Systems and methods for processing packaged goods in the nature of cigarettes

• US 20070255448A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velociti Alliance North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Velociti Alliance North America Incorporated
• Inventors: Froehlich, Richard L., Driskill, David S., Morrison, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing tobacco-oriented goods are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor. The pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order. Also received is a put-down signal from a put-down sensor. The put-down signal is indicative of the fact that the tobacco product unit has been put down. A determination is made, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the method comprising:

receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor, wherein the pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order;

receiving a put-down signal from a put-down sensor, which the put-down signal is indicative of the fact that the tobacco product unit has been put down;

determining, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick up signal further comprises receiving a pick up signal indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on an identifier attached to the tobacco product unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick up signal further comprises receiving a pick up signal indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on a barcode identifier attached to the tobacco product unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick-up signal further comprises receiving a pick-up signal following a picking up of multiple tobacco product units including said tobacco product unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick-up signal further comprises receiving a pick-up signal following a picking up six tobacco product units including said tobacco product unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor comprises receiving a pick-up signal from a photo-eye sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor comprises receiving a pick-up signal from a sensor positioned proximate to a sorting mechanism configured to sort a plurality of tobacco product units based on at least one order parameter, said tobacco product unit being one of the plurality of tobacco product units.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a put-down signal comprises receiving a put-down signal that is configured to sense when the tobacco product unit has been placed into a shipping container.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a put-down signal comprises receiving a put-down signal that is configured to sense into which of a plurality of shipping containers the tobacco product unit has been placed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a put-down signal comprises receiving a put-down signal that is configured to identify which of a plurality of locations is the location at which the tobacco product unit has been placed.

11. A materials handling system for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the system comprising:

a sorting mechanism configured to physically distribute tobacco product units into a plurality of groups based on an order-oriented characteristic;

a pick-up sensor configured to produce a pick-up signal when a unit has been removed from one of the plurality of groups for packaging purposes; and

a put-down sensor configured to produce a put-down sensor indicative of a location where the unit removed for packaging purposes has been put down.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a processing mechanism configured to determine, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a monitoring mechanism configured to trigger an exception routine if the pick-up signal is not properly associated with the put-down signal.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the sorting mechanism is configured to physically distribute tobacco product units into a plurality of groups, at least two groups being divided based on a characteristic that allows units from the same order to be in different groups.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising an information gathering system for associating an identity with each tobacco product unit prior to being made available to the sorting mechanism.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising an information gathering system for collecting barcode information associated with each tobacco product unit prior to being made available to the sorting mechanism.

17. A computer-implemented method for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the method comprising:

triggering an electronic transmission of a pick-up signal by picking up a plurality of tobacco product units that have been pre-sorted based on an order-oriented characteristic;

triggering an electronic transmission of a put-down signal by putting down the tobacco product units; and

receiving an indication that the pick-up signal has been compared to the put-down signal and a determination has been made that a location associated with the put-down signal is not properly correlated to the pick-signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein triggering a pick-up signal comprises triggering a line of sight sensor positioned proximate to a sorting mechanism.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein triggering a line of sight sensor positioned proximate to a shipping container.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing a collection of tobacco product units in the location with a visual display to determine whether the collection of tobacco products is properly grouped.