Abstract:
A system for managing a packaging line, the system including a common data-storage system in data communication with a plurality of item-interaction units, the common data-storage system configured for receiving, from the item-interaction units, item data identifying each item in the packaging line, the item data including information indicative of a location of the item within the packaging line; and maintaining the item data in an item database.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to supply chain management, and in particular, to tracking items in a supply chain.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Between the time of its manufacture and the time of its shipment, an item passes certain milestone events. For example, an item may undergo one or more inspections and testing stages. The items may be packed into a container with similar items. This container may also undergo certain milestone events before it too is packed with similar containers into a large container.  
         [0003]     The life-cycle of an item on a packaging line is thus marked by a sequence of milestone events. Some of these events are experienced by the item individually. Others are experienced by a collective unit through which the item is associated with other items. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a supply-chain management system;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  shows an item-interaction unit in the system of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  shows exemplary data records from a database in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  shows an abstract representation of a packaging line management system  10  for managing a packaging line  12 . As an item  14  traverses the packaging line  12 , it encounters various stations at which it interacts with an item-interaction unit  16 . The item-interaction units  16 , each of which is assigned a unique location identifier  17 , are in data communication with a common data-storage system  18  over a network  19  (e.g. the internet). This common data-storage system  18  maintains an item database  20  containing item data representative of each item  14  in the packaging line  12 . A suitable item database  20  is that created and maintained by COLOS (™), which is a software application sold by Markem Corporation of Keene, N.H.  
         [0008]     A typical item-interaction unit  16 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , includes an item interface  22  that interacts with an item  14 . The item interface  22  communicates the result of that interaction with a local processor  24 . The local processor  24  executes business logic, or production logic, for controlling the operation of the item-interaction unit  16  with which it is associated. In addition, the local processor  24  is in communication with an optional local memory  26 , for temporary storage of interaction data, and a network interface  27  for transmission of that data to the common data-storage system  18 .  
         [0009]     The item-interaction units  16  differ primarily in the nature of their respective item interfaces  22 . For example, if the item-interaction unit  16  is intended to mark the item  14 , then the item interface  22  may include a printer positioned close to a conveyor belt and a photocell to detect entry of the item  14  into a printing zone adjacent to the printer. If the item-interaction unit  16  is intended to weigh the item  14 , the item-interaction unit  16  may be a scale. Or, the item-interaction unit  16  may be intended to move the item  14 , for example from one conveyor belt to another, or to pick up an item  14  and put it into a box. In this case, the item-interaction unit  16  may include a robotic arm or other mechanical effector.  
         [0010]     The item-interaction unit  16  may also include an item-identification unit that generates, reads, or infers item-identifying data from which the identity of the item can be derived. Exemplary item-identification units include bar code scanners, RFID readers, or simply item counters. The identification data can be an EPC code, or a count indexed to an EPC code. The nature of the item-interaction unit  16  depends on details of the packaging line  12 .  
         [0011]     Following its interaction with an item, the item-interaction unit  16  communicates item data to the local processor  24 . Item data provided to the local processor  24  depends on the nature of the item interaction. For example, in the case of a scale, the item data includes data from which the weight of the item can be determined. Typically, item data includes identifying data that identifies the particular item, and result data that indicates the result of the interaction. However, in some cases there is no result data, in which case the item data includes only the identifying data.  
         [0012]     Using the network interface  27 , the local processor  24  sends a message to the common data-storage system  18 . This message includes the location identifier  17  and the item data In response, the common data-storage system  18  updates an item record  26 , shown in  FIG. 3 , associated with that item  14  in the item database  20 . Among the fields in the item record  26  is a location field  28  into which the location identifier  17  can be placed. It is thus possible to determine, from inspecting the item record  26 , the most recent item-interaction unit  16  with which a particular item  14  has interacted.  
         [0013]     Referring back to  FIG. 1  in many cases, items  14  are bundled together with other like items into larger packages, which will be referred to as “super-items  36 .” Once this occurs, all items  14  associated with a particular super-item  36  encounter subsequent item-interaction units  16  as a single unit.  
         [0014]     For example, following its packaging, after having encountered numerous item-interaction units  16 , the consumer unit  38  may join other consumer units  38  in a distribution unit  40 . If this occurs, further interactions with item-interaction units  16  will be with the distribution unit  40  and not with the individual consumer units  38  associated with the distribution unit  40 . In this case, the consumer unit  38  becomes the item  14  and the distribution unit  40  becomes the super-item  36 .  
         [0015]     After interacting with additional item-interaction units  16 , the distribution unit  40  may join other distribution units  40  in a palette unit  42 . If this occurs, subsequent item-interaction units  16  will interact with the palette unit  42  as a whole, rather than with the individual distribution units  40  that it contains. In this case, the item  14  becomes the distribution unit  40  and the super-item  36  becomes the palette unit  42 .  
