Method and system for automated transport of items

Abstract

An automated distribution center includes an array with storage locations arranged along aisle(s) having a floor, and a mezzanine platform above the floor, the floor and mezzanine being configured for human picker access to the storage locations, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) configured for traverse of the floor and mezzanine to the storage locations, and for transporting a storage container to and from the storage locations, the floor and mezzanine each having an undeterministic traverse surface for the AGV, the AGV is configured so that the surface provides holonomic selectable paths for the AGV substantially everywhere on the surface, each path being selectable by the AGV, and an order filling station, where one or more goods are picked from container(s) to fill order(s), wherein the AGV is configured to pick the container from a storage location and transport the container on the surface between the storage array and the station.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated distribution center comprising:
 a storage array including stacked racks with predetermined storage locations, for storage containers, arranged along at least one aisle;   at least one of the aisles having a base or floor, the base or floor being configured for human picker access to the predetermined storage locations of the stacked racks along the at least one aisle;   at least one robot picker configured for traverse of the base or floor to the predetermined storage locations along the at least one aisle, and configured for holding and transporting one of the storage containers to and from the storage locations;   the base or floor having a floor rack aisle defining an undeterministic traverse surface for the at least one robot picker, and the at least one robot picker is configured so that the undeterministic traverse surface of the floor rack aisle provides holonomic selectable paths for the at least one robot picker substantially everywhere on the undeterministic traverse surface, each of the holonomic selectable paths being freely selectable by the at least one robot picker for traversing along the aisle on the base or floor; and   an order filling station, where one or more goods are picked from one or more of the storage containers to fill one or more orders;   wherein the at least one robot picker is configured to pick the one of the storage containers from one of the storage locations along the at least one aisle and transport the one or the storage containers on the undeterministic traverse surface between the storage array and the order filling station.   
     
     
         2 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one robot picker is configured for navigation and path selection by one or more of simultaneous location and mapping, by detecting one or more of beacons, passive tags and markers provided within the automated distribution center. 
     
     
         3 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , further comprises a controller configured to effect one or more of selection and creation of one or more of the holonomic selectable paths by at least one robot picker. 
     
     
         4 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller with a warehouse management system or a controller configured to work with an existing warehouse management system, the controller being configured to receive orders and to identify containers and corresponding storage locations; and   a robot picker manager communicably connected with the at least one robot picker and commanding the at least one robot picker to the corresponding storage locations for picking at least one of the identified containers.   
     
     
         5 . The automated distribution center of  claim 4 , wherein, in response to a command, the at least one robot picker one or more of generates and follows a selected path on the undeterministic traverse surface to the corresponding location by one or more of selecting from and being commanded to follow the holonomic selectable paths, and on sensing transient features affecting the path, changes path from the selected path. 
     
     
         6 . The automated distribution center of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one robot picker has a movable container manipulator configured to engage the storage containers so as to pick and place the one of the storage containers to and from a storage location on the stacked racks, the movable container grip including at least two degrees of freedom, for effect extension along a y axis and a Z axis. 
     
     
         7 . The automated distribution center of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one robot picker has a movable container manipulator configured to engage the storage containers so as to pick and place the one of the storage containers to and from a storage location on the stacked racks, the movable container grip including at least one degree of freedom, for effecting extension along a Z axis where the at least one robot picker rotates so that an X axis of the at least one robot picker faces the storage location. 
     
     
         8 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one robot picker is configured for navigation and path selection by detecting markers provided on the undeterministic traverse surface. 
     
     
         9 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one robot picker is configured to return the one of the storage containers from the order filling station to one of the storage locations. 
     
     
         10 . The automated distribution center of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one robot picker comprises a processor and at least one sensor configured to sense transient features affecting path passage and register such path passage with the processor, in response to which the at least one robot picker changes path from a selected path. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 providing a storage array of an automated distribution center, the storage array including stacked racks with predetermined storage locations, for storage containers, arranged along at least one aisle, at least one of the aisles having a base or floor, the base or floor being configured for human picker access to the predetermined storage locations of the stacked racks along the at least one aisle, wherein the base or floor has a floor rack aisle defining an undeterministic traverse surface;   providing at least one robot picker for traversing the base or floor to the predetermined storage locations along the at least one aisle, and holding and transporting one of the storage containers to and from the storage locations, wherein the undeterministic traverse surface of the floor rack aisle provides holonomic selectable paths for the at least one robot picker substantially everywhere on the undeterministic traverse surface, each of the holonomic selectable paths being freely selectable by the at least one robot picker for traversing along the aisle on the base or floor;   providing an order filling station, where one or more goods are picked from one or more of the storage containers to fill one or more orders; and   picking, with the at least one robot picker, the one of the storage containers from one of the storage locations along the at least one aisle and transporting the one or the storage containers on the undeterministic traverse surface between the storage array and the order filling station.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting one or more of beacons, passive tags and markers provided within the automated distribution center, with the at least one robot picker, for navigation and path selection by one or more of simultaneous location and mapping. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising effecting, with a controller, one or more of selection and creation of one or more of the holonomic selectable paths by the at least one robot picker. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving orders, with a controller with a warehouse management system or a controller configured to work with an existing warehouse management system, and identifying containers and corresponding storage locations; and   commanding the at least one robot picker, with a robot picker manager communicably connected with the at least one robot picker, to the corresponding storage locations for picking at least one of the identified containers.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more of generating and following, with the at least one robot picker, in response to a command, a selected path on the undeterministic traverse surface to the corresponding location by one or more of selecting from and being commanded to follow the holonomic selectable paths, and on sensing transient features affecting the selected path, changing path from the selected path. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising effecting extension of a movable container manipulator of the at least one robot picker along a y axis and a Z axis to engage the storage containers so as to pick and place the one of the storage containers to and from a storage location on the stacked racks, the movable container grip including at least two degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising effecting extension of a movable container manipulator of the at least one robot picker along a Z axis to engage the storage containers so as to pick and place the one of the storage containers to and from a storage location on the stacked racks, the movable container grip including at least one degree of freedom, where the at least one robot picker rotates so that an X axis of the at least one robot picker faces the storage location. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting, with the at least one robot picker, markers provided on the undeterministic traverse surface for navigation and path selection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one robot picker is configured to return the one of the storage containers from the order filling station to one of the storage locations. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one robot picker comprises a processor and at least one sensor, the method further comprising sensing transient features affecting path passage and registering such path passage with the processor, in response to which the at least one robot picker changes path from a selected path.