Inventory management utilizing unattended pick up and return systems with a service parts facility
First Claim
1. A system for the management of service parts, comprised of:
- an attended facility operated by an inventory management service and having an attended service area where service parts may be distributed and returned;
an unattended facility associated with the attended facility and capable of containing a plurality of service parts;
an inventory management system that is associated with the attended facility and the unattended facility and is capable of tracking service parts in the inventory of the attended facility, service parts that have been placed in the unattended facility, service parts that have been distributed from the attended facility and the unattended facility and service parts that have been returned to the attended facility and the unattended facility, the unattended facility having one or more secure areas, a processor and a data entry device, with each secure area having a door and a lock, wherein the processor is programmed to open one or more locks when a passcode is entered into the data entry device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An unattended distribution facility and an unattended returns facility are incorporated into or are proximate to an attended distribution and return facility operated by an inventory management service. The unattended distribution facility and unattended returns facility are accessible by customers at times when the attended distribution and return facility are unavailable or at times when long waits are required to receive or return items at the attended distribution and return facility because of the number of customers simultaneously trying to obtain or return items. An embodiment includes incorporating the unattended returns facility into the unattended distribution facility. An unattended distribution facility'"'"'s electronic control system is integrated into an inventory management system used by the inventory management service so that the location of items placed in the unattended distribution facility may be monitored and information about the item may be updated when it is picked up by a customer.
115 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A system for the management of service parts, comprised of:
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an attended facility operated by an inventory management service and having an attended service area where service parts may be distributed and returned;
an unattended facility associated with the attended facility and capable of containing a plurality of service parts;
an inventory management system that is associated with the attended facility and the unattended facility and is capable of tracking service parts in the inventory of the attended facility, service parts that have been placed in the unattended facility, service parts that have been distributed from the attended facility and the unattended facility and service parts that have been returned to the attended facility and the unattended facility, the unattended facility having one or more secure areas, a processor and a data entry device, with each secure area having a door and a lock, wherein the processor is programmed to open one or more locks when a passcode is entered into the data entry device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An unattended item distribution and return system incorporated into an inventory management service'"'"'s attended facility having an attended service area, the unattended distribution and return system comprised of:
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an unattended facility having one or more secure areas, one or more processors, and a data entry device, with the secure areas having a lockable door, the lock on the door connected to the processor such that the processor may be programmed to open one or more locks when a passcode is entered into the data entry device and items are placed by inventory management service personnel and are held for pick-up by technicians;
one or more servers connected to the one or more processors of the unattended facility, wherein the one or more servers are capable of causing the notification of technicians that items are available for pick-up in the secure areas of the unattended facility;
an inventory management system operating on the one or more servers and having information about items that are in the inventory of at least the inventory management service'"'"'s attended facility, the inventory management system integrated with the unattended facility such that information about items placed in the secure areas of the unattended facility is not required to be entered into the data entry device of the unattended facility if said information has previously been entered into the inventory management system;
a database associated with the inventory management system, wherein the database is used to record the pick-up or placement of items in the secure areas of the unattended facility and update an item'"'"'s inventory records accordingly; and
one or more interface devices associated with the inventory management system, wherein the interface devices may be used to enter and view information about the items in the inventory of the inventory management service. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for the distribution and receipt of returned items by an inventory management service, comprising:
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providing an unattended facility comprised of one or more secure enclosures at a location that is proximate to an attended facility having an attended service area and the attended facility controlled by the inventory management service, the unattended facility comprised of one or more secure enclosures with each secure enclosure having a door with a lock;
a data entry device; and
a processor wherein the processor is configured to send a signal that locks or unlocks the lock on the door when a passcode is entered into the data entry device, the unattended facility connected to an inventory management system via a network;
maintaining an inventory of items in one or more storage facilities controlled by an inventory management service with the inventory management system having information about the inventory of items;
placing one or more items within at least one of the secure enclosures of the unattended facility;
allowing any one of a plurality of customers to access the items, as needed;
updating the information about the inventory of items in the inventory management system when the items are accessed and taken from the unattended facility. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for the distribution and receipt of returned items by an inventory management service, comprising:
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providing an unattended facility comprised of one or more secure enclosures at a location that is within an attended facility having an attended service area and the attended facility controlled by the inventory management service, the unattended facility comprised of one or more secure enclosures with each secure enclosure having a door with a lock;
a data entry device; and
a processor wherein the processor is configured to send a signal that locks or unlocks the lock on the door when a passcode is entered into the data entry device, the unattended facility connected to an inventory management system via a network;
maintaining an inventory of items in one or more storage facilities controlled by an inventory management service with the inventory management system having information about the inventory of items;
placing one or more items within at least one of the secure enclosures of the unattended facility;
allowing any one of a plurality of customers to access the items, as needed;
updating the information about the inventory of items in the inventory management system when the items are accessed and taken from the unattended facility. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for the return of an item to an unattended facility, comprising:
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providing an unattended facility located proximate to an attended facility controlled by an inventory management service, the unattended facility comprised of one or more secure enclosures with each secure enclosure having a door with a lock;
a data entry device; and
a processor wherein the processor is configured to send a signal that locks or unlocks the lock on the door when a passcode is entered into the data entry device;
returning an item to the unattended facility and entering return information about the return item into the data entry device;
associating the item with a return identifier, wherein the return identifier contains information about the return item;
placing the item in one or more secure enclosures of the unattended facility and closing and locking the door of the secure enclosures;
transmitting the return information from the unattended facility to a server via a network; and
utilizing the return information to process the item prior to the item'"'"'s retrieval from the unattended facility by personnel associated with the inventory management service. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of managing the labor resources of an inventory management service'"'"'s attended facility, comprising:
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providing an unattended distribution facility proximate to the attended facility such that an item ordered by a technician may be placed in the unattended distribution facility prior to the technician'"'"'s arrival at the attended facility by inventory management service personnel and the technician may retrieve the ordered item without the assistance of the inventory management service'"'"'s personnel;
providing an unattended returns facility proximate to the attended facility such that the technician may return items without having to place the items with the inventory management service personnel; and
providing technicians access to the unattended distribution facility and the unattended returns facility at times when inventory management service personnel are not available in the attended facility. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A method of utilizing an unattended distribution and return system by an inventory management service, comprising:
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incorporating an unattended item distribution system into an attended facility controlled by the inventory management service;
incorporating an unattended item returns system into the attended facility controlled by the inventory management service;
providing access for a customer to retrieve an ordered item from the unattended item distribution system;
providing access for the customer to place a return item in the unattended item returns system;
operating an attended item distribution area and an attended item returns area at the attended facility concurrently with the unattended item distribution system and the unattended item returns system during certain time periods, wherein certain customers may retrieve the ordered item at the attended item distribution area or return the return item at the attended item returns area;
operating the unattended item distribution system and the unattended item returns system during certain time periods when the attended item distribution area and an attended item returns area at the attended facility are not available, wherein certain customers may retrieve the ordered item at the unattended item distribution system or return the return item at the unattended item returns system; and
electronically linking an inventory management system with a control system associated with the unattended item distribution system so that ordered items taken from an inventory of items in the attended facility may be tracked when the ordered items are placed in the unattended item distribution system and when they are removed from the unattended pick-up and return system.
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48. A method of utilizing an inventory management system to track items that have been provided to technicians by an inventory management service, comprising:
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identifying items with a unique item identifier;
entering the item identifier into the inventory management system along with a location of the item;
updating the location of the item in the inventory management system as necessary if the item is re-located;
distributing the item to a technician;
recording a distribution date that the item was distributed to a technician and an identifier associated with the technician in the inventory management system;
monitoring the time from the distribution date that the item is kept by the technician with the inventory management system; and
notifying the technician for the item if the item is not returned to the inventory management service within a certain amount of time from the distribution date.
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Specification