US 2023/0410046 A1 · DETERMINING PICK PALLET BUILD OPERATIONS AND PICK SEQUENCING

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining a pallet build sequence include receiving a pick order request, identifying candidate pick items in a warehouse to fulfill the request, grouping the items based on aisles and generating aisle-based lists per group, and sorting each list based on location of each of the items per group from front to back of the warehouse. For each list, the method includes selecting a first item at a top of the list, adding the first item to a bottom layer of a pallet, determining an amount of weight of items from the list that can be layered on top of the first item and determining whether the first item can support the determined amount of weight. If the first item can support the determined weight, the first item can be kept in a pick sequence as the pallet's bottom layer and removed from the list.

Claims21

Dependent claims

1-20. (canceled)

A method for determining a pallet build sequence in a warehouse, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, a list of items to be packed onto a pallet in a order request;
identifying, by the computing system, candidate pick items in the warehouse that can be used to fulfill the order request;
identifying, by the computing system, locations of the candidate pick items in the warehouse;
identifying, by the computing system, one or more full layers of at least one of the candidate pick items, wherein at least one of the full layers comprises a base layer for the pallet;
iteratively:
identifying, by the computing system, cases of the candidate pick items to be picked to fulfill the order request;
determining, by the computing system and based on one or more pick selection criteria, an order for picking the identified cases of the candidate pick items to be packed on top of the one or more full layers that comprise the base layer for the pallet, wherein the one or more pick selection criteria comprises at least one of (i) distance to travel between the locations of the identified cases of the candidate pick items and next cases of the candidate pick items to pick to fulfill the order request and (ii) structural information for the cases of the candidate pick items;
determining, by the computing system, build instructions for the pallet based on item data corresponding to each of the identified cases, wherein the build instructions indicate placement of each of the identified cases directly or indirectly on top of the base layer for the pallet;
and
returning, by the computing system, the build instructions for the pallet.

7 more elements

A warehouse comprising:

a plurality of storage locations in the warehouse configured to store a plurality of items;
at least one warehouse vehicle configured to travel to the plurality of storage locations to pick items used for fulfilling customer orders;
and
a computer system configured to (i) determine pallet build sequences in the warehouse using the plurality of items stored in the plurality of storage locations and (ii) control the at least one warehouse vehicle to automatically perform the pallet build sequences, wherein the computer system performs operations comprising:
receiving a list of items to be packed onto a pallet in an order request;
identifying candidate pick items amongst the plurality of items in the warehouse that can be used to fulfill the order request;
identifying locations of the candidate pick items amongst the plurality of storage locations in the warehouse;
identifying one or more full layers of at least one of the candidate pick items, wherein at least one of the full layers comprises a base layer for the pallet;
iteratively:
identifying cases of the candidate pick items to be picked to fulfill the order request;
determining, based on one or more pick selection criteria, an order for picking the identified cases of the candidate pick items from their respective storage locations to be packed on top of the one or more full layers that comprise the base layer for the pallet, wherein the one or more pick selection criteria comprises at least one of (i) distance to travel between the storage locations of the identified cases of the candidate pick items and next cases of the candidate pick items to pick to fulfill the order request and (ii) structural information for the cases of the candidate pick items;
determining build instructions for the pallet based on item data corresponding to each of the identified cases;
and
returning the build instructions for the pallet to the at least one warehouse vehicle for automatic execution to fulfill the order request.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

18/455,387Filed 24 Aug 2023

Priority

25 May 2021

Published

21 Dec 2023

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
G06Q 10/0875
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or…
G06Q 10/06316
Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations: sequencing of tasks or work
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial

Determining pick pallet build operations and pick sequencing

Life of this patent

Determining pick pallet build operations and pick sequencing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21