Imaging Tunnel Parcel Receiving System Exception Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Materials handling facilities face significant burdens and costs in receiving shipment parcels due to varying vendor and carrier formats, tracking information inconsistencies, and exceptions such as damaged packages or defective tracking data, which complicates the process and increases diversion to exception bins.
Innovation Solution
A parcel receiving system with an imaging tunnel that captures images of parcels, analyzes tracking information, detects exceptions through size and weight sensing, and automatically diverts parcels with unresolved exceptions to a separate bin, reducing manual handling and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If manual tracking information entry is used for each parcel, then tracking data can be captured, but the process becomes extremely burdensome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical data entry with an automated imaging and recognition system. Cameras capture images of parcels, and software automatically extracts tracking information from labels and packaging, eliminating the need for manual typing and reducing errors while improving throughput capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables parcels to self-identify through their existing labels and markings. The automated recognition software reads tracking information directly from the parcel surfaces without human intervention, allowing the parcel data to serve itself rather than requiring operator input.
2Reliability
If comprehensive exception checking is performed on each parcel, then parcel defects and anomalies can be detected, but the process becomes extremely burdensome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary exception detection at the receiving dock before parcels enter the main workflow. Imaging captures parcel condition, and automated analysis identifies damages, label issues, or anomalies early, allowing proactive routing decisions without complex manual inspection procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated imaging and analysis system as an intermediary between parcel arrival and manual handling. This intermediary layer performs initial exception screening, filtering out problematic parcels and presenting only resolved cases to human operators, thereby simplifying the overall exception handling process.
3Loss of information
If parcels with exceptions are manually investigated and resolved, then accurate tracking can be maintained, but transaction costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces costly manual investigation with automated optical recognition and data extraction. Software algorithms analyze parcel images to verify tracking information accuracy, eliminating the need for expensive human labor while maintaining or improving detection reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels at materials handling facilities A parcel receiving system has an imaging tunnel through which shipment parcels received at a materials handling facility are passed While a shipment parcells passing through the imaging tunnel, a camera captures at least one image of the parcel The parcel image is electronically analyzed to discover various tracking information and to detect various types of exceptions, such as damage to the parcel or defective tracking information The captured image is stored in order to create a visual record of the parcel at the time of reception The parcel image may be viewed by a user to enable the user to detect and/or resolve an exception