DESC:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)

Title of Invention:
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMART STOCK AUDIT

APPLICANT:
ARAPL RAAS PRIVATE LIMITED
An Indian entity
having address as:
Gat No.1209, Village Wadki,
Pune-412308, Maharashtra, India
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY
The present application claims priority from the Indian patent application, having application number 202321005557, filled on 27th January 2023, incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a supply chain, manufacturing, and logistics automation equipment systems, and more particularly to smart stock audit Inventory storage items using a smart robot.
BACKGROUND
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure that are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements in this background section are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.
In logistics facilities, such as distribution centres or warehouses, goods stock is stored for retrieval by a pick worker. Each type of stock item is known as a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), and each SKU has a specific location in which it is kept. This stock can be stored openly on shelving racks, or in compartmentalized containers, such as boxes or cartons. Generally, stock of the same SKU is placed in a single carton also known as an SKU carton. When the warehouse receives an order from a customer for an item, the customer ordered item is then picked from the SKU carton manually by a picker. The central warehouse may receive new stock from a production facility or a third party. At any point in time, the central warehouse has multiple SKUs with sufficient quantity in the Inventory storage. Further, a system report generated for the stocks will be a result of system transactions including current orders from the customer. There may be a possibility that the generated reports to be inaccurate, which may directly impact the Ordering system, Sales, and Customer Satisfaction. For example, as per the generated reports, the warehouse inventory has stock available for example say “xyz” biscuit packs, this will result in the warehouse ERP system allowing customers to book orders for the “xyz” biscuit packs. After receiving the customer's order, a warehouse person will move to pick up the customer's ordered biscuit packs, but the warehouse person found that half of the stock is eaten by rodents, hence the warehouse person is unable to pick the item for the customer. This discrepancy between the reported stock levels and the actual physical condition of the inventory can lead to several downstream issues, such as mentioned below:
Root Causes:
1. Lack of Real-time Monitoring: The system may not provide real-time updates on the actual conditions of the stored goods.
2. Inadequate Stock Verification Mechanisms: The absence of robust verification mechanisms may result in discrepancies between reported and actual stock.
3. Vulnerability to Environmental Factors: The storage conditions may not be adequately controlled, making the inventory susceptible to external factors like rodents or pests.
Impact:
1. Misleading Orders: Inaccurate reports may lead to customers placing orders for items that are not actually available in the expected quantity or condition.
2. Operational Disruption: Warehouse operations may be disrupted when discrepancies are discovered, leading to delays in order fulfilment.
3. Customer Dissatisfaction: Unfulfilled orders due to inaccurate stock reports can result in customer dissatisfaction and a negative impact on the reputation of the logistics facility.
The above scenario is generally true for slow moving items i.e., items which are unsold for more than a predetermined time period (e.g., 90 days), because regular sellable items are counted more often, and discrepancies are frequently notified. Generally, to avoid such situations, the warehouse persons may regularly need to manually monitor the stock remaining in the SKU cartons at the inventory storage. If the present stock in the SKU cartons is below a predefined limit for a specific SKU, the warehouse person may reorder the stock, for the specific SKU, from the production facility or the third party. In the inventory storage, many SKUs remain untouched for many days due to less customer demand. The logistic facility bears a huge inventory storage cost associated with the untouched SKU cartons. The logistic facilities generally announce the sale or discounts for stock in the untouched SKU cartons. For identifying the untouched SKU cartons (or stock), the auditor needs to physically walk through each SKU carton in the inventory storage and check for the time limit since when the SKU carton is not being ordered by any customer. The auditor then moves the untouched SKU cartons to a defined location. The auditor then manually audits the untouched SKU cartons placed at the defined location. Further, the auditor needs to again put the audited SKU cartons in the respective location of the inventory storage. There are numerous issues associated with the aforementioned manual way of auditing stock such as:
a. Manual tracking of the SKU cartons untouched for defined days in the entire inventory storage is a time-consuming task.
b. Manually picking untouched SKU cartons from the inventory storage is a time-consuming and challenging task, as the manual search for untouched SKU cartons in the inventory storage demands a significant amount of time.
c. The auditor can only pick items on the shelves of the inventory storage up to a height of 2 meters, thereby increasing the size requirement of the inventory storage.
d. Manually collecting untouched SKU cartons from the inventory storage inevitably entails a risk of human error.
e. A high number of auditors are required for the manual movement of untouched SKU cartons.
