Systems and methods for inspecting products in a subscription platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11807982-B2
Application number	US-202016846775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2020
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A method of using an inspection processor includes receiving one or more articles at an inspection station, and identifying, by the inspection processor, one of the articles by reading a unique identifier associated with the one of the articles. The method also includes inspecting the article based on at least one quality criterion, and updating an article tracking system based on the result of the inspection and the identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of inspecting products using an inspection processing device, the method comprising:
authenticating an inspector using the inspection processing device, the authenticating including reading, by a reader connected to the inspection processing device, a tag associated with the inspector comprising an inspector identifier;
receiving one or more products at an inspection station comprising the inspection processing device;
reading, by the reader connected to the inspection processing device, an identifier associated with the one or more products received at the inspection station, the reading including determining encoded information corresponding to the identifier;
in response to the reading, outputting, by the reader connected to the inspection processing device, the encoded information corresponding to the identifier to the inspection processing device;
identifying, by the inspection processing device, the one or more products based on the encoded information corresponding to the identifier, the identifying including receiving article information from an article database;
displaying, by the inspection processing device, an image corresponding to the identified one or more products on the inspection processing device;
inspecting one or more zones of the one or more products based on at least one quality criterion to determine a result of the inspection, the one or more zones corresponding to one or more sections of the one or more products;
updating an inspection history storage in communication with the inspection processing device, based on the identifier associated with the one or more products, with the result of the inspection and with the inspector identifier for the inspector, the result of the inspection comprising a pass or a fail;
updating a location database with a location of the one or more products, the location corresponding to a transfer location based on the result of the inspection, wherein the location of the one or more products includes at least one of an additional processing area to identify one or more regions of the one or more products that need attention or repair, a secondary inspection station to perform at least one additional inspection, a retirement staging area, or a transfer station; and
transferring the one or more products to the location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the result of inspection is based on the at least one quality criterion including at least one of: determining a presence of a stain, an odor, color bleeding, tearing, snagging, broken stitching, dirt, wrinkling, shrinkage, wear, pilling, color fading, missing or broken hardware, or missing or broken embellishments.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inspecting includes evaluating each one of the at least one quality criterion for the one or more zones of the one or more products.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded information includes at least one of a source, a category, a style, a color, a size, or a serial number of the one or more products.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more products is an article of clothing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more zones correspond to at least one of a front of the one or more products above a centerline, the front of the one or more products below the centerline, a side portion of the one or more products, a back of the one or more products below the centerline, or an interior of the one or more products.

7. A method of inspecting products using an inspection processing device, the method comprising:
authenticating an inspector using the inspection processing device, the authenticating including reading, by a reader connected to the inspection processing device, a tag associated with the inspector comprising an inspector identifier;
receiving one or more products at an inspection station comprising the inspection processing device;
reading, by the reader connected to the inspection processing device, an identifier associated with the one or more products received at the inspection station, the reading including determining encoded information corresponding to the identifier;
in response to the reading, outputting, by the reader connected to the inspection processing device, the encoded information corresponding to the identifier to the inspection processing device;
identifying, by the inspection processing device, the one or more products based on the encoded information corresponding to the identifier, the identifying including receiving article information from an article database;
inspecting one or more zones of the one or more products based on at least one quality criterion to determine a result of the inspection, the one or more zones corresponding to one or more sections of the one or more products;
updating an inspection history storage in communication with the inspection processing device, based on the identifier associated with the one or more products, with the result of the inspection and with the inspector identifier for the inspector, the result of the inspection comprising a pass or a fail;
updating a location database with a location of the one or more products, the location corresponding to a transfer location based on the result of the inspection, wherein the location of the one or more products includes at least one of an additional processing area to identify one or more regions of the one or more products that need attention or repair, a secondary inspection station to perform at least one additional inspection, a retirement staging area, or a transfer station; and
transferring the one or more products to the location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the result of inspection is based on the at least one quality criterion including at least one of: determining a presence of a stain, an odor, color bleeding, tearing, snagging, broken stitching, dirt, wrinkling, shrinkage, wear, pilling, color fading, missing or broken hardware, or missing or broken embellishments.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inspecting includes evaluating each one of the at least one quality criterion for the one or more zones of the one or more products.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identifier of the one or more products encodes at least one of a source, a category, a style, a color, a size, or a serial number of the one or more products.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more zones correspond to at least one of a front of the one or more products above a centerline, the front of the one or more products below the centerline, a side portion of the one or more products, a back of the one or more products below the centerline, or an interior of the one or more products.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identifier is unique to the one or more products and includes a tag having a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tag is displayed on a display by the inspection processing device.

14. The method of claim 7 , further including determining that the one or more products is associated with an accessory, and displaying the accessory in an image representative.

15. An inspection system, comprising:
an inspection processing device;
a plurality of identifiers associated with corresponding products of a plurality of products;
wherein the inspection processing device is configured to:
receive product information associated with one or more zones of a product of the plurality of products, wherein the one or more zones correspond to at least one of a front of the product of the plurality of products above a cente

Assignees

• Caastle Inc

Inventors

• Ponte Ericka
• Noor Kashif
• Hoffman Phillip
• Demaray Andrew

Classifications

• D06F95/008 Primary

  Devices for keeping articles together during laundering, e.g. for keeping socks in pairs (D06F95/004 takes precedence); Devices for protecting or shielding certain parts of the articles during laundering, e.g. button protectors · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0875 Primary

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• D06F93/00

  Counting, sorting, or marking arrangements specially adapted for laundry purposes · CPC title