Concepts for identifying an asset sort location

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859665-B2
Application number	US-201615239278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating the sorting of assets to sort locations. In various embodiments, a sort employee scans an asset indicia using a user device, which stores asset data corresponding to the stored asset. As the sort employee nears a sort location (e.g., a delivery vehicle) with the asset and the user device, the user device automatically communicates wirelessly with a sort location receiver to associate the asset data with data indicative of the sort location where the user deposits the asset. In various embodiments, a device may determine whether the user device is proximate the appropriate sort location for the item, and may generate an alert upon a determination that the user device is proximate an incorrect sort location.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A handheld user device configured comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the handheld user device configured to:
receive asset identifier data from an asset indicia, wherein the asset indicia is associated with an asset;
store the asset identifier data corresponding to the asset;
receive data signals from a plurality of location devices, wherein each location device is associated with a corresponding sort location and wherein each data signal is indicative of a corresponding sort location;
determine that a first set of data signals of the data signals have been broadcast by a number of location devices associated with a first sort location;
compare the number of location devices against a configurable threshold number of location devices; and
based on determining that the number of location devices satisfies the configurable threshold number of location devices:
identify the user device to be at the first sort location; and
associate the first sort location with the asset identifier data.

2. The handheld user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user device computer processors are further configured to transmit the asset identifier data and data identifying the first sort location.

3. The handheld user device of claim 1 , further comprising a scanner configured to receive the asset identifier data by scanning the asset indicia from the asset.

4. The handheld user device of claim 1 , wherein the data signals are broadcast from corresponding location devices within a corresponding communication area, and
wherein the data signals are received while the handheld user device is located within the corresponding communication area.

5. The handheld user device of claim 4 , wherein the communication areas corresponding to a plurality of location devices broadcasting location data signals identifying the first sort location overlap within the first sort location.

6. The handheld user device of claim 1 , further configured to:
determine whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset; and
generate an alert indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset.

7. The handheld user device of claim 1 , further configured to:
receive data indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset; and
generate an alert indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset.

8. The handheld user device of claim 1 , wherein the location data signals are received via a Bluetooth communication interface.

9. A computer-implemented method for associating a sorted asset with a sort
location, wherein the method comprises:
receiving, via a user device, asset identifier data from an asset indicia, wherein the asset indicia is associated with an asset;
storing, via the user device, the asset identifier data corresponding to the asset;
receiving, via the user device, data signals from a plurality of location devices, wherein each location device is associated with a corresponding sort location and wherein each data signal is indicative of a corresponding sort location, the corresponding sort location being a common carrier location where assets are organized for arrival at the assets' respective destinations, or other common carrier locations, as part of one or more shipping operations;
determining, via the user device, a number of received data signals that have been received from a first sort location of the corresponding sort location;
comparing, via the user device, the number of received data signals received from the first sort location against a threshold number of data signals; and
based at least in part on determining that the number of received data signals received from the first sort location satisfies the threshold number of data signals:
identifying, via the user device, the user device to be at the first sort location; and
associating, via the user device, the first sort location with the asset identifier data.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising steps for transmitting the asset identifier data and data identifying the first sort location.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein receiving the asset identifier data comprises scanning the asset indicia from the asset.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the location data signals are broadcast from corresponding location devices within a corresponding communication area, and
wherein the location data signals are received while the user device is located within the corresponding communication area.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the communication areas corresponding to a plurality of location devices broadcasting location data signals identifying the first sort location overlap within the first sort location.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising steps for:
determining whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset; and
generating an alert indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising steps for:
receiving data indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset; and
generating an alert indicating whether the first sort location is an appropriate sort location for the asset.

16. A computer program product operable on a user device, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion configured to receive asset identifier data from an asset indicia, wherein the asset indicia is associated with an asset;
an executable portion configured to store the asset identifier data corresponding to the asset;
an executable portion configured to receive data signals from a plurality of location devices, wherein each location device is associated with a corresponding sort location and wherein each data signal is indicative of a corresponding sort location;
an executable portion configured to determine that a first set of data signals of the data signals have been broadcast by a number of location devices associated with a first sort location;
an executable portion configured to compare the number of location devices against a configurable threshold number of location devices; and
an executable portion configured to, based on determining that the number of location devices satisfies the configurable threshold number of location devices:
identify the user device to be at the first sort location; and
associate the first sort location with the asset identifier data.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising an executable portion configured to transmit the asset identifier data and data identifying the first sort location.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the location data signals are broadcast from corresponding location devices within a corresponding communication area, and
wherein the location data signals are received while the user device is located within the corresponding communication area.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the communication areas corresponding to a plurality of location devices broadcasting location data signals identifying the first sort location overlap within the first sort location.

20. The computer

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Loverich Scott Alan
• Abebe Ted
• Lagrosa Lawrence A
• Kerslake Richard Allen
• Gray Jonathan C
• Skonberg Carl M

Classifications

• G06Q10/06313 Primary

  Resource planning in a project environment · CPC title

• G01S5/0295 Primary

  Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals · CPC title

• G06Q10/0835

  Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title