Systems and methods of inventory management utilizing unattended facilities

• US 20050103842A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Joyce, Robert F., Fratt, Douglas David, Bong, Juwono W., Knowles, Clyde W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,055,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

An inventory management system utilizes unattended facilities remote from a central warehouse for service parts logistics. Items are placed in inventory in secure enclosures at the unattended facilities by the inventory management service or are delivered directly to the unattended facility. The unattended facilities may be located near one or more customers to reduce a service technician'"'"'s travel time and customers'"'"' inventory costs. A service technician utilizes a passcode to retrieve needed items. The service technician may order items that are not kept in the inventory of the unattended facility in which case the items may be delivered to the unattended facility and the service technician may receive a notification related to all the items that comprise an order that the order is ready for pick up at an unattended facility. Unused, used or damaged parts may be returned by a technician to a remote secure enclosure where such returned parts may be retrieved and disposed of, repaired or placed back into inventory if not damaged or after repair, and the processing of such returned parts begins by information entered into a data entry device at the remote secure enclosure location. Return items that are not damaged may be included in the inventory of an unattended facility.

Claims

1. A system for the unattended distribution of items, comprising:

an unattended facility located remote from a central warehouse and capable of containing a plurality of items;

a network;

a central server connected to the unattended facility via the network, wherein said central server is configured to transmit a notification to the customer, said notification including a passcode that is associated with one or more groups of passcodes, said one or more groups of passcodes having a first group of passcodes having authorization to only view and selectively choose items assigned to the passcode used to access the unattended facility, and a second group of passcodes comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more items that have not been assigned to any certain passcode, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes; and

an interface connecting an inventory management service to the central server through the network, said interface configured to enable an exchange of information between the inventory management service and the unattended facility, whereby the inventory management service is facilitated in keeping an inventory of the items in the unattended facility or retrieving returned items from said unattended facility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the unattended facility further comprises:

a secure enclosure including a door with a lock;

a data entry device; and

a processor programmed to lock or unlock the lock on the door when the passcode is entered into the data entry device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is capable of being programmed with one or more passcodes by information entered into the data entry device and by information entered by the inventory management service.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to respond to the entry of the passcode and unlock the secure enclosure when a customer enters the passcode into the data entry device of the unattended facility to enable the customer, upon gaining access to the secure enclosure, to retrieve items from the unattended facility from the inventory of items maintained in the unattended facility by the inventory management service.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a communications device associated with the network wherein the communications device is used by a customer to place an order for the items with the inventory management service and the items are then delivered to the unattended facility by the inventory management service.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the items that comprise the order are placed in more than one secure enclosure of the unattended facility and the central server transmits a single notification to the customer that the order had been placed in the unattended facility.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to monitor a quantity of items placed in or removed from the inventory of items in the unattended facility and to send said quantity to the central server via the network, and said quantity is maintained on the central server and is accessible at the interface.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said one or more groups of passcodes is further comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more items that have been assigned to a passcode not used to access the unattended facility, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

9. A system for the unattended distribution of items, comprising:

an unattended facility located remote from a central warehouse and capable of containing a plurality of items, said unattended facility further comprised of;

a secure enclosure including a door with a lock;

a data entry device;

a processor programmed to lock or unlock the lock on the door when a passcode is entered into the data entry device, wherein said passcode is associated with at least one or more groups of passcodes, said one or more groups of passcodes comprised of a first group of passcodes having authorization to view and selectively choose items assigned to the passcode used to access the unattended facility, and a second group of passcodes comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more items that have not been assigned to any certain passcode, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes;

a network;

