Exit control mechanism for reducing processing station errors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035616-B1
Application number	US-201414206265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2014
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for an exit control mechanism indicating an incomplete packing state near an exit portion of a packing station. A control system determines a pack job and determines a pack plan for the pack job. The control system may send instructions to a pack station directing packing of the pack job in accordance with the pack plan. The control system may receive indications of packing progress, for example, electronic indications from a scanner at the pack station, and update the state of the pack job, such as incomplete or complete. The control system instructs an exit mechanism to change from indicating an incomplete pack state to indicating a completed pack state based on, for example, determinations that the steps of the pack plan have been completed correctly and that the pack job is complete.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a pack station configured for performing a multi-step packing process and comprising:
a device configured to capture data regarding completion of packing steps of the packing process;
an exit portion for moving completed packages away from the station; and
an exit control mechanism located at the exit portion and configured to indicate an incomplete pack state for when a package is not yet ready to leave the pack station and a go pack state for when a package is ready to leave the pack station, wherein the location of the exit control mechanism at the exit portion of the pack station signifies that the exit control mechanism indicates when a package is ready to leave the pack station; and

a control system configured to:
receive an indication of a pack job;
determine a pack plan for the pack job;
receive data indicating performance of at least some of the multiple steps of the pack job; and
in response to determining that the indicated performance of multiple steps were performed in accordance with the pack plan and that the pack job is complete, instruct the exit control mechanism to indicate change from the incomplete pack state to the go pack state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the exit control mechanism is an illumination device, a speaker, or a mechanical device; and wherein to indicate the pack state, the control system is further configured to instruct the illumination device to change illumination, to instruct the speaker to emit a sound, or to instruct the mechanical device to impede movement of a packed container from the packing station.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to instruct the exit control mechanism to indicate the incomplete packing state prior to said receiving data indicating performance of multiple steps of the pack job.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display device for displaying one or more packing instructions corresponding to at least some of the multiple steps, wherein the display device is located at a work area of the pack station distinct from the exit portion.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system is further configured to send instructions to the display device instructing the display device to display the packing instructions corresponding to the packing steps of the packing process.

6. A method, comprising:
performing, by a control system having a processor and memory:
determining a pack job and corresponding pack plan for the pack job;
sending instructions corresponding to the pack plan for the pack job to a pack station;
receiving, from the pack station, data indicating performance of multiple steps for the pack job; and
in response to determining that the indicated performance of multiple steps were performed in accordance with the pack plan such that the pack job is complete, sending instructions directing an exit control mechanism of the pack station to indicate that the shipment is ready to leave the pack station, wherein the exit control mechanism is located at an exit portion of the pack station for moving completed packages away from the pack station, and wherein the location of the exit control mechanism at the exit portion of the pack station signifies that the exit control mechanism indicates when a shipment is ready to leave the pack station.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising sending instructions directing multiple steps of the pack job in accordance with the pack plan, wherein sending instructions comprises sending instructions to select a container for the pack job, sending instructions to place items in the selected container, and sending instructions to place packing material in the container.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
sending an instruction directing, prior to said sending instructions corresponding to the pack plan for the pack job to a pack station, sortation of items for the pack job; and
sending another instruction directing, subsequent to said sending instructions directing an exit control mechanism of the pack station to indicate that the shipment is ready to leave the pack station, the completed pack job to another area for application of a label indicating a destination for the completed pack job.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising instructing the exit control mechanism to indicate an incomplete packing state prior to said receiving data indicating performance of multiple steps of the pack job.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining, based on the received data, that a step of the pack plan was not performed in accordance with the pack plan for the pack job; and
performing, based on the determination, an error handling routine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing the error handling routine comprises:
determining an operation to perform to remedy the non-performance; and
sending instructions to the pack station instructing performance of the operation.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving an indication of a weight of the package being packed, wherein said determining that the indicated performance of multiple steps were performed in accordance with the pack plan such that the pack job is complete is determined based, at least in part, upon the indicated weight of the package.

13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising sending instructions to a display instructing the display to display packing instructions corresponding to the multiple steps of the pack job.

14. A pack station configured for performing a multi-step packing process, the pack station comprising:
a scanning device configured to capture data regarding completion of a plurality of packing steps of a packing plan corresponding to a pack job, wherein the scanning device is configured to send the data regarding completion of the plurality of packing steps to a control system;
an exit portion for moving completed packages away from the station; and
an exit control mechanism configured to indicate a state of the pack job, wherein the exit control mechanism is located at the exit portion, wherein the location of the exit control mechanism at the exit portion of the pack station signifies that the exit control mechanism indicates when a package is ready to leave the pack station, and wherein the exit control mechanism is configured to receive instructions from the control system directing the exit control mechanism to indicate that a package is ready to leave the pack station.

15. The pack station of claim 14 , wherein the exit control mechanism is configured to receive instructions from the control system instructing the exit control mechanism to indicate a go pack state, and wherein the exit control mechanism is configured to change from indicating an incomplete pack state to indicating the go pack state in response to receiving the instructions from the control system.

16. The pack station of claim 15 , wherein the exit control mechanism is a gate, and wherein the received instruction to indicate the go pack state comprises an instruction directing the gate to open.

17. The pack station of claim 15 , wherein the exit control mechanism is a conveyance device, and wherein the received instruction to indicate the go pack state comprises an instruction directing the conveyance device to convey the completed package from the pack station.

18. The pack station of claim 14 , further comprising a display screen configured to display instructions for performing the packing steps of the packing pla

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Hood James Lamar
• Rice Charles Edward
• Carter Ryan Stuart
• Yan Henry Chi-Chung
• Bundy Michael Ellsworth

Classifications

• B65B57/04 Primary

  and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages · CPC title

• B65B57/02 Primary

  responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages · CPC title

• B65B67/02

  Packaging of articles or materials in containers · CPC title

• B65B67/08

  Wrapping of articles · CPC title