Therefore, there is a long-felt need for a method and a system that overcome at least the issues/challenges related to the manual stock auditing and facilitating smart stock auditing of inventory goods using a smart robot.
SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a system and a method for smart stock audit of inventory goods and the concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one implementation, the system for intelligent stock auditing in a warehouse inventory storage introduces potential advancements in traditional auditing processes. The system comprises a memory and a processor coupled with the memory. The processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory. Further the system comprises an Intelligent Warehouse Management System (IWMS) which may be coupled with the memory and the processor, potentially enabling the execution of smart stock audit operations. Within the envisioned central warehouse, there may be a distinctive inventory storage and an audit zone. The inventory storage is conceptualized to consist of racks with compartments for storing one or more cartons, each carton potentially associated with a unique carton identifier and each compartment from the plurality of compartments is associated with a corresponding compartment identifier. Simultaneously, the audit zone may be composed of set of bins designed for temporarily carrying cartons during the auditing process. The system further comprises one or more smart robots potentially performing smart audit operations within the centralized warehouse. The IWMS is envisaged to be configured to track stock information from the cartons in the inventory storage and may track order data to identify auditable cartons that have remained untouched for a threshold number of days. Further, the smart robots may be configured to receive transport instructions from the IWMS. These instructions may correspond to directing auditable cartons from the inventory storage compartments to the bins in the audit zone for temporary placement, particularly when these cartons remain untouched for the specified threshold period. The operational sequence of the smart robots may include picking the auditable cartons from the inventory storage, placing them in the audit zone bins for auditing, and subsequently returning the audited cartons to their original compartments in the inventory storage. Importantly, the IWMS may be updated with the mapping of carton identifiers with corresponding compartment identifiers in real-time.
In another implementation of the present disclosure, a method for smart stock auditing within an Intelligent Warehouse Management System (IWMS) employing smart robots is characterized by several innovative features. The method may involve the meticulous tracking of stock information in one or more cartons situated within the inventory storage. The inventory storage may be designed with multiple compartments, each associated with a unique compartment identifier, offering a structured organization for efficient storage of cartons. The method further comprises the step of comparing order data for one or more items within the cartons against a specified threshold number of days. This comparison may serve as a criterion for identifying auditable cartons those containing items for which orders have not been received beyond the predetermined threshold. Further, the method may include step of sending one or more transport instructions to smart robots to execute specific tasks. These tasks may include the precise picking of auditable cartons from the inventory storage and the transfer of these cartons to an audit zone within the centralized warehouse. The audit zone may consist of a set of bins designed for temporarily carrying cartons during the auditing process. Within the embodiment, the method enables one or more smart robots to perform various actions. For instance, they may pick auditable cartons from the inventory storage, place them in the set of bins within the audit zone for meticulous auditing of items, and subsequently place the audited cartons back into the original compartments of the inventory storage once the auditing operation is complete.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the Figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the Figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the like features and components.
Figure 1 illustrates a system for smart stock auditing of inventory items at the warehouse inventory storage, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 2 illustrates the estate architecture of a central warehouse comprising an inventory storage and an audit zone for smart stock auditing at the warehouse inventory storage, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 3 illustrates a decision-making flow diagram (300) describing steps to be performed for smart stock auditing at a warehouse inventory storage, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart describing a method (400) for steps to be performed for smart stock auditing at a warehouse inventory storage, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before the present system and method are described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the system and its arrangement as described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. The present disclosure overcomes one or more shortcomings of the prior art and provides additional advantages discussed throughout the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application.
The terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, system or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment” in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
Referring to Figure 1, a system (100) for smart stock auditing of inventory items, is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The system (100) may comprise an intelligent warehouse management system (IWMS) (102), a user device (104), and a smart robot (106). The central warehouse may be divided into two sections namely an inventory storage and an audit zone. The details of the sections are given in subsequent paragraphs with reference to Figure 2. The IWMS (102), the user device (104) and the smart robot (106) may communicate to send or receive data with each other through a network (108).
The network (108) facilitating communication within the disclosed system may encompass various types of communication infrastructures, offering a broad spectrum of possibilities. It may include a cable network, enabling data transmission through physical cables like coaxial or fibre-optic cables. Alternatively, a wireless network may be employed, utilizing technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, or other wireless protocols for seamless data exchange without the need for physical connections. Moreover, the system might integrate with a telephone network, covering diverse technologies like Analog, Digital, POTS, PSTN, ISDN, and xDSL. This versatility ensures compatibility with different telecommunication standards, providing adaptability to varying network environments. Additionally, a cellular communication network may be part of the network configuration, incorporating various generations of mobile communication technologies, ranging from CDMA and GSM to the latest advancements like 5G and potentially 6G. A radio network might be utilized, allowing communication through radio waves, suitable for specific applications like radio broadcasting or dedicated radio communication systems. The Internet, as a global network connecting devices worldwide, could be integrated into the system, facilitating broader connectivity and access to a vast array of resources. Local Area Networks (LANs) may be deployed for communication confined within a specific geographic area, while Wide Area Networks (WANs) could extend the reach to cover broader geographical regions. Additionally, short-range communication networks, such as Near Field Communication (NFC) or Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), may find application in specific contexts, providing close proximity data exchange capabilities. It's important to note that the network (108) used for communication is not rigidly bound by the mentioned examples. A person skilled in the art may explore and implement other communication means tailored to the specific requirements and advancements in the field, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to emerging technologies.
The system (100) comprises a memory and a processor coupled with the memory. The processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory. The IWMS (102) may be configured to enable smart stock audit operations of the centralized warehouse (200). The IWMS (102) may coupled with the memory and the processor coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory for controlling and tracking the smart robot (106) for automatically picking and transferring cartons from the inventory storage to the audit zone of the warehouse and vice versa. The IWMS (102) can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of both, including using where suitable, one or more computer programs, mobile applications, or “apps” by deploying either on-premises over the corresponding computing terminals or virtually over cloud infrastructure. The IWMS (102) may comprise various micro-services or groups of independent computer programs which can act independently in collaboration with other micro-services. The IWMS (102) may also interact with a third-party or external computer system. Internally, the IWMS (102) may be the central processor of all requests for transactions by the various actors or users of the system. A critical attribute of the IWMS (102) is that it is able to concurrently and instantly complete an online transaction by a system user in collaboration with other systems.
The processor, in one embodiment, may comprise a standard microprocessor, microcontroller, central processing unit (CPU), distributed or cloud processing unit, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions and/or other processing logic that accommodates the requirements of the present invention. The memory, in another embodiment, may include any computer-readable medium or computer program product known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random-access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, Solid State Disks (SSD), optical disks, magnetic tapes, memory cards, virtual memory and distributed cloud storage. The memory may be removable, non-removable, or a combination thereof. The memory may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The memory may include programs or coded instructions that supplement applications and functions of the system (100). In one embodiment, the memory, amongst other things, serves as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by one or more of the programs or the coded instructions. In yet another embodiment, the memory may be managed under a federated structure that enables adaptability and responsiveness of the system (100). In one embodiment, the IWMS (102) utilizes the processor for executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory.
