Product palletizing system

{
  "publication_number": "US10733660B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Product palletizing system",
  "abstract": "A computer-implemented product palletizing system and a method of product palletizing which includes processor in communication with a memory element containing a computer code executable to coordinate the discrete activities of one or more pickers and conveyor product sorting assembly to allocate a plurality of products to a plurality of pallets.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method in a palletizing system which includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory element containing a computer code, said method comprising: generating a product list containing a plurality of products; associating a pallet identifier with each of said plurality of products; identifying conveyor products in said product list; identifying non-conveyor products in said product list; operating a product recognition device to identify said conveyor products based upon comparison of a product image to plurality of product image templates in a product image database; and operating a product sorter to sort said conveyor products identified by said product recognition device into one of a plurality of conveyor lanes based upon said pallet identifier associated with said conveyor products.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a product wave each associated with a product wave identifier, said product wave including a plurality of product lists.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, further comprising to prioritizing order in said plurality of product lists in said product wave.",
    "4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: generating a plurality of product waves; and prioritizing order in said plurality of product waves.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying on a computer device said product list; indicating on said computer device said conveyor products; and indicating on said computer device each said non-conveyor product.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, further comprising indicating on said computer device to move said conveyor products onto a conveyor which conveys said conveyor products to said product recognition device.",
    "7. The method of claim 6, further comprising indicating on said computer device to move said non-conveyor products to a pallet having said pallet identifier associated with said non-conveyor products.",
    "8. The method of claim 6, further comprising locating conveyor products at a first slip proximate to said image recognition device.",
    "9. The method of claim 7, further comprising locating non-conveyor products at a second slip proximate said plurality of conveyor lanes.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying on a first computer device said conveyor products in said product list; and displaying on a second computer devices said non-conveyor products in said product list.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, further comprising indicating on said first computer device to move said conveyor products onto a conveyor which conveys said conveyor products to said product recognition device.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising indicating on a second computer device to move said non-conveyor products to a pallet having said pallet identifier associated with said non-conveyor products.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first computer device carried by a first picker, and wherein said second computer device carried by a second picker.",
    "14. A display controlling method of a palletizing system including a computer device, a product conveyor which conveys conveyor products in relation to a product recognition device, a product sorter which sorts said conveyor products identified by said product recognition device into one of a plurality of conveyor lanes, and a controller, said display controlling method, comprising: displaying on said computer device a list of products each associated with a pallet identifier; indicating on said computer device said conveyor products in said list of products for movement to said product conveyor; and indicating on said computer device non-conveyor products in said list of products for movement to said pallet having said pallet identifier associated with said non-conveyor product.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying on said computer device a product wave each associated with a product wave identifier, said product wave including a plurality of product lists.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying in prioritized order on said computer device said plurality of product lists in said product wave.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying in prioritized order on said computer device a plurality of product waves.",
    "18. The method of claim 14, further comprising indicating on said computer device to move said conveyor products onto a conveyor which conveys said conveyor products to said product recognition device.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, further comprising indicating on said computer device to move said non-conveyor products to a pallet having said pallet identifier associated with said non-conveyor products.",
    "20. The method of claim 14, wherein said computer device comprises a first computer device and a second computer device, said conveyor products in said list of products displayed on said first computer device, said non-conveyor products in said list of products displayed on said second computer device; indicating on said computer device non-conveyor products in said list of products for movement to said pallet having said pallet identifier associated with said non-conveyor product."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This United States Patent Application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/991,997, filed May 29, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,417,693, issued Sep. 17, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/611,072, filed Jun. 1, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,984,405, issued May 29, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/161,755, filed May 23, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,697,560, issued Jul. 4, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/164,777, filed May 21, 2015, each hereby incorporated by reference herein.\n\nA computer-implemented product palletizing system and a method of product palletizing which includes a processor in communication with a memory element containing a computer code executable to generate a plurality of product lists correspondingly associated with a plurality of customer identifiers and to identify all the conveyor products within the plurality of lists to allow all the conveyor products in the plurality of product lists to be included in one pick for subsequent automated product image recognition and product sorting between a plurality of conveyor lanes each associated with a customer identifier and pallet identifier, thereby eliminating a discrete pick associated with each one of the plurality of product lists.\n\nConventional product picking involves picking a plurality of products from inventory located in a general warehouse area based on one list of products associated with one customer identifier (also referred to as an “order”).",
  "cpc": [
    "G06Q 30/0635",
    "G06Q 10/0875",
    "H05K 999/99"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06Q 10/08",
    "G06Q 30/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Encompass Technologies LLP"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jonathan W. O'Neil"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-09-12",
  "publication_date": "2020-08-04",
  "grant_date": "2020-08-04",
  "priority_date": "2015-05-21",
  "application_number": "US-201916568481-A",
  "family_id": "57325143",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}