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US 12,251,734 B2Granted
Integrated on-demand placarding
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsRobert Charles Moran, Marlon Guy Wells
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure relates to systems and methods of integrated on-demand labeling of item containers. In particular, this disclosure relates systems and methods for automatically creating and using placards to label, track, and organize item containers and items.
Claims18
A method of tracking items in a distribution network, the method comprising:
- generating a first placard, wherein the first placard comprises a first computer readable code;
- determining, in one or more processors, that a first plurality of items have been sorted to a disposition location of an item processing machine;
- associating, in the one or more processors, the first placard and the first plurality of items;
- storing, in a memory, the association of the first placard and the first plurality of items;
- generating a scan event based on the first computer readable code of the first placard interacting with a reader;
- storing, in the memory, the scan event for the first placard and each of the first plurality of items associated with the first placard;
- in response to determining that the first plurality of items have been sorted to the disposition location of the item processing machine, generating a second placard comprising a second computer readable code;
- determining, in one or more processors, that a second plurality of items have been sorted to the disposition location of the item processing machine;
- associating, in the one or more processors, the second placard and the second plurality of items;
- and
- storing, in the memory, the association of the second placard and the second plurality of items.
8 more elements
A method of tracking distribution items, the method comprising:
- creating, via one or more processors, placard information for a disposition location, the placard information comprising a computer readable code and destination information;
- generating an event when a plurality of items have been sorted to the disposition location;
- associating, in a memory, the computer readable code of the placard information with each of the plurality of items sorted to the disposition location;
- associating the event with the plurality of items;
- generating a scan event based on the computer readable code interacting with a reader;
- querying the memory to identify the destination information based on the scan event;
- directing the plurality of items to a destination within a distribution facility according to the destination information;
- and
- generating a load scan event based on the computer readable code of the placard information interacting with another reader of a portal as the computer readable code passes through the portal to a transportation vehicle, indicating that the plurality of items been loaded onto the transportation vehicle at the distribution facility.
6 more elements
A system of tracking items in a distribution network, the system comprising:
- a vestibule comprising a reader positioned at a location in a distribution facility;
- and
- one or more processors in communication with an item processing machine, the item processing machine comprising a plurality of disposition locations, the item processing machine configured to sort items to one of the plurality of disposition locations, the one or more processors configured to:
- generate a placard, wherein the placard comprises a computer readable code;
- receive an indication that the items have been sorted to the one of the plurality of disposition locations;
- associate, in the one or more processors, the placard and each of the items sorted to the one of the plurality of disposition locations;
- storing, in a memory, the association of the placard and each of the sorted items;
- detect the computer readable code of the placard moving through the vestibule;
- generate a scan event based on the detection;
- identify the location of the vestibule within the distribution facility;
- and
- store, in the memory, a type of the scan event for each of the sorted items, the type of the scan event being based on the identified location of the vestibule within the distribution facility.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.