Method and system for order fulfillment in a distribution center
First Claim
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1. A management system for a distribution center with a plurality of sites, each site having a collection of storage areas to store a plurality of items, the system comprising:
- a storage device; and
at least one processor coupled to the storage device, the at least one processor configured to;
analyze at least a first customer order and a second customer order, each of the first and second customer orders indicating a plurality of items;
identify a first site of the plurality of sites, and a second site of the plurality of sites;
determine a first route through the distribution center to fulfill the first customer order based on the identifying, with the first route going to the first site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites; and
determine a second route through the distribution center to fulfill the second customer order based on the identifying, with the second route going to the second site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites.
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Abstract
Order allocation techniques pertaining to stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center.
370 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A management system for a distribution center with a plurality of sites, each site having a collection of storage areas to store a plurality of items, the system comprising:
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a storage device; and at least one processor coupled to the storage device, the at least one processor configured to; analyze at least a first customer order and a second customer order, each of the first and second customer orders indicating a plurality of items; identify a first site of the plurality of sites, and a second site of the plurality of sites; determine a first route through the distribution center to fulfill the first customer order based on the identifying, with the first route going to the first site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites; and determine a second route through the distribution center to fulfill the second customer order based on the identifying, with the second route going to the second site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method to manage a distribution center with a plurality of sites, each site having a collection of storage areas to store a plurality of items, the distribution center having at least a database of inventory associated therewith, the method comprising executing instructions on at least a processor to:
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analyze by the at least one processor at least a first customer order and a second customer order, each of the first and second customer orders indicating a plurality of items, the at least one processor being coupled to the database of inventory regarding a plurality of items within the distribution center; identify by the at least one processor, a first site of the plurality of sites, and a second site of the plurality of sites; determine by the at least one processor, a first route through the distribution center to fulfill the first customer order based on the identifying, with the first route going to the first site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites; and determine by the at least one processor, a second route through the distribution center to fulfill the second customer order based on the identifying, with the second route going to the second site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code stored therein for managing a distribution center with a plurality of sites, each site having a collection of storage areas to store a plurality of items, said computer readable medium comprising:
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computer program code for analyzing at least a first customer order and a second customer order, each of the first and second customer orders indicating a plurality of items; computer program code for identifying a first site of the plurality of sites, and a second site of the plurality of sites; computer program code for determining a first route through the distribution center to fulfill the first customer order based on the identifying, with the first route going to the first site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites; and computer program code for determining a second route through the distribution center to fulfill the second customer order based on the identifying, with the second route going to the second site before going to any of the other sites of the plurality of sites. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification