Patent ID: 7690520

Claim:
A storage and retrieval system comprising: a load-handling vehicle including a chassis supported on the ground and a lifting device configured to lift an item, the vehicle maneuverable on the ground, from an initial vehicle position to a desired vehicle position, along a path that includes a curved portion; the lifting device mounted for movement with respect to the chassis and operable to selectively latch and unlatch from the item; a database storing storage location information for the item, the storage location information defined by three-dimensional coordinates that represent a physical storage location of the item; a plurality of sensors mounted to the vehicle, the sensors communicating data to a mobile computer; the mobile computer disposed on the vehicle, the mobile computer determining a ground position of the chassis of the vehicle and an orientation of the vehicle based on the data received from the sensors; at least one encoder measuring a position of the lifting device relative to the chassis of the vehicle, the encoder communicating the position of the lifting device to the mobile computer; and a base computer located at a base station, the base computer communicating with the mobile computer and the database, wherein when the lifting device is unlatched from the item, the base computer updates the storage location information for the item in the database with a current position of the item.