Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Jon Stuart Battles

Martin Peter Aalund

Jayson Michael Jochim

Timothy Alan Talda

David Henry Clark

Benjamin Douglas Garcia

Gregory Karl Lisso

Samuel Gardner Garrett

Yan Yan

Dinesh Mahadevan

Gur Kimchi

Pragyana K Mishra

James Christopher Curlander

Vahideh Kamranzadeh

Jon David DeFant

Paul Roy Raines, Jr

George Davies

Jeremiah David Brazeau

William Scott Kalm

David Bruce McCalib, Jr

Toby Ge Xu

Akshay Rajendra Tilekar

Unnikrishnan Vadakkanmaruveedu

Ned Lecky

Emily Dunne

Brandon William Porter

Brian J Smith

Ganesh Krishnamoorthy

Sebastian Lehmann

Vivek S Narayanan

Kaushik Mani

Mohit Malik

Tak Keung Joseph Lui

Larry Joe Robb

Seshachalamgupta Motamarri

Justin Stone

John Elias Darrow

Peter A Grant

Tyson Wittrock

Steven Eric Nuetzman

Samuel Christopher Uhlman

Larry Felser

Jacqueline T Underberg

Tamas Pikler

Fei Hoai Lee

Kevin R Vliet

Ian John Wrightson

John Tan

Patricia Ty Shigihara

Kent Belden Meiswinkel

Kevin W Keck

Thomas Felis

Sean O Maylone

Emily R Parrish

Dean Christopher Fullerton

Keith Deacon

Lakshmi S Nidamarthi

Kevin Senh Ly

Bob Samac

Michael Barrett Hill

Scott Dresser

Ingrid Rivera

Michael A Holland

Sumeet Suresh Vispute

William George Bowes

Jaffin James

Ian J Wrightson

David Bruce Mccalib

Brian C Smith

Patricia T Shigihara

Jr Paul Roy Raines

George T Davies

Vahida Kamranzadeh

Jr Raines Paul Roy

A loading system (e.g., in a warehouse or other item-fulfillment environment) can include a rotary hub that supports one or more chambers. In a first orientation of the rotary hub, one of the chambers may be in a first position aligned for item receipt (e.g., through an open top of the chamber by feeding from a conveyor belt or other feeding system). The rotary hub can rotate to a second orientation in which the chamber is in a second position aligned for item discharge (e.g., through an open end of the chamber and into a receiving zone of a packaging machine or other system).

Automatic rotary inserting machine

Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for injecting dunnage into a container after an item has been placed in the container and the container has been sealed or otherwise closed. A dunnage injection apparatus is configured to penetrate a surface of the sealed container and expel gas and dunnage into an interior space of the container. The gas fills the expelled dunnage forming gas-filled pouches of dunnage that fill voids within the interior space of the container and secure and protect the item within the container.

Gas injected auto-dunnage formation within a filled and sealed container

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated item sortation and container handling. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining, by a controller, a first item identifier of a first item at an induction portion of a sortation system, determining an order identifier associated with the first item identifier, and determining a first container associated with the order identifier. The method may include causing a first mobile carrier unit to receive the item, and causing the first mobile carrier unit to deliver the first item to the first container.

Automated item sortation and container handling systems

Systems and methods related to rotary sortation and storage systems may include a central beam, and a plurality of storage modules coupled to the central beam. Each storage module may include a plurality of trays arranged around the central beam. The plurality of trays may be configured to rotate around the central beam, and each tray may also be configured to extend or retract relative to the central beam. Further, each storage module may be configured to rotate the plurality of trays around the central beam independently of other storage modules, and each tray may also be configured to extend or retract relative to the central beam independently of other trays. Accordingly, the rotary sortation and storage systems may increase storage density while also facilitating various processes with improved speed, efficiency, throughput, and flexibility.

Rotary sortation and storage system

Systems and methods for operating autonomous vehicles are described. An autonomous vehicle may detect strategy modes and/or actions of other vehicles in a local environment. The autonomous vehicle may then select a strategy mode for its operations based on the detected strategy modes and/or actions of other vehicles, and based on an operational goal for the autonomous vehicle. The strategy modes may include an uncoupled strategy mode, a permissive strategy mode, an assistive strategy mode, and a preventative strategy mode. The autonomous vehicle may further select an action for its operations based on the selected strategy mode.

Strategy modes for autonomous vehicle operations

Systems and methods for coordinating operations of a plurality of autonomous vehicles are described. An autonomous vehicle management system may receive information from the plurality of autonomous vehicles related to strategy modes, actions, and the environments. The strategy modes may include an uncoupled strategy mode, a permissive strategy mode, an assistive strategy mode, and a preventative strategy mode. The autonomous vehicle management system may then process the received information based on an operational goal for the system as a whole. The autonomous vehicle management system may then instruct modifications to operations of one or more of the plurality of autonomous vehicles to achieve the operational goal for the system.

Coordinated optimization of autonomous vehicle operations

Embodiments herein describe a 2D barcode that overlays text or graphics (e.g., another barcode) while permitting the underlying text or barcode to be read by a user or a barcode scanner. Further, the embodiments herein describe techniques for separating the overlaid 2D barcode from the underlying text or graphics so that the barcode can be identified and decoded. In one embodiment, the blocks forming the 2D barcode are printed (or displayed) using a shade of a color while the text or graphics are printed (or displayed) using a darker shade of that same color.

2D barcode overlays

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated gates to secure mobile carrier unit payloads. In one embodiment, an example system for a mobile carrier unit of a sortation system may include an automated gate configured to block an open end of the mobile carrier unit in a first position, and to unblock the open end of the mobile carrier unit in a second position, and a controller configured to control operation of the gate. The controller may be configured to determine that the conveyor belt is activated, cause the automated gate to move to the second position, determine that the item is off the conveyor belt, and cause the automated gate to move to the first position.

Automated gates to secure mobile carrier unit payloads

Systems and methods for broadcasting strategy modes of autonomous vehicles are described. An autonomous vehicle may include one or more notification devices that broadcast a selected strategy mode for the autonomous vehicle. The selected strategy mode may include an uncoupled strategy mode, a permissive strategy mode, an assistive strategy mode, and a preventative strategy mode. The notification devices may include visual, audio, or signal notification devices. In addition, the autonomous vehicle may broadcast other information associated with the vehicle, such as a position, a velocity, a priority, or an identity of the vehicle.

Broadcast strategy modes for autonomous vehicle operations

Systems and methods for determining strategy modes for autonomous vehicles are described. An autonomous vehicle may detect aspects of other vehicles and aspects of the environment using one or more sensors. The autonomous vehicle may then determine strategy modes of the other vehicles, and select a strategy mode for its own operation based on the determined strategy modes and an operational goal for the autonomous vehicle. The strategy modes may include an uncoupled strategy mode, a permissive strategy mode, an assistive strategy mode, and a preventative strategy mode. The autonomous vehicle may further determine elements in the environment and topological constraints associated with the environment, and select the strategy mode for its own operation based thereon.

Determination of strategy modes for autonomous vehicle operations

In one embodiment, a trolley for an inventory storage module has a trolley frame and first and second track engagement features on opposed sides of the trolley frame that engage first and second rails of a track, respectively, such that the trolley frame is translatable along the track. The trolley has a power collector that is supported by the trolley frame, and that electrically couples to an electrical rail that is disposed above the trolley frame so as to collect power from the electrical rail as the trolley frame is translated along the track. The trolley has a robotic manipulator having a robotic arm and an end effector. The robotic arm extends below the trolley frame with respect to the vertical direction, and the end effector removeably couples inventory items to the robotic arm.

Robotic transport system for an inventory storage module

In one embodiment, an inventory storage system has at least one storage module having a shelving system, a conveyor, and a robotic transport system. The shelving system has a plurality of shelves that are spaced from one another along a vertical direction and that define a plurality of inventory storage locations. The conveyor is positioned alongside the shelving system and is configured to convey inventory items along a longitudinal direction. The robotic transport system is positioned alongside the shelving system and spaced above the conveyor along the vertical direction. The robotic transport system has a track, and a trolley that translates along the track and that includes a robotic manipulator. The trolley moves the robotic manipulator along the track to a position that is adjacent a select one of the inventory storage locations so as to stow an inventory item to, or retrieve the item from, the select storage location.

Inventory storage module with robotic transport system

Injecting dunnage into a closed item shipping container

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a pair of upper tracks and a pair of lower tracks that are connected to one another so as to define a closed movement path in a vertical plane. The module has a plurality of carriers arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. Each carrier is elongate along a direction that extends between a pair of the upper or lower tracks so as to carry a set of the storage containers that are arranged side-by-side. Each carrier has first and second first wheel assemblies that couple the carrier to the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks when supported by the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks, respectively. The storage module can move the inventory carriers around the movement path until a desired one of the inventory carriers is presented at one of the first and second ends.

Storage module having inventory carriers that are elongate along a lateral direction to carry a plurality of storage containers

In one embodiment, an storage module has first and second guide rails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track spaced from one another along a vertical direction, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends, respectively. A plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the guiderails and are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. A drivetrain drives the carriers to translate along the upper and lower tracks at a first speed, and drives the carriers to translate along the connecting tracks at a second speed, faster than the first speed. Increasing the speed of the carriers at the connecting tracks can prevent the carriers from colliding with one another when transitioning between the upper track and the lower track.

Storage module configured to accelerate transition of inventory carriers between upper and lower tracks

Growing community of inventors

North Bend, WA, United States of America

Jon Stuart Battles