In various embodiments, a goods to operator workstation is provided. The goods to operator workstation include an upper level. The upper level includes an upper level conveyor and one or more upper level container bays configured to receive and present one of the one or more upper level containers. The goods to operator workstation also includes at least one connector panel extending from the upper level. The goods to operator workstation further includes a lower level coupled to the at least one connector panel. The lower level is configured to receive one or more lower level containers.

A storage and order-picking system including a warehouse, wherein the warehouse includes a storage module formed by two racks including one rack aisle therebetween; separation stations associated with the storage module, each separation station having associated therewith a respective pick up location; separate conveying systems for feeding storage containers from the warehouse to the pick up locations of the separation stations, respectively; and a robot arranged between the separate conveyors such that the robot can pick up during one movement cycle from each of the separate conveying systems respectively one article and can deliver between the corresponding article pick up locations one article which has already been picked up to a deposition location.

A method of sensing a loaded state of articles in a storage bin and a robot implementing the method are provided. The robot senses a loaded state of articles received in the storage bin in real time or at regular intervals and includes the storage bin and storage bin sensors disposed outside the storage bin. The storage bin sensors are arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to a side surface of the storage bin.

A method of sensing a loaded state of articles in a storage bin and a robot implementing the method are provided. The robot senses a loaded state of articles received in the storage bin in real time or at regular intervals and includes the storage bin and storage bin sensors disposed outside the storage bin. The storage bin sensors are arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to a side surface of the storage bin.

A picking system is configured to pick items from, and put items into, storage containers. The picking system includes a picking station. The picking station includes: a picking system controller configured to receive product orders from a warehouse management system; at least one container contents handling position; a camera configured to produce an image of contents of a storage container; an image processing system in communication with the camera for processing the image produced by the camera in order to identify a position of a specific item in the storage container, and a robotic picking device. The image processing system is further in communication with a picking system controller and is adapted to inform the picking system controller of the position of the specific item. The robotic picking device is in communication with the picking system controller and is configured to, under guidance from the picking system controller, to pick said specific item from said position in the storage container. The camera and the robotic picking device are arranged to operate, at any one instance, on different containers such that the camera is producing an image and the image processing system is processing the produced image of the contents of a storage container in a first product order while the robotic picking device is handling a second storage container on the basis of an earlier image that has been produced by the camera and processed by the image processing system.

In some embodiments, a mobile tote system includes a closeable mobile tote comprising an enclosure that includes a first radio-frequency-reflective surface and at least one radio-frequency-transparent layer. The system may include an engagement component that includes an RFID scanner having an RFID antenna. The engagement component may be configured to engage the mobile tote and to align the RFID scanner with the at least one radio-frequency-wave-transparent interface of the mobile tote to permit transmissions between the RFID antenna and the interior of the enclosure to pass through the radio-frequency-wave-transparent interface.

A method in which a probability of the occurrence of a disruption is issued and/or a measure is initiated which reduces the probability of the occurrence of this disruption if the occurrence of a disruption is probable, bases the probability on unit load properties of a conveyed unit load. In this method, the transport of this unit load is classified with regard to whether or not a disruption occurs during the transport of this unit load. The unit load properties are fed into a learning algorithm together with the transport classification. By repeating the steps for a number of unit loads, the probability of the occurrence of a disruption during the transport of the unit loads can be computed. Further, a picking system carries out the method presented.

A widget device for use in delivering products or items stored on a storage unit to a transfer system, is described herein. The widget device includes a shell, a positioning magnet mounted to the shell and deployable to selectively contact the storage unit to hold the widget device at a desired location associated with a corresponding product or item, and a processor programmed to operate the positioning magnet to control a position of the widget device with respect to the storage unit.

A widget device for use in delivering products or items stored on a storage unit to a transfer system, is described herein. The widget device includes a shell, a positioning magnet mounted to the shell and deployable to selectively contact the storage unit to hold the widget device at a desired location associated with a corresponding product or item, and a processor programmed to operate the positioning magnet to control a position of the widget device with respect to the storage unit.

Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for automated product sorting and coordinated delivery using autonomous delivery vehicles within a facility. In exemplary embodiments, a system scans machine readable identifiers affixed to items, and sorts the items into two or more categories. A selected item is identified as scheduled to be picked up in-facility based on the scanning of the machine-readable identifier. An optimal route within the facility from the automated sorting device to an in-facility location is determined for a selected autonomous delivery vehicle based at least in part on at least one of facility traffic patterns, locations of other autonomous delivery vehicles, a number of items to be delivered, and additional tasks that can be performed by the selected autonomous delivery vehicle while delivering the item. The selected autonomous delivery vehicle navigates along the optimal route to the in-facility location to deliver the selected item to the in-facility location.