Vehicle inventory verification system, apparatus and method cross reference to related applications

• US 10,055,708 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halcyon Consulting, LLC
• Original Assignee: Halcyon Consulting, LLC
• Inventors: Kakarala, Srinivas, Kakarala, Kartikeya
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Oluseye
• Application Number:
  US14/849,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20160071054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 705 28, 3405721, 701 314
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

A system, method, and devices are disclosed for remotely verifying and managing the record of an inventory asset, such as an automobile or other vehicle, wherein the asset in the inventory is located at a site remote from a user initiating a request for verification. A user selects from a web-based interface on a client device or mobile application the location of an asset to be verified. When an inventory verification request is initiated, a request is sent electronically to a base station/transmitter located at the dealer'"'"'s location. The transmitter sends a signal out to verify the inventory in the dealer'"'"'s to one or more receivers installed in each vehicle/inventory object. The receivers communicate data associated with vehicles/inventory objects present in the dealer'"'"'s lot back to the transmitted request with the list of data representing the inventory.

Claims

1. A method for remote verification of an inventory asset in a floorplan inventory, comprising:

sending a verification request via an application module operating on a portable electronic device originating from a third party remote from a dealer site to a data center;

routing the verification request from the data center to

a remote server connected to a plurality of inventory assets associated with the verification request, and triggering a transmitter connected to the remote server via hardware or wireless connection;

transmitting the verification request sent via the application module operating on the portable electronic device from the transmitter to a plurality of receivers arranged in a mesh network, wherein each receiver is co-located with an inventory asset of the floorplan inventory, the network of receivers arranged in a connected network topography;

upon receiving the request, communicating the request amongst the receivers until the asset matching the verification request is located;

responding to the request with a response message comprising a vehicle record associated with the asset, wherein the vehicle record comprises a list of data, comprising a VIN, vehicle model, vehicle price, mileage, geo-location;

sending the response message comprising the vehicle record from the receiver co-located with the inventory asset to the remote server; and

storing, via the application module, a record of the response message at the data center.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, storing data related to the request in an electronic record of the data center.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating, via the application module operating on the portable electronic device, a verification request response and sending the response for display on the third party client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset is an automobile, a motorbike, a boat, or other motorized vehicle offered for sale by a dealership.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver associated with the asset is connected to an onboard diagnostic system of the asset and configured to retrieve system information of the asset.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a portable device to execute a method according to claim 1.

6. A system, comprising:

a client device;

a data center comprising a processor, memory, and one or more of an application module;

a remote server connected to a transmitter; and

a plurality of receivers, each receiver co-located with a vehicle within a vehicle inventory floorplan of a dealership and wherein the receivers are arranged as a network;

the system configured for sending a vehicle verification request via the application module on the client device to the data center for processing, whereby processing comprises transmitting the verification request from the transmitter to the plurality of receivers over a wireless communication network, and verifying the presence of a requested vehicle in the vehicle inventory upon retrieval of vehicle information associated with the requested vehicle of the vehicle verification request by the receiver, and subsequent transmission of vehicle information of the requested vehicle to the data center.