Method and system for order fulfillment in a distribution center

• US 9,396,451 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JUNE RAY LIMITED
• Original Assignee: JUNE RAY LIMITED
• Inventors: Waddington, William Henry, Grewell, Patricia C., Ham, Peter, Klots, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US14/137,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20140108287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 700/216
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Order allocation techniques pertaining to stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to manage a distribution center with a plurality of regions, each region associated with a plurality of storages, each storage for holding at least an item, the method comprising executing instructions on at least a processor to:

identify a first region in view of analyzing a first customer order, the first customer order indicating a plurality of items, with at least a first storage associated with the first region holding at least a first item in the first customer order;

identify a second region in view of analyzing a second customer order, the second customer order indicating a plurality of items, with at least a second storage associated with the second region holding at least a second item in the second customer order;

select a first carrier to fulfill the first customer order;

select a second carrier to fulfill the second customer order;

set a first route for the first carrier to move through the distribution center to fulfill the first customer order, with the first route based on at least locations of the first storage and the first carrier; and

set a second route for the second carrier to move through the distribution center to fulfill the second customer order, with the second route based on at least locations of the second storage and the second carrier, with the second route being different from the first route.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein a plurality of items in the distribution center have expiration dates, and

wherein the first item in the first customer order has an expiration date.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2,

wherein the first carrier is configured to transport at least the first item with the expiration date to fulfill the first customer order, and

wherein the second carrier is configured to transport at least the second item to fulfill the second customer order.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the first storage is in a first ambient,

wherein the second storage is in a second ambient, with the first ambient being configured to be different from the second ambient, and

wherein the first item in the first storage is better preserved in the first ambient than in the second ambient.