Article Management Support Apparatus for Real-Time Picking Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing article management support technologies struggle to efficiently display the current shipping frequency of each storage space in a warehouse, leading to difficulties in grasping the current situation and providing accurate location instructions during location management, picking, and inventory work.

Innovation Solution

An article management support apparatus that includes an observation point coordinate/observation direction setting module, an article picking opening coordinate extraction module, an article information collection module, a coordinate transformation module, a rendering module, and a display unit, which together enable the display of article information on a screen, superimposing it onto the article picking opening, and allowing simultaneous viewing of information across multiple storage racks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic assignment software is used to calculate work instructions for article relocation, then the efficiency of picking work is improved, but the system cannot reflect real-time changes in shipping frequency for each storage space, making it difficult for administrators to grasp current situation and provide accurate location instructions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicking work efficiencyVSAvoidreal-time shipping frequency information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously collects actual shipping frequency data from each storage space and provides real-time feedback to administrators through display devices. This feedback mechanism allows administrators to monitor current storage space utilization and shipping frequencies, enabling them to make informed decisions about article relocation without relying solely on pre-calculated assignment software recommendations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically calculates and updates shipping frequencies for each storage space based on actual picking data, eliminating the need for manual data collection and processing. The automatic calculation unit continuously monitors and updates the database, providing self-updating information that reflects current warehouse operations without requiring administrator intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If information is displayed on a traditional screen without superimposition, then the display is simple, but workers cannot simultaneously view information across multiple storage racks, reducing overall workflow efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation display simplicityVSAvoidworkflow efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system overlays multiple storage rack views and information layers onto a single display screen, transitioning from a single-dimension sequential display to a multi-dimension simultaneous display. This allows administrators to view multiple storage racks and their respective shipping frequencies concurrently, enabling faster decision-making about article relocation across the entire warehouse.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system combines multiple pieces of information (storage rack positions, article locations, shipping frequencies, and color-coded indicators) into a single integrated visual display. This merging of information allows administrators to comprehensively assess the warehouse state and make relocation decisions without switching between multiple screens or data sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3611117B1Article management assistance device, article management assistance system, and article management assistance method
Publication Date: 2025.04.02 LOGISTEED LTD
  • EP3611117B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3611117B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3611117B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An article management support apparatus sets coordinates indicating a position of an observation point and an observation direction from the observation point in a space including article storage spaces, acquires coordinates of an article picking opening of an article storage space within a predetermined range with respect to the position of the observation point and the observation direction, acquires information on the article stored in the article storage space corresponding to the article picking opening for which the coordinates are acquired, transforms the acquired coordinates of the article picking opening into coordinates on an image seen in the observation direction from the position of the observation point, generates an image for displaying the information on the article stored in the article storage space corresponding to the article picking opening for which the coordinates are acquired in association with a position of the transformed coordinates, and displays the generated image.