Patents by Inventor Steve Hanlon

Steve Hanlon 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: 8977386
    Abstract: Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Steve Hanlon
  • Publication number: 20150048010
    Abstract: Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Steve Hanlon
  • Patent number: 8892245
    Abstract: Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Steve Hanlon
  • Publication number: 20140202935
    Abstract: Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Steve Hanlon
  • Patent number: 8731711
    Abstract: Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Steve Hanlon