DESC:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)

Title of Invention:
AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING AND STORAGE OF GOODS TO A WAREHOUSE INVENTORY

APPLICANT:
ARAPL RAAS PRIVATE LIMITED
An Indian entity having address as:
Gat. No.1209, Village Wadki, Pune-412308, Maharashtra, India.

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY
The present application claims priority from the Indian patent application, having application number 202321005558, filed on 27th January 2023, incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a supply chain, manufacturing, and logistics automation equipment systems, and more particularly to automatic transferring of cartons/bins to an inventory storage using a smart robot.
BACKGROUND
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure that are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements in this background section are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.
In logistics facilities, particularly in distribution centers or warehouses, the intricate process of storing and retrieving goods is crucial for efficient operations. Each individual type of item within these facilities is designated as a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), and each SKU is assigned a specific location for storage. The storage configurations vary, with items either openly placed on shelving racks or organized within compartmentalized containers such as boxes or bins. This organization ensures that items are readily accessible and can be swiftly retrieved when needed.
For companies engaged in online retail, a central warehouse serves as the hub for storing inventory and fulfilling customer orders. The central warehouse plays a pivotal role in the supply chain, receiving goods cartons either directly from a production facility or through third-party suppliers. Upon arrival at the warehouse, a warehouse worker takes charge of collecting the goods cartons at the entrance. The process involves the warehouse person navigating through the received cartons, carefully inspecting and managing the inventory. This initial stage requires attention to detail and accuracy to ensure that all incoming items are accounted for. Subsequently, the warehouse person undertakes the task of transporting the goods from the entrance to the designated inventory storage area within the central warehouse. Once at the inventory storage, the warehouse person places each item in its predetermined location.
This step involves a systematic approach to organizing the inventory, taking into consideration factors such as SKU types, demand patterns, and storage optimization. Whether stored openly on shelving racks or within compartmentalized containers, the goal is to create an organized and easily navigable system that facilitates efficient retrieval when fulfilling customer orders. This detailed process highlights the critical role of warehouse personnel in maintaining the integrity of inventory and ensuring that goods are readily available for order fulfillment. The overall efficiency of the central warehouse operation depends on the seamless coordination of these tasks, emphasizing the importance of precision and organization in the logistics and distribution process.
The current manual process of transporting cartons from the central warehouse's entrance to the inventory storage not only poses challenges but also raises critical concerns impacting various facets of warehouse management. Firstly, the labor-intensive nature of manually moving cartons to the inventory storage significantly hampers operational efficiency. The physical exertion required for this task not only consumes time but also demands a substantial workforce, leading to increased labor costs.
In addition to the labor-intensive process, the height limitation for storing items in the inventory storage shelves, capped at 2 meters, is a significant constraint. This restriction necessitates a larger footprint for the inventory storage, contributing to spatial inefficiencies and potentially increasing overall operational costs. The imposed height constraint also limits the warehouse's vertical storage capacity, preventing the utilization of vertical space for more efficient storage solutions.
Moreover, the manual handling of cartons during the storage process introduces a heightened risk of human error. Mistakes in placement or miscounting of items can lead to inaccuracies in inventory records, which may result in order fulfillment issues, customer dissatisfaction, and financial losses. The potential for errors in a manual system underscores the importance of transitioning to automated solutions that can enhance accuracy and reduce the probability of such mistakes.
Lastly, the substantial manpower required for the manual movement of cartons contributes to elevated labor costs. This not only includes direct labor expenses but also encompasses associated costs such as training, supervision, and potential injury-related expenses. Considering these challenges, there is a pressing need for a more streamlined and automated solution to optimize warehouse operations, mitigate risks, and ensure a more cost-effective and efficient supply chain.
Thus, there is a need of solution which overcome the at least the issues/challenges related to the manual distribution of cartons/bins at the inventory storage and facilitating automatic transfer and storage of cartons in an inventory storage of the central warehouse.
SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a system and a method for automatically putting away goods from a put away zone to an inventory storage of a logistic facility such as a warehouse and the concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one implementation, a system for automated handling and storage of goods in a warehouse is disclosed. The system comprises a memory and a processor. The processor may be coupled with the memory. Further, the processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory. The system may further comprise an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) coupled with the memory and the processor. The IWMS may be configured to manage and control warehouse operations. The system may further comprise a plurality of storage compartments. Each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments may be associated with a corresponding compartment identifier. Further, the system may comprise a plurality of put away bins for temporarily storing one or more cartons. Furthermore, each carton from one or more cartons may be associated with a corresponding carton identifier. The system may further comprise one or more smart robots for automatic handling and storage of one or more cartons in the warehouse. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more smart robots may be configured to receive one or more transport instructions from the IWMS. The one or more transport instructions may correspond to transporting one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins to the plurality of storage compartments. The one or more smart robots may be configured to navigate to the plurality of put away bins based on the received instructions for picking the one or more cartons. The one or more smart robots may further be configured to scan the carton identifier corresponding to each carton from the one or more cartons. Moreover, the one or more smart robots may be configured to pick the one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins and navigate to the plurality of storage compartments. Moreover, one or more smart robots may be configured to scan the compartment identifier of each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments, for identifying an empty compartment. The one or more smart robots may be configured to place the one or more cartons to the identified empty compartment. The one or more smart robots may be configured to update the IWMS with mapping of carton identifier with a compartment identifier of the empty compartment on which the carton has placed.
In another implementation of the present disclosure, a method for automated handling and storage of goods in a warehouse by using one or more smart robots is disclosed. The method may comprise the step of receiving one or more transport instructions from an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS). The one or more transport instructions may correspond to transporting one or more cartons from a plurality of put away bins to a plurality of storage compartments. Further, each carton from one or more cartons may be associated with a corresponding carton identifier. Each compartment from the plurality of storage compartment may be associated with corresponding compartment identifier. Further, the method may comprise a step of navigating to the plurality of put away bins based on the received instructions for picking up the one or more cartons. The method may further comprise one or more steps of scanning the carton identifier corresponding to each carton from the one or more cartons and picking the one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins. Furthermore, the method may comprise a step of navigating to the plurality of storage compartments. The method may comprise one or more steps of scanning the compartment identifier from the plurality of storage compartments for identifying an empty compartment and placing one or more cartons to the identified empty compartments. Moreover, the method may comprise one or more steps of updating the IWMS with mapping of carton identifier with compartment identifier of the empty compartment on which the carton has placed.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the Figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the Figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the like features and components.
Figure 1 illustrates a system (100) for automatically putting away goods from a put away zone to an inventory storage of a warehouse, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 2 illustrates estate architecture of a central warehouse (200) comprising an inward and staging zone (201), a put away zone (202), and an inventory storage (203), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 3a illustrates a flow diagram (300) describing method steps to be performed in an inward and staging zone (201) of the central warehouse (200), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 3b illustrates a flow diagram describing method steps to be performed in a put away zone (202) of the central warehouse (200), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 3c illustrates a flow diagram describing method steps to be performed in an inventory storage (203) of the central warehouse (200), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 4A-4B illustrates flow diagram specifying a method (400) for automated handling and storage of goods in the central warehouse (200), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before the present system and method are described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the system and its arrangement as described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. The present disclosure overcomes one or more shortcomings of the prior art and provides additional advantages discussed throughout the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application.
The terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, system or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment” in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
