Pick-by-line system and method

• US 7,171,363 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: System Application Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: System Application Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Parks, James Michael, Sacks, Jerry Dennis, Pry, Donald Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Abebe; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/736,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/260, 705/23, 705/29
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

The invention is a method for picking an object from a source transport device vehicle using a mobile computer with text-to-speech software adapted for communication between a pick-by-line server and a user wherein the method entails transmitting a request from the server to the mobile computer to identify at least one source transport device from which an object is to be picked by a step, generating a summary of the objects to be picked, providing the summary using via the text-to-speech software, acknowledging receipt of the summary, identifying an object to determine if the object is to be picked, advising the user with the text-to-speech software if the object is correct, acknowledging the object has been picked, repeating these steps until all objects have been picked, providing an acknowledgement to the pick-by-line server of the results of the picking, and transferring the results from the server to the at least one external computer system.

Claims

1. A method for picking an object from a source transport device comprising:

a. using a mobile computer having a barcode reader, a display, an audio output device, an audio input device, a tactile input device, text-to-speech software, a voice recognition software, pick-by-line applications software, a printer and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader wherein the mobile computer is adapted for communication between a pick-by-line server and a user and the pick-by-line server is adapted for communication between the mobile computer and at least one external computer system;

b. entering a user code to log onto the mobile computer;

c. training the voice recognition software by the user;

d. providing instructions to the user from the pick-by-line applications software using the text-to-speech software to the audio output device and providing information from the pick-by-line applications software to the display;

e. using the pick-by-line software to request via the text-to-speech software and audio output device that the user identify at least one source transport device from which an object is to be picked by a step selected from the group comprising of;

i. speaking an identifying characters on the source transport device into the audio input device;

ii. scanning a barcode disposed on the source transport device; and

iii. reading a RFID data disposed on the source transport device;

f. using the text-to-speech software and audio output device to ask the user to verify that the identification of the source transport device is correct;

g. transmitting a request from the mobile computer to the pick-by-line server to obtain a at least one source transport device of objects to be picked and disposed on the at least one source transport device;

h. using the pick-by-line applications software to generate a summary of the objects to be picked from the at least one source transport device;

i. displaying the summary of the objects to be picked on the display;

j. providing the summary of the objects to be picked using the text-to-speech software and the audio output device;

k. performing a step which is a member of the group;

acknowledging the summary of objects to be picked by the user using the tactile input device and acknowledging the summary of the objects to be picked using the audio input device;

l. identifying at least one object on the at least one source transport device by a step selected from the group consisting of;

i. speaking the characters on the object into the audio input device;

ii. scanning a barcode disposed on the object; and

iii. reading an RFID data disposed on the object;

m. repeating step 1 (above) until all objects on the source transport device have been identified;

n. using the pick-by-line applications software and the text-to-speech software and audio output device to instruct the user to go to a location of a receiving transport device;

o. using the audio input device and voice recognition software to acknowledge to the pick-by-line applications software that the user is at the location;

p. using the pick-by-line software via the text-to-speech software and audio output to request the user to confirm that the user is at the location by performing a step selected from the group comprising;

i. speaking the characters disposed on the receiving transport device into the audio input device;

ii. scanning the barcode disposed on the receiving transport device; and

iii. reading the RFID data disposed on the receiving transport device;

q. using the audio output device to instruct the user to select and move at least one object in an amount from the source transport device to the receiving transport device

r. the user confirms at least one object was moved by the step selected from the group;

i. speaking the characters on the object into the audio input device;

ii. scanning a barcode disposed on the object; and

iii. reading an RFID data disposed on the object;

s. repeating steps n through r until all objects have been moved from the source transport device to the receiving transport devices;

t. providing an acknowledgement to the pick-by-line systems the results of steps (b) through (s); and

u. transferring the results from the pick-by-line server to the at least one external computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement word is “

ready”

.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the mobile computer to obtain status information for the user that is an indication of the user'"'"'s performances compared to the expected completion time for steps (b) through (s).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein answers to a series of safety questions are required from the user regarding the transport equipment which can be selected from the grouping comprising:

a. are the brakes working?;

b. is the horn working?;

c. is the steering working?;

d. are there any leaks in the transport equipment?;

e. is there any damage to the transport equipment?;

f. are the tire and wheels inflated and undamaged?; and

g. combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at any time during the method, a second user can contact the user from a remote location via the pick-by-line server, which communicates with the mobile computer then provides the communication via audio output device and display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a piece of equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is informed that the source transport device identification is invalid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is informed that the objects on the source transport device identified are not ready to be picked.