Method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet

• US 6,684,119 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Chen, Lawton, Burnard, Mike Robert, DeMuro, Richard Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US09/775,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,088 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 700/99, 700/108, 700/216, 700/233, 700/236, 700/106, 705/28-29
• US Class Current: 700/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet includes the steps of tracking real-time usage of material used for a product, maintaining the tracked real-time material usage within a computer database on a local computer network and replicating the tracked real-time material usage on a global business network in communication with the local communication network. The method also includes the steps of providing a user internet access to a material usage information web site, identifying if a user has permission to access the material usage information web site and selecting a predetermined attribute of the tracked real-time material usage by the user. The method further includes the steps of providing the tracked real-time material usage on the material usage information web site based on the selected attributes and using the tracked real-time material usage by the user in replenishing the material.

Claims

1. A method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet, said method comprising the steps of:

tracking real-time usage of material used for a product at a plurality of manufacturing plants;

maintaining the tracked real-time material usage information within a computer database on a local computer network at each of the manufacturing plants;

replicating the tracked real-time material usage information from each of the manufacturing plants on a global business network in communication with the local communication network via the internet;

providing a user internet access to a material usage information web site hosted by the global business network;

identifying if a user has permission to access the material usage information web site;

selecting one of the manufacturing plants by the user to obtain real time usage information from the selected manufacturing plant if the user has permission;

displaying a list of materials provided by the user to the selected manufacturing plant;

selecting a material from the list of materials for obtaining the tracked real-time material usage information by the user;

displaying a range of times;

selecting a time frame from the range of times for obtaining the tracked real-time material usage information by the user;

providing the tracked real-time material usage information for the selected material within the selected time frame on the material usage information web site; and

using the tracked real-time material usage information by the user in replenishing the material to the selected manufacturing plant.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of pulling material to an assembly line as part of a material replenishment system for replenishing material used on the assembly line for a product.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of incorporating the material in the product.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of tracking real-time material usage includes maintaining the tracked real-time material usage information on a local computer network within an assembly plant for the assembly line.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of replicating the tracked material usage includes replicating the material usage in real-time.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing a user internet access includes providing the user access to an Intranet.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of identifying a user includes the step of checking a user identification code for the user to determine if the user has permission to access the material usage information web site.

8. A method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet, said method comprising the steps of:

tracking real-time usage information for a component part installed on a product in a plurality of assembly plants;

maintaining the tracked real-time material usage information within a computer database on a local computer network within each of the assembly plants, wherein the real-time material usage information is dynamically updated;

replicating the real-time material usage information from each of the assembly plants on a global business network in communication with the local communication network via the internet, wherein the real-time material usage is dynamically updated in real-time;

providing a user internet access to a material usage information web site hosted by the global business network;

identifying if a user has permission to access the material usage information web site;

selecting one of the assembly plants by the user to obtain real time usage information from the selected assembly plant if the user has permission;

displaying a list of materials provided by the user to the selected assembly plant;

selecting the component part from the list of materials for obtaining tracked real-time material usage information by the user;

displaying a range of times;

selecting a time frame from the range of times for obtaining tracked real-time material usage information by the user;

providing the tracked real-time material usage information for the selected component part within the selected time frame on the material usage information web site; and

using the tracked real-time material usage information by the user in replenishing the component part to the selected assembly plant.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of moving the component part to the assembly line as part of a material replenishment system for replenishing the component part used on the assembly line for the product.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of incorporating the component part on the product.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of providing a user internet access includes providing the user access to an Intranet.

12. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of identifying a user includes the step of checking a user identification code for the user to determine if the user has permission to access the material usage information web site.

13. A system of providing dynamic production material replenishment information comprising:

a plurality of manufacturing plants;

a local computer network at each of the manufacturing plants having a computer database maintaining tracked real-time usage of material used for a product at the corresponding manufacturing plant;

a global business network in communication with said local communication network via the internet replicating the tracked real-time material usage;

a supplier computer network in communication with said global business network to allow a user internet access to a material usage information web site hosted by said global business network;

said global business network including a user identification system to identify if a user has permission to access the material usage information web site; and

said global business network allowing the user to select one of the manufacturing plants to obtain real time usage information from the selected manufacturing plant if the user has permission and displaying a list of materials provided by the user if the user has permission and allowing selection of a material from the list of materials for obtaining tracked real-time material usage information by the user, displaying a range of times, allowing selection of a time frame from the range of times for obtaining tracked real-time material usage by the user, providing the tracked real-time material usage for the selected material within the selected time frame on the material usage information web site and allowing the user to use the tracked real-time material usage in replenishing the material to the selected manufacturing plant.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said global business network includes a display for displaying the web site.

15. A system as set forth in claim 13 including an internet infrastructure to allow communication between said local computer network and said global business network.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15 including a telecommunications link between said internet infrastructure and said global business network and said local computer network.

17. A system as set forth in claim 13 including a material tracking device to acknowledge use of a component part on an assembly line for the product.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said material tracking device comprises one of a card reader, bar code reader, and material call button located at the assembly line for the product.

19. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said local computer network comprises a material computer tracking system network in communication with said material tracking device.