Pallet building system with flexible sequencing

Abstract

An automated palletizer for building a mixed case pallet, the automated palletizer including a case infeed section that feeds mixed cases to provide an input queue feed sequence of mixed cases. At least one pallet building robot is communicably connected to the case infeed section and is configured to receive mixed cases in the input queue feed sequence of mixed cases and place the mixed cases according to and dependent upon the input queue feed sequence of mixed cases to achieve building of the mixed case pallet at a predetermined substantially steady placement rate. A controller is communicably connected to the case infeed section and the at least one pallet building robot and is configured to generate a complete and steady mixed case placement plan that at least completes a predetermined overall portion of the mixed case pallet and that describes a predetermined planned position and attitude for each case.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is a non-provisional application filed on November 11, 2019, with U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 933,833, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Technology 1. Technical Field

[0004] The exemplary embodiments generally relate to automated storage and retrieval systems, and more particularly to automated palletizers.

[0005] 2. A brief description of related developments

[0006] Automated storage and retrieval systems with random access arrangements are desired for efficiently storing and retrieving high-order product mixes (e.g., boxes, parcels, handling cases, etc.) to fulfill customer orders for a wide variety of products. However, the fulfillment output of the automated storage and retrieval system (i.e., fulfilled customer orders) is limited in one aspect by the construction of mixed box pallets for fulfilling customer orders. Therefore, the output (and operational efficiency) of the automated storage and retrieval system depends on and is limited by the efficiency of the palletizer or pallet unit that constructs the fulfillment pallets for the mixed boxes. A suitable mechanical and structural arrangement of the pallet unit and its interface with the automated storage and retrieval engine (SRE) feeding the pallet unit only provides a degree of efficiency for the pallet unit or palletizer. It is desirable that the systems and methods in which mixed box pallets are structured and constructed from pallet units are also efficient, for example, to achieve the efficiency of the automated storage and retrieval system (i.e., the automated storage and retrieval engine and palletizer) in fulfilling customer orders. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The foregoing aspects and other features of this disclosure are explained in the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1A It is a schematic diagram of the load on the pallet according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0009] Figure 1B It is a graph illustrating the variation of box size within a representative group of boxes according to various aspects of this disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 It is used for box storage and retrieval, as well as for generation. Figure 1A A schematic diagram of an automated material handling system with pallet loads, and incorporated into various aspects of this disclosure;

[0011] Figure 2A yes Figure 2A schematic diagram of a flexible sequencer for an automated material handling system;

[0012] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1A A schematic plan view of a portion of the composite stacked layer of pallet load;

[0013] Figure 3A yes Figure 2 A schematic illustration of a palletizer having at least a portion of an exemplary pallet layer;

[0014] Figure 4 Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a palletizer in an automated material handling system;

[0015] Figure 5 It is a schematic high-level illustration determined based on a set of palletizer chassis placement sequence solutions from various aspects of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 6 Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 2 An exemplary data flow diagram of the order planning and fulfillment process of an automated materials handling system;

[0017] Figure 7 Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 2 An exemplary high-level illustration of a flexible sequencer for an automated material handling system;

[0018] Figure 8 Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 2 An exemplary flowchart of flexible sequencing of bins in an automated material handling system;

[0019] Figure 9A and 9B Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 7 An example of a flexible sequence matrix generated by a flexible sequencer;

[0020] Figure 9C Based on various aspects of this disclosure, such as Figure 9A and 9B A portion of the flexible sequence matrix shown;

[0021] Figure 10A-10D Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 2 and Figure 4 A schematic illustration of a palletizer having exemplary pallet layers at various completion stages;

[0022] Figure 11 Based on all aspects of this disclosure Figure 7A schematic example of a representative set of sequence solutions (or at least a portion thereof) generated by a flexible sequencer; and

[0023] Figure 12 Based on the various aspects of this disclosure for use Figure 2 An exemplary flowchart of the flexible sequencing of bins in an automated material handling system. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Figure 2 An exemplary automated storage and retrieval system 100 according to various aspects of this disclosure is illustrated. Although various aspects of this disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that various aspects of this disclosure may be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, elements or materials of any suitable size, shape, or type may be used.

[0025] As previously noted, the typical retail replenishment unit is a box, and according to various aspects of this disclosure, Figure 2 The automated storage and retrieval system 100 can be set up in a retail distribution center or warehouse, for example, to fulfill orders for replenishment goods received from retail stores for shipment in boxes, parcels, and / or mail packages. The terms box, parcel, and mail package are used interchangeably herein and, as previously noted, can be any container that can be used for shipment and can be filled by the producer in boxes or multiple product units. As used herein, a box or multiple boxes means a box, parcel, or mail package unit that is not stored on a pallet, handling box, etc. (e.g., not included). It should be noted that a box unit CU (also referred to herein as a mixed box, carton, and shipping unit) can include boxes of items / units (e.g., soup cans, cereal boxes, etc.) or individual items / units suitable for removal from or placement on a pallet (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 1AAccording to an exemplary embodiment, shipping boxes or box units (e.g., cartons, drums, boxes, crates, jugs, pallets or sets wrapped in shrink film, or any other suitable equipment for storing box units) may have variable sizes and may be used to store box units in shipment, and may be configured such that they can be stacked for shipment. It should be noted that, for example, when incoming bundles or pallets (e.g., from the manufacturer or supplier of the box units) arrive at the storage and retrieval system to replenish the automated storage and retrieval system 100, the contents of each pallet may be consistent (e.g., each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items—one pallet holds soup, and another holds grains). As can be appreciated, the boxes loaded on such pallets may be substantially similar, or in other words, homogeneous boxes (e.g., similar sizes), and may have the same SKU (otherwise, as previously noted, the pallet may be a "rainbow" pallet with layers formed of homogeneous boxes). When a pallet leaves the storage and retrieval system, it can contain any suitable number and combination of different carton units with a carton replenishment order (e.g., each pallet can hold different types of carton units—one pallet can hold a combination of canned soup, cereal, beverage packets, cosmetics, and household cleaners). The cartons combined onto a single pallet can have different sizes and / or different SKUs.

[0026] Also refer to Figure 1A and 1B A schematic perspective view of a generic mixed-use pallet constructed according to various aspects of this disclosure is shown. It should be noted that, for example, when incoming bundles or pallets (e.g., from the manufacturer or supplier of the pallet unit) arrive at the storage and retrieval system to replenish the automated storage and retrieval system 100, the contents of each pallet can be consistent (e.g., each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items—one pallet holds soup, and another holds grains). As can be appreciated, the boxes loaded on such pallets can be substantially similar, or in other words, homogeneous boxes (e.g., similar sizes), and can have the same SKU (otherwise, as previously noted, the pallet can be a “rainbow” pallet with layers formed of homogeneous boxes). Figure 1A The pallet PAL shown can be referred to as a horizontal layer pallet, where the pallet is constructed by placing boxes one box layer L121-L125, L12T at a time (as noted above, boxes can be placed individually or in partial or complete layers before proceeding to the next horizontal layer L121-L125, L12T, until the horizontal layer L121-L125, L12T is completed). Pallet PAL is a highly heterogeneous box order, where the degree of heterogeneity that may be encountered when constructing mixed box pallets can range from... Figure 1B The curves shown in the diagram provide a better understanding. Figure 1BThis is a graph illustrating the variation of box dimensions (e.g., length, height, and width) within a representative group of boxes, such as those found in storage and retrieval systems, used to generate mixed box pallets based on customer replenishment orders. As can be appreciated, orders can result in mixed box pallets, which include those with dimensions varying from those obtained from customer replenishment orders. Figure 1B The diagram illustrates multiple boxes representing different parts of the dimension spectrum. In one aspect, a pallet PAL (or a portion thereof) can be loaded with boxes arranged in rows or stacked in layers up to the maximum permissible pallet height. Boxes within a layer rest on the supporting surface of the lower box layer within the pallet PAL, and conversely, the surface of the lower box layer defines the boxes that can be placed in the upper layer. Relaxing the restrictions on the size of the lower box has adverse and undesirable effects on the stability of the pallet. Aspects of this disclosure overcome the stability problem, as will be further described below.

[0027] Highly heterogeneous pallet layouts (PALs) can be formed using a pallet planner (similar to the layout described in U.S. Patent 8,965,559, issued February 24, 2015, entitled "Pallet Building System," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), which is configured to plan pallet loads and the structure of individual sequencers. The pallet planner, in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent 8,965,559 (previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), generates planned pallet structures (i.e., mixed box layout plans) 184 according to a planning system or process, including boundary conditions and constraints imposed by pallet size, box characteristics, and packing efficiency. Figure 1A As shown, at least one layer of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure 184 has: a substantially flat deterministic top surface that forms a mounting surface for interchangeably placing mixed containers CU thereon, the mounting surface extending over a predetermined area of ​​the pallets covering the multiple stacked mixed container CUs of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure; or a free and uncertain surface that forms the topmost boundary surface of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure (see layer L12T).

