US 11,932,490 B2
Autonomous mobile inventory transport unit
Eric Rongley, Golden, CO (US)
Assigned to Prime Robotics, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed by Autonomous Shelf, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/196,195.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/986,919, filed on Mar. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0276805 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01)
CPC B65G 1/1373 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10099 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
18. A method for responding to inventory demands in a mobile inventory transportation communication network, the mobile inventory transportation communication network comprising at least a mobile inventory transport unit, a transportation system, a first central system, and a second central system, the mobile inventory transport unit comprising:
a housing,
a power device, wherein the power device is operationally configured to supply power to at least one electrical component of the mobile inventory transportation unit, and is selected from a group consisting of a battery cell, fuel cell, and solar cell,
an inventory storage device, wherein the inventory storage device is physically coupled to the housing and is in electrical communication with the power device, the inventory storage device comprising at least one visual indicator and one or more shelves, buckets, augers, arms, and climate controlled units to hold inventory, and wherein the inventory storage device is operationally configured to analyze information pertaining to a held inventory and control the at least one visual indicator,
a drive device, wherein the drive device is in electrical communication with the power device, and is operationally configured to physically move the mobile inventory transport unit from a first point to a second point,
a navigation device, wherein the navigation device is in electrical communication with the power device, and is operationally configured to transmit and receive geographic data and determine the physical location of the mobile inventory transport unit,
a sensing device, wherein the sensing device is in electrical communication with the power device, and is operationally configured to detect physical objects and transmit and receive physical object data, and
a control device, wherein the control device is in electrical communication with the power device, the inventory storage device, the drive device, the navigation device, and the sensing device, and is operationally configured to control the mobile inventory transportation unit and transmit and receive data from physically separate systems, and wherein the physically separate systems comprises the transportation system, the first and the second central system, or another mobile inventory transportation unit;
the method comprising:
configuring the second central system to determine an inventory demand for at least one item at a second site, transmit the inventory demand to the first central system or the mobile inventory transport unit, receive data from the first central system, and transmit to and receive data from the mobile inventory transport unit, wherein the second central system is in communication with one or more of the first central system configured to manage inventory for a first site, the mobile inventory transport unit, and the transportation system,
configuring the first central system to receive data from the second central system, and transmit to and receive data from the mobile inventory transport unit, wherein the first central system is in communication with one or more of the control device of the mobile inventory transport unit, the transportation system, and the second central system,
receiving, at the mobile inventory transportation unit, the inventory demand for the at least one item from at least one of the first central system and the second central system; and
responding to the inventory demand at the second site, wherein responding to the inventory demand comprises:
determining, at the mobile inventory transportation unit, a presence or an absence of the at least one item based on analyzing information pertaining to the held inventory,
configuring the mobile inventory transportation unit to physically receive the at least one item based at least in part on determining the absence of the at least one item in the held inventory,
scheduling by the mobile inventory transport unit, the first central system, the second central system, or a combination thereof, the transport of the mobile inventory transport unit via the transportation system, and
configuring the transportation system to transmit to and receive data from the mobile inventory transport unit, physically receive the mobile inventory transport unit based at least in part on the scheduling, and physically transport the mobile inventory transport unit from the first site to the second site.