System and method for pattern assignment for pattern-based item identification in a materials handling facility

• US 9,524,485 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Jennifer L., Baker, Adam R., Shakes, Jonathan J., Kaufman, Donald L., Young, Eric, Hanssens, Nicholas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ade, Garcia
• Application Number:
  US11/364,156
• Time in Patent Office: 3,948 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

Pattern information may be associated with an item in an inventory to facilitate identification of the item from among other items in the inventory. The pattern information may represent a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item and may be assigned to the item deterministically, randomly, or pseudo-randomly. An indicator of the pattern information, such as a tag or sticker, may be applied to the item or to its packaging to provide a visual aid to distinguish the item from other items in the same inventory or the item may be enclosed in additional packaging comprising an indicator of the assigned pattern information. Pattern information assigned to the item may comprise a single color, shape, pattern, or other attribute and may include other secondary pattern information. Different amounts of pattern information may be associated with different items or with the same item when co-located with other different items.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of items at a materials handling facility, the facility comprising a plurality of distinct individual inventory storage areas, wherein a plurality of different types of items are stored together in given ones of the distinct individual inventory storage areas;

determining, by a computer, pattern information for a group of the plurality of items;

determining by a computer, other pattern information for another group of the plurality of items, wherein the determined pattern information for the group comprises pattern information that is visually distinguishable, by an agent in the materials handling facility, from the determined pattern information for the other group;

associating, by the computer, the respective determined pattern information with a product identifier for each item;

applying a respective physical pattern information indicator to each item, wherein the physical pattern information indicator corresponds to the respective determined pattern information for that item, and wherein respective physical pattern information indicators are applied to corresponding items of the respective group; and

storing each item in one of the distinct individual inventory storage in the materials handling facility, wherein at least some of the plurality of distinct individual inventory storage areas comprise items with different pattern information indicators.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining pattern information comprises selecting pattern information for each item, wherein said selecting comprises applying a mathematical function to a product identification code of each item to select the determined pattern information from among a plurality of pattern information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each of the plurality of items, storing in a database an indication of an association between the respective product identifier, the respective determined pattern information, and one of the plurality of inventory areas in which the respective item is stored, wherein the indication of the association stored in the database is usable in locating one or more of the items from among the plurality of inventory areas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining pattern information for each of the plurality of items comprises randomly selecting pattern information for one of the items, wherein the randomly selected pattern information is assigned to others of the plurality of items having the same product identify as the one item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern information comprises one or more of:

a single color, a single shape, a texture, or a sequence of contrasting shapes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing each item comprises selecting an inventory area for each item from among the plurality of inventory areas, wherein the inventory area is selected independently of the product identifier for the respective item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing each item comprises selecting an inventory area for each item so as to reduce the number of dissimilar items in each inventory area that have the same associated pattern information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing each item comprises storing only items with different associated pattern information in a single inventory area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing comprises storing two or more items with the same pattern information indicators in a single inventory area only if they are identical items.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying comprises one or more of:

attaching the pattern information indicator to packaging of the item;

attaching the pattern information indicator directly to the item;

enclosing the item in a package comprising the pattern information indicator, wherein the item is a digital video disc and wherein the package is a clamshell-style case;

permanently attaching the pattern information indicator to the item;

or

temporarily attaching the pattern information indicator to the item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises assigning identical pattern information to identical items.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises assigning pattern information according to a size or capacity of an item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises assigning pattern information according to a date code of an item.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a returned item; and

applying a replacement pattern information indicator to the returned item if it was not returned with a pattern information indicator corresponding to pattern information currently associated with items identical to the returned item.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting instructions to locate the item in one of the plurality of inventory areas, and

wherein said presenting instructions comprises presenting pattern information corresponding to the determined pattern information for the item, wherein the determined pattern information comprises a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item, wherein the presented pattern information represents an indicator applied to the item, and wherein the presented pattern information is usable to distinguish the item from other items stored in the inventory area.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern information comprises a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item.

17. A system, comprising:

a control system configured to;

determine pattern information for a group of a plurality of items received at a materials handling facility, the facility comprising a plurality of distinct individual inventory storage areas, wherein a plurality of different types of items are stored together in given ones of the distinct individual inventory storage areas;

determine other pattern information for another group of the plurality of items, wherein the determined pattern information for the group comprises pattern information that is visually distinguishable, by an agent in the materials handling facility, from the determined pattern information for the other group; and

associate the respective determined pattern information with a product identifier for each item; and

a database communicatively coupled to the control system, wherein the database is configured to store the determined pattern information for the group, wherein the determined pattern information for the group is associated with the respective product identifier for each of the items of the group.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein to determine pattern information the control system is further configured to select pattern information for each item;

and

wherein to select pattern information, the control system is further configured apply a mathematical function to a product identification code of each item to select the pattern information from among a plurality of pattern information.

