Method and system for order fulfillment in a distribution center

US8140183B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• VESTURE LLC · US

Inventors

• William Waddington · Foster City, US
• Patricia C. Grewell · San Mateo, US
• Peter Ham · Palo Alto, US
• Boris Klots · Belmont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 6, 2009
• Grant date: Mar 20, 2012
• Expiry date: May 6, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L67/1097
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Order allocation techniques that reduce the number of stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. Ultimately, all items in the customer order are assigned a pod. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center.