System, method, and apparatus for picking-and-putting product

1. A method for picking-and-putting products, the method comprising:

providing an aisle including adjacent picking zones in a distribution environment, each adjacent picking zone including a row of picking bays, each picking bay having a plurality of pick modules, each pick module having a product associated therewith, each pick module having a light;

providing a control subsystem in communication with an operator and each of the pick modules;

indexing a plurality of cartons in an ordered position from a first carton to an nth carton to form a carton train;

registering the carton train with the control subsystem such that the ordered position is registered with the control subsystem;

positioning the carton train in one of the picking zones in the ordered position registered with the control subsystem;

associating each carton in the plurality of cartons in the carton train with a product fulfillment such that the first carton has a first product fulfillment and the nth carton has an nth product fulfillment;

on a picking zone-by-picking zone basis, sequentially actuating each of the lights to designate that a product associated with a pick module must be put into at least one of the plurality of cartons, thereby illuminating all picks corresponding to the plurality of cartons in the picking zone; and

within each picking zone, on a pick module-by-pick module basis, as each pick becomes a put, providing the operator a voice indication including a quantity of product, the voice indication including the corresponding ordered carton position in the carton train based on the ordered position registered with the control subsystem, thereby permitting the operator to put a particular product from a particular pick module in more than one carton during a single operator pick at the particular pick module.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising enabling a plurality of operators to individually pick-and-put in parallel on the adjacent picking zones.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing each pick module with an individual numeric display with a light, an acknowledgement button, and a digital readout for indicating quantity.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing the operator with a wireless mobile voice device configured to receive voice indications and a wireless scanner configured to perform a verification scan.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing each carton with a readable identification number.

6. A method for picking-an-putting products, the method comprising:

providing an aisle including adjacent picking zones in a distribution environment, each adjacent picking zone including a row of picking bays, each picking bay having a plurality of pick modules, each pick module having a product associated therewith, each pick module having a light display;

indexing a plurality of cartons in an ordered position from a first carton to an nth carton to form a carton train, each carton being configured to contain products;

initiating a picking sequence by placing the carton train in one of the picking zones in the ordered position;

on a picking zone-by-picking zone basis, sequentially actuating each of the light displays to direct an operator to a pick by directing the operator to a specific picking bay, such that the light display informs the operator which products to pick; and

within each picking zone, on a pick module-by-pick module basis, within each pick, sequentially actuating a voice indication to direct the operator to one or more puts by directing the operator to select a number of product, the voice indication indicating the corresponding carton by indicating the ordered position.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising enabling a plurality of operators to individually pick-and-put in parallel on the adjacent picking zones.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising providing each pick module with an individual numeric display with a light, an acknowledgement button, and a digital readout for indicating quantity.

9. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising providing the operator with a wireless mobile voice device configured to receive voice indications and a wireless scanner configured to perform the verification scan.

10. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising providing each carton with a readable identification number.

11. A system for picking-and-putting product, the system comprising:

a control subsystem configured in communication with an aisle having adjacent picking zones in a distribution environment, each adjacent picking zone including a row of picking bays, each picking bay having a plurality of pick modules, each pick module having a product associated therewith, each pick module having a light display;

the control subsystem configured to accept an indexing via a wireless signal that a plurality of cartons are positioned in an ordered position from a first carton to an nth carton to form a carton train, each carton being configured to contain products;

a wireless communication device located in communication with the control subsystem, the wireless communication device being configured to be assigned to an operator;

a wireless scanner located in communication with the control subsystem, the wireless scanner being configured to be assigned to the operator;

a processor disposed in the control subsystem; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to:

receive an initiation signal that a picking sequence is to begin by placement of the carton train in one of the adjacent picking zones,

on a picking zone-by-picking zone basis, sequentially actuate each of the light displays to direct an operator to a pick by directing the operator to a specific picking bay, such that the light display informs the operator which products to pick, and

on a pick module-by-pick module basis, within each pick, sequentially actuate a voice indication via the wireless communication device to direct the operator to one or more puts by directing the operator to select a number of product, the voice indication indicating the corresponding carton and the ordered position of the corresponding carton based on the carton train.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the control subsystem is configured to handle a plurality of operators to individually pick-and-put in parallel on the adjacent picking zones.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein each pick module further comprises an individual numeric display with a light, an acknowledgement button, and a digital readout for indicating quantity.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication device further comprises a wireless mobile voice device configured to receive voice indications.

15. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein each carton further comprises a readable identification number.

16. A system for picking-and-putting products, the system comprising:

a control subsystem configured in communication with an aisle having adjacent picking zones in a distribution environment, each adjacent picking zone including a row of picking bays, each picking bay having a plurality of pick modules, each pick module having a product associated therewith, each pick module having a light display;

the control subsystem including a wireless transceiver;

the control subsystem configured to accept an indexing via a wireless signal that a plurality of cartons are positioned in an ordered position from a first carton to an nth carton to form a carton train, each carton being configured to contain products;

a wireless communication device located in communication with the control subsystem, the wireless communication device being configured to be assigned to an operator;

a wireless scanner located in communication with the control subsystem, the wireless scanner being configured to be assigned to the operator;

a processor disposed in the control subsystem; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to:

receive an initiation signal from the wireless transceiver that a picking sequence is to begin by placement of the carton train in one of the adjacent picking zones,

associate each carton in the plurality of cartons in the carton train with a product fulfillment such that the first carton has a first product fulfillment and the nth carton has an nth product fulfillment,

on a picking zone-by-picking zone basis, sequentially actuate each of the light displays to direct an operator to a pick by directing the operator to a specific picking bay, such that the light display informs the operator which products to pick relative to the product fulfillment associated with the carton train, and

on a pick module-by-pick module basis, within each pick, sequentially actuate a voice indication via the wireless communication device to direct the operator to one or more puts by directing the operator to select a number of product, the voice indication indicating the corresponding carton and the ordered position of the corresponding carton based on the carton train.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the control subsystem is configured to handle a plurality of operators to individually pick-and-put in parallel on the adjacent picking zones.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein each pick module further comprises an individual numeric display with a light, an acknowledgement button, and a digital readout for indicating quantity.

19. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the wireless communication device further comprises a wireless mobile voice device configured to receive voice indications.

20. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein each carton further comprises a readable identification number.