Patents by Inventor Charles Ray Grissom

Charles Ray Grissom has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9613335
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic reorganization of pick slot assignments in a warehouse are described. Replenishments of products from storage slots to pick slots are used to perform product relocation to new pick slots for active items, along with traditional relocation moves for inactive items to establish open pick slots. By use of replenishments, the blocking of product relocations to new pick slots due to order picking activity is reduced or eliminated, enabling product relocation for improved slotting to be performed during normal warehouse operations. A dynamic slotting method is described where each item is assigned to a zone having a designated set of slots and each item is replenished to any new slot, as compared to an originally assigned slot, in the zone as stock is depleted by picking. Inactive items may be proactively relocated to temporary slots to reduce or eliminate the blocking of relocations of active items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: OPTRICITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Ray Grissom, Daniel Basmajian
  • Publication number: 20150262118
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic reorganization of pick slot assignments in a warehouse are described. Replenishments of products from storage slots to pick slots are used to perform product relocation to new pick slots for active items, along with traditional relocation moves for inactive items to establish open pick slots. By use of replenishments, the blocking of product relocations to new pick slots due to order picking activity is reduced or eliminated, enabling product relocation for improved slotting to be performed during normal warehouse operations. A dynamic slotting method is described where each item is assigned to a zone having a designated set of slots and each item is replenished to any new slot, as compared to an originally assigned slot, in the zone as stock is depleted by picking. Inactive items may be proactively relocated to temporary slots to reduce or eliminate the blocking of relocations of active items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: OPTRICITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Ray Grissom, Daniel Basmajian
  • Publication number: 20130226649
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assigning an item to a slot in an item storage facility. A first sorting technique is applied according to a specified item ordering criteria to arrange a plurality of items in a prioritized list of items. A second sorting technique is applied according to a specified slot ordering criteria to arrange a plurality of slots in a prioritized list of slots. A value ci is calculated for each item in the prioritized list of items, wherein the value ci represents the total number of available slots from the prioritized list of slots that the item can be successfully assigned to according to specified constraint rules. An item from the prioritized list of items is selected that has a smallest numeric value ck. A first slot from the prioritized list of slots is selected, wherein the selected item having the smallest numeric value ck meets specified constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Optricity Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Ray Grissom
  • Patent number: 8234004
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assigning an item to a slot in an item storage facility, such as a warehouse or a distribution center. A plurality of scores are determined, each score associated with an item and slot pair, the slot chosen from a plurality of slots and each score representing a degree of conformity of the item to a desired sequence of item and slot pairs, wherein the degree of conformity is measured in a simulated pairing of the item with the slot chosen from the plurality of slots in a sequence of other item and slot pairs and a different slot is chosen from the plurality of slots for each simulated pairing with the item. The item is physically assigned to a best slot associated with a highest score among the plurality of scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Optricity Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Ray Grissom
  • Publication number: 20090216364
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assigning an item to a slot in an item storage facility, such as a warehouse or a distribution center. A plurality of scores are determined, each score associated with an item and slot pair, the slot chosen from a plurality of slots and each score representing a degree of conformity of the item to a desired sequence of item and slot pairs, wherein the degree of conformity is measured in a simulated pairing of the item with the slot chosen from the plurality of slots in a sequence of other item and slot pairs and a different slot is chosen from the plurality of slots for each simulated pairing with the item. The item is physically assigned to a best slot associated with a highest score among the plurality of scores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Optricity Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Ray Grissom