Hand Held Products, Inc.

Keith L Bernhardt

James Chamberlin

Sameer Agrawal

Sherri Gansen

Mark Poole

A shelving and package locating system for delivery vehicles includes one or more shelves for storing packages within a delivery vehicle during delivery. Each package is associated with both a geographic delivery address and an assigned location on a particular shelf within the delivery vehicle. A GPS unit determines the location of the delivery vehicle during delivery, and a computer provides the shelf location of a particular package when that package's delivery-location information substantially corresponds to vehicle location information. Several embodiments exist for registering the location of the package in the vehicle at load time, such as scanned location indicia, light sensors on shelves, pressure sensors on shelves, pressure sensors on the floor of the vehicle, and light spot. Several embodiments exist for locating the package in the vehicle at delivery time, such as a pick-to-light system that employs variable length lighting and a light pointer system that generates a light spot.

In-vehicle package location identification at load and delivery times

The system and method disclosed herein uses the physical characteristics of a package, pallet, or any object for that fact to uniquely identify an object being shipped in the supply chain. The physical characteristics include, but are not limited to, the dimensions, weight, color, color variation and native markings (such as printing on the object) to make an identification. The object identifying physical characteristics may be captured at a point of origin and passed electronically from the originator/shipper to the receiving party. When an object is received by the recipient, it is uniquely identified by capturing the physical characteristics and matching those characteristics against the electronic information received from the shipper.

Package physical characteristic identification system and method in supply chain management

A docking station to secure and charge a portable computer such as a hand held terminal to allow the operator to easily and quickly remove the portable computer. When the docking station is energized, an electromagnetic contact is capable of magnetically retaining the portable computer. Upon activation of a release on either the portable computer or the docking station, the electromagnetic contact is de-energized and the portable computer is detached. In an exemplary embodiment, the docking station is mounted on a vehicle and the electromagnetic contact receives power from the battery of the vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. When the vehicle is halted and turned off, the electromagnetic contact may be de-energized but the portable computer may still be held in place by a mechanical retention port.

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Indian Land, SC, United States of America

Keith L Bernhardt