Patent ID: 6873881
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A system for aiding order picking personnel in picking orders comprising: (a) a system computer; (b) a storage frame; (c) a substantially horizontal track system mounted to said storage frame, with one or more order picking units each having a motor drive movably secured to said track system; (d) rotary encoder operably connected to the motor drive of each of said one or more order picking units for generating a feedback pulse signal in accordance with the rotational movement of said motor drive, and a means for tallying said pulse signals to provide a continuous data signal representing the incremental and absolute positions and direction of movement of each of said of one or more picking units, enabling the location of each of said order picking units relative to the track system and relative to each other to be continuously monitored, and further enabling the movements of said order picking units to be precisely controlled by an operator so that the movement of one picking unit does not interfere with the movements of other picking units on the same track system and vice versa; (e) means for communicating information between the system computer and the order picking units; and (f) means for communicating information between said order picking units and order picking personnel.