Warehousing monitor and control system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring and controlling the flow of articles in a warehousing system including a sorting conveyer with a plurality of discharge locations in which stored articles are to be batch picked and sorted for shipment comprising:
- means for storing data representing each article to be picked, said data including a number assigned to each article which is unique to each article and sort destination information for each article;
indicia mean associated with each article to be picked including said unique number;
scanning means for scanning said indicia means on an article transported within the warehousing system;
computer circuit means coupled to said data storing means and to said scanning means for correlating position information of each article with the article identification number;
display means coupled to said computer circuit means for providing display information to an operator of the status of each article to be picked and sorted;
a conveyer control circuit for selectively controlling the discharge of articles; and
means coupling said conveyer control circuit to said computer circuit means for controlling the diverting of articles in response to the correlation of their unique identification number with associated sort destination information stored in said data storing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A warehouse product monitoring and control system includes a distribution audit system computer which receives batch picking information on a recording medium identifying each transaction or article to be picked with a unique number. Associated with each unique number is processing information for controlling the sorting of the article within the system. The same number, unique for each article, is contained on a label positioned on each article as it is picked. The computer control provides continuous monitoring of the article as it is scanned by one or more label reading devices such that the picking and sorting status of each article to be picked can be continuously monitored. The system includes operator interface terminals and printers for providing a variety of status reports to the operating personnel such that the operational status of the system can be continuously monitored.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and controlling the flow of articles in a warehousing system including a sorting conveyer with a plurality of discharge locations in which stored articles are to be batch picked and sorted for shipment comprising:
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means for storing data representing each article to be picked, said data including a number assigned to each article which is unique to each article and sort destination information for each article; indicia mean associated with each article to be picked including said unique number; scanning means for scanning said indicia means on an article transported within the warehousing system; computer circuit means coupled to said data storing means and to said scanning means for correlating position information of each article with the article identification number; display means coupled to said computer circuit means for providing display information to an operator of the status of each article to be picked and sorted; a conveyer control circuit for selectively controlling the discharge of articles; and means coupling said conveyer control circuit to said computer circuit means for controlling the diverting of articles in response to the correlation of their unique identification number with associated sort destination information stored in said data storing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for monitoring the status of articles being processed in a warehouse system including article conveying means comprising:
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a plurality of label reading means positioned at selected locations within the warehouse system for reading a unique identification number contained on a label applied to each article moving within the system and uniquely identifying each such article; data storage means including each identification number of articles to be processed and including processing information associated with each such article; computer circuit means coupled to said label reading means and to said data storage means for monitoring the position of articles travelling within the system and for generating signals representative of the position and therefore the processing status of such articles; display means coupled to said computer circuit means for displaying the status of articles or groups of articles in the system; and control means coupled to said computer circuit means for controlling the operation of the warehouse conveying means to control the movement of articles or groups of articles in the system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for monitoring the status of articles being processed comprising:
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a plurality of label reading means for reading a unique identification number contained on a label applied to each article moving within the system and uniquely identifying each such article; data storage means including a data recording medium for storing each identification number together with associated processing information for articles to be processed; computer circuit means coupled to said label reading means and to said data storage means for monitoring the position of articles travelling within the system and for generating signals representative of the position and therefore the processing status of such articles wherein said data storage means further includes data transfer means for reading and writing data to and from said recording medium respectively, said data transfer means coupled to said computer circuit means; display means coupled to said computer circuit means for displaying the status of articles or groups of articles in the system said display means including printer means coupled to said computer circuit means for providing a printout of the status of articles to be processed; an operator keyboard coupled to said computer circuit means and wherein said computer circuit means is programmed to provide reports selectively printed by said printing means when requested by commands from said operator keyboard; a sorting conveyer with a plurality of discharge chutes; a conveyer control circuit for selectively controlling the discharge of articles onto said discharge chutes; and means coupling said conveyer control circuit to said computer circuit means for controlling the diverting of articles in response to the correlation of their unique identification number with associated sort destination information stored in said data storage means.
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12. A system for monitoring and controlling the batch order picking and sorting of articles in a warehouse comprising:
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a plurality of label reading means for reading a unique identification number contained on a label applied to each article moving within the system and uniquely identifying each such article; bulk data storage means including each identification number of articles to be sorted and including sort destination information for each such article; computer circuit means coupled to said label reading means and to said bulk data storage means for monitoring the physical position of articles travelling within the system and for generating signals representative of the position and therefore the sorting status of such articles; display means coupled to said computer circuit means for displaying the status of articles or groups of articles in the system; a conveyer control circuit for selectively controlling the discharge of articles at discharge locations in the warehouse; and means coupling said conveyer control circuit to said computer circuit means for controlling the diverting of articles in response to the correlation of their unique identification number with associated sort destination information stored in said data storage means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification