Product location method utilizing product bar code and aisle-situated, aisle-identifying bar code

• US 7,146,243 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lamson Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Glynn, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/696,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 700/215, 700/213, 700/214, 700/225, 235/385, 235/383, 235/462.01, 235/375
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The present invention is an item location directory method and system which involves the use of item-identifying bar codes on the items to be included in the directory, and location-identifying bar codes physically applied to the corresponding locations. These are read in a preset manner with a bar code reader and inputted into a processor for creation of item/corresponding location data for the directories.

Claims

1. A system for creating an item location directory to locate one or more specific items, which consists of:

a.) a plurality of sets of different items, each set having at least one item therein, each set having a specified location, and each set having a unique item-identifying bar code, with at least one item of each set having said unique item-identifying bar code located thereon;

b.) a plurality of specified locations, each location having at least one of said plurality of sets of different items located thereat, each location of said plurality of locations having one unique location-identifying bar code, each of said plurality of locations having said unique location-identifying bar code physically situated thereon, wherein said unique location-identifying bar code is a bar code which includes code for genus data and for species data;

c.) at least one bar code reader for reading said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes;

d.) at least one processor adapted to receive inputs from said at least one bar code reader;

e.) sufficient programming within said processor to provide recognition, organization, storage and presentation of item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs obtained from said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes, so as to create an item location directory therefrom wherein said unique item-identifying bar code is a universal price code bar code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said genus data is row or aisle data, and said species data is bin, drawer or shelf data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said programming includes software which receives bar code reader inputs and converts said received inputs to item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs for location information.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations and are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein said processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations that are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

7. A system for creating an item location directory to locate one or more specific items, which consists of:

a.) a plurality of sets of different items, each set having at least one item therein, each set having a specified location, and each set having a unique item-identifying bar code, with at least one item of each set having said unique item-identifying bar code located thereon;

b.) a plurality of specified locations, each location having at least one of said plurality of sets of different items located thereat, each location of said plurality of locations having one unique location-identifying bar code, each of said plurality of locations having said unique location-identifying bar code physically situated thereon, wherein said unique location-identifying bar code is a bar code which includes code for genus data and for species data;

c.) at least one bar code reader for reading said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes;

d.) at least one processor adapted to receive inputs from said at least one bar code reader;

e.) sufficient programming within said processor to provide recognition, organization, storage and presentation of item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs obtained from said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes, so as to create an item location directory therefrom wherein said unique item-identifying bar code is a universal price code bar code;

f.) a user feedback unit which includes visual display means for viewing visual feedback in the form of text, or map or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said genus data is row or aisle data, and said species data is bin, drawer or shelf data.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said programming includes software which receives bar code reader inputs and converts said received inputs to item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs for location information.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations and are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein said processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations that are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

13. A system for creating an item location directory to locate one or more specific items, which consists of:

a.) a plurality of sets of different items, each set having at least one item therein, each set having a specified location, and each set having a unique item-identifying bar code, with at least one item of each set having said unique item-identifying bar code located thereon;

b.) a plurality of specified locations, each location having at least one of said plurality of sets of different items located thereat, each location of said plurality of locations having one unique location-identifying bar code, each of said plurality of locations having said unique location-identifying bar code physically situated thereon, wherein said unique location-identifying bar code is a bar code which includes code for genus data and for species data;

c.) at least one bar code reader for reading said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes;

d.) at least one processor adapted to receive inputs from said at least one bar code reader;

e.) sufficient programming within said processor to provide recognition, organization, storage and presentation of item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs obtained from said item-identifying bar codes and said location-identifying bar codes, so as to create an item location directory therefrom wherein said unique item-identifying bar code is a universal price code bar code;

f.) at least one directory selected from the group consisting of printed directory, on-screen directory, on-line directory, audible directory and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said genus data is row or aisle data, and said species data is bin, drawer or shelf data.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said programming includes software which receives bar code reader inputs and converts said received inputs to item-identification/corresponding location-identification data pairs for location information.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations and are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein said processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said location-identifying bar codes are universal price code bar codes assigned to specific locations that are different from all item-identifying bar codes contained within the system, and wherein processor is programmed to correlate said location-identifying bar codes to their assigned locations.