Patent ID: 6721762
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
A computer implemented method for preferably placing one or more articles from a customer order into a container preferably suited for receiving the articles so that the container is ready for shipping, comprising:(a) inputting indicia for a plurality of articles into a memory of a programmed computer to produce an article database; (b) inputting indicia for a plurality of containers for receiving the articles into the memory of the programmed computer to produce a container database; (c) selecting the indicia corresponding to the articles in the customer order from the article database; (d) selecting the indicia corresponding to one or more selected containers in the container database; (e) generating a plurality of possible packing configurations based on the indicia of the articles in the customer's order and the indicia for one or more of the selected containers wherein the possible packing configurations are generated using a programming language which ranks the articles in a delivery index based upon regulation requirements, size of package, weight of package, fragility of articles, packing material and delivery rates or schedules; (f) selecting from the plurality of possible packing configurations a preferred packing configuration including a preferred arrangement of the articles in a particular container based upon the delivery index; (g) generating instructions for packing the one of the selected containers using the preferred packing configuration; and, (h) packing the articles from the customer order in the one of the selected containers according to the instructions at the delivery rates or delivery schedules in the preferred packing configuration.