Patent ID: 8239291

Claim:
A method for communicating information pertaining to a task, comprising: receiving, by a status indicator, an instruction to indicate availability of the status indicator for a task, the status indicator comprising a portable device that includes an availability indicator and is capable of communicating with a remote device; indicating, by the status indicator, availability of the status indicator for the task to a user by activating the availability indicator in response to receiving the instruction; receiving, by the status indicator, a selection of the status indicator for the task from the user; in response to receiving the selection for the task from the user: transmitting wirelessly, by the status indicator, information identifying the status indicator to the remote device; receiving wirelessly, by the status indicator, first status information using a wireless interface, wherein the first status information specifies a first status associated with the task; indicating, by the status indicator, the first status to the user at an inventory station using a display; receiving, by the status indicator, input from the user indicating a second status associated with the task; and in response to receiving the input from the user, transmitting wirelessly, by the status indicator, second status information to the remote device, wherein the second status information specifies the second status, wherein the task is associated with an inventory holder transported to the inventory station from a remote location by a mobile drive unit, the mobile drive unit comprising a self-powered device operable to dock with the inventory holder at the remote location in response to receiving the task.