Automatic inventory variance identification

• US 9,576,265 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hurtis, George Michael, Knipfer, Ivory Wellman, Thavasi, Manivannan, Togwe, Thembani
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US13/442,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/301, 705/348, 235/382, 235/385
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Performing an inventory count is provided. A scan of an object is initiated according to a profile in order to perform the inventory count of the object. A scan result is compared with a recorded level for the object to determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level. A variance analysis is performed if the variance exists.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for inventory control by programmatically performing a digital rotating inventory count in near real-time, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a request to perform the digital rotating inventory count of a set of profiled objects, wherein the set of profiled objects is associated with at least one radio frequency identification tag;

locking, by the computer, the set of profiled objects to be scanned, wherein the locking of the set of profiled objects to be scanned comprises stopping, by the computer, movement of the set of profiled objects on a conveyor in a production line during the digital rotating inventory count;

scanning, by the computer, the set of profiled objects according to a profile associated with the set of profiled objects to perform the digital rotating inventory count of the set of profiled objects, wherein the profile specifies one or more profiles indicating what to scan during the digital rotating inventory count of the set of profiled objects, when to perform the digital rotating inventory count of the set of profiled objects, how to perform the digital rotating inventory count of the set of profiled objects, profiled object data, a specified profiled object location, and variance analysis procedures associated with the set of profiled objects;

responsive to receiving, by the computer, a scan result of the digital rotating inventory count, comparing, by the computer, the scan result with a recorded level for the set of profiled objects, wherein the recorded level is retrieved from a storage device in the computer;

logging, by the computer, a comparison result in the storage device, wherein the comparing of the scan result with the recorded level for the set of profiled objects generates the comparison result;

determining, by the computer, using the comparison result whether a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level;

responsive to determining, by the computer, that the variance does not exist, unlocking, by the computer, the set of profiled objects, wherein the unlocking of the set of profiled objects comprises resuming, by the computer, movement of the set of profiled objects on the conveyor in the production line; and

responsive to determining, by the computer, that the variance exists, displaying, by the computer, a variance report and performing variance analysis procedures comprising directing, by the computer, a mobile scanner to scan one of an area adjacent to the specified profiled object location of the set of profiled objects defined in the profile and another predefined area associated with the set of profiled objects to locate missing profiled objects associated with the set of profiled objects, and wherein the variance analysis procedures are based on actions defined in the profile associated with the set of profiled objects, and wherein the digital rotating inventory count is performed as scheduled, according to the profile.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the profile includes one or more profiles of one or more profiled objects in the set of profiled objects.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of profiled objects comprises an inanimate object.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of profiled objects includes one or more profiled objects.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more profiled objects are counted individually or in a group, and wherein the group is counted by a multiple of a unit comprising one of a box, pallet, bin, room, building, or yard that contains the one or more profiled objects.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of profiled objects includes a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the radio frequency identification tag is from a group consisting of a shortwave, a high frequency, an ultra-high frequency, a microwave, a wireless fidelity, and a Bluetooth radio frequency identification tag.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is read and counted by a radio frequency identification scanner, and wherein the computer uses the radio frequency identification scanner to perform the scanning of the set of profiled objects.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the digital rotating inventory count is automatically performed according to the profile in near real-time, and wherein the profiled object data may include a name, an identification number, a serial number, and a description of a profiled object, and wherein the determining, by the computer, using the comparison result whether the variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level is performed in near real-time.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by the computer, the digital rotating inventory count on the set of profiled objects at a same time.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of profiled objects has an associated profile including the profiled object data including information comprising a name, identification, serial number, and a description of an object.