Patent ID: 12233438

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, when terms of orientation, for example, “vertical” and “horizontal” or relative terms such as, “above,” “upwardly,” “beneath,” “downwardly,” and alike, are used to describe the relative position or orientation of specific features of the robotic system, the terms are in reference to the positions of these features in the normal gravitational frame of reference.

FIG.1is a schematic illustration of a robotic system10in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. A robot, such as robot12, may be housed in a warehouse or other fulfillment center14and tasked with picking and sorting inventory items. Robot12may operate in one of two modes: an autonomous mode, by executing autonomous control instructions, or a manually tele-operated mode, in which the control instructions are piloted (e.g., directly controlled) by a human operator. In one embodiment, robot12may be a machine learning robot capable of executing piloted control instructions. While the term “control instructions” (whether described as autonomous or piloted) are primarily described herein as instructions for grasping an item, it will be appreciated that the term may additionally refer to a variety of other robotic tasks such as the recognition of an inventory item, the placement or release of a grasped item (e.g., the placement or release of a grasped item in a particular orientation) or any other robotic task configured to assist with order fulfillment.

As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, with respect toFIG.6, the present system allows a teleoperator to remotely pilot robot12and move the robot into a variety of grasping poses (e.g., position and/or orientation and/or posture of the robotic picking arm) to train the machine learning system of the robot to better predict future autonomous robot control instructions.

Robot12, in autonomous mode, can predict autonomous robot control instructions based on the geometry and material of an item and its specified pose (e.g., position and/or orientation and/or posture of the target item). If the robot control instructions are unsuccessful in performing a task (e.g., grasping the item), system10can automatically request human intervention, allowing the robot to be teleoperatively controlled from a local or remote location.

In addition to robot12, system10includes one or more teleoperator interfaces16, at least one of which may be located at a remote site outside of warehouse14, one or more computer systems (e.g., processor-based computer systems)18, each of which are communicatively coupled via one or more network or non-network communication channels20, and one or more storage devices22, which stores, for example, a machine leaning grasp pose prediction algorithm used to predict new grasping poses. While storage device22is illustrated as being separate from computer system18, in at least some implementations the one or storage devices can be an integral part or component of the computer system (e.g., memory such as RAM, ROM, FLASH, registers; hard disk drives, solid state drives).

Operator interface16includes one or more input devices to capture control instructions from a human operator and one or more user output devices. The one or more user interface devices16may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, (smart) phone, a wearable computer, and the like. Exemplary user input devices include keyboards, mice, touch screen displays, displays (e.g., LCD or OLED screen), controllers and the like. Exemplary output devices include, without limitation, displays (e.g., LCD or OLED screen), head mounted displays, speakers, and/or haptic feedback generators (e.g., vibration element, piezo-electric actuator, rumble motor). Operator interface16may thus be utilized by a human operator to observe the robotic picking and/or sorting process, for example, aspects of robot12and the environment surrounding the robot including the picking area (e.g., the area from which the inventory items are picked). Human observer(s) may view or see a representation of robot12performing one or more tasks such as grasping an item by reviewing one or more still and/or moving images of robot12in its environment. These images and/or video may be replayed and/or viewed in real time. If robot12is unsuccessful at autonomously performing the task, the human operator can utilize operator interface16and instruct robot12to perform one or more robotic tasks such as grasping a target inventory item and/or releasing the target inventory item at a desired location. Although operator interface16is primarily designed to assist robot12in performing tasks that the robot is struggling to perform, such as grasping, it will be appreciated that the teleoperator can utilize the operator interface at any time (including prior to a failed grasping attempt) to manually control the robot and/or override the autonomously predicted grasping pose.

Computer system18facilitates and/or coordinates the operation of system10. Computer system18can be a processor based computer system. The processor may be any logic processing unit, such as one or more microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable gate arrays (PGAs), programmed logic units (PLUS), and the like. In some implementations, computer system18may include a control subsystem including at least one processor. Computer system18, the at least one processor and/or the control subsystem may be interchangeably referred to herein as the processor, the controller, the computer, the server or the analyzer.

Examples of a suitable network or non-network communication channels20include a wire based network or non-network communication channels, optical based network or non-network communication channels, wireless (i.e., radio and/or microwave frequency) network or non-network communication channels, or a combination of wired, optical, and/or wireless networks or non-network communication channels.

Although two robots12are illustrated in system10, it will be appreciated that the system can include a single robot, any number of robots located within a single warehouse14, or one or more robots located within a plurality of warehouses. System10is thus advantageously configured to allow one or more operators to teleoperatively pilot or control a plurality of robots12, via one or more operator interfaces16, from a site located local or remote to the warehouses in which the robots are contained.

Robot12operates in communication with communication channels20, and thus may send and/or receive processor readable data or processor executable instructions via the communication channels. In turn, operator interface16receives and/or sends processor-readable data or executable instructions across communication channel20and creates and/or provides human readable representations of the processor readable instructions to robot12.

FIG.2Aillustrates a robotic station for picking and/or sorting inventory within warehouse14. The robotic station includes robot12, a shuttle device24and a mechanism for separating inventory into individual orders26. As depicted inFIG.2A, the mechanism for separating inventory into individual orders may be a plurality of individual order containers. However, it will be understood that cubbies (shown inFIGS.3and4), bins, boxes, bags or any other alternative mechanism known in the art may be used.

Humans, automatic storage and retrieval systems, transporter robots (not shown) or conveyer belts28, or a combination of the same, can be used to transport the inventory from its storage location within warehouse14to the robotic station, and more particularly, to picking area30. As will be explained in further detail hereinafter, robot12and shuttle device24act in concert to efficiently pick inventory from picking area30and sort the inventory into individual order containers26.

Robot12generally includes a base32and a picking arm34. In some embodiments, the base32of robot12may include wheels (not shown) or any other known mechanism for facilitating movement of the robot about warehouse14. In other embodiments, as illustrated inFIG.2A, the base32of robot12may be housed within a structure forming picking area30such that the robot is immovable. In either scenario, however, base32is preferably positioned adjacent to picking area30during a picking and/or sorting operation. Picking area30may be a bin, a chute or any other known apparatus configured to temporarily house inventory items for picking or sorting.

In an exemplary embodiment, picking arm34may include a first member36operably coupled to the base32of robot12, a second member38operably coupled to the first member of the robot, and a third member40operably coupled to the second member and adapted to receive a gripping tool42such as a pneumatic gripping tool. First member36may be operably connected to the base32of robot12via a first motor (not shown) which drives rotation of the first member about the base of the robot in the x-plane, and a second motor (not shown) which drives rotation of the first member about the base of the robot in the y-plane. Second member38may be operably connected to first member36via a third motor (not shown) which drives rotation of the second member about the first member in a direction in the y-plane. Third member40may be operably connected to second member38via a fourth motor (not shown) which drives rotation of the third member about the second member in the z-plane, and which operates movement of gripping tool42, either upwards or downwards, relative to picking area30. In a preferred embodiment, third member40is coupled to second member38via a spring or another mechanism that allows the third member to exhibit passive compliance. That is, if third member40presses against a target item with too great a force, the third member will recoil toward second member38to better position picking arm34, and in turn, gripping tool42relative to the target item while preventing damage to the motors, the third member and the target product. The above described exemplary configuration of picking arm34allows gripping tool42to be adjusted in any direction relative to the inventory disposed within picking area30. It will be understood, however, that picking arm34may include any number of members, passive compliance mechanisms and motors and/or may exhibit alternative arrangements of the members, passive compliance mechanisms and motors, so long as gripping tool42is freely positionable relative to picking area30.

Gripping tool42is preferably in fluid communication with a pneumatic air source. The pneumatic air source may be vacuum or a pump configured to supply compressed air. In embodiments in which the pneumatic air source is a pneumatic compressor providing compressed air, robot12includes a Venturi pump or similar device capable of converting the compressed air to a vacuum force to grasp the inventory items.

The third member40of picking arm34may include a ring magnet (not shown) or another magnetic arrangement that allows fluid communication through an aperture of the magnet. A magnet having an opposing polarity to the magnet of the third member may be disposed on gripping tool42to magnetically and removably couple the gripping tool to the end of picking arm34. Gripping tool42may be a suction cup having a wall formed of a resilient material, such as rubber, with bellows and an annular groove. The wall of gripping tool42is therefore adapted to compress when the gripping tool engages an inventory item. Gripping tool42further includes a lip formed from a resilient material, which also may be a rubber, such that the lip of the gripping tool is adapted to deform and conform to a surface of the target item to create a seal between the gripping tool and the surface of the item. Gripping tool42may further includes a gasket, such as an O-ring, for sealing the connection created between picking arm34and gripping tool42.

