Wireless pick-and-pack system

• US 20040203409A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Swan, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,155,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Requesting the location of items in a storage area may include accessing an entry in a list of items to be selected from item storage subareas. The entry may be associated with an item identifier code corresponding to an item storage subarea. A short-range activation signal corresponding to the item identifier code may be transmitted. The short-range activation signal may cause an indicator device associated with the item identifier code and in physical proximity to the short-range activation signal to transmit an indicator signal that indicates the location of the corresponding item storage subarea.

Claims

1. An apparatus for requesting the location of items in a storage area, the apparatus comprising:

a mobile computing device for accessing an entry in a list of items to be selected from item storage subareas within an item storage area, the entry being associated with an item identifier code corresponding to an item storage subarea; and

a transmitter communicatively coupled to the mobile computing device for transmitting a short-range activation signal corresponding to the item identifier code, the short-range activation signal causing an indicator device associated with the item identifier code and in physical proximity to the short-range activation signal to transmit an indicator signal in response to the short-range activation signal that indicates the location of the corresponding item storage subarea.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the activation signal comprises an infrared signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the activation signal includes an embedded identifier code associated with the entry.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises a mobile transmitter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile computing device comprises a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, or a belt-mounted computer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile computing device receives the entry in the list of items from an enterprise system.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the enterprise system comprises an inventory management system.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mobile computing device receives the entry from the enterprise system by using a docking station.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mobile computing device receives the entry from the enterprise system over a wireless network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless local area network.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireless network comprises a wide area radio network.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular modem network.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile computing device includes a stationary component and a mobile component.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the activation signal comprises a short-range radio signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the activation signal comprises a visible light signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises a portable device that may be attached to the clothing of a person.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the portable device comprises a badge.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is stationary and located at fixed points in the item storage area.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile computing device and the transmitter are integrated in a single unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the single unit comprises a palmtop computing device with an integrated infrared communications feature.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile transmitter is operable to continuously transmit the activation signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile transmitter is operable to transmit the activation signal periodically.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the duration of the period between transmissions of the activation signal is fixed.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the duration of the period between transmissions of the activation signal is random.

25. A method for requesting the location of items in a storage area, the method comprising:

accessing an entry in a list of items to be selected from item storage subareas within an item storage area, the entry being associated with an item identifier code corresponding to an item storage subarea; and

transmitting a short-range activation signal corresponding to the item identifier code, the short-range activation signal causing an indicator device associated with the item identifier code to transmit an indicator signal in response to the short-range activation signal that indicates the location of the corresponding item storage subarea.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the activation signal comprises an infrared signal.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the activation signal includes an embedded identifier code associated with the entry.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein accessing the entry includes accessing the entry using a mobile computing device.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein transmitting a short-range activation signal includes transmitting a short-range signal using a transmitter.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the transmitter comprises a mobile transmitter.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the mobile transmitter is communicatively coupled to a mobile computing device used to access the entry.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein the indicator signal comprises visible light from a light emitting diode.

33. An apparatus to indicate the location of items in a storage area, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a short-range activation signal sent by an interrogator device that is brought into close proximity to the receiver;

a processor for determining whether the short-range activation signal is associated with one or more items stored in an item storage subarea associated with the apparatus; and

a transmitter for sending out an indicator signal in response to the activation signal upon determining that the activation signal is associated with one or more items stored in the item storage subarea.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a fastener for attaching to the item storage subarea within the storage area.

35. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a base or stand.

36. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the transmitter sends out the indicator signal in response to the activation signal only if the interrogator device is within a predetermined distance of the apparatus.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the predetermined distance is about ten feet.

38. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the apparatus further includes a numerical readout that displays a number of items to be selected from the item storage subarea.

39. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the apparatus further includes proximity detection circuitry that senses the number of times an operator selects items from the item storage subarea.

40. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the indicator signal is sent out by the transmitter in response to detecting in the activation signal an embedded identifier code associated with the item storage subarea.

41. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the indicator signal comprises visible light from a light emitting diode.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein a flash pattern of the light emitting diode corresponds to a number of items to be selected from the item storage subarea.

43. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the apparatus further includes a numerical readout that displays the total number of items in the item storage subarea.

44. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the apparatus further includes a manual interface.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the manual interface allows an operator to inform the processor that item selection is complete.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the manual interface allows an operator to manually input the number of items selected from the item storage subarea.

47. The system of claim 45 wherein the apparatus includes a battery.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the apparatus includes circuitry to detect the battery level.

49. A method for indicating the location of items in a storage area, the method comprising:

receiving a short-range activation signal sent by an interrogator device that is brought into close proximity to an indicator device, the indicator device being associated with an item storage subarea within an item storage area;

determining whether the short-range activation signal is associated with one or more items stored in the item storage subarea; and

transmitting an indicator signal in response to the activation signal upon determining that the activation signal is associated with one or more items stored in the item storage subarea, the indicator signal indicating the location of the item storage subarea.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein transmitting the indicator signal in response to the activation signal includes transmitting the indicator signal only if the interrogator device is within ten feet of the indicator device.

51. The method of claim 49 further including displaying the number of items selected from the storage subarea using a numerical readout associated with the indicator device.

52. The method of claim 49 further including sensing the number of times an operator selects items from the storage subarea using proximity detection circuitry.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein the indicator device is attached to the item storage subarea.

54. A system for selecting items, the system comprising

a mobile computing device operable to receive an entry in a list of items to be selected from item storage subareas in an item storage area, and to store the entry in a data storage;

an interrogator device operable to communicate with the mobile computing device and to send out an activation signal related to an item corresponding to the entry on the list; and

an indicator device including a fastener for attaching to an item storage subarea, a receiver for receiving the activation signal, and a transmitter for indicating the location of the item storage subarea by sending out an indicator signal in response to the activation signal if the item storage subarea is associated with the entry.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein the activation signal comprises an infrared signal.

56. The system of claim 54 wherein the activation signal includes an embedded identifier code associated with the entry.

57. The system of claim 54 wherein the mobile computing device receives the entry in the list of items from an enterprise system.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the enterprise system comprises an inventory management system.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein the mobile computing device receives the entry from the enterprise system over a wireless network.

60. The system of claim 54 wherein the interrogator device comprises a portable device that may be attached to the clothing of a person.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the portable device comprises a badge.

62. A method to select items, the method comprising:

accessing an entry in a list of items using a mobile computing device;

moving an interrogator device, that communicates with the mobile computing device, into physical proximity to an indicator device;

upon the interrogator device being moved to a predetermined distance from the indicator device, determining whether the indicator device is associated with an item corresponding to the entry;

activating the indicator device if the indicator device is associated with the item; and

determining the location of the item corresponding to the entry based on the activated indicator device.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein determining whether the indicator device is associated with the item includes determining whether the indicator device is associated with the item based on an activation signal.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the activation signal comprises an infrared signal.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein the activation signal includes an embedded identifier code associated with the entry.

66. The method of claim 62 wherein accessing the entry includes receiving the entry in the list of items from an enterprise system.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the enterprise system comprises an inventory management system.

68. The method of claim 66 wherein receiving the entry from the enterprise system includes receiving the entry over a wireless network.

69. The method of claim 62 wherein the interrogator device comprises a portable device that may be attached to the clothing of a person.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the portable device comprises a badge.