System for responding to fulfillment orders
First Claim
1. A fulfillment system, comprising:
- an input device for entering identification information about a plurality of inventory items;
a plurality of holders, each dimensioned for receipt and holding of one of the inventory items;
at least one loading station configured for placing each of the inventory items into one of the holders;
a controller configured for creating and storing a first association between each of the entered identification information and each of the holders in which each of the inventory items is placed, wherein the first association uniquely associates each of the entered identification information with a unique identifier of each holder;
a selector and transporter, responsive to a fulfillment order and the first association, configured to select at least one of the holders holding the inventory items which correspond to the fulfillment order, and transport the at least one of the holders to at least one unloading station; and
a machine readable identifying means comprising holder information which, in combination with the entered identification information on the inventory item, enables selection of the inventory item.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method, and software are for moving inventory items to an unloading station in response to a fulfillment order. An input device is used to enter identification information about the inventory items. At a loading station, the inventory items are received and loaded into holders. The holders are then moved to storage area. A controller is configured for creating and storing a first association between the entered identification information and each of the holders in which each of the inventory items is placed. A selector and transporter are responsive to the fulfillment order and the first association, and are configured to select a holder which holds the inventory items corresponding to the fulfillment order, and configured to transport the holder from the storage area to the unloading station.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fulfillment system, comprising:
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an input device for entering identification information about a plurality of inventory items; a plurality of holders, each dimensioned for receipt and holding of one of the inventory items; at least one loading station configured for placing each of the inventory items into one of the holders; a controller configured for creating and storing a first association between each of the entered identification information and each of the holders in which each of the inventory items is placed, wherein the first association uniquely associates each of the entered identification information with a unique identifier of each holder; a selector and transporter, responsive to a fulfillment order and the first association, configured to select at least one of the holders holding the inventory items which correspond to the fulfillment order, and transport the at least one of the holders to at least one unloading station; and a machine readable identifying means comprising holder information which, in combination with the entered identification information on the inventory item, enables selection of the inventory item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20)
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8. A software product for directing movement of inventory items to at least one unloading station in response to a fulfillment order, the software product comprising a computer readable medium having codes therein for execution by a processor, so that when executed the codes provide for steps comprising:
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entering identification information associated with a plurality of the inventory items; receiving and holding each of the inventory items in one of a plurality of holders; creating and storing a first association between the entered identification information of each of the inventory items and each of said holders in which each of said inventory items is placed; storing at least one of the plurality of holders in at least one storage area; and selecting and transporting the inventory items held by said holders, in order to move said holders from the at least one storage area to the unloading station, based at least partly upon the first association and the fulfillment order. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of sorting mail in a sorting system, comprising:
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singulating mail pieces and then capturing them by a clamp; feeding clamped mail pieces into a queue before starting a sorting step; and processing the mail pieces from three or more different routes simultaneously, comprising; a first route in a feeding operation; a second route in a sorting operation; and a third route in an unload and traying operation wherein for all transporting, sorting, and unloading operations, the system handles and manipulates the clamp, not the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification