Method and system for optimizing storage and retrieval of a stock keeping unit (SKU)

• US 10,685,324 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Ranjanghatmuralidhar, Madhusudhan, Pasha, Ashar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US15/983,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20180336514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Disclosed is a Warehouse Management System (WMS) for optimizing storage and retrieval of a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) present in a warehouse. A pallet identification module identifies one or more pallets capable for storing a plurality of SKUs. A notifying module notifies a first operator for storing the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets. A database update module updates an address of each pallet in a WMS database. A pickup list module provides a pickup list comprising one or more SKUs to be retrieve. A determination module determines at least one pallet and a second operator from the one or more pallets and a plurality of second operators respectively. An operator guiding module guides the second operator, via a virtual map displayed on the AR enabled device, to the address of the at least one pallet in order to retrieve the one or more SKUs.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing storage and retrieval of a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) present in a warehouse, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, one or more pallets, present in a warehouse, capable for storing a plurality of SKUs, wherein the one or more pallets are identified based on a first metadata and a second metadata associated to the one or more pallets and the plurality of SKUs respectively;

notifying, by the processor, a first operator via an Augmented Reality (AR) enabled device, belongs to the first operator, for storing the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

updating, by the processor, an address of each pallet, storing the plurality of SKUs, in a Warehouse Management System (WMS) database upon receiving a signal from the first operator via the AR enabled device, wherein the signal indicates occupancy of the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

providing, by the processor, a pickup list comprising one or more SKUs, to be retrieve, stored in the one or more pallets;

determining, by the processor,

at least one pallet, of the one or more pallets, storing the one or more SKUs, wherein the at least one pallet is determined based on the address stored in the WMS database, and

a second operator, amongst a plurality of second operators, closest to the at least one pallet; and

guiding, by the processor, the second operator, via a virtual map being displayed on the AR enabled device, to the address of the at least one pallet in order to retrieve the one or more SKUs thereby optimizing storage and retrieval of the SKU present in the warehouse.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metadata indicates dimensional data pertaining to the at least one pallet, and wherein the second metadata indicates dimensional data pertaining to the SKU to be stored inside the one or more pallets.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising guiding the first operator to each pallet in order to store the plurality of SKUs, wherein the first operator is guided via the virtual map being displayed on the AR enabled device belongs to the first operator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the address of the at least one pallet is displayed in the AR enabled device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second operator is determined by,

computing a distance for each second operator, present in the warehouse, from the at least one pallet, wherein the distance is computed based on the latitude-longitude coordinates of each second operator and the at least one pallet;

comparing the distance computed for each second operator; and

determining the second operator, amongst the plurality of second operators, closest to the at least one pallet based on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising ensuring the retrieval of the one or more SKUs as per the pickup list by,

scanning a barcode corresponding to each SKU, to be retrieved, by a scanning unit;

retrieving, upon scanning the barcode, details for each SKU; and

comparing the details with a pre-stored details in order to ensure the retrieval of the one or more SKUs as per the pickup list, wherein the comparison of the details with the pre-stored details is facilitated by the AR enabled device.

7. A Warehouse Management System (WMS) for optimizing storage and retrieval of a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) present in a warehouse, the WMS comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is capable of executing a plurality of modules stored in the memory, and wherein the plurality of modules comprising;

a pallet identification module for identifying one or more pallets, present in a warehouse, capable for storing a plurality of SKUs, wherein the one or more pallets are identified based on a first metadata and a second metadata associated to the one or more pallets and the plurality of SKUs respectively;

a notifying module for notifying a first operator via an Augmented Reality (AR) enabled device, belongs to the first operator, for storing the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

a database update module for updating an address of each pallet, storing the plurality of SKUs, in a Warehouse Management System (WMS) database upon receiving a signal from the first operator via the AR enabled device, wherein the signal indicates occupancy of the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

a pickup list module for provide a pickup list comprising one or more SKUs, to be retrieve, stored in the one or more pallets;

a determination module for determining

at least one pallet, of the one or more pallets, storing the one or more SKUs, wherein the at least one pallet is determined based on the address stored in the WMS database, and

a second operator, amongst a plurality of second operators, closest to the at least one pallet; and

an operator guiding module for guiding the second operator, via a virtual map being displayed on the AR enabled device, to the address of the at least one pallet in order to retrieve the one or more SKUs thereby optimizing storage and retrieval of the SKU present in the warehouse.

8. The WMS of claim 7, wherein the first metadata indicates dimensional data pertaining to the at least one pallet, and wherein the second metadata indicates dimensional data pertaining to the SKU to be stored inside the one or more pallets.

9. The WMS of claim 7 further comprising guiding the first operator to each pallet in order to store the plurality of SKUs, wherein the first operator is guided via the virtual map being displayed on the AR enabled device belongs to the first operator.

10. The WMS of claim 7, wherein the determination module determines the second operator by,

computing a distance for each second operator, present in the warehouse, from the at least one pallet, wherein the distance is computed based on the latitude-longitude coordinates of each second operator and the at least one pallet;

comparing the distance computed for each second operator; and

determining the second operator, amongst the plurality of second operators, closest to the at least one pallet based on the comparison.

11. The WMS of claim 7, wherein the operator guiding module ensures the retrieval of the one or more SKUs as per the pickup list by,

scanning a barcode corresponding to each SKU, to be retrieved, by a scanning unit;

retrieving, upon scanning the barcode, details for each SKU; and

comparing the details with a pre-stored details in order to ensure the retrieval of the one or more SKUs as per the pickup list, wherein the comparison of the details with the pre-stored details is facilitated by the AR enabled device.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a program executable in a computing device for optimizing storage and retrieval of a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) present in a warehouse, the program comprising a program code:

a program code for identifying one or more pallets, present in a warehouse, capable for storing a plurality of SKUs, wherein the one or more pallets are identified based on a first metadata and a second metadata associated to the one or more pallets and the plurality of SKUs respectively;

a program code for notifying a first operator via an Augmented Reality (AR) enabled device, belongs to the first operator, for storing the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

a program code for updating an address of each pallet, storing the plurality of SKUs, in a Warehouse Management System (WMS) database upon receiving a signal from the first operator via the AR enabled device, wherein the signal indicates occupancy of the plurality of SKUs in the one or more pallets;

a program code for providing a pickup list comprising one or more SKUs, to be retrieve, stored in the one or more pallets;

a program code for determining

at least one pallet, of the one or more pallets, storing the one or more SKUs, wherein the at least one pallet is determined based on the address stored in the WMS database, and

a second operator, amongst a plurality of second operators, closest to the at least one pallet; and

a program code for guiding the second operator, via a virtual map being displayed on the AR enabled device, to the address of the at least one pallet in order to retrieve the one or more SKUs thereby optimizing storage and retrieval of the SKU present in the warehouse.