System and method for automated management of a distribution facility

• US 6,560,509 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• 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: Morris, Craig A., Arunachalam, Meyyappan, Mason, Robert T., Bickley, Branden Clark, Williams, Richard M., Muir, William B., Franzetti, Mariely, Pape, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US09/799,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/215, 700/216, 705/8, 705/9, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/216
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

A method for managing a distribution facility may include a step of receiving descriptions of multiple orders from an order-management subsystem. A determination may be made that a particular order among the multiple orders is currently fillable, based the descriptions from the order-management subsystem. In response, shipping rate information may be obtained by automatically communicating with a rate subsystem. The particular order may be automatically assigned to a carrier, based on the information from the rate subsystem. In response, a transportation subsystem may automatically be caused to transport items for the particular order to one or more distribution stations.

Claims

1. A method for managing a distribution facility, the method comprising:

receiving descriptions of multiple orders from an order-management subsystem;

receiving, from an automated transportation subsystem, data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, wherein the automated transportation subsystem monitors a conveyor to automatically detect items received into the distribution facility;

in response to receiving data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, automatically determining whether a particular order among the multiple orders is currently fillable by comparing one or more of the descriptions from the order-management subsystem with information about available products to determine whether all products required for the particular order are available;

in response to determining that no order is currently fillable, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to a storage area;

in response to determining that the particular order is currently fillable, automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order;

automatically estimating a shipping capacity required for shipping the particular order;

in response to automatically selecting the carrier and estimating the shipping capacity required, automatically determining whether the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that the selected carrier does not have a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area; and

in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to transport products for the particular order to one or more distribution stations, such that the item received by the distribution facility may bypass the storage area and be transported automatically to a distribution station for shipment with the particular order.

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

automatically determining whether LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order;

in response to determining that LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order, automatically determining whether sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order, automatically assigning each product in the particular order to one of the pallet-build squares; and

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are not available, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, printing a carrier identifier for the selected carrier on shipping labels for the particular order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order comprises:

obtaining shipping instructions from a database; and

selecting the carrier based at least in part on the shipping instructions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order comprises:

obtaining order information from the order-management subsystem; and

selecting the carrier based at least in part on the order information.

6. One or more computer-usable media including encoded logic for use in for managing a distribution facility, the encoded logic comprising logic that performs the steps of:

receiving descriptions of multiple orders from an order-management subsystem;

receiving, from an automated transportation subsystem, data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, wherein the automated transportation subsystem monitors a conveyor to automatically detect items received into the distribution facility;

in response to receiving data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, automatically determining whether a particular order among the multiple orders is currently tillable by comparing one or more of the descriptions from the order-management subsystem with information about available products to determine whether all products required for the particular order are available;

in response to determining that no order is currently tillable, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to a storage area;

in response to determining that the particular order is currently fillable, automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order;

automatically estimating a shipping capacity required for shipping the particular order;

in response to automatically selecting the carrier and estimating the shipping capacity required, automatically determining whether the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that the selected carrier does not have a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area;

in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to transport products for the particular order to one or more distribution stations, such that the item received by the distribution facility may bypass the storage area and be transported automatically to a distribution station for shipment with the particular order.

7. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 6, wherein the steps performed by the encoded logic further comprise:

automatically determining whether LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order;

in response to determining that LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order, automatically determining whether sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order, automatically assigning each product in the particular order to one of the pallet-build squares; and

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are not available, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area.

8. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 6, wherein the steps performed by the encoded logic further comprise, in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, printing a carrier identifier for the selected carrier on shipping labels for the particular order.

9. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 6, wherein the step of automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order comprises:

obtaining shipping instructions from a database; and

selecting the carrier based at least in part on the shipping instructions.

10. The one or more computer-usable media of claim 9, wherein the encoded logic automatically selects the carrier for the particular order based at least in part on order information obtained from the order-management subsystem.

11. A data processing system, for use in a distribution facility that ships items according to customer orders, the data processing system comprising:

processing resources; and

instructions that, when executed by the processing resources, perform the steps of;

receiving descriptions of multiple orders from an order-management subsystem;

receiving, from an automated transportation subsystem, data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, wherein the automated transportation subsystem monitors a conveyor to automatically detect items received into the distribution facility;

in response to receiving data which indicates that the distribution facility has received an item, automatically determining whether a particular order among the multiple orders is currently fillable by comparing one or more of the descriptions from the order-management subsystem with information about available products to determine whether all products required for the particular order are available;

in response to determining that no order is currently fillable, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to a storage area;

in response to determining that the particular order is currently fillable, automatically selecting a carrier for the particular order;

automatically estimating a shipping capacity required for shipping the particular order;

in response to automatically selecting the carrier and estimating the shipping capacity required, automatically determining whether the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that the selected carrier does not have a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area;

in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to transport products for the particular order to one or more distribution stations, such that the item received by the distribution facility may bypass the storage area and be transported automatically to a distribution station for shipment with the particular order.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the steps performed by the instructions further comprise:

automatically determining whether LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order;

in response to determining that LTL shipment is appropriate for the particular order, automatically determining whether sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order;

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are available to accommodate the particular order, automatically assigning each product in the particular order to one of the pallet-build squares; and

in response to determining that sufficient pallet-build squares are not available, automatically causing the automated transportation subsystem to divert the item to the storage area.

13. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the steps performed by the instructions further comprise, in response to determining that the selected carrier has a vehicle present at the distribution facility with sufficient capacity to accommodate the particular order, printing a carrier identifier for the selected carrier on shipping labels for the particular order.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the steps performed by the instructions further comprise:

automatically obtaining shipping instructions from a database; and

automatically utilizing the shipping instructions to select the carrier for the particular order.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the instructions also utilize order information obtained from the order-management subsystem to select the carrier for the particular order.

16. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising a scanner in the automated transportation subsystem that monitors a conveyor to automatically detect the items received into the distribution facility.