Warehouse Execution Control Using Vendor-Agnostic Microservices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional warehouse execution systems (WES) are custom engineered to interface with specific automation equipment vendors, leading to high costs and downtime when replacing or repairing malfunctioning equipment, as technicians are limited to sourcing from compatible vendors, and modifications to accommodate new vendors require significant engineering efforts.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a warehouse execution system (WES) with software microservices that decouple fundamental logic from vendor-specific requirements, using device managers and communication microservices to enable seamless communication with automation equipment from any vendor, allowing easy integration of new equipment types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional WES is custom engineered to interface with specific automation equipment vendors, then the system can control the equipment reliably, but the cost and downtime increase when replacing or repairing equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment control reliabilityVSAvoidequipment replacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The WES software is segmented into a monolithic architecture divided into multiple microservices, each handling specific automation equipment vendor communications. This allows individual microservices to be replaced or modified without affecting the entire system, enabling easier equipment replacement while maintaining reliable control through dedicated service components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microservice architecture creates universal communication interfaces that can handle multiple automation equipment vendors through standardized protocols. Each microservice can be configured to work with different vendors' equipment, making the system versatile and reducing dependency on vendor-specific custom engineering while maintaining reliable control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional WES is custom engineered for specific vendors, then the system integrates well with existing equipment, but adaptability to new vendors decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem integration easeVSAvoidvendor compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the WES into independent microservices, each vendor-specific integration is isolated to its own service component. This segmentation allows the system to maintain good integration with existing equipment through dedicated microservices while simultaneously adding support for new vendors by simply deploying additional microservices without affecting existing integrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microservice architecture enables dynamic addition and removal of vendor-specific services. New automation equipment vendors can be integrated by deploying new microservices on-demand, making the system adaptable and versatile while preserving existing integrations through their dedicated service components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If monolithic WES software is used to control multiple automation devices, then the system architecture is simple, but modification complexity increases when adding new vendors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoftware architecture complexityVSAvoidsoftware modification ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The monolithic WES software is segmented into multiple independent microservices, each handling specific vendor equipment. While this increases architectural complexity by introducing distributed service management, it dramatically improves modification ease by allowing individual microservices to be updated, added, or removed without modifying the entire system, enabling flexible adaptation to new vendors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microservice architecture introduces intermediary components that handle vendor-specific communication protocols. These intermediary microservices act as mediators between the core WES functionality and various automation equipment vendors, simplifying modifications by isolating vendor-specific code in separate services that can be modified independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260062218A1Systems and methods for equipment agnostic control with a warehouse execution system

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 SAVOYE NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

A method of operating a materials handling system includes receiving a request associated with the materials handling system and identifying an automation device included in the materials handling system that can be used to service the request, the automation device associated with a vendor. The method further including generating, by a device manager implemented in a warehouse execution system (WES), a universal command for controlling the automation device to service the request, generating, by a communication microservice implemented in the WES based in part on the universal command, a vendor-specific command that is in a format associated with the vendor, and controlling the automation device in accordance with the vendor-specific command.