Systems and Methods for Package Sortation and Delivery Using Radio Frequency Identification Technology
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of conveyors located at different locations within a hub facility, the plurality of conveyors transporting packages within the hub facility;
a plurality of sorting devices located at different locations within the hub facility and spaced apart from one another by respective ones of the plurality of conveyors;
a plurality of machine controllers connected to respective conveyors and sorting devices;
a radio-frequency identification (RFID) interrogator configured to read RFID tags associated with the packages carried on at least one of the conveyors to generate scanned data including a package identifier uniquely identifying the package; and
a hub control system remote from the sorting devices and receiving package identifiers from the RFID interrogator and using the package identifiers to determine the destinations for the packages and respective corresponding sort destinations within the hub facility, the hub control system determining respective sortation paths to be followed by the packages from an intake position at which packages arriving at the hub facility are placed on the conveyors for sorting by the sorting devices to respective sort destinations from which packages exiting the hub facility are transported by the conveyors and sorting devices, the hub control system issuing handling instructions to the machine controllers along the sortation paths to sort the packages to respective respective sort destinations.
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Abstract
A disclosed method comprises scanning a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag on a package to generate scanned data, and generating a handling instruction for the package based on the scanned data. The handling instruction can be executed to route the package to a tip position within a hub facility for directing the package to the next location along its route, and/or to pre-load the package in a vehicle for delivery to the package'"'"'s final destination. Related systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
82 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a plurality of conveyors located at different locations within a hub facility, the plurality of conveyors transporting packages within the hub facility;
a plurality of sorting devices located at different locations within the hub facility and spaced apart from one another by respective ones of the plurality of conveyors;
a plurality of machine controllers connected to respective conveyors and sorting devices;
a radio-frequency identification (RFID) interrogator configured to read RFID tags associated with the packages carried on at least one of the conveyors to generate scanned data including a package identifier uniquely identifying the package; and
a hub control system remote from the sorting devices and receiving package identifiers from the RFID interrogator and using the package identifiers to determine the destinations for the packages and respective corresponding sort destinations within the hub facility, the hub control system determining respective sortation paths to be followed by the packages from an intake position at which packages arriving at the hub facility are placed on the conveyors for sorting by the sorting devices to respective sort destinations from which packages exiting the hub facility are transported by the conveyors and sorting devices, the hub control system issuing handling instructions to the machine controllers along the sortation paths to sort the packages to respective respective sort destinations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification