US 11,807,127 B2
Autonomous transport vehicle charging system
Robert Sullivan, Wilmington, MA (US); and Dmitry Vasilyev, Sommerville, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by SYMBOTIC LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/161,759.
Application 18/161,759 is a continuation of application No. 17/235,623, filed on Apr. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,565,602.
Application 17/235,623 is a continuation of application No. 16/660,076, filed on Oct. 22, 2019, granted, now 10,981,463, issued on Apr. 21, 2021.
Application 16/660,076 is a continuation of application No. 16/275,542, filed on Feb. 14, 2019, granted, now 10,449,872, issued on Oct. 22, 2019.
Application 16/275,542 is a continuation of application No. 15/702,474, filed on Sep. 12, 2017, granted, now 10,207,595, issued on Feb. 19, 2019.
Application 15/702,474 is a continuation of application No. 15/359,366, filed on Nov. 22, 2016, granted, now 9,758,049, issued on Sep. 12, 2017.
Application 15/359,366 is a continuation of application No. 14/799,367, filed on Jul. 14, 2015, granted, now 9,499,062, issued on Nov. 22, 2016.
Application 14/799,367 is a continuation of application No. 13/326,823, filed on Dec. 15, 2011, granted, now 9,082,112, issued on Jul. 14, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/423,402, filed on Dec. 15, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2023/0173939 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60L 53/63 (2019.01); G06Q 30/0207 (2023.01); G06Q 40/00 (2023.01); B60L 53/66 (2019.01); G06Q 20/10 (2012.01); B65G 47/04 (2006.01); B65G 67/02 (2006.01); B60S 5/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B60G 5/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B60L 53/63 (2019.02) [B60G 5/00 (2013.01); B60L 53/66 (2019.02); B60S 5/00 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 47/04 (2013.01); B65G 67/02 (2013.01); G06Q 20/105 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0215 (2013.01); G06Q 40/00 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing at least one autonomous transport vehicle;
providing at least one charging station on a pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, the at least one charging station having an allocated and unallocated state where in the allocated state the at least one charging station is disposed for a predetermined one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the charging station being connected to at least one transfer station that allows transfer of items on and off the at least one autonomous transport vehicle;
providing at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging station;
communicating, with a controller in communication with more than one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, information related to interface between a predetermined at least one charging station and the predetermined one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle; and
with the controller, supplying power, from the at least one power supply, to the at least one charging station for charging the more than one auto transport vehicle based on interface demands of the predetermined one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the interface with the predetermined one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle interfacing the predetermined at least one charging station and based on the allocated state and an unallocated time period.