Automated unit load fulfillment methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12479664-B2
Application number	US-202217590666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2022
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A method includes: obtaining a task definition for a mobile robot, the task definition including (i) a position on an item support carried by the mobile robot, and (ii) an identifier of an item to be placed at the position to form a unit load with the item support; controlling the mobile robot carrying the item support to travel to a pick location for receiving the item from a picker; controlling an output device to render an indication of the position for the picker at the pick location; responsive to placement of the item at the position by the picker, controlling the mobile robot to travel to a handling location.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
obtaining a task definition for a mobile robot, the task definition including (i) a position on an item support carried by the mobile robot, and (ii) an identifier of an item to be placed at the position to form a unit load with the item support; controlling the mobile robot carrying the item support to travel to a pick location for receiving the item from a picker; controlling an output device to render an indication of the position for the picker at the pick location; and responsive to placement of the item at the position by the picker, controlling the mobile robot to travel to a handling location; wherein the mobile robot includes a platform for carrying the item support, and light emitters adjacent to the platform; and wherein controlling the output device includes activating a segment of the light emitters corresponding to the position on the item platform.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the task definition further includes the handling location in association with the unit load handling operation identifier.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot includes a chassis supporting a display; and
wherein controlling the output device includes controlling the display to render an image indicating the position.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the output device includes transmitting the position to a client computing device for display by the client computing device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the client computing device includes at least one of: a mobile computer, and a heads-up display.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to arrival of the mobile robot at the handling location, initiating a handling operation associated with the handling location.

7 . A system, comprising:
a mobile robot having a platform for carrying an item support; and a task controller, configured to:
obtain a task definition including (i) a position on an item support, (ii) an identifier of an item to be placed at the position to form a unit load with the item support, and (iii) an identifier of a unit load handling operation;
control the mobile robot carrying the item support to travel to a pick location for receiving the item;
control an output device associated with the pick location to render an indication of the position;
responsive to placement of the item at the position, control the mobile robot to travel to a handling location associated with the unit load handling operation; and
responsive to arrival of the mobile robot at the handling location, automatically position the mobile robot relative to an apparatus at the handling location;
wherein the mobile robot comprises light emitters adjacent to the platform; and wherein the task controller is further configured to control the output device to activate a segment of the light emitters corresponding to the position.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the task controller is further configured to:
responsive to automatically positioning the mobile robot, transmit a command to the apparatus to initiate the unit load handling operation.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the task definition further includes the handling location in association with the unit load handling operation identifier.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the task controller is further configured to:
responsive to placement of the item at the position, select the handling location according to the unit load handling operation identifier.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the task definition defines a sequence of stages including:
(i) a pick stage containing the position and the item identifier, (ii) a handling stage containing the unit load handling operation identifier, and (iii) a further handling stage; and wherein the task controller is further configured to detect a completion of the unit load handling operation, and initiate execution of the further handling stage.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the task controller is further configured, to detect completion of the unit load handling operation, to detect at least one of: expiry of a timer, and receipt of a completion signal from the apparatus.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the mobile robot includes a display; and
wherein the task controller is further configured, to control the output device, to control the display to render an image indicating the position.

14 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a client device;
wherein the task controller is further configured, to control the output device, to transmit the position to the client computing device for display by the client computing device.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the client computing device includes at least one of: a mobile computer, and a heads-up display.

16 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the mobile robot includes a sensor; and
wherein the task controller is further configured, to automatically position the mobile robot, to:
detect, via the sensor, a guide feature associated with the apparatus;
obtain configuration data for the apparatus, defining a position of the robot relative to the marker; and
position the mobile robot relative to the marker according to the configuration data.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the task controller is further configured to:
store a repository of apparatus identifiers and corresponding unit load handling operation identifiers and configuration data; obtain the configuration data by retrieving the configuration data from the repository according to the unit load handling operation identifier.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the guide feature includes a marker disposed at the handling location.

19 . A method, comprising:
obtaining a task definition for a mobile robot having a sensor, the task definition including (i) an identifier of an item to be placed on an item support carried by the mobile robot, to form a unit load with the item support, and (ii) an identifier of a unit load handling operation to be applied to the unit load; responsive to placement of the identified item on the item support by a picker, controlling the mobile robot to travel to a handling location corresponding to the unit load handling operation; responsive to arrival of the mobile robot at the handling location, capturing sensor data via the sensor of the mobile robot; and based on the sensor data and the identifier of the unit load handling operation, automatically positioning the mobile robot relative to an apparatus at the handling location; wherein automatically positioning the mobile robot includes:
detecting, in the sensor data, a guide feature associated with the apparatus;
obtaining configuration data for the apparatus, defining a position of the robot relative to the guide feature; and
positioning the mobile robot relative to the guide feature according to the configuration data;
wherein the guide feature includes a marker disposed at the handling location.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
responsive to automatically positioning the mobile robot, transmitting a command to the apparatus to initiate the unit load handling operation.

21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
responsive to placement of the item on the item support, selecting the handling location according to the unit load handling operation identifier.

22 . The method of claim

Assignees

• Fetch Robotics Inc
• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lin David
• Dymesich David
• Meister Uwe
• Cole Mason
• Anthraper Lonai
• Elliott Sarah
• Abastas Louis
• Lang Robert
• Wise Melonee
• Nusser Stefan
• Robson David

Classifications

• B65G2203/0233

  Position of the article · CPC title

• B65G2203/0283

  Position of the load carrier · CPC title

• B65G2201/0267

  Pallets · CPC title

• B65G2209/04

  Indication location means · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title