Case labeling for field-packed produce

• US 8,196,827 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTx Trimble LLC
• Original Assignee: YottaMark, Inc. (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grant, Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US13/221,520
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 702/19
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/10 by an adhesive layer

Abstract

Rolls of pre-printed case labels are distributed at a harvest for labeling cases of produce. The labels on each roll include sequential codes that each span a unique range. Part or all of each roll'"'"'s range can be associated with harvest data, including picker and block identifications. The association can be made by placing a label from each roll on a harvest form bearing harvest data, or by entering harvest data into an electronic device and using the device to read a unique code from a label. Pickers then harvest produce, fill cases, and label the cases from their rolls. The association of ranges to pickers allows a subsequently read unique code from a filled case to be properly credited to the correct picker. The association of ranges to blocks allows subsequently obtained quality information to be correlated to specific blocks.

Claims

1. A method for labeling field-packed produce comprising:

associating harvest event data, including a picker identification for a picker, to create a data record, where creating the data record includes recording harvest event data on a harvest form by affixing a block identification label to the harvest form;

associating an initial label of a roll of labels to the data record, each label of the roll including a company identifier, a SKU, and a unique code following a sequence;

harvesting produce by the picker, filling cases with the harvested produce, and affixing labels from the roll to the filled cases; and

associating a first range of unique codes to the data record, the first range beginning with a unique code included on the initial label.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the initial label of a roll of labels to the data record includes affixing the initial label to the harvest form.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the data record includes entering harvest event data into a handheld computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein entering harvest event data into the handheld computing device includes reading the picker identification from a picker'"'"'s badge using the handheld computing device.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein associating the initial label of a roll of labels to the data record includes reading a unique code from the initial label using the handheld computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising reading the unique codes on each filled case at an aggregation point.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising tabulating a number of cases filled by the picker.

8. A method comprising:

associating harvest event data, including a picker identification for a picker, to create a data record;

associating an initial label of a roll of labels to the data record, each label of the roll including a company identifier, a SKU, and a unique code following a sequence;

harvesting produce by the picker, filling cases with the harvested produce, and affixing labels from the roll to the filled cases; and

associating a first range of unique codes to the data record, the first range beginning with a unique code included on the initial label, where associating the first range of unique codes to the data record comprises searching a database using the unique code to identify a second range of unique codes for a roll of labels, where the second range includes the unique code, and wherein the first range comprises a subset of the second range.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein associating the initial label of a roll of labels to the data record includes affixing the initial label to a harvest form.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein creating the data record includes entering harvest event data into a handheld computing device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein entering harvest event data into the handheld computing device includes reading the picker identification from a picker'"'"'s badge using the handheld computing device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein associating the initial label of a roll of labels to the data record includes reading a unique code from the initial label using the handheld computing device.