Interchangeable automated mobile robots with a plurality of operating modes configuring a plurality of different robot task capabilities
A system and method for managing a plurality of automated mobile robots within automated mobile robot storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The same mobile robot is enabled to move horizontally and vertically in a multi-level storage structure, operate in an order fulfillment mode retrieving order totes from an automated fulfillment section and delivering the order totes to the delivery section, operate in a replenishment mode receiving eaches of goods and depositing the eaches of goods in designated storage totes, and operate in a delivery mode receiving delivery bundles and transporting the delivery bundles to designated locations at the transfer station.
1. An automated store, comprising:
a building structure comprising:
a replenishment section wherein the automated store is replenished with product totes containing new inventory eaches;
an automated fulfillment section wherein eaches are transferred from product totes to order totes at workstations to fulfill orders from customers; and
a delivery section wherein order totes from the automated fulfillment section are made available for direct pickup by the customers or a customer proxy; and
a mobile robot configured to move throughout and between the replenishment section, the automated fulfillment section and the delivery section;
a central controller configured to:
assign a mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation to the mobile robot, the plurality of modes of operation comprising a replenishment mode, an order fulfillment mode and a delivery mode,
wherein, in the replenishment mode, the mobile robot transports received product totes into storage;
wherein, in the order fulfillment mode, the mobile robot transports the product totes to the workstations, and transports the order totes to the workstations and the delivery section;
wherein, in the delivery mode, the mobile robot transports order totes to a location in the delivery section to make the order totes available for delivery to the customers or customer proxy; and
wherein the mobile robot may travel between each of the replenishment section, the automated fulfillment section and the delivery section without physical reconfiguration of the mobile robot.
2. The automated store of claim 1 , the plurality of modes of operation further comprising a defragmentation mode, wherein, in the defragmentation mode, the central controller configures the mobile robot to position product totes at a defragmentation station to consolidate eaches into fewer product totes for storage in the storage locations.
3. The automated store of claim 2 , wherein, when the mobile robot is in the defragmentation mode, the mobile robot delivers product totes to the defragmentation station for one or more sub-totes to be re-arranged within the product totes.
4. The automated store of claim 3 , wherein empty sub-totes are consolidated into a subset of one or more product totes.
5. The automated store of claim 4 , wherein the defragmentation mode further comprises removing totes containing empty sub-totes to increase storage density.
6. The automated store of claim 1 , wherein the automated fulfillment section comprises a storage rack structure having a plurality of rack modules separated by aisles and having a plurality of storage levels, the storage rack structure storing a plurality totes comprising product totes, order totes and/or empty totes.
7. The automated store of claim 6 , wherein, when the central controller designates the mobile robot to operate in the order fulfillment mode, the mobile robot propels itself through the storage rack structure of the automated fulfillment section, placing totes into the storage rack structure, removing totes from the storage rack structure, and transporting totes.
8. The automated store of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to receive input regarding task priority, the task priority designating which of the plurality of modes of operation for the mobile robot is currently to be prioritized over others of the plurality of modes of operation.
9. The automated store of claim 8 , wherein the task priority is determined at least in part based on a time of day in such a way that the time of day acts as a basis for designation of the mobile robot of the order fulfillment mode, the replenishment mode, or the delivery mode.
10. The automated store of claim 8 , wherein the task priority is determined at least in part based on a relative quantity of tasks to be completed in each of the order fulfillment mode, the replenishment mode, or the delivery.
11. The automated store of claim 8 , wherein the task priority is determined at least in part based on an indication of the customer arriving to pick up an order.
12. The automated store of claim 11 , wherein, upon receipt of a customer order, the central controller sets the mode of operation of the mobile robot to order fulfillment mode based on the task priority where the eaches for the customer have yet to be placed in an order tote.
13. The automated store of claim 11 , wherein, upon the indication of the customer arriving, the central controller sets the mode of operation of the mobile robot to delivery mode based on the task priority where the eaches for the customer have been placed in an order tote.
14. The automated store of claim 8 , wherein the task priority is determined at least in part based on relative quantity of tasks to be completed in the automated fulfillment section as well as an applied weighting giving higher priority to delivery of completed order totes to the location within the delivery section.
15. The automated store of claim 8 , wherein the task priority is determined by a priority which prioritizes the delivery of order totes in the delivery mode over operations in the order fulfillment mode and replenishment mode.
16. The automated store of claim 15 , wherein the task priority is determined by a priority which prioritizes the operations in the order fulfillment mode over operations in the replenishment mode.
17. The automated store of claim 16 , wherein the task priority is determined by a priority which prioritizes the operations in the replenishment mode over operations in a defragmentation mode, wherein, in the defragmentation mode, the mobile robot is configured to position product totes at a defragmentation station to consolidate eaches into fewer product totes for storage in the storage locations.
18. The automated store of claim 1 , wherein the product totes are stocked with the new inventory eaches before the product totes arrive at the automated store.
19. The automated store of claim 1 , wherein the product totes stocked the new inventory eaches in the replenishment section.
20. The automated store of claim 1 , wherein the delivery section is curbside.
21. An automated store, comprising:
a building structure comprising:
a replenishment section wherein the automated store is replenished with product totes containing new inventory eaches;
an automated fulfillment section wherein eaches are transferred from product totes to order totes at workstations to fulfill orders from customers;
a delivery section wherein order totes from the automated fulfillment section are made available for direct pickup by the customers or a customer proxy;
a plurality of mobile robots, each mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots configured to move throughout, and perform functions within, each of the replenishment section, the automated fulfillment section and the delivery section; and
a central controller configured to:
receive input regarding task priority, and
assign a mode of operation from the plurality of modes of operation to the mobile robot based on the task priority, the plurality of modes of operation comprising a replenishment mode, an order fulfillment mode and a delivery mode;
wherein the mobile robot may travel between each of the replenishment section, the automated fulfillment section and the delivery section without physical reconfiguration of the mobile robot.
22. The automated store of claim 21 , the automated fulfillment section further configured for defragmentation of the product totes by consolidating eaches into fewer product totes for storage in the storage locations, the mobile robot further configured to perform functions enabling the defragmentation of the product totes.
23. The automated store of claim 21 , the building structure further comprising a shopping section comprising non-fungible goods for selection by the customers, non-fungible goods selected by customers delivered to a transfer station.
24. The automated store of claim 23 , wherein the mobile robot is further configured to retrieve non-fungible goods from the transfer station and to deliver the non-fungible goods to the delivery section for delivery to the customers.
25. The automated store of claim 23 , wherein the mobile robot is further configured to retrieve non-fungible goods from the transfer station and to bring the non-fungible goods to a location where non-fungible goods for a customer may be added to an order tote with eaches for that customer.
26. The automated store of claim 21 , wherein the functions of the mobile robot are determined by a priority which prioritizes the delivery of order totes to the delivery section over functions in the automated fulfillment section and replenishment section.
27. The automated store of claim 26 , wherein the functions of the mobile robot are determined by a priority which prioritizes the function in the automated fulfillment section over functions in the replenishment section.
28. The automated store of claim 27 , wherein the functions of the mobile robot are determined by a priority which prioritizes the functions in the replenishment section over functions related to defragmentation of the product totes, wherein defragmentation of the product totes comprises consolidating eaches into fewer product totes for storage in the storage locations.
29. The automated store of claim 21 , wherein the delivery section is curbside.
30. The automated store of claim 21 , wherein a majority of the plurality of mobile robots are allocated for operation within the automated fulfillment section during day time operating hours, and a majority of the plurality of mobile robots are allocated for operation within the replenishment section during night time hours outside of the operating hours.