US 11,697,554 B2
Hybrid modular storage fetching system
Daniel Jarvis, Orlando, FL (US); Paolo Gerli Amador, Framingham, MA (US); Michael Bhaskaran, Seattle, WA (US); Amit Kalra, Acton, MA (US); Rodney Gallaway, Little Rock, AR (US); and Vikranth Gopalakrishnan, Hoboken, NJ (US)
Assigned to Staples, Inc., Framingham, MA (US)
Filed by Staples, Inc., Framingham, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/809,361.
Application 16/809,361 is a continuation of application No. 15/863,050, filed on Jan. 5, 2018, granted, now 10,589,931.
Application 15/863,050 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/721,472, filed on Sep. 29, 2017, granted, now 10,803,420.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/442,891, filed on Jan. 5, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/403,001, filed on Sep. 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0198894 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G01C 21/20 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/1373 (2013.01) [B65G 1/137 (2013.01); G01C 21/206 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/0225 (2013.01); G05D 1/0285 (2013.01); G05D 1/0297 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); G05D 1/0274 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0216 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors, a task list including tasks for fulfilling an order using a first automated guided vehicle (AGV) type and a picking station, the first AGV type adapted to transport shipping cartons to the picking station;
signaling, by the one or more processors, a first AGV of the first AGV type to navigate to a first location of a first item in a first storage area, the first storage area including storage for a first set of items, the first set of items including the first item;
outputting, by the one or more processors, a first instruction to one or more client devices instructing one or more pickers at the first storage area to place the first item in one or more shipping cartons held by the first AGV;
determining, by the one or more processors, that a second item is assigned to be picked to the first AGV based on the task list, the second item being located in the first storage area;
signaling, by the one or more processors, the first AGV to navigate to a second location of the second item in the first storage area;
outputting, by the one or more processors, a second instruction to the one or more client devices instructing the one or more pickers at the first storage area to remove the second item from the storage for the first set of items and place the second item in the one or more shipping cartons held by the first AGV;
signaling, by the one or more processors, the first AGV of the first AGV type to transport the one or more shipping cartons holding the first item from the first storage area of a fulfillment center to the picking station including signaling the first AGV to navigate to the picking station; and
outputting, by the one or more processors, a third instruction to the one or more client devices instructing the one or more pickers at the picking station to remove a third item from a storage container and place the third item into the one or more shipping cartons with the first item.