Staging And Sequencing Buffer Layout For Robot Tote Congestion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional order fulfillment systems experience congestion due to the large volume of mobile robots transferring totes between storage structures and workstations, which reduces overall efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of staging and sequencing buffer locations and dedicated routing paths for mobile robots, along with zoning and priority-based deployment, to manage congestion and optimize the flow of mobile robots within the order fulfillment facility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If mobile robots transfer totes between storage structure and workstations, then order fulfillment is achieved, but congestion occurs reducing system efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorder fulfillment efficiencyVSAvoidrobot traffic management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments robot traffic into separate dedicated routing paths, dividing the congested shared space into multiple independent corridors. Mobile robots travel along assigned paths from storage structures to workstations without interfering with other robots, eliminating congestion while maintaining high order fulfillment efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Dedicated routing paths act as intermediaries between storage structures and workstations, providing structured corridors that guide robot movement. These intermediate pathways organize traffic flow and prevent direct conflicts between robots transferring totes, resolving the congestion problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple mobile robots operate simultaneously, then throughput capacity increases, but sequencing and scheduling constraints increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethroughput capacityVSAvoidtraffic management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting traffic into dedicated routing paths, the system allows multiple robots to operate simultaneously on different paths without complex coordination. Each path operates independently, reducing sequencing and scheduling constraints while maintaining high throughput capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated routing paths provide self-service navigation for mobile robots, where each robot independently follows its assigned path without requiring complex real-time coordination with other robots. This reduces traffic management complexity while enabling simultaneous operation of multiple robots

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12606379B2Automatic storage and retrieval system having staging and sequencing buffer locations and segregated storage

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 SYMBOTIC LLC

AI summary

An order fulfillment system includes a storage structure for storing totes, workstations for processing customer orders and a staging and sequencing buffer having staging locations for storing the totes. The staging and sequencing buffer provides a buffer for totes as mobile robots transfer totes from the storage structure and to the one or more workstations.