Patent ID: 8285415

Claim:
A method of identifying and correcting errors associated with a product transport tub for products for allowing automatic conveyance of the product transport tub throughout a distribution center, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an error signal at a central computer indicating that an error is associated with the product transport tub that will prevent the product transport tub from being automatically conveyed about the distribution center, wherein a touch-screen monitor is in communication with the central computer; storing information related to the product transport tub and the error associated therewith in a database associated with the central computer; transmitting from the central computer a first conveying signal for diverting the product transport tub from a normal workflow and conveying the product transport tub to a workstation for correction of the error; receiving object identifier information originating from an object identifier located on the product transport tub from at least one of a bed scanner, a handheld scanner, a keyboard and the touch-screen monitor; storing the object identifier information in the database associated with the central computer; determining at the central computer a first set of instructions to transmit to the touch-screen monitor associated with the workstation and in communication with the central computer, the first set of instructions comprising a proper method of correcting the error associated with the product transport tub, based on information in the database; transmitting the first set of instructions to the touch-screen monitor for displaying the first set of instructions on the touch-screen monitor; receiving at the central computer a confirmation signal from a user that the first set of instructions have been implemented; updating the database with correction information including information relating to the correction of the error; and transmitting from the central computer a second conveying signal from the central computer for conveying the product transport tub back to the normal workflow within the distribution center.