Inventory region integrating goods preparation and picking, and inventory management system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330873-B2
Application number	US-201917288820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2019
Priority date	Oct 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

An inventory region integrating goods preparation and picking, and inventory management system and method. The inventory region comprises: a plurality of high-level shelves and a plurality of picking shelves, wherein any high-level shelf of the plurality of high-level shelves comprises a shelf board, and the shelf board partitions the high-level shelf into at least two levels; and a picking shelf is placed at a bottom level of at least one high-level shelf of the plurality of high-level shelves, and at least one storage container is placed on each of the other floors except for the bottom level where the picking shelf is placed. Inventory articles, which can be picked, are accommodated on each of the picking shelves, and inventory articles for replenishing the picking shelves are accommodated in the storage container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inventory system for preparing and picking goods, comprising a control server, a robot, an access device, a workstation, and an inventory zone for preparing and picking goods, wherein the access device and the robot communicate with the control server respectively; the inventory zone comprises a plurality of high shelves and a plurality of picking shelves, any high shelf of the plurality of high shelves comprises at least one plate, the at least one plate divides the high shelf into at least two layers, a picking shelf is placed at a bottom layer of at least one high shelf of the plurality of high shelves, at least one storage container is placed at each of layers other than the bottom layer where the picking shelf is placed, the storage container contains inventory items for replenishment of the picking shelf, and the picking shelf contains inventory items available for picking; wherein
the control server is configured to determine, in response to an item replenishment request, a target picking shelf where the inventory item to be replenished is located, a first robot for transporting the target picking shelf, a target storage container for replenishment of the target picking shelf, a target high shelf for storing the target storage container, a first access device for taking out the target storage container, and a target workstation for replenishment operations; and is configured to plan traveling paths for the first robot and the first access device; and configured to send a control instruction to the first robot and the first access device;
the first robot is configured to travel, in response to the control instruction, to the high shelf where the target picking shelf is located according to the planned traveling path, and to identify the target picking shelf from the bottom layer of the high shelf and transport the target picking shelf to the target workstation; and
the first access device is configured to travel, in response to the control instruction, to the target high shelf according to the planned traveling path, and to take out the target storage container from the target high shelf and transport the target storage container to the target workstation.

2. The inventory system according to claim 1 , wherein the picking shelf comprises at least one plate, the at least one plate divides the picking shelf into at least two layers, and at least one picking container is placed on each layer of the picking shelf, and the picking container contains inventory items available for picking;
the control server is configured to determine, in response to the item replenishment request, a target picking container where the inventory item to be replenished is located and the picking shelf where the target picking container is located, the first robot for transporting the target picking container; to plan the traveling path for the first robot, and send a control instruction to the first robot;
the first robot is configured to travel, in response to the control instruction, to the picking shelf where the target picking container is located according to the planned traveling path, and to identify the target picking container from the picking shelf and transport the target picking container to the target workstation.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first robot is further configured to always keep docking with the target picking shelf or the target picking container during the process that the target picking shelf or the target picking container is manipulated;
the first access device is further configured to always keep docking with the target storage container during the process that the target storage container is manipulated; and
the first robot is further configured to transport the target picking shelf or the target picking container from the target workstation to the inventory zone after operations to the target picking shelf and the target picking container are finished; and
the first access device is further configured to transport the target storage container from the target workstation to the inventory zone after operations to the target storage container are finished.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first robot is further configured to wait for and execute other control instructions after placing the target picking shelf or the target picking container at a designated position of the target workstation; and
the first access device is further configured to wait for and execute other control instructions after placing the target storage container at the designated position of the target workstation;
the control server is further configured to determine, in response to a replenishment completion request, a second access device for storing the target storage container, and a second robot for transporting the target picking shelf or the target picking container; plan traveling paths for the second robot and the second access device; and send the control instruction to the second robot and the second access device;
the second robot is configured to obtain, in response to the control instruction, the target picking shelf or the target picking container from the target workstation according to the planned traveling path, and transport the target picking shelf or the target picking container to the inventory zone; and
the second access device is configured to obtain, in response to the control instruction, the target storage container from the target workstation according to the planned traveling path, and transport the target storage container to the inventory zone.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein in a case that the target picking shelf where the inventory item to be replenished is a vacant tray shelf and the target storage container is a target tray,
the control server is further configured to determine, in response to the item replenishment request, the target picking shelf where the inventory item to be replenished is located, the target storage container for replenishment of the target picking shelf, the target high shelf for storing the target storage container, and the first access device for taking out the target storage container; to plan the traveling path for the first access device; and to send the control instruction to the first access device; and
the first access device is further configured to travel, in response to the control instruction, to the target high shelf according to the planned traveling path, and to take out the target storage container from the target high shelf and transport the target storage container to the target picking shelf, and place the target storage container on the target picking shelf.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the access device is an unmanned forklift, and a fork-extending direction of the unmanned forklift is perpendicular to a traveling direction of the forklift.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control server is further configured to calculate an inventory amount of the items to be picked, and if the inventory amount is less than or equal to a preset security inventory threshold, it is determined that the item needs to be replenished.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the control server is further configured to determine a pre-replenishment amount of the item according to the difference between the security inventory threshold and the inventory amount, and determine at least one of an actual replenishment amount of the item and an item container specification according to the pre-replenishment amount and a storage specification of the item in the inventory zone, and generate a replenishment task for the item according to the actual replenishment amount of the item.

9. The sy

Assignees

• Beijing Geekplus Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Kai
• Li Jinguo
• Wang Mengdi

Classifications

• G06Q10/08

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

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B65G1/10

  with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {(cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02)} · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title