Method, system and program product for managing and ordering supplies for office equipment

• US 20010004734A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 06/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sakaue, Atsushi, Kudoh, Takuji
• Application Number:
  US09/736,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004734A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for automatically generating information including a purchase order for a depleted item after sensing that the amount of the item in stock is less than a pre-specified amount. The purchase order is created using a predetermined form and attached to an e-mail. The e-mail carries the purchase order to an approver if needed or, alternatively directly to a supplier. The function is carried out either by the machine that is using the item or by a separate computer in communication with the machine.

Claims

1. A method for generating a purchase order for an item being depleted by a device comprising the steps of:

a) storing a predetermined low level value;

b) determining the amount of a depleting item that is in stock;

c) comparing the amount of the depleting item with the predetermined low level value;

d) creating a purchase order using a format preselected by a user if said comparing step indicates more of the item is needed; and

e) transmitting the purchase order to a predetermined location.

2. The method according to

claim 1

further including the step of attaching said purchase order to an e-mail for transmission to said predetermined location.

3. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said predetermined location is an approver'"'"'s address.

4. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said predetermined location is a supplier'"'"'s address.

5. The method according to

claim 1

wherein additional information is transmitted with the purchase order to a predetermined location.

6. The method according to

claim 5

wherein said additional information includes a supplier'"'"'s address.

7. The method according to

claim 5

wherein said additional information includes an approver'"'"'s address.

8. The method according to

claim 5

wherein one of said additional information includes the address of the device that is originating the transmission of said purchase order.

9. The method according to

claim 5

wherein said additional information includes status of the device.

10. The method according to

claim 5

wherein said additional information includes information about the items being depleted.

11. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said purchase order includes the name of an item to be ordered and the quantity to be ordered.

12. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on which supplier is specified.

13. The method according to

claim 1

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on a requester'"'"'s design.

14. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the device is one of a printer, a fax machine or a copier.

15. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by the device.

16. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by a computer attached to the device.

17. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the purchase order is transmitted from the approver to the supplier.

18. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the depleting item is comprised of discrete units that are processed by the device.

19. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the depleting item is comprised of a wear out mechanism.

20. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the depleting item is a time period.

21. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the determining step includes sensing the amount of an item that is accessible by the device.

22. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the determining step includes inventory in stock but not accessible by the device.

23. The method according to

claim 1

further comprising the steps of:

f) calculating the consumption frequency of said depleting items;

g) comparing said consumption frequency with the inventory of items; and

h) predicting the time when the inventory in stock will be depleted.

24. The method according to

claim 1

wherein the depleting item is time between scheduled service calls.

25. A system for generating a purchase order for an item being depleted by a device comprising:

a) means for storing a predetermined low level value;

b) means for determining the amount of a depleting item that is in stock;

c) means for comparing the amount of the depleting item with the predetermined low level value;

d) means for creating a purchase order using a format preselected by a user if said comparing step indicates more of the item is needed; and

e) means for transmitting the purchase order to a predetermined location.

26. The system according to

claim 25

further including means for attaching said purchase order to an e-mail for transmission to said predetermined location.

27. The system according to

claim 25

wherein said predetermined location is an approver'"'"'s address.

28. The system according to

claim 25

wherein said predetermined location is a supplier'"'"'s address.

29. The system according to

claim 25

wherein additional information is transmitted with the purchase order to a predetermined location.

30. The system according to

claim 29

wherein said additional information includes a supplier'"'"'s address.

31. The system according to

claim 29

wherein said additional information includes an approver'"'"'s address.

32. The system according to

claim 29

wherein one of said additional information includes the address of the device that is originating the transmission of said purchase order.

33. The system according to

claim 29

wherein said additional information includes status of the device.

34. The system according to

claim 29

wherein said additional information includes information about the items being depleted.

35. The system according to

claim 25

wherein said purchase order includes the name of an item to be ordered and the quantity to be ordered.

36. The system according to

claim 25

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on which supplier is specified.

37. The system according to

claim 25

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on a requester'"'"'s design.

38. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the device is one of a printer, a fax machine or a copier.

39. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by the device.

40. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by a computer attached to the device.

41. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the purchase order is transmitted from the approver to the supplier.

42. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the depleting item is comprised of discrete units that are processed by the device.

43. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the depleting item is comprised of a wear out mechanism.

44. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the depleting item is a time period.

45. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the determining step includes sensing the amount of an item that is accessible by the device.

46. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the determining step includes inventory in stock but not accessible by the device.

47. The system according to

claim 25

further comprising the steps of:

f) calculating the consumption frequency of said depleting items;

g) comparing said consumption frequency with the inventory of items; and

h) predicting the time when the inventory in stock will be depleted.

48. The system according to

claim 25

wherein the depleting item is time between scheduled service calls.

49. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means therein for generating a purchase order for an item being depleted by a device said computer program product comprising:

a) computer readable program code means for storing a predetermined low level value;

b) computer readable program code means for determining the amount of a depleting item that is in stock;

c) computer readable program code means for comparing the amount of the depleting item with the predetermined low level value;

d) computer readable program code means for creating a purchase order using a format preselected by a user if said comparing step indicates more of the item is needed; and

e) computer readable program code means for transmitting the purchase order to a predetermined location.

50. The computer program product according to

claim 49

further including computer readable program code means for attaching said purchase order to an e-mail for transmission to said predetermined location.

51. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein said predetermined location is an approver'"'"'s address.

52. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein said predetermined location is a supplier'"'"'s address.

53. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein additional information is transmitted with the purchase order to a predetermined location.

54. The computer program product according to

claim 53

wherein said additional information includes a supplier'"'"'s address.

55. The computer program product according to

claim 53

wherein said additional information includes an approver'"'"'s address.

56. The computer program product according to

claim 53

wherein one of said additional information includes the address of the device that is originating the transmission of said purchase order.

57. The computer program product according to

claim 53

wherein said additional information includes status of the device.

58. The computer program product according to

claim 53

wherein said additional information includes information about the items being depleted.

59. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein said purchase order includes the name of an item to be ordered and the quantity to be ordered.

60. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on which supplier is specified.

61. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein said purchase order is created using one of a plurality of purchase order form formats depending on a requester'"'"'s design.

62. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the device is one of a printer, a fax machine or a copier.

63. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by the device.

64. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the purchase order is created and transmitted by a computer attached to the device.

65. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the purchase order is transmitted from the approver to the supplier.

66. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the depleting item is comprised of discrete units that are processed by the device.

67. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the depleting item is comprised of a wear out mechanism.

68. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the depleting item is a time period.

69. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the determining means includes sensing the amount of an item that is accessible by the device.

70. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the determining means includes inventory in stock but not age accessible by the device.

71. The computer program product according to

claim 49

further comprising:

f) computer readable program code means for calculating the consumption frequency of said depleting items;

g) computer readable program code means comparing said consumption frequency with the inventory of items; and

h) computer readable program code means predicting the time when the inventory in stock will be depleted.

72. The computer program product according to

claim 49

wherein the depleting item is time between scheduled service calls.