Methods and system for managing stock

• US 7,669,763 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ernesti, Bernd, Grabowski, Stefan, Schalper, Daniela
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/873,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20050284934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 235383-395, 235/435, 235/487, 705/22, 705/28, 340/5.92
• 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

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing stock visibility in a storage facility, such as a warehouse. Such systems and methods may provide information identifying the location of stock while it is being transported to a new location, as well as may provide the ability to alter the destination of stock while it is in transit to a new location. Upon the removal of stock from a bin, a warehouse management system may be updated to indicate a resource that is being used to move the stock and, thus, provide visibility of the stock while it is in transit. In addition, through identification of the resource moving the stock to a new location, the resource can be rerouted to transfer the stock to an alternate location.

Claims

1. A method for managing stock in a storage facility, the method comprising:

providing a stock identifier to identify stock stored in the storage facility;

providing a first bin identifier to identify a first bin in the storage facility, wherein the stock identifier and first bin identifier are provided in at least one memory device;

associating, by a processor, the stock identifier with the first bin identifier when the stock is stored in the first bin;

providing a resource identifier to identify a resource, the resource causing movement of the stock;

assigning a transfer order to the resource to move the stock from the first bin to a second bin;

associating the stock identifier with the resource identifier when the resource identifier is scanned, at pickup of the stock by the resource;

identifying the stock as being located with the resource when the stock identifier is associated with the resource identifier;

redirecting the resource, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location, wherein the alternate location includes at least one of a third bin or a pickup and drop location; and

registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the stock identifier to associate it with a second bin identifier when the stock has been transported to and stored in the second bin.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the bin when storing the stock in the bin.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the resource when transporting the stock with the resource.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising triggering an update of the stock identifier when the location of the stock with the database is registered.

7. A method for managing stock using a database, the method comprising:

issuing a transfer order to move stock from a first bin to a second bin, the stock being identified in the database with a stock identifier;

prior to execution of the transfer order, associating the stock identifier with a first bin identifier in the database to identify the stock as being stored in the first bin, wherein the database is located in a memory device;

updating, by a processor, the database to associate the stock identifier with a resource identifier for a resource causing movement of the stock to the second bin in accordance with the transfer order, wherein the updating occurs when the resource identifier is scanned during execution of the transfer order, at pickup of the stock by the resource;

identifying the stock as being located with the resource when the stock identifier is associated with the resource identifier;

redirecting the resource, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location, wherein the alternate location includes at least one of a third bin or a pickup and drop location; and

registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the resource.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

further updating the database to associate the stock identifier with a second bin identifier in the database when the stock is transferred to the second bin by the resource.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the first or second bin when storing the stock in the first or second bin.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising triggering the further update of the database when the location of the stock in the second bin is registered with the database.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the resource when transporting the stock with the resource.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising triggering the update of the database when the location of the stock with the resource is registered with the database.

14. A system for managing stock in a warehouse, the system comprising:

a plurality of records identifying bins in the warehouse;

a plurality of records identifying resources in the warehouse, the resources causing movement of the stock, wherein the plurality of records identifying bins and the plurality of records identifying resources are stored in at least one memory device;

a warehouse management module, executed by a processor, for associating a stock identifier for stock with a corresponding one of the plurality of records identifying a first bin location where the stock is stored and, when the stock is removed from the first bin location and transported with a resource, associating the stock identifier with a resource identifier for the resource when the resource identifier is scanned at pickup of the stock by the resource to thereby provide visibility of the stock during its transport;

means for issuing a transfer order to transfer stock from a first bin to a second bin using the resource;

means for identifying the stock as being located with the resource when the stock identifier is associated with the resource identifier;

means for redirecting the resource, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location, wherein the alternate location includes at least one of a third bin or a pickup and drop location; and

means for registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the resource.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for updating the stock identifier to associate it with a bin identifier for the second bin when it is transferred to the second bin by the resource.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for registering the location of the stock in the warehouse.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the means for registering comprises at least one of a bar code and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

18. A system for managing stock in a storage facility, the system comprising:

means for providing a stock identifier to identify stock stored in the storage facility;

means for providing a first bin identifier to identify a first bin in the storage facility;

means for associating the stock identifier with the first bin identifier when the stock is stored in the first bin;

means for providing a resource identifier to identify a resource, the resource causing movement of the stock;

means for assigning a transfer order to the resource to move the stock from the first bin to a second bin;

means for associating the stock identifier with the resource identifier when the resource identifier is scanned, at pickup of the stock by the resource;

means for identifying the stock as being located with the resource when the stock identifier is associated with the resource identifier;

means for redirecting the resource, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location, wherein the alternate location includes at least one of a third bin or a pickup and drop location; and

means for registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the resource.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for updating the stock identifier to associate it with a second bin identifier when the stock has been transported to and stored in the second bin.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for registering the location of the stock with a database.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for registering comprises means for reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the bin when storing the stock in the bin.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for registering comprises means for reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the resource when transporting the stock with the resource.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for triggering an update of the stock identifier when the location of the stock with the database is registered.

24. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for performing a method for managing stock, the method comprising:

issuing a transfer order to move stock from a first bin location to a second bin location, the stock being identified in a database with a stock identifier;

prior to execution of the transfer order, associating the stock identifier with a first bin identifier in the database to identify the stock as being stored in the first bin location, wherein the database is located in a memory device;

updating the database to associate the stock identifier with a resource identifier for a resource causing movement of the stock to the second bin location in accordance with the transfer order, wherein the updating occurs when the resource identifier is scanned during execution of the transfer order, at pickup of the stock by the resource;

identifying the stock as being located with the resource when the stock identifier is associated with the resource identifier;

redirecting the resource, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location, wherein the alternate location includes at least one of a third bin or a pickup and drop location; and

registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the resource.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, the method further comprising:

storing the stock identifier and at least one of the resource identifier and the first or second bin identifiers in a database as a hierarchy.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the method further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the first or second bin when storing the stock in the first or second bin.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, the method further comprising triggering the further update of the database when the location of the stock in the second bin is registered with the database.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the resource when transporting the stock with the resource.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, the method further comprising triggering the update of the database when the location of the stock with the resource is registered with the database.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

further updating the database to associate the stock identifier with a second bin identifier when the stock has been transported to and stored in the second bin location.