DETERMINING LOCATIONS AT WHICH TO STORE ITEMS IN A STORAGE FACILITY

1 - 3 . (canceled)

4 . A method for storing an item in a facility, the method comprising:

receiving a request to store a physical item of a particular type in a facility;

identifying a set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type from among a plurality of locations in the facility;

determining a type score for each available location storing physical items of the particular type in the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type to generate a set of scores corresponding to the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type;

selecting a location from among the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type based on the selected location having a most favorable type score amongst the set of scores corresponding to the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type; and

providing instructions to cause an autonomous vehicle in the facility to route the physical item from its current location to the selected location.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises identifying the set of available locations storing the physical items with a same perishable date as the physical item.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises identifying the set of available locations storing the physical items with a same storage temperature as the physical item.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the storage temperature is a freezing temperature.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises identifying the set of available locations storing the physical items with a same product as the physical item.

9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises identifying the set of available locations storing the physical items with a same unique identifier as the physical item.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the unique identifier comprises a SKU.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the unique identifier comprises a customer identifier.

12 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the selected location comprises a cold storage location.

13 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises identifying the set of available locations storing the physical items with same storage conditions as the physical item.

14 . The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the type score for each available location storing physical items of the particular type in the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type comprises:

determining a quantity of the physical items of the particular type stored at the available location; and

assigning the type score to the available location based on the quantity of the physical items of the particular type stored at the available location exceeding a threshold value.

15 . The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting the location from among the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type based on the selected location having the most favorable type score comprises selecting the location having a greatest quantity of the physical items of the particular type among the set of available locations storing physical items of the particular type.

16 . A method for storing an item in a facility, the method comprising:

receiving a request to store a physical item of a particular type in a facility;

determining type scores for available locations storing physical items of the particular type;

selecting a location from among the available locations storing physical items of the particular type having a most favorable type score amongst the determined type scores; and

returning instructions to cause an autonomous vehicle in the facility to route the physical item from its current location to the selected location.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the location having the most favorable score is further based on the selected location storing the physical items with a same storage temperature as the physical item.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the location having the most favorable score is further based on the selected location storing the physical items with a same product as the physical item.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the selected location comprises a cold storage location.

20 . A system for storing an item in a facility, the system comprising:

an autonomous vehicle configured to move a plurality of physical items at different locations in a facility; and

a computer system configured to perform a process comprising:

receiving a request to store a physical item of a particular type in a facility;

determining type scores for available locations storing physical items of the particular type;

selecting a location from among the available locations storing physical items of the particular type having a most favorable type score amongst the determined type scores; and

returning instructions to cause an autonomous vehicle in the facility to route the physical item from its current location to the selected location.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein selecting the location having the most favorable score is further based on the selected location storing the physical items with a same storage temperature as the physical item.

22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein selecting the location having the most favorable score is further based on the selected location storing the physical items with a same product as the physical item.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the selected location comprises a cold storage location.