EP2810220B1

EP2810220B1 - Conveying system and method of associating data to an item being transported by the conveying system

Info

Publication number: EP2810220B1
Application number: EP13744016.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Darin Lee DANELSKI
Original assignee: Matthews International Corp
Current assignee: Matthews International Corp
Priority date: 2012-02-05
Filing date: 2013-02-01
Publication date: 2022-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2033-02-01
Also published as: CA2863814C; CN107252786A; JP6795747B2; CA2863814A1; CN104471590A; HK1202953A1; HK1245188A1; CN107252786B; JP2018039674A; WO2013116652A1; CN104471590B; EP2810220A1; JP2015506325A; JP6230072B2; EP2810220A4

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/595,098 filed February 5,2012 .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to conveying systems and methods, and in particular to conveying systems and methods of associating data to items being transported by the conveying system.

Description of Related Art

Conveying systems are conventionally used in a number of applications, such as packaging systems, order fulfillment systems, manufacturing systems, shipping sortation systems, and returns processing systems. Some of these conveying systems use centralized multi-horsepower AC motors to drive shafts, belts or chains that in turn move banks of rollers to transport items throughout the conveying system. Others are based on rollers with internal DC "micro-horsepower" motors that drive a localized segment of rollers. The latter systems include brushless DC roller conveying systems. A brushless DC roller conveying system is built around several components and features, including drive rollers with self-contained brushless DC motors, intelligent local controllers and networking between the controllers based on bidirectional communication protocols.
One methodology for controlling brushless DC roller conveying systems uses the local controllers to control local functions in each zone of the conveying system but uses a centralized controller to track "items" (such as corrugated boxes, plastic totes, or pallets) as they are transported throughout the conveying system. This tracking occurs by using the centralized controllers to uniquely identify items at decision points in the conveyor system. These decision points include, for example, diverts, transfers, merges, order picking zones, weighing, sortation, and printing.
To uniquely identify the items, the conveyor systems use bar codes, usually printed on adhesive labels that may be adhered to the items. Alternatively, when reusable totes to hold the items, a permanent bar code label is assigned to the item(s) contained within the tote. The bar code ID associated with the permanent label is re-used or re-assigned as the tote contents are changed.
As items are transported throughout the conveyor system, bar code scanners are positioned at decision points to read the bar codes. At each decision point, the bar code information is electronically sent to the centralized controller, and that centralized controller determines what needs to be done with the item or what data for that item is required at that bar code scan location. This methodology has a few negative aspects. Firstly, bar code scanning and related equipment capable of reading bar codes on moving items is expensive and can represent a large percentage of the cost of a typical automated conveyor system. Secondly, the bar code scanners must be tied electronically to the central control system, resulting in extensive and expensive data communication networks and associated cabling. Thirdly, information required at decision points is stored in a central database, and thus access to that database in a timely manner can become challenging on large automated conveyor systems, as the central controller must service all decision points simultaneously.
Usually, the bar codes used in automated conveyor systems are one-dimensional bar codes that uniquely identify the item. However, the one dimensional bar codes do not contain any additional data about the item. Instead, the data that is needed to determine the functions to be performed by the conveying system is stored remotely in a database associated with the centralized controller. This data can be a route the item must take on the conveyor system, order data, sort point, return point, etc.
The use of two-dimensional bar codes has allowed some of this additional data to be passed along with the item, but the data within the bar code cannot be updated. These two-dimensional bar codes can simplify some sortation systems by including data about a predefined route of a specific item within the automated conveyor system. However, the data on the two-dimensional bar code cannot be updated.
DE4000603 discloses a method of temporarily storing letters, envelopes, etc. in an automatic reading system that involves feeding objects to an optical scanner and processing the resulting signals to identify characters on the objects. Defined parameters are measured and characteristic patterns selected and stored for the individual objects. The objects are then fed to a temporary store from which they are retrieved at a defined time. The parameters are again measured and compared with the stored values to enable identification.
