Hierarchical counting of inventory
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for counting stock stored in hierarchical levels at a facility comprising:
- receiving count initiation information at a counting module, the count initiation information;
(i) comprising at least one parameter identifying stock to be counted, and (ii) identifying a particular hierarchical level from among a hierarchy of levels, the levels of the hierarchy except for a highest-level of the hierarchy being lower-levels of the hierarchy, the levels of the hierarchy except for a lowest-level of the hierarchy being higher-levels of the hierarchy, each level of the hierarchy assigned a type of logistic unit from among different types of logistic units, a type of logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level being different than a type of logistic unit for at least one other of the levels, each of the logistic units physically including stock, and the logistic units for the levels of the hierarchy being nested so that;
(i) logistic units assigned to any of the lower-levels of the hierarchy are spatially included in at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the higher-levels of the hierarchy, and (ii) logistic units assigned to any of the higher-levels of the hierarchy spatially include at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the lower-levels of the hierarchy, wherein the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level has associated therewith a quantity value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of stock;
requesting a count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the particular hierarchical level;
in response to the request, receiving a stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level that was generated based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level and the quantity value for the particular hierarchal level;
determining that a deviation between the received stock quantity and an expected stock quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold;
selecting, in response to determining that the deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold, another level of the hierarchy that is assigned a type of logistic unit that is spatially included in the type of logistic unit that is assigned to the particular hierarchical level; and
requesting a second count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the other level of the hierarchy, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the other level of the hierarchy.
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method for counting stock stored in hierarchical levels at a facility is described. The method includes receiving count initiation information at a counting module. The count initiation information includes at least one parameter associated with stock to be counted and one or more hierarchical levels for the stock to be counted. The method also includes receiving quantity information associated with the one or more hierarchical levels, and generating count results based on the received quantity information. In certain embodiments, the quantity information can be received by multiple count activity objects associated with the counting module. Each count activity object can independently track separate portions of the quantity information.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for counting stock stored in hierarchical levels at a facility comprising:
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receiving count initiation information at a counting module, the count initiation information;
(i) comprising at least one parameter identifying stock to be counted, and (ii) identifying a particular hierarchical level from among a hierarchy of levels, the levels of the hierarchy except for a highest-level of the hierarchy being lower-levels of the hierarchy, the levels of the hierarchy except for a lowest-level of the hierarchy being higher-levels of the hierarchy, each level of the hierarchy assigned a type of logistic unit from among different types of logistic units, a type of logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level being different than a type of logistic unit for at least one other of the levels, each of the logistic units physically including stock, and the logistic units for the levels of the hierarchy being nested so that;
(i) logistic units assigned to any of the lower-levels of the hierarchy are spatially included in at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the higher-levels of the hierarchy, and (ii) logistic units assigned to any of the higher-levels of the hierarchy spatially include at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the lower-levels of the hierarchy, wherein the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level has associated therewith a quantity value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of stock;requesting a count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the particular hierarchical level;in response to the request, receiving a stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level that was generated based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level and the quantity value for the particular hierarchal level; determining that a deviation between the received stock quantity and an expected stock quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold; selecting, in response to determining that the deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold, another level of the hierarchy that is assigned a type of logistic unit that is spatially included in the type of logistic unit that is assigned to the particular hierarchical level; and requesting a second count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the other level of the hierarchy, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the other level of the hierarchy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for counting stock comprising:
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an interface for receiving count initiation information, the count initiation information;
(i) comprising an identifier for stock to be counted at one or more hierarchical levels, and (ii) identifying a particular hierarchical level from among a hierarchy of levels, the levels of the hierarchy except for a highest-level of the hierarchy being lower-levels of the hierarchy, the levels of the hierarchy except for a lowest-level of the hierarchy being higher-levels of the hierarchy, each level of the hierarchy assigned a type of logistic unit from among different types of logistic units, a type of logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level being different than a type of logistic unit for at least one other of the levels, each of the logistic units physically including stock, and the logistic units for the levels of the hierarchy being nested so that;
(i) logistic units assigned to any of the lower-levels of the hierarchy are spatially included in at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the higher-levels of the hierarchy, and (ii) logistic units assigned to any of the higher-levels of the hierarchy spatially include at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the lower-levels of the hierarchy, wherein the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level has associated therewith a quantity value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of stock; anda counting module to receive the count initiation information via the interface and to generate count results in response to receiving the count initiation information by; requesting a count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the particular hierarchical level;in response to the request, receiving a stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level that was generated based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level and the quantity value for the logistic unit for the particular hierarchal level; determining that a deviation between the received stock quantity and an expected stock quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold; selecting, in response to determining that the deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold, another level of the hierarchy that is assigned a type of logistic unit that is spatially included in the type of logistic unit that is assigned to the particular hierarchical level; and requesting a second count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the other level of the hierarchy, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the other level of the hierarchy.