Gripping tool42may alternatively or additionally include a clamp (not shown) having a plurality of pneumatically or mechanically actuated fingers for grasping an item. The fingers can be used in combination with the suction cup or in isolation of the suction cup. In some embodiments, the fingers themselves may include suction cups. Robot12may include a tool holder (not shown) to assist the robot in switching one gripping tool for another gripping tool without physical human intervention (e.g., different sized suction cups and/or suction cups formed from different materials and/or between a suction cup and a clamping device). Further details of the various gripping tools42and the tool holder are described in detail in US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/879,843, assigned to Applicant, and hereby incorporated in its entirety herein.

One or more vision devices44, such as a camera, video recorder, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), and the like, are attached to robot12and oriented, for example, downwardly to capture pictures, point clouds, video etc. (generally referred to herein as “an image” or “images”) of the item(s) contained in picking area30and characteristics including the position of gripping tool42within the picking area. The image(s) may then be transmitted via network or non-network communication channels20to processor18which, in turn, may additionally be relayed to operator interface16. In this manner, processor18may implicitly or explicitly analyze the item pose (e.g., position and/or orientation and/or posture) of each of the items contained within the picking area30and based upon this information determine the next item to be picked (i.e., the target item). As will be explained in further detail hereinafter, processor18can then execute a machine learning algorithm, located on storage device22, and predict grasping pose to grasp the target item, before transmitting the grasping pose control instructions to robot12via communication channels20which, when executed by the robot, causes the picking arm34of the robot to autonomously approach and attempt to grasp the target item. Although the grasping pose can refer to a single pose, the grasping of the target item often requires a set of consecutively run poses. As used herein, the term ‘grasping pose’ may refer to a single pose or a set of consecutively run poses.

Robot12may additionally include one or more sensors45communicatively coupled to processor18via network or non-network communication channels20. Sensor45may be, for example, a pressure sensor, or any other sensor configured to detect whether the target product has been grasped by gripping tool42. That is, sensor45is adapted to characterize the grasp as successful or unsuccessful and transmit this information over the network or non-network communication channels20to processor18. In a preferred embodiment, a load cell may be disposed within the picking arm34of robot12to measure the weight of a grasped item. In this manner, robot12can instantaneously verify if the grasped item is the product that the robot initially believed it to be.

Shuttle device24generally includes a track46, a base48that is slidable along the track, a post50and a platform52that is slidable along the post and configured to receive items from picking arm34. Shuttle device24is also communicatively coupled to processor18via network or non-network communication channels20, and thus, is able to be autonomously controlled by the processor.

The base48of shuttle device24may additionally include one or more rollers to assist the base in sliding along the track. Post50is attached to the base48of shuttle24and may be oriented in a substantially vertical direction away from the base. As shown inFIG.2A, shuttle device24may optionally include a support bar56. Although not necessary, support bar56may provide extra stability to post50by reducing the load on the post when platform52transports relatively heavy inventory items. Support bar56may include a first end attached to the base48of the shuttle device and a second end attached to the post50.

Platform52may be directly coupled to post50along a track or via another mechanism that allows the platform to traverse the post in a vertical direction (e.g., move downwardly toward the base48of shuttle device24and move upwardly toward the top of post50). An alternative exemplary mechanism, for example, may include a system of one or more belts, gears and/or screws that allow platform52to be controlled similar to an elevator.

In another embodiment, shuttle device24may optionally include one or more second tracks47upon which track46may slide. In this manner, the base48of shuttle device24is capable of movement in two directions (e.g., along track46(in the x-direction) and along track47(in the y-direction)). In yet another embodiment, platform52may be indirectly coupled to post50via an extension member58that moves the platform laterally relative to the post and in the y-direction. Extension member58may be capable of pivoting the platform from a transport position (e.g., substantially parallel with a ground surface) to a delivery position (e.g., angled downwardly toward target container26) to displace the item from the platform and into the target container. Additionally, or alternatively, platform52may include a push tray, a cross-belt positioned laterally across the platform relative to post50, bomb bay doors, or any other mechanism configured to displace the item from the platform and into a desired one of the target containers26.

