placed into the destination tote for inventory update; and
control the robotic picker device to place the selected item into the destination tote.

15. The robotic decanting device of claim 14 , wherein the robotic decanting device is associated with a conveyor device that receives the selected case from a robotic de-palletizing device.

16. The robotic decanting device of claim 14 , wherein the robotic case opener device includes an integrated cutting implement.

17. The robotic decanting device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a set of sensor devices that provide the sensor data to the decant manager for processing.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Edwards Ben
• Roth Brian C
• Durkee Paul

Classifications

• B65G59/02

  De-stacking from the top of the stack · CPC title

• B65G1/1373

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• B25J9/1682

  Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title