[0028] It can be recognized that the generation sequence of resolving how to construct a complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184 is separated from the generation of the mixed box pallet layout plan 184. Separating the generation of the sequence from the generation of the mixed box pallet plan enables optimization of both: the mixed box pallet layout plan 184 (e.g., resolving the fulfillment of mixed boxes as a layout for efficient packing and stable pallet load PAL), and the mixed box solution sequence of the palletizers that build the pallet load PAL for the mixed box layout plan 184 (e.g., providing efficient (e.g., time-optimal or no-wait) substantially continuous box placement actions for the palletizers 162 that build the pallet load PAL, and robustness to compensate for sequencing anomalies that may occur in a series of extended retrieval transactions output by the storage and retrieval engine (SRE) 190, as will be further described herein).

[0029] As noted, fulfillment pallets are highly heterogeneous, such as Figure 1B The distribution of boxes shown in the diagram is illustrated. Figure 3 The illustration also shows a representative pallet layer plan, in which one or more box units S1-SN are stacked into corresponding pallet layers L121-L125, L12T by, for example, pallet generators 166, 166' in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent 8,965,559 (formerly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Figure 3A The diagram shows... Figure 3 The diagram shows one or more stacks of layers S, S i+1 S i+2 , ...S i+n The representative facade, of which S i+1 S i+2 , ...S i+n This can correspond to any one or more stacks of box units S1-SN. It should be noted that... Figure 3 The illustration is presented in two dimensions for illustrative purposes, but it should be understood that the layer can be three-dimensional (see also...). Figure 1A ), where each layer contains, for example Figure 3A The sides of the box units shown can be the front, rear, or both (if they do not define the pallet load edges). Each layer L121-L125, L12T (and each pallet load PAL) can have any suitable number of boxes arranged linearly and vertically. As another example of the heterogeneity of the pallet load PAL, exemplary box dimensions for a pallet layer with six boxes are provided in Table 1 below (these six boxes correspond to...). Figure 3A (The six boxes shown in the diagram). It should be noted that... Figure 3A The bin identifiers used in Table 1 are arbitrarily assigned and are used to distinguish between different mixed bins, and do not represent any sequence in any figure.

[0030] Table 1:

[0031] Box ID length width high weight Layer ID 1 352mm 425mm 312mm 15130g 1 2 403mm 314mm 211mm 7600g 1 3 301mm 175mm 418mm 10024g 1 4 344mm 329mm 137mm 5490g 1 5 202mm 167mm 189mm 2056g 1 6 287mm 424mm 68mm 3277g 1

[0032] Again, it should be noted that the information provided in Table 1 is exemplary in nature and is for illustrative purposes only. Similarly, Figure 3 and 3A The layers illustrated and / or described in Table 1 are predetermined representative layers L121-L125, L12T (or part of their mixed-box layout plan 184), and are similar to Figure 1A The diagram shows the load layer in the PAL (Panel Loading Alternate Layer).

[0033] Separating the solution of the placement sequence problem (analyzing the way / sequence of placing boxes to form a hybrid box layout plan 184) from the box placement problem is another advantage, as it allows the sequence problem to be separated from the conditions and constraints (as noted herein) that define the box placement solution. This alleviates the constraints on the sequencer system, in contrast to conventional systems that lack such capabilities, enabling the generation of both palletizing sequences (i.e., box delivery sequencers for one or more pallet building robots) and end-effector movements (e.g., pallet building robot position / control, pallet building robot movement paths / speeds, end-effector control for handling boxes, etc.), which are not limited to any particular pallet size, pallet structure, box size, or hardware constraints for one or more pallet building robots (e.g., number of pallet building robots, pallet building robot model / workspace, robot placement paths, end-effector design, pick-up conveyor design, etc.). Furthermore, as described herein, the system of the present invention is configured to interface a pallet layout planner (e.g., a pallet planner control or generator 166, 166' that communicates with and generates a mixed box layout plan 184 from a warehouse management system 2500 that provides mixed boxes or fulfills orders) to a storage and retrieval engine 190 and an automated palletizer 162 (also referred to herein as a palletizing station or palletizing unit) to formulate an optimal and flexible mixed box sequence solution from the mixed box layout plan 184 of the (pallet planner / generator 166, 166'), which is then transmitted to and influenced by the storage and retrieval engine 190 and the palletizer 162.

[0034] Also refer to Figure 2A The system of the present invention is referred to herein as a “flexible sequencer” 297 and provides an iterative (or heuristic) method that effectively reduces the pallet load PAL (or a portion of the pallet load covering a predetermined portion of the pallet area) for at least one container—see Figure 1AThe mixed container layout plan 184, and / or for at least one layer of L121-L125, L12T and / or for each container in each layer of L121-L125, L12T, reduces the mixed container layout plan 184 of pallet load PAL to a sequence of solving the sequence order (e.g., order) of at least one container, and for each container in each layer of L121-L125, L12T, establishes the pallet load PAL of the mixed container layout plan 184. When characterizing the sequence flexibility of at least one mixed container CU within the set of container placement sequence solutions, the predetermined arrangement of the mixed container layout plan 184 is reduced by at least one mixed container CU. For example, the set of box placement sequence solutions described herein parses the placement sequence of at least one mixed box CU in a pallet load PAL, so as to place at least one mixed box using at least one pallet construction robot 14 that constructs a mixed box layout plan 184, and to reduce the predetermined arrangement of the mixed box layout plan 184 to at least one mixed box that is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the pallet structure and the mixed box structure of the mixed box layout plan 184. As described herein, the mixed box layout plan 184 is reduced to boxes in the generated sequence solution. The sequence solution is deterministic for constructing the pallet load PAL for the mixed box layout plan 184, but not rigid, and has (as part of the sequence solution) flexibility, which, for descriptive purposes, can be considered and referred to as sequence switching, which (according to one aspect) corresponds to one or more mixed boxes in the sequence solution and is permitted (i.e., permitted switching), and is permitted (i.e., permitted switching) for each mixed box in the sequence solution relative to one or more other mixed boxes. One or more, or any desired number, of mixed boxes in the sequence solution, or the sequence flexibility (or switching) of each mixed box, is determined and is part of (in other words, embedded in) the generated sequence solution (as described herein), and can therefore be implemented substantially in real time by the palletizer 162 (switching sequences) (such as due to the error queue of the corresponding mixed boxes fed in by the storage and retrieval system 100), without having to re-determine the sequence solution (neither all nor the remaining portion of the sequence solution from the forward error queue boxes). A reference to real time is the transaction time (which can also be considered sequence time) from when the storage and retrieval engine 190 picks up (the sequence solution) representative mixed boxes from storage and feeds them into the palletizer for building pallet loads.

[0035] According to various aspects of this disclosure, system 100 can be configured to generally include an inbound section, a storage and sorting section (e.g., storage and retrieval engine 190), and an output section. As will be described in more detail below, system 100, for example operating as a retail distribution center, can be used to receive uniform pallet loads of boxes, break down palletized goods or separate boxes from the uniform pallet load into individual box units that are handled separately by the system, retrieve different boxes requested for each order and sort them into corresponding groups, and transport the corresponding box groups and assemble them into what may be referred to as a mixed pallet load. The inbound section can generally be able to resolve the uniform pallet load into individual boxes and transport these boxes via a suitable transport unit to the storage and sorting section. The storage and sorting section can then receive individual boxes, store them in a storage area, and retrieve the desired boxes individually according to commands generated based on orders entered into the warehouse management system for transport to the output section. The sorting and grouping of boxes according to orders can be performed wholly or partially by the storage and retrieval section or the output section or both, the boundary between which is conveniently described, and sorting and grouping can be performed in any number of ways, as will be further described below. The expected result is that the output section assembles the appropriate ordered box groups into a mixed box pallet load (MPL), these boxes which may differ in stock units (SKUs), size, etc. In all aspects of this disclosure, the output section generates the pallet load in a structured architecture that can be referred to as a mixed box stack. The structured architecture of the pallet load may be characterized by having several flat box layers L121-L125 (see...). Figure 1A ), where at least one is formed by a non-intersecting, self-supporting, and stable stack of multiple hybrid bins. For a given stack of hybrid bins L121-L125, L12T (see...). Figure 3 The stacks S1-SN in the stack have essentially the same height (see [link]). Figure 1A Thus, a generally flat top and bottom surface is formed for a given layer L121-L125, L12T, as can be achieved, and the quantity is sufficient to cover the pallet area or the desired portion of the pallet area.