In one embodiment, the smart robot (106) may comprise a motorized base, one or more shelves, a manipulator, an extendable lift, a processor, a memory, a communication module, and a power storage unit. A shelf from one or more shelves may be configured for picking and placement of the SKU cartons. The shelf may comprise a height in the range of 500 to 3700 mm. In one embodiment, the smart robot (106) may be a line tracing robot. In some embodiments, the motorized base is also equipped with a LIDAR system to assist in navigating the distribution site and avoiding obstacles. The LIDAR system emits lasers or light (e.g., ultraviolet, visible, or near-infrared light) and analyses the reflection to image the surrounding area and identify safe navigable pathways. Underneath the motorized base are casters, drive wheels, and motors that allow the smart robot (106) to move along x-y spatial planes within the central warehouse. In some embodiments, the extendible lift may be coupled to motors at the base. In another embodiment, the extendible lift may be coupled to a drive motor independent of the motors powering the robot wheels. The extendible lift may be a folding or collapsible framework that can expand to several heights. When fully collapsed, the extendible lift rises about one foot above the motorized base in some embodiments. When fully expanded, the extendible lift may rise over four meters above the motorized base in some embodiments. In some other embodiments, the motor powers the extendible lift pneumatically or with other mechanical means. One or more smart robots (106) may comprise multiple storage racks for carrying multiple cartons simultaneously. Further, the smart robot (106) may comprise one or more optical sensors for ex. Camera for scanning the machine-readable code. The IWMS (102) may control the operation and movement of the smart robot (106). The communication module of the smart robot (106) may be configured to send or receive information from the IWMS (102).
The user device (104) may comprise a variety of portable electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular devices, mobile devices, tablets, portable digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, netbooks, smart books, and the like. An application associated with the IWMS (102) may be installed on the user device (104). The user device (104) may comprise a communication module to communicate with the IWMS (102). Further, the user device (104) may comprise one or more optical sensors for ex. Camera for scanning the machine-readable code.
The incorporation of various types of portable electronic devices into the system adds versatility, as users may utilize devices that best suit their preferences or are readily available to them. The application on the user device (104) enhances the user's interaction with the IWMS (102), allowing for seamless communication and information exchange. The inclusion of optical sensors further augments the user device's (104) utility in tasks requiring visual data capture, such as scanning machine-readable codes during the stock auditing process. This comprehensive integration of user devices in the warehouse ecosystem may contribute to enhanced efficiency and user experience.
Now referring to Figure 2, an estate architecture of a central warehouse (200) is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The central warehouse (200) may be comprising an inventory storage (201) and an audit zone (202). The inventory storage (201) may correspond to a main storage area for storing all stock cartons. Each carton in the inventory storage comprises a carton identifier mapped to a carton machine-readable code. Each type of stock item is known as a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), and each SKU has a specific location in which it is kept. The inventory storage (201) may comprise a set of racks with a set of compartments for storing the SKU cartons. Each compartment of the inventory storage (201) may correspond to a compartment identifier mapped to a compartment machine-readable code. The compartment machine-readable code may be pasted to each compartment of the inventory storage (201). The machine-readable code may comprise one of the following: a linear barcode, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a Quick Response (QR) code, an optical label, or the like. The racks of the inventory storage (201) may be of a height up to 4 meters or more. Storage at high shelving racks of more than 4 meters may reduce the storage area of the inventory storage (201). The audit zone (202) may correspond to an area at the central warehouse (200), for temporarily storing SKU cartons for auditing. The audit zone (202) may be used to facilitate quick auditing of untouched SKU cartons by an auditor. The untouched SKU cartons may comprise one or more SKU cartons from the inventory storage (201) which may not been ordered by customers since a predefined time limit (for e.g., 90 days). The untouched SKU cartons may also be known as auditable cartons (hereinafter, interchangeably, untouched cartons). The audit zone (202) may be used to receive SKU cartons from the inventory storage (201). The audit zone (202) may comprise a set of racks with a set of bins for storing the untouched SKU cartons. Each bin of the audit zone (202) may correspond to a bin identifier mapped to a bin machine-readable code. The bin machine-readable code may be pasted to each bin of the audit zone (202). The racks of the audit zone (202) may be of a height up to 2 meters. Storage at 2-meter racks may make it easy for the auditor to manually audit untouched SKU cartons at the audit zone (202). The method steps performed for the smart stock auditing may be described in detail with reference to Figure 3 in subsequent paragraphs.
Now referring to Figure 3, a method (300) for steps to be performed for smart stock auditing is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
In step 301, the IWMS (102) may continuously track stocks at the inventory storage (201) while receiving an order from a customer and while delivering the customer ordered items from the Inventory storage (201). When the IWMS (102) receives an order from the customer for an item, the customer ordered item may either be manually picked SKU cartons from the inventory storage (201) or by picking item-specific SKU cartons from the inventory storage (201) using a smart robot (106).
In step 302, the IWMS (102) may monitor the stock quantity of SKU cartons placed in the inventory storage (201) in combination with order data, of the central warehouse, for a threshold number of days. The threshold number of days may be stored in the memory of the IWMS (102).
In step 303, the IWMS (102) may be configured to periodically check the SKU cartons at the inventory storage (201), untouched (or not ordered) for more than the threshold number of days. In one embodiment, the threshold number of days maybe 90 days from the date of receiving at the central warehouse (200). In one embodiment, the IWMS (102) may be configured to identify untouched SKU cartons from the inventory storage (201). The untouched SKU cartons may also be known as auditable cartons.
In step 304, the IWMS (102), after identifying the untouched SKU cartons, may send transport instructions to the smart robot (106) for picking the auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201). In one implementation, one or more transport instructions may correspond to an immediate instruction, needs to be followed by the one or more smart robot (106) on urgent basis. In another implementation, one or more transport instructions may correspond to the scheduled instructions for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106). In an exemplary embodiment, one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifiers, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, location (geo-spatial) coordinates of the plurality of bins at audit zone (202), location (geo-spatial) coordinates of the plurality of storage compartments at the inventory storage (201), a shortest travelling path or a combination thereof. The IWMS (102) may also send the shortest travelling path (along with picking instructions) to reach the inventory storage (201). Additionally, the IWMS (102) may send transport instructions for transferring the auditable cartons to the audit zone (202). The IWMS (102) may also send the shortest travelling path (along transport instructions) from the inventory storage (201) to the audit zone (202). In one embodiment, the IWMS (102) may send transport instructions, wherein one or more of these instructions may be scheduled instructions for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106). The scheduling instructions may include one of the carton identifier, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, geo-spatial coordinates of the set of bins, geo-spatial coordinates of the plurality of compartments, a shortest traveling path, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the IWMS (102) may send the scheduling instructions to the smart robot (106) for picking the auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201) in a non-peak load time. The non-peak load time may correspond to a time period when order quantities at the central warehouse (200) are less than a predefined threshold. While sending scheduling instructions to the smart robot (106), the IWMS (102) may be configured to ensure that the task instructions are balanced across days of a month to ensure day-wise workload balance for an auditor.
In step 305, the smart robot (106) may then move towards the inventory storage (201). The smart robot (106) may first scan the machine-readable code corresponding to each SKU carton, at the inventory storage (201) to verify the instructions (Carton Identifier, Compartment Identifier) received from the IWMS (102). In one embodiment, after successful verification, the smart robot (106) may pick the auditable cartons from the compartment of the inventory storage (201) and move towards the audit zone (202). The smart robot (106) may utilize an optimized path to reach the audit zone (202). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may pick the auditable cartons from the compartment of the inventory storage (201), based on geospatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102). In another embodiment, if the smart robot (106) fails to scan the machine-readable code of the cartons at the inventory storage (201), the IWMS (102) may send a second instruction to the smart robot (106). The second instruction may comprise a second location for picking the auditable cartons. In the next step, after successful scanning and verification, the smart robot (106) may pick the auditable cartons from the second location of the inventory storage (201) and move towards the audit zone (202). Further, the smart robot (106) may drop the auditable cartons at the audit zone (202). The smart robot (106), for dropping the auditable cartons, may scan the machine-readable code of each bin of the audit zone (202), to identify an empty bin at the audit zone (202). In one embodiment, after identifying the empty bin at the audit zone (202), the smart robot (106) may place the auditable carton in the empty bin of the audit zone (202). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may fail to scan the machine-readable code of a bin of the audit zone (202) due to an already filled bin, and the IWMS (102) may send a second instruction to the smart robot (106). The second instruction may comprise a second bin location for dropping the auditable cartons at the audit zone (202). In one embodiment, after identifying the empty bin at the second bin location of the audit zone (202), the smart robot (106) may place the auditable carton in the empty bin of the audit zone (202). The smart robot (106), after dropping the auditable carton at the audit zone, may send mapping information (Carton identifier, Bin identifier) to the IWMS (102). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may drop the auditable cartons at the audit zone (202), based on geospatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102).
In step 306, an auditor may manually audit the auditable cartons at the audit zone (202) of the central warehouse (200). The auditor may be a person who manually audits the auditable carton placed at the audit zone (202). The auditor may have the user device (104) for auditing. An API (or an application) associated with the IWMS (102) may be installed on the user device (104). The auditor may receive the auditable carton details on the user device (104). The auditor may perform audits by manually checking the auditable cartons at the audit zone (202). The auditor may update the audit status on IWMS (102) through the user device (104). The updating of the audit status may comprise scanning, by the user device (104), the machine-readable code associated with the audited carton and the bin of the audit zone (202). The audit status may comprise a stock of SKU items as per physical availability in the Inventory storage (201). The user device (104) may send the location mapping information to the IWMS (102).
In step 307, the IWMS (102), after receiving the audit status update, may send scheduling instructions with the shortest travelling path to the smart robot (106) for picking the audited cartons from the audit zone (202) and for placing the audited cartons back to the inventory storage (201). The smart robot (106) may scan the machine-readable code associated with each audited carton at the audit zone (202), to identify the audited carton corresponding to the instructions received from the IWMS (102). After successfully identifying the audited carton at the audit zone (202), the smart robot (106) may pick up the audited cartons from the audit zone (202) and move towards the inventory storage (201) of the central warehouse (200). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may pick the audited cartons from the audit zone (202), based on geospatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102). The smart robot (106) may scan the compartment machine-readable code of each compartment of the inventory storage (201), to identify an empty compartment. In one embodiment, after identifying the empty compartment at the inventory storage (201), the smart robot (106) may place the audited cartons in the respective compartment of the inventory storage (201). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may place the audited cartons in the respective compartment of the inventory storage (201), based on geospatial coordinates received from the IWMS (102). In another embodiment, the smart robot (106) may fail to identify the empty compartment due to an already filled compartment, and the IWMS (102) may send a second compartment location to the smart robot (106) for audited carton placement at the inventory storage (201). In the next step, after identifying the empty compartment at the second location, the smart robot (106) may place the audited carton in the respective compartment of the inventory storage. The smart robot (106) may further send location mapping information (Audited Carton Identifier, Compartment Identifier) to the IWMS (102). In an alternative embodiment, the IWMS (102), after receiving the audit status update, may send a notification to a warehouse manager about the discrepancy of stock in Reports with the physically available stock.
Referring to figure 4, a flowchart describing a method (400) for steps to be performed for smart stock auditing at a warehouse inventory storage, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The method (400) is structured as a step-by-step process.
At step (401), the method (400) for smart stock auditing by an Intelligent Warehouse Management System (IWMS) (102) may involve the tracking of stock information in cartons stored at the inventory storage (201). This embodiment includes monitoring order data received by the IWMS (102), where the inventory storage (201) consists of numerous compartments, each associated with a unique compartment identifier, and each carton linked to a corresponding carton identifier.
