Method and system for managing inventory information using a mobile device

• US 8,554,644 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Sholtis, Steven A., LeClair, Terry F., Ihrie, Richard W., Del Favero, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJAS, HAJIME S
• Application Number:
  US13/523,207
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for managing inventory information that includes displaying the inventory information in a graphical user interface of a mobile device, and adding an item as part of the inventory information, using the mobile device, where adding the item includes adding descriptive metadata about the item to the inventory information.

Claims

1. A method for managing inventory information, comprising:

obtaining, from a peer-to-peer marketplace network, a first item from a group consisting of traded items and items obtained for free;

obtaining descriptive metadata about the first item;

obtaining a point-of-sale transaction notification via a wireless interface of a mobile device from a point-of-sale register,

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification relates to a transaction already completed by the point-of-sale register with respect to purchasing a second item by a user of the mobile device, and

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification comprises descriptive metadata about the second item;

updating inventory information of inventory items owned by a household, comprising;

automatically adding the first item as part of the inventory information, wherein automatically adding the first item comprises automatically adding the descriptive metadata about the first item to the inventory information via a programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network; and

adding the second item as part of the inventory information, using the mobile device, wherein adding the second item comprises adding the descriptive metadata about the second item to the inventory information based on the point-of-sale transaction notification;

receiving a command, in a graphical user interface of the mobile device from the user of the mobile device, to display the updated inventory information, wherein the updated inventory information is used to determine whether to sell at least one of the first item and the second item;

displaying the updated inventory information in the graphical user interface of the mobile device responsive to receiving the command; and

in response to displaying the updated inventory information resulting in a determination to sell the at least one of the first item and the second item,

accessing the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the mobile device;

advertising availability of the at least one of the first item and the second item via the programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the descriptive metadata corresponding to the first item or the second item; and

removing, in response to selling the at least one of the first item and the second item, a portion of the inventory information corresponding to the first item or the second item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing the inventory information with a wired inventory application,

wherein the wired inventory application is configured to execute on a wired computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory information is stored in a remote server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive metadata comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a name of the first item, a description of the first item, an image associated with the first item, a model name of the first item, a serial number of the first item, a category of the first item, a date when the first item was obtained, a location where the first item was obtained, a resale value of the first item, a physical condition of the first item, warranty information associated with the first item, insurance information associated with the first item, a status of the first item, and a supplemental note associated with the first item.

5. A system comprising:

a mobile device, configured to;

obtain, from a peer-to-peer marketplace network, at least a first item from a group consisting of traded items and items obtained for free;

obtain descriptive metadata about the first item;

obtain a point-of-sale transaction notification via a wireless interface of the mobile device from a point-of-sale register,

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification relates to a transaction already completed by the point-or-sale register with respect to purchasing a second item by a user of the mobile device, and

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification comprises descriptive metadata about the second item;

update inventory information of inventory items owned by a household, comprising;

automatically adding the first item as part of the inventory information, wherein automatically adding the first item comprises automatically adding the descriptive metadata about the first item to the inventory information via a programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network; and

adding the second item as part of the inventory information, using the mobile device, wherein adding the second item comprises adding the descriptive metadata about the second item to the inventory information based on the point-of-sale transaction notification;

receive a command, in a graphical user interface of the mobile device from the user of the mobile device, to display the updated inventory information, wherein the updated inventory information is used to determine whether to sell at least one of the first item and the second item;

display the updated inventory information in the graphical user interface of the mobile device responsive to receiving the command; and

in response to displaying the updated inventory information resulting in a determination to sell the at least one of the first item and the second item,

access the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the mobile device;

advertise availability of the at least one of the first item and the second item via the programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the descriptive metadata corresponding to the first item or the second item; and

remove, in response to selling the at least one of the first item and the second item, a portion of the inventory information corresponding to the third first item or the second item.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a wired inventory application configured to execute on a wired computer system,

wherein the mobile device is further configured to;

synchronize the inventory information with the wired inventory application.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a remote server configured to store the inventory information.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the descriptive metadata comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a name of the first item, a description of the first item, an image associated with the first item, a model name of the first item, a serial number of the first item, a category of the first item, a date when the first item was obtained, a location where the first item was obtained, a resale value of the first item, a physical condition of the first item, warranty information associated with the first item, insurance information associated with the first item, a status of the first item, and a supplemental note associated with the first item.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the computer to perform a method for managing inventory information, the method comprising:

obtaining, from a peer-to-peer marketplace network, a first item from a group consisting of traded items and items obtained for free;

obtaining descriptive metadata about the first item;

obtaining a point-of-sale transaction notification via a wireless interface of a mobile device from a point-of-sale register,

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification relates to a transaction already completed by the point-of-sale register with respect to purchasing a second item by a user of the mobile device, and

wherein the point-of-sale transaction notification comprises descriptive metadata about the second item;

updating inventory information of inventory items owned by a household, comprising;

automatically adding the first item as part of the inventory information, wherein automatically adding the first item comprises automatically adding the descriptive metadata about the first item to the inventory information via a programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network; and

adding the second item as part of the inventory information, using the mobile device, wherein adding the second item comprises adding the descriptive metadata about the second item to the inventory information based on the point-of-sale transaction notification;

receiving a command, in a graphical user interface of the mobile device from the user of the mobile device, to display the updated inventory information, wherein the updated inventory information is used to determine whether to sell at least one of the first item and the second item;

displaying the updated inventory information in the graphical user interface of the mobile device responsive to receiving the command; and

in response to displaying the updated inventory information resulting in a determination to sell the at least one of the first item and the second item,

accessing the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the mobile device;

advertising availability of the at least one of the first item and the second item via the programmatic link of the peer-to-peer marketplace network using the descriptive metadata corresponding to the first item or the second item; and

removing, in response to selling the at least one of the first item and the second item, a portion of the inventory information corresponding to the first item or the second item.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

synchronizing the inventory information with a wired inventory application,

wherein the wired inventory application is configured to execute on a wired computer system.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the inventory information is stored in a remote server.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the descriptive metadata comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a name of the first item, a description of the first item, an image associated with the first item, a model name of the first item, a serial number of the first item, a category of the first item, a date when the first item was obtained, a location where the first item was obtained, a resale value of the first item, a physical condition of the first item, warranty information associated with the first item, insurance information associated with the first item, a status of the first item, and a supplemental note associated with the first item.