Three-layer architecture for retail and warehouse stock audit system and method
First Claim
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1. A system for auditing the stock of a retail or warehouse establishment, comprising:
- a computer, at least one input/output device coupled to the computer, at least one portable terminal communicating at least intermittently with said computer, said portable terminal collecting data concerning stock and reporting said collected data to said computer, and a multi-layer stock auditing architecture provided on said computer, said multi-layer architecture including at least the following plurality of discrete layers;
a relational database;
a business layer communicating with said relational database, said business layer including auditing modules providing business rules; and
an applications layer communicating with said business layer, said applications layer providing a user interface via said input/output device, wherein said plurality of discrete layers provide extensibility and updateable by separating the user interface from the business layer and by separating the business layer from the relational database.
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Abstract
A stock auditing system includes a three-tiered, independent-component architecture to provide extensibility and compatibility with mainstream personal computer operating systems. The system provides a robust and stable operating environment with quick and flexible data manipulation through relational database technology. Reporting capability can be user defined. Object oriented business rules are provided for easier extensions to software functionality. Inherent design standards allow natural language variations. Full on-line contextual user help screens are also provided.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for auditing the stock of a retail or warehouse establishment, comprising:
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a computer, at least one input/output device coupled to the computer, at least one portable terminal communicating at least intermittently with said computer, said portable terminal collecting data concerning stock and reporting said collected data to said computer, and a multi-layer stock auditing architecture provided on said computer, said multi-layer architecture including at least the following plurality of discrete layers;
a relational database;
a business layer communicating with said relational database, said business layer including auditing modules providing business rules; and
an applications layer communicating with said business layer, said applications layer providing a user interface via said input/output device, wherein said plurality of discrete layers provide extensibility and updateable by separating the user interface from the business layer and by separating the business layer from the relational database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of performing a stock audit function comprising:
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collecting stock audit data using handheld portable data collection terminals;
communicating said collected data to a multi-layer modular data processing architecture including a business layer comprising plural modules and a services layer comprising plural modules, said business layer including business rules and a handheld terminal interactor module, said services layer including a communications facility for communicating with said handheld terminals and also including a relational database; and
updating said data processing architecture by substituting less than all of said modules thereof. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification