Patent Publication Number: US-11030576-B2

Title: Heads up display for material handling systems

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/260,440, filed Sep. 9, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,395,212, which claims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/215,882, filed Sep. 9, 2015, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a data handling technique in a warehouse system, and in particular to a method and system for managing container information in a warehouse system. 
     Currently, in order for an operator to query a status of a container or perform a validation of a product that was placed in the container, the user/operator is typically either at a desktop terminal or be utilizing a portable voice system (e.g., a wearable computer with a headset that provides audible information to an operator and provides the operator the ability to input similar information through voice recognition and/or predetermined voice commands). If using a desktop terminal, the user/operator would need to move a particular container from its current or original location and bring it to the terminal, as the terminal is not portable. Once there, the user/operator may scan the container (either through manual entry of barcodes, serial numbers and similar data or through the use of a barcode/QR code scanner or similar device) and receive information specific to that container. As noted above, the user or operator may use a voice device. While the upside of using a voice device is that it is portable and can be brought with the user/operator, the voice device is limited in the amount of information that can be delivered to the operator/user. Because the information is delivered via an audio output, the operator/user with a voice device typically only performs simple validations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method for use of a heads up display and portable computing device that combines the benefits of a traditional desktop terminal and a voice device, such that a user/operator may enter and receive information for containers using a system that has the portability of a voice system with the information that is normally delivered by a desktop terminal. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, utilizing a heads up display connected to a portable computing device, an inquiry may be placed on the spot about container status of individual containers within a warehouse system. Such a heads up display and portable computing device provides a heads up system that is portable and allows for interfacing with an inventory system (sending and receiving information to/from the inventory system) through the heads up display and portable computing device, allowing an informed decision related to a container without requiring the use of a fixed terminal that is physically remote from the container in question. Such a system will allow a user/operator to be anywhere within a warehouse and input and/or retrieve relevant container information with an inventory system without having to leave their current location to access a fixed terminal. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for managing container information in a warehouse system includes identifying a container with a scanner. The scanner is coupled to a portable computing device. The container identification is sent by the portable computing device to a warehouse server. The portable computing device is connected to the warehouse server via a network. Information related to the container is received by the portable computing device from the warehouse server and communicated to a heads up display communicatively coupled to the portable computing device. The container is delivered to a target destination in the warehouse based in part on the container information. Confirming delivery of the container to the target destination by interacting with the heads up display. The delivery confirmation will occur at the time of delivery to the target destination. 
     The container information may include one or more of a current container state, a target destination, and container contents. The portable computing device may be connected to the warehouse server through a wireless network. 
     The portable computing device and heads up display may be physically separated from each other and coupled through a wireless network. The portable computing device and heads up display may in the alternative be physically integrated together. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for auditing containers in a warehouse includes identifying a container with a scanner. The scanner is communicatively coupled to a portable computing device. The container identification is sent by the portable computing device to a warehouse server. The portable computing device is communicatively coupled via a network to the warehouse server. Information related to the container is received by the portable computing device from the warehouse server and communicated to a heads up display communicatively coupled to the portable computing device. The container information is matched with the physical contents of the container. The warehouse server is notified by the portable computing device that an audit of the container has passed when the contents of the container match the container information for the container. In the alternative, the warehouse server is notified by the portable computing device that the audit of the container has not passed when the contents of the container does not match the container information for the container. If the audit has not passed, the warehouse system will send a notification to the portable computing device that the container is to be routed to a quality control area of the warehouse. This notification will be communicated to the heads up display. 
     The package and container information may include one or more of product descriptions, product images, quantity in the container, and a product warehouse location. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for performing blind quality checks on the contents of a container in a warehouse includes identifying a container. The container may be identified with a scanner. The scanner is communicatively coupled to a portable computing device. The container information is sent by the portable computing device to a warehouse server. The portable computing device is communicatively coupled via a network to the warehouse server. Information related to the container is received by the portable computing device from the warehouse server. The method also includes scanning each product in the container to acquire a product ID for each product in the container. Each product&#39;s ID is sent to the warehouse server for recording purposes. Once all product ID&#39;s within the container have been scanned, the portable computing device is used to indicate completion and the portable computing device delivers a PASS or FAIL status to the heads up display and to the warehouse server. The warehouse server sends an instruction to the portable computing device to send the container to its final destination if the quality checks pass. The instruction is communicated by the portable computing device to the heads up display. 
