US 12,299,632 B2
Systems and methods for dual optimization of pick walk and tote fill rates for order picking
Pratosh D. Rajkhowa, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Ameya Ajay Shendre, Bangalore (IN); Shekhar Gupta, Bengaluru (IN); and Pavan Kumar, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on Oct. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/378,030.
Application 18/378,030 is a continuation of application No. 17/383,977, filed on Jul. 23, 2021, granted, now 11,823,123.
Application 17/383,977 is a continuation of application No. 16/040,910, filed on Jul. 20, 2018, granted, now 11,074,547, issued on Jul. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 201811015004 (IN), filed on Apr. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0104496 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06Q 10/04 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/087 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/04 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for optimization of order picking, the system comprising:
a plurality of totes, each tote having a physical capacity and used by one of a plurality of pickers to receive and store one or more items of an order;
a storage device including:
an electronic database holding information regarding items in a facility, the electronic database configured to store electronic data representing item proximity constraints and electronic data representing tote value constraints,
an item list optimization module configured to determine order picking tasks and assign the order picking tasks to the pickers, the item list optimization module being configured to obtain the electronic data representing the item proximity constraints and the tote value constraints from the electronic database;
a server communicatively coupled to the storage device and configured to execute the item list optimization module that, when executed:
receives a plurality of orders, each order including a list of one or more items,
determines an order batch to be picked by a plurality of pickers, each batch including items associated with one or more of the plurality of orders, the determining including:
assigning items from a first order as a first batch to a first picker;
obtaining the proximity constraints and the tote value constraints from the electronic database, wherein:
the tote value constraints include a maximum weight capacity of each tote; and
the item proximity constraints include a walking distance required of the first picker to pick all of the items assigned to the first picker for picking;
performing an optimization determination based on the proximity constraints and the tote value constraints obtained by the item list optimization module from the electronic database for each additional order in the plurality of orders that determines whether items from the additional order are added to an existing batch or are assigned a new batch, and
assigning, based on a result of the optimization determination, items in the plurality of orders to a plurality of batches; and
transmits the plurality of assigned batches to a plurality of mobile devices associated with the plurality of pickers.