iVision®: from a patented order-picking method to remote audits
Remote audits are now part of everyday business for many companies. At PeRoBa®, they have a longer history: they go back to our own research into smart glasses and augmented reality, which began in 2011 and led to a granted patent in 2018. This page documents the origins and the evidence.
The journey in stages
The patent
DE 10 2015 117 554 B4: “Device and method for the visual technical support of manual order-picking processes” (German title: „Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur visuellen technischen Unterstützung von manuellen Kommissioniervorgängen“). Filed on 15 October 2015, grant published on 29 March 2018. The patent holder is PeRoBa Unternehmensberatung GmbH; the inventor is Dr. Roland Scherb.
Uniquely identified markers distributed throughout the warehouse are evaluated by the smart glasses only within the current field of view; the glasses display directional guidance. This saves energy and extends the operating time of the device. The patent specification already describes use in production, which can be monitored and logged online. This is the conceptual origin of the remote audit.
Patent drawing Fig. 1: markers in the warehouse; the smart glasses evaluate only the current field of view and display directional guidance.
Animation: iVision® guides the user step by step through assembling a component, illustrated here with a cube.
The trademark
German word mark IVISION, No. 30 2015 105 453, registered on 7 December 2015 (classes 9, 39 and 42).
Partners and practice
Brother: For the AirScouter smart glasses (1st and 2nd generation), PeRoBa® developed software solutions and presented them at several trade fairs, including CeBIT 2016.
Jungheinrich: Together, a solution for controlling an order-picking process was developed and presented at CeMAT 2016. Remote support was already demonstrated live there.
KS Autoglas Landsberg: Reference customer for the use of iVision® in smaller businesses; the application could be introduced flexibly and with little effort.
Case study KFZ Herrmann: With iVision®, employees document vehicles by smartphone and assign the photos directly to the job. The trade journal asp AUTO SERVICE PRAXIS reported on this in May 2021 under the headline “Best Practice: Der Chef ist im Bilde”. Read the original report in asp AUTO SERVICE PRAXIS (in German). The cooperation began in 2014 with the introduction of a QM system.
KFZ Herrmann, Munich: photo documentation with iVision®, assigned directly to the job (2021).
CeMAT 2016: live demonstration of the order-picking solution with iVision® developed jointly with Jungheinrich, including remote support.
iVision® on video
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Order picking with smart glasses (pick-by-vision): the patented method in use (video in German).
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From the warehouse to the audit: remote audits with smart glasses and augmented reality.
A worked example from remote audit practice
Internal system audit at a Chinese plant of a German company, in preparation for IATF 16949 certification:
| On-site audit | Remote audit with iVision® | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 1 day | 0.5 days |
| Audit | 2 days | 2 days |
| Travel time | 2.5 days | – |
| Follow-up | 1 day | 1 day |
| Total effort | 6.5 days | 3.5 days |
| Costs | €8,560 travel costs (transfers, flights, hotel) | €760 licence costs |
| Saving | 3 working days and around €7,800 | |
The auditor was an employee of the client, so no personnel costs are included; amounts rounded, client anonymised. The example is also described in the book “Remote Audit”.
Evidence
