Continuous item picking in a distribution center using coordinated item picking periods
US7031801B1 · kind B1 · utility
21Cited by
8References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 18, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G1/137
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A facility for scheduling the picking of a plurality of items specified for an item shipment is described. When a first-picked item of the plurality is picked, the facility selects a first period of time of a target length during which the first-picked item is expected to arrive at a sorting machine. For each of the items specified for the item shipment other than the first-picked item, the facility designates a picking period for the item that, when shifted forward in time by an amount of time the item will take to arrive at the sorting machine once picked, falls completely within the first period of time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.