A storage system includes a storage device and a transfer device. The storage device includes a guide bar, a plurality of upper shelves connected to the guide bar, the plurality of upper shelves storing a material to be transferred, a plurality of lower shelves disposed under the plurality of upper shelves, the plurality of lower shelves storing the material, a plurality of guides connected to the plurality of upper shelves, and a shelf returning device connected to a selected upper shelf from among the plurality of upper shelves. The transfer device includes a body, a drive module attached to the body, the drive module moving the transfer device to be adjacent to the storage device, a handling module attached to the body, the handling module handling the material, and a shelf moving module attached to the body or the handling module, the shelf moving module contacting a selected guide from among the plurality of guides.

A storage system includes a storage device and a transfer device. The storage device includes a guide bar, a plurality of upper shelves connected to the guide bar, the plurality of upper shelves storing a material to be transferred, a plurality of lower shelves disposed under the plurality of upper shelves, the plurality of lower shelves storing the material, a plurality of guides connected to the plurality of upper shelves, and a shelf returning device connected to a selected upper shelf from among the plurality of upper shelves. The transfer device includes a body, a drive module attached to the body, the drive module moving the transfer device to be adjacent to the storage device, a handling module attached to the body, the handling module handling the material, and a shelf moving module attached to the body or the handling module, the shelf moving module contacting a selected guide from among the plurality of guides.

A mobile, rotatable, transport mechanism may include a rotating carrier having a plurality of conveyor sections. The rotating carrier may be moved within a facility by a robotic drive unit. In addition, the rotating carrier may be rotated between a vertical orientation for transport or storage, and a horizontal orientation for transfer of items or trays. A leveling mechanism may maintain the plurality of conveyor sections in a same relative orientation during rotation of the rotating carrier. Further, a height of the rotating carrier and/or angles of the plurality of conveyor sections may be adjusted to facilitate transfer of trays.

A mobile, rotatable, transport mechanism may include a rotating carrier having a plurality of conveyor sections. The rotating carrier may be moved within a facility by a robotic drive unit. In addition, the rotating carrier may be rotated between a vertical orientation for transport or storage, and a horizontal orientation for transfer of items or trays. A leveling mechanism may maintain the plurality of conveyor sections in a same relative orientation during rotation of the rotating carrier. Further, a height of the rotating carrier and/or angles of the plurality of conveyor sections may be adjusted to facilitate transfer of trays.

A method for dispensing discrete medicaments with a dispensing device includes the steps of predicting a depletion time in the future when the medicaments in the container of a first feeder unit of the plurality of feeder units will be depleted; providing a notification ahead of said depletion time that a second feeder unit holding medicaments with the same composition as the first feeder unit needs to be presented to the dispensing device, together with a due time for presenting said second feeder unit to the dispensing device; and continuing the dispensing of the medicaments from the first feeder unit at least until the due time.

A method for dispensing discrete medicaments with a dispensing device includes the steps of predicting a depletion time in the future when the medicaments in the container of a first feeder unit of the plurality of feeder units will be depleted; providing a notification ahead of said depletion time that a second feeder unit holding medicaments with the same composition as the first feeder unit needs to be presented to the dispensing device, together with a due time for presenting said second feeder unit to the dispensing device; and continuing the dispensing of the medicaments from the first feeder unit at least until the due time.

A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller.

A control device according to an embodiment includes a communication unit and a processor. The communication unit is configured to communicate with a transport vehicle and a host server, the transport vehicle being configured to move a movable shelf storing an article. The processor is configured to acquire from the host server, by the communication unit, a removal instruction indicating an article to be removed; specify, based on the removal instruction, the movable shelf having a plurality of shelves for storing the article and a shelf height at which the article is stored on the movable shelf; and switch between moving, by the transport vehicle, the specified movable shelf to a first position and a second position suitable for removing an article from a second shelf higher than the first shelf, based on the specified height.

According to an embodiment, a transport control device includes a storage unit, a control unit, and a communication unit. The storage unit is configured to store positional information relating to racks included in a plurality of rack groups provided at predetermined intervals, an outer aisle around the rack groups, an under-rack aisle under each of the racks, and a rack area in which a rack retrieved from the rack groups by a transport vehicle is placed, and management information for managing the racks. The control unit is configured to output a control signal for controlling the transport vehicle based on the positional information and the management information. The communication unit is configured to transmit the control signal to the transport vehicle.

According to an embodiment, a transport control device includes a storage unit, a control unit, and a communication unit. The storage unit is configured to store positional information relating to racks included in a plurality of rack groups provided at predetermined intervals, an outer aisle around the rack groups, an under-rack aisle under each of the racks, and a rack area in which a rack retrieved from the rack groups by a transport vehicle is placed, and management information for managing the racks. The control unit is configured to output a control signal for controlling the transport vehicle based on the positional information and the management information. The communication unit is configured to transmit the control signal to the transport vehicle.