     During the blind quality checks, the container information and product information are not seen at the heads up display. In the alternative, the heads up display may receive the container information and product information, but masks it. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for performing open quality checks on the contents of a container in a warehouse includes identifying a container. The container may be identified with a scanner coupled to a portable computing device. The container information is sent by the portable computing device to a warehouse server. The portable computing device is coupled via a network to the warehouse server. Information related to the container is received by the portable computing device from the warehouse server and communicated to a heads up display that is coupled to the portable computing device. The products in the container are validated, based upon the received container information for the container. After the validation process completes, the warehouse server is notified with the heads up display, via the portable computing device, whether the container has received a PASS or FAIL status. The container is sent to its final destination if the quality checks pass. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an inventory warehouse management system includes a portable computing device communicatively coupled to a heads up display and a scanner communicatively coupled to the portable computing device. The scanner is operable to identify a container identification (ID) of a container in a warehouse. The portable computing device is operable to send the container ID to a warehouse server via a network. The portable computing device receives container information from the warehouse server in response to the container ID and communicates the container information to the heads up display. The heads up display is operable to initiate a delivery confirmation for the warehouse server when the container is delivered to a target destination. The target destination is based in part on the container information. The delivery confirmation occurs at the time of delivery at the target destination. 
     As discussed in detail herein, the use of a portable computing device coupled with a heads up display allows quality control checks, auditing, and container handling to be performed efficiently by providing a portable, hands-free, interface to a warehouse server that can be worn by a user/operator and carried throughout a warehouse. The use of a heads up display and portable computing device means that a stationary terminal is not needed. In other words, there is no need to move a container to a stationary terminal or to move back and forth between a container and a stationary terminal. 
     These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an inventory management system in a warehouse in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method for managing container information in a warehouse system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a method for auditing containers in a warehouse in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a method for performing quality checks on the contents of a container in a warehouse in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method for performing quality checks on the contents of a container in a warehouse in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the numbered elements in the following written description correspond to like-numbered elements in the figures. 
     As discussed herein, exemplary embodiments may be used to give a user/operator on a warehouse floor, or other similar location, the convenience of a standard desktop terminal environment with the portability of a voice unit of a voice system. As discussed above, a voice system utilizes a wearable computer with a headset that provides audio information to an operator and allows the operator to input similar audio information through the use of voice recognition and/or predetermined voice commands. Such a combination of capabilities and conveniences may be realized through the use of a heads up display in conjunction with a portable computing device. A heads up display will allow a person wearing them to view information while not necessarily impairing their normal line of sight or field of vision. Furthermore, the use of a heads up display may also allow a user of the heads up display to remain hands-free and keep their eyes on what they are working on. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an inventory warehouse management system  100 , herein referred to as a warehouse system  100  includes a heads up display  102  connected to a portable computing device  104 , allowing a user/operator to identify a particular container  110   a  out of a plurality of other containers  110  in a warehouse or other similar facility to an information system  120  via a scanner  106  (e.g., a Bluetooth scanner or a built-in scanner) and receive information related to that container  110   a  from the information system  120 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the information system of the warehouse system  100  may also be referred to as a warehouse server  120 . As discussed herein, an exemplary information system  120  may be implemented with a remote computer system, such as a server that is communicatively coupled to the heads up display  102  (via the portable computing device  104 ) through a network  122 . The network  122  may be implemented as a wireless network. The scanner  106  may be implemented as a barcode scanner, a QR scanner, an RFID scanner, or other similar scanning technology. These scanners  106  may also be implemented as Bluetooth wireless scanners  106  or as wireless scanners  106  using other similar technologies. The scanner  106  may also be implemented as a built-in option with the heads up display  102  or portable computing device  104 . 
