# US 2022/0044192 A1 · Managing automated guidance and validation of stacking items to handling units

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2022/0044192 A1
- Document ID: US20220044192A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/393,294
- Filed: 2021-08-03
- Published: 2022-02-10
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-04
- Assignees: Transportation | Warehouse Optimization SaaS LLC
- Applicants: Transportation | Warehouse Optimization SaaS LLC
- Inventors: Rafal P. Bielecki; Ivan Konovalov; Thomas A. Moore
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220044192A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/08741: {by picking of items from inventory for fulfillment}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method, system and/or computer usable program product for managing automated guidance and validation of stacking items including generating a predicted map of an item set stacked onto a handling unit; generating an observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit; and comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of managing automated guidance and validation of stacking items comprising:
generating a predicted map of an item set stacked onto a handling unit;
generating an observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit; and
comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein verifying the dimensions of the item set includes comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit is a representation of an object.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the object representation includes a set of vertices and edges.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an indication area where to stack the item set onto the handling unit; wherein the verification of the position and orientation of the item set is with reference to the indication area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the verification allows for a predetermined threshold amount of variation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising providing notification upon a negative verification of the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to observe a picker picking the item set from a bin for stacking onto the handling unit; and verifying that the picker is picking the item set from a correct bin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to take images of a bin including the item set before and after the item set has been stacked onto the handling unit; and verifying that the item set was picked from the bin by comparing the before and after images.

### Claim 11

A computer program product for managing automated guidance and validation of stacking items, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions processed by a processing circuit to cause the device to perform a method comprising:
generating a predicted map of an item set stacked onto a handling unit;
generating an observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit; and
comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising verifying the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer program product of claim 12 wherein verifying the dimensions of the item set includes comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit is a representation of an object.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the object representation includes a set of vertices and edges.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising providing an indication area where to stack the item set onto the handling unit; wherein the verification of the position and orientation of the item set is with reference to the indication area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the verification allows for a predetermined threshold amount of variation.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising providing notification upon a negative verification of the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to observe a picker picking the item set from a bin for stacking onto the handling unit; and verifying that the picker is picking the item set from a correct bin.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to take images of a bin including the item set before and after the item set has been stacked onto the handling unit; and verifying that the item set was picked from the bin by comparing the before and after images.

### Claim 21

A data processing system for managing automated guidance and validation of stacking items, the data processing system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing program instructions which when processed by the processor perform the steps of:
generating a predicted map of an item set stacked onto a handling unit;
generating an observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit; and
comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 further comprising verifying the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The data processing system of claim 22 wherein verifying the dimensions of the item set includes comparing the predicted map with the observed map to verify the dimensions of the item set.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 wherein the observed map of the item set stacked onto the handling unit is a representation of an object.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The data processing system of claim 23 wherein the object representation includes a set of vertices and edges.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 further comprising providing an indication area where to stack the item set onto the handling unit; wherein the verification of the position and orientation of the item set is with reference to the indication area.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 wherein the verification allows for a predetermined threshold amount of variation.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 further comprising providing notification upon a negative verification of the position and orientation of the item set stacked onto the handling unit.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to observe a picker picking the item set from a bin for stacking onto the handling unit; and verifying that the picker is picking the item set from a correct bin.

### Claim 30 (depends on 21)

The data processing system of claim 21 further comprising utilizing a detection unit to take images of a bin including the item set before and after the item set has been stacked onto the handling unit; and verifying that the item set was picked from the bin by comparing the before and after images.