In-field device for de-centralized workflow automation

• US 9,361,596 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAF Software Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAF Technology, Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Teudt, Richard, Ross, David Justin, Turner, Bryan J., Traina, Christopher, Harbachuk, George, Saavedra, Diego, Saur, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perlman, David
• Application Number:
  US13/628,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20130084010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/10 Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection ofthe destination methods or arrangements for reading and recognising printed or written characters or geometric figures G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In one example, a system is provided. The system includes a portable, in-field unit including: a tag reader to acquire an ID tag identifier from a tag located in or on a physical item positioned within functional range of the in-field unit tag reader; a digital processor arranged for executing software code stored in the in-field unit responsive to the acquired ID tag identifier, the stored software code including—a customer application layer; and a database adapter component configured to provide database services to the processor; wherein the database services include accessing a stored database to acquire stored data associated with the acquired ID tag identifier.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first machine that is distinct from a second stationary automated sortation machine, the first machine comprising;

a ruggedized enclosure;

an image capture unit inside the ruggedized enclosure, the image capture unit to provide a digital image of an optical identifier visible on a physical item located proximate to the first machine; and

a digital processor coupled to the image capture unit and arranged for executing software code stored on a memory device of the first machine;

wherein the stored software code includes an address recognition process for recognizing a destination address visible in the captured digital image;

the digital processor configured to, responsive to recognizing the destination address visible in the captured digital image, cause destination address recognition information to be communicated to a backend system accessible by the second stationary automated sortation machine prior to introduction of the physical item into the second stationary automated sortation machine;

wherein the software code further includes a first directory component configured to provide directory services;

the digital processor is configured to determine whether or not to invoke a directory service of the first directory component to attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information; and

in response to looking up preliminary address data from the first directory component or determining to invoke a directory service of a second directory component of a third machine that is distinct from the first machine, initiating an attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the second directory component;

wherein the digital processor is configured to utilize a wireless communication interface of the first machine to transmit the destination address recognition information in response to receiving back a lookup result from the second directory component of the third machine after said initiating; and

wherein the digital processor is configured to, by invocation of the directory service or a different directory service of the first directory component, attempt or re-attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the first directory component responsive to a result of said initiation of the attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the second directory component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the initiating the lookup of the destination address recognition information from the second directory component of the third machine that is distinct from the first machine includes utilizing a wireless communication interface of the first machine to send at least one of an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) result, the preliminary address data, or other information to the third machine.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the backend system returns data to the digital processor or takes a predetermined action responsive to the destination address recognition information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first directory component comprises a database of valid results for use in support of the address recognition process.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the database of valid results comprises records that reflect at least one of —

a terrorist watch list,

list of outstanding arrest warrants,

Amber alerts,

list of traffic violations,

license suspensions,

postal system destination addresses,

equipment identification and associated databases for field service, or

allowed-access databases, for accessing a gate, door or other physical access portal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the physical item is non-inducted with respect to a transshipment process at a first time, the first time associated with co-locating the physical item and the first machine; and

said causing the destination address recognition information to be communicated to the backend system enables the backend system to induct the physical item into the transshipment process prior to a second time, the second time associated with introduction of the physical item into the second stationary automated sortation machine.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stored software code includes a dimensioning process component to determine a physical dimension of the physical item responsive to the captured digital image;

and

wherein the digital processor is further configured to, responsive to determining the physical dimension, communicate dimension information to the backend system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the backend system is configured to initiate at least one of route planning or route optimization in response to receiving the destination address recognition information.

9. A method, comprising:

capturing a digital image of an indicium visible on a physical item located proximate to a first machine that is distinct from a second stationary automated sortation machine;

recognizing a destination address visible in the captured digital image to ascertain a recognition result prior to introduction of the physical item into the second stationary automated sortation machine, wherein the ascertaining the recognition result includes;

determining whether or not to invoke a directory service of a first directory component of the first machine to attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information;

in response to looking up preliminary address data from the first directory component or determining to invoke a directory service of a second directory component of a third machine that is distinct from the first machine, initiating an attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the second directory component; and

looking up the destination address recognition information from the first directory component after receiving a result of said attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the second directory component and

transmitting the recognition result to a backend system accessible by the second stationary automated sortation machine, wherein the backend system is configured to take a predetermined action or provide data responsive to receiving the recognition result.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ascertaining the recognition result utilizes at least one selected recognition software component executable by the processing device, and also utilizes at least one other recognition software component that is deployed on the third machine.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said ascertaining the recognition result is carried out in the first machine with wireless support from the third machine.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending preliminary recognition data from the first machine to the third machine;

receiving a recognition result from the third machine responsive to the preliminary recognition data; and

using the received recognition result to verify or correct the preliminary recognition data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising accessing a database of valid results in support of said recognition, the database of valid results accessible to at least one of the first machine or the third machine.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the recognizing the destination address visible in the captured digital image to ascertain the recognition result prior to introduction of the physical item into the second stationary automated sortation machine further comprises:

attempting to recognize the destination address in the captured digital image locally in the first machine; and

in the case that the local recognition is not successful, sending the captured digital image to the third machine.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said ascertaining the recognition result utilizes a first recognition software component that is native in the first machine, and also a second recognition software component that is deployed on the third machine.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting the first native recognition component when communication with the third machine is not available.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the physical item located proximate to the first machine is a parcel.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the physical item is non-inducted with respect to a transshipment process at a time of the capturing, and

said causing the destination address recognition information to be communicated to the backend system enables the backend system to induct the physical item into the transshipment process prior to introduction of the physical item into the second stationary automated sortation machine.

19. The method of claim 9 , wherein the indicium includes at least one of handwriting or machine print.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising taking a predetermined action using the backend system responsive to receiving the recognition result or providing data using the backend system responsive to receiving the recognition result.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a portable enclosure;

an image capture unit inside the portable enclosure, the image capture unit to capture a digital image of an indicium associated with a physical item; and

a memory device inside the portable enclosure, the memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device inside the portable enclosure, cause the processing device to perform operations including;

recognizing information in the captured digital image to ascertain a recognition result, wherein the ascertaining the recognition result includes;

determining whether or not to invoke a directory service of a first directory component to attempt to lookup destination address recognition information;

in response to looking up preliminary address data from the first directory component or determining to invoke a directory service of a second directory component of a remote server, initiating an attempt to lookup the destination address recognition information from the second directory component; and

looking up the destination address recognition information from the first directory component responsive to a result of said attempt to lookup the destination address information from the second directory component and

transmitting the recognition result to a backend system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the ascertaining the recognition result further comprises recognizing a destination address visible in the captured digital image.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise applying the recognition result from the backend system to complete or correct a destination address of the physical item prior to introduction of the physical item into a stationary automated sortation machine.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the indicium includes at least one of handwriting or machine print.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the transmission of the recognition result to the backend system enables the backend system to take a predetermined action or provide data.