[0036] An automated storage and retrieval system can generally be described as a storage and retrieval engine 190 coupled to a palletizer 162. Now, in more detail, and still referring to... Figure 2 The storage and retrieval system 100 can be configured for installation in, for example, an existing warehouse structure, or adapted to a new warehouse structure. As previously noted, Figure 2The system 100 shown is representative and may include, for example, inbound and outbound conveyors terminating at respective transfer stations 170, 160, lifting modules(s) 150A, 150B, storage structure 130, and multiple autonomous vehicle transport robots 110 (referred to herein as “bots”). It should be noted that the storage and retrieval engine 190 is formed at least by the storage structure 130 and the bots 110 (and in some respects, lifting modules 150A, 150B; however, in other respects, in addition to the storage and retrieval engine 190 as described below, the lifting modules 150A, 150B may form a vertical sequencer). Alternatively, the storage and retrieval system may also include a robot or bot transfer station (not shown) that provides an interface between the bots 110 and (one or more) lifting modules 150A, 150B. Storage structure 130 may include multi-level storage rack modules, each level including a corresponding pick-up channel 130A and a transfer table 130B for transferring box units between shelves of any storage area of ​​storage structure 130 and lifting modules(150A, 150B). Pick-up channels 130A and transfer tables 130B also allow machine 110 to place box units into pick-up inventory and retrieve ordered box units. Alternatively, each level may also include a corresponding machine transfer station 140. Machine 110 may be configured to place box units, such as those for retail goods described above, into pick-up inventory in one or more levels of storage structure 130, and selectively retrieve ordered box units for shipment to, for example, a store or other suitable location. The inbound transfer station 170 and outbound transfer station 160 can operate in conjunction with their respective lifting modules(s) 150A, 150B for bidirectional transfer of box units CU to or from one or more levels of the storage structure 130. It should be noted that while the lifting modules 150A, 150B can be described as dedicated inward lifting module 150A and outward lifting module 150B, alternatively, each of the lifting modules 150A, 150B can be used to transfer box units / boxes both inward and outward from the storage and retrieval system 100.

[0037] As can be appreciated, the storage and retrieval system 100 may include a plurality of inbound and outbound lifting modules 150A, 150B, which may be accessed, for example, by machine 110 of the storage and retrieval system 100, such that one or more box units not contained (e.g., not stored in a pallet) or contained (in a pallet or transport box) may be transferred from lifting modules 150A, 150B to each storage space at a corresponding level, and from each storage space to any one of lifting modules 150A, 150B at a corresponding level. Machine 110 may be configured to transfer box units between storage spaces and lifting modules 150A, 150B. Generally, lifting modules 150A, 150B include at least one movable payload support that can move the box unit(s) ... One or more lifting modules may have any suitable configuration, such as, for example, reciprocating lifting or any other suitable configuration. One or more lifting modules 150A, 150B include any suitable controller (such as controller 120 or other suitable controller coupled to controller 120, warehouse management system 2500 and / or palletizer controller 164) and may form a sequencer or sorter in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 444,592, filed June 18, 2019, entitled “Vertical Sequencer for Product Order Fulfillment” (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), which sequencers or sorters sequence mixed boxes CU according to a predetermined mixed box sequence solution generated for palletizer 162 as described herein to construct pallet load PAL.

[0038] The automated storage and retrieval system may include a control system comprising, for example, one or more control servers 120 communicatively connected via a suitable communication and control network 180 to inlet and outlet conveyors and transfer stations 170, 160, lifting modules 150A, 150B, and machine 110. The communication and control network 180 may have any suitable architecture, such as incorporating various programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for commanding the operation of the inlet and outlet conveyors and transfer stations 170, 160, lifting modules 150A, 150B, and other suitable system automation components. The control server 120 may include high-level programming for implementing a container management system (CMS) 120 that manages the container flow system. The network 180 may further include suitable communication for implementing a bidirectional interface with machine 110. For example, machine 110 may include an onboard processor / controller 1220. Network 180 may include a suitable two-way communication suite that enables machine controller 1220 to request or receive commands from control server 180 for the desired transport of the container unit (e.g., placement into or retrieval from storage location) and to send desired machine 110 information and data to control server 120, including machine 110 ephemeris, status, and other desired data. Figure 2 As shown, the control server 120 can be further connected to the warehouse management system 2500 to provide CMS 120-level programs with information such as inventory management and customer order fulfillment. A suitable example of an automated storage and retrieval system for storing and preserving bin units is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,096,375, published August 4, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The storage and disposal methods described above and as follows... Figure 2 Other suitable examples of automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) for box units, as illustrated in other ways, include, to the extent applicable, those from Dematic Corp. System and Autostore from Swisslog TM The system and the ASRS system from SSI Schaeffer.

[0039] Still referencing Figure 2In various aspects of this disclosure, the delivery section of system 100, and more specifically the delivery transfer station and the conveyor 160 extending therefrom, are used to transport box units retrieved from the warehouse to palletizer 162. The interface (not shown) between the delivery section conveyor and palletizer 162 can have any desired configuration that facilitates substantially unobstructed (relative to the output of the system delivery section) arrival and placement of ordered box units so that the palletizer, used to build mixed pallet loads (PALs), can pick up the box units without constraint. A palletizer controller 164 is provided to control the operation of palletizer 162. In the aspects of this disclosure shown, palletizer controller 164 may be a separate control server or processor (e.g., a PC) communicatively linked via a suitable network (e.g., network 180 or a different network) for bidirectional communication with control server 120, and more specifically for CMS-level programming of control server 120. Figure 2 Further illustration shows a scenario where the palletizer controller 164' can be integrated into the system control server 120. Therefore, as can be appreciated, control-level programming (implementing commands for palletizer operation) and higher-level palletizer programming such as utilizing pallet load generators 166, 166' can reside, as desired, on a processing platform common to the control server 120 or a remote platform palletizer controller 164. As can be further appreciated, the palletizer controllers 164, 164' can interface with the CMS program of the control server 120 to obtain, for example, information about the corresponding order and carton unit used by the pallet generator when generating pallet loads corresponding to the corresponding order. For example, the information found and provided to the palletizer controllers 164, 164' by the CMS program may include identification information of the corresponding order to be fulfilled, the sequence of orders to be completed, identification information (e.g., which cartons and how many cartons) of the corresponding order (e.g., SKU), queuing information of cartons initialized for retrieval and transport to the palletizer, changes to the applicability size data of the corresponding cartons, and any other desired information.

[0040] The delivery section of system 100 may include one or more inspection and / or dimensional measurement stations (not shown), whereby, for example, the identity of boxes corresponding to the corresponding order can be confirmed, box dimensions (in 3-D), and box integrity and palletizing suitability can be verified. Such inspection stations may be distributed within the delivery section or may be essentially a single station, for example, along the transport path of the delivery section, or, for example, located near or adjacent to the palletizer. Information from the inspection stations may be transmitted to CMS programs, such as for box conformity verification for the corresponding order, and resolution of any non-conformities. As previously noted, such box information is further shared or transmitted to the palletizer controller 164 for use by pallet load generator-level programs and programs that control the palletizer motors. If desired, the flexible sequencer 297 may be communicatively connected to the warehouse management system 2500 or any other part of the storage and retrieval system 100 for docking and transfer of desired information. For example, in one aspect and also referenced... Figure 5 Palletizer controllers 164, 164' are connected to a flexible sequencer 297 configured to generate a mixed box input queue feed sequence 444 from a set of one or more box placement sequence solutions 500 and to transmit at least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of one or more box placement sequence solutions 500 to a box feed unit 183 to provide an input queue feed sequence 444 of a mixed box CU including at least one of the mixed box CUs, wherein palletizer controllers 164, 164' command one or more pallet building robots 14 to move to pick up and place boxes for constructing a pallet load PAL using the substantially continuous box placement actions of palletizer 162, as will be further described herein. In other aspects of this disclosure, checkpoints as noted above may be located in the feed section, or the box unit information identified therefrom may be generated by any other suitable component and provided to the CMS program.

[0041] Storage and retrieval engine 190 transports the mixed case CU to one or more lifting modules / sorters 150A, 150B, whereby the lifting modules 150A, 150B pick up and deliver the mixed case CU, and feeds it into palletizer 162. (Reference) Figure 2 and Figure 4Each palletizer 162 (also referred to as a palletizer unit or station) generally includes a box feeder 183, a frame 300F, at least one pallet-building robot 14, and controllers 164, 164'. In one aspect, the palletizer 162 also includes a vision system having at least one three-dimensional time-of-flight camera 310C1, 310C2, 310C3, 310C4. A suitable example of the palletizer 162 is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 035,204, filed July 13, 2018, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Building a Pallet Load,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0042] The box feeder 183 feeds mixed boxes CU to provide an input queue feed sequence 444 of mixed box CU to the palletizer 162. A frame 300F defines a pallet building base 301 for pallet support SPAL. At least one pallet building robot 14 is connected to the frame 300F. This at least one pallet building robot 14 is communicatively connected to the box feeder 183 and configured to receive mixed boxes CU from the input queue feed sequence 444 of mixed box CU, and to place mixed box CU according to and depending on the input queue feed sequence 444 of mixed box CU, thereby achieving the construction of mixed box pallet PAL at a predetermined substantially stable placement rate. This at least one pallet building robot 14 is configured to transport and place pallet load item units (also referred to as mixed boxes) CU serially onto the pallet support SPAL to construct the pallet load PAL on the pallet building base 301 (see Figure A).

