Staples, Inc.

Amit Kalra

Daniel Jarvis

Paolo Gerli Amador

Michael Bhaskaran

Rodney Gallaway

Vikranth Gopalakrishnan

Gregory Patrick Cox

Matthew Robert Douglas

Maimuna Rangwala

Stephen Nilsen

Christine DeJesse

Ehsan Ardjmand

Vishal Musunuri

Paolo Gerli

Ruchi Tewari

Nikhil Variar

Naveen Challapalli

Yizhi Wang

Deepak Sharma

Kehang Han

Brandon Lam

Paolo Geril Amador

A hybrid modular storage fetching system is described. In an example implementation, an automated guided vehicle of the hybrid modular storage fetching system includes a drive unit that provides motive force to propel the automated guided vehicle within an operating environment. The automated guided vehicle may also include a container handling mechanism including an extender and a carrying surface, the container handling mechanism having three or more degrees of freedom to move the carrying surface along three or more axes. The container handling mechanism may retrieve an item from a first target shelving unit using the carrying surface and the three or more degrees of freedom and place the item on a second target shelving unit. The automated guided vehicle may also include a power source coupled to provide power to the drive unit and the container handling mechanism.

Hybrid modular storage fetching system

An automated robotic replenishment system is described. In an example implementation, the system may include containers adapted to hold items; container transportation devices adapted to transport the containers to a replenishment station; and the replenishment station. The replenishment station may include a container receiving area, a mobile storage unit receiving space, and a robotic arm, which may pick up items from the container in the container receiving area and place the item into a mobile storage unit in the mobile storage unit receiving space. The system may also include an automated guided vehicle that transports the mobile storage unit between the replenishment station and a storage area of a fulfillment center.

Automated robotic replenishment system

A hybrid modular storage fetching system with a robot execution system (REX) is described. In an example implementation, a REX may induct, into the hybrid modular storage fetching system, an order identifying items to be fulfilled by automated guided vehicles (AGVs) at an order fulfillment facility. The REX may generate at task list including tasks for a first and second AGV, instruct the first AGV to retrieve a first item in the order from a first storage area based on the task list and deliver the first item to a pick-cell station. The REX may also instruct the second AGV to retrieve a second item of the order from a second storage area and deliver the second item to the pick-cell station. The REX may communicate with other components of the hybrid modular storage fetching system to coordinate the paths of the AGVs to fulfill the order.

A system-directed single line pick batching is described. In an example implementation, the system may receive data describing a set of orders including SKU identifiers associated with items in the orders, identify an eligible cart, and assign a location to a task queue of the cart based on the location being associated with a particular SKU identifier. In some instances, the location or SKU identifier may be determined based on an order with a certain quantity of different SKU identifiers. In some instances, the system may navigate the cart to the location and instruct the item to be picked from the location. In response to completion of the pick of the item, the system may navigate the cart to an end point.

System-directed single line pick batching

A release logic system for releasing cartons into a fulfillment system is described. In an example implementation, a release logic engine may receive carton data representing a set of cartons and indicating picks for each the set of cartons. The release logic engine may determine a score for a carton of the set of cartons based on a location of a first pick of the carton in a pick-to-cart area of a fulfillment center. In some implementations, the release logic engine may assign the carton to a cart adapted to transport cartons based on the score determined for the carton, and may induct the carton into the fulfillment center for the first pick using the cart.

Robotic fulfillment system carton release logic

Technology for optimizing automated inventory management is described. In an example implementation, a method, implemented using one or more computing devices, may generate unit identifier sets based on affinities between items uniquely identified by the unit identifiers, determine first and second contribution values for each of the unit identifier sets, and calculate a difference between the first and the second contribution values for each of the unit identifier sets. The method may further calculate an incremental carton and expense prevention opportunity (ICEPO) value for the unit identifier sets, calculate an adjusted fulfillment center stocking score using the ICEPO value and the difference between the first and the second contribution values for each of the unit identifier sets, select a subset of the unit identifier sets based on the adjusted fulfillment center stocking score, and output the subset to an inventory replenishment system that manages stocking of items.

Decision support system for optimizing the unit identifier stocking decision

A system and method for automated loading of delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles is described. In an example implementation, a loading coordination engine may determine a delivery destination of a first item based on item data associated with the first item, assign the first item to a location in a delivery vehicle, and generate a task list including an instruction to an automated guided vehicle to position the first item in the delivery vehicle based on the assigned location in the delivery vehicle. In some instances, the automated guided vehicle may navigate to a loading area to retrieve the first item from the loading area, navigate to a point proximate to the assigned location in the delivery vehicle, and place the first item at the assigned location based on the task list.

Automated loading of delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles

A system and method for automated loading of delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles ('AGV's) is described. In an example implementation, a loading coordination engine may assign a location on a mobile cart to an item and generate a task list including instructions to a first and a second AGV to position the item on the mobile cart based on the assigned location and to transport the mobile cart into a delivery vehicle. The first AGV may transport the item from an item loading area to a point proximate to the assigned location on the mobile cart and place the item at the assigned location based on the task list. The second AGV may transport the mobile cart from a cart loading zone into the delivery vehicle based on the task list and, in some instances, secure the mobile cart to the delivery vehicle based on the task list.

Automated loading of delivery vehicles

A system and method for automated preparation of deliveries in delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles is described. In an example implementation, the method may determine a future delivery in a set of deliveries assigned to a delivery vehicle, the future delivery including a first item and determine a storage location in the delivery vehicle of the first item. In some implementations, an AGV may, during transit of the delivery vehicle along a route for delivering the set of deliveries, navigate to a point proximate to the storage location of the first item in the delivery vehicle, and retrieve the first item from the storage location in the delivery vehicle. The AGV may then deliver the first item to a delivery point.

Automated preparation of deliveries in delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles

A technology for managing space utilization using self-adjusting inventory slots is described. In an example embodiment, a system comprises a shelving unit including a shelf, and a shelf adjustment system including an electronic display strip extending parallel with the shelf of the shelving unit. The electronic display strip may display a first visual representation of a first adjustable inventory slot horizontally adjacent to a second visual representation of a second adjustable inventory slot, the first visual representation indicating a first portion of the shelf as the first adjustable inventory slot for a first item, and the second visual representation indicating a second portion of the shelf as the second adjustable inventory slot for a second item.

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Acton, MA, United States of America

Amit Kalra