DE19947259 relates to the sorting of parcels in several sort passes. In order avoid the need to read the address in each sort pass and in order to avoid printing a machine-readable identification code on each parcel, further elements which are characteristic of the parcels are established during a first sort pass and memorised together with the distribution codes established during the reading process. During subsequent sort passes, the characteristic elements are simply measured and compared with the stored features. Matching parcels are assigned corresponding distribution codes. A special conveyance system with defined sequences guarantees that only n parcels have to be compared at a time, n representing maximum multiple delivery rate.
FR2881663 discloses a postal mail processing method in which an image of each item is formed in the first sorting pass in order to automatically recognize the address of the item and to direct the item to a sorting outlet.
DE102006051777 relates to a device for identifying transmissions having a memory for storing transmission information of a transmission and of characteristic image features the transmission and with a control unit for assigning the broadcast information to re-recorded image features. In order to be able to reliably identify the items even after an application of a cancellation imprint or a resend label, it is proposed that the control unit be provided for the assignment by means of one with the item associated identification codes.
WO03/007256 discloses an automatic checkout system, usable for application in for instance a supermarket, wherein purchases on a conveyer belt provided with a weighing sensor are guided past barcode reading means, and wherein the identification on the basis of this barcode is checked by weighing the weight of an article and comparing this weigh to a weight stored in a memory.
US2012/0022684 discloses a method for automatically depositing objects for transport, including a phase of user storing transport data in a storage element, the data relating to: the user associated with the object; the total number of objects declared by the user; the destination, the route and the time of the transport; a depositing phase, including: a user applying a first electromagnetic identification tag onto an object to be transported; placing, by the user, the object to be transported on a conveyance device; reading an identification data, by first reading device, from the first electromagnetic identification tag, storing identification data read in the storage element in association with previously stored transport data; a phase of conveying the object for transport; the depositing phase including a measurement of the weight and/or dimensions of the object and/or storing, in the storage element, of the weight and/or the dimensions in association with the transport data.
US2010/0223781 discloses an electronic component mounting system constituted by interconnecting a plurality of mounting apparatuses in which a board ID code attached by digital data to the board is read in a board supply apparatus located in the uppermost stream and transmitted to the mounting apparatuses on the downstream side via communication means. By comparing the transmitted board ID code with mounting nonrequirement board code data (defective board code, read error code, dummy board code, etc.) preparatorily stored in a storage section in the mounting apparatus, it is determined whether or not execution of mounting operation of the board is required, and the board determined to be not required to be subjected to mounting is unloaded to the downstream side without carrying out mounting works and without line stop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system in accordance with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a conveying system and method of associating data to an item being transported by the conveying system, using a bar code;
FIG. 2 illustrates a conveying system and method of associating data to an item being transported by the conveying system using an RFID data tag;
FIG. 3 illustrates a conveying system and method of associating data to an item being transported by the conveying system; and
FIG. 4 illustrates a first and second example of a conveyor system, the first example being without the storage memory and the second example, in accordance with the present invention, including the storage memory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example, not forming part of the claimed invention, of a conveying system and method of associating data to an item 1 being transported by the conveying system, wherein a one-dimensional bar code 2 is affixed to the item 1. As shown, the conveying system includes a first zone 10 and a second zone 20. Each zone includes a conveyor section 11, 21 that transports the item 1, a driver 12, 22 that drives the conveyor section 11, 21, a data tag reader 13, 23 (in this case, a bar code reader) that reads the data encoded in the one-dimensional bar code 2 and a local controller 14, 24. The first zone 10 further includes a scale 16 and the second zone 20 further includes a label printer 27. The conveying system further includes a centralized controller 40 and a centralized database 41.
In a method of FIG. 1, the item 1 having a one-dimensional bar code 2 is received into zone 10, wherein the data tag reader 13 reads the one-dimensional bar code 2 and sends the data associated with the one-dimensional bar code 2 to the local controller 14, which sends the data to the centralized controller 40. The centralized controller 40 then retrieves an expected weight of the item 1 from database 41 and sends the expected weight data to local controller 14. Meanwhile, the scale 16 weighs the item 1 and sends the data associated with the actual weight of the item to the controller 14, which compares the weight from scale 16 with the expected weight received from the centralized controller 40. If the local controller 14 determines that the actual weight is not the same the expected weight, within a prescribed tolerance, then the local controller 14 will divert the item 1 to another zone (not shown). Otherwise, local controller 14 queries local controller 24 to determine if the second zone 20 can accept the item 1 currently occupying the first zone 10. If the second zone 20 is clear (has no item), the second zone 20 will control driver 22 to turn on conveyer section 21, and the second zone 20 will notify the first zone 10 that the second zone 20 can accept the item 1. Upon receiving the notification from the second zone 20, the first zone 10 will control driver 12 to turn on convey section 11, causing the item 1 to be transported into the second zone 20. Meanwhile, the data associated with the weight sensed by scale 16 is sent to the centralized controller 40 and stored in database 41. hi the second zone 20, the data tag reader 23 reads the one-dimensional bar code 2 and sends the bar code data associated with the one- dimensional bar code 2 to the local controller 24, which then sends the data to the centralized controller 40. After accessing the database 41 to retrieve the weight data associated with the one-dimensional bar code, the centralized controller will then send the weight data to the local controller 24, which then instructs the label printer 27 to print an appropriate shipping label 28 based on the item weight. A problem of the system and method of FIG. 1 is the nature of the one-dimensional bar code 2 that merely includes a single number or code that represents the item 1 but does not include actual data, such as estimated weight, related to the item 1. Another problem is the static nature of the one-dimensional bar code 2 that does not allow the weight data to be passed from the first zone 10 to the second zone 20 along with the item 1.
The use of two-dimensional bar codes can allow for some of the actual data, such as estimated weight, to be included in the bar code, but does not allow for updating of the actual data included in the bar code.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example, not forming part of the claimed invention, of a conveying system and method of associating data to an item 1 being transported by the conveying system, wherein a RFID tag 3 is affixed to the item 1. As shown, the conveying system includes a first zone 10 and a second zone 20. Each zone includes a conveyor section 11, 21 that transports the item 1, a driver 12, 22 that drives the conveyor section 11, 21, a data tag reader 13, 23 (in this case, an RFID reader) that reads the data encoded in the RFID tag 3 and a local controller 14, 24. The first zone 10 further includes a scale 16 and the second zone 20 further includes a label printer 27.
In a method of FIG. 2, the item 1 having a RFID tag 3 is received into zone 10, wherein the data tag reader 13 reads the RFID tag 3 and sends the data associated with the RFID tag 3 to the local controller 14. If the data includes expected weight data, then it is not necessary to access a centralized controller to retrieve an expected weight of the item 1. Meanwhile, the scale 16 weighs the item 1 and sends the data associated with the actual weight of the item to the local controller 14, which compares the weight from scale 16 with the expected weight. If the local controller 14 determines that the actual weight is not the same the expected weight, within a prescribed tolerance, then the local controller 14 will divert the item 1 to another zone (not shown). Otherwise, local controller 14 queries local controller 24 to determine if the second zone 20 can accept the item 1 currently occupying the first zone 10. If the second zone 20 is clear (has no item), the second zone 20 will control driver 22 to turn on conveyer section 21, and the second zone 20 will notify the first zone 10 that the second zone 20 can accept the item 1. Upon receiving the notification from the second zone 20, the first zone 10 will control driver 12 to turn on convey section 11, causing the item 1 to be transported into the second zone 20. Meanwhile, the data associated with the actual weight sensed by scale 16 is written onto the RFID tag 3. After the item is transported to the second zone 20, the data tag reader 23 reads the RFID tag 3 and sends the data associated with the RFID tag 3 to the local controller 24. After retrieving the actual weight data from the RFID tag 3, the local controller 24 will then instructs the label printer 27 to print an appropriate shipping label 28 based on the item weight.