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21. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform operations to count stock at one or more specified hierarchical levels, the operations comprising:
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receiving at a counting module;
(i) at least one parameter identifying stock to be counted, and (ii) information identifying a particular hierarchical level from among a hierarchy of levels, the levels of the hierarchy except for a highest-level of the hierarchy being lower-levels of the hierarchy, the levels of the hierarchy except for a lowest-level of the hierarchy being higher-levels of the hierarchy, each level of the hierarchy assigned a type of logistic unit from among different types of logistic units, a type of logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level being different than a type of logistic unit for at least one other of the levels, each of the logistic units physically including stock, and the logistic units for the levels of the hierarchy being nested so that;
(i) logistic units assigned to any of the lower-levels of the hierarchy are spatially included in at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the higher-levels of the hierarchy, and (ii) logistic units assigned to any of the higher-levels of the hierarchy spatially include at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the lower-levels of the hierarchy, wherein the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level has associated therewith a quantity value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of stock;requesting a count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the particular hierarchical level;in response to the request, receiving a stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level that was generated based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level and the quantity value for the logistic unit for the particular hierarchal level; determining that a deviation between the received stock quantity and an expected stock quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold; selecting, in response to determining that the deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold, another level of the hierarchy that is assigned a type of logistic unit that is spatially included in the type of logistic unit that is assigned to the particular hierarchical level; and requesting a second count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the other level of the hierarchy, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the other level of the hierarchy.
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22. A computer-implemented method for counting stock stored in hierarchical levels at a facility comprising:
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receiving count initiation information at a counting module, the count initiation information;
(i) comprising at least one parameter identifying stock to be counted, and (ii) identifying a particular hierarchical level from among a hierarchy of levels, the levels of the hierarchy except for a highest-level of the hierarchy being lower-levels of the hierarchy, the levels of the hierarchy except for a lowest-level of the hierarchy being higher-levels of the hierarchy, each level of the hierarchy assigned a type of logistic unit from among different types of logistic units, a type of logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level being different than a type of logistic unit for at least one other of the levels, each of the logistic units physically including stock, and the logistic units for the levels of the hierarchy being nested so that;
(i) logistic units assigned to any of the lower-levels of the hierarchy are spatially included in at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the higher-levels of the hierarchy, and (ii) logistic units assigned to any of the higher-levels of the hierarchy spatially include at least one logistic unit assigned to one of the lower-levels of the hierarchy, wherein the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level includes a predetermined quantity of stock;requesting a count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the particular hierarchical level;in response to the count request, generating a stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level and the predetermined quantity of stock for the logistic unit; in response to the request, receiving the stock quantity for the particular hierarchical level based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular hierarchical level; generating count results based on the received stock quantity, wherein the generated count results include a deviation between the generated stock quantity and an expected stock quantity; determining that the deviation between the generated stock quantity, which is based on the physical count of the logistic unit for the particular level, and the expected stock quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold; selecting, in response to determining that the deviation exceeds the threshold, another level of the hierarchy that is assigned a type of logistic unit that is spatially included in the type of logistic unit that is assigned to the particular hierarchical level; and requesting a second count of the stock;
(i) that includes a physical count of the logistic unit for the other level of the hierarchy, and (ii) that does not include a physical count of types of logistic units for levels from the hierarchy other than the other level of the hierarchy.
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Specification