Patents by Inventor Foster Hinshaw
Foster Hinshaw has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11939158Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20230303329Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11661279Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20220356018Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11396427Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20220002083Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Robert SULLIVAN, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11124361Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20200399064Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 10759600Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20190177088Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 10239691Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 10207870Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20160236866Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Publication number: 20160185526Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20100316468Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassible.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2010Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: CasePick Systems, LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20080276505Abstract: A display for a data-appliance cabinet comprises a panel having front and rear surfaces and dimensions matching a front-side portion of a data-appliance cabinet allocated to an absent accessory device, a translucent window through the panel, a light source for illuminating the translucent window via the rear surface of the panel, and means facilitating installation of the backlit display.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2007Publication date: November 13, 2008Inventors: Foster Hinshaw, John Chiu
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Publication number: 20080046438Abstract: A database appliance in which two or more internetworked data storage units are used to coordinate the storage and retrieval of database records. One or more central database processing units are also associated with the data storage units. A network infrastructure provides the ability for the central database processors and storage processors to communicate as network nodes, with the network infrastructure using a communication protocol. A software application for executing database operations executes in a distributed fashion with portions of the database application executing on at least one central database processor and other portions executing on the data storage processors. At least a portion of the database application is implemented within and/or coordinated by a communication process that is executing the communication protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Inventors: Foster Hinshaw, Steven Almy, David Utter, Barry Zane
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Publication number: 20060129542Abstract: A system from processing database queries allows for cost and locale based distribution for execution of database queries. The database queries are executed on execution engines that provide flexible configuration and overlapping functionality. The system reduces various costs, including elapsed time, required to perform database queries. The system provides processing of a database query using a database catalog comprising database table locality information, record locality information and execution engine information. A query optimizer receives the query and accesses the database catalog to create a query execution plan comprising locality-based database operations. A central database operation processor providing a first execution engine executes the query execution plan by performing at least a portion of the locality-based database operations and distributing at least a portion of the locality-based database operations as a subplan.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2006Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventors: Foster Hinshaw, John Metzger, Barry Zane
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Publication number: 20050028134Abstract: This invention relates generally to a system for processing database queries, and more particularly to a method for generating high level language or machine code to implement query execution plans. In one preferred embodiment, the method begins by receiving a subject query, and then forming an execution plan corresponding to the subject query. The execution plan will typically have a sequence of component snippets or pieces and corresponding processes for implementing the pieces. For at least one piece in the plan, the process then (a) generates source code using different code generation techniques as a function of expected runtime processing machine types; and then (b) compiles the generated source code to form machine executable code for implementing the subject query. As a result, the query executed directly as machine executable code thereby avoiding runtime interpretation of the pieces in the execution plan.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2004Publication date: February 3, 2005Applicant: Netezza CorporationInventors: Barry Zane, James Ballard, Foster Hinshaw, Premanand Yerabothu
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Patent number: D590832Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Dataupia CorporationInventors: Foster Hinshaw, John Chiu