Automated robotic replenishment system

A system, comprising:

• one or more containers adapted to hold one or more items;
• one or more container transportation devices adapted to transport the one or more containers to one or more container receiving areas of a replenishment station, wherein each of the one or more container transportation devices include:
• a horizontal sliding mechanism supporting a container and allowing the container to slide between a decanting area and a container receiving area of the one or more container receiving areas;
• the replenishment station including the one or more container receiving areas, one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces, and a robotic arm, the robotic arm adapted to pick up the one or more items from the one or more containers in the one or more container receiving areas, move the one or more items, and place the one or more items into one or more mobile storage units in the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces;
• and
• one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) adapted to transport the one or more mobile storage units between the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces and a mobile storage unit storage area.

A method comprising:

• identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with a replenishment station, one or more item types of a first set of items;
• instructing, by the one or more processors, one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) to transport a first mobile storage unit to a first space of one or more mobile storage unit spaces at the replenishment station, the first mobile storage unit being selected from a plurality of mobile storage units based on the one or more item types;
• transporting, by one or more conveyance devices, the first set of items to the replenishment station, the replenishment station including a robotic arm, one or more conveyance device receiving areas, and the one or more mobile storage unit spaces;
• placing the first set of items in a container in a decanting area of a fulfillment center, the one or more conveyance devices including the container transported between the decanting area and the one or more conveyance device receiving areas of the replenishment station by one or more of a conveyor belt, conveyor rollers, and the one or more AGVs;
• and
• instructing, by the one or more processors, the replenishment station to move a first item of the first set of items from the one or more conveyance devices into the first mobile storage unit at the first space.

A method comprising:

• identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with a replenishment station, one or more item types of a first set of items;
• instructing, by the one or more processors, one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) to transport a first mobile storage unit to a first space of one or more mobile storage unit spaces at the replenishment station, the first mobile storage unit being selected from a plurality of mobile storage units based on the one or more item types;
• transporting, by one or more conveyance devices, the first set of items to the replenishment station, the replenishment station including a robotic arm, one or more conveyance device receiving areas, and the one or more mobile storage unit spaces;
• instructing, by the one or more processors, the replenishment station to move a first item of the first set of items from the one or more conveyance devices into the first mobile storage unit at the first space;
• determining, by the one or more processors, a successful movement of the first item from the one or more conveyance devices into the first mobile storage unit;
• and
• responsive to determining the successful movement, instructing, by the one or more processors, the one or more AGVs to transport the first mobile storage unit from the first space at the replenishment station to a storage area.

A method comprising:

• identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with a replenishment station, one or more item types of a first set of items, wherein identifying the one or more item types of the first set of items includes:
• receiving, by the one or more processors, first scan data identifying the one or more item types at a decanting area;
• receiving, by the one or more processors, second scan data identifying a container at the decanting area, one or more conveyance devices including the container;
• associating, by the one or more processors, the container with the one or more item types in computer memory accessible to the one or more processors;
• placing the first set of items into the container;
• and
• identifying, by the one or more processors, the one or more item types using the association of the container with the one or more item types;
• instructing, by the one or more processors, one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) to transport a first mobile storage unit to a first space of one or more mobile storage unit spaces at the replenishment station, the first mobile storage unit being selected from a plurality of mobile storage units based on the one or more item types;
• transporting, by the one or more conveyance devices, the first set of items to the replenishment station, the replenishment station including a robotic arm, one or more conveyance device receiving areas, and the one or more mobile storage unit spaces;
• and
• instructing, by the one or more processors, the replenishment station to move a first item of the first set of items from the one or more conveyance devices into the first mobile storage unit at the first space.

A system, comprising:

• one or more containers adapted to hold one or more items;
• one or more container transportation devices adapted to transport the one or more containers to one or more container receiving areas of a replenishment station;
• the replenishment station including the one or more container receiving areas, one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces, and a robotic arm, the robotic arm adapted to pick up the one or more items from the one or more containers in the one or more container receiving areas, move the one or more items, and place the one or more items into one or more mobile storage units in the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces, wherein the replenishment station includes:
• two or more container receiving areas, wherein the two or more container receiving areas are located on a first side of the replenishment station;
• and
• two or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces, wherein the two or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces are located on a second side of the replenishment station, the first side being perpendicular to the second side relative to the robotic arm;
• and
• one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) adapted to transport the one or more mobile storage units between the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces and a mobile storage unit storage area.

A system, comprising:

• one or more containers adapted to hold one or more items;
• one or more container transportation devices adapted to transport the one or more containers to one or more container receiving areas of a replenishment station;
• the replenishment station including the one or more container receiving areas, one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces, and a robotic arm, the robotic arm adapted to pick up the one or more items from the one or more containers in the one or more container receiving areas, move the one or more items, and place the one or more items into one or more mobile storage units in the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces;
• one or more automated guided vehicles (“AGVs”) adapted to transport the one or more mobile storage units between the one or more mobile storage unit receiving spaces and a mobile storage unit storage area, and
• the mobile storage unit storage area including:
• a storage area where a set of mobile storage units are stored, the storage area including a first set of shelves;
• and
• a mobile storage unit staging area associated with the replenishment station where a subset of the set of mobile storage units are stored, the one or more AGVs being adapted to transport one or more of the subset of mobile storage units between the first set of shelves and the mobile storage unit staging area, wherein the mobile storage unit staging area includes a second set of shelves adapted to hold the subset of mobile storage units, the second set of shelves being fewer in quantity than the first set of shelves, the second set of shelves being separate from and closer to the replenishment station than the first set of shelves.