The benefit of the system and method of FIG. 2 is that the RFID tags allow the data to move with the item and also be updated with new data created after the RFID tag was assigned to the item. However, RFID tags are expensive and not an option for applications where items are inexpensive or where the item is shipped and not returned. This problem can be overcome to some extent by attaching the RFID tags to reusable totes, where the RFID tag is assigned to the item(s) contained within the tote, and the RFID tag is reused or reassigned as the tote contents are changed. However, in this case, another problem is that RFID are write limited, meaning they can only be written on a limited number of times before they fail to operate reliably. Another problem is that RFID data tag readers are needed at each decision point in the conveying process. Yet another problem is that the speed at which RFID tags can be accessed while an item is moving is limited, with is especially a problem when large amounts of data are being read.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example, not forming part of the claimed invention, of a conveying system and method of associating data to an item being transported by the conveying system, wherein a storage memory is associated with each zone of the conveying system. As shown, the conveying system includes a first zone 10 and a second zone 20. Each zone includes a conveyor section 11, 21 that transports the item 1, a driver 12, 22 that drives the conveyor section 11, 21, a data tag reader 13, 23 (in this case, a bar code reader) that reads the data encoded in a one-dimensional bar code 2 associated with the item 1, a local controller 14, 24 and a storage memory 15, 25. The first zone 10 further includes a scale 16 and the second zone 20 further includes a label printer 27. The conveying system further includes a centralized controller 40 and a centralized database 41.
In a method of FIG. 3, the item 1 having a one-dimensional bar code 2 is received into zone 10, wherein the data tag reader 13 reads the one-dimensional bar code 2 and sends the data associated with the one-dimensional bar code 2 to the local controller 14, which sends the bar code data to the centralized controller 40. The centralized controller 40 then retrieves an expected weight of the item 1 from database 41 and sends the expected weight data to local controller 14. Meanwhile, the scale 16 weighs the item 1 and sends the data associated with the actual weight of the item to the controller 14, which compares the weight from scale 16 with the expected weight received from the centralized controller 40. If the local controller 14 determines that the actual weight is not the same the expected weight, within a prescribed tolerance, then the local controller 14 will divert the item 1 to another zone (not shown). Otherwise, local controller 14 queries local controller 24 to determine if the second zone 20 can accept the item 1 currently occupying the first zone 10. If the second zone 20 is clear (has no item), the second zone 20 will control driver 22 to turn on conveyer section 21, and the second zone 20 will notify the first zone 10 that the second zone 20 can accept the item 1. Upon receiving the notification from the second zone 20, the local controller 14 of the first zone 10 will control driver 12 to turn on conveyor section 11, causing the item 1 to be transported into the second zone 20. Meanwhile, the data from the one-dimensional bar code 2 and the weight data from the scale 16 that was stored in the storage memory 15 of the first zone 10 is transferred to storage memory 25 of the second zone 20. In the second zone 20, after retrieving the actual weight data from storage memory 25, the local controller 24 instructs the label printer 27 to print an appropriate shipping label 28 based on the item weight.
According to FIG. 3, data is allowed to move with the item and also be updated with new data created after the one-dimensional bar code was assigned to the item. Also, a data tag reader at each decision point in the conveying process can be avoided, and the time needed for reading physical data tags, such as bar codes or RFID tags, can be avoided and the time needed for accessing the centralized controller 40 can be avoided.
It will be understood that the above described system method is one exemplary embodiment and that the system and may include variations from the above description as well as additional features, some of which are described below.
As shown in FIG. 3, the item is encoded with a one-dimensional bar code that merely includes a single number or code that represents the item but does not include actual data, such as estimated weight, related to the item. The one-dimensional bar code was chosen for FIG. 3 to show that the benefits of using the two-dimensional bar code or RFID data tag could be achieved by the system and method of FIG. 3 even using the one-dimensional bar code. However, any data tags could be used, including one-dimensional bar codes, two- dimensional bar codes and RFID data tags. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the data tag is affixed to the item. However, the data tag could be affixed to a container holding the item or be integrated with the container holding the item, or otherwise associated with the item.
As shown in FIG. 3, the first zone includes a scale and the second zone includes a label printer. These functions of the first zone and second zone were chosen for illustrating benefits for the system and method, which could apply to any number of circumstances that benefit from allowing data to move through the conveying system with the item, such as at decision points in the conveying system, which may include diverts, transfers, merges, order picking zones, weighing, sortation, and printing.