     As discussed herein, the scanner  106  may read one or more of: barcodes, QR codes, serial numbers, RFID tags, as well as other suitable coding arrangements to identify a particular container  110   a . As discussed herein, a container&#39;s identification may be associated with specific container information. This accessing of container information with a portable computing device/heads up display  102 / 104  in a warehouse system  100  may allow a user/operator to make an on-the-spot informed decision as to how to handle a particular container  110   a  without having to resort to locating and going to a computer terminal  150 , that is in a fixed location, to acquire the same container information. As also illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the fixed location computer terminal  150  may also utilize a scanner  156  and is also connected to the warehouse server  120  through the network  122 , albeit through a wired Ethernet or other similar network connection. 
     A variety of heads up display/portable computing device combinations  102 / 104  are anticipated for use with embodiments of this present disclosure. For example, the heads up display  102  may be physically separated, but in communication with the portable computing device  104 . In another example, the heads up display  102  and portable computing device  104  may be combined such that an exemplary heads up display  102  includes a portable computing device  104 . There are a variety of heads up display/portable computing devices  102 / 104  available. A sample of available heads up display devices include Microsoft HoloLens, Google Glass, and Recon Jet heads up display devices. 
     Using a Heads Up Display in a Jackpot Lane: 
     A “jackpot lane” on a sorting mechanism of a warehouse is an area where containers  110  are sent when they are either not properly identified by a sorter scanner or that need some sort of attention (e.g., the sortation software does not have any place to send them, wrong product in container  110 ). There is typically a desktop terminal  150  for the warehouse system  100  located in this lane. When a user/operator identifies a container  110   a , the operator must then turn and look at the terminal  150 . In addition, depending on the location of the terminal  150  and/or the container  110   a , the user/operator must walk to the terminal  150  in order to view the information presented. 
     Utilizing a heads up display/portable computing device  102 / 104 , a user/operator working in this area (the Jackpot Lane) receives this container information (based upon the container&#39;s container ID) delivered straight to their heads up display  102 . There is no necessity to look at a remote terminal  150  and/or walk closer to it. This information contains, but is not limited to: a container&#39;s current state, a container&#39;s target destination, and the contents of a container (if known), which as discussed herein may include additional content information. 
     Armed with this information, the user/operator can then perform one of several actions to ensure that the container  110   a  is delivered to the proper location within the warehouse. Because the target destination is identified, the user/operator has the ability to manually deliver the container  110   a  to this location. The heads up display  102  offers additional benefits over a traditional terminal  150  in this action. With a traditional terminal  150 , once the operator leaves the area, they must remember the final destination, whereas the user/operator utilizing the heads up display  102  always has the information. Once at the destination, the user/operator can then inform the warehouse system  100  that the container  110   a  has been delivered. This occurs via the heads up display  102  as user interaction is available. The benefit over the terminal  150  is that the delivery confirmation occurs at the time of the delivery. With the remote terminal  150 , the user/operator would have to confirm delivery before they left the jackpot lane. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating the steps to a method for managing container information in a warehouse system  100  utilizing a heads up display  102  connected to a portable computing device  104 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , in step  202 , a container  110   a  is identified with a scanner  106 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the scanner  106  retrieves a container ID from the container  110   a . Each container  110  has a specific container ID to uniquely identify that container  110 . As discussed herein, the scanner  106  may be a separate Bluetooth scanner or may be part of the heads up display  102  or the portable computing device  104 . 
     In step  204  of  FIG. 2 , the retrieved container ID is sent by the portable computing device  104  to the warehouse server  120  via the network  122 . The retrieved container ID is linked to container information for the particular container  110   a . As noted above, the container information may include a state of the current container  110   a , a target destination, and possibly contents of the container  110   a . In step  206  of  FIG. 2 , the warehouse server  120 , based upon the received container ID, sends container information for the container  110   a  to the portable computing device  104 , which communicates the container information to the heads up display  102  for viewing by the user/operator. 
     In step  208  of  FIG. 2 , the user/operator may deliver the container  110   a  to a target destination based upon the related container information. In step  210  of  FIG. 2 , once the container  110   a  has been delivered to its target destination, the user/operator may confirm delivery of the container  110   a  by interacting with the heads up display  102  and delivering a delivery confirmation for the container  110   a  to the warehouse server  120 . 
