Livestock inventory tracking system and methods

• US 20060038010A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisone Corporation (Michael T. Lucas)
• Original Assignee: Unisone Corporation (Michael T. Lucas)
• Inventors: Lucas, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

The inventive subject matter relates to the field of electronic inventory control and tracking. In particular, the present invention relates to controlling and tracking livestock inventory items throughout the supply chain, from the birth of an animal to the sale of an animal product to the consumer. The inventive subject matter permits the development of animal product brands and/or marks, and provides a higher degree of source knowledge and producer accountability than has previously been available.

Claims

1. A livestock inventory management system, comprising the following elements, operably connected:

(a) at least one computer having at least one storage medium;

(b) one or more databases residing on said at least one storage medium;

(c) data collection software providing an interface to said one or more database(s);

(d) one or more unique readable identifiers accompanying a livestock animal;

(e) one or more data collection locations in communication with said at least one computer, each having;

(i) a reader appropriate to at least one unique identifier accompanying a livestock animal and capable of reading said at least one unique identifier, and

(ii) a data measurement device; and

(f) a timing device,

wherein said software executes the following actions;

(i) storing in said one or more databases at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with the unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at a first time,

(ii) storing in said one or more databases at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with the unique readable identifier for said livestock animal, captured at a second time,

(iii) generating and outputing a report of said at least two data items,

(iv) tracking a livestock inventory item and updating at least one database for (1) said customer and (2) a livestock merchant, as livestock inventory items are added to, restocked to, or removed from inventory,

(v) evaluating customer inventory information and inventory or cost information for a plurality of livestock merchants of said livestock animal in light of restocking parameters provided by said customer, and

(vi) automatically ordering livestock merchant inventory which best fulfills said inventory restocking parameters provided by said customer.

2. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said at least one unique identifier accompanying a livestock animal is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, an RFID tag, and a biometric feature.

3. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said at least one unique identifier is an RFID tag.

4. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said data measurement device is selected from the group consisting of devices which measure location, temperature, humidity, oxygen content, and other environmental conditions.

5. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said first time is at the time of birth of said livestock animal.

6. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said second time is at the time of sale to a consumer.

7. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software stores in said one or more databases one or more additional data items measured by at least one data measurement device and associated with the unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at third and succeeding times intervening said first and second times.

8. The livestock inventory management system of claim 7, wherein said one or more additional data items are associated with a livestock merchant.

9. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said report is output in response to a query.

10. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said report is output automatically.

11. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said data collection location is in communication with said at least one computer via the internet.

12. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software additionally forecasts the inventory needs of said customer and livestock merchant based on inventory usage, or inventory availability trends, or both,

wherein said evaluation of customer inventory information and livestock merchant inventory and cost information is executed in light of said restocking parameters provided by said customer and said forecast inventory needs.

13. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software monitors inventory levels and reports anticipated shortages.

14. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software monitors inventory levels and generates orders to cover anticipated shortages.

15. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software allows users to order new inventory items or to supplement inventory when desired.

16. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said customer inventory information is collected and stored for multiple customer business sites or for multiple customers, and wherein inventory restocking parameters provided by said customer are collected and stored for each said customer.

17. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said inventory and cost information is collected and stored for multiple livestock merchants.

18. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said step of updating takes place in real time.

19. The livestock inventory management system of claim 3, wherein said detecting of an RFID tag associated with each said inventory item is executed by one or more RFID readers.

20. The livestock inventory management system of claim 3, wherein said RFID tag is read by a hand held electronic device.

21. The livestock inventory management system of claim 3, wherein said RFID tag is read by an electronic portal device.

22. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software allows inventory items to be grouped, allows restrictions to be placed on distribution of such inventory items, provides for recording of information when an inventory item belonging to a group is dispensed, and allows printing of inventory item specific information for inclusion with each inventory item removed from inventory.

23. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein said software allows users to specify a price for goods for sale within an inventory.

24. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein a user of the computer program is identified via an optical reader which can read specially coded information on a person.

25. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein a user of the computer program is identified via an electronic device for scanning wirelessly accessible identifiers associated with a person.

26. The livestock inventory management system of claim 1, wherein a user of the computer program is identified via a biometric identification device.

