US-12623847-B2 - Methods, apparatuses, and systems for operating an automated storage and retrieval system

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to methods, system, and apparatuses for operating an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS). In various embodiments, computer-implemented method of operating an ASRS comprises detecting, via a shuttle, a position identifier associated with a shuttle aisle of an ASRS, the shuttle being positioned within the shuttle aisle and configured for transportation to one or more storage location defined by the shuttle aisle; generating shuttle position data associated with the shuttle based at least in part on the detected position identifier associated with the shuttle aisle; transmitting the shuttle position data to a computing device of the ASRS, the computing device being associated with the shuttle aisle; and automatically associating the shuttle with the computing device such that the shuttle is configured to communicate with the computing device by establishing a two-way communication channel between the shuttle and the computing device.

Inventors

• Adin Lane Richardson

Assignees

• INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20221107

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A computer-implemented method of operating an automated storage and retrieval system, the method comprising: detecting, via a sensing element of a shuttle, a position identifier comprising a machine readable location label positioned within a shuttle aisle and encoding an aisle code uniquely identifying the shuttle aisle, wherein the position identifier is associated with the shuttle aisle of an automated storage and retrieval system, the shuttle being positioned within the shuttle aisle and configured for transportation to one or more storage location defined by the shuttle aisle; generating shuttle position data associated with the shuttle based at least in part on the detected position identifier associated with the shuttle aisle, wherein the shuttle position data comprises the aisle code and a shuttle identifier; transmitting the shuttle position data via an initial shuttle identification signal to a plurality of computing devices; receiving aisle initialization data transmitted from a computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the computing device transmits the aisle initialization data in response to determining that the aisle code in the shuttle position data matches a computing device aisle identifier, wherein the computing device aisle identifier comprises the aisle code stored in memory of the computing device to uniquely identify the shuttle aisle assigned to the computing device, wherein the aisle initialization data comprises operational characteristics including at least one of an aisle rail length and an aisle slot count; automatically associating the shuttle with the computing device by storing the aisle initialization data at the shuttle; and establishing a two-way communication channel between the shuttle and the computing device.
2. 2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: emitting, via the shuttle, the initial shuttle identification signal, the initial shuttle identification signal being defined at least in part by the shuttle position data; detecting, via the computing device, the initial shuttle identification signal; identifying, via the computing device, a shuttle position identifier defined by the shuttle position data emitted via the initial shuttle identification signal; determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to the computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device; upon determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to the computing device aisle identifier, retrieving, by the computing device, shuttle communication data associated with the shuttle.
3. 3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle position identifier is defined at least in part by a shuttle aisle identifier associated with the shuttle aisle in which the shuttle is positioned.
4. 4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to the computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device includes determining that the shuttle aisle identifier is at least substantially similar to the computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device.
5. 5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein retrieving the shuttle communication data associated with the shuttle comprises detecting, via the computing device, the shuttle identifier associated with the shuttle.
6. 6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein associating the shuttle with the computing device comprises storing at least a portion of the shuttle position data at a storage medium defined by the automated storage and retrieval system, the storage medium being accessible to the computing device.
7. 7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the position identifier is located within the shuttle aisle.
8. 8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the sensing element is configured to detect the position identifier upon the sensing element of the shuttle being positioned within a predetermined proximity threshold relative to the position identifier.
9. 9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, transmitting an instructional signal from the computing device to the shuttle, wherein the instructional signal is defined by a command for the shuttle to execute at least a portion of an object transportation operation.
10. 10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising, upon receiving the instructional signal at the shuttle, transmitting an acknowledgement signal from the shuttle to the computing device.
11. 11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, transmitting a shuttle status signal from the shuttle to the computing device, wherein the shuttle status signal is defined by one or more of the shuttle position data, shuttle mode data, shuttle error data, and object transportation operation completion data.
12. 12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the automated storage and retrieval system comprises a plurality of shuttle aisles and the plurality of computing devices, each of the plurality of computing devices being associated with a respective computing device aisle identifier associated with one of the plurality of shuttle aisles.
13. 13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting the initial shuttle identification signal emitted from the shuttle at two or more of the plurality of computing devices.
14. 14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the automated storage and retrieval system comprises a plurality of storage levels; wherein the shuttle is positioned within a shuttle level of the plurality of storage levels, and wherein the shuttle position data is defined at least in part by a shuttle level identifier associated with the shuttle level of the plurality of storage levels.