[0043] Palletizer controls 164, 164' are operably connected to the box feeder 183 and at least one pallet building robot 14, and are configured (using any suitable hardware and non-transient computer program code) to control the movement of the articulated robot relative to the pallet building base 301, thereby realizing the pallet load building BPAL of the pallet load PAL. Palletizer controls 164, 164' are configured to generate a complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184, which at least completes a predetermined integral portion of the mixed box pallet PAL, and describes the predetermined planned position and orientation of each box in the complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184 of the predetermined integral portion of the mixed box pallet PAL. As will be described in more detail herein, palletizer controls 164, 164' (or any suitable pallet building robot controller 14A, 14B) are configured to construct pallet PALs corresponding to a complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184 based on a box placement sequence generated by a flexible sequencer 297, wherein each sequence solution generated by the flexible sequencer 297 sequences the placement of mixed box CUs for constructing the mixed box pallet PAL, and wherein the set of solutions resolves the construction of the mixed box pallet PAL using at least one pallet building robot 14 based on the complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184. As noted above, the mixed box layout plan 184 presents an NP-hard problem of sequencing the mixed box CUs for constructing the mixed box pallet PAL. In one aspect, the flexible sequencer 297 is configured such that the generation of the set of box placement sequence solutions is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics (as described herein) defining the pallet structure and the mixed box structure of the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

[0044] The set of box placement sequence solutions characterizes the sequence flexibility of the placement sequence of mixed box CUs constructed by the robot 14 using at least one pallet construction robot 14 to construct a mixed box pallet PAL. As described herein, characterizing sequence flexibility identifies one or more mixed box CUs in a complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184, which has a predetermined characteristic that at least one of the one or more mixed boxes is independently ordered with respect to at least a portion of the sequence solution. In one aspect, the predetermined characteristic is the positional independence of each mixed box relative to adjacent boxes in the complete and stable mixed box layout plan 184. Positional independence is determined based on the set of box placement sequence solutions generated for at least one mixed box.

[0045] As will also be described in more detail herein, the flexible sequencer 297 is configured to transmit at least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of box placement sequence solutions to the storage and retrieval engine 190, which communicates with and is fed to the box feed unit 183 (e.g., any suitable one or more parts of the storage and retrieval engine 190 located upstream of the palletizer 162), in order to provide the input queue feed sequence 444 of the mixed box CU. The flexible sequencer 297 is also configured to transmit sequence flexibility to the controllers 164, 164' of each of at least one pallet building robot 14 to resolve error queues in the corresponding input queue feed sequence 444 of the mixed box CU (for a given pallet building robot 14A, 14B), such that the pallet building robot box placement of the palletizer 162 (with at least one pallet building robot 14) constructs the mixed box pallet PAL substantially continuously at a predetermined substantially stable placement rate.

[0046] Still referencing Figure 4In one aspect, the palletizer 162 includes dual (i.e., two) pallet-building robots 14A (e.g., robot #1) and 14B (e.g., robot #2) (generally referred to as one or more robots 14); however, in other aspects, any suitable number of pallet-building robots may be present. For illustrative purposes only, the pallet-building robots 14 are illustrated as six-degree-of-freedom (X, Y, Z, θ, α, μ) robots; however, in other aspects, one or more pallet-building robots 14 may have any suitable configuration, such as articulated arms with more or fewer than six degrees of freedom, like Cartesian robots, and / or selectively compliant robot arms with end-effector tools. Each pallet-building robot 14 picks up from a corresponding side of the palletizer station 162. For example, each corresponding side of the palletizing station 162 has a predetermined pick-up position / station 477A, ​​477B from which the corresponding pallet-building robots 14A, 14B pick up the mixed box unit CU (i.e., pallet-building robot 14A picks from pick-up position 477A, ​​while pallet-building robot 14B picks from pick-up position 477B). The palletizing station 162 has a minimized or compact size, wherein the size of the predetermined pick-up positions / stations 477A, ​​477B is minimized (essentially equivalent to the size of a box picked up in a single operation). For example, the size / area 478 of the predetermined pick-up locations / stations 477A, ​​477B is only suitable for a single pick-up of the desired size, such as the largest expected box CU (the size / area of ​​the station is only slightly larger than the largest expected box CU to provide a minimum clearance for the box CU to move along / on the pick-up stations 477A, ​​477B and for the pick-up of the box CU by the corresponding pallet building robots 14A, 14B); or if a single pick-up is for a pick-up surface with multiple boxes, the size / area of ​​the predetermined pick-up location / station is suitable for the size of the multiple boxes (the size / area of ​​the station is only slightly larger than the multiple boxes to provide a minimum clearance for the multiple boxes to move along / on the pick-up stations 477A, ​​477B and for the pick-up of the multiple boxes by the corresponding pallet building robots 14A, 14B).

[0047] Refer again Figure 2 , 2AAnd 4, the feature elimination (or enabling elimination) of the flexible sequencer 297 described herein utilizes pallet building robot 14 to feed (e.g., pick-up and delivery from (one or more) lifting modules / (one or more) sorters 150A, 150B) and pallet building robots 14A, 14B to place mixed boxes CU in the pallet load PAL between the sequence solution and the ordering / reordering of mixed boxes CU. As noted herein, the flexible sequencer 297 of the present invention effectively separates the two determinations of the physical generation of the sequence solution from the buffer at palletizer station 162, according to the sequence solution (or flexibility), so that the buffer can be eliminated (e.g., at least for the purpose of sequencing / resorting at palletizer station 162) or minimized (so that the next mixed box is saved in sequence order according to the sequence solution and fed to the predetermined pick-up stations 477A, ​​477B consistent with the pallet building robots 14A, 14B, which construct the pick-up / placement movement of the current box CU (i.e., the box is actively picked up by the pallet building robot 14 to place on the pallet), as will be further described herein.

[0048] Therefore, the mixed boxes CU fulfilling the order are fed to the predetermined pick stations 477A, ​​477B in the order of the predetermined sequence solution, and the substantially continuous pick / place movement of pallet building robots(s) 14A, 14B is maintained at an optimal rate in a timely manner, thereby building the pallet load PAL in a continuously optimal manner and providing a palletizing station 162 of minimum / compact size. As will become clear from the further description below, the sorting of the mixed boxes CU in the order of the sequence solution is performed by the storage and retrieval engine 190, such that the sorting is substantially completed by the storage and retrieval engine 190 in the sequence time consistent with the substantially continuous pallet building, and the boxes are fed (the mixed boxes are transferred from the pick and delivery to the palletizing station 162 by (one or more) lifting modules / (one or more) sorters 150A, 150B) and ordered according to the sequence solution. Therefore, separation from the buffer and sequencing / reordering at the palletizer (of one or more conventional palletizers) advantageously enable real-time response to sequencing anomalies / error queues in the sequencing mix via the storage and retrieval engine 190, and sequence flexibility for maintaining substantially constant pallet building at an optimal rate, and providing a compact palletizer station 162 (for any desired pallet building robot 14 configuration with any desired number of pallet building robots 14). Aspects of the flexible sequencer 297 of the invention further adapt to situations where the number of pallet building robots 14 decreases instantaneously during pallet building (such as a shift from two robots 14A, 14B to one robot (e.g., robot 14A or robot 14B), or situations where one of robots 14A, 14B becomes unavailable.

[0049] Refer again Figure 1A , 2 2A, received by warehouse management system 2500 as fulfillment (e.g., customer) orders. Pallet generators 166, 166' generate pallet layout plan 184 (e.g., pallet load structure) based on pallet and / or customer mixed box characteristics, conditions, and constraints (e.g., pallet size, box sequence position according to fulfillment conditions, box layering, etc.) provided by warehouse management system 2500. Pallet layout plan 184 can be any suitable plan, such as the plan described in U.S. Patent 8,965,559 (previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety); however, any suitable pallet layout plan 184 may be adopted. It should be noted that pallet layout plan 184 describes the effective position and orientation of each mixed box CU in pallet load PAL, and each box CU has an effective position and orientation on the mixed box layers L121-L125, L12T of pallet layout plan 184. As noted herein, pallet layout plan 184 is for highly heterogeneous mixed box CUs and is different from the sequence of box CUs at pallet construction robot 14 resolved from pallet layout plan 184 by flexible sequencer 297. In one aspect, the ordering of the container CU having the storage and retrieval engine 190 can be similar to the ordering described in the following: U.S. Patent No. 10,377,585, published August 13, 2019, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System Transport Vehicle"; U.S. Patent No. 9,884,719, published February 6, 2018, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System"; U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 997,892, filed January 18, 2016, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System"; U.S. Patent No. 10,214,355, published February 26, 2019, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System"; and U.S. Patent Application No. 10 / 214,355, published October 16, 2018, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System". The disclosures of U.S. Patent No. 10,102,496, entitled “System”, and / or U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 444,592, filed on June 18, 2109, entitled “Vertical Sequencer for Product Order Fulfillment”, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0050] refer to Figure 2 , 2A5 and 6, as noted herein, pallet layout plan 184 arranges pallet loads PAL in layers L121-L125 and L12T (see Figure 1A and 5 Furthermore, in one aspect, the flexible sequencer 297 operates to resolve sequence solutions for each level L121-L125, L12T respectively (and provides a set of sequence solutions 500, in which...) Figure 5 The box units CU, labeled 1-8, represent boxes in the solution set. Again, note that these numerical identifiers are arbitrarily assigned (and do not necessarily correspond to specific boxes). Figure 3A (The box number identifier in the diagram) and is used to distinguish between different mixed boxes in an exemplary sequence representing any diagram's exemplary sequence solution ((multi)layer configurations will be stacked in the pallet construction and may have a substantially flat placement surface formed by the mixed box arrangement of a given layer to support the upper part of the upper layer), and thus, the sequence of boxes for each such layer L121-L125 can be resolved independently of the upper and / or lower layers L121-L125, L12T. In other respects, the flexible sequencer can resolve the entire sequence of the pallet arrangement plan 184 as a unit from the top (or some desired intermediate pallet height) of the pallet load PAL to the bottom in a manner substantially similar to the process described below for a sequence solution for a given layer L121-L125, L12T.

