Determining capacities of work buffers
First Claim
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1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable in at least one computing device, comprising:
- code that determines respective past work cycles for individual ones of a plurality of stages in a pipelined materials handling process in a fulfillment center, the pipelined materials handling process including respective work buffers between successive ones of the plurality of stages;
code that determines respective staffing levels for the individual ones of the plurality of stages;
code that predicts a workflow variance for the pipelined materials handling process;
code that generates respective optimal buffer capacities for individual ones of the respective work buffers based at least in part on a target buffer capacity confidence, the predicted workflow variance, the respective staffing levels, and the respective past work cycles; and
code that generates a report indicating the respective optimal buffer capacities.
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Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments for determining capacities for work buffers. Data is received that indicates past work cycles for a first stage and a second stage of a pipelined process. The pipelined process includes a work buffer between the first stage and the second stage. Staffing levels for the first stage and the second stage are received. An optimal buffer capacity for the work buffer is generated based at least in part on a predicted workflow variance for the pipelined process, the staffing levels, and the past work cycles.
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20 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable in at least one computing device, comprising:
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code that determines respective past work cycles for individual ones of a plurality of stages in a pipelined materials handling process in a fulfillment center, the pipelined materials handling process including respective work buffers between successive ones of the plurality of stages; code that determines respective staffing levels for the individual ones of the plurality of stages; code that predicts a workflow variance for the pipelined materials handling process; code that generates respective optimal buffer capacities for individual ones of the respective work buffers based at least in part on a target buffer capacity confidence, the predicted workflow variance, the respective staffing levels, and the respective past work cycles; and code that generates a report indicating the respective optimal buffer capacities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system, comprising:
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at least one computing device; and a buffer optimization application executed in the at least one computing device, the buffer optimization application comprising; logic that receives data indicating respective past work cycles for individual ones of a plurality of stages in a pipelined process, the pipelined process including respective work buffers between successive ones of the plurality of stages; logic that receives respective staffing levels for individual ones of the plurality of stages and a predicted workflow variance; and logic that generates respective optimal buffer capacities for individual ones of the respective work buffers based at least in part on the predicted workflow variance, the respective staffing levels, and the respective past work cycles. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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receiving, by at least one computing device, data indicating respective past work cycles for a first stage and a second stage of a pipelined process, the pipelined process including a work buffer between the first stage and the second stage; receiving, by the at least one computing device, respective staffing levels for the first stage and the second stage; and generating, by the at least one computing device, an optimal buffer capacity for the work buffer based at least in part on a predicted workflow variance for the pipelined process, the respective staffing levels, and the respective past work cycles. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification