SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEMAND DRIVEN COLLABORATIVE PROCUREMENT, LOGISTICS, AND AUTHENTICITY ESTABLISHMENT OF LUXURY COMMODITIES USING VIRTUAL INVENTORIES

• US 20080217404A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Left Bank Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Lottabase LLC
• Inventors: Adstedt, Kjell Roland, Sternberg, Joakim Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,711 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 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods providing for a virtual inventory system of goods aggregating disparate inventories into a single virtual inventory for the purpose of tracking the goods, trading the goods, and establishing authenticity of the goods. The aggregation of disparate inventories readily provides for quick procurement or sales of the goods, especially as they relate to high end, rare, or expensive items. Accordingly, electronic product codes are assigned to each good to monitor inventory and movement of the good.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of items, each item being associated with a unique electronic product code;

a plurality of electronic product code readers disposed in a plurality of disparate locations; and

a virtual inventory to maintain inventory information of a plurality disparate collections of items connected to each of the plurality of electronic product code readers;

wherein at least one electronic code reader monitors each disparate collection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic code reader comprises an RFID reader and each electronic product code is associated with each item through the use of an RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the REID tag affixed to each item must be rendered inoperable prior to use of the item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the item comprises at least bottles or cases of beverages.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of each item may be determined.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a provenance history is created, the provenance history comprising at least the location where each item resided.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein items determined to be missing from the location cause an alert to be communicated to an entity.

8. A method comprising:

offering a virtual inventory to maintain inventory information of a plurality disparate collections of items;

connecting the virtual inventory to at least one electronic product code reader that monitors the inventory of one of the disparate collections of items, each item having a unique electronic product code implement affixed; and

maintaining information regarding the inventory of the disparate collection of items, wherein the virtual inventory periodically collects inventory data from each electronic product code reader to which it is connected;

wherein the electronic product code implement is rendered inoperable when each item is used.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic product code reader comprises an RFID reader;

and

wherein an RFID tag comprises each electronic code implement.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic product code implement is installed at a point of origin of the item.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic product code implement is installed after verifying at least the authenticity of the item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic produce code implement is rendered inoperative upon use of the item.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating an alert when an item that should be in an inventory is missing from the inventory for a predetermined time period.

14. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon for performing the steps comprising:

offering a virtual inventory to maintain inventory information of a plurality disparate collections of items;

connecting the virtual inventory to at least one electronic product code reader that monitors the inventory of a disparate collection of items, each item having a unique electronic product code implement affixed; and

,

maintaining information regarding the inventory of the disparate collection of items, wherein the virtual inventory periodically collects inventory data from each electronic product code reader to which it is connected;

wherein the electronic product code implement is rendered inoperable when each item is used.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 14, wherein the electronic product code reader comprises an RFID reader;

and

wherein an RFID tag comprises each electronic code implement.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 14, further comprising communicating an alert when an item that should be in an inventory is missing from the inventory for a predetermined time period.

17. A method comprising:

using an RFID tag affixed to a plurality of items in a location in an inventory to determine to locality of the item, wherein a system of RFID antennas disposed in a location for storing the plurality of items is used to determine the locality of the item; and

displaying the locality to a party.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the locality to a party comprises highlighting the locality on a digital map of the location.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the locality to a party comprises activating a signal in the locality.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the signal is at least one of a visual signal or an audio signal.