[0051] exist Figure 2 , 2A The flexible sequencer 297, schematically shown in Figure 7, includes any suitable processor and programming to generate sequence solutions as described herein, and can be one or more separate modules incorporated into any suitable advanced controller of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, which interfaces on one hand with the warehouse management system 2500 and pallet generators 166, 166', and on the other hand with any suitable controller control system of the storage and retrieval engine 190 (e.g., such as machine controller 1220, lifting controller, etc.) and / or automated palletizer 162 (e.g., ...). The controllers of components such as palletizer controllers 164, 164', or otherwise, can be communicatively linked (e.g., in any suitable manner, such as via wired or wireless connection) to controllers of components such as control server 120 and / or warehouse management system 2500, as well as storage and retrieval engine 190 components and palletizer 162 components (e.g., pick-up station, pallet building machine 110, etc.) to notify the respective controllers of the generated sequence solution and to receive feedback on sequencing anomalies (e.g., error queues, box scratches / losses, or incorrect pick-up boxes) or hardware / component availability.

[0052] As previously noted, pallet layout planning 184 presents (e.g., describes) the effective position and orientation of each mixed box in each pallet load layer within boundary constraints (e.g., top, sides, etc. of the pallet load). Flexible sequencer 297 resolves as follows... Figure 8 The sequence solution is illustrated in the diagram. For example, refer to... Figure 1A , 2A 7 and 8, the flexible sequencer 297 receives logistics inputs (such as...) from any suitable controller of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Figure 7 (As shown in the diagram), the controllers include, but are not limited to, the warehouse management system 2500, the control server 120, the machine controller 1200, the controllers for lifting 150A and 150B, and the palletizer controller 164. A flexible sequencer 297 optimizes the palletizing sequence (e.g., ...). Figure 7 As shown in the diagram, the flexible sequencer 297 finds all solutions for placing the box unit CU onto the pallet load PAL in a given layer L121-L125, L12T. Figure 8 (e.g., within solutions with a timeout of N). If all solutions are found, the flexible sequencer 267 selects the best solution. Figure 8 (block 810) (as described in this document). If not all solutions are found, the flexible sequencer 297 continues searching for solutions until all solutions or a number of N solutions are found ( Figure 8 (Block 820) (In one example, for illustrative purposes only, this is approximately 3000 solutions). If no N solutions are found, the flexible sequencer 297 continues searching for solutions. Figure 8 (block 830), until all solutions are found and then the best solution is selected. Figure 8 (810).

[0053] Generally, and following the methods used to parse NP-hard problems, the flexible sequencer 297 is programmed to heuristically study and plot the interdependencies (and conversely, the independence of such boxes) of the pallet layout planning layers L121-L125, L12T (see, for example...). Figure 3A , 9A And 9B). Based on pallet layout plan 184, hardware configuration and constraints, each layer L121-L125, L12T of pallet layout plan 184 can be regarded as a node matrix (representing boxes, see again for example). Figure 9A and 9B And heuristics are performed using graph search methods (e.g., depth-first search). The flexible sequencer 297 generates a set of interdependent (linked) paths LP for each bin CU (e.g., see [link]). Figure 9A , 9BAnd 9C, the arrows between nodes represent paths LP), these sets represent and plot the set of sequence solutions (an example of a solution set is in Figure 11 (As shown in the figure below). In one aspect, generating a set of box placement solutions includes generating a set of available placement sequences for each box CU of a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan 184, and selecting the optimal placement sequence solution order from this set of available placement sequences based on predetermined criteria, which defines at least a portion of the sequence solutions of the box placement sequence solution set. In another aspect, generating a set of box placement solutions includes generating a set of available placement sequences for each box CU of a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan 184 in order to characterize the sequence flexibility of the boxes in the placement sequence.

[0054] As an example, to generate a set of sequence solutions, the flexible sequencer 297 starts with one or more nodes (e.g., bins CU) on the free edges / sides (independent) of the layers (e.g., top, sides, etc.) set according to the pallet layout plan 184, and traverses a matrix through each node in the direction of progress to identify the corresponding interdependent or dependent nodes (bins) and dependent paths (or links) (see...). Figure 3A The diagram previously described illustrates a two-dimensional representative layer L1001 of the box (which represents any one or more of layers L121-L125, L12T, or a portion thereof), and see also [link to previous description]. Figure 9A and 9B The diagram illustrates the layout of 184 pallets. Figure 3A The matrix representation of the bins in the diagram includes elements similar to... Figure 9C The direction of progress is illustrated in the diagram. The direction of progress may correspond to or otherwise conform to the degrees of freedom (e.g., three linear degrees of freedom) of the pallet-building robot 14 box-holding tools (e.g., end-arm tools for holding box units) in the pallet-building region 1000. Therefore, a matrix is ​​studied or otherwise searched in the direction corresponding to each pallet-building robot (it should be noted that...). Figure 9A Matrix 999A in the matrix corresponds to pallet building robot 14A, and Figure 9B Matrix 999B in the diagram corresponds to pallet building robot 14B, and a set of sequential solutions is developed for each box CU and each corresponding pallet building robot 14 (see [link to documentation]). Figure 11 (This illustration depicts an exemplary set of sequence solutions). As an example, refer to... Figure 9CThis schematically illustrates the interdependencies or dependencies (i.e., box interference) between corresponding nodes (e.g., bins in the planning layer) of the matrix along the progress direction. Here, there exists a progress path / link LP, which for descriptive purposes is referred to as the incoming edge of a bin (node ​​2), meaning there exists a bin (node ​​1) blocking it (e.g., node 2 is interdependent / dependent on node 1, and conversely, node 1 is independent of node 2 along the path LP). See also... Figure 9A and 9B It can be seen that box or node 5 (on the one hand, in robot #1 by Figure 9A In the matrix solution represented, the other boxes on the side of robot 14A (e.g., robot #1) are independent of the pallet construction, because box 5 has no ingress edge. Similarly, box 3 (on the other hand, on the side of robot #2) is constructed independently of the pallet construction of robot 14A (e.g., robot #1) because box 5 has no ingress edge. Figure 9B In the matrix solution represented, the other boxes on the pallet-building robot 14B (e.g., robot #2) side are independent because box 3 has no ingress edge. Therefore, by Figure 9A and 9B The proposed solutions can be considered as forming a set of solutions for the sequencing bin, to utilize robots #1 and #2 to construct a system based on the provided solutions. Figure 9A , 9B Matrix 999A and 999B in the diagram represent the pallet layout planning layer. In this set of solutions, boxes 3 and 5 are both available independent boxes and can be placed by robots 14A and 14B constructed from the assigned pallets, regardless of the placement order of the other boxes CU. Therefore, as can be appreciated, in the set of sequence solutions that simplifies to addressing both robots #1 and #2 (in this example) separately in a common sequence solution, the independence of boxes 3 and 5 allows for placement freedom relative to each other, enabling them to be reordered relative to each other in the placement order. This placement freedom (manifested through the box independence determined during the development of the set of sequence solutions) is the flexibility defined in the sequence solutions.

[0055] The progress paths (LPs) form the basis of the set of sequential solutions (as shown, each LP in the progress is a representation of the set of possible solutions, see [link]). Figure 11 (At least if considered in the opposite sense). It should be noted that for each box CU, there exists a set of one or more possible sequence solutions (because there exists one or more possible paths LP). Therefore, the flexible sequencer 297 heuristically explores, as... Figure 11Layer L1001, as shown, is used to develop a desired number of available sequence solutions for each container CU and for each pallet, building robots 14A and 14B (there are two robots here, but in other respects there may be one or more robots). It is adapted to provide constrained deterministic sequence solutions and deterministic flexibility (e.g., sequence independence / non-dependency in layer L1001 relative to other container CUs) to limit runtime. Solution constraints are added to the sequence solution determination, which restricts the recursive search of sequence solutions down the solution tree. This removes the possibility of infinite loops in the graph search method. Considering time, complexity, and branching as factors for flexible ordering, the sequence solution search can be effectively terminated with a constraint of, for example, 3000 solutions. It should be noted that the search constraint of 3000 solutions is for illustrative purposes only, and in other respects, the search constraint may be greater or less than 3000 solutions.

[0056] refer to Figure 3A , 11 And 12, as noted in this paper, uses a graph search method to develop flexible sequences. The flexible sequencer 297 starts from initial state 1100 ( Figure 12 (block 1200) and continue running (see Figure 12 The "loop" in the text refers to a process where, for example, a depth-first search is performed traversally for each box / robot access until a desired number of flexible sequences are found (e.g., all solutions have been searched for the current pallet layer or a predetermined number of solutions for the current pallet layer (depending on runtime constraints), whichever comes first). As noted above, each box is considered a node, and the path LP between nodes / boxes is derived from the box interference check (see [link to documentation]). Figure 9C In each step (for example, see...) Figure 11 At steps 900A, 900AR1, 900AR2…900ARi and steps 900B, 900BR1, 900BR2…900BRi), the flexible sequencer uses bin interference checks to find bins in the current layer that can be reached by one or more pallet building robots. Similarly, for each bin, the flexible sequencer starts with the outermost bin (for a given reference frame of pallet building robots 14A, 14B) and generates interdependent (linked) paths LP. For each bin (and the corresponding pallet building robot 14A, 14B, see…) Figure 11In each different step 900A, 900AR1, 900AR2...900ARi and step 900B, 900BR1, 900BR2...900BRi, and therefore each box, a different matrix and corresponding link path are generated (note that "Rob1" is robot 1 and "Rob2" is robot 2). This generates a set of interdependent (linked) paths (formed by dependent links). The result is a set of one or more interdependent paths LP mapped for each possible (available) traversal direction (i.e., from each node, path traversal can proceed in each degree of freedom (X, Y, Z—note that only a two-dimensional representation is shown in the figure for illustrative purposes). As an example, the flexible sequencer starts with an empty sequence 1100 in the initial state and then attempts to find all available boxes CU (boxes / nodes 1-6 in this example) that can be reached by the pallet-building robots 14A, 14B in the current layer L1001. Figure 12 (i.e., no incoming edges from other boxes (pose independent)). Therefore, independent (non-dependent) boxes (i.e., boxes that can be reached by the corresponding pallet-building robots 14A, 14B) are identified as available (in the path LP set for each given box) and resolved into sequential solutions (see Sequential solutions A, B, ... N, in...). Figure 12 In the context of N, where N is any suitable integer indicating the upper limit of the number of sequential solutions, robots 14A (robot #1) and 14B (robot #2) are used to construct the corresponding pallets, based on sorting (one or more) available bins according to pallet stability optimization criteria and throughput optimization criteria registered with the flexible sequencer 297. Figure 12 (Block 1220) (individually and in the order of solutions in the solution set (sub-order)). For example, the flexible sequencer 297 sorts the available bins based on stability and balance scores. The flexible sequencer 297 then selects the bins with higher rankings (e.g., best solutions) (or in other words, bin sequence solutions) Figure 12(Block 1230). Stability optimization criteria may include: layer-based palletizing sequences to reduce unstable stack build-ups / minimize box suspension; handling unstable boxes in a planned pallet by forcibly “supporting” unstable boxes; calculating a stability metric for optimal output; handling box size variations (e.g., the larger the size variation, the larger (later) in the sequence order); end-of-arm tooling / robot control that holds one or more boxes inside the end-of-arm tool during high-speed robot movement to improve robot placement accuracy; or any other suitable stability optimization criteria. Throughput optimization criteria may include: allowing one or more pallet-building robots to pick up / place (e.g., multiple boxes of the same inventory unit) in a single pick-and-place cycle; for multi-robot palletizing, minimizing robot wait times by forcing one or more alternative palletizing sequences for the pallet-building robots (e.g., selecting sequences to alternate placement movements between robots) (e.g., sequence ID1 for robot 1, sequence ID2 for robot 2, sequence ID3 for robot 1, sequence ID4 for robot 2, etc.); for multi-robot palletizing, generating one or more sequences / paths to separate robot work areas to allow multiple robots to place boxes onto the same pallet simultaneously; or any other suitable throughput optimization criteria.

[0057] As each available bin is identified in the process (sorted and parsed into a sequential solution as further described), matrices 999A and 999B are updated and reduced. Figure 12 (Block 1240) (that is, the ordered box is removed, which in effect makes the boxes belonging to the "removed" box unattached and accessible / independent in sequence), such as Figure 11The partial progress steps 900A, 900AR1, 900AR2...900Ari and steps 900B, 900BR1, 900BR2...900BRi (where i is any suitable integer indicating the upper limit of the number of steps) are illustrated in the diagram. For example, the flexible sequencer 297 sequences bin 5 of matrix 999A for robot 1 and reduces matrix 999A by removing bin 5, thereby forming a reduced matrix 999AR. In partial progress step 900B, the flexible sequencer 297 flexibly sequences bin 3 of robot 14B (robot #2) and bin 6 of robot 14A (robot #1), where previously subordinate bins 3 and 6 have become non-subordinate. In partial progress step 900AR, matrix 999AR continues, where bin 3 is sequenced for robot 14B (robot #2), and by removing bin 3, matrix 999AR is reduced to matrix 999AR1. Similarly, in partial progress step 900BR, bin 6 of matrix 999BR is ordered for robot 14A, and then matrix 999BR is reduced for further progress in a manner described herein. Continuing with partial progress steps 900AR1 and 900BR1, matrix 999AR is reduced to matrices 999AR1 and 999BR1, where flexible sequencer 297 orders bin 6 so that it can be picked up by robot 14A (robot #1) or robot 14B (robot #2), where bin 6, which was previously a subordinate bin of robot 14B, is now a non-subordinate bin. Further progress steps 900AR2 and 900BR2 are made, and matrix 900AR1 is further reduced to matrix 999AR2 and 999BR2, in which box 6 is removed, and flexible sequencer 297 sequences box 4 so that it can be picked up by robot 14A (robot #1) or robot 14B (robot #2), in which box 4, which was previously a subordinate box of the two robots 14A and 14B, has now become a non-subordinate box. Figure 11 The diagram in the middle is used to generate the representation. Figure 12 The sequence solution step 1210 (e.g., Figure 12 The progress of solutions A, B, and N (illustrated in the diagram) continues in parts.

[0058] Figure 11 The diagram in the middle is used to generate the representation. Figure 12 The sequence solution step 1210 (e.g., Figure 12 The progress of the solutions A, B, ... N in the diagram continues, and as available bins are identified, the matrix continues to be updated and reduced (as further described, sorted and parsed into a sequence of solutions) until all bins are ordered in at least one or more available solutions in the solution set of the current layer L1001. Figure 12 (Block 1250). At the end of each step 1210, the flexible sequencer updates the pallet structure and adjacent boxes in the layer model to reduce the graph by solving a sequence solution for each box. This process is repeated until all nodes in the matrix (i.e., boxes or a portion thereof in the layer) are ordered into a sequence solution (e.g., solution A, solution B, ..., solution N), and the set of developed solutions (e.g., solution A, solution B, ..., solution N) continues to be generated in the solution development recursion, as previously described.

[0059] The generated sequence solution set is sorted by applying pallet stability optimization criteria and throughput optimization criteria to each available bin (e.g., solution A, solution B, ..., solution N). For example, refer to... Figure 10A-10D The diagram illustrates representations of sequence solutions A and B (of the sequence solution set) for generating pallet load PAL based on the solution sequence. Two exemplary solutions (solution A and solution B—otherwise, more than two solutions may exist) for the sequence solution set used to place boxes in pallet layer L1001 will be described. Each of solution A and solution B is provided with a balance score and a stability score. The balance score calculates how frequently a single robot places multiple boxes consecutively in a row. The flexible sequencer 297 enforces alternative palletizing routines for robot 14 building multiple pallets. Alternative palletizing routines help minimize robot (end-arm tool) placement latency. The flexible sequencer 297 employs a greedy method to make the best choice at each step of the search for a flexible sequence. The greedy method promotes considering solutions with better performance (compared to solutions already found), even when solution constraints are imposed. Here, solution A has a balance score of zero, while solution B has a balance score of 4. It should be noted that solution A has a better balance score, which helps minimize robot placement (end-arm tool) latency.