Referring to Figure 1, a system (100) for automatically putting away goods from a put away zone (202) to an inventory storage (203) of a central warehouse (200), is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The system (100) may comprise an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102), one or more user devices (104), and one or more smart robots (106). The IWMS (102), the one or more user devices (104) and the one or more smart robots (106) may communicate to send or receive data with each other through a network (108). The network (108) may comprise any one of the following: a cable network, a wireless network, a telephone network (e.g., Analog, Digital, POTS, PSTN, ISDN, xDSL), a cellular communication network, a mobile telephone network (e.g., CDMA, GSM, NDAC, TDMA, E-TDMA, NAMPS, WCDMA, CDMA-2000, UMTS, 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G), a radio network, an Internet, an Intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or short-range communication network. However, the network used for communication is not limited to the above example, a person skilled in the art may use any other communication means known to a person skilled in the art. The system (100) comprises a memory and a processor coupled with the memory. The processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory. The IWMS (102) may be configured to manage and control warehouse operations of the centralized warehouse (200). The IWMS (102) may be coupled with the memory and the processor. The processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory for automatically putting away one or more cartons from the put away zone (202) to an inventory storage (203) of the central warehouse (200). The IWMS (102) can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of both, including using where suitable, one or more computer programs, mobile applications or “apps” by deploying either on-premises over the corresponding computing terminals or virtually over cloud infrastructure. The IWMS (102) may comprises various micro-services or groups of independent computer programs which can act independently in collaboration with other micro-services. The IWMS (102) may also interacts with a third-party or external computer system. Internally, the IWMS (102) may be the central processor of all requests for transactions by the various actors or users of the system. A critical attribute of the IWMS (102) is that it is able to concurrently and instantly complete an online transaction by a system user in collaboration with other systems.
The processor, in one embodiment, may comprise a standard microprocessor, microcontroller, central processing unit (CPU), distributed or cloud processing unit, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions and/or other processing logic that accommodates the requirements of the present invention. The memory, in another embodiment, may include any computer-readable medium or computer program product known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random-access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, Solid State Disks (SSD), optical disks, magnetic tapes, memory cards, virtual memory and distributed cloud storage. The memory may be removable, non-removable, or a combination thereof. The memory may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The memory may include programs or coded instructions that supplement applications and functions of the system (100). In one embodiment, the memory, amongst other things, serves as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by one or more of the programs or the coded instructions. In yet another embodiment, the memory may be managed under a federated structure that enables adaptability and responsiveness of the system (100). In one embodiment, the IWMS (102) utilizes the processor for executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory.
In one embodiment, the one or more smart robots (106) may comprise a motorized base, one or more shelves, a manipulator, an extendable lift, a processor, a memory, a communication module, and a power storage unit. A shelf from one or more shelves may be configured for picking and placement of the One or more cartons. The shelf may comprise height in the range of 500 to 3700 mm. In one embodiment, the one or more smart robots (106) may be a line tracing robot, an autonomous robot, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the motorized base is also equipped with a LIDAR system to assist in navigating the distribution site and avoiding obstacles. The LIDAR system emits lasers or light (e.g., ultraviolet, visible, or near infrared light) and analyses the reflection to image the surrounding area and identify safe navigable pathways. Underneath the motorized base are casters, drive wheels, and motors that allow the one or more smart robots (106) to move along x-y spatial planes within the central warehouse. In some embodiments, the extendible lift may be coupled to motors at the base. In another embodiments, the extendible lift may be coupled to a drive motor independent of the motors powering the robot wheels. The extendible lift may be a folding or collapsible framework that can expand to several heights. When fully collapsed, the extendible lift rises about one foot above the motorized base in some embodiments. When fully expanded, the extendible lift may rise over four meters above the motorized base in some embodiments. In some other embodiments, the motor powers the extendible lift pneumatically or with other mechanical means. One or more smart robots (106) may comprise multiple storage racks for carrying multiple cartons simultaneously. The IWMS (102) may control the operation and movement of the one or more smart robots (106). The communication module of the one or more smart robots (106) may be configured to send or receive information from the IWMS (102), and automatically handle or store, one or more cartons in the central warehouse (200).
