Zoneless order fulfillment system with picker identification

• US 6,762,681 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Picking Technologies, Inc. (Matthews International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Picking Technologies, Inc. (Matthews International Corporation)
• Inventors: Danelski, Darin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US09/969,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/570, 340/571, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/593, 340/825.36, 340/332, 340/5.2, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/5.21, 340/5.23, 705/22, 705/23, 705/26, 705/404, 705/405
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/04 Indication location means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

An identification arrangement for an order fulfillment system includes an identification input associated with each location in an order fulfillment system at which items are handled, such as by removal or placement, for filling an order. Each item storage location includes a switch that is actuated by a user after items have been handled, such as by removing the items for placement into an order receptacle, as in a conventional pick-to-light order fulfillment system. The identification input includes a unique signal emitter carried by the user, such as an infrared transmitter which emits a signal having a unique frequency corresponding to the identity of the user. The signal is received by a signal receiver located adjacent the switch, and which is interconnected with a central controller that stores information on the signals used as identification for each user. The user can remove items from any location in the order fulfillment area to fill any order. The identification information is utilized to track user productivity and accuracy in filling orders.

Claims

1. An order fulfillment system for use by a plurality of users in filling orders, comprising:

a series of locations, wherein each location contains a plurality of items to be selected for placement into an order;

a signaling arrangement associated with each location for providing a signal to the users that one or more items from the location are required for placement into an order; and

an identifying arrangement associated with each location for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user that handles items for placement into the orders, wherein the identifying arrangement includes a unique identification member carried by a portion of each user'"'"'s body involved in order filling, and a passive receiving and recording arrangement at each location which interacts with each identification member for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user that removes an item from the location for placement into an order, wherein the passive receiving and recording arrangement is configured and arranged to identify the use automatically only when said portion of the user'"'"'s body carrying the unique identification member is in the vicinity of the location from which the item is being removed for placement into an order.

2. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the signaling arrangement comprises a sensory signal emitter at each location, and a switch interconnected with the sensory signal emitter, wherein the switch is configured to be actuated by the user for terminating the signal where upon removal of one or more items from the location by the user, and wherein the passive receiving and recording arrangement is configured and arranged to interact with the unique identification member to ascertain and record the identity of the user when the user actuates the switch to terminate the sensory signal.

3. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification member comprises a signal emitter carried by each user, wherein each signal emitter is operable to emit a unique signal which corresponds to the identity of the user.

4. The order fulfillment system of claim 3, wherein the passive receiving and recording arrangement is located in the vicinity of the switch and is operable to receive the signal from the signal emitter when portion of the user'"'"'s body is in position adjacent the switch so as to actuate the switch to terminate the signal upon removal of the one or more items from the location.

5. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the passive receiving and recording arrangement is in the form of a receiver at each location which receives a signal emitted by the unique identification member, and a memory which is operable to record information from the signal which corresponds to the identity of the user.

6. An order fulfillment system for use by a plurality of users in filling orders in an area having a series of locations comprising:

a signaling arrangement associated with each location for providing a signal to the users that one or more items are required for placement into an order, wherein the signaling arrangement comprises a sensory signal emitter at each location, and a switch interconnected with the sensory signal emitter and manually actuable by the user for terminating the signal when the user has removed the one or more items from the location; and

an identifying arrangement associated with each location for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user that handles items for placement into the order, wherein the identifying arrangement includes an identification member carried by each user, and a receiving and recording arrangement at each location which interacts with each identification member for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user;

wherein the identification member is secured to the user in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s hand, wherein the receiving and recording arrangement includes an input area in the vicinity of the switch for interacting with the identification member when the user'"'"'s hand is positioned so as to manipulate the switch.

7. An order fulfillment method for use by a plurality of users in filling an order, comprising the steps of:

providing a sensory signal to the users that one or more items from the location are required for placement into the order, wherein a switch is interconnected with the sensory signal emitter and is configured such that actuation of the switch terminates the sensory signal;

manually handling one or more items at a location for placement into the order;

actuating the switch to terminate the sensory signal upon removal of the one or more items from the location for placement into the order; and

ascertaining and recording the identity of the user that manually handles the items at the location upon actuation of the switch to terminate the sensory signal, wherein the steps of ascertaining and recording the identity of the user are carried out via a unique identification member carried by each user, and passively interacting with each identification member when a portion of the user'"'"'s body carrying the unique identification member is in the vicinity of the switch to terminate the sensory signal from the location at which the item is being removed for placement into an order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of ascertaining and recording the identity of the user is carried out by sensing an identifying signal emitted from the identification member carried by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification member is carried by the user in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s hand.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of storing the identifying signals in a memory device remote from the location at which the one or more items are handled by the user.

11. An identification arrangement for an order fulfillment system including a plurality of item storage locations and a signaling arrangement for signaling to a plurality of users that an item is to be handled at the location for placement into an order, for identifying the user that handles the item at the location, comprising:

a unique identification member carried by the user which emits a unique signal corresponding to the identity of the user, wherein the unique identification member is carried by the user in the vicinity of at least one of the user'"'"'s hands; and

a receiver associated with the location for receiving the unique signal;

wherein the signaling arrangement includes a sensory indicator which provides an indication to the plurality of users that an item is to be handled at the location, and a manually operable switch adapted to be manipulated by the operator for terminating the sensory indicator, and wherein the receiver is located in the vicinity of the switch and interacts with the identification member when the user manipulates the switch to terminate the sensory indicator.

12. The identification arrangement of claim 11, wherein each receiver and switch are incorporated in a module mounted adjacent the location from which one or more items are to be handled by a user.

13. An identification arrangement for an order fulfillment system having a number of storage locations containing items to be placed in an order, comprising an identification input associated with each location for identifying a user that handles the item at the location, wherein the identification arrangement comprises:

a signaling arrangement for providing a signal to the users that one or more items from the location are required for placement into an order, wherein the signaling arrangement comprises a sensory signal emitter, and a switch interconnected with the sensory signal emitter, wherein the switch is actuable by one of the users for terminating the signal upon removal of one or more items from the location for placement into the order; and

an identifying arrangement for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user that handles items for placement into the order, wherein the identifying arrangement includes a unique identification member carried by a portion of each user'"'"'s body involved in order filling, and a passive receiving and recording arrangement which interacts with each identification member for ascertaining and recording the identity of each user that removes an item from the location for placement into an order, wherein the passive receiving and recording arrangement is configured and arranged to identify the user automatically only when said portion of the user'"'"'s body carrying the unique identification member is in the vicinity of the location from which the item is being removed for placement into an order.

14. The identification arrangement of claim 13 wherein the identifying arrangement is configured and arranged to interact with the unique identification member to ascertain and record the identity of the user when the user actuates the switch to terminate the sensory signal.

15. The identification arrangement of claim 14 wherein the unique identification member emits a signal that is received by the receiving and recording arrangement to identify the user upon actuation of the switch to terminate the sensory signal.