IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,597,599
Granted Patent B2
US 11,597,599 · App. 17/745,445 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Apparatus, system, and method for a drive-through grocery service

Inventor: Karen Lynnette Montgomery (North Las Vegas, NV)
Assignee: Hotberry, LLC
B65G1/1376G06Q30/0603G06Q30/0633G06Q50/28
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,597,599
App. No.
17/745,445
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for use in consolidating items into orders and delivering items to a workstation is described herein. The system includes a plurality of workstations, each workstation including an assembling area for assembling orders, an assembly line system configured to deliver items to the plurality of workstations, and a computing system to execute the steps of: receiving an order notification indicating an order, identifying items included in the order, assigning a corresponding workstation to the order, and operating the assembly line system to deliver the identified items included in the order to the corresponding workstation.

Claims (49)

1. A system for use in consolidating items into orders and delivering items to a workstation, comprising:

a plurality of workstations, each workstation including:

a workstation scanning device;

an assembling area for assembling orders; and

a display monitor positioned near the assembling area;

an assembly line system configured to deliver items to the plurality of workstations;

an assembly line device, automated machine, humanoid or robot configured to identify items being transported by the assembly line system; and

a computing system to execute the steps of:

receiving an order notification indicating an order;

identifying items included in the order;

assigning a corresponding workstation to the order; and

operating the assembly line system to deliver the identified items included in the order to the corresponding workstation including:

receiving information indicating a plurality of items being transported by the assembly line system from assembly line devices, conveyors, automated machines, humanoids or robots;

receiving information from a corresponding workstation scanning device, automated machine, humanoid or robot associated with the corresponding workstation indicating a corresponding item included in the order is adjacent to the corresponding workstation; and

displaying a notification message on a corresponding display monitor associated with the corresponding workstation indicating the corresponding item is adjacent to the corresponding workstation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further programmed to display an image of the corresponding item on the corresponding display monitor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further programmed to display the order on the corresponding display monitor including a list of the identified items.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the computing system is further programmed to display a plurality of orders on the corresponding display monitor in ascending order via a time stamp, an adjusted order delivery time, or priority.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of storage units for storing items and delivering items to the assembly line system.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein at least one storage unit includes a light unit, the computer system is programmed to operate the light unit to identify items according to a programmed sorting method.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one workstation includes a computerized sacker.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computerized sacker is programed to:

determine a product characteristic associated with the corresponding item;

calculate a sacking plan based on the determined product characteristic; and

assemble the order based on the calculated sacking plan.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an area for storing an assembled order.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising artificial intelligence for identifying items.

11. A method of operating a system for use in consolidating items into orders and delivering items to a workstation in a warehouse, the system including a plurality of workstations, an assembly line system configured to deliver items to the plurality of workstations, an assembly line device configured to identify items being transported by the assembly line system, and a computing system including a processor, each workstation includes a workstation scanning device, an assembling area for assembling orders, and a display monitor positioned near the assembling area, the method including the processor of the computing system executing the steps of:

receiving an order notification indicating an order;

identifying items included in the order;

assigning a corresponding workstation to the order; and

operating the assembly line system to deliver the identified items included in the order to the corresponding workstation including:

receiving first information from the assembly line device indicating a plurality of items being transported by the assembly line system;

receiving second information from a corresponding workstation scanning device associated with the corresponding workstation indicating a corresponding item included in the order is adjacent to the corresponding workstation; and

displaying a notification message on a corresponding display monitor associated with the corresponding workstation indicating the corresponding item is adjacent to the corresponding workstation.

12. The method of claim 11 , including the processor executing the steps of:

displaying an image of the corresponding item on the corresponding display monitor.

13. The method of claim 11 , including the processor executing the steps of:

displaying the order on the corresponding display monitor including a list of the identified items.

14. The method of claim 13 , including the processor executing the steps of:

displaying a plurality of orders on the corresponding display monitor in ascending order via a time stamp, an adjusted order delivery time, or priority.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the system includes a plurality of storage units for storing items and delivering items to the assembly line system.

16. The method of claim 11 , including the processor executing the steps of:

operating a computerized sacker to assemble the order.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding workstation includes a computerized sacker, the method including the processor executing the steps of:

determining a product characteristic associated with the corresponding item;

calculating a sacking plan based on the determined product characteristic; and

operating the computer sacker to assemble the order based on the calculated sacking plan.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising using artificial intelligence for identifying items.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2022
From: MONTGOMERY, KAREN LYNNETTE
To: HOTBERRY, LLC
Reel/Frame 059921/0144 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16937323 · Jul 23, 2020
Continuation 16802101 · Feb 26, 2020
Continuation 15792209 · Oct 24, 2017
Provisional Application 62412814 · Oct 25, 2016
Related Publication 20220274782A1 · Sep 1, 2022