Product location method utilizing product bar code and aisle-situated, aisle-identifying bar code

• US 20050090931A1
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ivoice Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Glynn, Kenneth P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,146,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The present invention is an item location directory method and system which involves the use of item-identifying bar codes on the items to be included in the directory, and location-identifying bar codes physically applied to the corresponding locations. These are read in a preset manner with a bar code reader and inputted into a processor for creation of item/corresponding location data for the directories.

Claims

1. A system for creating an item location directory to locate one or more specific items, which comprises:

a.) a plurality of sets of different items, each set having at least one item therein, each set having a specified location, and each set having its own unique item-identifying bar code, with at least one item of each set having said unique item-identifying bar code located thereon;

b.) a plurality of specified locations, each location having at least one of said plurality of sets of different items located thereat, each location of said plurality of locations having a unique location-identifying bar code, each of said plurality of locations having a said unique location-identifying bar code physically situated thereon;

c.) at least one bar code reader for reading said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes;

d.) at least on processor adapted to receive inputs from said at least one bar code reader;

f.) sufficient programming within said processor to provide for recognition, organization, storage and presentation of item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs obtained from said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes, so as to create an item location directory therefrom.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said unique item-identifying bar code is a universal price code bar code.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said unique location-identifying bar code is a bar code which corresponds to a location selected from the group consisting of aisle, row, shelf, bin, drawer and floor space area.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said unique location-identifying bar code is a bar code which includes code for genus data and for species data.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said genus data is row or aisle data, and said species data is bin, drawer or shelf data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said programming includes software which is capable of receiving bar code reader inputs and converting same to item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs for location information.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said system further includes a user feedback unit which includes visual display means for viewing visual feedback in the form of text, or map or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations and are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein said processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein said “

location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations and are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

10. The system of claim 1 which further includes at least one directory selected form the group consisting of printed directory, on-screen directory, on-line directory, audible directory and combinations therof.

17. The system of claim 6 which further includes reading said bar codes with a bar code reader which is wirelessly connected to said processor.

11. A method of creating data for directories for locating items, whcih comprises:

(a) for a plurality of different sets of items, each set'"'"'s items being different from items of other sets, and each set containing at least one item, and each set having a specific location, providing a unique item-identifying bar code to at least one item of a set of items;

(b) physically applying unique location-identifying bar codes to each of said specific locations;

(c) reading said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes in a predetermined sequence to create item/corresponding location data and inputting said data to a processor for assemblage into a directory format an for storage thereof for subsequent directory retreival.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are each physically applied to a specific location selected from the group consisting of aisle, row, shelf, bin, drawer and floor space area.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said item-identifying bar codes are universal rice code bar codes.

14. The method of claim 11 which further includes creating said unique location-identifying bar codes prior to applying them to said locations.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said unique location-identifying bar codes are created from universal price code bar codes which are not incluuded in the item-identifying bar codes used in the method.

16. The system of claim 11 which further includes reading said bar codes with a bar code reader which is connected directly to said processor, is connected indirectly to said processor, or is connectable to said processor.

18. The method of claim 11 which further includes utilizing a secondary processor, to receive and translate bar code reader inputs thereto and to create item/corresponding location information in voice enabling format.