19. The system of claim 17,

wherein for each of the plurality of items the control system is further configured to store in the database an indication of an association between the respective product identifier, the respective determined pattern information, and one of a plurality of inventory areas in which the item is stored;

and

wherein the indications of the associations stored in the database are usable in locating one or more of the plurality of items from among the plurality of inventory areas.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said determining pattern information for the group of the plurality of items comprises the control system receiving input from an agent indicating pattern information for one of the items, wherein the pattern information is randomly selected by the agent, and wherein the randomly selected pattern information is assigned to others of the plurality of items having the same product identifier as the one item.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the pattern information comprises one or more of:

a single color, a single shape, a texture, or a sequence of contrasting shapes.

22. The system of claim 17,

wherein the control system is further configured to select an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas;

and

wherein the inventory area is selected independently of the product identifier for the respective item.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to select an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to reduce the number of dissimilar items in each inventory area that have the same associated pattern information.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to select an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to store only items with different associated pattern information in a single inventory area.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to select an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to store two or more items with the same pattern information indicators in a single inventory area only if they are identical items.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein a pattern information indicator is one or more of:

attached to packaging of the item;

attached directly to the item;

attached to a package enclosing the item, wherein the item is a digital video disc and the package is a clamshell-style case;

permanently attached to the item;

or

temporarily attached to the item.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein to determine pattern information, the control system is further configured to assign identical pattern information to identical items.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein to determine pattern information, the control system is further configured to assign pattern information according to a size or capacity of an item.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein to determine pattern information, the control system is further configured to assign pattern information according to a date code of an item.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine replacement pattern information for a returned item if the item was not returned with a pattern information indicator corresponding to pattern information currently associated with items identical to the returned item; and

associate the replacement pattern information with a product identifier for the returned item.

31. The system of claim 17, further comprising

a plurality of communication devices;

wherein, for each of the plurality of communication devices, the control system is configured to send to the communication device picking instructions to locate one or more of the plurality of items to be picked from an inventory area;

wherein each of the communication devices is configured to;

receive, from the control system, the picking instructions; and

present the picking instructions.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

obtain the determined pattern information associated with the product identification code for each of the one or more items to be picked; and

present the determined pattern information for each of the one or more items to assist an agent to locate the items based on the presented determined pattern information, wherein the presented pattern information is usable to distinguish the item from other items stored in the inventory area.

33. The system of claim 17, wherein the pattern information comprises a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item.

34. A non-transitory, computer accessible storage medium, storing program instructions executable by one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform:

determining pattern information for each of a plurality of items received at a materials handling facility, the facility comprising a plurality of distinct individual inventory storage areas, wherein a plurality of different types of items are stored together in given ones of the distinct individual inventory storage areas;

determining other pattern information for another group of the plurality of items, wherein the pattern information comprises a feature that is extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item and that is visually distinguishable, by an agent in the materials handling facility, from the determined pattern information for the other group; and

associating the respective determined pattern information with a product identifier for each item.

35. The storage medium of claim 34,

wherein said determining pattern information comprises selecting pattern information for each item;

and

wherein said selecting comprises applying a mathematical function to a product identification code of each item to select the determined pattern information from among a plurality of pattern information.

36. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform for each of the plurality of items, storing in a database an indication of an association between the respective product identifier, the respective determined pattern information, and one of a plurality of inventory areas in which the respective item is stored, wherein the indication of the association stored in the database is usable in locating one or more of the items from among the plurality of inventory areas.

37. The storage medium of claim 34,

wherein said determining pattern information for the group of the plurality of items comprises receiving input from an agent indicating pattern information for one of the items;

wherein the pattern information for the one item is randomly selected by the agent; and

wherein the randomly selected pattern information is assigned to others of the plurality of items having the same product identifier as the one item.

38. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein the pattern information comprises one or more of:

a single color, a single shape, a texture, or a sequence of contrasting shapes.

39. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform selecting an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas, wherein the inventory area is selected independently of the product identifier for the respective item.

40. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform selecting an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to reduce the number of dissimilar items in each inventory area that have the same associated pattern information.

41. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform selecting an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to store only items with different associated pattern information in a single inventory area.

42. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform selecting an inventory area for each item from among a plurality of inventory areas so as to store two or more items with the same pattern information indicators in a single inventory area only if they are identical items.

43. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein a pattern information indicator is one or more of:

attached to packaging of the item;

attached directly to the item;

attached to a package enclosing the item, wherein the item is a digital video disc and the package is a clamshell-style case;

permanently attached to the item;

or

temporarily attached to the item.

44. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said determining comprises assigning identical pattern information to identical items.

45. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said determining comprises assigning pattern information according to a size or capacity of an item.

46. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said determining comprises assigning pattern information according to a date code of an item.

47. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform:

determining replacement pattern information for a returned item if the item was not returned with a pattern information indicator corresponding to pattern information currently associated with items identical to the returned item; and

associating the replacement pattern information with a product identifier for the returned item.

48. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein said program instructions are further executable by the one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to perform:

presenting instructions to locate the item in one of a plurality of inventory areas, and

presenting pattern information corresponding to the determined pattern information for the item, wherein the presented pattern information represents an indicator applied to the item, and wherein the presented pattern information is usable to distinguish the item from other items stored in the inventory area.