Method of palletizing products
A computer-implemented product palletizing system and a method of product palletizing which includes processor in communication with a memory element containing a computer code executable to coordinate the discrete activities of one or more pickers and conveyor product sorting assembly to allocate a plurality of products to a plurality of pallets.
1. A method in a palletizing system, comprising:
executing a computer code contained in a memory element by operation of a processor in computer-implemented product palletizing system to:
generate a plurality of product lists, each of said plurality of product lists containing a plurality of products;
associate a pallet identifier with each of said plurality of products within said plurality of lists
depict in a graphical user interface a product indicator in association with each conveyor product within said plurality of products in said plurality of product lists;
depict in said graphical user interface said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as said conveyor products;
operate a product conveyor sorter assembly, including:
a conveyor which conveys conveyor products in relation to:
an image recognition device which captures a product image of each conveyor product and identifies said conveyor product based upon comparison of said product image to plurality of product image templates in a product image database; and
a product sorter which sorts each said conveyor product identified by said image recognition device into one of a plurality of conveyor lanes based on said pallet identifier associated with each said conveyor product.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing said computer code to
depict said graphical user interface on a display surface of a mobile computer device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said mobile computer device, comprises:
a first mobile computer device capable of interaction with a first product picker, said graphical user interface depicted on said first mobile computer device including said conveyor product indicator associated with each said conveyor product within said plurality of products in said product list allowing said first picker to pick each said conveyor product; and
a second mobile computer device capable of interaction with a second product picker, said graphical user interface depicted on said second mobile computer device including said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as conveyor products.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising executing said computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said first mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said first picker to move each said conveyor product onto said conveyor.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising executing said computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said second mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said second picker to move each said conveyor product from each of said plurality of conveyor lanes to a corresponding one of a plurality of product pallets having said pallet identifier associated with said conveyor product.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising executing said computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said second mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said second picker to move said plurality of products not identified as conveyor product in said product list to a corresponding one of said plurality of product pallets having said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as conveyor products.
7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising locating conveyor products at a first slip proximate to said image recognition device.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising locating products not identified as conveyor products at a second slip proximate said conveyor lanes.
9. The method of claim 7 , further executing said program code to generate a picked product wave each associated with a picked product wave identifier, said picked product wave including one or more said product lists.
10. The method of claim 7 , further executing said program code to prioritize order in which to fill a plurality of picked product waves.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said computer-implemented warehouse management system further executable to associate each of said one or more product lists within said picked product wave with one or more of:
a customer identifier;
an invoice identifier;
a product conveyor lane identifier; and
said product pallet identifier.
12. A method in product palletizing system, comprising:
executing a first computer code contained in a first memory element by operation of a first processor to generate a plurality of product lists, each of said plurality of product lists each containing a plurality of products;
executing a second computer code contained in a second memory element by operation of a second processor to:
download said plurality of product lists from said first memory element;
associate a pallet identifier with each of said plurality of products in said product list;
depict in a graphical user interface a product indicator in association with each conveyor product within said plurality of products in said plurality of product lists;
depict in said graphical user interface said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as said conveyor products; and
operate a product conveyor sorter assembly, including:
a conveyor which conveys conveyor products in relation to:
an image recognition device which captures a product image of each conveyor product and identifies said conveyor product based upon comparison of said product image to plurality of product image templates in a product image database; and
a product sorter which sorts each said conveyor product identified by said image recognition device into one of a plurality of conveyor lanes based on said pallet identifier associated with each said conveyor product.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising retrofitting said first processor in communication with said first memory element which contains said first computer code with one or more of said second processor, said second memory element, and said second computer code.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising executing said second computer code to depict said graphical user interface on a display surface of a mobile computer device.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said mobile computer device, comprises:
a first mobile computer device capable of interaction with a first product picker, said graphical user interface depicted on said first mobile computer device including said conveyor product indicator associated with each said conveyor product within said plurality of products in said product list allowing said first picker to pick each said conveyor product; and
a second mobile computer device capable of interaction with a second product picker, said graphical user interface depicted on said second mobile computer device including said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as conveyor products.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising executing said second computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said first mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said first picker to move each said conveyor product onto said conveyor.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising executing said second computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said second mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said second picker to move each said conveyor product from each of said plurality of conveyor lanes to a corresponding one of a plurality of product pallets having said pallet identifier associated with said conveyor product.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising executing said second computer code to depict in said graphical user interface of said mobile computer device an instruction viewable by said second picker to move said plurality of products not identified as conveyor product in said product list to a corresponding one of said plurality of product pallets having said pallet identifier associated with each of said plurality of products not identified as conveyor products.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising locating conveyor products at a first slip proximate to said image recognition device.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising locating products not identified as conveyor products at a second slip proximate said conveyor lanes.
21. The method of claim 20 , further executing said program code to generate a picked product wave each associated with a picked product wave identifier, said picked product wave including one or more said product lists.
22. The method of claim 21 , further executing said program code to prioritize order in which to fill a plurality of picked product waves.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said computer-implemented warehouse management system further executable to associate each of said one or more product lists within said picked product wave with one or more of:
a customer identifier;
an invoice identifier;
a product conveyor lane identifier; and
said product pallet identifier.