A warehouse management system integrating graphical storage locations and pallet barcodes

Abstract

A warehouse management system is disclosed for managing pallets and inventory in a storage area. It includes a storage location database, an inventory database, a user interface, a barcode reader, and a controller. The controller provides a layout editing mode, allowing users to define storage locations and aisles and assign storage location identification codes on a two-dimensional diagram. Upon receiving goods, the system scans the pallet barcode and storage location barcode, associating the pallet identification code with the storage location identification code and updating the inventory data. The system also generates a graphical map based on the storage location layout, using color to display the occupancy status and expiration date of each storage location. Upon outbound goods, the controller generates picking instructions based on first-in-first-out (FIFO) or earliest-expiration-first (EFD) rules, indicating which storage location and pallet to retrieve goods from. It also issues alerts for barcode errors or near-expiration dates, reducing reliance on personnel experience and improving tracking and management efficiency.

Claims

1. A warehouse management system for managing pallets and inventory in a storage area, the warehouse management system comprising: A storage location layout database stores storage location layout data for defining multiple storage locations within the storage area; an inventory database stores item information for each pallet identification code, the item information including at least a product code, a quantity, and an expiration date, and stores one or more associated pallet identification codes for each storage location identification code; a user interface including a display and an input device; a barcode reader configured to read: a pallet barcode encoding a corresponding pallet identification code; and a storage location barcode encoding a corresponding storage location identification code; a weighing interface configured to receive weight values ​​from a scale; a label printer configured to print at least one of: pallet labels, drop labels, and return labels; and at least one controller electrically connected to the storage location layout database, the inventory database, the user interface, the barcode reader, the weighing interface, and the label printer, wherein the at least one controller is configured to: The user interface provides a layout editing mode to display a two-dimensional representation of one of the storage areas, composed of grid cells. It receives user input to select groups of grid cells to define multiple storage locations, assigns storage location identification codes to the defined locations, and stores the storage location layout data in the storage location layout database. It also receives user input to define at least one non-storage location area on the two-dimensional representation and stores the non-storage location area in the storage location layout data. During an inbound operation, in response to scanning a pallet barcode and a storage location barcode, it establishes an association between the pallet identification code and the storage location identification code in the inventory database. Based on the storage location layout data and the inventory database, it generates and displays a graphical map on the display, wherein the graphical map visually indicates at least one inventory condition derived from the item information for each storage location, and the inventory condition includes at least one condition related to the expiration date. For an order, one or more storage location identification codes and their corresponding pallet identification codes are selected according to at least one rule to generate picking instructions. The at least one rule includes a first-in, first-out (FIFO) rule and / or an earliest expiration priority rule. The picking instructions are then presented through the user interface. During picking, the scanned pallet identification codes and scanned storage location identification codes are verified to conform to the picking instructions. If a non-compliance is detected, an alert containing at least one of the following is output: an audible alert and a visual alert. For partial shipments, the inventory database is updated to reduce the quantity of the item information for the pallet identification code. If there is a remaining quantity, the association between the pallet identification code and the storage location identification code is maintained. And perform a return operation, which includes: responding to a return event related to the quantity of the pallet identification code previously issued; Receive a weight value through the weighing interface; determine a return quantity based on the weight value; update a requisition record to reflect a net requisition quantity after the return event; cause the label printer to print a return label, wherein the return label encodes a return container identification code, the return container identification code is linked to the pallet identification code and retains the expiration date; and in response to scanning the return label and scanning a storage location barcode, establish an association between the return container identification code and the storage location identification code.

2. As in request item 1, the warehouse management system, wherein, The non-storage area includes at least one of the following: an aisle area and a prohibited stacking area; and wherein the controller inhibits the association of any pallet identification code with the storage barcode corresponding to the non-storage area.

3. As in request item 1, the warehouse management system, wherein, This layout editing mode defines each storage location as a continuous grid of cells and supports configuration or modification of the storage location by at least one of the following operations: drag, zoom, add, and delete, with grid alignment.

4. As in Request 1, the warehouse management system wherein the graphical map distinguishes the inventory conditions of each storage location by color according to the validity period, and when the item information of a pallet identification code contains multiple different product codes, the graphical map indicates that the pallet identification code is a mixed item pallet.

5. The warehouse management system as requested in item 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: generate at least one marker to represent a first group of container identification codes based on a stacking rule or a threshold number of boxes, and generate at least one pallet label to represent a second group of container identification codes, and trigger a batch inventory update for the group of container identification codes represented when either the marker or the pallet label is scanned.

6. The warehouse management system of claim 1 further includes an audit camera, wherein the at least one controller is configured to: store an audit record for at least one event selected from label printing, inbound association, picking verification, quantity adjustment, and deletion, the audit record including a timestamp and an image captured by the audit camera, and associate the audit record with at least one of a pallet identification code and a storage location identification code; wherein, When the barcode reader fails to read a barcode, at least one controller accepts manual input of a barcode base code.

7. As in the warehouse management system of request item 1, when the controller generates the picking instruction on the user interface, it combines the picking instruction with a graphical storage location map to highlight the storage location area to be visited, and records the identification code of each pallet and the target quantity to be retrieved in the list.

8. The warehouse management system of claim 1, further comprising an audio output device, wherein the controller is configured to output an audible alarm sound in at least one of the following situations: The scanned pallet barcode does not have a corresponding pallet identification code in the inventory database; the scanned pallet barcode does not match the storage location identification code indicated in the current picking instructions; or the inventory corresponding to the scanned pallet has an expiration date earlier than the predetermined threshold.

9. The warehouse management system of claim 1, wherein the communication network includes Ethernet, wireless local area network or mobile communication network, enabling a server and various user terminal devices to transmit storage location data, inventory data and picking instructions to each other, and in some embodiments, the user terminal devices temporarily store some data in a cache form to reduce network load.

10. The warehouse management system of request item 1, wherein the pallet label may display multiple text fields, the text fields including at least one of the following: product code, product name, batch number, number of boxes or pieces, total weight, expiration date and supplier information.

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