Method and apparatus for sensing correct item placement for multi-destination picking

• US 8,032,249 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rouaix, François M., Shakes, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US12/395,356
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/38 Collecting or arranging articles in groups

Abstract

Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle. The sensor may be coupled via a wired or wireless connection to a mote that may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In some embodiments, each mote may also include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

an agent of a materials handling facility picking items listed on a list of items into one of two or more receptacles, wherein each of the two or more receptacles has a mote comprising a communications interface for communicating with a materials handling facility control system, wherein the mote is coupled to a sensor on the receptacle configured to detect placement of an item in the receptacle, wherein the list of items lists a destination, in the materials handling facility, of each of the items on the list, wherein the listed destinations comprise two or more destinations in the materials handling facility, and wherein each of the two or more receptacles is assigned to a particular one of the two or more destinations in the materials handling facility;

wherein for each item picked;

the sensor on the particular receptacle in which the item is placed detects placement of the item in the particular receptacle;

the mote communicates said detecting the placement of the item in the particular receptacle to the control system; and

in response to said detecting the placement of the item in the particular receptacle by the sensor on the particular receptacle, the control system determines whether or not the particular receptacle is the receptacle assigned to the listed destination of the item; and

for at least one item placed in an incorrect receptacle, in response to determining that the particular receptacle is not the receptacle assigned to the listed destination of the item, the control system indicates to the agent that the item was placed in an incorrect receptacle.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the control system, in response to determining that the particular receptacle is the receptacle assigned to the listed destination of one of the items, indicating to the agent that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising, for each item picked:

the agent entering information about the picked item on a communications device configured to communicate the entered information to the control system;

wherein in response to said entering the information, the control system sends a message to the mote located on the particular one of the receptacles assigned to the listed destination for the item, wherein the message activates an indicator coupled to the mote to indicate to the agent that the item is to be placed in the particular receptacle.

4. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising:

the agent receiving, on the communications device, the list of items to be picked into one of the two or more receptacles;

the agent obtaining the two or more receptacles; and

assigning each obtained receptacle to one of the two or more destinations for the items on the list of items.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the listed destinations include one or more of sorting stations, packing stations, and stations for performing value-added services.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the motes and the control system are configured to participate in an ad-hoc network in the materials handling facility.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein each receptacle of the two or more receptacles is one of a tote, a basket, a box, a bin, a hopper, a shelf, and an induct lane of an automated sorting mechanism.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein each receptacle of the two or more receptacles is a compartment in one of a partitioned tote, a partitioned basket, a partitioned box, a partitioned bin, and a partitioned shelf.

9. A system, comprising:

a plurality of receptacles, each configured to receive one or more items of a plurality of items picked by an agent of a materials handling facility during a picking process, wherein;

the materials handling facility comprises two or more destinations and assigns each of the plurality of receptacles to one of the two or more destinations;

each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles has a mote comprising a communications interface for communicating with a control system of the materials handling facility, and

the mote of each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles is coupled to a sensor on the receptacle that is configured to, for each said placement of an item of the plurality of items into the receptacle;

detect said placement of the item into the receptacle; and

communicate said detection of said placement of the item into the receptacle to the materials handling facility'"'"'s control system;

wherein the control system is configured to;

receive communications from the mote of the receptacle and determine whether the destination to which the receptacle is assigned is the destination for which the item is destined; and

in response to said determining that the destination to which the receptacle is assigned is not the destination for which the item is destined, provide an indication to the agent that the item was placed in an incorrect receptacle.

10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the control system, in response to said determining that the destination to which the receptacle is assigned is the destination for which the item is destined, is configured to provide an indication to the agent that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.

11. The system recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a communications device configured to receive information about each item of the plurality of items to be placed by the agent into one of the receptacles during the picking process, and to communicate the information to the control system;

wherein, in response to said receiving the information from the communications device, the control system is configured to send a message to the mote located on the particular one of the receptacles assigned to the destination for which the item is destined, wherein the message activates an indicator coupled to the mote to indicate to the agent that the item is to be placed in the particular one of the receptacles.

12. The system recited in claim 9,

wherein the communications device is configured to receive, from the control system, a list of the plurality of items to be picked, and to display the list to the agent.

13. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the two or more destinations include one or more of sorting stations, packing stations, and stations for performing value-added services.

14. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the motes and the control system are configured to participate in an adhoc network in the materials handling facility.

15. The system recited in claim 9, wherein each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles is one of a tote, a basket, a box, a bin, a hopper, a shelf, and an induct lane of an automated sorting mechanism.

16. The system recited in claim 9, wherein each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles is a compartment in one of a partitioned tote, a partitioned basket, a partitioned box, a partitioned bin, and a partitioned shelf.