Methods and systems for managing stock transportation

• US 20050289020A1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Grabowski, Stefan, Bruns, Arno D., Schapler, Daniela
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing stock visibility during transportation of stock from between storage facilities. Such systems and methods can provide information identifying the location of stock while it is being transported to a new location and can provide the ability to alter the destination of stock while it is in transit to a new location. Upon the removal of stock from a warehouse, an inventory management system may be updated to indicate a transport unit of a vehicle that is being used to move the stock and, thus, provide visibility of the stock while it is in transit. In addition, through identification of the transport unit moving the stock to a new location, the vehicle transporting the stock may be rerouted to transfer the stock to an alternate location.

Claims

1. A method for managing stock in transport, the method comprising:

providing a stock identifier to identify the stock;

providing a transport unit identifier to identify at least one transport unit of a vehicle; and

associating the stock identifier with the transport unit identifier when the stock is being transported by the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the stock identifier to associate it with another transport unit identifier when the stock has been transferred to a transport unit of another vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the stock as being located with the vehicle when the stock identifier is associated with the transport unit identifier;

redirecting the vehicle, when the location of the stock is identified, to transport the stock to an alternate location; and

registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternate location is a warehouse or storage facility location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the vehicle when loading the stock into the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the stock when unloading the stock from the vehicle to a warehouse.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising triggering an update of the stock identifier when the location of the stock is registered with the database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport unit identifier specifies a location of the stock in a warehouse yard.

10. A method for managing stock using a database, the method comprising:

issuing a transfer order to move stock from a warehouse, the stock being identified in the database with a stock identifier;

prior to execution of the transfer order, associating the stock identifier with a first location identifier in the database to identify the stock as being stored in a first location; and

updating the database, during execution of the transfer order, to associate the stock identifier with a transport unit identifier for a transport unit of a vehicle, the vehicle transporting the stock to a second location in accordance with the transfer order.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

further updating the database to associate the stock identifier with a second location identifier in the database when the stock is transferred to the second location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the first or second location when storing the stock in the first or second location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising triggering the further update of the database when the location of the stock in the second location is registered with the database.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein registering comprises reading at least one of a bar code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) associated with the resource when loading the stock onto the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising triggering the update of the database when the location of the stock with the vehicle is registered with the database.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying the stock as being located on the vehicle when the stock identifier is associated with the transport unit identifier;

redirecting the vehicle to transport the stock to an alternate location; and

registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising reassigning the stock identifier when the stock is registered at the alternate location.

19. A system for managing stock, the system comprising:

a plurality of records identifying stock;

a plurality of records identifying transport units, each transport unit representing a capacity of a vehicle to transport stock; and

a management module for associating a stock identifier for stock with a corresponding one of a plurality of records identifying a warehouse location where the stock is stored and, when the stock is removed from the warehouse location and transported with a vehicle, associating the stock identifier with at least one transport unit identifier associated with the vehicle to thereby provide visibility of the stock during its transport.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for issuing a transfer order to transfer stock from a first location to a second location using the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for updating the stock identifier to associate it with a location identifier for the second location when it is transferred to the second location by the vehicle.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for registering the location of the stock in the warehouse.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for registering comprises at least one of a bar code and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for identifying the stock being transported by the vehicle when the stock identifier is associated with the transport unit identifier;

means for redirecting the vehicle to transport the stock to an alternate location; and

means for registering the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the vehicle.

25. A system for managing the transportation of stock from a first storage facility to a second storage facility, the system comprising:

means for providing a stock identifier to identify stock stored in the first storage facility;

means for providing a transport unit identifier to identify a transport unit of a vehicle for transporting the stock;

means for associating the stock identifier with the transport unit identifier when the stock is transported by the vehicle; and

means for associating the stock identifier with a location identifier for the second storage facility when the stock is transferred to the second storage facility.