Shuttle device24may optionally include one or more scanners60communicatively coupled to processor18via communication channels20. Scanners60are preferably located on platform52, or otherwise positioned adjacent to picking area30, and adapted to scan a barcode on the packaging of the inventory item to verify the identity of the item. Thus, after an item has been grasped and either before the item has been placed on platform52or after the item has been placed on the platform, the scanner or scanners60can scan the barcode, RFID or SKU and transmit this information to processor18which, in turn, can verify the identity of the product and control shuttle device24to direct the platform to dispense the item into an appropriate container, bin or cubby corresponding to a particular order.

In one embodiment, platform52may additionally, or alternatively, include a load measuring device such as a scale to measure the weight of an item. The load measuring device may also be communicatively coupled to computer18via communication channels20to assist in verifying the inventory item. The scale may be embedded within platform52, tared and placed underneath the platform or otherwise spaced apart from the platform, for example, placed underneath picking area30. Thus, when an item is placed on the scale, the items weight may be determined and transmitted to computer18. If the weight is not commensurate with the expected weight of the item, processor18may request that scanner60scan the item to determine the product type and/or the desired end location (e.g., individual consumer container) of the item. The item may alternatively be deposited in a separate end location for further processing.

Referring toFIG.2B, system10may further include an intermediate delivery mechanism61communicatively coupled to processor18to transfer inventory from the picking arm34of robot12to platform52. Intermediate delivery mechanism61may be a table like device having bomb bay doors. Intermediate delivery mechanism61is preferably positioned adjacent to picking area30. Scanners60and the load measuring device may be incorporated within intermediate delivery mechanism61or positioned near the intermediate delivery device to streamline the process of verifying an item before the item is received by platform52. Although intermediate delivery mechanism61is illustrated inFIG.2Bas being a table with bomb bay doors, it will be appreciated that any other intermediate delivery mechanism such as a chute, conveyer belt, push tray or the like, may be used for the same purposes. In some embodiments, intermediate delivery mechanism61may also be used to guide the item onto a particular location of platform52. For example, after processor18has verified the item and knows the size of the item, processor18can control the angle and speed in which the doors of the bomb bay device open, to ensure that the item is dropped centrally on platform52.

Platform52may additionally include sensors (such as beam break sensors) to determine if the target item is hanging off one of the sides of the platform. If the sensor is activated, processor18can instruct the push tray or cross-belt to actuate and move the item towards the center of the platform, thereby preventing the item from falling off the platform or colliding with external structures. Alternatively, bumpers, tapered guide surfaces or brushes (not shown) may be used to push hanging items back onto platform52. Such devices may be provided on either side of track46, for example, to passively adjust hanging items as platform52moves passed the bumpers or guide surface.

FIGS.3and4illustrate exemplary alternative robotic picking/sorting stations. In these alternative embodiments, robot12and shuttle device24are as described above with respect toFIG.2A. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.3, however, the containers ofFIG.2Aare replaced by a plurality of stacked cubbies62located on both sides of the track46of shuttle device24. Each one of cubbies62may correspond to an individual consumer's order. The cubbies may include an open backside through which the picked items may be deposited. As shown inFIG.3, the shelf of each cubby may be sloped toward an open front side having a ledge. Thus, when an item is deposited into the cubby, the item will slide along the shelf until it contacts the ledge. The item may then be easily retrieved for subsequent packaging. In some embodiments, the unit of cubbies62may include wheels or another mechanism to assist in moving the unit to another area of warehouse14for further processing. Alternatively, after a particular cubby62has been filled with the contents of a particular order, the products may be deposited on platform52and transported for further processing.

The robotic station illustrated inFIG.4, replaces the second stack of cubbies62shown inFIG.3(e.g., the cubbies located on one side of track46), with a picking chute64having a plurality of picking areas30. Items may be transported to picking chute64using any known method, including those methods described above, and placed into any one of the picking areas30at random or through a pre-sorting process. It will be appreciated thatFIGS.3and4merely illustrate exemplary robotic picking stations and that robot12and shuttle device24may be used in either of these sorting stations, or any alternatively configured sorting station, to efficiently sort items into a plurality of end locations corresponding to individual orders.

