Pick and put location verification utilizing rf received signal strength

An inventory management system, comprising:

• a plurality of emitters that each emit a wireless signal and are placed at known locations relative to a plurality of storage areas in a warehouse, including a first storage area for storage of a specified item;
• a mobile device that travels with a material handler, the mobile device:
• receiving a first wireless signal from a first emitter that is one of the plurality of emitters;
• calculating a first distance between the material handler and the first emitter based on the first wireless signal;
• determining that the material handler is located at a stocking location for the first storage area based on the first distance, the known location of the first emitter and a comparison of the calculated first distance with a threshold,
• wherein the threshold is configurable based on density of bins in the first storage area;
• and
• sending a message indicating that the material handler is at the stocking location for the first storage area.

A mobile device:

• comprising an antenna;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive, from the antenna, a first wireless signal from a first emitter of a plurality of emitters, each of the plurality of emitters emit a wireless signal and are placed at known locations relative to a plurality of storage areas where items are stored;
• calculate a first distance between the mobile device and the first emitter based on the first wireless signal;
• determine that the mobile device is located at a stocking location for a first storage area of the plurality of storage areas based on the first distance between the mobile device and the first emitter, the known location of the first emitter and a comparison of the calculated first distance with a threshold, wherein the threshold is configurable based on density of bins in the first storage area;
• and
• send a message indicating that the mobile device is at the stocking location for the first storage area in response to the determining that the mobile device is located at the stocking location.