System and method for automated sortation

An automated sortation system comprising:

• a collector conveyor;
• a cleated conveyor;
• and
• a plurality of smart bins each configured to
• receive at least one package of a plurality of packages into a cavity including a gate, and
• transfer onto the collector conveyor a package group comprising one or more of the received plurality of packages,
• wherein
• when the one or more of the received plurality of packages is to be transferred out of the cavity of corresponding one or more of the plurality of smart bins, the gate of the respective one or more of the plurality of smart bins is moved to an open position and the respective package group is released onto a collector conveyor each of the respective one or more of the plurality of smart bins into a respective defined zone on the collector conveyor, and
• the collector conveyor conveys the released package group of each of the one or more plurality smart bins within respective defined zone on the conveyor belt to the cleated conveyor for further processing as the package group of the respective one of the plurality smart bins from which it was transferred.

An automated sortation method comprising:

• diverting a package group, comprising at least one package of a plurality of packages, into one smart bin of a plurality of smart bins according to a sort criteria;
• accumulating one or more of the plurality of packages in at least the one smart bin;
• transferring the one or more of the plurality of packages as a package group comprising the one or more of the plurality of packages from the one smart bin onto a collector conveyor by releasing the package group onto the collector conveyor from the at least one smart bin into a respective defined zone on the collector conveyor;
• and
• moving the released package group of the at least one smart bin within respective defined zone on the collector conveyor and onto a cleated conveyor for further processing as the package group of the at least one smart bins from which it was released.