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:
May. 12, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2006
William Henry Waddington, Foster City, CA (US);
Patricia C. Grewell, San Mateo, CA (US);
Peter Ham, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Boris Klots, Belmont, CA (US);
William Henry Waddington, Foster City, CA (US);
Patricia C. Grewell, San Mateo, CA (US);
Peter Ham, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Boris Klots, Belmont, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
Order allocation techniques that reduce the number of stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. Ultimately, all items in the customer order are assigned a pod. The collection of pods defines a container path through a distribution center. In one embodiment, the techniques include retrieving an item identified. with the retrieval being dependent on an expiration time associated with the item. In another embodiment. the techniques include using information from a handheld computing device via a wireless interface regarding movement of items in the distribution center.