# US 9,517,885 B2 · Storage and retrieval system case unit detection

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,517,885 B2
- Document ID: US9517885B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/007,070
- Filed: 2016-01-26
- Published: 2016-05-19
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-09
- Assignees: Symbotic LLC
- Applicants: Symbotic LLC
- Inventors: Robert Sullivan; Stephen C. Toebes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517885B2

## CPC

- B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles}
- B65G 1/1371: {with data records}
- B65G 1/1373: {for fulfilling orders in warehouses}
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G05D 1/225: operated by off-board computers
- G05D 1/245: using dead reckoning
- G05D 1/667: Delivering or retrieving payloads
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting}
- B65G 2207/20: Earthquake protection
- G05D 2105/28: of freight
- G05D 2107/70: Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories
- G05D 2109/10: Land vehicles
- G05D 2111/54: {for measuring the travel distances, e.g. by counting the revolutions of wheels}
- G06Q 10/0874: {Inventory fulfillment (shipping G06Q10/083)}
- 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)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system including a storage structure with storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is non-deterministic for each storage location on the storage racks, each case unit has a predetermined storage position and a controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position, a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and a seismic disturbance restorative system including seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks, a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A warehouse automated storage and retrieval system for transport and storage of cases of wares in a ware case storage room, the automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
a storage structure with storage racks, the storage racks having a seating surface configured to support ware case units where a position of each ware case unit is non-deterministic for each storage location on the storage racks;
a controller, where each case unit has a predetermined storage position in which the ware case unit is seated on the storage racks and the controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position;
a picking aisle configured to provide access to the ware case units within the storage structure; and
a disturbance restorative system including
disturbance motion sensors disposed on the storage racks,
a disturbance control module in communication with the disturbance motion sensors and configured to identify a disturbance, and
wherein the disturbance restorative system is configured so that the disturbance restorative system initializes an automated guided vehicle within the storage structure in response to the disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one ware case unit within the storage structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the ware case units are positioned in the storage racks in a close packed spacing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle is configured to pick and place ware case units at storage locations within the storage structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by providing the location of the at least one ware case unit to an operator of the warehouse automated storage and retrieval system for manual removal or repositioning of the at least one ware case unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the disturbance control module is further configured to compare the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit, determined with the automated guided vehicle and the predetermined position of the at least one ware case unit, and identify a variance between the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit and the predetermined position of the at least one ware case unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 5, wherein the disturbance control module is further configured to generate a command with information for ware case unit position correction based on a variance type.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically allocate each ware case unit into a respective predetermined dynamically allocated storage position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by dynamically updating the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit with a respective identified seated position of each ware case unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to effect correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by commanding the automated guided vehicle to pick and reposition the at least one ware case unit at a respective dynamically allocated storage position or move the at least one ware case unit to a respective different dynamically allocated storage position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The warehouse automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7, wherein the disturbance control module is further configured to compare the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit, determined with the automated guided vehicle and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit, and identify a variance between the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit.

### Claim 11

A method for transporting and storing cases of wares in a ware case storage room with a warehouse automated storage and retrieval system, the method comprising:
providing a storage structure with storage racks, the storage racks having a seating surface configured to support ware case units where a position of each ware case unit is non-deterministic for each storage location on the storage racks;
determining, with a controller, a predetermined storage position of each ware case unit, where each ware case unit has a respective predetermined storage position in which the ware case unit is seated on the storage racks;
providing a picking aisle configured to provide access to the ware case units within the storage structure;
identifying a disturbance, with a disturbance control module of a disturbance restorative system;
providing disturbance motion sensors disposed on the storage racks, where the disturbance control module is in communication with the disturbance motion sensors; and
initializing an automated guided vehicle, within the storage structure, with the disturbance restorative system in response to the disturbance control module and identifying a seated position of at least one ware case unit within the storage structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the ware case units are positioned in the storage racks in a close packed spacing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the automated guided vehicle is configured to pick and place ware case units at storage locations within the storage structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by providing the location of the at least one ware case unit to an operator of the warehouse automated storage and retrieval system for manual removal or repositioning of the at least one ware case unit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing, with the disturbance control module, the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit, determined with the automated guided vehicle and the predetermined position of the at least one ware case unit, and identifying a variance between the identified seated position and the predetermined position of the at least one ware case unit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising generating, with the disturbance control module, a command with information for ware case unit position correction based on a variance type.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising dynamically allocating, with the controller, each ware case unit into a respective predetermined dynamically allocated storage position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by dynamically updating the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit with a respective identified seated position of each ware case unit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising effecting, with the controller, correction of a position of the at least one ware case unit by commanding the automated guided vehicle to pick and reposition the at least one ware case unit at a respective dynamically allocated storage position or move the at least one ware case unit to a respective different dynamically allocated storage position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing, with the disturbance control module, the identified seated position of the at least one ware case unit, determined with the automated guided vehicle and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit, and identify a variance between the identified seated position and the predetermined dynamically allocated storage position of the at least one ware case unit.