The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2026
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2023
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US);
Manfredi Soldano, Merate, IT;
Aneek Mukherjee, Seattle, WA (US);
Diya Li, Seattle, WA (US);
Nikhila Krishnan, Seattle, WA (US);
Daniele Rigato, Borgo San Michele, IT;
Enrico Fortunato, Dublin, IE;
Kenneth Edward Cecka, Bainbridge Island, WA (US);
Nadeem Hasan Syed, Mill Creek, WA (US);
Shreyas Gatuku, Seattle, WA (US);
Baqar Mirza, Seattle, WA (US);
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for containers for automated empty container flow for sortation systems. In one embodiment, a system can include a first station, a second station, a track having a first buffer path and a second buffer path, a first shuttle, a second shuttle, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine that the first shuttle is empty, determine that the second shuttle is empty, determine a first number of shuttles at the first buffer path, determine a second number of shuttles at the second buffer path, determine, based at least in part on the first number and the second number, that the first shuttle and the second shuttle are to be routed to the first buffer path, and cause the first shuttle and the second shuttle to be routed to the first buffer path.