Method and apparatus for mobile quality management inspections

• US 10,127,523 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifetime Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lifetime Brands Incorporated
• Inventors: Siegel, Clifford, Kamenstein, Matthew, Thatner, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Koneru, Sujay
• Application Number:
  US14/778,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mobile Quality Management/Control system for performing mobile product inspections is provided. A mobile device, such as a tablet, is configured to communicate with one or more databases and allow for real time entry (and subsequent access) of the details of product inspections for quality control and management purposes. The details of such inspections are maintained and available for all subsequent inspections. The mobile device is further configured to provide inspectors with inspection procedures and/or tutorials associated with the inspections being performed.

Claims

1. A mobile Quality Management Inspection System comprising:

a mobile device in communication with at least one network server, the mobile device having a display screen and input means for inputting data, said data including photographs; and

a database in communication with the network server and configured to receive and store all data input to the mobile device during an on site inspection, the network server configured to perform, according to the data input the mobile device, a usage decision process and a non-conformance process, the usage decision process includes the network server automatically performing the steps of;

determining whether a sample in the inspection lot meets a gold seal acceptance standard;

updating a quality information record if the sample meets the gold seal acceptable standard;

determining whether the source inspection is rejected with re-inspection;

generating an indication to block the inbound delivery of the lot and creating a re-inspection of the lot when the source inspection is rejection with re-inspection;

identifying a failure of the inspection lot when the source inspection is not rejected with re-inspection; and

creating a new source inspection lot when there has been an identified failure;

wherein the mobile device is configured to enable an inspector to perform, on site, at least one of source inspection;

receiving inspection;

product qualification inspection;

social compliance, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) and factory valuations;

non-conformance processing and document management, and upload this information to the database in real time.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network server is further configured for:

creating an inspection lot in response to a vendor'"'"'s completion of an order;

recording inspection results using a mobile device in communication with the at least one network server, the mobile device having a display screen and input means for inputting data, said data including photographs;

performing the usage decision process on accepted inspection lots, said accepted inspection lots having no identified defects; and

performing the non-conformance process on unaccepted inspections lots, said unaccepted inspection lots having at least one defect.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said recording further comprises:

performing an on-site quality control product inspection of one or more lots of products at a factory manufacturing the same; and

recording such inspection results in real time.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said performing a non-conformance process further comprises:

selecting a quality notification from a list of quality notifications;

adding tasks associated with the selected quality notification;

assigning users to each added task;

receiving notifications from the assigned users as to the completion of each assigned task;

recording a usage decision based on the completion of tasks, said recording closing the inspection lot; and

determining whether to close quality notification relating to the inspection lot.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the creation of the inspection lot further comprises:

opening a window on a tablet to record characteristic results, once recorded, the window is closed;

determining whether any defects are found in the inspection lot;

recording defects any defects found in the inspection lot;

for each product where no defects are found, saving the inspection lot;

calculating the number of recorded defects in the inspection lot;

comparing the calculated number of recorded defects with a predetermined value;

sending an electronic communication to a vendor responsible for the inspection lot providing the comparison results;

determining whether or not to accept the inspection lot;

creating a quality notification and assigning a coordinator when it is determined not to accept the inspection lot; and

completing an acceptance of a usage decision process when it is determined to accept the inspection lot.