US 12,293,329 B2
Inventory system and method
Hongbo Li, Beijing (CN); Honghan Lu, Beijing (CN); Kun Wang, Beijing (CN); Kai Liu, Beijing (CN); and Kaozhun Li, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to Beijing Geekplus Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing (CN)
Appl. No. 17/914,570
Filed by Beijing Geekplus Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing (CN)
PCT Filed May 12, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CN2021/093422
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 26, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/228158, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 202010399405.2 (CN), filed on May 12, 2020; and application No. 202010934150.5 (CN), filed on Sep. 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0206174 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/00 (2023.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/087 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inventory system, comprising:
a control system;
a plurality of storage and retrieval equipments in communication with the control system; and
a plurality of handling equipments in communication with the control system, wherein each handling equipment of the plurality of handling equipments includes a jacking mechanism and a target identification assembly;
wherein the plurality of storage and retrieval equipments operate in a storage area of the inventory system, a plurality of inventory racks are deployed in the storage area, each inventory rack of the plurality of inventory racks has a plurality of compartments, each compartment of the plurality compartments comprises a plurality of storage spaces, and an inventory receptacle is placed on each storage space of the plurality of storage spaces;
wherein the control system is configured to: determine a target inventory receptacle from the inventory receptacles in the storage area; determine a target storage and retrieval equipment from the plurality of storage and retrieval equipments and a target handling equipment from the plurality of handling equipments; and send a dispatching instruction to the target storage and retrieval equipment and to the target handling equipment;
wherein the target storage and retrieval equipment is configured to: drive, in response to the dispatching instruction, to a first position specified in the dispatching instruction corresponding to the target inventory receptacle, take out the target inventory receptacle, and directly or indirectly provide the target inventory receptacle to the target handling equipment; and
wherein the target handling equipment is configured to: drive, in response to the dispatching instruction, to a second position specified in the dispatching instruction, obtain the target inventory receptacle provided by the target storage and retrieval equipment using the jacking mechanism and the target identification assembly of the target handling equipment, wherein the target identification assembly identifies and aligns the target inventory receptacle as the jacking mechanism lifts the target inventory receptacle, and transport the target inventory receptacle from the storage area to a workstation specified in the dispatching instruction for a service operation.