15. 15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising: identifying, via the computing device, a shuttle position identifier defined by the shuttle position data, the shuttle position identifier being defined at least in part by the shuttle level identifier and a shuttle aisle identifier associated with the shuttle aisle; and determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to the computing device aisle identifier and a computing device level identifier associated with the computing device.
16. 16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising disassociating the shuttle from the computing device upon determining that a predetermined threshold amount of time has elapsed since a previous communication with the computing device.
17. 17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising, disassociating the shuttle from the computing device, executing a second automatic association operation to associate the shuttle with the computing device based at least in part on the computing device aisle identifier stored at a storage medium associated with the shuttle.
18. 18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: detecting, via a second shuttle, a second position identifier associated with the shuttle aisle of the automated storage and retrieval system, the second shuttle being positioned within the shuttle aisle and configured for transportation to at least a portion of an one or more storage location defined by the shuttle aisle; generating second shuttle position data associated with the second shuttle based at least in part on the detected second position identifier associated with the shuttle aisle; transmitting the second shuttle position data to the computing device; and automatically associating the second shuttle with the computing device such that the second shuttle is configured to communicate with the computing device by establishing a second two-way communication channel between the second shuttle and the computing device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Example embodiments of the present invention relates generally to a materials handling system defining an automated storage and retrieval system, and more specifically, to techniques for automatically associating a shuttle with a computing device defined by the automated storage and retrieval system. BACKGROUND Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RSs) are key components in material handling environments that utilize automation, software, and labor to optimize the productivity and throughput in a variety of operations. Furthermore, AS/RSs provide flexibility and speed allowing use in applications ranging from e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment to article distribution. Various AS/RSs utilize automated shuttles positioned within an aisle and configured to move between discrete storage locations defined along the aisle to transport objects to and from the storage locations. An automated shuttle can be controlled by one or more computing devices of the AS/RS upon the shuttle being associated with one of the computing devices, which requires a user-intensive process involving manual user interaction with the computing device to enable automated communications between the shuttle and the computing device during operation of the AS/RS. Applicant has identified several technical challenges associated with associating a shuttle of an AS/RS with a computing device defined by the AS/RS to facilitate automated communication therebetween. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified challenges have been overcome by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are described in detail herein. BRIEF SUMMARY Various embodiments are directed to methods, apparatuses, and systems for operating an automated storage and retrieval system. In various embodiments, a method of operating an automated storage and retrieval system comprises A computer-implemented method of operating an automated storage and retrieval system, the method comprising: detecting, via a shuttle, a position identifier associated with a shuttle aisle of an automated storage and retrieval system, the shuttle being positioned within the shuttle aisle and configured for transportation to one or more storage location defined by the shuttle aisle; generating shuttle position data associated with the shuttle based at least in part on the detected position identifier associated with the shuttle aisle; transmitting the shuttle position data to a computing device of the automated storage and retrieval system, the computing device being associated with the shuttle aisle; and automatically associating the shuttle with the computing device such that the shuttle is configured to communicate with the computing device by establishing a two-way communication channel between the shuttle and the computing device. In various embodiments, the computer-implemented method may further comprise emitting, via the shuttle, an initial shuttle identification signal, the initial shuttle identification signal being defined at least in part by the shuttle position data; detecting, via the computing device, the shuttle identification signal; identifying, via the computing device, a shuttle position identifier defined by the shuttle position data emitted via the initial shuttle identification signal; determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to a computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device; upon determining that the shuttle position identifier corresponds at least in part to a computing device aisle identifier, retrieving, by the computing device, shuttle communication data associated with the shuttle; and transmitting aisle initialization data associated with the computing device to the shuttle to facilitate the two-way communication channel between the shuttle and the computing device. In various embodiments, the shuttle position identifier may be defined at least in part by a shuttle aisle identifier associated with the shuttle aisle in which the shuttle is positioned. In certain embodiments, determining that the shuttle position identifier may correspond at least in part to the computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device includes determining that the shuttle aisle identifier is at least substantially similar to the computing device aisle identifier associated with the computing device. In various embodiments, retrieving shuttle communication data associated with the shuttle may comprise detecting, via the computing device, a shuttle identifier associated with the shuttle. In various embodiments, associating the shuttle with the computing device may comprise storing at least a portion of the shuttle position data at a storage medium defined by the automated storage and retrieval system, the storage medium being accessible to the computing device. In various embodiments, associatin