Systems and Methods for Object Storage and Retrieval

Abstract

Described in detail herein is an autonomous object storage and retrieval system. In one embodiment, an object storage and retrieval system includes a computing system hosting a service application and in communication with a database and storage and retrieval apparatuses configured to store and dispense physical objects. Each storage and retrieval apparatus is in communication with the computing system. The computing system can transmit instructions to a first one of the storage and retrieval apparatuses to render the status of the first physical object on the interactive display of the storage and retrieval apparatus.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An object storage and retrieval system, the system comprising:
 a plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses configured to store and dispense a plurality of physical objects a first storage and retrieval apparatus of the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses is configured to:   receive information for one or more supplemental physical objects based on identities of a first set of physical object external to the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   fail to determine the one or more supplemental physical objects are within the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   transmit a request to at least a second storage and retrieval apparatus of the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses for the one or more supplemental physical objects;   receive the one or more supplemental physical objects for storage or dispensing; and   generate an alert for the user to indicate that the one or more supplemental physical objects are available at the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more terminals in communication the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatus, the one or more terminals configured to:
 receive information associated with the first set of physical objects interfacing with the one or more terminals;   receive information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the information associated with the first set of physical objects; and   transmit the information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects to the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computing system including a database in communication with the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses further include a reader, and the first storage and retrieval apparatus is further configured to:
 read one or more machine-readable elements or one or more radiofrequency identifier (RFID) tags disposed on the first set of physical objects, as the first set of physical objects traverses passed the reader associated with the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   transmit one or more identifiers associated with the one or more machine readable elements or the one or more RFID tags read by the reader to the computing system.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the computing system is configured to:
 query the database using the one or more identifiers to retrieve the information associated with the first set of physical objects;   identify the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the information associated with the first set of physical objects;   transmit information associated the one or more supplemental physical objects to the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user device including an optical scanner, the user device configured to:
 execute an application; and   scan identifiers associated with first set of physical objects using the optical scanner.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first storage and retrieval apparatus is configured to:
 interface with the application executed on the user device; and   identify the information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the scanned identifiers of the first set of physical objects.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first storage and retrieval apparatus is a first storage tower and the second storage and retrieval apparatus is a second storage tower, each of the first and second storage towers having a housing and including a shelving unit disposed within the housing, a controller, a transport apparatus, an input device, and an interactive display,
 wherein the one or more supplemental physical objects are autonomously transported from the second storage tower to the first storage tower in response to the request.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second storage towers includes one or more receptacles defining one or more openings in the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a first of the one or more receptacles of the first storage towers is configured to be aligned with a second of the one or more receptacles of the second storage tower. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the second storage tower is configured to transport, via the transport apparatus of the second storage tower, the one or more supplemental physical objects to the second receptacle of the second storage tower. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first storage tower is configured to receive the one or more supplemental physical objects, via the first receptacle of the first storage tower aligned to the second receptacle of the second storage tower. 
     
     
         13 . An object storage and retrieval method, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a first storage and retrieval apparatus of a plurality of storage apparatuses information for one or more supplemental physical objects based on identities of a first set of physical object external to the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   failing, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, to determine the one or more supplemental physical objects are within the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   transmitting, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, a request to at least a second storage and retrieval apparatus of the plurality of storage apparatuses for the one or more supplemental physical objects;   receiving, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, the one or more supplemental physical objects for storage or dispensing; and   generating, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, an alert for the user to indicate that the one or more supplemental physical objects are available at the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving, via one or more terminals in communication with the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses, information associated with the first set of physical objects interfacing with the one or more terminals;   receiving, via the one or more terminals, information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the information associated with the first set of physical objects; and   transmitting, via the one or more terminals, the information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects to the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a computing system including is in communication with the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 reading, via an reader of the first storage and retrieval apparatus, one or more machine-readable elements or one or more radiofrequency identifier (RFID) tags disposed on the first set of physical objects, as the first set of physical objects traverses past the reader associated with the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   transmitting, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, one or more identifiers associated with the one or more machine readable elements or the one or more RFID tags read by the reader to the computing system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 querying, via the computing system, the database using the one or more identifiers to retrieve the information associated with the first set of physical objects;   identifying, via the computing system, the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the information associated with the first set of physical objects;   transmitting, via the computing system, information associated the one or more supplemental physical objects to the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 executing, via a user device including an optical scanner, an application; and   scanning, via the user device, identifiers associated with the first set of physical objects using the optical scanner.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 interfacing, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, with the application executed on the user device; and   identifying, via the first storage and retrieval apparatus, the information associated with the one or more supplemental physical objects based on the scanned identifiers of the first set of physical objects.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses include a first storage tower and a second storage tower, each of the plurality of storage towers having a housing and including a shelving unit disposed within the housing, a controller, a transport apparatus, an input device, and an interactive display,
 wherein each of the first and second of storage towers includes one or more receptacles defining one or more openings in the housing, wherein a first of the one or more receptacles of the first storage towers is configured to be aligned with a second of the one or more receptacles of the second storage tower, and wherein the method further comprises: transporting, via the transport apparatus of the second storage tower, the one or more supplemental physical objects to the second receptacle of the second storage tower; and   transporting, receiving the one or more supplemental physical objects, via the first receptacle of the first storage tower aligned to the second receptacle of the second storage tower.   
     
     
         21 . An object storage and retrieval system, the system comprising:
 a plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses configured to store and dispense a plurality of physical objects, a first storage and retrieval apparatus of the plurality of storage apparatuses is configured to:   identify one or more supplemental physical objects associated with the first set of physical objects, based on identities of a first set of physical object external to the first storage tower, stored within the first storage and retrieval apparatus;   generate an alert for a user to indicate that the one or more supplemental physical objects are available at the first storage and retrieval apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . An object storage and retrieval system, the system comprising:
 a computing system;   a plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses configured to store and dispense a plurality of physical objects, each of the plurality of storage and retrieval apparatuses in communication with the computing system ; and   wherein the computing system is configured to receive information associated with first set of physical objects disposed in a facility, identify one or more supplemental physical objects based on the information associated with the first set of physical objects, fail to identify the one or more supplemental physical objects are stored within the first storage and retrieval apparatus, and transmit an alert to load the one or more supplemental physical objects in the first storage and retrieval apparatus.