Identifying and managing equipment within an operational environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11092946-B2
Application number	US-201715825461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 1, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods for managing and producing equipment within an operational environment. In one scenario, a method is performed that includes generating an organizational database structure that maintains information associated with equipment that is part of an operational environment. The organizational database structure includes information indicating which packable items are associated with the piece of equipment. The method further includes accessing the generated organizational database structure to identify physical operational environment factors that affect which pieces of equipment are to be currently produced within the operational environment. The method then evaluates the identified physical operational environment factors to determine whether the specified piece of equipment is to be currently produced within the operational environment and, upon determining that the specified piece of equipment is to be currently processed within the operational environment, the specified piece of equipment is produced and provided to the operational environment.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes at least one processor, for managing and making containers within an operational environment, the method comprising:
generating an organizational database structure that maintains equipment information associated with at least one container that is part of the operational environment, the organizational database structure including information indicating which of a plurality of packable items are associated with the at least one container;
accessing the equipment information of the generated organizational database structure to identify one or more physical operational environment factors that affect which containers are to be currently made within the operational environment;
evaluating the identified physical operational environment factors to determine whether a specified container, selected from the at least one container, is to be currently made within the operational environment;
upon determining that the specified container is to be currently processed within the operational environment, making and providing the specified container to the operational environment;
placing, with a mechanized sorting arm, the specified container on a routable cart according to a determined placement order, wherein the mechanized sorting arm is operated according to the determined placement order, such that the specified container is supplied to a specified optimal position in the operational environment, the specified optimal position comprising a specific position on the routable cart so that the specified container will be filled with items from one or more shelves within a particular location of the operational environment; and
wherein:
the specified container and a set of subsequent containers are made in an order in which they are placed on the routable cart,
the specified container and the set of subsequent containers are placed on the routable cart such that the routable cart is completed on a single particular aisle, and
the specified container and the set of subsequent containers are made in an order such that a minimum number of routable carts occupy the single particular aisle at a time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational environment includes the one or more shelves with aisles between the one or more shelves, and one or more carts that are repositionable within the aisles.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical operational environment factors include at least one of route distance, walking distance, number of carts ahead in line, or positions of the items in the one or more shelves.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operational environment comprises a fulfillment center.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein managing the at least one container comprises identifying a route through the fulfillment center that minimizes wait time for fulfillment.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the identified route avoids cart interference and further avoids bottlenecks at picking stations within the fulfillment center.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein making the at least one container comprises physical generation of the at least one container.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more physical operational environment factors is based on sensor feedback data from one or more hardware sensors within the operational environment.

9. An apparatus configured to make containers according to a determined production order, the apparatus including:
at least one processor;
an induction system configured to determine an order in which containers are made and make the containers by performing the following:
generating an organizational database structure that maintains information indicating which products are associated with the containers;
accessing the generated organizational database structure to identify one or more physical operational environment factors that affect which of the containers are to be currently made;
evaluating the identified physical operational environment factors to determine whether a specified container is to be currently made by the induction system; and
based on the evaluation, making the specified container for placement within an operational environment; a mechanized sorting arm configured to place the specified container on a routable cart according to a determined placement order, wherein the mechanized sorting arm is operated according to the determined placement order, such that the specified container made by the induction system is supplied to a specified optimal position in the operational environment, the specified optimal position comprising a specific position on the routable cart so that the specified container will be filled with items from one or more shelves within a particular location of the operational environment; and
wherein:
the specified container and a set of subsequent containers are made in an order in which they are placed on the routable cart,
the specified container and the set of subsequent containers are placed on the routable cart such that the routable cart is completed on a single particular aisle, and
the specified container and the set of subsequent containers are made in an order such that a minimum number of routable carts occupy the single particular aisle at a time.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein evaluating the identified physical operational environment factors to determine whether the specified container is to be currently made by the induction system comprises evaluating a timing function that categorizes the containers according to a number of shelves in the operational environment that are used for fulfillment.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the identified physical operational environment factors include an identified number of fulfillment operators currently working at a specified location in the operational environment.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein making the specified container for placement within the operational environment comprises applying a shipping label to the specified container.

13. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes at least one processor, for making packaging materials within an operational environment, the method comprising:
generating an organizational database structure that maintains information associated with the packaging materials that are to be filled with one or more items, the information indicating which of the one or more items are associated with the packaging materials;
loading the generated organizational database structure into memory to identify one or more production factors that affect which packaging materials are to be currently made by a packaging material production machine;
using the identified production factors, determining whether the packaging materials are to be currently made by the packaging material production machine; and
upon determining that the packaging materials are to be currently processed by the packaging material production machine, making the packaging materials on the packaging material production machine;
placing, with a mechanized sorting arm, the packaging materials on a routable cart according to a determined placement order, wherein the mechanized sorting arm is operated according to the determined placement order, such that the packaging materials are supplied to a specified optimal position in the operational environment, the specified optimal position comprising a specific position on the routable cart so that the packaging materials will be filled with items from one or more shelves within a particular location of the operational environment; and
wherein:

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Harnesk Andreas

Classifications

• G06Q10/063 Primary

  Operations research, analysis or management · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G06Q10/00 Primary

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G05B19/41865 Primary

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• G05B19/41805

  characterised by assembly · CPC title