     Using a Heads Up Display in a Container Audit: 
     When utilizing a picking solution, a user/operator of a heads up display/portable computing device  102 / 104  may walk up to a particular container  110   a  out of a variety of containers  110  in the warehouse system  100  and validate that what the warehouse system  100  has recorded as packed into the container  110   a  matches the physical contents ( 130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c ) of the container  110   a . As discussed herein, upon identifying a particular container  110   a , container information for the container  110   a  is delivered to the operator. This container information includes, but is not limited to: product  130  descriptions, product images, quantity of products  130  in the container  110   a , and product warehouse locations. 
     Armed with this container information, a user/operator using a heads up display  102  is able to match this information with the container&#39;s physical contents  130   a - 130   c . If the contents (e.g., products  130   a - 103   c ) in the container  110   a  match the corresponding container information, the user/operator may inform the warehouse system  100 , via the heads up display  102 , that an audit has occurred and has passed. If the contents do not match, the user/operator may inform the warehouse system  100  of the failure and the warehouse system  100  will then direct the container  110   a  to a quality control area of the warehouse. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating the steps to a method for auditing containers  110  in a warehouse. In step  302  of  FIG. 3 , a particular container  110   a  is identified with a scanner  106 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a scanner  106  retrieves a container ID from the container  110   a . Each container  110  has a specific container ID to uniquely identify that container  110 . As discussed herein, the scanner  106  may be a separate Bluetooth scanner or may be part of the heads up display  102  or portable computing device  104 . In step  304  of  FIG. 3 , the retrieved container ID is sent by the portable computing device  104  to the warehouse server  120  via the network  122 . The retrieved container ID is linked to container information for the particular container  110   a . As noted above, the container information may include product  130  descriptions, product images, quantity of products ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a , and product warehouse locations. 
     In step  306  of  FIG. 3 , the warehouse server  120 , based upon the received container ID, sends container information for the container  110   a  to the portable computing device  104 , which communicates the container information to the heads up display  102  for viewing by the user/operator. As discussed above, the container information will include one or more of product  130   a - 130   c  descriptions and quantities of products ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a.    
     In step  308  of  FIG. 3 , the received container information, as displayed in the heads up display  102 , is matched with the actual physical contents ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container  110   a . In an aspect of the present disclosure, each product  130   a - 130   c  in the container  110   a  may be individually scanned by the scanner  106  to match the contents of the container information with the physical contents ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container  110   a . In an aspect of the present disclosure, each product  130   a - 130   c  in the container  110   a  may be manually audited. 
     In step  310  of  FIG. 3 , a determination is made as to whether the audit has passed. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the audit has passed when the portable computing device  104  determines that the contents ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container  110   a  match the container information. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the user/operator determines whether the audit passes. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , if the audit passes, then in step  312 , using the interactive functionality of the heads up display  102 , the warehouse server  120  is notified that the container  110   a  has passed the audit. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the portable computing device  104  notifies the warehouse server  120  that the container  110   a  has passed the audit. However, if the audit does not pass, then in step  314 , again, using the heads up display  102 , the warehouse server  120  is notified that the container  110   a  has not passed the audit. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the portable computing device  104  notifies the warehouse server  120  that the container  110   a  has not passed the audit. If the container  110   a  has not passed the audit, the warehouse system  120  will send a notification to the portable computing device  104 , that is communicated to the heads up display  102 , that the container  110  is to be routed to a quality control area of the warehouse for further review. 
     Using a Heads Up Display in a Quality Control Setting: 
     When utilizing a picking solution, in order to provide a quality control station for their customers, a remote terminal  150  may be deployed, which may be used for the validation. This remote terminal  150  is in a fixed location and requires containers  110  to be routed to this location. By utilizing a heads up display/portable computing device  102 / 104  (rather than a fixed terminal  150 ) to perform the quality checks, this quality process may occur at any location within the warehouse. There are two different processes that can be followed when performing a quality check: Blind &amp; Open. 
     Using a Heads Up Display in a Blind Quality Check: 
     In a blind mode, once the operator identifies and/or scans a container  110   a , the container information is delivered to the heads up display/portable computing device  102 / 104 , but is kept hidden from the operator. The user/operator then starts to identify/scan the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) contained within the container  110   a . Because this is a “blind” quality check, the user/operator must identify/scan each and every product ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a . Once all the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) have been identified, the user/operator informs the portable computing device  104  that the quality check is complete (that all of the products  130   a - 130   c  in the container have been checked) and the heads up display  102  is then presented with a Pass or Fail status. If the quality check passes, the operator may then allow the container  110   a  to be sent to its final destination. If the check fails, the operator may rectify the container  110   a , as discussed below. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the steps to a method for performing a blind quality check on the contents ( 130   a - 130 ) of a container  110   a  in a warehouse. In step  402  of  FIG. 4 , a container  110   a  is identified. In step  404  of  FIG. 4 , the acquired container ID is sent to the warehouse server  120 . In step  406  of  FIG. 4 , the container information for the container ID is returned to the portable computing device  104 . As discussed above, the returned container information will include product information for the contents of the container  110   a . However, as also discussed above, for a blind quality check, the container information is not forwarded to the heads up display  102 . In an aspect of the present disclosure, the container information may be optionally forwarded to the heads up display  102 , but kept hidden from an operator/user. 
     In step  408  of  FIG. 4 , the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container  110   a  are scanned with a scanner  106  to determine their product IDs. Similar to the scanning of containers  110 , product IDs are returned by scanning products ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the selected container  110   a . As also discussed herein, the scanner  106  is communicatively coupled to the portable computing device  104 . 
     In step  410  of  FIG. 4 , product IDs for products ( 130   a - 130   c ) are sent to the warehouse server  120 . As also discussed herein, the product IDs are sent by the portable computing device  104 , via the network  122 , to the warehouse server  120  for recording purposes. The retrieved product IDs are linked to product information for the particular products ( 130   a - 130   c ). A product ID may include a product description and product images. The product information may also include other product related information. 
     In step  412  of  FIG. 4 , product information for each product ID is received by the portable computing device  104  from the warehouse server  120 . The product information is retained by the portable computing device  104  and not immediately communicated to the heads up display  102 . In an aspect of the present disclosure, the product information may be optionally forwarded to the heads up display  102 , but kept hidden from the operator/user. 
     In step  414  of  FIG. 4 , the portable computing device  104  compares the product information (actual product information) to the container information (assumed product information). In step  416  of  FIG. 4 , the portable computing device  104  determines whether all of the product information of products ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a  matches the container information for the container  110   a . If all of the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a  pass the quality check, then in step  418  of  FIG. 4 , the portable computing device  104  notifies the warehouse server  120  that the container audit has passed. A notice is also sent from the portable computing device  104  to the heads up display  102  that the container&#39;s  110   a  quality check has passed. If not all of the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a  have passed the quality check, then in step  420  of  FIG. 4 , the warehouse server  120  is notified by the portable computing device  104  that the container audit has not passed. The heads up display  102  is also notified by the portable computing device  104  that the container&#39;s  110   a  quality check has not passed. In an aspect of the present disclosure, if the container  110   a  passes the quality check, then the container  110   a  may be sent to its final destination. The portable computing device  104  may send an instruction to the heads up display  102  to move the container  110   a  to its final destination. 
     Using a Heads Up Display in an Open Quality Check: 
     In an open mode, once the user/operator identifies a container  110   a , the user/operator is given all of the information pertaining to what is in the container  110   a . This process is very similar to the “blind” audit process described herein, except that the container information (which includes product details) is sent and displayed in the heads up display  102  so that the container information may be used during a manual product inventory of the container  110   a . Using this information, the user/operator manually validates the individual products ( 130   a - 130   c ) inside the container  110   a . Once the validation occurs, the user/operator identifies to the warehouse server  120 , via the heads up display/portable computing device  102 / 104 , whether the container  110   a  has passed or failed the quality check. If passed, the portable computing device  104  may send an instruction to the heads up display  102  to send the container  110   a  to its final destination. If failed, the portable computing device  104  may send an instruction to the heads up display  102  to rectify the container  110   a  as discussed below. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the steps to a method for performing “open” quality checks on the contents ( 130   a - 130   c ) of a container  110   a  in a warehouse. In step  502  of  FIG. 5 , a container  110   a  is identified with a scanner  106 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the scanner  106  retrieves a container ID from the container  110   a . Each container  110  has a specific container ID to uniquely identify that container  110 . As discussed herein, a container ID may be manually read off a container  110   a  by a user/operator and entered with the heads up display  102  to provide it to the portable computing device  104 . 
