WO2020209817A1

WO2020209817A1 - A system for automatic cargo tracking for stored inventory

Info

Publication number: WO2020209817A1
Application number: PCT/TR2020/050311
Authority: WO
Inventors: Veysel Cagan KARADENIZ; Kadirli Baskan KALEZADE
Original assignee: Türk Hava Yollari Anoni̇m Ortakliği
Priority date: 2019-04-12
Filing date: 2020-04-13
Publication date: 2020-10-15

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) which can move on a rail and rope mechanism by being mounted to carriers placed to warehouse ceilings and enables to keep track of inventory through use of camera/barcode reader and to create alarm about cargo flight information of the inventory to be sent by cargo.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC CARGO TRACKING FOR STORED

INVENTORY

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system which can move on a rail and rope mechanism by being mounted to carriers placed to warehouse ceilings and enables to keep track of inventory through use of camera/barcode reader and to create alarm about cargo flight information of the inventory to be sent by cargo.

Background of the Invention Today, cargos can be tracked in storage areas by means of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology which is one of methods for tracking cargo. Tracking is performed by means of RFID tags located on inventory and RFID readers included in warehouse. In these systems, RFID tags are attached to cargos and positioning is done upon these tags communicate with RFID readers placed to lifts or shelves. It is required to attach RFID tags to all cargo boxes and place RFID readers to each lift or shelf in order to read these tags. Therefore, this method causes problems in terms of cost and sustainability. Swiping barcode tags on cargos by wireless handheld terminals and tracking these by central computers is another method for tracking cargo in the state of the art. However, human factor and barcode size are very critical in this method and each staff must keep long-range high cost barcode readers. Reading barcodes by making a camera move backwards and forwards along a shelf via rail mechanisms placed on shelves is another method in the state of the art. However, inventory needs to be placed on shelves quite regularly and correctly otherwise errors may occur in barcode reading process. Considering the studies in the state of the art, it is understood that there is need for a system which enables to keep track of inventory and to create alarm about cargo flight information of the inventory to be sent by cargo.

The Chinese patent document no. CN106447263, an application in the state of the art, discloses a RFID based intelligent warehousing information management system. In the inventive system, a RFID reader is used together with an intelligent vehicle configured to move in accordance with a predetermined route. The said intelligent vehicle searches for the product being matched with the predetermined RFID tag information by moving inside a warehouse in accordance with a predetermined route. Tags of all products included in the warehouse in the meantime are located in the range of the RFID reader and the tag information are stored in a warehouse information management unit. Inventory tracking is automated by means of the inventive system.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables use of a barcode reader taking up as little space as possible in a warehouse work area by means of an assembly placed to a warehouse ceiling.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to read barcodes of inventories located in a warehouse and to keep track of inventory by means of a barcode reader having mobility in x, y and z axis on an assembly on a ceiling.

Detailed Description of the Invention

“A System for Automatic Cargo Tracking for Stored Inventory” realized to fulfil the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which: Figure l is a schematic view of the inventive system.

The components illustrated in the figure are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. System

2. Rail assembly

3. Barcode reader

4. Movable platform

5. Central server

6. Electronic device

7. Mobile application

The inventive system (1) which can move on a rail and rope mechanism by being mounted to carriers placed in warehouse ceilings and enables to keep track of inventory through use of camera/barcode reader and to create alarm about cargo flight information of the inventory to be sent by cargo comprises: at least one rail assembly (2) which is configured to be integrated preferably to the ceiling of the warehouse wherein the inventory is stored;

at least one barcode reader (3) which is configured to receive electric power from the rail assembly (2) and to read and interpret the barcodes located on the inventory;

at least one movable platform (4) which is capable of moving on x, y, and z coordinates and configured to enable the barcode reader (3) to reach the level of the inventory;

at least one central server (5) wherein the barcode data read by the barcode reader (3) are stored and configured to store the information about which cargo is on which shelf;

at least one electronic device (6) which is configured to run at least one application on thereof; at least one mobile application (7) which is configured to run on the electronic device (6) and to receive the information stored in the central server (5) about which inventory is on which shelf and to enable the related users to display it.

The rail assembly (2) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to give mobility to the object placed by mounting onto the ceiling of the area wherein the inventories are stored and to carry low voltage direct current on thereof. In various embodiments of the invention, the rail assembly (2) can be in the form of ball screw, pneumatic cylinder, gear belt or steel rope.

The barcode reader (3) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to receive electric power from the rail assembly (2) upon being placed onto the rail assembly (2) and to sense and interpret the barcodes entering its line of sight, by rotating 180 degrees. The barcode reader (3) is configured to contain a proximity sensor on it and to wait for a predetermined period of time at a height inaccessible by the obstacle in the event that obstacles are detected in the work area by the sensors. The barcode reader (3) is configured to continue working by keeping the location where it is situated in its memory if the obstacle is not removed during the period of time while it waits and to try to read the barcode again by coming to the location where the obstacle is situated after a predetermined period of time elapses.