At step (402), the method (400) may include a step of comparing the order data of items within the cartons with a predefined threshold number of days.
At step (403), the method (400) may be identifying auditable cartons at the inventory storage (102), wherein the purpose of step (402) is to identify auditable cartons at the inventory storage (102). Auditable cartons are those containing items for which orders have not been received for a period exceeding the specified threshold number of days.
At step (404), the method (400) may involve sending one or more transport instructions to one or more smart robots (106), outlining the procedure for potentially picking auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201) and subsequently transferring these selected cartons to an audit zone (202) within the centralized warehouse (200).
At step (405), the method (400) may pick the one or more auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201), emphasizing the possibility of selecting cartons meeting the criteria for auditing based on the specified duration without received orders.
At step (406), the method (400) may involve placing the one or more auditable cartons into the set of bins situated in the audit zone (202), potentially initiating the auditing phase by providing a designated area where the contents of the selected cartons can be thoroughly examined.
At step (407), the method (400) may entail placing the one or more audited cartons back into the plurality of compartments within the inventory storage (201) after the completion of the auditing operation.
The embodiments illustrated above, especially related to a system and method for smart stock auditing at a warehouse inventory items may provide, but are not limited to, the following technical advancements:
• Automated tracking of untouched SKU cartons which are not ordered for a defined number of days.
• Reduction in manpower (about 1/10) for picking the auditable cartons from the inventory storage.
• Needs less area to store the SKU cartons at inventory storage as a smart robot can pick the SKU cartons at high shelving racks upto 4 meters or more.
• Increase the accuracy of picking of SKU cartons and eliminate the risk of human errors.
• Smart robot can work 24 hours without rest.
• Save time for manual auditing of the auditable cartons from the audit zone, as the auditor can easily audit the items from the shelving racks of the audit zone having a height of 2 meters.
• Save time for picking and transferring the SKU cartons from the audit zone to the inventory storage, vice versa, due to automated robotic transportation and time management by the IWMS.
• Achieve high precision and accuracy.
Various modifications to the embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments illustrated but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A person of ordinary skill in art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure.
The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs or the description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments unless such features are incompatible.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A system (100) for smart stock auditing at a warehouse inventory storage, characterized in that, the system (100) comprises:
a memory;
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory;
an Intelligent Warehouse Management System (IWMS) (102) coupled with the memory and the processor, wherein the (IWMS) (102) is configured to enable smart stock audit operations;
a central warehouse (200), wherein the centralized warehouse (200) comprises an inventory storage (201) and an audit zone (202);
wherein the inventory storage (201) comprises a plurality of racks with compartments for storing one or more cartons, wherein each carton from the one or more cartons is associated with a corresponding carton identifier, wherein each compartment from the plurality of compartments is associated with a corresponding compartment identifier,
wherein the audit zone (202) comprises a set of bins for temporarily carrying one or more cartons for auditing;

one or more smart robots (106) for performing smart audit operations in the centralized warehouse (200);
wherein the IWMS (102) is configured to track stock information from the one or more cartons placed in the inventory storage (201), wherein the IWMS (102) is configured to track order data to identify auditable cartons untouched for a threshold number of days;
wherein one or more smart robots (106) are configured to:
receive one or more transport instructions, from the IWMS (102), wherein the one or more transport instructions correspond to instructions for directing one or more cartons from the plurality of compartments in the inventory storage (201) to the set of bins in the audit zone (202) for temporary placement, wherein the one or more transport instructions, from the IWMS (102), is received for the auditable cartons in the inventory storage (201) remains untouched for the threshold number of days;

pick the one or more auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201);
place the one or more auditable cartons to the set of bins of the audit zone (202) for auditing of the items placed in the cartons at the audit zone (202);
place the one or more audited cartons, after auditing operation, from the set of bins of the audit zone (202) back to the plurality of compartments of the inventory storage (201), and
update the IWMS (102) with the mapping of the carton identifier with the compartment identifier of the inventory storage (102) on which the one or more cartons have been placed.
