Monitoring removal and replacement of tools within an inventory control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018102011-A1
Application number	US-201715720726-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Jun 12, 2012
Publication date	Apr 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An inventory control system is described that includes a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray providing a pallet, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects; a sensing device configured to form an image of the storage locations; and a data processor configured to determine presence or absence of the pallet and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet using the information from the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inventory control system comprising:
a tool storage device including a drawer, a tray, or a shelf providing a pallet removably disposed in the drawer, tray, or shelf, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects; a sensing device configured to sense information relating to presence or absence of the pallet or objects within the storage locations of the pallet; and a data processor configured to track check out of the pallet and objects stored within the pallet by determining, based on the information sensed by the sensing device, presence or absence of the pallet in the drawer or tray and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet.

2 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device is a camera configured to form an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf, and
the data processor tracks check out of the pallet and objects stored within the pallet by determining, based on the image of the drawer, tray, or shelf formed by the camera, presence or absence of the pallet in the drawer or tray and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet.

3 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-volatile memory storing information of two baseline images of the drawer, tray, or shelf including a first baseline image having the pallet present in the drawer, tray, or shelf and a second baseline image having the pallet absent from the image, wherein the data processor determines presence or absence of the pallet by comparing an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf captured by the sensing device to each of the baseline images.

4 . The inventory control system of claim 3 , wherein the data processor, upon determining absence of the pallet, issues the pallet and objects associated with storage locations of the pallet as being checked out.

5 . The inventory control system of claim 3 , wherein the first baseline image stored by the non-volatile memory has all storage locations of the pallet occupied by corresponding objects, and
the data processor, upon determining presence of the pallet, determines presence or absence of objects within storage locations of the pallet.

6 . The inventory control system of claim 5 , wherein the data processor determines presence or absence of the objects within storage locations of the pallet by comparing an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf captured by the sensing device to the first baseline image.

7 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet includes an identifier for uniquely identifying the pallet, and
the data processor tracks check out of the pallet and objects stored within the pallet by determining whether the identifier of the pallet is included in the information sensed by the sensing device.

8 . The inventory control system of claim 7 , wherein the data processor, upon determining absence of the pallet, issues the pallet and objects associated with storage locations of the pallet as being checked out.

9 . The inventory control system of claim 7 , wherein the data processor, upon determining presence of the pallet, determines presence or absence of objects within storage locations of the pallet.

10 . The inventory control system of claim 7 , wherein the sensing device is a camera configured to form an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf, and
the data processor tracks check out of the pallet and objects stored within the pallet by determining whether the identifier of the pallet is included in the image of the drawer, tray, or shelf formed by the camera.

11 . The inventory control system of claim 7 , wherein the identifier includes a sequence of text, digits, or patterns.

12 . The inventory control system of claim 11 , wherein the identifier includes different patterns, shapes, or colors.

13 . The inventory control system of claim 11 , wherein the identifier includes a one dimensional bar code or two dimensional (2D) bar code.

14 . The inventory control system of claim 7 , wherein the identifier includes a radio frequency identifier (RFID).

15 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-volatile memory storing information identifying a relationship between the pallet and a unique identifier for the pallet, wherein the sensing device is a camera configured to capture an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf, and wherein the data processor determines whether an identifier is in an image of the drawer, tray, or shelf captured by the camera, compares the determined identifier with the unique identifier for the pallet stored in the non-volatile memory, and determines presence or absence of the pallet based on a result of the comparison.

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Phillips Preston
• Fly David C
• Lipsey Matthew J
• Chwan Joseph M
• Rogers Frederick J

Classifications

• G07C9/22

  in combination with an identity check of the pass holder · CPC title

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• B25H3/028

  by sliding extraction from within a common frame · CPC title

• B25H3/00 Primary

  Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments (containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; {nail dispensers B25C3/00}) · CPC title

• A47F3/02

  with dispensing arrangements ({A47F1/04 takes precedence; for cigars or cigarettes A24F15/04; for cigarette papers A24F17/00; for hand towels or toilet paper A47K10/24; for photographic paper G03B; } coin-freed G07F) · CPC title