The movable platform (4) included in the inventive system (1) has wheels on its both sides and it is configured such that it can move in x, y, and z axis on the rail assembly (2). The movable platform (4) corresponds to the level of the inventory included in the warehouse by moving simultaneously with the barcode reader (3) and it is configured to enable the barcode reader (3) to see the barcodes located on the inventory. The movable platform (4) is configured to move backwards and forwards, rightwards and leftwards by means of the wheels located on its both sides and to enable the barcode reader (3) to move downwards and upwards by the rope, steel, accordion whereto the barcode reader (3) is connected. The movable platform

(4) is configured to contain proximity sensor on its right, left and bottom.

The central server (5) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to store the barcodes read by the barcode reader (3) and information such as location, shelf for the cargos.

The electronic device (6) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to run at least one application on thereof. The electronic device (6) is a device such as mobile phone, tablet.

The mobile application (7) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to run on the electronic device (6) and to enables the user of the electronic device (6) to have information about the location of the inventory by accessing the central server

(5). The mobile application (7) is configured to transmits the information about in which shelf the inventory to be sent by cargo is located and the information about the flight information of the cargo to the user of the electronic device (6) and to create alarm about the cargo having an upcoming flight

In the inventive system (1), a rail assembly (2) is mounted to a warehouse ceiling at first. A movable platform (4) and a barcode reader (3) are placed onto the rail assembly (2) such that they will move through ropes and wheels, preferably as interconnected. The barcode reader (3) reads the inventory barcodes by moving on the inventories included in the warehouse and transmits these to a central server (5). The barcode reader (3) waits for a certain period of time in the event that there is no obstacle in front to the inventory and controls the related location at certain intervals until the obstacle is removed. The inventory location and barcode information stored in the central server (5) can be displayed on a mobile application (7) running on an electronic device (6). At the same time, the mobile application (7) can create alarm about the inventory having an upcoming cargo time. Within these basic concepts; it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive system (1); the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.

Claims

1. A system (1) which can move on a rail and rope mechanism by being mounted to carriers placed in warehouse ceilings and enables to keep track of inventory through use of camera/barcode reader and to create alarm about cargo flight information of the inventory to be sent by cargo comprising

- at least one rail assembly (2) which is configured to be integrated preferably to the ceiling of the warehouse wherein the inventory is stored;

- at least one barcode reader (3) which is configured to receive electric power from the rail assembly (2) and to read and interpret the barcodes located on the inventory;

- at least one central server (5) wherein the barcode data read by the barcode reader (3) are stored and configured to store the information about which cargo is on which shelf;

- at least one electronic device (6) which is configured to run at least one application on thereof;

and characterized by

- at least one mobile application (7) which is configured to run on the electronic device (6) and to receive the information stored in the central server (5) about which inventory is on which shelf and to enable the related users to display it.

2. A system (1) according to Claim 1; characterized by the rail assembly (2) which is configured to give mobility to the object placed by mounting onto the ceiling of the area wherein the inventories are stored and to carry low voltage direct current on thereof.

3. A system (1) according to Claim 1 or 2; characterized by the barcode reader (3) which is configured to receive electric power from the rail assembly (2) upon being placed onto the rail assembly (2) and to sense and interpret the barcodes entering its line of sight, by rotating 180 degrees.

4. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the barcode reader (3) which is configured to contain a proximity sensor on it and to wait for a predetermined period of time at a height inaccessible by the obstacle in the event that obstacles are detected in the work area by the sensors.

A system (1) according to Claim 4; characterized by the barcode reader (3) which is configured to continue working by keeping the location where it is situated in its memory if the obstacle is not removed during the period of time while it waits and to try to read the barcode again by coming to the location where the obstacle is situated after a predetermined period of time elapses.

6. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the movable platform (4) which has wheels on its both sides and is configured such that it can move in x, y, and z axis on the rail assembly (2).

7. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the movable platform (4) which corresponds to the level of the inventory included in the warehouse by moving simultaneously with the barcode reader (3) and is configured to enable the barcode reader (3) to see the barcodes located on the inventory.

8. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the movable platform (4) which is configured to move backwards and forwards, rightwards and leftwards by means of the wheels located on its both sides and to enable the barcode reader (3) to move downwards and upwards by the rope, steel, accordion whereto the barcode reader (3) is connected

9. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the movable platform (4) which is configured to contain proximity sensor on its right, left and bottom.

10. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the central server (5) which is configured to store the barcodes read by the barcode reader (3) and information such as location, shelf of the cargos.

11. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the electronic device (6) which is configured to run at least one application on thereof.

12. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the mobile application (7) which is configured to run on the electronic device (6) and enables the user of the electronic device (6) to have information about the location of the inventory by accessing the central server (5).

13. A system (1) according to any of the preceding claims; characterized by the mobile application (7) which is configured to transmits the information about in which shelf the inventory to be sent by cargo is located and the information about the flight information of the cargo to the user of the electronic device (6) and to create alarm about the cargo having an upcoming flight.