# US 11,999,568 B2 · Mobile robot interactions independent of localization data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,568 B2 - Document ID: US11999568B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/132,333 - Filed: 2020-12-23 - Published: 2021-05-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-24 - Assignees: HDS Mercury, Inc. - Applicants: HDS Mercury, Inc. - Inventors: Aravind Durai; Rahul Rao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999568B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/06: with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 9/0093: {co-operating with conveyor means} - B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed} - B65G 1/0407: {using stacker cranes (constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06)} - B65G 1/0421: {with control for stacker crane operations} - B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles} - B65G 1/1375: {the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck} - B65G 65/00: Loading or unloading (of vehicles B65G67/00) - B65G 67/02: Loading or unloading land vehicles - B65G 67/22: Loading moving vehicles - B25J 9/162: {Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it} - Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot - 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) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method for the movement of products is described. The method uses a facility that contains warehouse shelves; each shelf has a front, at least one moveable frame which travels to each shelf front to access the containers stored on each shelf. The moveable frame includes a repositionable storage ledge, a lifting device, and a gripping device, along with a ramp for a mobile robot. Mobile Robots exchange payloads between moveable frames and are moved from location to location by the moveable frames. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for movement of products comprising: a) providing a facility wherein said facility contains warehouse shelves, at least one shelf having a front and wherein containers of products are stored on such a shelf; b) providing at least one moveable frame which travels to a target shelf front to access the containers stored on said shelf wherein said moveable frame includes a repositionable storage ledge; c) providing a lifting device attached to the moveable frame; d) providing a gripping device attached to the moveable frame; e) providing at least one mobile robot; f) moving said moveable frame to a location of a specific shelf; and g) positioning said storage ledge in a vertical position required to access said specific shelf; wherein said lifting device and gripping device access containers on the storage ledge of said moveable frame and said specific shelf, thereby transferring product containers from the specific shelf to said storage ledge and transferring product containers from the storage ledge to said specific shelf. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: h) moving said moveable frame to a new shelf; and i) repeating step f. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said facility includes a guard to prevent unauthorized access to areas occupied by provided mobile robots and moveable frames. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said facility includes two or more moveable frames and said at least one mobile robot transfers products between said two or more moveable frames. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said lifting device comprises a robotic arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said robotic arm comprises an end of arm tool wherein said end of arm tool allows the robotic arm to interact with product containers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said end of arm tool further includes a power transfer mechanism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said facility warehouse shelves do not include powered components and are not active unless said end of arm tool power transfer mechanism engages with at least one shelf. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said storage ledge is organized into multiple logical areas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said gripping device comprises a gantry which moves product containers between said multiple logical areas of said storage ledge. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein said gantry moves products to the provided mobile robot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one moveable frame comprises vertical members, a pair of horizontally extending members attached at a top of end of said vertical members wherein opposing bottom end of vertical members are attached to a mobile base; wherein said moveable frame further includes a connection to a power source. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said mobile base comprises wheels and sensors at each corner of said mobile base and wherein said mobile base is shaped as a rectangle with rounded corners. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein sensors comprise lidar and RF-tag reader. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said mobile base further includes an indicator of movement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: h) lowering said storage ledge and docking said mobile robot to the lowered storage ledge; and i) transferring contents of said storage ledge to the mobile robot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: j) moving said moveable frame to a new shelf; and k) repeating steps f to i. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein docking of said mobile robot to said moveable frame comprises engaging said mobile robot depositing payload on a frame surface by transferring same using a conveyor from the moveable frame to said mobile robot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said facility includes at least one larger aisle and at least one aisle smaller than said larger aisle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein said provided mobile robot traverses said larger aisle and wherein said moveable frame traverses said smaller aisle.