×

Position-based item identification in a materials handling facility

  • US 9,741,007 B1
  • Filed: 04/27/2012
  • Issued: 08/22/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system, comprising:

  • a database configured to store a respective position indicator for each item of a plurality of items placed in temporal sequence within a particular inventory area of a plurality of inventory areas in a materials handling facility, wherein the respective position indicator for an item;

    comprises a numerical value that is assigned to the item without reference to where the item is placed within the particular inventory area, and that indicates the item'"'"'s position within the temporal sequence, comprising when, relative to other items currently stored within the particular inventory area, the item is placed within the particular inventory area; and

    is associated with a respective product identifier that identifies the item; and

    a control system communicatively coupled to the database, wherein the control system is configured to;

    in response to receiving information indicating that one or more items of the plurality of items within the particular inventory area have been removed, wherein the one or more items were removed from between two other items of the plurality of items within the particular inventory area, update the store of respective position indicators to a current state that reflects the temporal order in which remaining items of the plurality of items were placed within the particular inventory area;

    keep track of the temporal order in which the plurality of items are currently stored within the particular inventory area of the plurality of inventory areas in the materials handling facility based on the numerical values of the respective position indicators currently stored in the database; and

    determine a current relative position of a given item stored within the particular inventory area, relative to either a reference position of the particular inventory area or to one or more other items of the plurality of items that are also currently stored within the particular inventory area, based on the numerical value of the current respective position indicator for the given item and on positional placement guidelines that describe how each successive item placed in temporal sequence within the particular inventory area is to be positioned relative to other items previously placed in the particular inventory area;

    wherein the particular inventory area of the plurality of inventory areas stores a plurality of dissimilar items; and

    wherein the current relative position of the given item is usable to assist in locating the given item within the particular inventory area at least by inserting the current relative position for the given item into an unused field of a message and sending the message to a communication device, wherein the communication device is configured to display the current relative position of the given item relative to the reference position of the particular inventory area or relative to the one or more other items currently stored within the particular inventory area.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×