Pallet Receipt Verification via RFID Statistical Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modern distribution settings, pallet-level RFID tags may be damaged, missing, or unreadable due to various reasons, leading to manual checks that are time-consuming and costly, affecting dock worker productivity and throughput.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using statistical sampling to determine pallet receipt based on item-level RFID tags, with customizable thresholds based on vendor reputation and type of goods, allowing for automatic marking of pallets as received even if the pallet-level RFID tag is not readable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual inspection is used to verify pallet receipt when RFID tags are unreadable, then accuracy of pallet verification is improved, but productivity and throughput deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with an automated electronic system that uses RFID technology and statistical algorithms. The system automatically reads RFID tags from items on pallets, applies statistical sampling methods to determine pallet receipt status, and generates verification results without human intervention, thereby maintaining accuracy while dramatically improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service verification by automatically performing the pallet receipt verification process. The automated system reads RFID tags, applies statistical algorithms, and determines pallet status without requiring dock workers to manually inspect each pallet, allowing the system to serve itself in the verification task
2Reliability
If manual inspection is performed to identify missing pallets, then reliability of pallet receipt confirmation is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual inspection with automated RFID reading and statistical processing. The system instantly reads multiple RFID tags simultaneously and rapidly processes statistical data to confirm pallet receipt or identify missing pallets, maintaining high reliability while reducing inspection time from minutes to seconds
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated verification of pallet receipt status before manual intervention is needed. By proactively reading RFID tags and applying statistical algorithms in advance, the system can identify and flag potential issues before they require time-consuming manual investigation
3Measurement precision
If automated RFID reading of all items is performed to verify pallet receipt, then accuracy of verification is improved, but use of energy and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies statistical sampling theory to read only a representative subset of RFID tags from each pallet rather than every single item. By selecting a statistically significant sample size, the system achieves sufficient verification accuracy while dramatically reducing the number of RFID readings required, thereby lowering processing complexity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of RFID tags to read based on statistical parameters such as confidence levels, pallet sizes, and item variability. By changing the sampling parameters adaptively, the system optimizes the balance between verification accuracy and processing complexity for different scenarios
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces manual inspection time and costs by enabling automated pallet receipt verification, improving dock efficiency and accuracy by using statistical sampling and customizable thresholds.
Implementation Method 1
Radio Frequency Identifiers (RFID) is a means of identifying a unique object that has been tagged with a physical RFID tag by using a radio frequency transmission
Implementation Method 2
In response to receiving the radio frequency signal, the RFID tag responds by transmitting the identification data stored on the RFID
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and program product that uses statistical sampling to determine whether a pallet has been received when the pallet-level RFID tag is not read. When a shipment is unloaded, the system keeps track of the item-level RFID tags that are received. A threshold is retrieved and compared with the number of item-level RFID tags that were received. If the threshold is 50%, then the pallet would be assumed to be received and marked accordingly in the manifest if 50% of the items in the pallet were received. Threshold levels can be customized based upon the vendor shipping the goods, the type of goods being shipped, or both. In addition, the vendor quality rating and the type of good rating can be combined to form a single threshold that incorporates the vendor's quality along with the material (interference) quality of the goods on the particular pallet.