METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC INVENTORY VARIANCE IDENTIFICATION

• US 20080120200A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Togwe, Thembani, Hurtis, George Michael, Knipfer, Ivory Wellman, Thavasi, Manivannan
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,784 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

Abstract

A system for performing an inventory count. A scan of an object is initiated according to a profile in order to perform the inventory count of the object. A scan result is compared with a recorded level for the object to determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level. A variance analysis is performed if the variance exists.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing an inventory count, the computer implemented method comprising:

initiating a scan of an object according to a profile to perform the inventory count of the object;

comparing a scan result with a recorded level for the object;

determining if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level; and

performing a variance analysis if the variance exists.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging a comparison result, wherein comparing the scan result with the recorded level generates the comparison result; and

displaying a variance report if the variance exists.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

locking the object to be scanned to perform the inventory count;

responsive to determining that the variance does not exist, unlocking the object; and

responsive to unlocking the object, resuming normal operation.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile includes one or more profiles of one or more objects.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile includes when to perform the inventory count of the object, how to perform the inventory count of the object, object data, object location, and variance analysis procedures.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the variance analysis procedures include scanning adjacent areas to the object location or other areas defined in the profile to assist in resolving the variance.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the object data includes at least one of a name, identification number, serial number, and description of the object.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object is one of an inanimate object, animal, or human.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object includes one or more of the object.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the object is counted individually or in a group, and wherein the group is counted by a box, pallet, bin, room, building, or yard that contains the one or more of the object.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object is one of a plurality of objects.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object includes a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the radio frequency identification tag is one of a shortwave, high frequency, ultra high frequency, microwave, wireless fidelity, or Bluetooth radio frequency identification tag.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is read and counted by a radio frequency identification scanner, and wherein the radio frequency identification scanner performs the scan of the object.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the inventory count is automatically performed according to the profile in near real-time.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the locking step includes locking an enclosure containing the object or stopping movement of the object in order to perform the scan, and wherein the unlocking step includes unlocking the enclosure containing the object or allowing movement of the object in order to resume normal operation.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the inventory count on a plurality of objects at a same time.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the object is a profiled object, and wherein the profiled object has an associated profile.

18. A data processing system for performing an inventory count, comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to initiate a scan of an object according to a profile to perform the inventory count of the object, compare a scan result with a recorded level for the object, determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level, and perform a variance analysis if the variance exists.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit executes a further set of instructions to log a comparison result, wherein the set of instructions to compare the scan result with the recorded level of the object generates the comparison result and display a variance report if the variance exists.

20. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit executes a further set of instructions to lock the object to be scanned to perform the inventory count, unlock the object in response to determining that the variance does not exist, and resume normal operation in response to unlocking the object.

21. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the object includes a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the radio frequency identification tag is one of a shortwave, high frequency, ultra high frequency, microwave, wireless fidelity, or Bluetooth radio frequency identification tag.

22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is read and counted by a radio frequency identification scanner, and wherein the radio frequency identification scanner performs the scan of the object.

23. The data processing system of claim 20, wherein the set of instructions to lock the object includes sub-instructions to lock an enclosure containing the object or stop movement of the object in order to perform the scan, and wherein the set of instructions to unlock the object includes sub-instructions to unlock the enclosure containing the object or allow movement of the object in order to resume normal operation.

24. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit executes a further set of instructions to perform the inventory count on a plurality of objects at a same time.

25. A computer program product for performing an inventory count, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer usable medium comprising;

computer usable program code configured to initiate a scan of an object according to a profile to perform the inventory count of the object;

computer usable program code configured to compare a scan result with a recorded level for the object;

computer usable program code configured to determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level; and

computer usable program code configured to perform a variance analysis if the variance exists.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to log a comparison result, wherein the computer usable program code to compare the scan result with the recorded level of the object generates the comparison result; and

computer usable program code configured to display a variance report if the variance exists.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to lock the object to be scanned to perform the inventory count;

computer usable program code configured to unlock the object in response to determining that the variance does not exist; and

computer usable program code configured to resume normal operation in response to unlocking the object.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the profile includes when to perform the inventory count of the object, how to perform the inventory count of the object, object data, object location, and variance analysis procedures.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the variance analysis procedures include scanning adjacent areas to the object location or other areas defined in the profile to assist in resolving the variance.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the object data includes at least one of a name, identification number, serial number, and description of the object.

31. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the object includes one or more of the object.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the one or more of the object is counted individually or in a group, and wherein the group is counted by a box, pallet, bin, room, building, or yard that contains the one or more of the object.

33. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the inventory count is automatically performed according to the profile in near real-time.

34. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to perform the inventory count on a plurality of objects at a same time.

35. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the object is a profiled object, and wherein the profiled object has an associated profile.