Global positioning systems applications
First Claim
1. A method for storing items in a storage facility, wherein the storage facility is a warehouse or other facility in which the items are stored in defined storage locations including shelves or bins, the method comprising:
- receiving and recording a GPS signal through a transceiver within an indicia scanner at first location;
determining an approximate coordinate position of the first location based on the GPS signal received by the transceiver coupled to an indicia scanner;
processing the GPS signal to determine the approximate coordinate position of the first location;
determining the identity of an item by scanning a symbol associated with the item with said indicia scanner;
reading a broadcast error compensation signal transmitted directly from a base station having a fixed location;
comparing the approximate coordinate position of the first location from the GPS signal to the broadcast error compensation signal from the base station;
determining a second location based on said comparing, the second location being a storage location at which an item is to be stored; and
associating the storage location and identity in a database.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A global positioning system includes a fixed base unit of known position and at least one mobile unit, the base unit and the mobile unit each including a GPS receiver. This system further includes means for comparing the simultaneous GPS identified positions of the mobile unit and the base unit to establish the relative position of the mobile unit to the base unit. The mobile unit may be provided in a vehicle for allowing the instantaneous position of the vehicle to be identified relative to the base unit. Alternatively the mobile unit may include a bar code scanner for reading a bar code on an item and recording instantaneously the GPS identified position allowing a map of the position of various items relative to a base unit to be compiled.
108 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for storing items in a storage facility, wherein the storage facility is a warehouse or other facility in which the items are stored in defined storage locations including shelves or bins, the method comprising:
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receiving and recording a GPS signal through a transceiver within an indicia scanner at first location; determining an approximate coordinate position of the first location based on the GPS signal received by the transceiver coupled to an indicia scanner; processing the GPS signal to determine the approximate coordinate position of the first location; determining the identity of an item by scanning a symbol associated with the item with said indicia scanner; reading a broadcast error compensation signal transmitted directly from a base station having a fixed location; comparing the approximate coordinate position of the first location from the GPS signal to the broadcast error compensation signal from the base station; determining a second location based on said comparing, the second location being a storage location at which an item is to be stored; and associating the storage location and identity in a database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A portable device for recording the identity and location of items stored in a storage facility, wherein the storage facility is a warehouse or other facility in which the items are stored in defined storage locations including shelves or bins, the device comprising:
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a GPS receiver within a bar code scanner for receiving a signal at a storage location in which an item is scanned, the GPS signal providing a first positional fix of said storage location; a recorder located in said bar code scanner capable of recording the details of the item scanned by scanning a symbol associated with the item and simultaneously recording the first positional fix of said storage location; the GPS receiver further capable of receiving a broadcast error correction signal transmitted from a base station for adjusting said first positional fix to form a second positional fix relatively closer to said storage location than said first positional fix; and a transmitter coupled to said bar code scanner capable of transmitting said second positional fix of said storage location and recorded details of the item to a remotely located database wherein said second positional fix and said recorded details of the item are associated. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of storing items in a storage facility comprising:
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scanning an indicium associated with an item to be stored within the storage facility at a storage location including a shelf or a bin with an indicia scanner, the indicia scanner having a transceiver within the indicia scanner; recording details of the identity of the item scanned by the indicia scanner while scanning said indicium associated with said item; receiving through the transceiver concurrently during said recording a GPS signal providing a first positional fix of said storage location; determining the identity of the item as a result of the indicium being scanned by the indicia scanner; receiving a broadcast error correction signal being transmitted directly from a base station having a fixed location through the transceiver of said indicia scanner; comparing the broadcast error correction signal to the GPS signal to form a second positional fix of said storage location, the second positional fix being relatively closer to the storage location than said first positional fix; transmitting information associated with said second positional fix and identity of the item to a database; and associating said second positional fix information and identity of the item in the database. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification