Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable intelligent speed control of conveyors (e.g., singulator conveyors, sortation conveyors, etc.) in a material handling system.

Abstract: A robotic carton unloader for automatic unloading of canons from a carton pile. In various embodiments, a robotic carton unloader may comprise a mobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector configured to unload a row of cartons in a side-by-side orientation from the carton pile, and a conveyor system mounted on the mobile body and configured to receive the row of cartons from the end effector in the side-by-side orientation. In various embodiments the conveyor system may comprise a front-end descrambler and a central descrambler coupled to the front-end descrambler. In various embodiments, the robotic arm may be configured to straddle at least a portion of the mobile body and at least a portion of the conveyor system such that the conveyor system conveys cartons from the carton pile through the robotic arm.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory media of the various embodiments provide dynamic cubby logic that enables cubbies of a put wall to be assigned to orders as items for the orders are received at the put wall. In an embodiment, batches or waves of orders may be generated and released without cubbies of a put wall assigned to the orders. As the first item for an order is detected at the put wall a cubby from the available cubbies of the put wall may be selected for the order and all items of the order may be assigned the selected cubby. The cubby may be selected from the available cubbies based at least in part on a priority among the cubbies of the put wall.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable in store voice picking systems. In various embodiments, an end-to-end voice ordering and fulfillment system for a retail store may enable a customer to place an order over the phone, a personal shopper to be directed to fill the order via voice commands, and the order to be made available for pickup at the retail store by the customer or delivered to the customer from the retail store.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory media of the various embodiments provide dynamic cubby logic that enables cubbies of a put wall to be assigned to orders as items for the orders are received at the put wall. In an embodiment, batches or waves of orders may be generated and released without cubbies of a put wall assigned to the orders. As the first item for an order is detected at the put wall a cubby from the available cubbies of the put wall may be selected for the order and all items of the order may be assigned the selected cubby. The cubby may be selected from the available cubbies based at least in part on a priority among the cubbies of the put wall.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable graph based routing of containers and adjustments of container routing based on one or more current material handling system state. The various embodiments enable examination and evaluation of the material handling systems using graphs to find an optimal route from a starting node in the material handling system to an ending node in the material handling system. In an embodiment, the graph may be a directed graph of edges and nodes of a material handling system. In an embodiment, the directed graph may include edge weights and the edge weights may be used to determine the optimal route for the container. In an embodiment, the edge weights may be updated as events occur in the material handling system which may result in dynamic routing of containers through the material handling system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor-readable storage media enabling the characterization of the current states of labor distribution and improved labor distribution management within distribution centers. In an embodiment, a computing device may be configured to analyze data related to the workloads of various tasks performed in a distribution center as well as data related to labor to determine state information that represent whether the tasks are adequately staffed for a given time and generate and/or display graphical information related to the adequacy of labor distribution for the various tasks of the distribution center. The computing device may assign state indicators that code, rank, or otherwise characterize the current labor distribution for tasks. The computing device may re-assign workers to various tasks performed within a distribution center by transmitting messages that re-assign a worker to a new zone and/or task.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable graph based routing of containers and adjustments of container routing based on one or more current material handling system state. The various embodiments enable examination and evaluation of the material handling systems using graphs to find an optimal route from a starting node in the material handling system to an ending node in the material handling system. In an embodiment, the graph may be a directed graph of edges and nodes of a material handling system. In an embodiment, the directed graph may include edge weights and the edge weights may be used to determine the optimal route for the container. In an embodiment, the edge weights may be updated as events occur in the material handling system which may result in dynamic routing of containers through the material handling system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable control of a conveyor having a plurality of zones each having a control module configured to control a selectable speed of the zone. The various embodiments are disclosed in connection with, but not necessarily limited to, accumulation conveyors with control systems which selectively set the speeds of zones based on conditions of upstream and downstream zones. The various embodiments are directed to improving efficiency of accumulation systems by controlling zones based upon consideration of conditions of neighboring zones. The various embodiment also enable the generation and use of translation tables correlating zones with network addresses of their respective control modules.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable storage media of the various embodiments enable warehouse control system automated processes to be dynamically created and changed by users. In the various embodiments, warehouse control system automated processes may be table based. In an embodiment, a user may download additional automated processes tables to add new automated processes to a warehouse control system. In another embodiment, a user may select the order and/or make-up of tasks forming the sub-processes of an automated process table.

Abstract: Methods, devices, non-transitory storage media, and systems that utilize operations including configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a slug-building merge mode, monitoring to identify a first predefined condition, configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a zippering merge mode in response to identifying the first predefined condition, monitoring to identify a second predefined condition, and configuring a first set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in the slug-building merge mode and a second set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to simultaneously operate in the zippering merge mode in response to identifying the second predefined condition.

Abstract: An order fulfillment system and method uses a robotic arm having an end effector for grasping an object. An arcuate structure is moveable within reach of the robotic arm. A conveyor system brings inventory to the arcuate structure and takes a container that holds picked inventory away from the arcuate structure. A control system fulfills an order by directing the conveyor system to bring inventory to the arcuate structure, positioning the inventory on the arcuate structure relative to the robotic arm, determining a selected inventory item for an order, commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from a pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order, and directing the conveyor system to take the container from the arcuate structure.

Abstract: An accumulation conveyor with individually controllable zones may be controlled in a manner which efficiently reduces the gaps between accumulated articles, accomplished by control logic which determines the existence of conditions conducive to reducing the gaps and implements the control logic as appropriate. The accumulation conveyor may be controlled in a coast to stop mode. The accumulation conveyor may be controlled in manner to detect and clear jams.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable control of a conveyor having a plurality of zones each having a control module configured to control a selectable speed of the zone. The various embodiments are disclosed in connection with, but not necessarily limited to, accumulation conveyors with control systems which selectively set the speeds of zones based on conditions of upstream and downstream zones. The various embodiments are directed to improving efficiency of accumulation systems by controlling zones based upon consideration of conditions of neighboring zones. The various embodiment also enable the generation and use of translation tables correlating zones with network addresses of their respective control modules.

Abstract: Methods, devices, non-transitory storage media, and systems that utilize operations including configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a slug-building merge mode, monitoring to identify a first predefined condition, configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a zippering merge mode in response to identifying the first predefined condition, monitoring to identify a second predefined condition, and configuring a first set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in the slug-building merge mode and a second set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to simultaneously operate in the zippering merge mode in response to identifying the second predefined condition.

Abstract: Virtual material handling systems can be used to drive the operation of real material handling systems for purposes such as testing and validation of the components of the real material handling systems. The real material handling system, in turn, can provide data regarding system operation which may be fed back to the virtual material handling system to control its function.

Abstract: A conveying surface is defined by outputs with respective orientations that can be varied while maintaining the input in a constant orientation, and which can be used to more than a single direction. Power may be transmitted from a source of linear power to the conveying surface through rotation about an axis perpendicular to the conveying surface.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable cartonization of products for store replenishment based on the individual store layout of each store of a group of stores to which the cartonized products are to be provided.

Abstract: A sortation conveyor includes a method of calibrating the control system to provide a calibration value indicative of the spacial correlation between the sort induct sensor and the first shoe sensor.

Abstract: A sortation conveyor has a plurality of pairs of slats which are generally aligned with each other and which define a portion of an upper conveying surface. A gap is defined between the slats of the pair which extends laterally. The gap may have an offset portion.