Granted Patent B1

US 10,099,864 · App. 15/460,130 · Granted Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Claims (74)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data, the confirmatory input, and an expected destination of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the load forecast includes an estimate, for a given future point in time, of a carton load being processed by the conveying system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the scan data includes a zone dwell time, the zone dwell time representing a duration of time that a carton spent in a given zone of the conveying system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the estimated time of arrival is further based on conveyor velocity of the conveying system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the load forecast is further based on a quantity of the cartons being conveyed by conveying system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the load forecast includes classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to perform operations including:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data, the confirmatory input, and an expected destination of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the load forecast includes an estimate, for a given future point in time, of a carton load being processed by the conveying system.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the scan data includes a zone dwell time, the zone dwell time representing a duration of time that a carton spent in a given zone of the conveying system.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein generating the estimated time of arrival is further based on conveyor velocity of the conveying system.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein generating the load forecast is further based on a quantity of the cartons being conveyed by conveying system.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein generating the load forecast includes classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level.

13. A carton induction optimization system comprising:

a conveyor control system communicatively coupled to receive scan data from one or more conveyor scanners, the scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system, the conveyor control system communicatively coupled to a warehouse execution system;

a picking system configured to receive confirmatory input, the confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system, the scan data including a zone dwell time, the zone dwell time representing a duration of time that a carton spent in a given zone of the conveying system, the picking system communicatively coupled to the warehouse execution system; and

the warehouse execution system that includes:

receiving the scan data from the conveyor control system and the confirmatory input from the picking system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

14. The carton induction optimization system of claim 13 , wherein the load forecast includes an estimate, for a given future point in time, of a carton load being processed by the conveying system.

15. The carton induction optimization system of claim 13 , wherein generating the estimated time of arrival is further based on conveyor velocity of the conveying system.

16. The carton induction optimization system of claim 13 , wherein generating the load forecast is further based on a quantity of the cartons being conveyed by conveying system.

17. The carton induction optimization system of claim 13 , wherein generating the load forecast includes classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level.

18. The carton induction optimization system of claim 13 , wherein the picking system is a pick-to-voice or a pick-to-light system.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system, the scan data including a zone dwell time, the zone dwell time representing a duration of time that a carton spent in a given zone of the conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival, generating the load forecast including

classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

21. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to perform operations including:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system, the scan data including a zone dwell time, the zone dwell time representing a duration of time that a carton spent in a given zone of the conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

22. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to perform operations including:

receiving scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system;

receiving confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival, generating the load forecast including classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

23. A carton induction optimization system comprising:

a conveyor control system communicatively coupled to receive scan data from one or more conveyor scanners, the scan data reflecting a status of cartons being conveyed by a conveying system, the conveyor control system communicatively coupled to a warehouse execution system;

a picking system configured to receive confirmatory input, the confirmatory input reflecting pick completion for a subset of the cartons being conveyed by the conveying system, the picking system communicatively coupled to the warehouse execution system; and

the warehouse execution system that includes:

receiving the scan data from the conveyor control system and the confirmatory input from the picking system;

generating an estimated time of arrival for one or more cartons not yet inducted into the conveying system based on the scan data and the confirmatory input;

generating a load forecast based on the estimated time of arrival, generating the load forecast including classifying sections of the conveying system as satisfying a threshold load level and not satisfying the threshold load level; and

inducting one or more of the one or more cartons into the conveying system based on the load forecast.

Assignments (10)

Cited By (4)

US 12,248,978 US 12,314,775 US 12,387,168 US 12,400,184