a central server connected to the unattended facility via the network; and

an interface connecting an inventory management service to the central server through the network, said interface configured to enable an exchange of information between the inventory management service and the unattended facility, whereby the inventory management service is facilitated in keeping an inventory of the items in the unattended facility or retrieving returned items from said unattended facility.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is capable of being programmed with one or more passcodes by information entered into the data entry device and by information entered by the inventory management service.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising a communications device associated with the network wherein the communications device is used by a customer to place an order for the items with the inventory management service and the items are then delivered to the unattended facility by the inventory management service.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the items that comprise the order are placed in more than one secure enclosure of the unattended facility and the central server transmits a single notification to the customer that the order had been placed in the unattended facility.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to monitor a quantity of items placed in or removed from the inventory of items in the unattended facility and to send said quantity to the central server via the network, and said quantity is maintained on the central server and is accessible at the interface.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said one or more groups of passcodes is further comprised of a third group of passcodes having one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more items that have been assigned to a passcode not used to access the unattended facility, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

15. A control system for an unattended facility comprising:

a software application configured to monitor the placement of one or more items that comprise an order in more than one secure enclosures of the unattended facility and associate said items as comprising one order; and

a transmission device capable of transmitting a notification to the customer relating to all the items that comprise the order in response to a signal from the software application, wherein said notification includes a passcode that is used to access said unattended facility, said passcode is associated with at least one or more groups of passcodes, said one or more groups of passcodes comprised of a first group of passcodes having authorization to view and selectively choose orders assigned to the passcode used to access the unattended facility, and a second group of passcodes comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more orders that have not been assigned to any certain passcode, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein said one or more groups of passcodes is further comprised of a third group of passcodes having one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more orders that have been assigned to a passcode not used to access the unattended facility, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

17. The control system of claim 15, wherein the notification is selected from the group consisting of an electronic page to a wireless electronic paging device, an electronic mail message sent to the customer, and a telephonic transmission sent to the customer.

18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the notification is a single notification.

19. A system for the unattended return of a return item, comprising:

an unattended facility located remote from a central warehouse, said unattended facility comprising;

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 lock or unlock the lock on the door when a passcode is entered into the data entry device and said processor is configured to monitor receipt of return information about the return item that has been entered into the data entry device by a customer and to send the information to the inventory management service, said return information including a status of said return item that indicates whether said return items us used, unused, good, bad, damaged or warranty return;

a network;

a central server connected to the unattended facility via the network;

an interface connecting an inventory management service to the central server, wherein the return information is transmitted to the central server via the network and is available at the interface, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein upon the customer entering the return information into the data entry device, the processor is configured to associate the return item with a return identifier and unlock a secure enclosure of the unattended facility for placement of the return item in the secure enclosure.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the unattended facility further comprises a device for creating the return identifier.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the unattended facility further comprises a device for encoding the return identifier.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the unattended facility further comprises a receipt and a device for creating a receipt for the return item placed in the secure enclosure of the unattended facility.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more secure enclosures is selected from the group consisting of lockers, rooms, bins and secure areas.

25. The system of claim 19, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse includes indicating whether said return item is defective but still under a warranty.

26. The system of claim 19, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse includes indicating whether to make a replenishment order of said return item based in part upon said status of said return item.

27. The system of claim 19, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse includes generating bills or billing information associated with said return item based in part upon said status of said return item.

28. The system of claim 19, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse includes generating reports based in part upon said return information.

29. The system of claim 19, said return information being available to be the inventory management service to process the return item in advance of its retrieval by the inventory management service and transportation to the central warehouse includes pre-processing of a defective return item including determining whether to scrap or repair said defective return item based in part upon said status of said return item.

30. A system for inventory management utilizing unattended facilities comprising:

a plurality of unattended facilities located remote from a central warehouse, each unattended facility including at least one secure enclosure with each secure enclosure having a door and a lock on the door, a processor, and a data entry device, wherein the customer enters a passcode in the data entry device to gain access to the secure enclosures, said passcode is associated with at least one or more groups of passcodes, said one or more groups of passcodes comprised of a first group of passcodes having authorization to view and selectively choose one or more inventory items assigned to the passcode used to access the unattended facility, and a second group of passcodes comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more inventory items that have not been assigned to any certain passcode, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes;

a central server wherein each unattended facility is connected to the central server through a network; and

