Task Sequencing and Deployment for Robot-Assisted Order Fulfillment
A method in a computing device includes: obtaining a primary sequence including an ordered set of item identifiers and item locations corresponding to the item identifiers; generating a plurality of auxiliary sequences, each auxiliary sequence including a portion of the ordered set of item identifiers and the item locations corresponding to the portion; deploying the primary sequence to a picker for retrieving, from the item locations, items having the item identifiers; and for each auxiliary sequence, deploying the auxiliary sequence to a corresponding one of a plurality of robots, each robot configured to receive the items retrieved at the item locations corresponding to the portion.
1 . A method in a computing device, the method comprising:
obtaining a primary sequence including an ordered set of item identifiers and item locations corresponding to the item identifiers;
generating a plurality of auxiliary sequences, each auxiliary sequence including a portion of the ordered set of item identifiers and the item locations corresponding to the portion;
deploying the primary sequence to a picker for retrieving, from the item locations, items having the item identifiers; and
for each auxiliary sequence, deploying the auxiliary sequence to a corresponding one of a plurality of robots, each robot configured to receive the items retrieved at the item locations corresponding to the portion.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the primary sequence comprises:
obtaining the set of item identifiers and the corresponding item locations; and
generating the primary sequence to minimize a total travel distance between the item locations.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the item identifiers includes:
receiving a plurality of order records each containing a respective plurality of item identifiers; and
selecting a portion of the order records.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the item identifiers includes: generating a plurality of primary sequences with initial locations in different areas of a facility.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to obtaining the primary sequence:
selecting a robot allocation for the primary sequence;
wherein generating the plurality of auxiliary sequences includes generating a number of auxiliary sequences equal to the robot allocation.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein selecting the robot allocation is based on (i) a capacity of each robot, and (ii) a number of the ordered set of item identifiers.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that an auxiliary sequence is complete, controlling the corresponding robot to travel to a terminal location.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying the primary sequence to the picker includes transmitting the primary sequence to a client computing device; and
wherein deploying each auxiliary sequence includes transmitting each auxiliary sequence to a corresponding robot.
9 . A computing device, comprising:
a communications interface; and
a processor configured to:
obtain a primary sequence including an ordered set of item identifiers and item locations corresponding to the item identifiers;
generate a plurality of auxiliary sequences, each auxiliary sequence including a portion of the ordered set of item identifiers and the item locations corresponding to the portion;
deploy, via the communications interface, the primary sequence to a picker for retrieving, from the item locations, items having the item identifiers; and
for each auxiliary sequence, deploy, via the communications interface, the auxiliary sequence to a corresponding one of a plurality of robots, each robot configured to receive the items retrieved at the item locations corresponding to the portion.
10 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the primary sequence by:
obtaining the set of item identifiers and the corresponding item locations; and
generating the primary sequence to minimize a total travel distance between the item locations.
11 . The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the item identifiers by:
receiving a plurality of order records each containing a respective plurality of item identifiers; and
selecting a portion of the order records.
12 . The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the item identifiers by:
generating a plurality of primary sequences with initial locations in different areas of a facility.
13 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured, in response to obtaining the primary sequence, to:
select a robot allocation for the primary sequence; and
generate the plurality of auxiliary sequences by generating a number of auxiliary sequences equal to the robot allocation.
14 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to select the robot allocation based on (i) a capacity of each robot, and (ii) a number of the ordered set of item identifiers.
15 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to determining that an auxiliary sequence is complete, control the corresponding robot to travel to a terminal location.
16 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to deploy the primary sequence to the picker by transmitting the primary sequence to a client computing device; and
wherein the processor is configured to deploy each auxiliary sequence by transmitting each auxiliary sequence to a corresponding robot.