US 12,459,739 B2
Automated transporter fleet control in order fulfillment facilities
Derek King, Seattle, WA (US); Sarah Elliott, San Jose, CA (US); Steffen Fuchs, San Jose, CA (US); Charles Raimbert, San Diego, CA (US); David J. Robson, San Jose, CA (US); Steve Hunt, Port Hueneme, CA (US); Brendan Clune, Longmont, CO (US); Paul Villers, Walnut Creek, CA (US); Jenna Guergah, Santa Cruz, CA (US); Annelise Pruitt, San Jose, CA (US); and Melonee Wise, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Zebra Technologies Corporation, Lincolnshire, IL (US)
Filed by FETCH ROBOTICS, INC., Lincolnshire, IL (US)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/856,705.
Prior Publication US 2022/0411188 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/1373 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0217 (2013.01); G05D 1/0291 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); B65G 2209/02 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
obtaining a batch of item group definitions, each item group definition having one or more item identifiers and corresponding quantities;
for each item identifier, retrieving (i) a location of a corresponding item in a facility, and (ii) a dimensional attribute of the corresponding item;
based on the locations and dimensional attributes, assigning sets of the item group definitions to respective receptacle configurations, each receptacle configuration including, for each item group definition in the set, a receptacle type with a predefined capacity;
monitoring availability of a plurality of transporters in the facility, each transporter having a chassis configured to support a selectable set of receptacles; and
responsive to detecting that a transporter is available, selecting one of the receptacle configurations, and presenting the selected receptacle configuration via an output device, to initiate placement of receptacles onto the chassis of the transporter according to the selected receptacle configuration.
 
14. A computing device, comprising:
a communications interface;
a memory; and
a processor configured to:
obtain a batch of item group definitions, each item group definition having one or more item identifiers and corresponding quantities;
for each item identifier, retrieve (i) a location of a corresponding item in a facility, and (ii) a dimensional attribute of the corresponding item;
based on the locations and dimensional attributes, assign sets of the item group definitions to respective receptacle configurations, each receptacle configuration including, for each item group definition in the set, a receptacle type with a predefined capacity;
monitor availability of a plurality of transporters in the facility, each transporter having a chassis configured to support a selectable set of receptacles; and
responsive to detecting that a transporter is available, select one of the receptacle configurations, and present the selected receptacle configuration via an output device, to initiate placement of receptacles onto the chassis of the transporter according to the selected receptacle configuration.