System and method for visual verification of item processing

• US 7,769,221 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaufman, Donald L., Shakes, Jonathan J., Rouaix, Francois M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bali; Vikkram
• Assistant Examiner(s): Entezari; Michelle
• Application Number:
  US11/077,431
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/20 Arrangements for facilitating the visual reading of addresses, e.g. display arrangements coding stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Images may be captured of items being processed at a processing station of an order fulfillment center and made available electronically for review to verify quality assurance polices for the items. Alternatively, a short video clip may be captured of the items being processed. The images may be made electronically available for review from remote locations. The images may be associated with a customer order and the images may be reviewed to ensure that the order has been correctly processed. The processing station may be a shipping station and the images may be reviewed to ensure adherence to shipping quality assurance policies. The processing station may also be a receiving station and the images reviewed for defects in the shipping container or the items. The items may be associated with a returned customer order and the images may be reviewed to verify the validity of a customer complaint.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

picking one or more already-finished inventory items from a finished inventory item storage area of an order fulfillment center, wherein when stored in the finished inventory item storage area, each of the one or more already-finished inventory items is ready for insertion into a final shipping container addressed for shipment to a customer to fulfill a customer order ordering the already-finished inventory item as stored in the inventory item storage area, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are already stored in the finished inventory item storage area of the order fulfillment center when the customer order is received at the order fulfillment center;

processing the one or more already-finished inventory items at a processing station of the order fulfillment center to fulfill an order from a customer for the one or more finished inventory items;

capturing one or more images of the one or more already-finished inventory items being processed at the processing station;

making one or more of the one or more captured images available electronically over a network, wherein the one or more of the one or more captured images are randomly accessible over the network; and

reviewing one or more of the available images to verify correct application of one or more quality assurance policies for the one or more already-finished inventory items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images comprise one or more video clips.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images comprise one or more still images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station is a packing station, and wherein the available images comprise images of the one or more already-finished inventory items being packed into a shipping package.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station is a shipping station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station is a receiving station, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are comprised in a container received at the receiving station, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the container, the method further comprising associating the captured images with the container.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising reviewing the captured images for defects in the container.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the one or more already-finished inventory items in the container.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the one or more already-finished inventory items being removed from the container.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising reviewing the captured images for defects in one or more of the one or more already-finished inventory items.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising electronically sending the available images to a shipper that sent the container to the order fulfillment center.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the container is an order returned to the order fulfillment center by a customer, the method further comprising associating the one or more images with a previously processed order for the customer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising reviewing the captured images to determine the validity of a customer complaint.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station is a shipping station, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are associated with a customer order, and wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the already-finished inventory items in a shipping package.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of packing material being put into the shipping package.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising reviewing the captured images to verify an amount of the packing material in the shipping package.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of one or more value-added services associated with the order being performed.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising reviewing the captured images to verify one or more collateral items in the shipping package.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images are associated with a customer order, the method further comprising reviewing the captured image in response to a customer complaint regarding the order.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said reviewing is performed at a location remote from the order fulfillment center.

21. A system, comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture one or more images of one or more already-finished inventory items being processed, without modifying the one or more already-finished inventory items themselves, at a processing station of an order fulfillment center to fulfill an order from a customer for the one or more finished inventory items, wherein each of the one or more already-finished inventory items is ready for insertion into a final shipping container addressed for shipment to a customer to fulfill a customer order ordering the already-finished inventory item, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are already stored in the finished inventory item storage area of the order fulfillment center when the customer order is received at the order fulfillment center; and

a computer system, coupled to the image capture device, configured to;

make one or more of the one or more captured images available electronically over a network for review to verify correct application of one or more quality assurance policies for the one or more already-finished inventory items, wherein the one or more of the one or more captured images are randomly accessible over the network.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

one or more motion sensing devices coupled to the computer system and configured to;

detect the one or more already-finished inventory items arriving at the processing station; and

notify the computer system of the arrival of the one or more already-finished inventory items at the processing station; and

wherein the computer system is further configured control the image capture device to capture the one or more images based on notification from the one or more motion sensing devices.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing station is a packing station, and wherein the available images comprise images of the one or more already-finished inventory items being packed into a shipping package.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing station is a shipping station.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing station is a receiving station, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are comprised in a container received at the receiving station, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the container;

and wherein the computer system is further configured to associate the captured images with the container.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer system is further configured to electronically send the available images to a shipper that sent the container to the order fulfillment center.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the container is an order returned to the order fulfillment center by a customer;

and wherein the computer system is further configured to associate the one or more images with a previously processed order for the customer.

28. A tangible computer accessible storage medium storing program instructions computer-executable to implement:

capturing one or more images of one or more already-finished inventory items being processed, without modifying the one or more already-finished inventory items themselves, at a processing station of an order fulfillment center to fulfill an order from a customer for the one or more finished inventory items, wherein each of the one or more already-finished inventory items is ready for insertion into a final shipping container addressed for shipment to a customer to fulfill a customer order ordering the already-finished inventory item, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are already stored in the finished inventory item storage area of the order fulfillment center when the customer order is received at the order fulfillment center;

making one or more of the one or more captured images available electronically over a network for review to verify correct application of one or more quality assurance policies for the one or more already-finished inventory items, wherein the one or more of the one or more captured images are randomly accessible over the network.

29. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 28, wherein the processing station is a packing station, and wherein the available images comprise images of the one or more already-finished inventory items being packed into a shipping package.

30. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 28, wherein the processing station is a shipping station.

31. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 28, wherein the processing station is a receiving station, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are comprised in a container received at the receiving station, wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the container, and wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement associating the captured images with the container.

32. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement reviewing the captured images for defects in the container.

33. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement reviewing the captured images for defects in one or more of the one or more already-finished inventory items.

34. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement electronically sending the available images to a shipper that sent the container to the order fulfillment center.

35. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 31, wherein the container is an order returned to the order fulfillment center by a customer;

and wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement associating the one or more images with a previously processed order for the customer.

36. The tangible computer accessible storage medium of claim 28, wherein the processing station is a shipping station, wherein the one or more already-finished inventory items are associated with a customer order, and wherein the captured images comprise one or more images of the already-finished inventory items in a shipping package.