Patents Assigned to ALERT INNOVATION INC.
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Patent number: 11267651Abstract: An automatic storage and retrieval system is disclosed including storage positions for storing containers, a portal and mobile robots for transferring the containers between the storage positions and portal. The portal may include a bot-access side where the mobile robots transfer containers to and from the portal, and a user-access side where users remove items from the containers.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, Jr., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, David Hartnett
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Publication number: 20220063910Abstract: An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a “put” location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
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Publication number: 20220036295Abstract: A combination automated-service and self-service store for implementation at brick-and-mortar retail locations is provided. The store and corresponding method of implementation is an automated-service model in which robots, deployed at the brick-and-mortar location, fill orders for fungible goods placed by customers either online or in-store. The store also includes a shopping section where customers can select/order items and/or personally select non-fungible goods. The store includes a shopping section for non-fungible goods that customers prefer to pick out by hand and a back end automated order fulfillment section for other goods (e.g., fungible goods, dry goods, etc.). The two sets of goods are merged to a delivery bundle and delivered together for pickup by the customer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventor: John G. Lert, JR.
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Publication number: 20220033183Abstract: An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a “put” location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Patent number: 11235928Abstract: A system and method for storage and retrieval are provided. The system includes a multi-level storage structure, and mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote, container, or object. This system and method can be used in order-fulfillment applications in which one or more workstations accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a put location, and an input/output interface induct material into the system and discharge fulfilled orders from the system. The mobile robots are further configured to move from level to level in the multi-level storage structure via inclined or vertical tracks without requiring a vertical lift or vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: John G. Lert, Jr., William J. Fosnight
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Patent number: 11203486Abstract: An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a “put” location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: John G. Lert, Jr., William J. Fosnight, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
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Publication number: 20210380343Abstract: A workstation receives bots carrying order totes and bots carrying product totes for transfer of goods from the product totes to the order totes. The workstation comprises a robot for automated transfer of goods between the product and order totes, but may also have a station for an operator to perform manual transfer. Cameras may be provided to capture images of the product and/or order totes to identify contents of totes and to identify positions where goods are to be picked from the product totes and placed into the order totes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, John G. Lert, JR., Christopher Hofmeister
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Patent number: 11192719Abstract: An automated decant system is disclosed for processing pallets of cased goods received at a facility, extracting packaging for the cases and transferring eaches within the cases to totes, possibly organized by SKU in sub-totes within the tote.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: John G. Lert, Jr., William J. Fosnight, Charles W. Su, Christopher Hofmeister
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Publication number: 20210323769Abstract: A rack or racking system is disclosed for use in inventory management, order fulfillment and automation-based capacity planning. The racking system includes expandable and collapsible racks used to transport containers, for example, totes, which in the expanded configuration can attach to a load/unload fixture that enables bots to load totes onto the racks and/or unload totes from the racks, and in the collapsed configuration can be loaded onto a truck that transports the totes between facilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Patent number: 11142402Abstract: A combination automated-service and self-service store for implementation at brick-and-mortar retail locations is provided. The store and corresponding method of implementation is an automated-service model in which robots, deployed at the brick-and-mortar location, fill orders for fungible goods placed by customers either online or in-store. The store also includes a shopping section where customers can select/order items and/or personally select non-fungible goods. The store includes a shopping section for non-fungible goods that customers prefer to pick out by hand and a back end automated order fulfillment section for other goods (e.g., fungible goods, dry goods, etc.). The two sets of goods are merged to a delivery bundle and delivered together for pickup by the customer.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventor: John G. Lert, Jr.
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Patent number: 11142398Abstract: An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a “put” location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: John G. Lert, Jr., William J. Fosnight
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Publication number: 20210300664Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones. Containers include insulated wall panels and a thermal insert which may be chilled to maintain a temperature within the container below ambient temperature. Structure within a storage location for the containers may be used to open and close the containers to facilitate cooling of the thermal insert.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2020Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
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Publication number: 20210264552Abstract: A system and method for providing proxy picking of non-fungible goods within an automated storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The proxy picking system and method are configured to pick individually identified non-fungible goods according to a customer selection on an ordering screen based on measured attributes and images of the goods, the attributes selected by the customer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Publication number: 20210261335Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for supplying one or more goods to a physical store location. The goods may be received at a distribution center (DC). At the DC, the goods may be decanted from their shipping containers into one or more sub-totes, which are contained within one or more product totes. The sub-totes may be transferred from the one or more product totes to one or more order totes based on a velocity of movement of the plurality of goods at the physical store location.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Publication number: 20210237975Abstract: A system and method are disclosed relating to an automated store or system including an automated fulfillment section having a storage structure for storing fungible and/or non-fungible goods. The fungible and/or non-fungible goods may be retrieved from storage in response to a customer order. The system and method of the present technology allows retrieved fungible and/or non-fungible goods to be sorted and packed in accordance with stored customer preferences.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Publication number: 20210241217Abstract: A workstation is disclosed for transferring objects between containers such as product and order totes in an order fulfillment system. The workstation may include an object pick system, for example including a measuring array or a machine vision system, which directs and monitors the transfer of objects between the containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, Stephen Akiki
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Publication number: 20210229271Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system and mobile robot are disclosed, where the mobile robot includes a compliant drive for moving between levels of a multilevel storage structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, John G. Lert, JR., Michael Duquette, Martin R. Elliott, Julian Warhurst, Charles W. Su, Alan Grant
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Publication number: 20210221619Abstract: A system and method for managing a plurality of automated mobile robots within automated mobile robot storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The same mobile robot is enabled to move horizontally and vertically in a multi-level storage structure, operate in an order fulfillment mode retrieving order totes from an automated fulfillment section and delivering the order totes to the delivery section, operate in a replenishment mode receiving eaches of goods and depositing the eaches of goods in designated storage totes, and operate in a delivery mode receiving delivery bundles and transporting the delivery bundles to designated locations at the transfer station.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight, Matthew W. Coady
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Publication number: 20210224731Abstract: A system comprising a fully automated supply chain, in combination with tracking technology and the unified commerce engine (UCE). Such a system enables the exact location of every item (or each) to be tracked from the manufacturer's facility to a customer's bag.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: John G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight
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Patent number: 11053679Abstract: A collaborative mobile workstation system enables users of the workstations to position and reposition their own workstation in a few minutes or less, without requiring substantial disassembly and reassembly. The system enables arrangements that promote collaboration but that can also include open workstations and semi-private workstation formations with four or more substantive walls around a work surface. Each of the mobile workstations within the system is interchangeable with one another.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventor: John G. Lert, Jr.