Use of system10to pick and sort inventory items will now be described with reference toFIGS.1-6. Inventory may be transported to picking area30by a human, robot, automated storage retrieval system (ASRS), goods-to-person/robot system, conveyer belt, a combination of the foregoing, or any other known mechanism for transporting inventory within a warehouse. Referring toFIGS.5A-5C, method100begins, for example, at102, in response to an invocation by processor18to determine a grasping pose. Referring toFIG.6, the process for determining a grasping pose200may begin, at202, with a command from processor18that instructs vision device44to capture an image of picking area30. The image may then be transmitted, at204, over network or non-network communication channels20to processor18. Upon receipt of the image, computer18may analyze the item poses of the items contained within picking area30. The item poses can be specified in information that represents item position, shape, orientation, posture, textures, stiffness or the like.

From this information, at206, processor18selects the next item to pick (i.e., the target item). The target item may be autonomously selected by processor18, after analyzing the image, and predicting the item in which robot12has the best, or a high likelihood, of successfully grasping. At208, processer18then executes one or more grasping pose detection algorithms (which can be neural networks or machine learning algorithms stored on storage device22) to predict one or more grasping pose candidates. The processor may then implement a policy, at210, which may utilize one or more metrics, checks and filters to select one or more of the predicted grasping pose candidates for robot12to execute sequentially or to add to its queue. Then, at212, processor18produces, makes, or generates a signal including processor readable information that represents the selected grasping pose and sends the signal through communication channels20to robot12.

Referring back toFIGS.5A-5C, after robot12receives the selected grasping pose signal, the robot executes the signal, at104, causing picking arm34to autonomously perform the selected gasping pose. That is, gripping tool42approaches the target item, as instructed by processor18, and contacts the target item. As gripping tool42contacts the target item, the lip of the gripping tool may deform and conform to the surface of the product as a pneumatic suction force is applied to grasp the target item at106. With the target item grasped, the picking arm34may then lift the target item from picking area30. At this time, the platform52of shuttle device24is located in the pick-up location (e.g., a location adjacent to picking area30). As used herein, when describing the location of platform52relative to the picking area30, the term adjacent means that the platform is in close proximity or within two feet of the picking area in a lateral direction (x-y plane), and preferably, less than 6 inches (as shown inFIGS.2A and2B). Thus, if the grasped item falls in transit from picking area30to platform52, the item will either fall back into the picking area (onto intermediate delivery mechanism61(if used)) or onto the platform of shuttle device24, rather than onto the warehouse floor where it is difficult for robot12to recover the item. In other embodiments, however, this objective may be accomplished by indirectly coupling platform52and picking area30through the use of another intermediate delivery mechanism such as a chute, a conveyer, a push tray and the like. In this manner, picking area30and the pick-up location of platform52may be spaced a greater distance apart from one another than 2 feet, so long as the picking area and the platform are indirectly coupled via the intermediate delivery mechanism to prevent the item from unintentionally dropping onto the warehouse floor.

After the grasping attempt, sensor45characterizes the grasp, at108, as either successful or unsuccessful. That is, if the picking arm34of robot12is able to successfully grasp and remove the target item from picking area30, sensor45will characterize the grasp as successful and transmit a successful grasp signal to processor18via communication channels20. On the other hand, if the picking arm34of robot12is unable to remove the target item from picking area30, or the picking arm drops the target item before the processor18instructs robot12to release the item on the platform, sensor45will characterize the grasp as unsuccessful and transmit an unsuccessful grasp signal to the processor via communication channels20. Upon characterizing the grasp as unsuccessful, processor18can either: (1) immediately signal to teleoperator interface16, at110a, and request human intervention; or (2) attempt to determine a new grasping pose, at110b, to autonomously pick up the target item based upon a new or modified grasping pose. If processor18elects to autonomously determine a new grasping pose, the steps described above, with respect toFIG.6, may be repeated until either the grasp is characterized as successful, at112, or until human intervention is requested at110a.

If processor18signals for human intervention, the signal may be sent directly or indirectly to the teleoperator interface16. In situations in which teleoperator interface16is communicatively coupled to a plurality of robots12, each of the robots may be indirectly coupled to teleoperator interface16via a ‘broker’. The broker may be part of processor18, or a separate processor, tasked with ordering each robot's help request within a queue of the teleoperator interface. The broker may run an algorithm to determine a ‘needs help score’ to determine the priority of the queue. The algorithm may be based on several factors including number of prior grasp failures, level of grasping difficulty, and the like.

