IN-FIELD DEVICE FOR DE-CENTRALIZED WORKFLOW AUTOMATION

• US 20150025932A1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAF Software Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAF Technology, Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ross, David Justin, Turner, Bryan J., Traina, Christopher, Harbachuk, George, Saavedra, Diego, Teudt, Richard Clark, Saur, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/10 Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection ofthe destination methods or arrangements for reading and recognising printed or written characters or geometric figures G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In one example, a system is provided. The system includes a portable, in-field unit including: a tag reader to acquire an ID tag identifier from a tag located in or on a physical item positioned within functional range of the in-field unit tag reader; a digital processor arranged for executing software code stored in the in-field unit responsive to the acquired ID tag identifier, the stored software code including—a customer application layer; and a database adapter component configured to provide database services to the processor; wherein the database services include accessing a stored database to acquire stored data associated with the acquired ID tag identifier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a physical item having associated therewith a machine-readable medium of a first workflow;

intercepting the physical item in the field and reading the machine-readable medium using a portable, mobile instrument;

comparing first information obtaining responsive to the reading to second information stored prior to the reading; and

determining whether to assign a second workflow that is different than the first workflow to the physical item responsive to a result of the comparison; and

storing a result of the determination in an electronic memory device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium specifies a part identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium specifies contents of the physical item, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a storage location for the physical item or the contents from a plurality of storage locations responsive to the result of the comparison.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least a portion of a route for the physical item from a current location to a delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the portion of the route for the physical item from the current location to the delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison further comprises determining whether the delivery destination is local relative to the current location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the first workflow includes routing the physical item to a stationary machine; and

generating the portion of the route for the physical item from the current location to the delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison further comprises determining whether to bypass routing of the physical item through an aggregation facility corresponding to the stationary machine response to the result of the comparison.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

initializing a vehicle scheduling process to select a vehicle for transporting the physical item towards the destination responsive to a result of the comparison.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium comprises a machine-readable indicia.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable indicia comprises a bar code.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium corresponds to an RF tag.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a physical item having attached thereto a machine-readable or human-readable indicia;

intercepting the physical item in the field and reading the machine-readable or human-readable indicia using a portable, mobile instrument;

comparing first information obtaining responsive to the reading to second information stored prior to the reading; and

selecting a workflow for the physical item responsive to a result of the comparison; and

storing a result of the determination in an electronic memory device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the machine-readable or human-readable indicia specifies a part identifier.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the machine-readable or human-readable indicia specifies contents of the physical item, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a storage location for the physical item or the contents from a plurality of storage locations responsive to the result of the comparison.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating at least a portion of a route for the physical item from a current location to a delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the portion of the route for the physical item from the current location to the delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison further comprises determining whether the delivery destination is local relative to the current location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the portion of the route for the physical item from the current location to the delivery destination responsive to the result of the comparison further comprises determining whether to bypass routing of the physical item through a particular next hop response to the result of the comparison.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

initializing a vehicle scheduling process to select a vehicle for transporting the physical item towards the destination responsive to a result of the comparison.