Inventory management system for reducing overall warehouse and pipeline inventory

• US 20030200006A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael D., Hanlon, Larry A., Castagno, Tony R., Reulbach, Raymond A., Penkar, Rajan C., Jones, Gina L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer system for use in reducing overall pipeline inventory within a distribution network that includes a central warehouse that is: (1) adjacent a transportation hub; and (2) configured to store sufficient component parts to provide a regular stream of parts to each of a plurality of manufacturing facilities. The computer system is preferably configured for coordinating the transportation of a regular stream of parts to each of the manufacturing facilities by transporting component parts from the central warehouse to the manufacturing facilities primarily via an expedited delivery service performed using the transportation hub. The expedited delivery service may include, for example, guaranteed delivery within one or two days. This reduces the overall pipeline and warehouse inventory within the distribution network by reducing the average transit time for each part, and by reducing the amount of safety stock that is needed to support the operations of the manufacturing facilities.

Claims

1. A system for tracking items within a central warehouse, said system being configured to perform the steps of:

assigning a first identification indicia to an item within said central warehouse;

updating a database to associate said first identification indicia with said item;

receiving a request to reallocate said item from a first entity to a second entity;

in response to receiving said request, reallocating said item from said first entity to said second entity;

in response to said item being reallocated from said first entity to said second entity, assigning a second identification indicia to said item; and

updating said database to associate said second identification indicia with said item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said item is a component part.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and said second identification indicia are part numbers.

4. A system for tracking parts at a central warehouse, said system being configured for:

assigning a first part number to a part within said central warehouse;

updating a database to associate said first part number with said part;

receiving an indication that said part has been modified;

in response to receiving said indication, assigning a second part number to said part; and

updating a database to associate said second part number with said part.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said system is configured for maintaining a history of one or more part numbers that were formally associated with said part.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said system is configured for maintaining a history of substantially all of the part numbers that have been associated with said part since said part entered said central warehouse.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving an indication that said part has been modified comprises receiving an indication that said part has been loaded with a particular type of software, and wherein said second part number corresponds to a part that has been loaded with said particular type of software.

8. A method of distributing parts, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a central warehouse adjacent a transportation hub;

maintaining sufficient parts within said central warehouse to provide a regular stream of parts to each of a plurality of manufacturing facilities; and

providing a regular stream of parts to each of said manufacturing facilities by transporting component parts from said central warehouse to each of said manufacturing facilities primarily via an expedited delivery service performed using said transportation hub.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said expedited delivery service includes guaranteed delivery within two days.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said expedited delivery service includes guaranteed delivery within one day.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said expedited delivery service comprises air delivery.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said regular stream of parts is sufficient to supply at least one of said manufacturing facilities with at least about sixty percent of said manufacturing facility'"'"'s needed supply of a particular kind of component part.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said regular stream of parts is sufficient to supply at least one of said manufacturing facilities with at least about eighty percent of said manufacturing facility'"'"'s needed supply of a particular kind of component part.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said transportation hub is an air hub.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said transportation hub is a ground hub.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said central warehouse is used to supply a regular stream of parts to each manufacturing facility within a nationwide network of manufacturing facilities.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

transporting a particular part from said central warehouse to a particular one of said manufacturing facilities; and

after said particular part has been assembled into a finished product at said particular manufacturing facility, transporting said finished product back to said central warehouse via said transportation hub.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of, after transporting said finished product back to said central warehouse, performing a value added service on said finished product at said central warehouse.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said value added service is labeling said product.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said value added service is assembling said finished product into a kit.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of, after transporting said finished product back to said central warehouse via said transportation hub, sending said finished product to a customer via said transportation hub.

22. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said component parts comprise said one or more electronic components; and

said method comprises the step of loading software onto said one or more electronic components at said central warehouse.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said one or more electronic components comprise one or more computer chips.

24. The method of claim 22, further including the step of assigning at least a particular one of said electronic components a part number in response to said step of loading software onto said particular one of said electronic components.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said part number indicates the functionality of said particular one of said electronic components.

26. A method of storing and allocating parts comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of parts in a central warehouse; and

allowing a user to reallocate said plurality of parts from a first entity to a second entity without requiring said plurality of parts to be physically moved from said central warehouse.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of allowing a user to reallocate said plurality of parts from a second entity to a third entity without requiring said plurality of parts to be physically moved from said central warehouse.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of:

storing said plurality of parts in said central warehouse for a first period of time during which said plurality of parts are allocated to a first entity;

after said step of storing said plurality of parts in said central warehouse for said first period of time, receiving a request to reallocate said plurality of parts from said first entity to said second entity;

in response to receiving said request, reallocating said plurality of parts from said first entity to said second entity; and

after reallocating said plurality of parts to said second entity, continuing to store said plurality of parts in said warehouse.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said request is a first request, and further comprising the steps of:

after reallocating said plurality of parts to said second entity, receiving a second request to reallocate said plurality of parts from said second entity to a third entity;

in response to receiving said request, reallocating said plurality of parts from said second entity to said third entity; and

after reallocating said plurality of parts to said third entity, continuing to store said plurality of parts in said warehouse.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of providing a computer system that is configured to allow a user to use a “

drag-and-drop”

technique on a display screen to perform said step of reallocating said plurality of parts from said first entity to said second entity.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said computer system is configured to reallocate said plurality of parts from a first entity to a second entity without changing a physical position of said plurality of parts within said central warehouse.

32. A method of tracking items within a central warehouse, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a first identification indicia to an item within said central warehouse;

updating a database to associate said first identification indicia with said item;

reallocating said item from a first entity to a second entity;

in response to said item being reallocated from said first entity to said second entity, assigning a second identification indicia to said item; and

updating said database to associate said second identification indicia with said item.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said item is a component part.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said first and said second identification indicia are part numbers.

35. A method of tracking parts at a central warehouse, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a first part number to a part within said central warehouse;

updating a database to associate said first part number with said part;

modifying said part;

in response to said part being modified, assigning a second part number to said part; and

updating a database to associate said second part number with said part.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said method comprises the step of maintaining a history of one or more part numbers that were formally associated with said part.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said system is configured for maintaining a history of substantially all of the part numbers have been associated with said part since said part entered the central warehouse.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said step of modifying said part comprises loading software onto said part.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein said step of modifying said part comprises labeling said part.

40. A computer system for use in a distribution network, said distribution network comprising a central warehouse that is adjacent a transportation hub, and said central warehouse being configured to store sufficient component parts to provide a regular stream of parts to each of a plurality of manufacturing facilities, said computer system being configured for:

coordinating the transportation of a regular stream of parts to each of said manufacturing facilities by transporting component parts from said central warehouse to each of said manufacturing facilities primarily via an expedited delivery service performed using said transportation hub.