US 12,492,074 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 Jul. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/349,872.
Application 18/349,872 is a continuation of application No. 16/809,361, filed on Mar. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,697,554.
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 2024/0043213 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G01C 21/20 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); 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)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
20. A system comprising:
a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) including a first AGV of a first type and a second AGV of a second type, the first type being adapted to transport a plurality of shipping cartons, the second type adapted to manipulate and transport one or more mobile storage containers;
a picking station having one or more shelves at one or more first sides, the one or more shelves being adapted to hold the one or more mobile storage containers, the picking station including one or more second sides at which a cart transported by the first AGV of the first type is received; and
one or more processors that cause the system to perform operations including:
assigning a set of shipping cartons to the cart, the cart being adapted to hold the set of shipping cartons and couple with the first AGV;
receiving scan data of the set of shipping cartons indicating that the set of shipping cartons are held by the cart;
signaling the first AGV to couple with the cart;
based on the scan data and the first AGV being coupled with the cart, signaling the first AGV to navigate to a first location of a first item in a storage area, the first item being assigned to at least one of the set of shipping cartons;
outputting a first instruction to one or more client devices instructing one or more pickers to remove the first item from storage in the storage area and place the first item into the at least one of the set of shipping cartons;
signaling the first AGV to transport the set of shipping cartons from the first location to the picking station;
instructing the second AGV to deliver a second item to the picking station in the one or more mobile storage containers;
outputting a second instruction to the one or more client devices instructing the one or more pickers to place the second item into the at least one of the set of shipping cartons on the cart at the picking station;
determining, by the one or more processors, that the second item has been placed into the at least one of the set of shipping cartons at the picking station; and
based on determining that the second item has been placed into the at least one of the set of shipping cartons, signaling the first AGV to transport the cart holding the set of shipping cartons to a finalizing area of a fulfillment center.