Dynamic weighted volume thresholds for inventory totes
A method may include determining that a weighted volume of a first item in an inventory system. The weighted volume can be based on an actual volume and a weight associated with a volume category for the first item. The method may include comparing a weighted average volume based on weighted volumes for a second set of items in a container and a weighted volume of the first item with a volume threshold of the container. The method may include causing the item to be transferred to the container with respect to the comparison between the weighted average volume and the volume threshold. The method may include updating the volume threshold of the container based on a volume of a third set of items in the container after transferring the item to the container. The third set of items can include the first item and the second set of items.
1 . An inventory system, comprising: a conveyer apparatus configured to convey items to be placed in containers; a transfer apparatus configured to receive the items from the conveyer apparatus and transfer the items to the containers; and a computer system operably coupled with the conveyer apparatus and the transfer apparatus, the computer system configured to: identify an identification number associated with an item that is transportable on the conveyer apparatus of the inventory system; identify dimensions of the item and a destination location for the item associated with the identification number; route the item to a location of the inventory system associated with the destination location via the conveyer apparatus; determine a volume category of a plurality of volume categories for the item based on the dimensions of the item, each volume category of the plurality of volume categories associated with a range of volumes and a category weight; determine a weighted volume for the item based on the category weight associated with the volume category and an actual volume of the item determined from the dimensions of the item; compare a volume threshold of a container at the location with a weighted average volume based on a current weighted volume of items in the container and the weighted volume for the item; cause the transfer apparatus to transfer the item to the container from the conveyer apparatus in response to determining that the volume threshold of the container does not match or exceed the weighted average volume of the current weighted volume of items in the container and the weighted volume for the item; subsequent to transferring the item to the container: determine an update to the volume threshold for the container based on a sum of the actual volume of items in the container and a total volume capacity of the container; compare the weighted average volume of the items in the container to the updated volume threshold, the weighted average volume determined based on a sum of weighted volumes of items in the container and the sum of the actual volume of items in the container; and eject the container from the inventory system in response to determining that the updated volume threshold matches or exceeds the weighted average volume of the items in the container.
2 . The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a first container at the location, the volume threshold is a first volume threshold, and the weighted average volume is a first weighted average volume, and wherein the computer system is further configured to: divert the item away from the first container at the location in response to determining that the volume threshold of the first container matches or exceeds the weighted average volume of the current weighted volume of items in the container and the weighted volume for the item; determine that a second volume threshold for a second container does not match or exceed a second weighted average volume of a current weighted volume of items in the second container at the location and the weighted volume for the item; and route the item to the second container in response to determining that the second volume threshold of the second container does not match or exceeds the second weighted average volume of the current weighted volume of item s in the second container and the weighted volume for the item.
3 . The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured to: determine an overfill risk factor for items in the container based on a difference between the updated volume threshold and the weighted average volume of the items in the container; and eject the container from the inventory system in response to determining that (i) the updated volume threshold matches or exceeds the weighted average volume of the items in the container and (ii) the overfill risk factor matches or exceeds a risk factor threshold for the container.
4 . The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured to: determine an overfill risk factor for the item based on dimensions of the item; and determine the weighted volume for the item based on the overfill risk factor for the item.
5 . A method, comprising: determining by a computer system, a weighted volume of a first item handled by material handling equipment in an inventory system based on an actual volume of the first item and a weight associated with a volume category for the first item, the first item being transported by a conveyer apparatus of the material handling equipment; comparing by the computer system, a weighted average volume based on weighted volumes for a second set of items in a container and the weighted volume of the first item with a volume threshold of the container; causing, by the computer system, a transfer apparatus to transfer the item to the container from conveyer apparatus based on the comparison between the weighted average volume and the volume threshold; and updating, by the computer system, the volume threshold of the container based on a volume of a third set of items in the container subsequent to causing the item to be transferred to the container, the third set of items comprising the first item and the second set of items.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the weighted average volume is based on (i) a sum of the weighted volume of the first item and the weighted volumes for the second set of items in the container and (ii) the actual volume of the first item and an actual volume of the second set of items in the container.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein updating the volume threshold is based on the volume of the third set of items in the container and a total volume capacity of the container.
8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that the volume threshold of the container exceeds the weighted average volume; and ejecting the container from the inventory system in response to determining that the volume threshold of the container exceeds the weighted average volume.
9 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that items have not been transferred to the container within a threshold amount of time; and ejecting the container from the inventory system in response to determining that items have not been transferred to the container within the threshold amount of time.
10 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that more than a threshold number of items have been diverted away from the container; and ejecting the container from the inventory system in response to determining that more than the threshold number of items have been diverted away from the container.
11 . The method of claim 5 , wherein
determining the weighted volume of the item is based on a surface area or a shape of the first item.
12 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that (i) more than a threshold number of items have been diverted away from the container or (ii) items have not been transferred to the container within a threshold amount of time; and routing items associated with a particular volume category to the container in response to determining that (i) more than the threshold number of items have been diverted away from the container or (ii) items have not been transferred to the container within the threshold amount of time.
13 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the weight associated with the volume category comprises a percentage of a total volume capacity of the container that is fillable with items associated with the volume category.
14 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining a risk factor associated with overfilling the container based on a difference between the updated volume threshold and the weighted average volume; and
transferring the first item to the container based on determining that the risk factor does not exceed a risk factor threshold for the container.
15 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
generating a trained machine learning model by: providing item characteristics of items transferred to a container as input into a machine learning model, the item characteristics comprising actual volumes, weighted volumes, aspect ratios, surface areas, compactness levels, or volume-to-surface-area ratios of the items; receiving an output from the machine learning model based on the input indicating that the container has not been overfilled; performing a comparison between the output and a reference condition for the container, the reference condition comprising an overfill condition for the container; and modifying the machine learning model based on the comparison by assigning a penalty based on the overfill condition.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising: inputting item characteristics of the first item and the second set of items in the container into the trained machine learning model; receiving another output from the trained machine learning model based on the input indicating that transferring the first item to the container will not cause the container to be overfilled; and
transferring the item to the container based on the other output.
17 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
determining a weighted volume of a first item based on an actual volume of the first item and a weighted percentage associated with a volume category for the first item, the first item being transported on a conveyer apparatus; comparing a weighted average volume for weighted volumes of the first item and a second set of items in a container with a volume threshold of the container; causing a transfer apparatus to transfer the first item from the conveyer apparatus to the container based on the comparison between the weighted average volume and the volume threshold; and
subsequent to the first item being transferred to the container, updating the volume threshold based at least in part on a volume of a third set of items in the container and a total volume capacity of the container, the third set of items comprising the first item and the second set of items.
18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the computer system to perform operations comprising, subsequent to the first item being transferred to the container: comparing the weighted average volume of the third set of items in the container to the volume threshold; determining that the volume threshold does not exceed the weighted average volume of the third set of items in the container; and enabling transfer of additional items to the container in response to determining that the volume threshold does not exceed the weighted average volume of the third set of items in the container.
19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the computer system to perform operations comprising: determining that the volume threshold exceeds the weighted average volume of the third set of items in the container; and preventing additional items from being added to the container in response to determining that the volume threshold exceeds the weighted average volume of the third set of items in the container.
20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the computer system to perform operations comprising: determining that (i) more than a threshold number of items have been diverted away from the container or (ii) items have not been transferred to the container within a threshold.