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US 2019/0164128 A1Published application
System and method for gate and resource assignment at a distribution center
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorsAndrew B. Millhouse, Jeffrey Alan Ward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An unloading gate at the destination is assigned and a first resources schedule for unloading personnel or automated vehicles to remove the products from the vehicle at the gate is determined by a control circuit based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and resources information. A second resources schedule for quality control personnel or automated vehicles to inspect the products and to determine a quality control result based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and the resources information. Based upon quality control results and the priority parameters, a product disposition schedule is determined by the control circuit.
Claims20
A system configured to automatically manage the unloading of vehicles at an unloading dock at a shipment destination, the system comprising:
- a shipping vehicle;
- products that are being shipped aboard the shipping vehicle from a shipping source to a shipping destination;
- an electronic identifier coupled to or associated with the products, the electronic identifier configured to provide information sufficient to identify the products;
- one or more automated vehicles operating at the shipping destination;
- a product tracking service including one or more first sensors, the first sensors being configured to sense the electronic identifier coupled to or associated with the products that are being shipped on the vehicle from the shipping source to the shipping destination;
- one or more second sensors, the second sensors being arranged to sense traffic conditions along the route of the vehicle from the shipping source to the shipping destination;
- wherein the product tracking service is configured to determine an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the vehicle at the shipping destination based upon a current sensed location of the products and the traffic conditions associated with the vehicle;
- a transceiver that is configured to receive the ETA from the product tracking service, the transceiver also being configured to receive priority parameters associated with the products;
- a database that is coupled to the transceiver, the database configured to store resources information concerning workers or automated vehicles at the destination, the ETA, and the priority parameters;
- a control circuit that is coupled to the transceiver and the database, the control circuit being configured to:
- determine anticipated future conditions of the product based upon the ETA and the priority parameters;
- assign an unloading gate at the destination and determine a first resources schedule for the automated vehicles to remove the products from the vehicle at the gate based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and the resources information;
- determine a second resources schedule for the automated vehicles to inspect the products and to determine a quality control result based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and the resources information;
- based upon quality control results and the priority parameters, determine a product disposition schedule;
- wherein the automated vehicles are utilized to implement the first resources schedule, the second resources schedule, and the product disposition schedule.
12 more elements
A method to automatically manage the unloading of vehicles at an unloading dock at a shipment destination, the method comprising:
- providing a shipping vehicle;
- providing products that are being shipped aboard the shipping vehicle from a shipping source to a shipping destination;
- providing an electronic identifier that is coupled to or associated with the products, the electronic identifier configured to provide information sufficient to identify the products;
- providing one or more automated vehicles operating at the shipping destination;
- sensing traffic conditions along the route of the vehicle from the shipping source to the shipping destination;
- sensing the electronic identifier on products that are being shipped on the vehicle from the shipping source to the shipping destination, and determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the vehicle at the shipping destination based upon a current sensed location of the products and traffic conditions associated with the vehicle;
- receiving the ETA and priority parameters associated with the products;
- storing resources information concerning workers at the destination, the ETA, and the priority parameters at a database;
- determining anticipated future conditions of the product based upon the ETA and the priority parameters at a control circuit;
- assigning an unloading gate at the destination and determining a first resources schedule for unloading personnel or automated vehicles to remove the products from the vehicle at the gate by the control circuit based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and the resources information;
- determining by the control circuit a second resources schedule for quality control personnel or automated vehicles to inspect the products and to determine a quality control result based at least in part upon the anticipated future conditions of the product and the resources information;
- based upon quality control results and the priority parameters, determining a product disposition schedule by the control circuit;
- implementing the first resources schedule, the second resources schedule, and the product disposition schedule using the automated vehicles.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.