an interface with an inventory management service with said interface connected to the central server through the network, wherein a customer is provided access to the secure enclosures to retrieve the inventory item or place a return item, and information about each said access at said plurality of unattended facilities is transmitted to the central server and is available at the interface.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the customer receives a notification prior to retrieving the inventory item from one of the unattended facilities.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the notification includes the passcode.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the customer enters return information into the data entry device when placing a return item in the secure enclosure.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the return information is transmitted to the central server and is made available to the interface.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the customer associates the return item with a return identifier and said return item is placed in the secure enclosure of one of the unattended facilities.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising a device at the unattended facility, wherein the return identifier is created by the device.

37. The system of claim 33, further comprising a receipt device at the unattended facility, wherein the receipt device creates a receipt for the return item.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein based upon the return information entered by the customer, a return item is assigned a status and responsive to said status being a predetermined status, the return item is designated as an inventory item in one of the unattended facilities.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein said one or more groups of passcodes is further comprised of a third group of passcodes having one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more inventory items that have been assigned to a passcode not used to access the unattended facility, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

40. A method for notifying a customer of delivery of an order to an unattended facility comprising:

receiving the order from the customer, said order comprised of more than one item;

delivering the order to the unattended facility;

placing the items that comprise the order in more than one secure enclosures of the unattended facility; and

transmitting a notification relating to all the items of the order to the customer that the order is available for retrieval, wherein said notification includes a passcode that is used to access to the secure enclosures of said unattended facility, said passcode is associated with at least one or more groups of passcodes, said one or more groups of passcodes comprised of a first group of passcodes having authorization to view and selectively choose orders assigned to the passcode used to access the unattended facility, and a second group of passcodes comprised of one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more orders that have not been assigned to any certain passcode, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the notification is selected from the group consisting of an electronic page to a wireless electronic paging device, an electronic mail message sent to the customer, and a telephonic transmission sent to the customer.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the enclosure is selected from the group consisting of lockers, rooms, bins and secure areas.

43. The method of claim 40 further comprising indicating to the customer in which secure enclosures the items that comprise the order have been placed.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein said one or more groups of passcodes is further comprised of a third group of passcodes having one or more passcodes that have authorization to view and selectively choose one or more orders that have been assigned to a passcode not used to access the unattended facility, and each group of passcodes is a subset of all passcodes.

45. A method for the unattended distribution and retrieval of returned items by an inventory management service, comprising:

providing an unattended facility comprised of at least one secure enclosure at a location that is remote from a central warehouse and that is geographically closer to a plurality of customers of the inventory management service than is said central warehouse;

determining from each of the customer'"'"'s businesses one or more certain service parts, wherein at least one of said service parts is a pooled service part needed by each of the plurality of customers on a random, non-continual basis and said one or more service parts comprise a pooled inventory of items that are to be placed in the unattended facility;

placing and maintaining said pooled inventory of items in said unattended facility, wherein said pooled inventory of items includes said pooled service part and said quantity of said pooled service part maintained in said unattended facility is less than or equal to said plurality of customers; and

allowing said plurality of customers to access and obtain one or more items from the pooled inventory of items, as needed.

46. A method for the unattended distribution and retrieval of returned items by an inventory management service, comprising:

providing an unattended facility comprised of at least one secure enclosure at a location that is remote from a central warehouse and that is geographically closer to a plurality of customers of the inventory management service than is said central warehouse;

determining from the unattended facility'"'"'s proximity to each of the plurality of customer'"'"'s businesses one or more certain service parts, wherein at least one of said service parts is a pooled service part needed by each of the plurality of customers on a random, non-continual basis and said one or more service parts comprise a pooled inventory of items that are to be placed in the unattended facility;

placing and maintaining said pooled inventory of items in said unattended facility, wherein said pooled inventory of items includes said pooled service part and said quantity of said pooled service part maintained in said unattended facility is less than or equal to said plurality of customers; and

allowing said plurality of customers to access and obtain one or more items from the pooled inventory of items, as needed.