Automated product picking system and method for warehouse

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Business Methods (G06Q)

Published April 7th, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

USPTO granted patent US12596967B2 to AutoStore Technology AS for an automated product picking system in warehouse environments. The patent covers a method and system for optimizing product picking sequences at warehouse stations, utilizing algorithms to determine efficient picking routes, assign products to consolidation containers, and maximize throughput. The patent contains 14 claims.

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What changed

The USPTO granted Patent US12596967B2 to AutoStore Technology AS, covering a method and system for automated product picking in warehouse picking stations. The patent details an optimization algorithm for determining picking sequences, container assignments, and throughput maximization. This intellectual property may affect companies developing automated storage and retrieval systems, warehouse robotics, and logistics optimization software.

For companies in automated warehouse systems and logistics technology, this patent establishes intellectual property that may require licensing considerations or influence product development paths. Competitors in this space should evaluate their products against the claims to assess potential infringement risk.

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Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Method and system for picking products in a picking station of an automatic storage and retrieval system

Grant US12596967B2 Kind: B2 Apr 07, 2026

Assignee

AutoStore Technology AS

Inventors

Ingvar Fagerland

Abstract

A method picks products from at least one storage container in a picking zone of a picking station of an automated storage and retrieval system. The picking is controlled by a picking system controller communicating with a warehouse management system, WMS. The picking is performed by a picking device in the picking zone by placing picked products in one or more consolidation containers according to orders. The picking system controller is adapted for controlling the picking device and picking station for executing the method. The method includes a) receiving and ranking product orders in the warehouse management system, b) moving, by means of a transport system, storage containers with ordered products towards the picking zone according to the ranking of product orders, and c) checking which storage containers are available and ready to be picked from in the picking station and which storage containers and consolidation containers will be available within a timeframe, as well as determining a current position of the picking device relative to the positions of the at least one storage container that are ready to be picked from and the consolidation containers that are ready to receive the picked products. The method further includes d) establishing different picking sequences for completing each product order from the ranked product orders. Each picking sequence lists the products to be picked from the storage containers and which consolidation containers to place the products in within the timeframe. Each picking sequence is established by estimating the following: shortest travel distance for moving the picking device for picking from one storage container to picking from another storage container; fastest completion of picking from storage containers in the picking station for enabling new storage containers to enter the picking zone of the picking station; and fastest completion of the consolidation containers for replacing with new consolidation containers. The method further includes e) ranking the picking sequences and selecting the picking sequence providing higher throughput of picked products according to ranked product orders; f) executing picking of products by letting the picking system controller control the picking device to pick products from the storage containers and place them within the consolidation containers according to the selected picking sequence within the timeframe; and g) repeating steps a) to f) above.