Globally-integrated returned material authorization information system

• US 6,799,179 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iventec Corporation Corporation of Taiwan ROC
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Liao, Yi-Ming, Chen, Cheng-Ju, Tseng, Li-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US09/996,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/10, 707/201, 707/203, 707/205, 705/35, 701/29, 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A globally-integrated RMA (Returned Material Authorization) information system is proposed, which allows the RMA files built at a first global location, such as an oversees service station, to be shared by personnel at a second global location, such as a domestic repair center. The service station information system is capable of transferring RMS files periodically at specified time intervals to the repair center information system, so that when the domestic repair center receives a batch of returned products from the oversees service station, the repair personnel can immediately gain access to the associated RMS files of the returned products, without having to repeat a testing procedure and build RMS files for the returned products. The proposed globally-integrated RMA information system therefore allows the overall after-sale repair service to be more efficient and reliable.

Claims

1. A globally-integrated Return Material Authorization (RMA) information system, which comprises:

(a) a repair center information system installed at a first global location;

(b) a service station information system installed at a second global location; and

(c) a data communication link installed between the repair center information system and the service station information system to allow the repair center information system and the service station information system to exchange data;

wherein

the repair center information system includes;

(a1) an incoming quality control (IQC) workstation, which allows repair personnel to operate the repair center information system; and

(a2) a first RMA database, which is used to store RMA files that are transferred from the service station information system via the data communication link, and which can be accessed via the IQC workstation;

and wherein

the service station information system includes;

(b1) a RMA workstation, which allows service personnel to input and build an RMA file for each returned product;

(b2) a second RMA database, which is used to store every RMA file built via the RMA workstation; and

(b3) a database server having data transforming services (DTS) and schedule task for transferring all the RMA files stored in the second RMA database via the data communication link to the first RMA database at specified time intervals.

2. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 1, wherein the service tag of each returned product is used as an identification number for the RMA file of the returned product.

3. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 1, wherein the database server of the service station information system is a structured query language (SQL) server.

4. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 1, wherein the data communication link is an Internet link.

5. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 1, wherein the data communication link is a directly-linked data communication line.

6. A globally-integrated Return Material Authorization (RMA) information system, which comprises:

(a) a repair center information system installed at a first global location;

(b) a service station information system installed at a second global location; and

(c) a data communication link installed between the repair center information system and the service station information system to allow the repair center information system and the service station information system to exchange data;

wherein

the repair center information system includes;

(a1) an incoming quality control (IQC) workstation, which allows repair personnel to operate the repair center information system; and

(a2) a first RMA database, which is used to stored RMA files that are transferred from the service station information system via the data communication link, and which can be access via the IQC workstation;

and wherein

the service station information system includes;

(b1) a RMA workstation, which allows service personnel to input and built an RMA file for each returned product, wherein the service tag of each returned product is used as an identification number for the RMA file of the returned product;

(b2) a second RMA database, which is used to store every RMA file built via the RMA workstation; and

(b3) a structured query language (SQL) server, which is capable of transferring all the RMA files stored in the second RMA database via the data communication link to the first RMA database at preset time intervals by utilizing a data transforming services (DTS) and schedule task of the SQL server.

7. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 6, wherein the data communication link is an Internet link.

8. The globally-integrated RMA information system of claim 6, wherein the data communication link is a directly-linked data communication line.