System and method for shipping items from a distribution facility

• US 6,505,094 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Mason, Robert T., Rogers, Michael R., Williams, Richard M., Masson, Tracy A., Johnson, Gregory V., Botero, Sergio, Snyder, Melissa S., Vandorpe, Stefanie A., Muir, William B., Boswell, Timothy J., Blum, Gustavo, Pike, James E., Martin, Robert F., Pape, Mark A., Bickley, Branden Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US09/800,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/215, 700/216, 700/217, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for preparing items for shipment in a distribution facility with multiple pallet-build squares may include a step of identifying an available pallet-build square among the multiple pallet-build squares. An item may then be transported to an operator for the available pallet-build square. Item data from a scan of a barcode on the item may then be received, and in response, a display may be automatically updated to identify the available pallet for the operator.

Claims

1. A method, in a distribution facility with multiple pallet-build squares, for preparing items for shipment on a pallet, the method comprising:

identifying an available pallet-build square among the multiple pallet-build squares;

transporting an item to an operator for the available pallet-build square;

receiving item data from a scan of a barcode on the item; and

in response to receiving the item data, automatically updating a display to identify the available pallet for the operator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transporting an item to an operator for the available pallet-build square is performed automatically, in response to identifying the available pallet-build square.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying all of the items to be loaded onto the available pallet;

receiving an eject signal; and

responding to the eject signal by ejecting the available pallet from the pallet-build square only if the item data and the pallet data indicate that all of the items have been loaded onto the pallet.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the item on the available pallet;

receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the available pallet; and

in response to receiving the pallet data, automatically updating a database to indicate that the item was placed on the available pallet.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to receiving the pallet data, automatically updating the display to confirm that the item was placed on the available pallet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

staging the pallet in a pallet-staging area of the distribution facility for tender to a carrier;

displaying, in a display, a pallet identifier and a box count for the pallet;

receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the staged pallet;

in response to receiving the pallet data, automatically updating the database to indicate that the carrier has accepted the pallet.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a group of parcels to be tendered to a carrier as one shipment;

displaying, in a display in the distribution facility, an identifier for each of the parcels in the group;

tendering the parcels to a carrier;

receiving data from scans of barcodes on each of the parcels;

in response to receiving the data from each scan, automatically updating the display to indicate that the carrier has accepted the corresponding parcel;

determining that the parcels have all been accepted; and

updating a database of the distribution facility to indicate that the parcels were accepted.

8. One or more computer-usable media including encoded logic for a distribution facility, the one or more computer-usable media comprising logic that performs the steps of:

identifying an available pallet-build square among multiple pallet-build squares in a distribution facility;

in response to identifying the available pallet-build square, automatically transporting an item to an operator for the available pallet-build square;

receiving item data from a scan of a barcode on the item; and

in response to receiving the item data, automatically updating a display to identify the available pallet for the operator.

9. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 8, wherein the logic automatically transports the item to an operator for the available pallet-build square, in response to identifying the available pallet-build square.

10. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 8, wherein the logic further performs the steps of:

receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the available pallet after the item has been placed on the available pallet; and

in response to receiving the pallet data, automatically updating a database to indicate that the item was placed on the available pallet.

11. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 8, wherein the logic further performs the step of automatically updating the display to confirm that the item was placed on the available pallet.

12. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 8, wherein the logic further performs the step of:

identifying all of the items to be loaded onto the available pallet;

receiving an eject signal; and

responding to the eject signal be ejecting the available pallet from the pallet-build square only if the item data and the pallet data indicate that all of the items have been loaded onto the pallet.

13. A method for tendering multiple pallets in a shipment to a carrier, the method comprising:

staging a pallet in a pallet-staging area for tender to a carrier;

displaying, in a display, a pallet identifier and a box count for the pallet;

receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the staged pallet;

automatically updating a database to indicate that the carrier has accepted the pallet;

visually inspecting the pallet to confirm that the box count is correct; and

performing the step of receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the staged pallet after the step of visually inspecting the pallet.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically updating the display to indicate that the carrier has accepted the pallet.

15. A method for tendering multiple pallets in a shipment to a carrier, the method comprising:

staging a pallet in a pallet-staging area for tender to a carrier;

displaying, in a display, a pallet identifier and a box count for the pallet;

receiving pallet data from a scan of a barcode for the staged pallet;

automatically updating a database to indicate that the carrier has accepted the pallet; and

in response to receiving the pallet data, automatically updating the display to indicate a total number of accepted pallets and a total number of accepted boxes.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

after the display has been updated to indicate that the carrier has accepted the pallet, moving the pallet from the pallet-staging area into a shipping container; and

thereafter, placing a second pallet in the pallet-staging area, such that a carrier representative accepts all of the pallets in the shipment without all of the pallets being staged together in the pallet-staging area.

17. A method in a distribution facility for tendering parcels to a carrier, the method comprising:

selecting a group of items to be tendered to a carrier as one shipment;

displaying, in a display in the distribution facility, an identifier for each of the items in the group;

tendering the items to a carrier;

receiving data from scans of barcodes on each of the items;

in response to receiving the data from each scan, automatically updating the display to indicate that the carrier has accepted the corresponding item;

determining that the items have all been accepted; and

updating a database to indicate that the items were accepted.

18. One or more computer-usable media including encoded logic for use in tendering parcels to a carrier, the encoded logic comprising logic that performs the steps of:

selecting a group of items to be tendered to a carrier as one shipment;

displaying, in a display in the distribution facility, an identifier for each of the items in the group;

receiving data from scans of barcodes on each of the items after the items have been tendered to a carrier;

in response to receiving the data from each scan, automatically updating the display to indicate that the carrier has accepted the corresponding item;

determining that the items have all been accepted; and

updating a database of the distribution facility to indicate that the items were accepted.