Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Le Zou

James Plumley

Scott C McLeod

Kevin J Ma

Michael T Barbehenn

Aayush Aggarwal

William J Schneller

Yuhao Qian

A traffic control system that controls mobile drive unit traffic within a facility by segmenting the map into smaller traffic control policy areas and controlling access to those traffic control policy areas in response to travel requests from mobile drive units.

Traffic control for a sort center

A traffic control system that controls mobile drive unit traffic within a facility by handling requests to traverse intersections based on a priority based in part on an order in which requests are received. For intersections with a directional bias, higher priority is given to requests having a direction of travel that aligns with the directional bias.

Directional bias for traffic control in sortation center

Systems and methods described herein pertain to maintaining a virtual representation of a workspace in a material handling system and updating the virtual representation without downtime. Methods described include maintaining an initial virtual representation of a material handling grid, receiving an updated virtual representation, and generating and implementing an intermediate virtual representation that does not conflict with the initial virtual representation. Methods further include, upon determining that the intermediate virtual representation is performing without conflicts, deploying the updated virtual representation to replace the intermediate virtual representation without halting operations in the workspace. Multiple intermediate virtual representations can be generated to allow for complex changes, and the deployments performed in series.

Nondisruptive workspace representation deployment for inventory systems

Techniques for improving the efficiency and flexibility of inventory systems are described. In an example, multiple robots may be operated to move an item. The robots may be allocated to a mobile robot group configured to move the item according to an arrangement of these robots. Tasks for incrementally moving the item and dependencies between the tasks may be generated. Instructions about a first task may be sent to one of the robots. Progress about performing the first task may be received back from the robot. Based on the progress and a dependency from the first task, instructions about a second dependent task may be sent to a second robot. When performed by the respective robots, the first task and the second task may cause an incremental movement of the item by the mobile robot group.

Mobile robot group for moving an item

Disclosed are various embodiments for fulfillment of perishable goods using transportable climate-controlled units. A computing environment may control operation and transportation of network-enabled refrigeration units using mobile drive units capable of navigating a materials handing center or other space. The mobile drive units may recharge or otherwise provide power to the refrigeration units, for example, as they are transported.

Transportable climate-controlled units for fulfillment of perishable goods

A docking head assembly and techniques for use are provided. The docking head assembly may include a lifting mechanism and a tilting mechanism. A tilt angle may be determined based on data that is associated with a path extending between a first floor and a second floor of a facility. The lifting mechanism may lift an inventory holder. The tilting mechanism may tilt the inventory holder in accordance with the tilt angle. The mobile drive unit may transport the inventory holder along the path in the lifted, tilted orientation.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Le Zou