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of bins in the audit zone (202) is associated with a corresponding bin identifier.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compartment identifier corresponds to a compartment machine-readable code; wherein the carton identifier corresponds to a carton machine-readable code; wherein the bin identifier corresponds to a bin machine-readable code; wherein each of the compartment machine-readable codes, carton machine-readable code and bin machine-readable codes correspond to one of a linear barcode, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a Quick Response (QR) code, an optical label or a combination thereof.

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more transport instructions are instructions scheduled for future processing by the one or more smart robots (106); wherein one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifier, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, geo-spatial coordinates of the set of bins, geo-spatial coordinates of the plurality of compartments, a shortest travelling path, or a combination thereof.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auditing operation at the audit zone (202) is performed either automatically through the one or more smart robots (106), or manually by a person.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises one or more user devices (104), wherein the one or more user devices (104) is configured to input, into the IWMS (102) mapping of carton identifier with either the bin identifier or the compartment identifier; wherein the one or more user devices (104) is used during the manual auditing operation for mapping of carton identifier with the bin identifier of the audit zone (202).

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein IWMS (102) is configured to identify auditable cartons based on comparing order data of the items placed in the one or more cartons with the threshold number of days, wherein auditable cartons correspond to cartons including items, for which order is not received for more than the threshold number of days.

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of compartments of the inventory storage (201) and the set of bins of the audit zone (202) are different and placed at different locations in the centralized warehouse (200).

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the IWMS (102), the user device (104), and one or more smart robots (106) seamlessly communicate and coordinate through a network, enhancing the overall efficiency of the smart stock audit system.

10. A method (400) for smart stock auditing by an Intelligent Warehouse Management System (IWMS) (102) using one or more smart robots (106), characterized in that, the method (400) comprising:
tracking (401) stock information in one or more cartons placed at the inventory storage (102), wherein tracking of stock quantity comprises tracking of order data received by the IWMS (102), wherein the inventory storage (201) comprises a plurality of compartments for storing one or more cartons, wherein each carton from the one or more cartons is associated with a corresponding carton identifier, wherein each compartment from the plurality of compartments is associated with a corresponding compartment identifier;
comparing (402) order data of one or more items placed in the one or more cartons with a threshold number of days;
identifying (403) auditable cartons at the inventory storage (102), wherein auditable cartons correspond to cartons including items, for which order is not received for more than the threshold number of days;
sending (404) one or more transport instructions to one or more smart robots (106) for picking the auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201) and transferring the auditable cartons to an audit zone (202) of the centralized warehouse (200), wherein the audit zone (202) comprises a set of bins for temporarily carrying one or more cartons for auditing;
enabling one or more smart robots (106) to;
pick (405) the one or more auditable cartons from the inventory storage (201);
place (406) the one or more auditable cartons to the set of bins of the audit zone (202) for auditing of the items placed in the cartons at the audit zone (202); and
place (407) the one or more audited cartons, after the auditing operation, from the set of bins of the audit zone (202) back to the plurality of compartments of the inventory storage (201).

11. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method (400) comprises receiving, by the IWMS (102), mapping information of carton identifier with compartment identifier of the inventory storage (201) on which the one or more cartons have been placed.

12. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein one or more transport instructions are instructions scheduled for future processing by the one or more robots (106); wherein one or more transport instructions comprise one of the carton identifiers, the bin identifier, the compartment identifier, location coordinates of the set of bins, location coordinates of the plurality of compartments, a shortest travelling path, or a combination thereof.

13. The method (400) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the auditing operation at the audit zone (202) is performed either automatically through the one or more smart robots (106), or manually by a person using one or more user devices (104).
Dated this 27th day of January 2023