Computerized system and method of material control

• US 4,514,815 A
• Filed: 11/27/1981
• Issued: 04/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Nils A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US06/325,377
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/479, 364/468, 364/403, 364/469, 235/383, 235/385, 235/465, 235/375, 235/469, 101/2, 382/8
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A system and method for material control to allow tracking and prevent diversion of articles within the system having a computer connected to a visual display, a keyboard, and printer. The computer is also connected to an OCR device for reading labels associated with articles within the system. Each article is provided with a swerialized initial label when it enters the system having the nature of the article and a serial number disposed thereon. The initial label contains a character field which it is OCR readable by the OCR device. After a reading of the initial label of each article by the OCR device, the computer generates a unique identifying indicia for that article which is utilized by a printer to print a sequential label with the indicia disposed thereon. The sequential label is then associated with the article to allow tracing and to prevent diversion of the article.

Claims

1. A method of tracking and preventing diversion of articles comprising the steps of:

a. associating with an article an initial label having an alphanumeric character field identifying the nature of said article and a serial number placing said article within a series of similar articles;

b. reading said initial label with an OCR device for entry into a computer memory;

c. identifying a particular storage location for said article, said storage location having articles of a similar nature disposed therein;

d. placing said article in said particular storage location;

e. printing a log of said articles, said log including the nature, serial number, and said particular storage location for said article;

f. selecting some of said articles within said storage locations as certain articles for distribution;

g. retrieving each of said certain articles from its particular storage location;

h. reading said initial label associated with each of said certain articles with an OCR device;

i. printing a sequential label having an indicia disposed thereon uniquely identifying one certain article of said articles generated by a computer for each of said certain articles;

j. associating said sequential label with said one certain article; and

k. distributing said article only after step j.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein steps c, e, and i, include selectively printing characters in a first color and a second color, said OCR device being capable of reading characters printed in said first color and being incapable of reading characters printed in said second color.

3. A method of tracking articles comprising the steps of:

a. associating an initial label with each article, said initial label having an OCR readable alphanumeric character field identifying said article as to its nature and a serial number locating said article within a series of similar articles;

b. reading said initial label with at least one OCR device for entry into a memory located within a computer;

c. printing a log produced by said computer from said alphanumeric field including an assigned particular storage location for each article selected from a plurality of storage locations;

said storage locations being adapted to receive said articles therein;

d. placing said article within said assigned particular storage location;

e. selecting at least some of said articles as certain articles for distribution from said storage locations;

f. retrieving each of said certain articles from its assigned storage location;

g. printing a sequential label having an indicia disposed thereon which uniquely identifies one certain article of said certain articles, said indicia generated from a set of alphanumeric characters and stored conjunctive with the nature thereof by said computer for each of said certain articles;

h. associating said sequential label with said one certain article;

i. distributing said articles;

j. reading said indicia on said sequential label with at least one OCR device;

k. placing said article in a storage location with similar articles as determined by said computer from said indicia; and

l. repeating steps i-k as desired until said article is finally utilized to prevent diversion thereof.

4. A system of material control for a plurality of articles, an initial OCR readable label associated with each article and having an alphanumeric character field disposed thereon representing the nature of the article,

a. a plurality of OCR devices, each OCR device reading alphanumeric characters and producing an electronic representation of each character read, at least one OCR device reading said initial labels;

b. a computer receiving and storing as data said electronic representation from each OCR device, said computer generating a unique identifying indicia for said article in response to said one OCR device reading said associated initial label and for storing said indicia conjunctive with the nature thereof;

c. a printer receiving said indicia from said computer to print said indica in response thereto onto another OCR readable label to be read by at least one OCR device;

d. a keyboard for entering data and instruction to said computer; and

e. a visual display for exhibiting information from said computer.

5. A material control system for use in a facility for tracking articles within said system and preventing diversion thereof, said system having at least one computer means coupled to a memory capable of storing data, said system comprising:

a. at least one OCR device capable of reading a predetermined set of human readable alphanumeric characters disposed on printed mediums and producing an electronic representation upon reading a printed medium of said characters as OCR data signals;

b. an initial label associated with each article having a serial number identifying said article within a series of similar articles and the nature of said article comprised of characters selected from said predetermined set, said initial label forming one of said printed mediums;

c. data means for storing said OCR data signals within said memory;

d. means responsive to said OCR data signals to generate indicia signals uniquely identifying said article, said indicia signals corresponding to characters selected from said predetermined set;

e. means coupled to said data means and responsive to said indicia signals for storing within said memory said indicia signals conjunctive with said OCR data signals produced from said initial label;

f. a printer means receiving said indicia signals to print in response thereto a sequential label having a unique identifying indicia disposed thereon to form a printed medium comprising characters from said predetermined set; and

g. revision means for entering revision status of said article and including a data storage means including a revision status file containing the latest revision for articles having a nature similar to said article, means for accessing said revision status, and revision status means for comparing the revision status of said article with said latest revision for articles of a similar nature to said article.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 including status indication means connected to said revision status means for indicating when the latest revision for articles of a similar nature to said article and the revisions status of said article are identical.

7. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said data storage means includes an assembly file means having at least one listing of the natures of a plurality of articles required to construct a particular assembly.

8. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said data storage means includes an article file means, said system including means for storing OCR data signals into said article file means from said memory, and means for indicating if said OCR data signal stored within said article file means includes each of said certain natures.