System and method for searching for information on inventory with virtual warehouses

• US 20030135433A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Alex, Chen, Hark, Yan, Brina
• Granted Patent: US 7,251,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A system and method for searching for inventory information using a computerized virtual warehouse. The system includes a plurality of operation terminals (62) located in various warehouses (6) for inputting information on inventory received in and sent out from the warehouses, a database (21) for storing the information input by the operation terminals, and a virtual warehouse searching module (201) installed in a central management unit (200) for searching for the information on the inventory. The virtual warehouse searching module provides a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of each warehouse which closely simulates an actual layout of the warehouse. A quantity searching module (202) is for searching for a quantity of inventory in each storage area of any warehouse using a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram. A total cost searching module (203) is for searching for a total cost of inventory in each storage area of any warehouse using a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram.

Claims

1. A system for searching for information on inventory stored in at least one warehouse, the system comprising:

at least one operation terminal located in the at least one warehouse for inputting information on inventory received in and sent out from the at least one warehouse;

a database for storing the information input by the at least one operation terminal;

a central management unit for processing the information stored in the database; and

a virtual warehouse searching module installed in the central management unit for searching for the information on the inventory, the virtual warehouse searching module providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of the at least one warehouse which simulates actual layout of the at least one warehouse, wherein when a user clicks on an icon of the diagram, the user obtains corresponding information on inventory represented by the icon.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central management unit further comprises a quantity searching module providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of quantity of the inventory in the at least one warehouse.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the three-dimensional diagram of quantity comprises a plurality of columns showing quantity of inventory in various storage areas of the at least one warehouse, a height of each of the columns corresponding to a quantity of the inventory in a corresponding storage area.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central management unit further comprises a total cost searching module providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of total cost of the inventory in various storage areas of the at least one warehouse.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the three-dimensional diagram of total cost comprises a plurality of columns showing total cost of the inventory in various storage areas of the at least one warehouse, a height of each of the columns corresponding to a total cost of the inventory of a corresponding storage area.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a communications network through which a user can retrieve the information stored in the database.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the communications network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of intranets and the Internet.

8. A method for searching for information on inventory stored in at least one warehouse, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one operation terminal located in the at least one warehouse for inputting information on inventory received in and sent out from the at least one warehouse;

providing a database for storing the information input by the at least one operation terminal;

providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of the at least one warehouse for searching for the information on the inventory, the three-dimensional diagram simulating actual layout of the at least one warehouse; and

linking icons in the three-dimensional diagram with corresponding information stored in the database.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of quantity of inventory in various storage areas of the at least one warehouse.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

providing a computer-generated three-dimensional diagram of total cost of inventory in various storage areas of the at least one warehouse.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

providing a communications network through which a user can retrieve the information stored in the database.

12. A central management unit for use with searching inventory information, comprising:

means for connecting to the data base;

means for providing a three-dimensional diagram of a warehouse which closely simulates an actual layout of the warehouse and comprises a plurality of storage areas;

means for showing detailed inventory information on the storage area if said storage area is selectively clicked;

means for providing a three-dimensional diagram of quantities of inventory stored in each storage area of the warehouse; and

means for providing a three-dimensional diagram of costs of inventory stored in each storage area of the warehouse.

13. The unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein said detailed inventory information includes owners of items, internal item codes, item names, quantities, unit prices, and costs.