Perpetual batch order fulfillment

• US 10,229,383 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthews International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Matthews International Corporation
• Inventors: Danelski, Darin
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia F
• Application Number:
  US14/451,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20140351101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for implementing and managing order fulfillment processes are generally described. An order fulfillment system may include order management device configured to manage order information associated with a plurality of orders having one or more units orders for the order fulfillment system. The system may also include an order procurement device configured to receive order information from the order management device and to implement the fulfillment of the orders. The order procurement device may transmit completed order information to the order management device. The order management device may assign orders to the order procurement device responsive to receiving an indication that the order procurement device has completed an order. The orders may be assigned based on various order assignment factors, such as travel costs, order ranking, unit characteristics, customer characteristics, or the like.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of batch order fulfillment, the method comprising, by a processor:

receiving order information associated with a plurality of orders, each of the plurality of orders indicating at least one of a plurality of units arranged in one of a plurality of containers;

assigning, via an order management device, a batch of orders to an automated order procurement device configured to move about the plurality of containers on a track, conveyor, or on wheels, and configured to automatically receive information about the order through a component selected from a bar code scanner or a radio-frequency identification reader;

receiving order completion information at the order management device from the automated order procurement device automatically responsive to completion of an order;

receiving a location of the automated order procurement device following completion of the order;

determining a plurality of distances between the automated order procurement device and at least two of the plurality of units associated with the plurality of orders based on the location;

assigning, via the order management device, a new order from the plurality of orders to the batch of orders prior to a completion of the batch of orders and responsive to receiving the order completion information, the new order comprising a unit having a minimum distance of the plurality of distances, wherein the automated order procurement device picks units of the new order and unpicked units of the assigned batch of orders that have not been completed in a logical travel sequence that minimizes travel cost of the automated order procurement device, wherein travel cost comprises travel time and travel distance;

adding at least one single unit order to any automated order procurement device; and

removing and sending the at least one single unit order to a processing station where each item of the at least one single unit order is removed and assigned to an order dynamically.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the new order further comprises assigning the new order based on at least one order assignment factor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one order assignment factor comprises at least one of a travel cost, an order ranking, a first-in-first-out order, a unit characteristic, an order characteristic, and a customer characteristic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one order assignment factor comprises a plurality of weighted order assignment factors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the order information comprises at least one of a stock keeping unit (SKU), radio-frequency identification (RFID) information, bar code information, location information, order number, and a distance between different orders.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a travel cost for each of the plurality of orders based on the order information and the location following completion of the order.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein assigning the new order further comprises assigning the new order based on a minimum travel cost.

8. A batch order fulfillment system, comprising:

a plurality of containers;

an automated order procurement device configured to move about the plurality of containers on a track, conveyor, or on wheels, and configured to automatically receive information about the order through a component selected from a bar code scanner or a radio-frequency identification reader;

an order management device comprising a processor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor, wherein the computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

receive order information associated with a plurality of orders, each of the plurality of orders indicating at least one unit arranged in one of the plurality of containers,

assign a batch of orders to the automated order procurement device,

receive order completion information from the automated order procurement device automatically responsive to completion of an order,

receive a location of the automated order procurement device following completion of the order;

determine a plurality of distances between the automated order procurement device and at least two of the plurality of units associated with the plurality of orders based on the location,

assign a new order from the plurality of orders to the batch of orders prior to a completion of the batch of orders and responsive to receiving the order completion information, the new order comprising a unit having a minimum distance of the plurality of distances, wherein the automated order procurement device picks units of the new order and unpicked units of the assigned batch of orders that have not been completed in a logical travel sequence that minimizes travel cost of the automated order procurement device, wherein travel cost comprises travel time and travel distance;

adding at least one single unit order to any automated order procurement device; and

removing and sending the at least one single unit order to a processing station where each item of the at least one single unit order is removed and assigned to an order dynamically.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein assigning the new order further comprises assigning the new order based on at least one order assignment factor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one order assignment factor comprises at least one of a travel cost, an order ranking, a first-in-first-out order, a unit characteristic, an order characteristic, and a customer characteristic.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one order assignment factor comprises a plurality of weighted order assignment factors.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the order information comprises at least one of a stock keeping unit (SKU), radio-frequency identification (RFID) information, bar code information, location information, order number, and a distance between different orders.

13. The system of 8, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine a travel cost for each of the plurality of orders based on the order information and the location following completion of the order.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein assigning the new order further comprises assigning the new order based on a minimum travel cost.