| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 700215000 | Having an identification code | 82 |
| 20080215179 | Online Controlled Picking in a Warehouse - A computer-implemented method of controlling picking operations of a number of users in a warehouse, wherein goods are located at source locations, each picking operation comprising: an operation of preparation, wherein, at the source location, the good is introduced in a handling unit, HU, an operation of placing the HU on a picking equipment, the picking equipment being a tool for transferring the HU, an operation of transferring the HU to the destination location, wherein a sequence of picking instructions are presented online individually to the number of users via instruction presenting means which are associated with the respective users, each picking instruction specifying the HU to be transferred, the equipment to be used, and the first and second position, whereby execution of each of the picking operation steps is controlled by online data verification such that a subsequent picking operation instruction may be changed, and presented to the users via the instruction presenting means depending upon result of the verification. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080249656 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MEDIA MANAGEMENT, SUCH AS MANAGEMENT OF MEDIA TO AND FROM A MEDIA STORAGE LIBRARY - A system and method for determining media to be exported out of a media library is described. In some examples, the system determines a media component to be exported, determines the media component is in the media library for a specific process, and exports the media component after the process is completed. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080269945 | AUTOMATIC PHOTOMASK TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An automatic photomask tracking system is disclosed in the present invention. The automatic photomask tracking system is used in a photomask handling system. The photomask handling system includes photomask pods and photomask handling apparatuses. The photomask tracking system includes a control terminal; at least one RFID tag on the photomask pod and at least one RFID reader on the photomask apparatus. All the record of photomask handling process is stored in the control terminal. The present invention further provides a photomask tracking method. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20090005901 | Payment system for delivery services - According to some embodiments a system and a method are provided to assign a variable receptacle identifier to a mailbox, determine the variable receptacle identifier assigned to a mailbox at the time of delivery, receive delivery data regarding delivery of a mail piece to the mailbox at the time of the delivery, the delivery data including receptacle identification data, and compare the receptacle identification data with the variable receptacle identifier determined as of the particular time. This technique may allow for automatic confirmation that the mail piece was delivered to, or, at least present at, the destination mailbox at the time of delivery claimed by the mail carrier this may provide enhanced capabilities for auditing performance by mail carriers. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090132083 | AUTOMATED PRESCRIPTION FILLING SYSTEM/METHOD WITH AUTOMATED LABELING AND PACKAGING SYSTEM/METHOD AND AUTOMATED ORDER CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM/METHOD - Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090143897 | TIRE RACK, LOADING AND UNLOADING SYSTEMS AND METHOD - A tire loading apparatus and method of packing tires that includes placing the tires in a rack, compressing the tires, and assembling the rack are disclosed. The apparatus includes one or more conveyors, scanners, and robots that load tires from a conveyor to a rack. A tire unloading apparatus is also disclosed. The unloading apparatus includes a scissor mechanism to raise and/or lower tire racks to an unloading platform. The unloading apparatus additionally includes one or more unloaders and conveyors. The sorting and unloading of tires is accomplished with one or more automated conveyors, scanners, and storage structures for reading information from incoming tires and using the tire information to sort and store the tires. A rack to improve compression and support of tires during storage and shipment is also disclosed. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090149985 | Automated Store for Selling Articles - An automated ( | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090171499 | Energy-efficient compact device for dispensing and accumulating banknotes - The invention relates to an apparatus for accumulating and dispensing bank notes of various length, width and condition without appreciable deformation of current note and displacement of previously stacked notes, preferably having a device connected in series to verify genuineness of bank notes inserted. Apparatus comprises a lockable removable box with a note transfer, stacker and dispensing mechanism. A note transfer mechanism comprises a belt drive with at least one spring claw for gripping note leading edge. Stacker mechanism comprises two reversible frames with longitudinal revolving panels on their side segments. Dispensing mechanism comprises spring loaded roll pallet with outlet gate. A note is pulled into apparatus by means of gripper under the belt translation. The notes stack or bundle is formed due to reversible motion of frames with corresponding side panels revolving. At the dispenser embodiment the bundle of notes slides out due to cooperative motion of driving belt and roll pallet. Belt and frames drivers are operated by microcontroller. Proposed apparatus is characterized by a simple and therefore economical compact flat construction, multi-purposing using, low energy consumption and high rapidity of action. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090187271 | Method for depositing and retrieving prohibited items or products - A method for not having to permanently relinquish prohibited items or products objected to at security controls. The prohibited items are instead provided with an identifying means, placed in a collecting container and stored by a storage service. The person participating in the system can, via the obtained identifying means, later claim the stored item at the storage service by way of the Internet and arrange for dispatch to an address to be indicated. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090192647 | OBJECT SEARCH APPARATUS AND METHOD - An object search apparatus acquires, from each IC tag of IC tags corresponding to objects respectively, an object information item including an identifier of an object, a hierarchical level, a detection method for detection of the object, and a manipulation method for the object, to obtain a plurality of object information items including a target object information item of a target object, selects, from the object information items, an object information item higher in the hierarchical level than the target object, detects an object corresponding to selected object information item by using the detection method in the selected object information item, manipulates detected object in accordance with the manipulation method in the selected object information item, selects target object information item from the object information items, and detects the target object from the detected object by using the detection method in the target object information item. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090204254 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, INSERTING AND SECURING RECEPTACLES IN A RECEPTACLE TRAY - A method and apparatus for controlling removal of one or more receptacles from a receptacle tray are described herein, in which a removal indicator indicates which of the one or more receptacles to remove. Thereafter, the indicated one or more receptacles may be manually removed from the receptacle tray using a gripping mechanism. The receptacles are secured in the tray with two or more tangs protruding from a front face of the receptacle closest to a connector interface. The two or more tangs fit into respective mating units in the receptacle tray, and one or more protrusions toward the rear of the receptacle, with respect to the two or more tangs, mate with respective mating units in the receptacle tray. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090216366 | Optimizing vehicle loading operations - Computer-implemented method of loading goods stored in a warehouse on a vehicle for transporting and delivering to a number of destination locations, whereby the destination locations are on a predetermined route, comprising the following steps: receiving a number of delivery requests, each request specifying the goods to be delivered, and the destination locations of the goods to be delivered; receiving data descriptive of the route which the vehicle has to travel for delivering the goods at the destinations; placing the goods to be delivered on a staging area associated with the vehicle, the staging area defining a physical place where the goods are intermediately put down and sequentially picked up from for being loaded on the vehicle; whereby the goods are positioned on the staging area in such a first spatial sequence that they can be picked up there from and placed in the vehicle in such a second spatial sequence that they can be unloaded from the vehicle at the respective destination locations in the sequence of arriving at the destination locations. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090248195 | Photograph printing system - When an identification code relating to a subject order is obtained by an acquisition unit, a determination unit determines whether or not printed photographs relating to the subject order are housed in a housing unit. When the determination unit determines that the printed photographs relating to the subject order are not housed in the housing unit, the transmission unit transmits a request for calculation of an expected time to housing to a management server. A notification unit notifies a user of the expected time to housing, transmitted from the management server, as an expected time to delivery of the printed photographs relating to the subject order. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090299521 | Warehouse for transferring goods and method for operating said warehouse - The invention describes a goods distribution centre ( | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100030371 | Pharmacy Will-Call and Prescription Order Article Management System - A pharmacy will-call and prescription order article management system and method for managing articles selected to fulfill patient prescription orders awaiting patient pick-up from the pharmacy. An exemplary system includes a storage module including a plurality of separate spaced-apart storage locations for storing containers containing the articles. The containers may be stored at any of the storage locations, thereby maximizing storage density. A visual indicator is provided to indicate each storage location and each storage location has a unique machine-readable identification code identifying that storage location. A code reader is provided to read a unique identification code associated with each container and the unique code at each storage location. Control apparatus controls system operation by locating each container at a storage location and operating the indicator to indicate the relevant storage location when a pick-up request for the prescription order articles is made. Hanging bags may be utilized and exemplary storage apparatus may include hanging rack apparatus. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100042249 | STORAGE SYSTEM AND STORAGE METHOD - A storage system of the present invention includes a storage area for arranging and storing articles (W), a carrying-in line ( | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100057246 | CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR DEPALLETIZING GOODS STACKED ON A GOODS SUPPORT - The invention describes a conveying apparatus ( | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100070070 | SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO FULFILLMENT ORDERS - A system, method, and software ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100100226 | Pneumatic tube carrier tracking system - A system and method provides for a pneumatic tube carrier tracking system having a system control module that captures and presents tracking information associated with sending and receiving carriers. The pneumatic tube carrier tracking system comprises sending and receiving stations connected by pneumatic tubing, and which are configured to securely send carriers, with receiving users optionally being restricted from unauthorized access of carriers. The sending and receiving stations have identifying tag readers configured to scan identifier tags to read carrier delivery, carrier receipt and receiving user information. Destination and intended recipient information are entered at the sending station when sending a carrier and are transmitted to a system control module, which routably delivers and secures the carriers in response the destination and intended recipient information. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100121480 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL SUPPORT OF COMMISSION ACTS - The invention relates to a method for the visual technical support of manual order-picking processes through a device with at least one mobile unit ( | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100121481 | AUTOMATED SELF-STORAGE SYSTEM - An automated self storage facility which stores individual items in movable storage units and/or storage containers which are stored throughout the storage facility. Limited users access to the facility is provided at predesignated locations. The users container is transported between its storage location and the access location by the automated robotic system within the facility to provide efficient handling, storage and retrieval of goods in a storage facility. A central control system maintains a record container location throughout the facility. Upon request the system retrieves a container and delivers it. The containers may be partitioned such that a single container may have multiple compartments. In this case the automated system maintains a record of compartments and appropriately orients the container at the access location upon retrieval. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100152884 | AUTOMATED PRESCRIPTION FILLING SYSTEM/METHOD WITH AUTOMATED LABELING AND PACKAGING SYSTEM/METHOD AND AUTOMATED ORDER CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM/METHOD - Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100161111 | DOCUMENT PROFILE DETECTION - Systems and method of processing one or more documents are shown and described. The orientation of a magnetic character is sensed on the document. The orientation is processed and used to control a sort processing device. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100174402 | BANKNOTE STORAGE AND BANKNOTE HANDLING MACHINE - A banknote storage includes a memory unit that stores therein number-of-sheets information for banknotes stored in the banknote storage by denomination being a kind of the banknotes and by category being a classification based on a feature amount of the banknotes. Categories represent classifications when the banknotes are classified by their features. In five classifications defined by ECB, the banknote is classified into two depending on whether the banknote is genuine or counterfeit, and the former is called a genuine note and the latter is called a rejected note. The genuine note is further classified into two depending on how the genuine note is damaged, and one of them without any trouble in its usage is called a fit note and the other one with any trouble assumed in its usage because of being largely damaged is called an unfit note. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100174403 | BANKNOTE DEPOSIT MACHINE, PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A printed note deposit machine, comprises: a user recognition unit identifying a user with an authenticated person; an inlet unit serving as a receiving teller in which printed notes are deposited; a dispensing unit receiving printed notes deposited in the inlet unit to dispense them in sequence; an identifying unit classifying the dispensed printed notes into four categories of authenticated notes, counterfeit notes, unidentifiable notes, and rejected notes, and identified them with the four categories; a temporary money holder temporarily storing the authenticated, counterfeit, and unidentified notes but the rejected ones therein; a plurality of storage cells storing the printed notes after they are temporarily stored in the previous stage; and a rejection unit accumulating the printed notes identified with the rejected notes by the identifying unit to return them to the user. A printed note deposit system, comprises: a plurality of the printed note deposit machines; a database apparatus installed in a central office and receiving transaction data from the memory of each of the printed note deposit machines to accumulate the transaction data; and a trace unit matching the transaction data accumulated in the database apparatus with transaction data on the detected counterfeit or unidentified notes to track down a user of the unauthenticated notes. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100174404 | Processing Storage Devices - A storage device processing system that includes at least one automated transporter, at least one rack accessible by the at least one automated transporter, and multiple test slots housed by the at least one rack. Each test slot is configured to receive a storage device for testing. The storage device processing system includes a conveyor arranged in a loop around and being accessible by the at least one automated transporter. The conveyor receives and transports the storage device thereon. The at least one automated transporter is configured to transfer the storage device between the conveyor and one of the test slots of the at least one rack. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100234981 | TIME CAPSULE SAFEKEEPING SYSTEM - The disclosed time capsule safekeeping system comprises a controlling organisation maintaining a secure registry system of data records relating to a plurality of physical time capsules and a secure storage system for a plurality of physical time capsules. Each physical time capsule is proactively assigned by the controlling organisation a unique identifying code and an at least one identifying device that facilitates access to the data record within an interactive computer based database and additionally prima facie proves ownership of the time capsule. The time capsules are stored within uniquely numbered crypts at the storage facility. Family crypts allow for the storage of a plurality of time capsules comprising a family group. Such a storage system allows for the use of lower cost mass produced time capsule components. The controlling organisation is of a form that gives confidence to the general public in its long term stability and longevity. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100249987 | MOBILE RACK FOR A LIBRARY AND RFID SYSTEM FOR A LIBRARY INCLUDING THE SAME - The present disclosure relates to a mobile rack for a library and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system for a library including the same, wherein the mobile rack includes a plurality of racks configured to keep books each attached with an RFID tag and mounted with an RFID reader for recognizing tag information stored in the RFID tag, a moving unit configured to move at least one of the plurality of racks, a server configured to manage the books that are inputted, outputted and stacked, and a controller configured to control the moving means in response to a user command through the server or the tag information and to adjust a discrete distance between racks. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100292832 | METHOD TO AUDIT PORTABLE CASSETTES REMOVEABLY DISPOSED IN A DATA STORAGE LIBRARY COMPRISING A PASS-THROUGH ACCESSOR - A method to audit portable cassettes removeably disposed in a data storage library comprising a plurality of storage slots, a plurality of portable cassettes removeably disposed in one or more of said plurality of storage slots, and a pass-through accessor comprising a moveable fixturing apparatus, wherein the pass-through accessor is moveably disposed in said data storage library. The method disposes the pass-through accessor adjacent a first one of said plurality of storage slots, removes a first portable cassette from the first storage slot, and attaches the first portable cassette to a first fixturing assembly disposed on the fixturing apparatus. The method then removes a second portable cassette from the first storage slot, and attaches the second portable cassette to a second fixturing assembly disposed on the fixturing apparatus. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100318215 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE TRANSPORTATION OF AN OBJECT TO A RECEIVING UNIT - A device and a method for controlling the transportation of an object, particularly a mail article to a receiving unit. The device includes an image recording device, a reader, a computer-available allocation table and a data-processing device with an output device and an input device. The image recording device generates a computer-available image. The reader decodes the receiver identification by using the image from the image recording device. The allocation table has in each case one record with an identification of the receiver for a set of possible receivers and a code of a receiving unit for an object. The data-processing device selects a record in the allocation table by using a decoding result from the reader and outputs the receiving unit code of this record on the output device in a form perceptible by a person. During this process, a computer-available selection list is generated, the selection list including each receiver identification of an identified record. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20110015780 | System And Method For Tracking Inventory - An RFID enabled paper roll includes a tubular core, a paper stock wound around the core, and a radio frequency integrated circuit electrically coupled to an antenna and positioned on the core. A system for reading a radio frequency integrated circuit positioned on an item of inventory in a warehouse comprises a material handling device and an RFID reader coupled to the material handling device. The material handling device has at least member for use in transporting an item of inventory. The reader is configured to read the radio frequency integrated circuit associated with the item of inventory when the item is in proximity to the material handling device. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110035046 | Portable mail sorting and consolodating method and machine - A machine and process for presenting consolidated groups or batches of mail of a common address from pre-sorted or D.P.S. Distribution Point Sequence mail or any other machine-readable and address-sorted mail to a mail carrier for delivery to said common address. Whereby a portable machine is used in the delivery carriers vehicle which the carrier loads with D.P.S. mail. The mail pieces are conveyed through the machine past a bar code reader and a scanner operatively connected to a microprocessor operatively connected to a video monitor which displays the images of the mail pieces addresses to the carrier for confirmation of correct delivery. The microprocessor uses the bar code to determine the number of mail pieces to be delivered to each address by comparing the bar codes as each mail piece is conveyed through the machine. All bar codes for a given address are the same so the microprocessor sends all of the mail pieces which have the same bar code through to to the delivery receptacle for delivery by the carrier. When a different bar code than the previous bar code is conveyed across the bar code scanner, the conveying process stops until the carrier removes the mail pieces which all have the same bar code and the same address for delivery. At this time the machine automatically restarts the process. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110054667 | Method of Sorting Mailpieces, The Method Including Optimized Management of Mailpiece Signature Exploration Space - In a method of sorting mailpieces in a plurality of sorting passes in a sorting machine having accumulation sorting outlets, use is made of a technique for identifying the mailpieces by image signatures derived from the images of the mailpieces. The mailpieces are transferred in trays between two sorting passes. A match between a current fingerprint in the second sorting pass and fingerprints generated in the first sorting pass is searched for in an exploration memory space containing a limited number of fingerprints. The size of this exploration space is optimized by associating the signatures and the trays with designation data indicative of sorting outlets, and with time data delivered by a clock. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110060448 | MEDICINE MANAGEMENT METHOD - A medicine management method includes: a prescription generating step of generating a prescription direction; and a dispensation operation step of making dispensation information regarding dispensation correspond to a medicine container and a prescription code, to update management information of a dispensation managing section. The medicine management method includes a withdrawal operation step of specifying the medicine container that corresponds to a prescription code cancelled in accordance with the management information at the time of a cancellation of the prescription direction in the dispensation operation step, to direct a withdrawal process on the medicine container based upon cancellation information. An accurate medicine withdrawal is performed on the medicine container cancelled. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110106294 | Automatic battery exchange system for mobile vehicles - A battery exchange system for a battery-powered mobile vehicle comprises an exchanger automatic guided vehicle (“EAGV”) which is controlled by a central computer and which comprises a linking member that is temporarily connectable to the battery and a motive member that moves the battery at least horizontally relative to the mobile vehicle. During a battery exchange operation, the EAGV automatically engages the battery and removes the battery from the mobile vehicle. The EAGV may then automatically engage a charged battery and insert the charged battery into the mobile vehicle. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110144797 | MACHINE FOR PERSONALISING CHIP CARDS AT A HIGH PROCESSING RATE - A machine for the personalising of chip cards ( | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110153059 | MONEY HANDLING SYSTEM - A money handling system includes a money handling machine ( | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110166694 | Computer controlled object locating system - A system for using digital imaging means and or projected light means (for example laser beams, focused light, projected images comprised of a plurality of computer controlled pixels) for locating a position in a storage means for placing an object (or person) and or for retrieving an object (or a person) and or for performing an operation on an object at said storage location The system has particular application for use with—a wine cellar or other wine storage means, the storage of alcoholic mixer drinks, identifying lock keys (eg in a storage cabinet or on a key ring), matching pairs of socks and or other garment sets, locating a particular chocolate in a box of chocolates, finding the position of a vehicle in a car park, locating household items, locating items in a retail store, locating herbs/spices stored in a herb/spice rack, determining a location to place a game piece on a board game (eg monopoly). Enhanced means for preparing alcoholic cocktails are also disclosed as is an illuminated wine cellar. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110172808 | PAPER SHEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, PAPER SHEET MANGEMENT APPARATUS, PAPER SHEET MANAGEMENT METHOD, AND PAPER SHEET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM - A banknote management system | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110202169 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SORTING PLANT MATERIAL - An apparatus and method for sorting plant material based on the presence or absence of a visual marker on the plant material. The visible marker may be a visible genetic color marker in the corn seed which is used in double haploid breeding. The absence or presence of the visible marker identifies correctly pollinated seeds as well as putative haploid seeds. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110202170 | ACCESS AND INVENTORY CONTROL FOR CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE - An apparatus and method for storing medical products such as pharmaceutical and medical products in climate controlled storage devices includes climate control systems in communication with inventory access and tracking systems. The inventory stored may be accessed by an authorized user providing a barcode input or other authorizing input. The apparatus may log climate parameters and associate the climate parameters with the items in storage. The system may limit access to particular storage locations to provide control of the inventory. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110213491 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAIL FORWARDING AND SPECIAL HANDLING SERVICES - Methods and systems for mail forwarding and special handling services are disclosed. The methods and systems can include processing mail in a single pass or in multiple passes (i.e., online or offline). The methods and systems can include one or more of a scannable symbol, an extra appended post code digit, a dedicated database field, separate table indexed by a control number, a logically separate database, or a database hosted on a separate server for use in identifying mail pieces needing special handling and retrieving special handling information, for example forwarding address text for such mail pieces. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110213492 | TRANSFER STATION FOR PLANT MATERIAL SAMPLING AND TRACKING SYSTEM - Systems and methods for processing plant material samples and a transfer station designed for use in such systems and methods. In one embodiment, the system includes a controller, a plant-material sampling device, and a transfer station. The plant-material sampling device is configured to communicate with the controller and to read an identifier of a plant. The sampling device also has a removable magazine, and is designed to take at least one plant sample from multiple plants, place such samples in the magazine, and track the identity of the plant from which each sample is taken. The transfer station is configured to hold, at multiple positions, multiple magazines and multiple trays such that the positions of the magazines are mirrored by the positions of the trays, read an identifier of each magazine, read an identifier of each tray, map storage locations for each one of the magazines to storage locations of one of the trays, and sequentially unload plant samples from the magazines to the trays. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110218670 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING OBJECT LOAD ENGAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND DISENGAGEMENT BY AUTOMATED VEHICLES - A method and apparatus for sensing object load engagement, transportation and disengagement by automated vehicles is described. In one embodiment, the method includes processing data that is transmitted from a sensor array comprising at least one device for analyzing a plurality of objects that are placed throughout a physical environment, executing an object recognition process on the sensor array data using model information to identify at least one object, determining orientation information associated with the at least one object, wherein the orientation information is relative to the lift carriage and positioning at least one lifting element based on the orientation information. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110231006 | MEDICATION CASSETTE SYSTEM - A medication cassette uses a slidable core having a series of open top medication receiving cells extending in a length thereof. The core slides in an outer sleeve and includes a releasable locking arrangement for maintaining the core in a lock position with the sleeve closing the cells and movable to a release position allowing the core to slide relative to the sleeve. The re-lease position allows the cells to be progressively exposed beyond the sleeve to allow medication to be removed. Both the slidable core and the sleeve are preferably made of a plastic material. The core is preferably a single component made by injection molding and the sleeve is preferably made as an extruded component. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110282486 | WASTE FRACTION MANAGEMENT - In a method for managing waste (W) deposited in disposal packages ( | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110301745 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SORTING ITEMS - A system and associated method is provided for sorting parts, which includes a conveyor system for receiving and circulating a plurality of randomly presented parts, a sorting buffer for accumulating selected parts from the plurality of randomly presented parts in an assigned buffer location, and a sequencing system for sequencing the accumulated selected parts. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20120029684 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF AUTOMATED OPTICAL CONTAINER CODE RECOGNITION WITH POSITIONAL IDENTIFICATION FOR A TRANSFER CONTAINER CRANE - A method and system providing a transfer container crane with container code recognition of a container identified by a container code to a container inventory management system is disclosed. The system and method are capable of performing these tasks without the use of non-standard container tagging. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120046783 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES - A method and an apparatus handle a plurality of articles in an order, particularly flat mail items. This involves the use of an apparatus having a sorting installation, a temporary store and a handling position. Each temporary store has a feeder station and an outward transfer station. Each article passes through the sorting installation. The sorting installation measures what value a prescribed sorting feature assumes for the article. The article is fed into the temporary store. The article is either transported past the outward transfer station and remains on a conveyor track or it is transferred out of the temporary store and is transported to a handling position. The sorting installation sorts the articles and produces an order among the articles. The articles are transported to the feeder station which feeds the articles into the temporary store such that at any time all the articles are arranged in the order. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120065771 | Automatic Strapping And Bagging Of Funds - A cash recycler or other currency handling device includes modules for automatically strapping a plurality of bills together and bagging the strapped bills for transport. A user may determine a number of bills to be bundled in a stack or unit. Once the predetermined threshold is met, the bills will be automatically transferred to a strapping area where the bills will be strapped together for storage or transport. Additionally or alternatively, the bills may be strapped together as they enter a cartridge, such as an overflow cartridge. The strapped bills may be transferred to a bagging module where the stacks of bills will be automatically bagged, each bag including a predetermined number of stacks of bills. The bags will then be transferred to storage for transport. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120078411 | CONVEYANCE VEHICLE SYSTEM - A conveyance vehicle system that achieves an increased efficiency of loading an article from a conveyance vehicle into a loading opening of an automated warehouse, includes a stocker, a conveyance vehicle, and a conveyance vehicle controller. The stocker, includes racks, a loading port, and a stocker controller. The conveyance vehicle loads an article into the loading port of the stocker. The conveyance vehicle controller assigns the conveyance vehicle with an article conveyance command to convey the article to the stocker. The stocker controller receives a predicted conveyance command before the article is loaded from the conveyance vehicle into the stocker. The predicted conveyance command includes ID information of the article and information indicating whether or not the article is to be loaded into a rack. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120173013 | MONEY PROCESSING DEVICE - A money processing device is provided with a mode setting unit for setting a processing mode relating to a form of a process to be executed so that the mode can be switched between a mode for performing temporal retention and a mode for not performing the temporal retention, in response to a user's command, and is constituted so that, at the time of a process for depositing money or a process for withdrawing money, if the processing mode is set to the retention mode, the deposit money or the withdrawal money is temporarily suspended, whereas if the processing mode is set to the non-retention mode, the deposit money or the withdrawal money cannot be temporarily retained. Thereby, at the time of the process for depositing money or the process for withdrawing money, whether or not the operation for temporarily retaining money is performed can be changed by a user. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120185081 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING STATUS REPORTING DEVICES FOR CONTAINER HANDLERS - A mechanism and method for making status reporting devices for container handlers, including: providing a micro-controller module, and installing a program system into memory accessed by a computer directing the micro-controller module. The micro-controller module communicatively couples with means for wirelessly communicating and for sensing a state of the container handler. Means for wirelessly communicating may include means for wirelessly determining container handler location. The micro-controller module may be communicatively coupled to a separate means for determining location. An apparatus making the devices may include a second program system directing the invention's method through a second computer, which may control an assembly device in creating the micro-controller, coupled with the means for sensing and for wirelessly communicating. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120191239 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE TRANSPORT OF SAFE BAGS - A method for controlling the transport of transport bags ( | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120215344 | Method and Apparatus for Non-Linear Unit-Level Sortation in Order Fulfillment Processes - A flexible, non-linear, unit-level sortation system for sorting mixed collections of items into orders. Collections of unsorted items for fulfilling requests are delivered to one or more singulation stations. At a singulation station, individual units of items are selected from a collection, associated with particular conveyance receptacles, and placed into the receptacles, with one and only one unit per receptacle. The receptacles may be inducted into a conveyance mechanism under the direction of a control system. The receptacles are not fixed to the conveyance mechanism. The control system may direct the conveyance mechanism to route the receptacles to a particular one of one or more sorting stations. At a sorting station, the units may retrieved from receptacles and placed into locations corresponding to particular orders under control or direction of the control system. The conveyance mechanism may, but does not necessarily, return empty conveyance receptacle to a singulation station. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120283867 | AUTOMATED, REFRIGERATED SPECIMEN INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - An automated, refrigerated specimen management system (ARSIMS) to hold sealed and/or opened sample/specimen tubes and/or containers that can be in the pre-analytical, in-process, or post-analytical phase of processing. The ARSIMS ensures that each sample/specimen tube, whether it is sealed, capped, closed or open, can be stored at an ideal storage temperature according to the particular phase of processing and as appropriate for the combination of sample/specimen type and analyte(s) to be tested. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20120296468 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SORTING PLANT MATERIAL - An apparatus and method for sorting plant material based on the presence or absence of a visual marker on the plant material. The visible marker may be a visible genetic color marker in the corn seed which is used in double haploid breeding. The absence or presence of the visible marker identifies correctly pollinated seeds as well as putative haploid seeds. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120303155 | STORAGE METHOD FOR DIGITAL MEDIA ITEMS - A storage method for digital media items which optimizes delivery time. An example storage method includes determining transport times for transporting the digital media items from a plurality of primary storage locations within the entertainment kiosk to a dispense aperture of the entertainment kiosk, obtaining expected transaction rates of the digital media items, assigning the digital media items to the primary storage locations such that digital media items having expected transaction rates that are greater than expected transaction rates of other digital media items are stored in primary storage locations having transport times that are shorter than transport times of other primary storage locations. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120310406 | SHEETS PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SHEETS PROCESSING METHOD - A sheet processing apparatus including a table to be loaded a first and a second banknote group partitioned by a header card recording the bar code number in the piling direction of the banknotes, a take-in portion to take in the banknotes of the first and second banknote groups loaded on the table and the header card, a discrimination portion to count the banknotes taken in by the take-in portion and discriminate the kind thereof, a plurality of stackers to sort and stack the banknotes discriminated by the discrimination portion on the basis of the kink thereof, and a sensor to detect the header card taken in by the take-in portion. The sheet processing apparatus additionally includes a controller to control so as to stop the taking-in of the second banknote group on the basis of detection of the header card by the sensor and after a lapse of a predetermined time, to start the taking-in of the second banknote group. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20130041500 | METHOD FOR CRANE CONTROL AND STOCK MANAGEMENT - The invention relates to a method for crane control and stock management, the method includes attaching to the goods to be stored an identifier associated with a code, such as number or name, given to the goods in stock accounting or the like; reading the identifier with a reader, when the goods are being transferred by a crane; transmitting the identifier information from the reader to the memory of the crane control; transferring the goods with the crane to a selected location in the warehouse; and storing the coordinates of the goods to the memory of the crane control so that they are associated with the identifier; and when the goods are removed from the warehouse, reading with the reader from a work order or the like the identifier information associated with the goods; and transmitting the identifier information from the reader to the memory of the crane control; and activating the crane control with the identifier information, whereby the crane moves to the location of the earlier stored goods. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130046407 | BANKNOTE DEPOSIT AND WITHDRAWAL DEVICE AND BANKNOTE DEPOSIT AND WITHDRAWAL CONTROL METHOD - The present invention provides a banknote deposit and withdrawal device including: a verification section that verifies banknotes inserted through a service aperture for performing a transaction of banknotes; a serial number acquisition section that acquires serial numbers of the banknotes; a control section that controls conveyance of the banknotes in the device; and a memory section that, for each of one or plural storage cassettes in which the banknotes are stored in the device, memorizes the serial numbers of banknotes stored in the storage cassette and memorizes a storage sequence of the banknotes as administration information, wherein the control section conveys a banknote to a corresponding storage cassette, on the basis of a result of verification, and records the serial number of the banknote and the storage sequence of the banknote in the storage cassette in the memory section as administration information. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130090757 | VERIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR FILTER ELEMENTS OF SMOKING ARTICLES, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - In a supplying system using containers for supplying groups of filter elements to smoking article assembling equipment, each container has a unique source of information that travels with the container. An unloader receives and unloads the containers. An automated data reader is proximate the unloader for reading the source of information for each container before it is unloaded. A computerized controller uses the information read by the automated data reader to obtain information from a database. The information from the database is compared to information from another source to verify that the proper filter elements are being supplied. The computerized controller allows, or instructs, the unloader to unload correctly supplied filter elements, and stops the unloader from unloading incorrectly supplied filter elements. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130110280 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING AND ORDER PICKING ARTICLES | 05-02-2013 |
| 20130144427 | Automated Self Storage System - An automated self storage facility which stores individual items in movable storage units and/or storage containers which are stored throughout the storage facility. Limited users access to the facility is provided at predesignated locations. The users container is transported between its storage location and the access location by the automated robotic system within the facility to provide efficient handling, storage and retrieval of goods in a storage facility. A central control system maintains a record container location throughout the facility. Upon request the system retrieves a container and delivers it. The containers may be partitioned such that a single container may have multiple compartments. In this case the automated system maintains a record of compartments and appropriately orients the container at the access location upon retrieval. | 06-06-2013 |
| 20130173048 | CARD HANDLING DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING SUCH DEVICES - A card-handling device reads a suit and value of individual cards that are moved through the card-handling device. Reading of the cards is effected after the cards have been received into a card holding area and before the cards have been delivered into a card collection area from which cards are removed from the card-handling device for use. The read suit and rank are then sent to a processor, wherein the processor identifies whether any card is a card that should be rejected from the card-handling device and the card-handling device then rejecting that card from the card-handling device. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130268113 | MEDICAL PACKAGE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MEDICAL PACKAGE - System for handling medical packages provided with at least one unique identifier ( | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130282163 | HIGH EFFICIENCY AUTOMATED PHARMACEUTICAL DISPENSER - A system, method and corresponding apparatus are provided for packaging, storing, tracking, and dispensing pharmaceuticals in unit doses in a highly efficient manner. In particular, a method of packaging pharmaceuticals within a ribbon having a plurality of adjacent segments each containing a unit dose of a pharmaceutical and having associated data indicia for efficient and uniform transport, tracking, storage and dispensing is provided. Pharmaceuticals are loaded into an automated dispenser that is networked with computers for accepting prescriptions and dispensing pharmaceutical accordingly. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130310968 | PAINT CHIP DISPENSER - The invention relates to an apparatus under the control of an electronic data processing unit for selecting and dispensing paint chips, comprising a) a plurality of paint chips, each paint chip comprising i) a substrate and having applied thereto at least one paint layer having specified visual appearance properties, and ii) a paint chip identifier comprising a machine readable code, b) a data input unit for entering visual appearance properties identification criteria c) a paint chip storage unit having paint chip storage locations, each paint chip storage location having a unique paint chip storage location address, d) a paint chip selection and dispensing unit capable of selecting and dispensing paint chips in response to entered visual appearance properties identification criteria, e) a paint chip receiving unit. | 11-21-2013 |