The conveying system may use rollers with internal DC "micro-horsepower" motors that drive a localized segment of rollers, including brushless DC roller conveying systems. The brushless DC roller conveying system may include drive rollers with self- contained brushless DC motors, intelligent local controllers and networking between the local controllers based on bidirectional communication protocols. These types of conveyor systems may segment long runs of conveyor into zones that hold a single item in a "Zone". Each zone may have its own powered/motorized roller and can be started and stopped independently of the other zones on the system.
The local controller, in addition to driving the brush-less motor, also may also have the capability of communicating with external control components through digital I/O (Inputs and Outputs). These devices include but are not limited to photo eye sensors, limit switches, operator interfaces, solenoid valves, motor contactors, etc. Each controller may also contain a microprocessor and storage memory. Compared to using a rewritable RFID tag, storage memory may have much more storage capacity, and does not exist as a physical device that travels with the item, and instead acts a virtual data tag that travels with the item. Also, since the data tag is virtual, there is no cost for the tag itself or the reader/writer devices that are conventionally required throughout conveying systems to read and write RFID tags. Also, since the data is transferred electronically, there are no speed issues relative to the transfer of the data.
The conveyer system may include a motor driven roller conveyor line, which is basically a series of individual conveyors (zones) connected end to end to create longer lengths of conveyor. Each section of conveyor may contain its own drive roller which is coupled to the other rollers in that zone. Typically, as an item is conveyed on a conveyor line, each local controller communicates with the controller(s) adjacent to it to move an item from one zone to another. The storage memory may reside on a zone controller card of each local controller. When an item enters or is placed onto the conveyor line (inducted), specific data relating to that item may be extracted from a central database and is transferred electronically to the controller and onto the storage memory of the zone controller card.
The following description compares, in more detail, a first example, not forming part of the claimed invention, wherein a bar code is associated with an item to be transported in a conveyer system without the storage memory and a second example, in accordance with the present invention, wherein the storage memory is included.
According to the first and second examples, a shipping manifest system generally takes a completed customer order in a box or tote and weighs the item to determine if the item is the correct weight and then either diverts the box to a reject lane or continues on and prints a shipping label specific to that order.
According to the first example, illustrated in FIG. 4, a box (the item) enters Zone 1. A bar code scanner reads a bar code on the item and identifies it as Item 12345. Item 12345 ID is sent to the central database (Host) to indicate to the Host that the item is being processed and has entered the system.
Once the data is captured and sent to the Host, Zone 1 queries Zone 2 to determine if Zone 2 can accept the item currently occupying Zone 1. If Zone 2 is clear and has no Item, Zone 2 will turn on and notify Zone 1 it is clear. Zone 1 then turns its motor on and drives the Item into Zone 2. As the item is being transferred from Zone 1 to Zone 2, a bar code scanner at Zone 2 reads the identifying bar code on the item.
Now, the item resides in Zone 2. In this example, Zone 2 is equipped with a scale function. Zone 2 weighs the item and then sends the weight of the item to the Host. Zone 2 then queries Zone 3 to see if it is available to accept the item currently in Zone 2. Zone 3 turns on and indicates to Zone 2 that it is free to accept an item. Zone 2 powers up and transfers the item to Zone 3. As the item is being transferred from Zone 2 to Zone 3, a bar code scanner at Zone 3 reads the identifying bar code on the item. The bar code ID is then sent to the Host to determine if the items actual weight gathered in Zone 2 is the same as the expected weight stored in the central database on the Host. The Host compares the expected weight with the actual weight. If the Host determines that the actual weight is not the same as the expected weight, within a prescribed tolerance, it will tell Zone 3 to divert the item to Zone 6, a reject conveyor for orders that may have picking errors. To accomplish this divert, Zone 3 queries Zone 6 to see if it is available to accept the item. If Zone 6 has no item, it will notify Zone 3 that it is available while turning on its drive motor. Zone 3 then transfers the item to Zone 6.
If the actual weight matches the expected weight, the Host tells Zone 3 to transfer the item to Zone 4 in the same manner that the transfers occurred in the previous descriptions. Zone 4 then attempts to transfer the item to Zone 5 in the same manner.
