Verification System for Dry Cleaners and the Like

• US 20080283597A1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul E. Massod
• Original Assignee: Paul E. Massod
• Inventors: Massod, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US11/964,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20080283597A1
• 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 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

An apparatus for verifying inventory grouping comprises a scanner to scan codes on labels, and a computer having a computer readable storage media storing a computer program product. The product includes instructions for causing the computer to verify that articles in a grouped order belong in the grouped order by examining codes on tags associated with each article in the group to determine that the article belongs in the group. Most dry cleaning establishments have built up over the years efficient ways to manually assemble garment articles into orders. This invention capitalizes on that investment. Rather than throwing away an established manual system to regroup, this invention establishes a verification system that can catch the infrequent but costly regrouping mistakes that occur.

Claims

1. A method of inventory management comprises:

verifying that the articles in a grouped order belong to the grouped order, wherein verifying further comprises;

examining codes on tags associated with each article in the group to determine that the article belongs in the group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein examining further comprises:

scanning the tags using a machine readable code device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method conducted in a dry cleaning establishment, and the tags have unique sequential identification in a machine readable format and examining further comprises:

scanning the unique sequential identifications.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein examining further comprises:

indicating to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to an item that belongs in the group.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein examining further comprises:

indicating to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification does not correspond to an item that belongs in the group.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein examining further comprises:

indicating to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to an item that was already scanned and that belongs in the group.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein examining further comprises:

determining if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to a first item that belongs in the group.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein if the first item has been determined, the method further comprises:

determining the total number of articles in the group from the unique sequential identification of the first item.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining further comprises:

subtracting a base number from a portion of the unique sequential identification to provide the number of items in the group.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the unique sequential identification includes a group identification portion and a sequential number concatenated to the group identification portion.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

grouping articles together into the grouped order that correspond to a transaction.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein examining further comprises:

accessing a database to retrieve the number of articles in the group; and

matching numbers scanned from permanent labels on the articles to either a group number or a permanent number associated with the permanent tags.

23. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

access a database to retrieve the number of articles in the group; and

match numbers scanned from permanent labels on the articles to either a group number or a permanent number associated with the permanent tags.

13. A computer program product residing on a computer readable media for use in a dry cleaning establishment comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

verify that articles in a grouped order belong in the grouped order, wherein instructions to verify further comprise instructions to;

examine codes on tags associated with each article in the group to determine that the article belongs in the group.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

scan the tags using a machine readable code device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the tags have unique sequential identification in a machine readable format and instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

scan the unique sequential identifications.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

indicate to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to an item that belongs in the group.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

indicate to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification does not correspond to an item that belongs in the group.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

indicate to an operator if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to an item that was already scanned and that belongs in the group.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to examine further comprise instructions to:

determine if the scanned unique sequential identification corresponds to a first item that belongs in the group.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein if the first item has been determined, the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

determine the total number of articles in the group from the unique sequential identification of the first item.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein instructions to determine further comprise instructions to:

subtract a base number from a portion of the unique sequential identification to provide the number of items in the group.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the unique sequential identification includes a group identification portion and a sequential number concatenated to the group identification portion.

24. An apparatus for verifying inventory grouping comprises:

a scanner to scan codes on labels;

a computer having a computer readable storage media storing a computer program product comprises instructions for causing the computer to;

verify that articles in a grouped order belong in the grouped order, wherein instructions to verify further comprise instructions to;

examine codes on tags associated with each article in the group to determine that the article belongs in the group.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the computer program product residing on a computer readable media is adapted for use in a dry cleaning establishment.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising:

a printer to print tags having unique sequential identifications for affixing to the articles.