US 12,466,651 B2
Method and computer program for controlling storage and retrieval of personal storage containers in an automated storage and retrieval system
Magne Hatteland, Stavanger (NO); Ivar Fjeldheim, Haugesund (NO); and Trond Austrheim, Etne (NO)
Assigned to AutoStore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Appl. No. 17/599,968
Filed by Autostore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
PCT Filed Mar. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/057133
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/200741, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 20190433 (NO), filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144544 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. G07C 9/32 (2020.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G06F 16/2457 (2019.01); G06F 16/248 (2019.01); G06K 19/07 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/1371 (2013.01) [G06F 16/2457 (2019.01); G06F 16/248 (2019.01); G06K 19/0723 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); G07C 9/32 (2020.01); B65G 2203/0216 (2013.01); B65G 2203/046 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling secure storing and retrieving of a storage container for storing items by transferring the storage container via an interaction area among a plurality of interaction areas of an automated storage and retrieval system in a building with a number of apartments, where the interaction areas have access stations serving different apartments, and where a container transport assembly connects the automated storage and retrieval system to the interaction areas, where each storage container is linked to a user and items stored and each storage container stores a plurality of items, and where the method is performed by a user operable control system, the method comprising:
receiving user identification data in a user identification module and processing the user identification data to identify the user and if the user is identified granting access to an access station at the interaction area so that the user can store or retrieve a storage container linked to the user and add or remove an item from the storage container;
for storing an item of a user that is granted access to the access station: registering the item in a registration module and linking the item to an identified storage container linked to the user, and updating an inventory database with information about the item and the storage container;
for retrieving an item of a user that is granted access to the access station: searching for the item in the inventory database by means of a search module comprised in the user operable control system and presenting search results and items stored by means of a presentation module, and selecting the item to be retrieved from the presentation module and identifying the storage container where the selected item is stored and that is linked to the user,
generating execution instructions in an execution module, the instructions comprise information of a specific interaction area to be used and information of the storage container to be transferred and transmitting the execution instructions, by means of a communication module to a storage and retrieval system controller controlling secure transferal of the storage container to and from the user at the specific interaction area via the container transport assembly.