Inventory monitoring system
First Claim
1. An inventory monitoring system for a storage system having a platform on which is stored an inventory having various classes of elements, wherein each class has an associated element weight characteristic and can have a variable number of elements, the platform in turn being supported by an electronic scale which generates a digital load signal proportional to the load supported by the platform,the inventory monitoring system interfacing with a microcomputer having,a communication port for receiving the digital load signal,at least one user input interface for allowing a user to input information on the inventory stored on the platform, andat least one output interface for presenting information to the user,the inventory monitoring system comprising:
- means for entering the weight characteristics of the elements of the inventory classes that are to be stored on the platform via the at least one user input interface;
an addressable platform inventory table which is in communication with the microcomputer for recording the number of elements that are stored on the platform;
means for determining, based on the weight characteristics of the inventory classes being stored on the platform, a maximum distinguishable number of elements that can be simultaneously withdrawn from or added to the platform with assurance that the combination will have a distinct weight unique to that combination;
means for presenting said maximum distinguishable number to the user via the at least one output interface;
means for indicating to the microcomputer a change in the digital load signal resulting from a change in the inventory stored on the platform;
means for calculating a weight change corresponding to the change in the digital load signal; and
means for adjusting said platform inventory table responsive to said calculated weight change and for providing a record of current inventory.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inventory monitoring system measures changes in weight of an inventory stored on one or more scales. The inventory items are divided into classes by weight, and the system determines the maximum number of items that can be in a combination while maintaining a distinct combined weight. Items are then removed or added, and the change in weight on the scales is correlated to a change in the number of inventory items to track the number of items removed or added over time. In a combined system, scanners are employed to track inventory received or sold, and data from the scanners relating to the items in the inventory is filtered out for comparison to the inventory changes indicated by changes in weight. The system has particular utility for monitoring inventories of cigarettes.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An inventory monitoring system for a storage system having a platform on which is stored an inventory having various classes of elements, wherein each class has an associated element weight characteristic and can have a variable number of elements, the platform in turn being supported by an electronic scale which generates a digital load signal proportional to the load supported by the platform,
the inventory monitoring system interfacing with a microcomputer having, a communication port for receiving the digital load signal, at least one user input interface for allowing a user to input information on the inventory stored on the platform, and at least one output interface for presenting information to the user, the inventory monitoring system comprising: -
means for entering the weight characteristics of the elements of the inventory classes that are to be stored on the platform via the at least one user input interface; an addressable platform inventory table which is in communication with the microcomputer for recording the number of elements that are stored on the platform; means for determining, based on the weight characteristics of the inventory classes being stored on the platform, a maximum distinguishable number of elements that can be simultaneously withdrawn from or added to the platform with assurance that the combination will have a distinct weight unique to that combination; means for presenting said maximum distinguishable number to the user via the at least one output interface; means for indicating to the microcomputer a change in the digital load signal resulting from a change in the inventory stored on the platform; means for calculating a weight change corresponding to the change in the digital load signal; and means for adjusting said platform inventory table responsive to said calculated weight change and for providing a record of current inventory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An inventory monitoring system for a storage system having J platforms, each of the J platforms having an inventory stored thereon having various classes of elements wherein each class has an associated element weight characteristic and can have a variable number of elements, each of the J platforms in turn being supported by one of J electronic scales, each of the J electronic scales having,
at least one load cell which supports the platform and provides a load signal proportional to the weight of the inventory stored on the platform, a signal converter for converting the load signal from the at least one load cell into a tagged digital signal where the tag is unique for that particular one of the J electronic scales, the inventory monitoring system being designed for use with a computer having, a communication port for receiving the tagged digital signals, at least one user input interface for allowing a user to input information on the inventory classes stored on each of the platforms, and at least one output interface for presenting information to a user, the inventory monitoring system comprising: -
a platform inventory table accessible to the computer and having J pages for recording the number of elements that are stored on the platforms, each of said pages being associated with one of the J electronic scales; means for entering the weight characteristics of the elements of the inventory classes that are to be stored on each of the J platforms via the at least one user input interface; means for determining, based on the weight characteristics of the inventory classes being stored on each of the J platforms, a maximum distinguishable number of elements that can be simultaneously withdrawn from or added to the associated one of the J platforms with assurance that the combination will have a distinct weight unique to that combination; means for presenting said maximum distinguishable number to a user via the at least one output interface; means for initializing each of said J pages of said platform inventory table; a gating routine for selecting an appropriate one of said J pages of said platform inventory table to correspond to the tag associated with each of the tagged digital signals and advancing the signal; means for calculating a weight change associated with the Jth scale responsive to said advanced signal; and means for adjusting said selected appropriate one of said J pages of said platform inventory table responsive to said calculated weight change and for providing a record of current inventory stored on each of the platforms. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of reporting inventory stored on a platform supported on an electronic scale, the method comprising the steps of:
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dividing the inventory into separate classes where each class of elements has a unique weight range; determining the unique combinations of elements from the weight ranges; establishing a table of the weights and associated combination numbers; setting a maximum number of elements that can be simultaneously added or withdrawn, the maximum number being set such that a combination of items having no more elements than the maximum number will have a distinct combination weight; adding inventory elements to or removing inventory elements from the platform in groups of elements numbering less than or equal to the set maximum number; using the electronic scale to measure the weight changes which occur as inventory is added to or removed from the platform; determining a change of inventory correlating to the measured change in weight; making a log based on the determined change in inventory and the time; if no match can be identified, recording the weight change and time; and return to said step of measuring the weight changes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An inventory monitoring system for a storage system having J platforms, each of the J platforms having an inventory stored thereon having various classes of elements wherein each class has an associated element weight characteristic and can have a variable number of elements, each of the J platforms in turn being supported by one of J electronic scales, each of the J electronic scales having,
at least one load cell which supports the platform and provides a load signal proportional to the weight of the inventory stored on the platform, a signal converter for converting the load signal from the at least one load cell into a tagged digital signal where the tag is unique for that particular one of the J electronic scales, the inventory monitoring system being designed for use with a computer having, a communication port for receiving the tagged digital signals, at least one user input interface for allowing a user to input information on the inventory classes stored on each of the platforms, and at least one output interface for presenting information to a user, the inventory monitoring system comprising: -
a platform inventory table accessible to the computer for recording the number of elements that are stored on the platforms; means for entering the weight characteristics of the elements of the inventory classes that are to be stored on each of the J platforms via the at least one user input interface; means for determining, based on the weight characteristics of the inventory classes being stored on each of the J platforms, a maximum distinguishable number of elements that can be simultaneously withdrawn from or added to the associated one of the J platforms with assurance that the combination will have a distinct weight unique to that combination; means for presenting said maximum distinguishable number to a user via the at least one output interface; means for initializing said platform inventory table; a gating routine for selecting an appropriate one of said J platforms to correspond to the tag associated with each of the J tagged digital signals and advancing the signal; means for calculating a weight change associated with the Jth scale responsive to said advanced signal; and means for adjusting said platform inventory table responsive to said calculated weight change and for providing a record of current inventory stored on the J platforms. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification