Comment Re:Going wireless inside too... (Score 1) 160
Indeed it would be trivial to implement a misload prevention system if the scanning system were being designed from scratch. But, I do see hope in the next generation of scanners.
As I understand it, UPScan scanners are supposed to be using 803.11b wireless networking for connecting back to the servers rather than radio transceivers. That right there helps the reliability of the data transmission and should provide for the possibility of transmitting more data quicker to and from the scanners.
Now, to provide the loader information as to whether a package should or shouldn't go into a feeder automatically, there must be some way that the system knows where the packages that the loader is scanning go. Much of this information is in UPS databases as it is uploaded from customer sites either before or shortly after the package is shipped.
Now the problem is not having the data, it is accessing the data. If every site operated by querying a central database, that server would probably get overloaded fairly quickly. So, I think that most of the data must be located in local servers rather than a centralized one.
Ideally the information about the packages already scanned to a feeder would go to the next operation's servers so that their systems could utilize the data efficiently. Also, the packages coming in from package cars or TDPs should be routed to the local server by the system. If there were some not scanned to the feeder or otherwise not in the local system, then the centralized database could be queried without too much of a burden. The only problem is what to do with the packages that don't have any information in the system?
As I understand it, UPScan scanners are supposed to be using 803.11b wireless networking for connecting back to the servers rather than radio transceivers. That right there helps the reliability of the data transmission and should provide for the possibility of transmitting more data quicker to and from the scanners.
Now, to provide the loader information as to whether a package should or shouldn't go into a feeder automatically, there must be some way that the system knows where the packages that the loader is scanning go. Much of this information is in UPS databases as it is uploaded from customer sites either before or shortly after the package is shipped.
Now the problem is not having the data, it is accessing the data. If every site operated by querying a central database, that server would probably get overloaded fairly quickly. So, I think that most of the data must be located in local servers rather than a centralized one.
Ideally the information about the packages already scanned to a feeder would go to the next operation's servers so that their systems could utilize the data efficiently. Also, the packages coming in from package cars or TDPs should be routed to the local server by the system. If there were some not scanned to the feeder or otherwise not in the local system, then the centralized database could be queried without too much of a burden. The only problem is what to do with the packages that don't have any information in the system?
