The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 26, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 13, 1998
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A system for controlling physical distribution pallets makes it possible to accurately identify status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan of pallets, and to accomplish physical distribution in smooth manner. The system includes a wireless detector device mounted on pallets and for detecting pallet control information transmitted from transmitting means 21 which stores pallet control information of said pallet and transmits in wireless, a pallet stock data storage for receiving and storing the pallet control information detected by the wireless detector via a wide area communication network, and a pallet status judging device for judging whether the pallet stored in memory of the pallet stock data storage is empty or not based on the pallet control information of said pallet. Further, the invention includes a supply and demand predictor for predicting supply and demand of pallets at physical distribution bases and a planning device for setting up a forwarding plan for forwarding pallets at minimal cost between physical distribution bases. It is possible according to the present system to accurately identify the status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan for pallets, and to accomplish smooth physical distribution.