Dynamic sortation of items in a containerization system
US6892890B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 17, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB07C5/3412
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A dynamic sortation system and method. The invention is preferably utilized in a robotic containerization system having a number of locations for containers such as carts or pallets. Each location may be assigned a speed of loading rating that represents the time needed for a robot to load an item to a location. The system may be preprogrammed with a simplified, base scheme of destinations. After these initial steps, the system reads destination codes from each of the plurality of items in a load of items sent to the system for sortation. The system may store the destination code of each read item in a historical database. The system then determines whether the read destination code is assigned a location. If the destination code is assigned a location, the item is loaded in a container at the assigned location. If the destination code is not assigned a location, the system determines whether to assign the destination code a location based on whether the destination code is in the scheme of destinations, the projected or historical number of items having the same destination code, and the speed of loading rating for each location.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.