     In step  504  of  FIG. 5 , the retrieved container ID is sent by the portable computing device  104  to the warehouse server  120  via the network  122 . The retrieved container ID is linked to container information for the particular container  110   a . As noted above, container information may include container state, target destination, and identifying contents ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container. 
     In step  506  of  FIG. 5 , the warehouse server  120 , based upon the received container ID, sends container information for the container  110   a  to the portable computing device  104 , which communicates the container information to the heads up display  102  for viewing by the person. 
     In step  508  of  FIG. 5 , the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) of the container  110   a  are manually validated, based upon the received container information for the container  110   a . The heads up display  102  will indicate when the last known product ( 130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a  has been validated, and will ask if additional product is in the container ( 130   a - 130   c ). Then in step  510  of  FIG. 5 , the method continues by notifying the warehouse server  120  and the heads up display  102 , via the portable computing device  104 , whether the container  110   a  has received a PASS or FAIL status. As discussed above, if the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) match the container information (which includes product information for the container) then the quality check is determined to have passed. In step  512  of  FIG. 5 , if the quality checks for the container  110   a  passed, then the container  110   a  may be sent on to its final destination. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the portable computing device  104  sends an instruction to the heads up display  102  to send the container  110   a  to its final destination if the quality checks for the container  110   a  have passed. 
     Rectification Procedures: 
     When a container fails its quality control process, there are several actions allowed by the warehouse system  100 . These three actions also depend on the customer&#39;s processes. 
     1. The order is canceled and any new pick request is sent to the picking system to have the order reprocessed. If this occurs, the operator is informed via the heads up display  102  to set the container  110   a  aside and the product ( 130   a - 130   c ) inside the container  110   a  will be restocked. 
     2. If after the quality check it is determined that there is too much product ( 130   a - 130   c ) inside the container  110   a  (i.e., system recorded two items but there are three items are in the container):
         A. If the check was performed in a “blind” mode, the heads up display  102  will identify to the operator which product ( 130   a - 130   c ) and how many need to be removed from the container  110   a . The operator verifies each of the products ( 130   a - 130   c ) removed via the heads up display  102 . Once complete, the heads up display  102  informs the operator that the container  110   a  is able to be sent to its final destination.   B. If the check was performed in an “open” mode, the operator removes the excess product ( 130   a - 130   c ) from the container  110   a  and informs the warehouse system  100  once these tasks are complete.       

     3. If after the quality check, it is determined that there is not enough product ( 130   a - 130   c ) inside the container  110   a  (i.e. the system recorded 2 items but 1 item was found in the container  110   a ):
         A. If the check was performed in a “blind” mode, the heads up display  102  identifies the first item ( 130   a - 130   c ) that is correct. This information includes the current quantity, recorded quantity, and the warehouse location of the product ( 130   a - 130   c ). If the warehouse system  100  in question is also controlling inventory, the user/operator will also have access to product inventory quantities. The user/operator may then choose to either mark the product ( 130   a - 130   c ) as short or proceed to the warehouse location and acquire the required quantity. Because the heads up display  102  is portable, the user/operator will always have the information with them as they move throughout the warehouse addressing quality control issues. Once the proper amount of product ( 130   a - 130   c ) has been added to the container  110   a , the user/operator then moves through any remaining items ( 130   a - 130   c ) and addresses any remaining quality issues. Once all issues have been addressed, the container  110   a  is then allowed to proceed to its final destination.   B. If the check was performed in an “open” mode, the operator must first identify which item ( 130   a - 130   c ) was misreported. Once that occurs, the same information as above in the “blind” mode is presented to the user/operator and the user/operator works to fix the issue by either notifying the warehouse system  100  of the correct quantity (of products  130   a - 130   c ) or by proceeding to the warehouse location and putting the proper quantity (of products  130   a - 130   c ) in the container  110   a.          

     Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.