The one or more user device (104) may comprise a variety of portable electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular device, mobile device, tablets, portable digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, netbooks, smart books, and the like. An application associated with the IWMS (102) may be installed on the user device (104). The user device (104) may comprise a communication module to communicate with the IWMS (102). Further, the user device (104) may comprise one or more optical sensors for ex. Camera for scanning the carton machine-readable code.
Now referring to Figure 2, an estate architecture of a central warehouse (200) is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The central warehouse (200) may be comprising an Inward and staging zone (201), a put away zone (202), and an inventory storage (203). The Inward and staging zone (201) may correspond to an area near an entrance of the central warehouse facility (200). The Inward and staging zone (201) may be used to receive goods cartons (unloading cartons from Truck). Further, the Inward and staging zone (201) may be used to perform prerequisite operations on the received cartons by a warehouse person (not illustrated). The prerequisite operations may comprise Unpacking of the one or more cartons for quality check, generating Goods Receipt Note (GRN), Data entry in IWMS (102), identification and verification of SKU details corresponding to cartons, printing machine-readable code corresponding to each carton from one or more cartons and more. The Inward and staging zone (201) may comprise a set of racks with multiple levels of the plurality of storage compartments. The set of racks of the Inward and staging zone (201) may be of a height up to 2 meters. The put away zone (202) may correspond to an area after the Inward and staging zone (201) for temporary storing of the one or more cartons before storing to the inventory storage (203). The put away zone (202) may comprise a set of put away bins for storing one or more cartons. Each put away bin of the put away zone (202) may correspond to a bin identifier mapped to a bin machine-readable code. The bin machine-readable code may be pasted to each bin of the put away zone (202). The bins of the put away zone (202) may be of a height up to 2 meters or more. The inventory storage (203) may correspond to a main storage area for storing all cartons. Each carton from one or more cartons is associated with a corresponding carton identifier mapped with carton machine-readable code. The inventory storage (203) may comprise a set of compartments for storing one or more cartons. Each compartment of the inventory storage (203) may correspond to a compartment identifier mapped to a compartment machine-readable code. The compartment machine-readable code may be pasted to each compartment of the inventory storage (203). The compartment of the inventory storage (203) may be of a height up to 4 meters or more. Storage at high shelving racks more than 4 meters may reduce the storage area of the inventory storage (203). The plurality of storage compartments corresponds to the multiple storage compartments that may be positioned above a typical height of human, constituting an arrangement of storage compartments elevated beyond human reach. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the compartment machine-readable code, carton machine-readable code, and bin machine-readable code may correspond to one of a linear barcode, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, quick response (QR) code, optical label, or a combination thereof. The plurality of storage compartments at the inventory storage (203) and plurality of put away bins at the put away zone (202) are different and placed at different locations in the central warehouse (200). In one embodiment, the one or more user device (104) of the system (100) may be configured to update mapping information of carton identifier with a bin identifier of the put away zone (202), to the IWMS (102). The update of mapping information to the IWMS (102) is performed by first scanning a bin machine-readable code and then the carton machine-readable code by the user device (104) and vice versa. In another embodiment, the one or more user device (104) of the system (100) may be configured to update mapping information of carton identifier with a compartment identifier of the inventory storage (203), to the IWMS (102). The update of mapping information to the IWMS (102) is performed by first scanning a compartment machine-readable code and then the carton machine-readable code by the user device (102) and vice versa. In yet another embodiment, one or more smart robots (106) of the system (100) may be configured to update mapping information of carton identifier with a compartment identifier of the inventory storage (203), to the IWMS (102). The update of mapping information to the IWMS (102) is performed by first scanning a compartment machine-readable code and then the carton machine-readable code by the smart robot (106) and vice versa.
The method steps performed in the inward and staging zone (201), the put away zone (202), and the inventory storage (203) may be described in detail with reference to Figures 3a, 3b, and 3c in subsequent paragraphs.
Now referring to Figure 3a, method steps to be performed in the inward and staging zone (201) of the central warehouse (200) are illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The central warehouse (200) may comprise the Inward and staging zone (201), the put away zone (202), and the inventory storage (203). The method steps to be perform at the inward and staging zone (201) may be as follows:
In step 301, the central warehouse (200) may have an inward gate to receive goods from a production facility or a third party. The warehouse person may receive the goods at the inward gate. The receiving of goods by the warehouse person may comprise unloading of goods cartons from a truck or a container. Further, the unloaded cartons may be staged near to a goods receipt note (GRN) station (not illustrated).
In step 302, the warehouse person may unpack the goods from the cartons and perform a quality check of goods from the cartons. The warehouse person may generate a goods receipt note (GRN) for each item from the cartons by using the user device (104) connected to the intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102). Further, the warehouse person may perform data entry related to quality check and GRN in the IWMS (102) through the user device (104).
In step 303, the warehouse person may further stag the one or more cartons near the put away zone (202).
Now referring to Figure 3b, method steps to be performed at the put away zone (202) of the central warehouse (200) are illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The method steps to be perform at the put away zone (202) may be as follows:
In step 304, the warehouse person may examine the size (or number of quantity) of the One or more cartons and the quantity of SKUs (unique code products) contained in each SKU carton. In one embodiment of identifying multiple SKUs in one SKU carton, the warehouse person may manually decant the items to create a single SKU per SKU carton. The warehouse person may make sure that each SKU carton is the specified size and contains a single SKU. In another embodiment, the warehouse person may examine the size (or number of quantity) of the one or more cartons and the quantity of SKUs (unique code products) contained in each SKU carton, and may directly proceed for Step 305, without decanting of items to create a single SKU per SKU carton.
In step 305, the warehouse person may share the SKU information and item quantities for each SKU carton, either in excel or by API, to the IWMS (102) through the user device (104).
In step 306, based on the SKU details and item quantity information of each SKU carton, the warehouse person may print a machine-readable code for each SKU carton. The machine-readable code for the one or more cartons may contain data such as the SKU information and the number of items in that SKU carton. In one exemplary embodiment, the goods may be t-shirts of various sizes. Each SKU carton may contain a different size and color t-shirt associated with a multiple SKUs. Alternatively, each SKU carton may contain the same size and color t-shirt associated with a single SKU (unique code). T-shirts in the 42 size and white colours in 50 quantities can be placed in a single SKU carton associated with single SKU information. Furthermore, the warehouse person may paste the machine-readable code on the corresponding SKU carton. In another embodiment, the machine-readable code generation and sticking operations may be automated. The IWMS (102) may instruct an additional robot to paste the machine-readable code on each SKU carton.
In step 307, the warehouse person may place each SKU carton in the bin of the put away zone (202). In one embodiment, after the placement, the warehouse person may scan the machine-readable code of the SKU carton and the bin machine-readable code of the corresponding bin of the put away zone (202) by the user device (104), for mapping the location of the SKU carton in the specific bin of the put away zone (202). The user device (104) may provide the location mapping data to the IWMS (102).
Now referring to Figure 3c, a flow diagram describing method steps to be performed at the inventory storage (203) of the central warehouse (200) is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The method steps to be perform at the inventory storage (203) may be as follows:
In step 308, the IWMS (102) may send one or more transport instructions to the one or more smart robots (106) for picking one or more cartons from the put away zone (202). The one or more transport instructions may correspond to transporting one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins of the put away zone (202) to the storage compartments of the inventory storage (203). In one implementation, one or more transport instructions may correspond to an immediate instruction, needs to be followed by the one or more smart robot (106) on urgent basis. In another implementation, one or more transport instructions may correspond to the scheduled instructions for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106). The IWMS (102) may also send shortest traveling path (along with picking instructions) to reach the put away zone (202). In an exemplary embodiment, one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifiers, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, location (geo-spatial) coordinates of the plurality of put away bins, location (geo-spatial) coordinates of the plurality of storage compartments, a shortest travelling path or a combination thereof. The one or more smart robots (106) may then move towards the put away zone (202).
In step 309, one or more smart robots (106) may firstly scan the machine-readable code of each carton, at the put away zone (202) to verify the instructions (Carton Identifier, Bin Identifier) received from the IWMS (102). After successful verification, the smart robots (106) may pick the SKU carton from the bin of the put away zone (202) and move towards the Inventory storage (203). In another embodiment, the smart robots (106) may pick the SKU carton from the bin of the put away zone (202), based on geo-spatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102).
In step 310, one or more smart robots (106) may scan the machine-readable code of each compartment of the Inventory storage (203). After successfully scanning, the one or more smart robots106) may place the SKU carton in the compartment of the inventory storage (203). The one or more smart robots (106) might not be able to scan the machine-readable code for the compartment if another carton has previously been placed in that location. The IWMS (102) may then assign another location for that placement and may then send instructions to the one or more smart robots (106). In one embodiment, one or more smart robots (106) may place the SKU carton in the compartment of the inventory storage (203), based on geo-spatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102).
In step 311, one or more smart robots (106) may place the SKU carton at the compartment of the inventory storage (203).
Now referring to Figure 4, a flowchart describing a method (400) for automated handling and storage of goods in the central warehouse (200) is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The method (400) may be implemented by the IWMS (102) with the help of one or more smart robots (106). The method (400) is structured as a step-by-step process.
At step (401), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) to receive one or more transport instructions from an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102). The one or more transport instructions may correspond to transporting one or more cartons from a plurality of put away bins of the put away zone (202) to a plurality of storage compartments of the inventory storage (203). Further, each carton from one or more cartons may be associated with a corresponding carton identifier. Further, each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments may be associated with a corresponding compartment identifier.
At step (402), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for navigating to the plurality of put away bins for picking the one or more cartons. The navigation may be based on the received transport instructions.
At step (403), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for scanning the carton identifier corresponding to each carton from the one or more cartons.
At step (404), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for picking one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins of the put away zone (202).
At step (405), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for navigating to the plurality of storage compartments of the inventory storage (203).
At step (406), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for scanning the compartment identifier corresponding to each compartment of the inventory storage (203) for identifying an empty compartment.
At step (407), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for placing one or more cartons to the identified empty compartment.
At step (408), the method (400) may enable one or more smart robots (106) for updating the IWMS (102) with mapping of carton identifier with compartment identifier of the empty compartment on which the carton has placed.
The embodiments illustrated above, especially related to the method and system for automatically putting away goods from the put away zone (202) to the inventory storage (203) may provide, but are not limited to, following technical advancements:
• Reduction in manpower for placing the SKU cartons at the inventory storage (203)
• Needs less area to store the SKU cartons at inventory storage (203) as smart robot (106) can put the SKU cartons at high shelving racks upto 4 meters or more.
• Increase accuracy of placement of SKU cartons and eliminate risk of human errors.
• Smart robot can work 24 hours without rest.
• Save time for placing the SKU cartons at the inventory storage (203) due to automated robotic transportation and time management by the IWMS (102).
• Achieve high precision and accuracy.
Various modifications to the embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments illustrated but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure.
The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs or the description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A system (100) for automated handling and storage of goods in a central warehouse (200), characterized in that, the system (100) comprises:
a memory;
a processor coupled with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory;
an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102) coupled with the memory and the processor, wherein the IWMS (102) is configured to manage and control warehouse operations;
a plurality of storage compartments, wherein each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments is associated with a corresponding compartment identifier;
a plurality of put away bins for temporarily storing one or more cartons, wherein each carton from one or more cartons is associated with a corresponding carton identifier;
one or more smart robots (106) for automatic handling and storage of one or more cartons in the central warehouse (200), wherein one or more smart robots (106) are configured to:
receive one or more transport instructions from the IWMS (102), wherein the one or more transport instructions correspond to transporting the one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins to the storage compartments;
navigate to the plurality of put away bins, based on the received instructions, for picking the one or more cartons;
scan the carton identifier corresponding to each carton from the one or more cartons;
pick the one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins;
navigate to the plurality of storage compartments;
scan the compartment identifier corresponding to each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments, for identifying an empty compartment;
place the one or more cartons to the identified empty compartment, and
update the IWMS (102) with mapping of carton identifier with compartment identifier of the empty compartment on which the carton has placed.
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each bin from the plurality of put away bins is associated with a corresponding bin identifier.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system (100) comprises one or more user devices (104) configured to input location information of one or more cartons into the IWMS (102); wherein one or more user devices (104) are configured to input mapping of carton identifier with the corresponding bin identifier.

