# US 10,766,700 B2 · Modular and configurable pick/put wall > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,700 B2 - Document ID: US10766700B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/189,066 - Filed: 2016-06-22 - Published: 2017-01-19 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-17 - Assignees: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC - Applicants: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC - Inventors: Christopher M. Engel; Hazem N. Nashif; Joseph B. Nentwig; Lance Reese; William J Godschalk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766700B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/065: {with self propelled cars} - B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles} - B65G 1/10: with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {(cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02)} - B65G 1/1373: {for fulfilling orders in warehouses} - B65G 1/1375: {the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck} - B65G 2209/04: Indication location means - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A modular order fullment system uses a number of inexpensive mobile apparatuses such as containers with horizontally accessible bins that are brought to a stationary frame that supports a pick-to-light system to direct a human or robotic operator to pick from or put to receptacles in the mobile apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An order fulfillment system, comprising: a receiving apparatus comprising a front frame having a pair of vertical supports that receives one or more horizontal bars having an array of node locations located proximate to one or more openings; a mobile apparatus, wherein the mobile apparatus having at least one receptacle is positionable behind the front frame of the receiving apparatus so as to align an opening of the receptacle for holding articles with one of the array of node locations such that the receptacle located behind the front frame is accessible for article retrieval by passing through the one or more openings of the front frame of the receiving apparatus; and a light order fulfillment system comprising more than one article indicating module, wherein each module is mounted to a respective node location on the one or more horizontal bars of the receiving apparatus and configured to selectively illuminate the receptacles of the mobile apparatus docked behind the receiving apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a pick-to-light controller that is in communication with a warehouse management system to interact with an operator to effect one of a pick from or put to a selected receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The order fulfillment system of claim 2, further comprising: an identification reader to read an identification artifact carried by the mobile apparatus; and a controller in communication with the identification reader to read an identifier of the configuration of receptacles and to configure operation of the light order system to the configuration of receptacles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the mobile apparatus comprises a mobile container with horizontally accessible receptacles formed by horizontal and vertical dividers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the horizontal bars are vertically adjustable on the vertical supports to align with one of a top and a bottom of a selected receptacle of a selected mobile apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The order fulfillment system of claim 5, further comprising: an identification reader configured to read an identification artifact carried by the mobile apparatus; and a controller in communication with the identification reader configured to read an identifier of the configuration of receptacles and to configure operation of the light order system by positioning the array of node locations to correspond to the configuration of receptacles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The order fulfillment system of claim 6, wherein one or more of the node locations are horizontally adjustable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The order fulfillment system of claim 6, wherein one or more of the node locations are automatically adjustable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The order fulfillment system of claim 6, wherein a selected node location is electrically selectable from a range of node locations that include at least one unselected node location that does not correspond to any receptacle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein each of the article indicating modules includes receptacle illuminating light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein receiving apparatus is mounted to a floor and comprises a stopping structure configured to laterally constrain a received mobile apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising: an autonomous robot to move a selected mobile apparatus; and a mobility control system to direct the autonomous robots to move the mobile apparatus. ### Claim 13 An order fulfillment system, comprising: a receiving apparatus comprising a front frame having a pair of vertical supports that receives one or more horizontal bars defining one or more openings; an array of node locations located on the one or more horizontal bars proximate to the one or more openings; and a light order fulfillment system comprising more than one article indicating module, wherein each module is mounted to a respective node location on the one or more horizontal bars of the receiving apparatus, wherein the receiving apparatus is configured to receive a mobile apparatus positionable behind the front frame so as to align an opening of a receptacle for holding articles with one of the array of node locations such that the receptacle located behind the front frame is accessible for article retrieval by passing through the one or more openings of the front frame of the receiving apparatus, wherein the light order fulfillment system is configured to selectively illuminate the receptacles of the mobile apparatus docked behind the receiving apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The order fulfillment system of claim 13, further comprising a pick-to-light controller in communication with a warehouse management system and configured to interact with an operator to effect one of a pick from or put to a selected receptacle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The order fulfillment system of claim 14, further comprising: an identification reader configured to, in an instance in which the receiving apparatus receives more than one mobile apparatus, read an identification artifact carried by each of the more than one mobile apparatus; and a controller in communication with the identification reader configured to read an identifier of the configuration of receptacles and to configure operation of the light order system to the configuration of receptacles. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The order fulfillment system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the horizontal bars are vertically adjustable on the vertical supports to align with one of a top and a bottom of a selected receptacle of the mobile apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The order fulfillment system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the node locations are horizontally adjustable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The order fulfillment system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the node locations are automatically adjustable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The order fulfillment system of claim 13, wherein the receiving apparatus is mounted to a floor and comprises a stopping structure configured to laterally constrain the mobile apparatus received by the receiving apparatus.