         [0016]     The item database  20  maintains item records  26  that identify items  14 . Once these items  14  are combined into a super-item  36 , any changes to the location of the super-item  36  translate into changes in the location fields  28  of all the item records  26  associated with items  14  in the super-item  36 . To avoid the resulting computational burden, the item record  26  can include a super-item field  44  containing a pointer to a super-item record  48 . Like the item record  26 , the super-item record  48  includes a location field  28  that is updated as the super-item  36  moves through the packaging line  12 . Alternatively, the location field  28  of an item record  26  can be used to point to a particular super-item record  48 .  
         [0017]     The packaging line management system  10  thus features particular item-interaction units  16 , referred to as item consolidators  50 , whose function is to create a super-item record  48  and to update the item records  26  for all items that are to be consolidated into that super-item  36 . In particular, the item consolidators  50  cause the super-item pointer to point to the super-item record  48  into which the item is to be consolidated.  
         [0018]     At an abstract level, there is no logical distinction between an item record  26  and a super-item record  48 . What makes a super-item record  48  “super” is that there exists an item record  26  that points to it. Thus, from the point of view of the common data-storage system  18 , once an item  40  has been grouped with other items into a super-item  36 , that super-item  36  can then be treated as an item  14 .  
         [0019]     In the illustrated packaging line  12 , three epochs  52 ,  54 ,  56  are shown. In the first epoch  52 , which begins with the manufacture of a consumer unit  38 , the item  14  is the consumer unit  38  and the super-item  36  is a distribution unit  40 . In the second epoch  54 , the item  14  becomes the distribution unit  40  and the super-item  36  becomes the palette unit  42 . In the third epoch  56 , the item  14  is the palette unit  42  and no super-item  36  is shown. However, it is apparent that the packaging line  12  can have any number of epochs.  
         [0020]     The hierarchical item database  20  thus simplifies the task of tracking the location of a particular consumer unit  38  by eliminating the need to update item records  26  of each consumer unit  38  in a bundled set of consumer units  38 .  
         [0021]     In addition, the location of any item  14  can readily be determined by beginning with the item record  26  for that item and checking the location field  28  of that item record  26 . If the location field  28  indicates that the item  14  has been consolidated into a super-item  36 , one can follow the pointer to that super-item  36 . This procedure continues recursively until one reaches an item record  26  that does not point to a super-item  36 .  
         [0022]     Note that the procedure for identifying a location of an item  14  does not require that the item  14  be a consumer unit  38 . The procedure can thus be initiated anywhere along the packaging line  12 .  
         [0023]     The process of communicating item data to the common data-storage system  18  can include time-consuming steps. In some cases, an item-interaction unit  16  interacts with items very quickly. In these cases, item records  26  may be generated more quickly than they can be communicated to the common data storage system  18 . To prevent the latency of data transfer from becoming a bottle neck, item data can be accumulated temporarily in the local memory  26 . As a result, communication of item records  26  from the local memory  26  to the common data storage system  18  can occur asynchronously. For example, the local processor  24  can cause transmission of several item records  26  simultaneously to the common data storage system  18 .  
         [0024]     In one embodiment, the local memory  26  is divided into first and second partitions  58 ,  60 . When the item data accumulated in the local memory  26  fills the first partition  58 , additional item data is saved in the second partition  60 . Meanwhile, the local processor  24  sends a message to the common data-storage system  18  requesting that the accumulated item data in the first partition  58  be uploaded to the item database  20 . The local processor  24 , which then continues to collect item data in the second partition  60 . When the common data-storage system  18  completes the upload, it sends a confirming message to the local processor  24 , which then clears the first partition  58 . This enables the item-interaction unit  16  to continuously interact with items in the packaging line  12  without having to wait for data transmission to complete.  
         [0025]     In other cases, the common data-storage system  18  may not upload the data before the second partition  60  becomes full. With both first and second partitions  58 ,  60  of the local memory  26  now full, it may become necessary to stop the production line to wait for the uploading process to complete. To avoid this, certain embodiments have local memories  26  partitioned into additional partitions. The local processor  24  can then messages to the common data-storage system  18  with the filling of each such partition. Each such message would have an urgency associated with it, with the urgency being related to how many partitions remain to be filled.  
         [0026]     The system described herein is adapted to track an item on a packaging line. However, the system is readily adaptable to tracking an item in, for example, a production line, a manufacturing line, or an assembly line, or any similar environment. In addition, the system described herein does not depend on any institutional boundaries. Thus, in some embodiments, the common data storage may be accessible to two or more different business organizations or other institutions. In that case, the system tracks an item through an entire supply chain, from its manufacture, through its packaging at the manufacturer&#39;s site, and continuing on through the warehousing and distribution process until the item eventually finds its way into the hands of the ultimate consumer.  
         [0027]     Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, we now claim as new, and secured by letters patent: