APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING INVENTORY

• US 20110029412A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Laughlin, Brian D., Denny, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,499 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 providing products to a customer operates with an open purchase order having an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for each product supplied to the customer. The system includes a storage unit, a first processing unit that maintains a product inventory count, and a second processing unit that monitors the product inventory count. A system for transferring electronic files includes a first processing unit that stores and transfers the electronic file, generates a pointer associated with the transferred electronic file, generates a reference electronic file and thereafter includes the pointer in the reference electronic file. A second processing unit then displays the reference electronic file. A system for generating composite electronic files includes a first processing unit having composite locations including component electronic files, and generating the composite electronic files when the respective composite location is accessed from a second processing unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor disposed proximate a supplier of a system for providing a product from the supplier to a remote customer, wherein the supplier and the customer have an open purchase order comprising an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for units of the product that the supplier provides to the customer,

wherein the system includes a processing unit disposed proximate the customer and configured to maintain a product inventory count for the product representative of a number of units of the product that is maintained in inventory by the customer, the processing unit being configured to decrease the product inventory count as the customer ships out a unit of the product, and increase the product inventory count as the customer receives an additional unit of the product,

wherein the processor is configured to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the product inventory count approaching the respective lower limit when the product inventory count falls below a notification level greater than the lower limit and between the lower limit and the upper limit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a shipment request to the supplier when the processor has detected the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the processor being configured to generate the shipment request to facilitate the supplier providing the customer with one or more additional units of the product independent of a purchase order associated with the one or more additional units, the product inventory count being increased to within the acceptable inventory range once the customer receives the one or more additional units.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the product inventory count is increased to within the acceptable inventory range but is less than the upper limit once the customer receives the one or more additional units.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor being configured to monitor the product inventory includes being configured to receive, from the processing unit, an electronic file including the product inventory count, and includes being configured to monitor the product inventory count from the electronic file.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower limit is one unit below the upper limit.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor disposed proximate a customer of a system for providing a product from a remote supplier to the customer, wherein the supplier and the customer have an open purchase order comprising an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for units of the product that the supplier provides to the customer,

wherein the processor is configured to maintain a product inventory count for the product representative of a number of units of the product that is maintained in inventory by the customer, the processor being configured to decrease the product inventory count as the customer ships out a unit of the product, and increase the product inventory count as the customer receives an additional unit of the product,

wherein the system further includes a processing unit disposed proximate the supplier and configured to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, and

wherein the processor is configured to send the product inventory count to the processing unit to enable the processing unit to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the product inventory count approaching the lower limit when the product inventory count falls below a notification level greater than the lower limit and between the lower limit and the upper limit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to store the product inventory count in an electronic file, and wherein the processor being configured to send the product inventory count includes being configured to send the electronic file including the product inventory count.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each unit of the product includes an electronic identifier,

wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication of the electronic identifier of a unit having been read as the customer ships out the respective unit and, in response thereto, decrease the product inventory count, and

wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication of the electronic identifier of an additional unit having been read as the customer receives the respective additional unit and, in response thereto, increase the product inventory count.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lower limit is one unit below the upper limit.

10. A method comprising:

providing a processor disposed proximate a supplier of a system for providing a product from the supplier to a remote customer, wherein the supplier and the customer have an open purchase order comprising an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for units of the product that the supplier provides to the customer,

wherein the system includes a processing unit disposed proximate the customer and configured to maintain a product inventory count for the product representative of a number of units of the product that is maintained in inventory by the customer, the processing unit being configured to decrease the product inventory count as the customer ships out a unit of the product, and increase the product inventory count as the customer receives an additional unit of the product, and wherein the method further comprises;

monitoring the product inventory count; and

detecting the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the product inventory count approaching the respective lower limit when the product inventory count falls below a notification level greater than the lower limit and between the lower limit and the upper limit,

wherein monitoring the product inventory count and detecting the product inventory count approaching the lower limit are performed by the processor being configured to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

generating a shipment request to the supplier when the processor has detected the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the shipment request being generated to facilitate the supplier providing the customer with one or more additional units of the product independent of a purchase order associated with the one or more additional units, the product inventory count being increased to within the acceptable inventory range once the customer receives the one or more additional units.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the product inventory count is increased to within the acceptable inventory range but is less than the upper limit once the customer receives the one or more additional units.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein monitoring the product inventory includes:

receiving, from the processing unit, an electronic file including the product inventory count; and

monitoring the product inventory count from the electronic file.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the lower limit is one unit below the upper limit.

15. A method comprising:

providing a processor disposed proximate a customer of a system for providing a product from a remote supplier to the customer, wherein the supplier and the customer have an open purchase order comprising an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for units of the product that the supplier provides to the customer;

maintaining a product inventory count for the product representative of a number of units of the product that is maintained in inventory by the customer, maintaining the product inventory count including decreasing the product inventory count as the customer ships out a unit of the product, and increasing the product inventory count as the customer receives an additional unit of the product,

wherein the system further includes a processing unit disposed proximate the supplier and configured to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, and wherein the method further comprises;

sending the product inventory count to the processing unit to enable the processing unit to monitor the product inventory count and detect the product inventory count approaching the lower limit, the product inventory count approaching the lower limit when the product inventory count falls below a notification level greater than the lower limit and between the lower limit and the upper limit,

wherein maintaining a product inventory count and sending the product inventory count are performed by the processor being configured to maintain the product inventory count and send the product inventory count.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising storing the product inventory count in an electronic file, wherein sending the product inventory count comprises sending the electronic file including the product inventory count.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein each unit of the product includes an electronic identifier, and wherein the method further comprises at least one of:

receiving an indication of the electronic identifier of a unit having been read as the customer ships out the respective unit and, in response thereto, decreasing the product inventory count;

or

receiving an indication of the electronic identifier of an additional unit having been read as the customer receives the respective additional unit and, in response thereto, increasing the product inventory count.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the lower limit is one unit below the upper limit.