US 12,257,604 B2
Relabeling system for unlabeled items and method
Jason Bellar, Bella Vista, AR (US)
Assigned to WALMART APOLLO, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/706,310.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/776,259, filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0179981 A1, Jun. 11, 2020
Int. Cl. B07C 3/00 (2006.01); B07C 3/08 (2006.01); B07C 3/14 (2006.01); B07C 3/18 (2006.01); B65C 9/40 (2006.01); B65C 9/46 (2006.01); G06K 1/12 (2006.01); G06Q 10/08 (2024.01)
CPC B07C 3/006 (2013.01) [B07C 3/08 (2013.01); B07C 3/14 (2013.01); B07C 3/18 (2013.01); B65C 9/40 (2013.01); B65C 9/46 (2013.01); G06K 1/121 (2013.01); G06Q 10/08 (2013.01); B07C 2301/0025 (2013.01); B65C 2009/408 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for relabeling an unlabeled item to facilitate sorting and transporting of the unlabeled item, the system comprising:
a sorting apparatus including at least one conveyor configured to transport items from an inlet of the sorting apparatus towards a plurality of outlets of the sorting apparatus;
a scanner disposed between the inlet and the plurality of outlets of the sorting apparatus, the scanner configured to scan the items as the items are transported past the scanner by the sorting apparatus;
a printer disposed between the scanner and the plurality of outlets of the sorting apparatus;
inventory data identifying locations at a facility for stocking of the items at the facility;
a computing system in communication with the scanner, the printer, and the inventory data, the computing system configured to execute re-labeling instructions, such that, when executed, the computing system:
identifies via the scanner, an item as missing a predetermined label type to facilitate subsequent sorting and transport of the item to a destination by failing to detect the predetermined label type during scanning, the predetermined label type indicating a location where the item should be stocked in the facility;
after identifying that the item is missing the predetermined label type, scans the item via the scanner again and detects indicia, other than the predetermined label type, from which item identifying information can be determined;
identifies the item based on the indicia;
accesses the inventory data to determine a location in the facility where the identified item should be stocked;
prints, via the printer, a label indicating the location where the item should be stocked in the facility;
re-scans the item via the scanner to detect the printed label applied to the item missing the predetermined label type and determines an associated outlet of the plurality of the outlets of the sorting apparatus corresponding to the item; and
sorts the item, via the sorting apparatus, to transport the item to the associated outlet of the plurality of outlets corresponding to the location where the item should be stocked in the facility indicated on the label.