Identifying inventory items in a storage facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016379166-A1
Application number	US-201615262253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a picker to correctly identify and pick inventory items from a warehouse or storage facility are provided. An exemplary portable picking-assistance device comprises first and second communication devices. The first communication device is configured to electronically receive a first item list including one or more items to be retrieved by an operator from a predetermined storage area. The one or more items may be selected from a plurality of items stored in the predetermined storage area. The second communication device is configured to communicate radio frequency signals to a first radio frequency (RF) tag of a plurality of RF tags. The first RF tag is associated with a first item listed on the first item list. An indication is provided to the operator confirming an identification of the first item to be retrieved by the operator.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a computer; a plurality of radio frequency (RF) tags associated with a plurality of items; a portable electronic device configured to:
receive a first list from the computer, the first list including one or more items to be retrieved by a user;
communicate with a first RF tag of the plurality of RF tags, the first RF tag associated with a first item included in the first list;
in response to communicating with the first RF tag, provide a first indication to the user confirming an identification of the first item to be retrieved by the user; and
a plurality of totes, each tote configured to accompany a user and to carry one or more and wherein each tote comprises a portable RF tag configured to communicate with the portable electronic device and an indicator configured to provide a second indication confirming an identification of the respective tote in which an identified item is carried.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the RF tags are attached to a plurality of bins associated with the plurality of items, and wherein each bin is configured to store one or more items of a particular type.

3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the computer is configured to store information relating each of the plurality of RF tags with a corresponding one of the plurality of bins.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the RF tags are attached to one or more racks, each RF tag being positioned on the one or more racks in the vicinity of a corresponding type of item stored on the one or more racks.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein a first tote of the plurality of totes is configured to carry the one or more items listed on the first list and a second tote of the plurality of totes is configured to carry one or more items listed on a second list.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the RF tags is coupled with an indicator configured to provide an indication confirming the identification of the first item.

7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the indicator is an LED.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is connected to a headset comprising an audio output device and an audio input device, wherein the audio output device is configured to provide audible item-picking directions to the user, and wherein the audio input device is configured to receive speech recognizable input from the user.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate with the RF tags using a short-range wireless communication protocol.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is connected to a proximity unit including one or more indicator devices configured to provide an indication confirming the identification of the first item.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the proximity unit is configured to detect an RF tag in its vicinity.

12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the RF tags are passive RFID tags.

13 . A portable device, comprising:
a first communication device configured to electronically receive a first list including one or more items to be retrieved by an operator, the one or more items selected from a plurality of items; and a second communication device configured to:
electronically communicate radio frequency signals to a first radio frequency (RF) tag of a plurality of RF tags, the first RF tag associated with a first item listed on the first list;
in response to communicating with the first RF tag, provide an indication to the operator confirming an identification of the first item to be retrieved by the operator;
communicate with a second plurality of portable RF tags attached to a plurality of totes configured to accompany a user and to carry one or more items, wherein each portable RF tag of the second plurality includes an indicator configured to provide a second indication confirming an identification of the respective tote in which an identified item is carried.

14 . The portable device according to claim 13 , wherein the first communication device is configured to receive the first list from a computer.

15 . The portable device according to claim 13 , comprising a headset and speech recognition software, the headset comprising an audio output device and an audio input device, wherein the audio output device is configured to provide audible item-picking directions to the operator, and wherein the audio input device is configured to receive speech recognizable input from the operator.

16 . The portable device according to claim 13 , wherein the second communication device is configured to communicate with the RF tags using a short-range wireless communication protocol.

17 . The portable device according to claim 13 , comprising one or more indicator devices configured to provide an indication confirming the identification of the first item, the one or more indicator devices including at least one of a visual output device and an audio output device.

18 . The portable device according to claim 17 , wherein the one or more indicator devices are coupled to at least one of a headset and a wearable proximity unit.

19 . A device, comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) tag associated with a first item of a plurality of items stored in a facility, the RF tag configured to receive RF signals within a first RF frequency range of a plurality of RF frequency ranges, wherein the RF tag is attached to a tote configured to accompany a user and to carry one or more items; and an indicator configured to provide:
a first indication to a user to confirm an identification of the first item in response to the RF tag receiving RF signals within the first RF frequency range; and
a second indication confirming an identification of the respective tote in which the first item is carried.

20 . The device according to claim 19 , wherein the RF tag is a passive RFID device and the indicator is an LED.

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Singel Frank
• Romantic William

Classifications

• G06Q10/0875 Primary

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

• G06K17/0022

  arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L) · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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

• G06K19/07705

  the visual interface being a single light or small number of lights capable of being switched on or off, e.g. a series of LEDs · CPC title