MONITORING REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF TOOLS WITHIN AN INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20130328661A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Phillips, Preston, Fly, David C., Lipsey, Matthew J., Rogers, Frederick J., Chwan, Joseph Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,811,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/02 with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04 takes precedence; for cigars or cigarettes A24F15/04; for cigarette papers A24F17/00; for hand towels or toilet paper A47K; for photographic paper G03B; coin-freed G07F
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/028 by sliding extraction from within a common frame
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/213 Feature extraction, e.g. by transforming the feature space; Summarisation; Mappings, e.g. subspace methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

An inventory control system is described that includes a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray providing a pallet, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects; a sensing device configured to form an image of the storage locations; and a data processor configured to determine presence or absence of the pallet and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet using the information from the image.

Claims

1. An inventory control system comprising:

a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray providing a pallet, wherein the pallet includes storage locations for objects;

a sensing device configured to form an image of the storage locations; and

a data processor configured to determine presence or absence of the pallet and presence or absence of objects within the storage locations of the pallet using the information from the image.

2. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein the pallet is a removable section within the drawer or tray and is configured to group objects by housing them within the storage locations.

3. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein upon determining the pallet is absent from the drawer or the tray, the processor issues the pallet along with the objects stored within the pallet as being checked out.

4. The inventory control system of claim 3, wherein:

the processor is configured to;

identify a return of the pallet to the drawer or the tray, and

upon determining the pallet has been returned to the drawer or the tray, the processor determines the presence or absence of the objects within the storage sections of the pallet.

5. The inventory control system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display information about the pallet and the objects stored within the pallet.

6. The inventory control system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to display on the display an image of the pallet and the objects within the pallet.

7. An inventory control system comprising:

a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray for housing objects; and

a processor is programmed to perform multi factor authentication functions including functions of;

receiving from a user a first authentication information for accessing the tool storage device;

authenticating the user by comparing the first authentication information with a first authorization data;

upon successful authentication based on comparison of the first authentication information with the first authorization data, receiving from a user a second authentication information;

authenticating the user by comparing the second authentication information with a second authorization data; and

upon successful authentication based on comparison of the second authentication information with the second authorization data, granting user access to the tool storage device.

8. The inventory control system of claim 7, wherein:

the first authentication information includes one of an authentication device issued to a user of the inventory control system, and

the second authentication information includes an authentication password issued to the user.

9. The inventory control system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to perform the function of authenticating the user at the inventory control system.

10. The inventory control system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configure to request a remote server to perform the function of authenticating the user.

11. An inventory control system comprising:

a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray having a storage location for storing a target object;

a display device configured to display information about the target object; and

a processor configured to;

receive a selection of a target object,

identify a target location image associated with the target object,

identify target object coordinates within the target location image,

apply a visual contrast element to the target location image at the target object coordinates; and

display on the display device the visual contrast element applied to the target location image at the target object coordinates on a display of the inventory control system to draw a user'"'"'s attention to the target object.

12. The inventory control system of claim 11, further comprising a sensing device configured to form the target location image for determining presence or absence of the target object in the storage location.

13. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive the selection of the target object from a user operating the inventory control system.

14. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein:

the target object includes a tool for storage in the storage location, or

the target object includes the storage location for housing the tool.

15. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the target location image includes an image of a drawer or a tray within the tool storage device housing the target object.

16. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the target object coordinates includes coordinates of the target object within the target location image.

17. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the visual contrast element identifies the target object using graphics configured to draw the user'"'"'s attention to the target object, the graphic includes using a color, an animated cursor, contrasting focus, a movement, zoom effect, and/or background effect.

18. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display on the display device relative size, shape, and location of drawers or trays of the tool storage device;

distinguish on the display device, from among the drawers or trays, a drawer or tray housing the target object; and

upon receiving a selection of a user selection of the distinguished drawer or tray housing the target object, display on the display device the visual contrast element applied to a digital image of the distinguished drawer or tray at the target object coordinates.

19. The inventory control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display on the display device relative size, shape, and location of shelvings housed within cabinet of the tool storage device;

distinguish on the display device, from among the shelvings, a shelf housing the target object; and

upon receiving a selection of a user selection of the distinguished shelf housing the target object, display on the display device the visual contrast element applied to a digital image of the distinguished shelf at the target object coordinates.

20. An inventory control system comprising:

a tool storage device including a drawer or a tray having a storage location for storing a target object;

a display device configured to display information about the target object; and

a processor configured to provide on the display device tap, flick, pinch/spread, or drag functions for use by a user of the inventory control system.

21. The inventory control system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to provide the tap function for opening an application on the display device.

22. The inventory control system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to provide the pinch/spread function to enlarge an screen image or to make the screen image smaller on the display device.

23. The inventory control system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to provide the drag function to move an image around on the display device.