Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-14
2004-06-01
Jankus, Almis R. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S419000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06744436
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This virtual reality warehouse management system complement (VR WMS complement) is an advance to the warehousing and logistics industry where image generating graphic board systems, visual computer generated warehouse databases, and other optional components of virtual reality (VR) are incorporated and integrated into the stock location systems of computerized warehouse management systems (WMSs) in order to manage warehouses better.
2. Background Art
1. Warehousing
Since people began the conglomeration of goods into buildings, they have relied on two major methods of warehousing, which had been in existence for thousands of years. The memory system and the stock location naming system and/or the combination of both. The memory system consists of having a person or group of people to keep a memory of location of stock and available spaces to place them. A stock location naming system identifies locations based on a system of symbols, numbers and letters. A notable example of early warehousing with a stock location system begins in Egypt when the Pharoah's servants kept track of stores of grains and wealth. However, both of these methods are complex, confusing and inefficient. Recently modern advances have greatly improved these ancient techniques. These include the incorporation of the stock location naming system by computer, and the use of audio technology and robot like automated warehousing systems. All these warehousing methods are discussed below.
a. Warehouse Manager(s) Without a Computerized WMS
Warehouse managers have difficulty relying solely on their own memory and/or a stock location system to keep track of stock keeping unit (SKU) locations and available space to place them—especially in the high volume of stock in modern warehouses. Even with two dimensional maps of the warehouse, limited success is achieved due to the dynamic three dimensional nature of a warehouse. Excessive amounts of paperwork produced by inventory data can sometimes confuse workers, even though they are necessary for the management of warehousing.
Recently, with the industrial revolution, warehouses have expanded into square miles, and the copious quantities of goods that are processed today have become increasingly difficult to manage with human memory techniques and a stock location naming system. The human memory system, in both ancient and modern times, has relied on one person or a group of people who has been employed at a warehouse for a long period of time and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge of warehouse locations. Even the most skilled warehouse manager has difficulty in keeping track of locations of stock and available spaces. Psychology studies have proven that the human mind can only retain 5 to 7 items at one time. In order to reduce confusion and better address modern warehousing, companies have no other recourse but to turn to the fast stock location accessing capabilities of computers.
b. Computerized Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Computerized WMS presently do not provide any other way of visualizing a warehouse besides using naming methods based on stock location systems. The naming conventions used in these WMS make the entire WMS difficult to use, maintain, and fully understand. This difficulty also limits WMS users to use any WMS to its fullest capabilities. Which in turn also limits the WMS designer from conceiving of new capabilities.
A numbering system based on a naming convention consisting of warehouse areas and stock locations that are placed on several sheets of paper or monitor fails to quickly and effectively convey this three dimensional SKU location information to the human mind as is needed in the complex and dynamic three dimensional optimum real time environment of warehousing. When very large number of locations must be accounted for very quickly, this process becomes tedious, slow and confusing. The numbers and letters that describe a location of stock or an available space to place goods are difficult to quickly decipher by even the most skilled warehouse worker especially when it needs to be done accurately and efficiently each time. Tediousness and inaccuracy can become commonplace in large volume and or complex warehousing. The naming method based on a written stock location system is very time consuming, difficult, and costly to labor hours, costly to warehouse building space etc. Warehousing performed with the help of computerized WMSs have phenomenally advanced the warehousing process by placing, monitoring, selecting, and shipping SKUs. However, these software systems need to supply SKU data to people to effectively warehouse. These systems based on a stock location naming system, give people locations of SKUs in the form of numbers and letters, such as STE7362-38. All major warehousing processes involve the need to know the location of goods. These processes include planning and design, receipt and placement, monitoring of stock picking SKUs for orders, and shipping SKUs. The human mind takes longer time to read a name like this: YFI-3894-F, than to read and understand a picture. A number based on a stock location naming system fails to quickly and effectively convey this three dimensional SKU location information to the human mind as is needed in the complex and dynamic environment of warehousing.
Software companies have provided systems specifically for the warehousing industry that access locations with a stock location naming system. Numerous software programs that are sold today have been widely used first in the early 1980s. A few of these warehouse management systems include but are not limited to the following table 1 as found in
Consumer Goods Manufacturer
, September/October 1998, an Edgell Publication, Vol 7 NO 5:
TABLE 1
WMS
Company name
WMS name
Acacia Technologies
Warehouse Boss 6.0
Adonix Transcomm
Tolas WMS 3.1
AllPoints Systems.
AllPoints V6.0
Inc.
Ann Arbor Computer
PC/Aim V.4.0
Applied Automation
AutoTrak 6.0
Techniques
Cambar Software
Client Server Warehousing (CSW) v 1.10 Control
II v 2.2
Cantoc
CENSYS NT
Catalyst Int'l, Inc
Catalyst WMS 7.1
Celerity Solutions, Inc
WMS 5.0
Daly & Wolcott
A+, Version 3.02
Data Collection
Wh. Advantage 4.2
Systems, Inc.
DataWorks Corpor-
Avante, Vantage
ation
DSA-Software
Foxware
Evcor
Warehouse Brain Nautilus
EXE Technologies
Exceed
Exeter/Kewill
Commander 2000
Gateway
Warehouse Control System
Genco Distribution
Doms v5.5
System
Haushahn Systems and
Viaware WMS 4.3.6
Engineers
HK Systems Logistics
Stockmaster 4.4
Software
Interlink Technologies
WHSE-Link
JBA International
System 21 V 3.5.2
JDA Software group,
Wh. Control Center V 1.1
Inc.
J.D. Edwards
WMS/A8.1 or B73.3
Logility
Warehouse PRO 3.0
Majure Data, Inc.
RF Navigator 8.0
Malvern System, Inc.
The Malvern W.M.S.
Manhattan Associates,
PkMS 18.2
Inc.
McHugh Software
DCSTRACS*, DMplus/TRACS*
International
Mincron Software
MSS/WM V.1.4, MSS/WM V.3.2
System
MK Group, an iBU of
MK- Logistics/8.0
Computer Associates
Intl.
Montego System
WinWhere V. 3.0
OMI International
Triceps
Optum, Inc.
Response SCE Suite Move WMS
QSSI
PowerHouse
Renaissance Software
IWMS V. 3.1
Inc.
Robocom Systems
RIMS.2001
International
RT Systems
RT Locator/WMS
ScanData Systems.
8.0
Inc.
Sonica Software
Sonictrak V.3.1
Summit Group
Logistics Pro
Tangible Vision Inc.
Imprimis 2.02
Tecsys
Elite Series 6.1
TRW-Logistics
Execution System
Uniteq
WMS 21 4.2
Yantra Corporation
WMS Yantra
SAP
SAP R/3 Logistics modules, Warehouse
Management (WM)
BDM - MARC Material and Resource Control
System
DCSI WMS
EDMS WMS
Royal 4 Systems
R4-WMS
OnTime Shareware WMS
Scarlett Development WMS
Radcliffe WMS
Wireless Warehouse
Red Brick Warehouse VPT
Integrated Warehousing Solutions IRMS WMS
ESKAY Corporation
Warehouse Rx WMS
Silver Creek Assoc.
SCAN TRAC WMS.
Eagle WMS
Renaissance WMS
Logistics Data Systems
Peoplesoft Inc..
Peoplesoft Logistics. Materials Management.
Red Pepper
These programs have greatly advanced the warehousing industry, modernizing it with available technology; however, these have been limited in delivering location in
Chirieleison, Jr. Anthony
Chirieleison, Sr. Tony
Jankus Almis R.
Nath & Associates
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