An automated warehouse shuttle flow controller and corresponding shuttle flow control process

An automated warehouse shuttle flow control process for controlling navigation of shuttles in an automated warehouse with a racking area comprising one or more racks for storage of goods in bins and a pick- and deposit area comprising one or more pick/deposit stations, said flow control process comprising:

• monitoring actual locations of shuttles within said automated warehouse;
• selecting a shuttle to perform a pick/deposit task wherein said shuttle deposits a bin on a storage location in said racking area and/or picks a bin from a storage location in said racking area for transfer to one or more dedicated pick/deposit stations;
• and
• navigating said shuttle through said automated warehouse,
• said flow control process further comprises:
• keeping said shuttle in a buffer area between said racking area and said pick- and deposit area in view of occupancy of said racking area by other shuttles or occupancy of said one or more dedicated pick/deposit stations by other shuttles.

An automated warehouse comprising:

• a racking area comprising one or more racks for storage of goods in bins;
• a pick- and deposit area comprising one or more pick/deposit stations;
• a plurality of shuttles;
• and
• a shuttle flow controller configured to:
• monitor actual locations of shuttles within said automated warehouse;
• select a shuttle to perform a pick/deposit task wherein said shuttle deposits a bin on a storage location in said racking area and/or picks a bin from a storage location in said racking area for transfer to one or more dedicated pick/deposit stations;
• and
• navigate said shuttle through said automated warehouse,
• said flow controller is configured to keep said shuttle in a buffer area between said racking area and said pick- and deposit area in view of occupancy of said racking area by other shuttles or occupancy of said one or more dedicated pick/deposit stations by other shuttles.