Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: operation prioritization

A method for operating an electronic robotic control system using a plurality of electronic operations to be performed on a robotic inventory dispensary, the robotic inventory dispensary including a storage unit, a replenishing unit, and robotics, the plurality of electronic operations including:

• performing fulfillment operations from the storage unit, to retrieve a storage bin placed among storage locations in the storage unit, wherein the storage unit stores a plurality of products using respective storage bins placed among respective locations of the storage locations, wherein the fulfillment operations include a first fulfillment operation to fulfill a first request from a consumer received at a customer user interface, and a second fulfillment operation to fulfill a second request from an operator received at an operator user interface;
• performing replenishment operations from the replenishing unit, to stock additional storage bins among the storage locations in the storage unit, wherein the replenishing unit receives a plurality of additional products in the additional storage bins;
• controlling the robotics to prioritize the fulfillment operations over the replenishment operations;
• and
• controlling the robotics to prioritize the first fulfillment operation over the second fulfillment operation.

A robotic inventory dispensary, comprising:

• a storage unit that provides a plurality of storage locations, the storage unit to store a plurality of products using a respective plurality of storage bins placed among respective locations of the plurality of storage locations;
• a replenishing unit to receive a plurality of additional products in a respective plurality of additional storage bins;
• robotics to operate upon the storage unit and the replenishing unit, wherein the robotics, when in operation:
• performs fulfillment operations from the storage unit, to retrieve a respective storage bin of the plurality of storage bins placed among the storage locations, wherein the fulfillment operations from the storage unit includes a retrieval operation of a first product in a first storage bin from a first storage location in the plurality of the storage locations, and a retrieval operation of a second product in a second storage bin from a second storage location in the plurality of storage locations;
• and
• performs replenishment operations from the replenishing unit, to stock the additional storage bins among the storage locations;
• and
• a controller to prioritize operations of the robotics, the controller to prioritize the fulfillment operations over the replenishment operations, and wherein the controller prioritizes the retrieval operation of the first product from the first storage location over the retrieval operation of the second product from the second storage location, in response to a determination that an estimated amount of time to obtain the first product from the first storage location with the robotics is less than an estimated amount of time to obtain the second product from the second storage location.

A robotic inventory dispensary, comprising:

• a storage unit that provides a plurality of storage locations, the storage unit to store a plurality of products using a respective plurality of storage bins placed among respective locations of the plurality of storage locations;
• a replenishing unit to receive a plurality of additional products in a respective plurality of additional storage bins;
• robotics to operate upon the storage unit and the replenishing unit, wherein the robotics, when in operation:
• performs service operations, the service operations including a command initiated by an operator or service technician to move the robotics from a first position to a second position;
• performs fulfillment operations from the storage unit, to retrieve a respective storage bin of the plurality of storage bins placed among the storage locations;
• performs replenishment operations from the replenishing unit, to stock the additional storage bins among the storage locations;
• and
• a controller to prioritize operations of the robotics, the controller to prioritize the fulfillment operations over the replenishment operations, and wherein the controller prioritizes the service operations over the fulfillment operations.