Once the signal has been received by teleoperator interface16, a human operator can remotely pilot the picking arm34of robot12and direct the picking arm to execute a specified grasping pose to grasp the target item. Specifically, the human operator can view the items on the output device (e.g., the display) of teleoperator interface16, instruct robot12to change gripping tools42, if necessary, and directly control the picking arm34of robot12to grasp the target item by manipulating the input device of the operator interface. The human operator may also prompt picking arm34to grasp a target item in combination with an automated motion sequence calculated by a motion planner. In this manner, the human operator may simply select a pixel on the image feed representative of the location that the robot should grasp while processor18autonomously determines and instructs robot12to execute a selected grasping pose as described above with reference toFIG.6.

Sensor45can then optionally characterize the grasp as either successful or unsuccessful as described above at108. The human operator can additionally, or alternatively, make the same characterization. If sensor45(or the human operator) characterizes the grasp as successful, the grasping pose used to grasp the target item may be saved within storage device22, at114, for future use. Robot12can thus learn to infer or predict new grasping poses to improve automation of the grasping process.

After the item has been successfully grasped, either autonomously or via manually piloted instructions, processor18can optionally produce, make or generate a signal, at116, that includes processor readable information and that represents a release pose and send the signal through communication channels20to robot12. When the release pose is executed by robot12, at118, the robot may release the target item at a particular location on platform52and/or onto the platform in a particular orientation. The release of the target item in this manner can aid in the subsequent transference of the target item from platform52to order container26or another other end location such as cubby62. This advantageously allows the items to be placed in such a way that the item enters the sorting location in a more reliable manner, for example, a particular orientation. Similarly, in instances in which picking area30is indirectly coupled to platform52via an intermediary delivery mechanism such as a chute, conveyer belt, bomb bay door device, push tray, or other delivery mechanism, the picking arm34of robot12may deposit the target item onto the intermediate delivery mechanism in an orientation that increases the likelihood that the target item will deposited centrally on the platform and received by the platform in a desired orientation.

Once the target product has been picked, and either before or after the item has been placed on the platform52of shuttle device24, at120, the item may optionally be weighed and/or scanned using scanners60to verify the target product. In the embodiment in which the scale is placed under picking area30, as soon as the item is picked, processor18can automatically determine the weight of the object by calculating the difference in mass of the picking area pre and post pick (e.g., the weight of the picked item is determined by subtracting the mass of the picking area after the item is picked from the mass of the picking area before the item was picked). Because scanner60are communicatively coupled to processer18via communication channels20, the processor can scan the picked item to verify the proper end location of the target product and transmit a control instruction to the shuttle, at122, to instruct the shuttle to deposit the target item within a specific order container26. After the control instruction has been transmitted to shuttle24, the control instruction may be executed, causing the base48of shuttle device24to slide along track(s)46,47, platform52to slide along post50and/or lateral extension58to laterally move the platform relative to the post to position the platform adjacent to the specified end location. It will be appreciated, that none of these movement steps need to occur if the pick-up location is disposed adjacent to the desired end location. For example, the dispensing mechanism (e.g., pivoting of platform52, or movement of the push tray or the cross-belt) may actuate to dispense the target item from the platform at the desired end location without the platform moving in the x, y or z-directions. However, any one of the aforementioned movement steps, or a combination of the same, may occur as is necessary to deposit the target item into the desired order containers.

With the platform52positioned adjacent the end location, the platform autonomously dispenses the target product in order container26, at126, as instructed by the control instructions received from processor18. The target item may be dispensed from platform52by pivoting the platform from a transport position in which the platform is substantially parallel with a ground surface to a delivery position in which the platform is angled toward the ground surface. Alternatively, the target item may be dispensed, for example, as a result of movement of the push tray or cross-belt toward container26. After the target item has been deposited into container26, the platform52of shuttle device24returns from the end location to the pick-up location, thus concluding the ‘moving step’ which is defined as beginning when the platform leaves the pick-up location and ending when the platform returns to the pick-up location after depositing the target item at the end location.

The above described process may be repeated a second time, referenced generally at128, to pick and sort a second target item. The second target item is preferably grasped during the moving step of the first pick up item (e.g., prior to the platform returning to the pick-up location, at130, after depositing the first target item). As a result, the batch-picking or sorting throughput of the system is increased because picking arm34and shuttle device24share the responsibility of picking the target item from picking area30and carrying the item from the picking area to the end location. In fact, when picking arm34and shuttle device24act in concert, the sorting throughput of system10is significantly increased relative to the picking arm acting alone.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.