As the item is being transferred from Zone 4 to Zone 5, a bar code seamier at Zone 5 reads the identifying bar code on the item. When the item arrives at Zone 5, the label printer at that zone needs to print a shipping label for that order. The bar code ID for the Item is sent to the Host, which retrieves the required information from its central database to create the shipping label. The Host then sends the label information to the label printer and notifies the conveyor when the label is ready to print. Zone 5 then powers up its rollers to transport the item past the label printer.
This methodology requires central processing at each decision and many bar code scanners, one for each control point.
According to the second example, also illustrated in FIG. 4, and in accordance with the present invention, a box (the item) enters Zone 1. A bar code scanner reads a bar code on the item and identifies it as Item 12345. Item 12345 ID is sent to the central database to retrieve specific information about the order (single database record). The information would typically include the customers address information required to print the label, the expected weight of the order, the desired shipping method (USPS,UPS, Fed-x, etc.), and possibly the detail of the SKUs and quantities that are in the order. This data from the database, in its entirety, is sent to the storage memory on Zone l's control card.
Once the data is written to the control card, Zone 1 queries Zone 2 to determine if Zone 2 can accept the item currently occupying Zone 1. If Zone 2 is clear and has no Item, Zone 2 will turn on and notify Zone 1 it is clear. Zone 1 then turns its motor on and drives the Item into Zone 2. As the item is being transferred from Zone 1 to Zone 2, Zone 1 send the entire data record it is storing in its storage memory to Zone 2 and clears its own storage memory.
Now, the item resides in Zone 2 and all the data associated with the item has been electronically transferred to Zone 2's storage memory. In this example, Zone 2 is equipped with a scale function. Zone 2 weighs the item and then writes the weight to the storage memory in the appropriate field. Zone 2 then queries Zone 3 to see if it is available to accept the item currently in Zone 2.
Zone 3 turns on and indicates to Zone 2 that it is free to accept an item. Zone 2 powers up and transfers the item to Zone 3 and sends the data associated with the item, including the actual weight, to Zone 3. Zone 3 then compares the expected weight with the actual weight using the data record in its storage memory. If Zone 3 determines that he actual weight is not the same as the expected weight, within a prescribed tolerance, Zone 3 will divert the item to Zone 6, a reject conveyor for orders that may have picking errors. To accomplish this divert, Zone 3 queries Zone 6 to see it is available to accept the item. If Zone 6 has no item, it will notify Zone 3 that it is available while turning on its drive motor. Zone 3 then sends Zone 6 the data associated with the item while it transfers the item to Zone 6.
If the actual weight matches the expected weight, Zone 3 attempts to transfer the item to Zone 4 in the same manner that the transfers occurred in the previous descriptions. Zone 4 then attempts to transfer the item to Zone 5 in the same manner.
When the item arrives at Zone 5, the label printer at that zone needs to print a shipping label for that order. Since all of the data required to ship the item exists directly in the Zone 5 storage memory, the control card for that zone simply prints the label directly and marks the order shipped. The completed order information including the shipping tracking number, weight, time shipped, etc. is then sent back to the main controller database.
This is a small example, but shows how many conveyor functions that require item specific data are accomplished without the aid of a bar code scanner or other identifying device at each point where data is either required or generated. Another benefit is that this method requires fewer bar code scanners. Fewer scanners means less initial cost, but also proportionally reduces the chances of "No-Reads". Whenever a scanner cannot properly decode a bar code, the item must be handled differently and sent to special lanes on the conveyor system to be inspected, relabeled, or re-inducted. This represents an ongoing cost as well as an increased initial cost for the subsystems to handle no-reads.
Another benefit of this invention is that there is no need for the central controller (Host) to react quickly to decisions required by the conveyor system, as each controller makes its own decisions locally and requires no real-time data from the Host. Systems configured like the first example rely on timely responses from the Host to requests. When the Host receives several reque4sts from throughout the system simultaneously, system throughput can suffer because items may be held up waiting for responses from the Host.
Since the control card for each Zone also has serial data communication capability, wiring and associated costs related to connecting bar code scanners, scales, printers, etc. to the system is greatly reduced. Instead of having to cable these "data" devices to a remote Host, each of these data devices is wired directly to the local Zone controller.
Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.