| 20140039667 | STATION FOR PREPARING ORDERS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE SHAFT FOR VERTICALLY ACCUMULATING AND SEQUENTIALLY DISPENSING CONTAINERS - There is proposed a unit including a station for preparing orders, controlled by a control system. The station has a first circuit that includes a first outward conveyor, which receives containers for storing products, and an accumulator for accumulating a predetermined quantity of storage containers received on the first outward conveyor. The accumulator includes: at least one first shaft comprising superposed mobile positions that can each receive and downwardly move at least one storage container, the at least one first shaft vertically accumulating and sequentially dispensing storage containers previously placed in the positions; and at least one first elevator moving vertically along the at least one first chute up to each of the locations of the at least one first chute. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20140052291 | AUTOMATIC CLOTHES RECEIVING AND RETRIEVING SYSTEM FOR LAUNDRY - An automatic clothes receiving and retrieving system for laundry, mainly includes a clothes receiving unit and a clothes retrieving unit. The clothes receiving unit is for inputting a verification information. The clothes are automatically received through a clothes receiving entrance and packed in clothes containers and identification tags are attached to the clothes containers. Each clothes container is arranged with a transfer device for moving the clothes container to a laundry factory and to send the clothes to the storage portion of the clothes retrieving unit after the clothes are cleaned. The clothes retrieving unit is for automatically transferring the cleaned clothes from the storage portion to the retrieving exits according to data of the consumer after the input of the verification information. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140058555 | DEVICE FOR OFFLOADING CAPPED VIALS USEFUL IN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS - An offloading unit for an automated pharmaceutical machine that dispenses filled, capped pharmaceutical vials includes at least one offload location; at least one tote to receive the vials at each offload location, the tote assigned for distribution to a remote pharmacy location; at least one sensor to detect the presence or absence of the tote; and at least one sensor to detect a fill level of the vials in the tote. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140148943 | OBJECT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND PROGRAM - An object information registration device ( | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140163721 | ARTICLE LOADING SYSTEM, ARTICLE LOADING AND CARRYING-OUT METHOD - An article loading system for loading and carrying out, in one of a plurality of containers each having identification information, articles of plural types which correspond to the container, includes a holding shelf which temporarily holds the containers that are carried in, container placement units on each of which the container into which an article is to be loaded by a worker is placed, a transporting unit which transports an arbitrary container between the holding shelf and an arbitrary container placement unit, and a control unit programmed to control the transporting unit. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140172154 | METHOD AND SYSTEM USING SAMPLE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND STORAGE UNITS - In some embodiments of the invention, the central controller may comprise a processor and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor. The computer readable medium comprises code, executable by the processor to implement a method. The method comprises identifying, by the processor, a sample container or a sample container holder associated with the sample container, and then accessing, by the processor, a location database storing mapping data correlating sample containers or sample container holders with sample containers to test regions in the storage unit. The test regions store sample containers with samples that have been or are to be tested according to different tests. After accessing the database, the method continues by providing, by the processor, a proposal for storage of the sample container or the sample container holder associated with the sample container in the storage unit. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140249665 | SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO FULFILLMENT ORDERS - A system, method, and software are for moving inventory items to an unloading station in response to a fulfillment order. An input device is used to enter identification information about the inventory items. At a loading station, the inventory items are received and loaded intoholders. The holders are then moved to storage area. A controller is configured for creating and storing a first association between the entered identification information and each of the holders in which each of the inventory items is placed. A selector and transporter are responsive to the fulfillment order and the first association, and are configured to select a holder which holds the inventory items corresponding to the fulfillment order, and configured to transport the holder from the storage area to the unloading station. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140303770 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ITEMS FROM A WAREHOUSE ACCORDING TO A PARTICULAR ORDER - A device for providing items for more than one order from a warehouse according to each particular order comprises at least one temporary storage device linked with the warehouse for temporarily storing items of at least one order, at least one collection zone linked with the at least one temporary storage device for collecting the items of the at least one completed order, and a separation zone having a number of delivery lines for providing the items of the at least one completed order according to the respective order. | 10-09-2014 |
| 20140350715 | Inventory Transitions - This disclosure describes a system for managing inventory as it transitions into a materials handling facility, as it transitions between locations within a materials handling facility and/or as it transitions out of a materials handling facility. In some instances, a user (e.g., picker or picking agent) may retrieve an item from an inventory location and place the item into a tote. The systems described herein detect the item when it is added to or removed from the tote. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140350716 | BATTERY MONITORING IN A NETWORKED INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM - An inventory control device, such as an electronic toolbox, monitors the identity of battery packs that are mounted in the device and used to provide electrical power to the device. The device retrieves a unique identifier for each battery pack, and monitors the operation of each battery pack. The monitored data can be logged into memory for future use, communicated to a user of the inventory control device, and/or used to predict the future performance or replacement date for a battery pack. The monitored data can also be communicated across a communication network to an inventory control server that monitors the operation and performance of battery packs throughout an electronic tools control system including multiple toolboxes. The server can further track the operation and locations of battery packs through all of the toolboxes. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20150329288 | TARGETED PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process. | 11-19-2015 |
| 20160176637 | CONSOLIDATED PICK AND PACK FOR OUTBOUND FULFILLMENT | 06-23-2016 |
| 20160200515 | MEDICAL PACKAGE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MEDICAL PACKAGE | 07-14-2016 |
| 20180022551 | Article Rearranging Device and Article Storage Facility Including Same | 01-25-2018 |
