Methods and systems for inventory management

• US 8,219,558 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David J. Brahm, David S. Trandal
• Original Assignee: David J. Brahm, David S. Trandal
• Inventors: Brahm, David J., Trandal, David Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TRUONG V
• Application Number:
  US13/177,907
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 707/736
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

The present invention relates to inventory management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for inventorying items and property over wireless and data networks, using digital imaging, positioning, RFID, and data terminals. The user experience in performing inventory management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.

Claims

1. A method of determining the rental value of real estate property, comprising:

registering a user, using an inventory system;

providing an inventory software program associated with an inventory system, to a mobile device associated with the user, wherein some or all of the inventory software program is at least in part;

preinstalled on the mobile device of the user,

transmitted to the mobile device of the user, or,

preinstalled on the mobile device and transmitted to the mobile device of the user;

partly causing an image capture instruction to be presented to the user on the mobile device;

receiving at the inventory system;

an image wherein the image is taken using the user'"'"'s mobile device,

a camera lens direction of the mobile device at substantially the same time the image was taken by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device, and,

a geographic location of the user'"'"'s mobile device wherein the geographic location is determined at least in part using a GPS (Global Position Satellite) location information and corresponds to at least in part the geographic location of the mobile device at substantially the same time the image was taken by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device,

storing in computer readable memory the image received from the user'"'"'s mobile device, the camera lens direction associated with the image, and the geographic location associated with the image;

determining an address of a property in the image based at least in part on the geographic location information, or the geographic location information and the camera lens direction;

storing in computer readable memory the determined property address;

accessing a first real estate data store using at least in part, the said property address to determine if a first property at the said property address is currently listed for rent;

if the first property is currently listed for rent;

then retrieving an associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from a second real estate data store using said property address,

else retrieving the associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from the second real estate data store using at least in part the said property address to determine at least one comparable property; and

,

providing a user interface via which the determined rental value of the first property can be viewed by the user.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining a one or more attributes of the first property including a number of bedrooms and bathrooms; and

,

providing a user interface control via which some or all of the attributes of the first property can be viewed.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing a user interface control via which the user can send a message to an owner of the first property or a manager of the first property without entering an email address or a property address.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the message is an offer to rent the first property.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the message is sent from the user anonymously.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing a user interface control via which the user can view a listing of rental properties in geographic proximity to the first property without entering said property address.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first property is currently not for rent.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second real estate data store, is a plurality of data stores.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising first determining if the user is within the first property location;

and if so, not receiving and storing the camera direction.

10. A method of determining the rental value of real estate property, comprising:

providing an inventory software program associated with an inventory system, to a mobile device associated with the user, wherein some or all of the inventory software program is at least in part;

preinstalled on the mobile device of the user,

transmitted to the mobile device of the user, or,

preinstalled on the mobile device and transmitted to the mobile device of the user;

partly causing property identification instruction to be presented to the user on the mobile device;

receiving at the inventory system;

a geographic location of the user'"'"'s mobile device wherein the geographic location is determined at least in part using a GPS (Global Position Satellite) location information and corresponds to at least in part the geographic location of the mobile device at substantially the same time a property was identified by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device,

a direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device at substantially the same time the property was identified by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device;

storing in computer readable memory the direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device and the geographic location of the mobile device;

determining the address of the identified property based at least in part on the geographic location information or the geographic location information and the direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device;

storing in computer readable memory the determined property address;

accessing a first real estate data store using at least in part, the said property address to determine if the identified property is currently listed for rent;

if the identified property is currently listed for rent;

then retrieving an associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from a second real estate data store using said property address,

else retrieving the associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from the second real estate data store using at least in part a property address of at least one comparable property; and

,

providing a user interface via which the determined rental value of the identified property can be viewed by the user.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

determining a one or more attributes of the identified property including a number of bedrooms and bathrooms; and

,

providing a user interface control via which some or all of the attributes of the identified property can be viewed.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising providing a user interface control via which the user can send a message to an owner of the property or a manager of the identified property without entering an email address or a mailing address.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the message is an offer to rent the identified property.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the message is sent from the user anonymously.

15. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising providing a user interface via control which the user can view a listing of rental properties in geographic proximity to the identified property without entering said property address.

16. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising providing a user interface control via which an image of the identified property can be viewed.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the image of the identified property is an aerial image of the identified property.

18. A system for inventorying a residence, the system comprising:

one or more computing devices;

nontransitory computer readable memory that stores program code that, when executed by the one or more computing device, performs operations comprising;

providing an inventory software program, to a mobile device associated with the user, wherein some or all of the inventory software program is at least in part;

preinstalled on the mobile device of the user,

transmitted to the mobile device of the user, or,

preinstalled on the mobile device and transmitted to the mobile device of the user;

partly causing property identification instruction to be presented to the user on the mobile device;

receiving;

a geographic location of the user'"'"'s mobile device wherein the geographic location is determined at least in part using a GPS (Global Position Satellite) location information and corresponds to at least in part the geographic location of the mobile device at substantially the same time a property was identified by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device,

a direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device at substantially the same time the property was identified by the user using the user'"'"'s mobile device;

storing the direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device and the geographic location of the mobile device;

determining the address of the identified property based at least in part on the geographic location information or the geographic location information and the direction of the identified property relative to the mobile device;

storing the determined property address;

accessing a first real estate data store using at least in part, the said property address to determine if the identified property is currently listed for rent;

if the identified property is currently listed for rent;

then retrieving an associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from a second real estate data store using said property address,

else retrieving the associated rental value from the first real estate data store or from the second real estate data store using at least in part a property address of at least one comparable property; and

,

providing a user interface via which the determined rental value of the identified property can be viewed by the user.

19. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein the mobile device is a tablet computer or a GPS navigation device.