Claims

A method of associating data with an item being transported by a conveying system, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving an item (401) into a first zone (402) of a conveying system;

receiving data associated with the item (401) and storing the data into a first control card's storage memory associated with the first zone (402) by:
reading item identifying data from a barcode associated with the item (401) using a barcode scanner associated with the first zone (402);

sending the item identifying data from the barcode to a central database;

receiving from the central database a database record including the data associated with the item (401), wherein the data associated with the item (401) includes expected weight data associated with the item (401); and

writing received data in the storage memory on the first control card;

transporting the item (401) into a second zone (403) of the conveying system, wherein transporting the item into the second zone (403) comprises:
querying the second zone (403) by the first zone (402) to determine whether the second zone (403) can accept the item (401),

if the second zone (403) is clear, turning on the second zone (403) and notifying the first zone (402), by the second zone (403), that the second zone (403) is clear, and

turning on a conveyer of the first zone (402) responsive to the second zone (403) notifying the first zone (402) that the second zone (403) is clear and so can accept the item (401);

transferring the data stored in the first control card's storage memory into a second control card's storage memory associated with the second zone (403);

sensing the actual weight of the item using a scale associated with the second zone (403), and storing the actual weight of the item (401) into the second control card's storage memory;
transporting the item (401) into a third zone (404) of the conveying system, wherein transporting the item (401) into the third zone (404) comprises:
querying the third zone (404) by the second zone (403) to determine whether the third zone (404) can accept the item (401),

if the third zone (404) can accept the item (401), turning on the third zone (404) and notifying the second zone (403), by the third zone (404), that the third zone (403) is free to accept the item (401), and

powering up the second zone (403) responsive to the third zone (404) notifying the second zone (403) that the third zone (404) is free to accept the item (401);

transferring the data stored in the second control card's storage memory to a third control card's storage memory associated with the third zone (404);

comparing, by the third zone (404), the expected weight of the item (401) stored in the third control card's storage memory with the actual weight of the item (401) stored in the third control card's storage memory and, if the actual weight matches the expected weight, transferring the item (401) to a fourth zone (405) of the conveying system, and

transporting the item (401) from the fourth zone (405) into a fifth zone (406) of the conveying system, wherein the fourth zone (405) also transfers the associated data to the fifth control card's storage memory allowing a label printer (407) to print and apply a shipping label associated with the item (401).
The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting the item (401) into a sixth zone (408) of the conveying system if the actual weight does not match the expected weight.
A conveying system comprising:
a plurality of zones, each comprising:
a conveyor section that transports an item (401);

a driver that drives the conveyor section;

a storage memory that stores data associated with the item (401); and

a control card that communicates with a control card of an adjacent zone, controls the driver to transport the item (401) into the adjacent zone, and controls the storage memory to transfer the stored data into the storage memory of the adjacent zone;

wherein the plurality of zones includes a first zone (402), a second zone (403) a third zone (404) and a fourth zone (405);

wherein the first zone (402) includes a barcode scanner that reads item identifying data from a barcode associated with the item (401), wherein the item identifying data read from the barcode is sent to a central database, and wherein a database record including expected weight data of the item (401) is received from the central database and stored into a first control card's storage memory associated with the first zone (402);

wherein the second zone (403) includes a scale for sensing the actual weight of the item, wherein the actual weight of the item as sensed by the scale is sent to the central database;

wherein a first control card of the first zone (402) is configured to control the driver of the first zone (402) to transport the item (401) into the second zone (403),

wherein transporting the item (401) to the second zone (403) comprises:
querying the second zone (403) by the first zone (402) to determine whether the second zone (403) can accept the item (401),

if the second zone (403) is clear, turning on the second zone (403) and notifying the first zone (402), by the second zone (403), that the second zone (403) is clear, and

turning on a conveyer of the first zone (402) responsive to the second zone (403) notifying the first zone (402) that the second zone (403) is clear and so can accept the item (401);

transferring the data stored in the first control card's storage memory into a second control card's storage memory associated with the second zone (403);

wherein a control card of the second zone (403) is configured to control the driver of the second zone (403) to transport the item (401) into the third zone (404),

wherein transporting the item (401) to the third zone (404) comprises:
querying the third zone (404) by the second zone (403) to determine whether the third zone (404) can accept the item (401),

if the third zone (404) can accept the item (401), turning on the third zone (404) and notifying the second zone (403), by the third zone (404), that the third zone (404) is free to accept the item (401), and

powering up the second zone (403) responsive to the third zone (404) notifying the second zone (403) that the third zone (404) is free to accept the item (401);

transferring the data stored in the second control card's storage memory to a third control card's storage memory associated with the third zone (404);

wherein the third zone (404) compares the expected weight of the item (401) stored in the third control card's storage memory with the actual weight of the item (401) stored in the third control card's storage memory and, if the actual weight matches the expected weight, transfers the item (401) to the fourth zone (405) of the conveying system, and

transporting the item (401) from the fourth zone (405) into a fifth zone (406) of the conveying system; wherein the fourth zone (405) also transfers the associated data to the fifth control card's storage memory allowing a label printer (407) to print and apply a shipping label associated with the item (401).
The conveying system of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of zones includes a processor that processes an item based on the data stored in the storage memory.
The conveying system of claim 3, wherein if the actual weight does not match the expected weight, the third zone (404) transfers the item (401) into a sixth zone (408) of the conveying system.