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compartment identifier corresponds to a compartment machine-readable code; wherein the carton identifier corresponds to a carton machine-readable code; wherein the bin identifier corresponds to a bin machine-readable code; wherein each of the compartment machine-readable code, carton machine-readable code, and bin machine-readable code correspond to one of a linear barcode, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, quick response (QR) code, optical label, or a combination thereof.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more smart robots (106) comprise multiple storage racks for carrying multiple cartons simultaneously; wherein one or more smart robots (106) corresponds to one of a line tracing robot, autonomous robot, or a combination thereof.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of storage compartments and plurality of put away bins are different and placed at different locations in the central warehouse (200).

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more transport instructions are instructions scheduled for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106); wherein one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifier, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, location coordinates of the plurality of put away bins, location coordinates of the plurality of storage compartments, a shortest travelling path or a combination thereof.

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more smart robots (106) are configured to receive a different compartment identifier, from the IWMS (102), in response to not identifying the empty storage compartment.

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of storage compartments corresponds to the multiple storage compartments positioned above a typical height of human, constituting an arrangement of storage compartments elevated beyond human reach.

10. A method (400) for automated handling and storage of goods in a central warehouse (200), by one or more smart robots (106), characterized in that, the method (400) comprising:

receiving (401) one or more transport instructions from an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102), wherein the one or more transport instructions correspond to transporting one or more cartons from a plurality of put away bins to a plurality of storage compartments, wherein each carton from one or more cartons is associated with a corresponding carton identifier, wherein each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments is associated with a corresponding compartment identifier;

navigating (402) to the plurality of put away bins, based on the received transport instructions, for picking the one or more cartons;

scanning (403) the carton identifier corresponding to each carton from the one or more cartons;

picking (404) the one or more cartons from the plurality of put away bins;

navigating (405) to the plurality of storage compartments;

scanning (406) the compartment identifier corresponding to each compartment from the plurality of storage compartments, for identifying an empty compartment;

placing (407) the one or more cartons to the identified empty compartment, and

updating (408) the IWMS (102) with mapping of carton identifier with compartment identifier of the empty compartment on which the carton has placed.

11. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method (400) comprises updating the IWMS (102) with mapping of carton identifier with a corresponding bin identifier of the plurality of put away bins.

12. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the compartment identifier corresponds to a compartment machine-readable code; wherein the carton identifier corresponds to a carton machine-readable code; wherein the bin identifier corresponds to a bin machine-readable code; wherein each of the compartment machine-readable code, carton machine-readable code, and bin machine-readable code correspond to one of a linear barcode, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, quick response (QR) code, optical label, or a combination thereof.

13. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein one or more transport instructions are instructions scheduled for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106); wherein one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifier, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, location coordinates of the plurality of put away bins, location coordinates of the plurality of storage compartments, a shortest travelling path or a combination thereof.

14. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method (400) comprises receiving a different compartment identifier by the one or more smart robots (106), from the IWMS (102), in response to not identifying the empty storage compartment.
Dated this 27th day of January 2023