Order fulfillment systems and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US11247843B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Order fulfillment systems and methods",
  "abstract": "Warehouse automation and methods of controlling material flow can be used to streamline order fulfillment processes. For example, according to some embodiments described herein, the inventory capacity of a mobile robot field is enhanced by vertically expanding the storage space that is readily accessible by mobile robots that facilitate an order sortation process. In result, the handling of inventoried items is reduced, and the efficiency of order fulfillment processes is increased.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An order fulfillment system, comprising: a plurality of static storage units consolidated in an area, each static storage unit defining multiple storage locations, each storage location configured to receive and store a sellable unit container; a plurality of overhead rails spaced above the plurality of static storage units; a plurality of robotic actuators, each robotic actuator arranged and operable to travel along a respective overhead rail of the plurality of overhead rails and to access the multiple storage locations of one or more of the static storage units, wherein each of the robotic actuators is suspended from the respective overhead rail; a plurality of mobile robots, each mobile robot configured to receive and transport a sellable unit container; and a control system operable, in response to receiving an order that includes demand for a first sellable unit, to: cause a first robotic actuator to access a first storage location of a first static storage unit and to couple with a first sellable unit container stored in the first storage location, wherein the first sellable unit container contains one or more of the first sellable units; cause the first robotic actuator to place the first sellable unit container into engagement with a first mobile robot; and cause the first mobile robot to transport the first sellable unit container to an order processing area.",
    "2. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the static storage units comprise racks or shelves with multiple vertical levels.",
    "3. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the order also includes demand for a second sellable unit, and wherein the control system is also operable, in response to receiving the order, to: cause a second robotic actuator to access a second storage location of a second static storage unit and to couple with a second sellable unit container stored in the second storage location, wherein the second sellable unit container contains one or more of the second sellable units; cause the second robotic actuator to place the second sellable unit container into engagement with a second mobile robot; and cause the second mobile robot to transport the second sellable unit container to the order processing area.",
    "4. The order fulfillment system of claim 3, wherein the control system is also operable, in response to receiving the order, to output instructions to transfer at least one of the first sellable units into an outbound container and to transfer at least one of the second sellable units into the outbound container.",
    "5. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the control system is also operable to determine a particular sequence in which multiple ones of the mobile robots are staged at the order processing area.",
    "6. The order fulfillment system of claim 5, wherein the particular sequence is based on an efficient technique for stocking shelves of a retail store.",
    "7. A method for responding to an order that includes a first sellable unit, the method executed by a control system in response to receiving the order and comprising: causing a first robotic actuator of a plurality of robotic actuators to access a first storage location of a first static storage unit of a plurality of static storage units and to couple with a first sellable unit container stored in the first storage location, wherein each robotic actuator of the plurality of robotic actuators is arranged and operable to travel along a respective overhead rail of the plurality of overhead rails, wherein the plurality of overhead rails are spaced above the plurality of static storage units, wherein each of the robotic actuators is suspended from the respective overhead rail, and wherein the first sellable unit container contains one or more of the first sellable units; causing the first robotic actuator to transfer the first sellable unit container into engagement with a first mobile robot; and causing the first mobile robot to transport the first sellable unit container to an order processing area.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein the order also includes a second sellable unit that differs from the first sellable unit, and wherein the method further comprises: causing a second robotic actuator to access a second storage location of a second static storage unit and to couple with a second sellable unit container stored in the second storage location, wherein the second sellable unit container contains one or more of the second sellable units; causing the second robotic actuator to transfer the second sellable unit container into engagement with a second mobile robot; and causing the second mobile robot to transport the second sellable unit container to the order processing area.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: outputting instructions to transfer at least one of the first sellable units into an outbound container and to transfer at least one of the second sellable units into the outbound container.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular sequence is based on the order that includes the first sellable unit and a plurality of other orders, and wherein the plurality of other mobile robots are transporting sellable items to fill the plurality of other orders.",
    "11. The method of claim 7, further comprising: causing the first mobile robot and a plurality of other mobile robots to be staged in a particular sequence at the order processing area.",
    "12. An order fulfillment system, comprising: a plurality of static storage units consolidated in an area, each static storage unit defining multiple storage locations, each storage location configured to receive and store a sellable unit container; a plurality of overhead rails spaced above the plurality of static storage units; a plurality of robotic actuators, each robotic actuator arranged and operable to travel along a respective overhead rail of the plurality of overhead rails and to access the multiple storage locations of one or more of the static storage units, wherein each of the robotic actuators is suspended from the respective overhead rail; a plurality of mobile robots, each mobile robot configured to receive and transport a sellable unit container; and a control system operable to: control the plurality of robotic actuators; and control the plurality of mobile robots.",
    "13. The order fulfillment system of claim 12, wherein the static storage units comprise racks or shelves with multiple vertical levels.",
    "14. The order fulfillment system of claim 12, wherein the control system is also operable to determine a particular sequence in which multiple ones of the mobile robots are staged at an order processing area.",
    "15. The order fulfillment system of claim 12, wherein the control system is also operable to output instructions to transfer one or more sellable units from one or more sellable unit containers into an outbound container.",
    "16. The order fulfillment system of claim 12, wherein each robotic actuator is arranged and operable to access two static storage units that are spaced apart from each other."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This document relates to systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of order fulfillment processes. For example, this document relates to systems and methods for enhancing the amount of inventory held in storage that is readily accessible by mobile robots in order to streamline order fulfillment processes.\n\nHighly efficient warehousing, item picking, order sortation, and shipping processes are on the frontline of meeting high-level customer expectations regarding order fulfillment processes.\n\nThe order fulfillment process refers to all the steps companies take from when they receive a customer order (which can include an order that is wholly or partly internal to the company, such as a store replenishment order) until the items are landed in customers' or recipients' hands. Such steps can include, for example: the order is sent to the warehouse; a worker goes into the warehouse, finds the items in the order, and picks the items off the shelf; the order is packed for shipping; the order is shipped.\n\nThe use of warehouse automation is one way to increase the efficiency of an order fulfillment process. The goal of automation is to cut out manual steps of the order fulfillment process. Automation technology is useful for at least two reasons: to help reduce the occurrences of human error, and to make order fulfillment processes more efficient.\n\nThis document describes systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of order fulfillment processes.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 1/1373",
    "B25J 9/162",
    "B25J 9/1679",
    "B65G 1/1378",
    "G06Q 10/087"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "B65G 1/137",
    "G06F 7/00",
    "G06Q 10/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Target Brands Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Gregory Lisso"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-07-23",
  "publication_date": "2022-02-15",
  "grant_date": "2022-02-15",
  "priority_date": "2018-08-24",
  "application_number": "US-201916519259-A",
  "family_id": "69586939",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US10026044B1",
    "US20160129587A1",
    "US20170140327A1",
    "US20160355337A1",
    "US20170267452A1",
    "US20170174431A1",
    "US20170066592A1",
    "US10278095B1"
  ]
}