System and method for generating a path for a mobile drive unit

A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:

• a mobile drive unit;
• a plurality of inventory holders;
• a workspace comprising a plurality of workspace cells, wherein at least one cell is associated with a first cell attribute and at least one cell is not associated with the first cell attribute;
• and
• a management module operable to:
• receive a route request from a mobile drive unit, the route request identifying a destination location within the workspace;
• determine a state of the mobile drive unit;
• in response to determining the mobile drive unit is associated with a first state, generate a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that traverses cells associated with the first cell attribute;
• in response to determining the mobile drive unit is not associated with the first state, generate a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that does not traverse cells associated with the first cell attribute;
• and
• transmit the path to the mobile drive unit.

A management module for managing mobile drive units, the management module operable to:

• receive a route request from a mobile drive unit, the route request identifying a destination location within the workspace;
• determine a state of the mobile drive unit;
• in response to determining the mobile drive unit is associated with a first state, generate a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that traverses cells associated with the first cell attribute;
• in response to determining the mobile drive unit is not associated with the first state, generate a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that does not traverse cells associated with the first cell attribute;
• and
• transmit the path to the mobile drive unit.

A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:

• means for receiving a route request from a mobile drive unit, the route request identifying a destination location within a workspace, wherein the workspace comprises at least one cell associated with a first cell attribute and at least one cell that is not associated with the first cell attribute;
• means for determining a state of the mobile drive unit;
• means for generating a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that traverses cells associated with the first cell attribute, in response to determining that the mobile drive unit is associated with a first state;
• means for generating a path to the destination location for the mobile drive unit that does not traverse cells associated with the first cell attribute, in response to determining the mobile drive unit is not associated with the first state;
• and
• means for transmitting the path to the mobile drive unit.