[0060] Stability scores can be applied on a box-by-box basis. The flexible sequencer 297 searches flexible sequences, some of which are discounted (or excluded) because the stability evaluated by them does not meet the requirements for pallet construction. For other solutions, the flexible sequencer 297 uses a greedy method to make the optimal choice of stability at each step. Referring to box 3 as an example, the stability score is the ratio of the box's height to its width. Here, box 3 (refer to Table 1) can have a height of approximately 418 mm and a width of approximately 175 mm, resulting in a stability score of approximately 2.39 for box 3. The flexible sequencer 297 is programmed to have any suitable stability score tolerance for identifying unstable boxes. For illustrative purposes, the stability score tolerance can be set to approximately 1.6 (or any other suitable tolerance), and because box 3 has a stability score greater than the stability score tolerance, the flexible sequencer 297 identifies box 3 as an unstable box. Consider solution B (see...). Figure 10A The flexible sequencer 297 can sequence the boxes so that box 3 can be placed without side supports (see...). Figure 10D Therefore, solution B is not a stable bin placement sequence. Consider solution A ( Figure 10B and 10C The flexible sequencer can order the box placement so that box 3 is placed together with box 2 (or after box 2), thereby providing lateral support to box 3. (Note the flexibility of box placement in Solution A, where box 3 can be placed before or after box 6, and boxes 5 and 6 can be placed independently of each other, as mentioned above.) Figure 11 (As determined). Based on the overall stability score calculated by the flexible sequencer 297 (which can be determined in any suitable manner), solution A has a better stability score.

[0061] To determine the sequence solutions from the available set of solutions, solution A is used as an example. The generation of the sequence solutions also identifies the flexibility of each bin relative to the corresponding bin in the sequence solution (in the sequence). See again... Figure 9A , 9BFor box 11, an incoming edge means there is a box (box / node 1) blocking it (e.g., node 2 is interdependent / subordinate to node 1, and conversely, node 1 is independent of node 2). Box 5 is independent of other boxes on the pallet building robot 14A (robot #1) side because box 5 has no incoming edges. Similarly, box 3 is independent of other boxes on the pallet building robot 14B (robot #2) side because box 3 has no incoming edges. Both boxes 3 and 5 are available boxes and can be placed by the assigned pallet building robots 14a, 14b regardless of the placement order of other boxes. Here, boxes 3 and 5 are independent / available for their respective pallet building robots 14a, 14b and can be placed regardless of the order (e.g., the sequence flexibility of solution A (see...)). Figure 12 Boxes 3 and 5 are identified relative to each other, so these boxes can be placed separately if solution A is an error queue. It should be noted that similar flexibility can be generated for other boxes in this sequence (e.g., box 3 relative to box 6, etc. – see...). Figure 11 and 12 This placement flexibility maintains the essentially continuous pick-and-place motion of (one or more) pallet building robots 14 at an optimal rate, thereby building pallet loads in a continuously optimal manner.

[0062] In one aspect, the flexible sequencer 297 is configured to verify the determined sequence solution. For example, after determining a sequence solution or reaching the end (no solution), the flexible sequencer 297 reverses the sequence (e.g., the flexible sequencer 297 reconstructs the pallet construction model based on the generated sequence solution and represents the constraints of the pallet load PAL, such as...). Figure 10A-10D As shown; that is, reconstruction (e.g., Figure 10D The one shown should be consistent with Figure 3A (The plan view of the pallet construction model shown is matched). Then, the flexible sequencer 297 explores the next available sequence solution. For example, the flexible sequencer 297 can apply the determined sequence solution and match the result with (such as...) Figure 1A The initial pallet construction model shown is compared with that shown.

[0063] In the event of a hardware malfunction (e.g., one of the pallet building robots 14 becomes unavailable), the flexible sequencer 297 is configured to regenerate the pallet sequence solution in a manner similar to that described above for pallet building with operable pallet building robots (pallet building robot 14A or pallet building robot 14B). For example, for illustrative purposes, assuming pallet building robot 14B becomes unavailable, the flexible sequencer 297 regenerates the pallet sequence solution for the available pallet building robot 14A, such that boxes submitted to the side of the palletizer 162 on which the unavailable pallet building robot 14B is located are included in the sequence solution of the operable pallet building robot 14A, and the preferred relative placement sequence is determined by the mixed box position from the mixed box structure fed into the palletizer 162.

[0064] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, an automated palletizing machine for constructing mixed container pallets is provided. The automated palletizing machine includes:

[0065] The box feeding section feeds the mixing boxes to provide the input queue feed sequence of the mixing boxes;

[0066] At least one pallet-building robot is communicatively connected to a box feeder and is configured to receive mixed boxes from an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes and place the mixed boxes according to and depending on the input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes, thereby achieving the construction of mixed box pallets at a predetermined, substantially stable placement rate.

[0067] A controller communicatively connected to the box feeding unit and the at least one pallet building robot is configured to generate a complete and stable mixed box layout plan that at least completes a predetermined integral portion of the mixed box pallet and describes the predetermined planned position and orientation of each box in the complete and stable mixed box layout plan of the predetermined integral portion of the mixed box pallet.

[0068] The controller is configured to generate a set of box placement sequence solutions from a complete and stable mixed box layout plan, wherein each sequence solution orders the placement of mixed boxes for building a mixed box pallet, and wherein the set of solutions is based on the complete and stable mixed box layout plan and utilizes at least one pallet-building robot to parse the construction of the mixed box pallet, the complete and stable mixed box layout plan presenting an NP-hard problem of ordering the mixed boxes for building the mixed box pallet, and wherein the set of box placement sequence solutions characterizes the sequence flexibility of the placement sequence of mixed boxes for building the mixed box pallet using the at least one pallet-building robot; and

[0069] The controller is configured to transmit at least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of box placement sequence solutions to the box feeder to provide a mixed box input queue feed sequence, and to transmit sequence flexibility to the at least one pallet building robot to resolve error queues in the mixed box input queue feed sequence, such that the pallet building robot places boxes at a predetermined, substantially stable placement rate to build mixed box pallets substantially continuously.

[0070] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, characterizing sequence flexibility identifies one or more hybrid bins in a complete and stable hybrid bin layout plan with predetermined characteristics, said predetermined characteristics determining that at least one of the one or more hybrid bins is independently ordered relative to at least a portion of the sequence solution.

[0071] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, a predetermined characteristic is the positional independence of each of at least one of the one or more mixed boxes relative to adjacent boxes in a complete and stable mixed box layout plan.

[0072] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, positional independence is determined from a set of box placement sequence solutions generated for at least one of the one or more mixed boxes.

[0073] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, generating a set of box placement solutions includes generating a set of available placement sequences for each box for a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan, and determining the optimal placement sequence solution order for boxes based on a predetermined criterion selected from the set of available placement sequences, which constitutes at least a portion of the sequence solutions that define the set of box placement sequence solutions.

[0074] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, generating a set of box placement solutions includes generating a set of available placement sequences for each box for a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan, in order to characterize the sequence flexibility of the boxes in the placement sequences.

[0075] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, an automated palletizing machine for constructing mixed container pallets is provided. The automated palletizing machine includes:

[0076] The box feeding section feeds the mixing boxes to provide the input queue feed sequence of the mixing boxes;

[0077] At least one pallet-building robot is communicatively connected to a box feeder and is configured to receive mixed boxes from an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes and place the mixed boxes according to and depending on the input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes, thereby achieving the construction of mixed box pallets at a predetermined, substantially stable placement rate.

[0078] A controller communicatively connected to the box feeder and the at least one pallet building robot is configured to generate a complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure in a predetermined arrangement, the predetermined arrangement describing the position and orientation of each box in the hybrid box of the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure;

[0079] The controller is configured to generate a set of box placement sequence solutions that parse a placement sequence of at least one mixed box in order to place the at least one mixed box using at least one pallet building robot that constructs a complete and stable mixed box pallet structure, and to reduce the predetermined arrangement of the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure to at least one mixed box that is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure and the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

[0080] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured such that the generation of a set of box placement sequence solutions is substantially unconstrained by the one or more predetermined characteristics of the hybrid box structure, which is limited by the pallet structure and the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure.

[0081] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured to transmit at least a portion of a sequence solution from a set of box placement sequence solutions to a box feeder in order to provide an input queue feed sequence of a mixed box including the at least one mixed box.

[0082] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, when characterizing the sequence flexibility of the at least one hybrid container within a set of container placement sequence solutions, a predetermined arrangement of a complete and stable hybrid container pallet structure is made to reduce the number of containers in the at least one hybrid container.

[0083] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured to determine the sequence flexibility based on the represented sequence flexibility and transmit the sequence flexibility to at least one pallet building robot to resolve the error queue in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed box, such that the at least one pallet building robot continues to build mixed box pallets at a predetermined substantially stable placement rate.

[0084] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, a complete and stable mixed container pallet structure has: a substantially flat, deterministic top surface that forms a mounting surface for interchangeably placing mixed containers thereon, the mounting surface extending over a predetermined area of ​​a pallet of multiple stacked mixed containers covered by the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure; or a free, uncertain surface that forms the topmost boundary surface of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure.

