Staples, Inc.

A system may provide, by a graphical user interface, a first instruction to a user to perform a first scan of one or more first items at a first location. The system may receive the first scan of the one or more first items and identify, based on the first scan, the one or more first items. The system may update the graphical user interface based on the identified one or more first items and may update a computer file associated with the first instruction to indicate a scan of the one or more first items. Various process or workflows may be determined and proceeded through using scans on a client picking device in an efficient and rapid manner.

A box former may include a carton blank dispensing device that holds a carton blank and carton moving devices that move the carton blank from the carton blank dispensing device and positions it between a plunger and a forming well. The forming well may include a floor, one or more walls, and an opening. The plunger may be configured to move between a retracted position and one or more extended positions, the plunger contacting a top surface of the carton blank and pushing the carton blank into the forming well through the opening of the forming well. In some implementations, the box former may include forming guides that contact points on a bottom surface of the carton blank when it is pushed by the plunger to cause the carton blank to fold into a formed carton.

A system-directed single line pick batching is described. In an example implementation, the system may receive data describing a set of orders including SKU identifiers associated with items in the orders, identify an eligible cart, and assign a location to a task queue of the cart based on the location being associated with a particular SKU identifier. In some instances, the location or SKU identifier may be determined based on an order with a certain quantity of different SKU identifiers. In some instances, the system may navigate the cart to the location and instruct the item to be picked from the location. In response to completion of the pick of the item, the system may navigate the cart to an end point.

A system may transport a first set of mobile storage units from a storage area to an active picking bay of a robotic picking station, the robotic picking station including a robotic arm, the active picking bay being within a range of motion of the robotic arm. A system may transport a carton to the robotic picking station, for example, using one or more conveyors. A system may instruct the robotic arm to move a first item from the first set of mobile storage units into the carton. A system may transport the carton out of the robotic picking station.

A system may capture image data of one or more items at a scanning area using one or more cameras. The system may determine one or more thresholds for the image data using one or more first dimensions of a set of items and may filter the image data using the one or more thresholds. The system may estimate one or more second dimensions of the one or more items based on the filtered image data, and the system may identify a first item from among the one or more items by comparing the estimated one or more second dimensions of the one or more items with the one or more first dimensions of the set of items.

A hybrid modular storage fetching system is described. In an example implementation, an automated guided vehicle of the hybrid modular storage fetching system includes a drive unit that provides motive force to propel the automated guided vehicle within an operating environment. The automated guided vehicle may also include a container handling mechanism including an extender and a carrying surface, the container handling mechanism having three or more degrees of freedom to move the carrying surface along three or more axes. The container handling mechanism may retrieve an item from a first target shelving unit using the carrying surface and the three or more degrees of freedom and place the item on a second target shelving unit. The automated guided vehicle may also include a power source coupled to provide power to the drive unit and the container handling mechanism.

A release logic system for releasing cartons into a fulfillment system is described. In an example implementation, a release logic engine may receive carton data representing a set of cartons and indicating picks for each the set of cartons. The release logic engine may determine a score for a carton of the set of cartons based on a location of a first pick of the carton in a pick-to-cart area of a fulfillment center. In some implementations, the release logic engine may assign the carton to a cart adapted to transport cartons based on the score determined for the carton, and may induct the carton into the fulfillment center for the first pick using the cart.

The technology includes an example method for determining matching items. In some implementations, the method may determine a first set and second set of attributes and attribute types associated with a first and second item, respectively, based on description data associated with the items. The method may determine an attribute-type indicator for a pairing of a first attribute of the first set with a second attribute of the second set based on attribute types of the attributes, compute an attribute value for the pairing based on a similarity between the first and second attribute, and compute a match score for a combination of the first and second items based on the attribute value and attribute-type indicator. The method may also, in response to receiving a data query identifying the first item, provide a graphical user interface including a graphical element representing the second item based on the match score.

In an example embodiment, a method may generate an item layout map for a shelving unit, where the shelving unit stores item types associated with a product category. The method may determine product attributes associated with the product category and divider configurations of the shelving unit, where a divider configuration divides the shelving unit into one or more candidate regions. The method may generate an ontology entry associated with a product attribute and the divider configuration based on the item layout map and the divider configuration of the shelving unit, the ontology entry indicating a regional entropy values of a product attribute for the candidate regions generated by the divider configuration. In some instances, the method may generate a guidance instruction related to the product attribute of the product category based on the ontology entry and provide the guidance instruction to a user.

A hybrid modular storage fetching system is described. In an example implementation, an automated guided vehicle of the hybrid modular storage fetching system includes a drive unit that provides motive force to propel the automated guided vehicle within an operating environment. The automated guided vehicle may also include a container handling mechanism including an extender and a carrying surface, the container handling mechanism having three or more degrees of freedom to move the carrying surface along three or more axes. The container handling mechanism may retrieve an item from a first target shelving unit using the carrying surface and the three or more degrees of freedom and place the item on a second target shelving unit. The automated guided vehicle may also include a power source coupled to provide power to the drive unit and the container handling mechanism.