Identifying inventory items in a storage facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9443222-B2
Application number	US-201414513808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

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

The invention claimed is:

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

2. The warehouse management 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 warehouse management system according to claim 2 , wherein the host 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 warehouse management system according to claim 1 , wherein the RF tags are attached to one or more racks located in the predetermined storage area, 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 warehouse management 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 item list and a second tote of the plurality of totes is configured to carry one or more items listed on a second item list.

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

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

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

9. The warehouse management 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 warehouse management 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 the indication confirming the identification of the first item.

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

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

13. A portable picking-assistance device comprising:
a first communication device 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 selected from a plurality of items stored in the predetermined storage area; 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 item list;
wherein the second communication device is configured to, 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;
wherein the RF tags are attached to at least one of a plurality of bins and a plurality of racks configured to support the plurality of bins, each bin being configured to store a specific type of item; and
wherein the second communication device is further configured to communicate with a plurality of portable RF tags attached to a plurality of totes configured to accompany a picker and to carry one or more picked items, wherein each portable RF tag 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 picking-assistance device according to claim 13 , wherein the first communication device is configured to receive the first item list from a host computer of a warehouse management system.

15. The portable picking-assistance device according to claim 13 , further comprising a headset and speech recognition software, the headset including 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 picking-assistance 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 picking-assistance device according to claim 13 , further comprising one or more indicator devices configured to provide the 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 picking-assistance 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. An item identifying device comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) tag associated with a first item of a plurality of items stored in a storage facility, the RF tag configured to receive RF signals within a first RF frequency range of a plurality of RF frequency ranges; and
an indicator configured to provide an indication to an item picker to confirm an identification of the first item in response to the RF tag receiving RF signals within the first RF frequency range; and
wherein the RF tag is attached to a tote configured to accompany a picker and to carry one or more picked items, and wherein the indicator is configured to provide a second indication confirming an identification of the respective tote in which the first item is carried.

20. The item identifying device according to claim 19 , wherein the RF tag is attached to a bin configured to store the first item.

21. The item identifying device according to claim 19 , wherein the RF tag is attached to a rack structure in the vicinity of the first item.

22. The item identifying device according to claim 19 , wherein the RF tag is a passive RFID device and the indicator is an

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Singel Frank
• Romantic William

Classifications

• 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

• 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

• 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

• G06Q10/0875 Primary

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