Instance-based inventory services
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform actions comprising;
creating an instance data record corresponding to an individual instance of a product that is transferred through multiple business entities including a first business entity in a product supply chain and a second business entity upstream or downstream from the first business entity in the product supply chain;
receiving, from the first business entity, first information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the first information comprises at least one of a first owner or a first location of the individual instance;
updating, based at least in part on the first information, the instance data record;
receiving, from the second business entity, second information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a second owner different from the first owner or a second location different from the first location;
updating, based at least in part on the second information, the instance data record;
identifying, from the instance data record, data that the first business entity is permitted to access, wherein the data that the first business entity is permitted to access excludes at least a portion of the second information;
generating a custom inventory report for the first business entity, wherein the custom inventory report includes at least a portion of the data that the first business entity is permitted to access; and
providing the custom inventory report to the first business entity.
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Abstract
An inventory service allows business entities to create inventory reports and other reports based on inventory data records corresponding respectively to individual instances of a product. When events take place regarding the product instance, the data record corresponding to the product instance is updated to indicate such events, including descriptions of the events and times of the events. Events may include purchase or sale of the product instance, location movements of the product instance, repairs and returns of the product instance, etc.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform actions comprising; creating an instance data record corresponding to an individual instance of a product that is transferred through multiple business entities including a first business entity in a product supply chain and a second business entity upstream or downstream from the first business entity in the product supply chain; receiving, from the first business entity, first information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the first information comprises at least one of a first owner or a first location of the individual instance; updating, based at least in part on the first information, the instance data record; receiving, from the second business entity, second information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a second owner different from the first owner or a second location different from the first location; updating, based at least in part on the second information, the instance data record; identifying, from the instance data record, data that the first business entity is permitted to access, wherein the data that the first business entity is permitted to access excludes at least a portion of the second information; generating a custom inventory report for the first business entity, wherein the custom inventory report includes at least a portion of the data that the first business entity is permitted to access; and providing the custom inventory report to the first business entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for maintaining inventory information regarding physical instances of products as the physical instances move through inventory collections of business entities of a product supply chain and for providing inventory reports to the business entities of the product supply chain, the method comprising:
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creating an instance data record corresponding to an individual instance of a product that is transferred through multiple business entities including a first business entity in a product supply chain and a second business entity upstream or downstream from the first business entity in the product supply chain; receiving, from the first business entity, first information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the first information comprises at least one of a first owner or a first location of the individual instance; updating, based at least in part on the first information, the instance data record; receiving, from the second business entity, second information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a second owner different from the first owner or a second location different from the first location; updating, based at least in part on the second information, the instance data record; identifying, from the instance data record, data that the first business entity is permitted to access, wherein the data that the first business entity is permitted to access excludes at least a portion of the second information; generating a custom inventory report for the first business entity, wherein the custom inventory report includes at least a portion of the data that the first business entity is permitted to access; and providing the custom inventory report to the first business entity. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:
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creating an instance data record corresponding to an individual instance of a product that is transferred through multiple business entities including a first business entity in a product supply chain and a second business entity upstream or downstream from the first business entity in the product supply chain; receiving, from the first business entity, first information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the first information comprises at least one of a first owner or a first location of the individual instance; updating, based at least in part on the first information, the instance data record; receiving, from the second business entity, second information regarding the individual instance of the product, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a second owner different from the first owner or a second location different from the first location; updating, based at least in part on the second information, the instance data record; identifying, from the instance data record, data that the first business entity is permitted to access, wherein the data that the first business entity is permitted to access excludes at least a portion of the second information; generating a custom inventory report for the first business entity, wherein the custom inventory report includes at least a portion of the data that the first business entity is permitted to access; and providing the custom inventory report to the first business entity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification