Method and system for storing inventory holders

Abstract

A method for storing inventory items in an inventory system includes detecting that an inventory holder is available for storage and determining a classification of the inventory holder. The method also includes determining a classification of each of a plurality of storage locations and selecting a storage location for the inventory holder based, at least in part, on the classification of the inventory holder and the classification of the selected storage location. The method additionally includes transmitting information identifying the storage location to a mobile drive unit associated with the inventory holder.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A system comprising:
 a management module configured to control and administer order fulfilment operations within a workspace; and   a robotic transport unit that is remote from the management module, the robotic transport unit comprising a self-propelled device that is operable to wirelessly receive and respond to commands from the management module to retrieve and transport one or more inventory shelves to one or more locations designated by the management module within the workspace.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the management module is further configured to fulfill orders for inventory items stored by the one or more inventory shelves by transmitting one or more wireless commands to the robotic transport unit. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein one or more wireless commands transmitted by the management module identify a first inventory shelf that stores a first inventory item requested by a first order. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein one or more wireless commands transmitted by the management module identify to the robotic transport unit a location of the one or more inventory shelves and facilitate navigation by the robotic transport unit to the one or more inventory shelves. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the management module coordinates fulfillment of an order comprising a plurality of inventory items by instructing one or more robotic transport units to transport, in succession, a plurality of inventory shelves that store the plurality of inventory items to the one or more designated locations. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the management module is further configured to transmit instructions to the robotic transport unit to transport the one or more inventory shelves to a storage location in the workspace, the storage location being selected by the management module based at least in part on the frequency with which inventory items stored by the one or more inventory shelves are requested by the order fulfilment operations. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the management module selects the robotic transport unit from a plurality of available robotic transport units for carrying out particular order fulfillment operations based at least in part on one or more metrics associated with the plurality of robotic transport units, the robotic transport unit being selected based on a first metric being less than at least a second metric associated with another of the plurality of available robotic transport units. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the management module, upon instructing the robotic transport unit to retrieve an inventory shelf, initiates a docking operation by which the robotic transport unit moves beneath the inventory shelf and actuates a docking mechanism that initiates contact with at least a portion of the inventory shelf. 
     
     
         52 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a management module, an order comprising a first inventory item and a second inventory item;   locating, by the management module, inside a workspace a first inventory shelf storing the first inventory item and a second inventory shelf storing the second inventory item;   wirelessly transmitting, from the management module to a first robotic transport unit, one or more first instructions, to retrieve the first inventory shelf and transport the first inventory shelf to an order fulfillment location; and   wirelessly transmitting, from the management module to a second robotic transport unit, one or more second instructions to retrieve the second inventory shelf and transport the second inventory shelf to the order fulfillment location;   wherein the management module determines the one or more first instructions and the one or more second instructions such that the first robotic transport unit delivers the first inventory shelf at a first time to the order fulfilment location and the second robotic transport unit successively delivers the second inventory shelf at a second time after the first time to the order fulfilment location.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising transmitting, from the management module to the order fulfillment location, one or more third instructions to retrieve the first inventory item from the first inventory shelf and to retrieve the second inventory item from the second inventory shelf. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the one or more first instructions comprise a location of the first inventory shelf and information to facilitate navigation of the first robotic transport unit to the first inventory shelf. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising selecting, by the management module, the first robotic transport unit to retrieve the first inventory shelf based on one or more metrics associated with the first robotic transport unit and the second robotic transport unit, the first robotic transport unit being selected based on a first metric being less than at least a second metric associated with the second robotic transport unit. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising selecting, by the management module, the first inventory shelf from a plurality of inventory shelves storing the first inventory item, the first inventory shelf being selected based on a first metric being less than at least a second metric associated with another inventory shelf of the plurality of inventory shelves. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising selecting, by the management module, the order fulfillment location from a plurality of order fulfilment locations, the order fulfillment location being selected based on a first metric being less than at least a second metric associated with another order fulfilment location of the plurality of order fulfilment locations. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising selecting, by the management module, the first robotic transport unit for retrieving the first inventory shelf based on whether the first robotic transport unit is already traveling to the first inventory shelf. 
     
     
         59 . A system comprising:
 a first robotic transport unit;   a second robotic transport unit;   a management module configured to fulfill an order comprising a first inventory item and a second inventory item by issuing at least a first instruction to the first robotic transport unit and at least a second instruction to the second robotic transport unit in a workspace;   wherein the first robotic transport unit is operable to, in response to receiving the at least first instruction, initiate retrieval of a first inventory shelf storing the first inventory item and transport the first inventory shelf to an order fulfilment station in the workspace at a first time; and   wherein the second robotic transport unit is operable to, in response to receiving the at least second instruction, initiate retrieval of a second inventory shelf storing the second inventory item and transport the second inventory shelf to the order fulfilment station in the workspace at a second time, wherein the first and second robotic transport units arrive in succession at the order fulfilment station at the first and second times.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the management module is further operable to send at least a third instruction to the order fulfilment station identifying that the order comprises the first inventory item and the second inventory item. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the management module is further configured to determine the at least first instruction and at least second instruction to cause the first and second robotic transport units to arrive successively at the order fulfilment station and wherein the at least third instruction further identifies that the first inventory item is stored on the first inventory shelf and the second inventory item is stored on the second inventory shelf. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the first robotic transport unit, upon arriving at the first inventory shelf, initiates a docking operation by which the first robotic transport unit moves a center of gravity of the first robotic transport unit beneath the first inventory shelf and actuates a docking mechanism that initiates contact with at least a portion of the first inventory shelf, wherein the center of gravity of the first robotic transport unit is aligned substantially with the center of gravity of the first inventory shelf. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the first inventory shelf is associated with a storage location and the management module is further operable to initiate retrieval of the first inventory shelf based on whether the first inventory shelf is stored at the associated storage location.