Method and apparatus for multi-destination item selection using motes
Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. Each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a mote that may include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. A mote may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. The mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent. Each receptacle may also have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.
1. A computer-accessible storage medium, comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:
providing a list of items to be picked in a materials handling facility to an agent of the materials handling facility, wherein the list of items includes items for two or more destinations in the materials handling facility;
assigning a receptacle to each of the two or more destinations for the items on the list of items, wherein each receptacle has a mote comprising a communications interface and is coupled to an indicator;
directing the agent in picking the items on the list of items from one or more locations in the materials handling facility into the two or more receptacles, wherein said directing comprises, for each item picked:
receiving information identifying the picked item from a communications device, wherein the information identifying the picked item is read from the picked item into the communications device and sent by the communications device;
determining a particular one of the two or more receptacles as a destination receptacle for the picked item in accordance with the information identifying the picked item received from the communications device; and
sending a message to the mote on the destination receptacle for the item to activate the indicator coupled to the mote to indicate to the agent that the picked item is to be placed into the destination receptacle.
2. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 1 , wherein the destinations include one or more of sorting stations, packing stations, and stations for performing value-added services.
3. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 1 , wherein each receptacle further includes a sensor for detecting placement of an item into the receptacle, and wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement deactivating the activated indicator in response to the sensor detecting placement of the picked item into the receptacle.
4. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 1 , wherein each receptacle further includes a sensor communicatively coupled to the mote, wherein the sensor is configured to detect placement of an item into the receptacle and to read information from the item that identifies the item, and wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:
receiving a signal from one of the two or more receptacles in response to the sensor on the receptacle detecting placement of the picked item into the receptacle, wherein the signal includes information uniquely identifying the receptacle corresponding to the sensor and information identifying the item placed into the receptacle; and
verifying and indicating placement of the picked item into the correct receptacle for the picked item in response to and in accordance with the received signal.