[0085] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, an automated palletizing machine for constructing mixed container pallets is provided. The automated palletizing machine includes:

[0086] The box feeding section feeds the mixing boxes to provide the input queue feed sequence of the mixing boxes;

[0087] At least one pallet-building robot is communicatively connected to a box feeder and is configured to receive mixed boxes from an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes and place the mixed boxes according to and depending on the input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes, thereby achieving the construction of mixed box pallets at a predetermined, substantially stable placement rate.

[0088] A controller communicatively connected to the box feeder and the at least one pallet building robot is configured to generate a complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure in a predetermined arrangement, the predetermined arrangement describing the position and orientation of each box in the hybrid box of the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure;

[0089] The controller is configured to generate a set of box placement sequence solutions for constructing a complete and stable mixed box pallet structure using the at least one pallet building robot by reducing at least one mixed box that is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure and the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure through a predetermined arrangement of the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure. The set of box placement sequence solutions resolves the placement sequence of the at least one mixed box to place the at least one mixed box using the at least one pallet building robot that constructs the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

[0090] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured such that the generation of a set of box placement sequence solutions is substantially unconstrained by the one or more predetermined characteristics of the hybrid box structure, which is limited by the pallet structure and the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure.

[0091] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured to transmit at least a portion of a sequence solution from a set of box placement sequence solutions to a box feeder in order to provide an input queue feed sequence of a mixed box including the at least one mixed box.

[0092] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, when characterizing the sequence flexibility of the at least one hybrid container within a set of container placement sequence solutions, a predetermined arrangement of a complete and stable hybrid container pallet structure is made to reduce the number of containers in the at least one hybrid container.

[0093] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the controller is configured to determine the sequence flexibility based on the represented sequence flexibility and transmit the sequence flexibility to at least one pallet building robot to resolve the error queue in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed box, such that the at least one pallet building robot continues to build mixed box pallets at a predetermined substantially stable placement rate.

[0094] According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, a complete and stable mixed container pallet structure has: a substantially flat, deterministic top surface that forms a mounting surface for interchangeably placing mixed containers thereon, the mounting surface extending over a predetermined area of ​​a pallet of multiple stacked mixed containers covered by the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure; or a free, uncertain surface that forms the topmost boundary surface of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure.

[0095] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of various aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can conceive of various alternatives and modifications without departing from these aspects. Therefore, these aspects are intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of any of the appended claims. Furthermore, the mere fact that different features are recited in dissimilar dependent or independent claims does not indicate that combinations of these features cannot be advantageously used, such combinations still remain within the scope of these aspects.

Claims

1. A method for constructing mixed container pallets using an automated palletizing machine, the method comprising: A box feeder is provided that feeds mixed boxes and provides an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes to at least one pallet-building robot, the at least one pallet-building robot being communicatively connected to the box feeder and accessing the mixed boxes in the input queue feed sequence. By using the at least one pallet to construct the mixed boxes in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes received by the robot, and placing the mixed boxes according to the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes, the construction of the mixed box pallet is achieved at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate. A controller communicatively connected to the box feeding unit and the at least one pallet building robot generates a complete and stable mixed box layout plan, which at least completes a predetermined overall portion of the mixed box pallet and describes the predetermined planned position and orientation of each box in the complete and stable mixed box layout plan. A set of box placement sequence solutions is generated from a complete and stable mixed box layout plan using a controller. Each sequence solution determines the sequence of placement of mixed boxes for building a mixed box pallet. The set of solutions is based on the complete and stable mixed box layout plan and uses at least one pallet building robot to parse the construction of the mixed box pallet. The complete and stable mixed box layout plan presents an NP-hard problem of ordering the mixed boxes for building the mixed box pallet. The set of box placement sequence solutions characterizes the sequence flexibility of the placement sequence of mixed boxes for building the mixed box pallet using the at least one pallet building robot. At least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of bin placement sequence solutions are transmitted to the bin feeding unit to provide a mixed bin input queue feed sequence; and The sequence flexibility is transmitted to the at least one pallet building robot to resolve the error queue in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed box, so that the pallet building robot can build mixed box pallets substantially continuously at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The sequence flexibility identifier identifies one or more hybrid bins in a complete and stable hybrid bin layout plan with predetermined characteristics, the predetermined characteristics determining that at least one of the one or more hybrid bins is independently ordered relative to at least a portion of the sequence solution.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The predetermined characteristic is the positional independence of each of at least one of the one or more mixed boxes relative to the adjacent box in a complete and stable mixed box layout plan.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, Position independence is determined from the set of box placement sequence solutions generated for at least one of the one or more mixed boxes.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The collection of generation box placement solutions includes: For each box in a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan, a set of available placement sequences is generated, and The optimal placement sequence for each box in the available placement sequence set is selected based on predetermined criteria.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The generated box placement solution set includes a set of available placement sequences for each box for a complete and stable hybrid box layout plan, in order to characterize the sequence flexibility of the box in the placement sequence.

7. A method for constructing mixed container pallets using an automated palletizer, the method comprising: Provides a box feeder that feeds mixed boxes to provide a sequence of input queues for the mixed boxes; Provide at least one pallet-building robot that is communicatively connected to the box-feeding unit; By using the at least one pallet to construct the mixed boxes in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes received by the robot, and placing the mixed boxes according to the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes, the construction of the mixed box pallet is achieved at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate. A controller communicatively connected to the box feeding unit and the at least one pallet building robot generates a complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure in a predetermined arrangement, the predetermined arrangement describing the position and orientation of each box in the hybrid box of the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure; as well as A set of box placement sequence solutions is generated using a controller, which parses a placement sequence of at least one mixed box, the placement sequence using at least one pallet building robot that constructs a complete and stable mixed box pallet structure to place the at least one mixed box, and reducing the predetermined arrangement of the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure by at least one mixed box, the at least one mixed box being substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure that define the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The controller is configured such that the generation of the set of box placement sequence solutions is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure, which is limited by the pallet structure and the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The controller is configured to transmit at least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of box placement sequence solutions to the box feed unit in order to provide an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes including the at least one mixed box.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein, When characterizing the sequence flexibility of at least one mixed box within a set of box placement sequence solutions, the predetermined arrangement of a complete and stable mixed box pallet structure is reduced by at least one mixed box.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The controller is configured to: determine the sequence flexibility based on the represented sequence flexibility, and transmit the sequence flexibility to at least one pallet building robot to resolve the error queue in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed box, such that the at least one pallet building robot continues to build mixed box pallets at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The complete and stable mixed container pallet structure has: a substantially flat, deterministic top surface that forms a mounting surface for interchangeably placing mixed containers thereon, the mounting surface extending over a predetermined area of ​​a pallet covering a plurality of stacked mixed containers of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure, or a free, uncertain surface forming the topmost boundary surface of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure.

13. A method for constructing mixed container pallets using an automated palletizer, the method comprising: Provides a box feeder that feeds mixed boxes to provide an input queue feed sequence for the mixed boxes; Provide at least one pallet-building robot that is communicatively connected to the box-feeding unit; By using the at least one pallet to construct the mixed boxes in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes received by the robot, and placing the mixed boxes according to the input queue feed sequence of the mixed boxes, the construction of the mixed box pallet is achieved at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate. A controller communicatively connected to the box feeding unit and the at least one pallet building robot generates a complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure in a predetermined arrangement, the predetermined arrangement describing the position and orientation of each box in the hybrid box of the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure; as well as The controller generates a set of box placement sequence solutions for constructing a complete and stable mixed box pallet structure using at least one mixed box by reducing a predetermined arrangement of the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure. The at least one mixed box is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure that define the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure. The box placement sequence solution set resolves the placement sequence of the at least one mixed box to place the at least one mixed box using the at least one pallet building robot that constructs the complete and stable mixed box on the pallet structure.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The controller is configured such that the generation of the set of box placement sequence solutions is substantially unconstrained by one or more predetermined characteristics of the mixed box structure, which is limited by the pallet structure and the complete and stable mixed box pallet structure.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The controller is configured to transmit at least a portion of the sequence solutions from the set of box placement sequence solutions to the box feed unit in order to provide an input queue feed sequence of mixed boxes including the at least one mixed box.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein, When characterizing the sequence flexibility of the at least one hybrid box within a set of box placement sequence solutions, the predetermined arrangement of the complete and stable hybrid box pallet structure reduces the number of boxes in the at least one hybrid box.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The controller is configured to determine the sequence flexibility based on the represented sequence flexibility and transmit the sequence flexibility to at least one pallet building robot to resolve the error queue in the input queue feed sequence of the mixed box, so that the at least one pallet building robot continues to build mixed box pallets at a predetermined and substantially stable placement rate.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The complete and stable mixed container pallet structure has: a substantially flat, deterministic top surface that forms a mounting surface for interchangeably placing mixed containers thereon, the mounting surface extending over a predetermined area of ​​a pallet covering a plurality of stacked mixed containers of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure, or a free, uncertain surface forming the topmost boundary surface of the complete and stable mixed container pallet structure.

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