27. A computer implemented method for livestock inventory management, comprising the steps of:

(a) at one or more data collection locations having a reader appropriate to at least one unique identifier accompanying a livestock animal and a data measurement device, measuring, collecting, and storing, in one or more databases on one or more storage media, maintained on one or more computers, at least the following data;

(i) at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with a unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at a first time, and

(ii) at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with a unique readable identifier for said livestock animal, captured at a second time;

(b) generating and outputing a report of said at least two data items;

(c) tracking a livestock inventory item and updating at least one database for (1) said customer and (2) a livestock merchant, as livestock inventory items are added to, restocked to, or removed from inventory;

(d) evaluating customer inventory information and inventory or cost information for a plurality of livestock merchants of said livestock animal in light of restocking parameters provided by said customer;

(e) automatically ordering livestock merchant inventory which best fulfills said inventory restocking parameters provided by said customer; and

(f) providing access via software to information in said one or more databases to each said customer and livestock merchant,

wherein said software allows one or more customers and livestock merchants to be classified into groups, and where permissions or roles are assigned to such groups.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said at least one unique identifier accompanying a livestock animal is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, an RFID tag, and a biometric feature.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said at least one unique identifier is an RFID tag.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said measured data is selected from the group consisting location, temperature, humidity, oxygen content, and other environmental conditions.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said first time is at the time of birth of said livestock animal.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said second time is at the time of sale to a consumer.

33. The method of claim 27, comprising collecting and storing in said one or more databases one or more additional data items measured by at least one data measurement device and associated with the unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at third and succeeding times intervening said first and second times.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said one or more additional data items are associated with a livestock merchant.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said report is output in response to a query.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein said report is output automatically.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein said data collection location is in communication with said at least one computer via the internet.

38. The method of claim 27, comprising the additional step of forecasting the inventory needs of customers and livestock merchants based on inventory usage or inventory availability trends,

wherein said step of evaluating said customer inventory information and said livestock merchant inventory and cost information is executed in light of restocking parameters provided by said customer and forecast inventory needs.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of ordering is completed automatically based upon the evaluation of said customer inventory information and said livestock merchant inventory and cost information, in light of restocking parameters provided by said customer.

40. The method of claim 27, wherein said method comprises the additional step of forecasting inventory usage or inventory availability for each said customer and livestock merchant based upon customer and livestock merchant information.

41. The method of claim 27, wherein said method comprises the additional steps of monitoring inventory levels and reporting anticipated shortages.

42. The method of claim 27, wherein said method comprises the additional steps of monitoring inventory levels and generating orders to cover anticipated shortages.

43. The method of claim 27, wherein said method comprises the additional step of providing for users to order inventory items or to supplement inventory when desired.

44. The method of claim 27, wherein said customer inventory information is collected and stored for multiple customer business sites or for multiple customers, and wherein inventory restocking parameters provided by said customer are collected and stored for each said customer.

45. The method of claim 27, wherein said inventory and cost information is collected and stored for multiple livestock merchants.

46. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of updating takes place in real time.

47. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of reading said RFID tag is by a hand held electronic device.

48. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of reading said RFID tag is by an electronic portal device.

49. The method of claim 27, comprising the additional step of identifying specially coded information on an object or a person via an optical reader.

50. The method of claim 27, comprising the additional step of identifying a wirelessly accessible identifier associated with an object or a person via an electronic device for scanning wirelessly accessible identifiers.

51. The method of claim 27, comprising the additional step of identifying a user via a biometric identification device.

52. A computer program product for managing customer inventory, comprising program instructions stored on at least one computer readable storage medium which when executed cause a computer to:

(a) collect and store, on one or more databases, at least the following data;

(i) at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with a unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at a first time, and

(ii) at least one data item measured by a data measurement device and associated with a unique readable identifier for said livestock animal, captured at a second time;

(b) generate and output a report of said at least two data items;

(c) evaluate said customer inventory information and inventory or cost information for a plurality of livestock merchants in light of said restocking parameters provided by said customer;

(d) order livestock merchant inventory which best fulfills said inventory restocking parameters provided by each said customer;

(e) track inventory items for (1) each customer and (2) each livestock merchant, as inventory items are added to, restocked to, or removed from inventory,

(f) update said data on said one or more databases; and

(g) provide access to the information in said one or more databases to said customer and livestock merchant,

wherein said computer program product allows customers and livestock merchants to be classified into groups, and where permissions or roles are assigned to such groups.

53. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said at least one unique identifier accompanying a livestock animal is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, an RFID tag, and a biometric feature.

54. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein said at least one unique identifier is an RFID tag.

55. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said measured data is selected from the group consisting location, temperature, humidity, oxygen content, and other environmental conditions.

56. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said first time is at the time of birth of said livestock animal.

57. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said second time is at the time of sale to a consumer.

58. The computer program product of claim 52, comprising collecting and storing in said one or more databases one or more additional data items measured by at least one data measurement device and associated with the unique readable identifier for a livestock animal, captured at third and succeeding times intervening said first and second times.

59. The computer program product of claim 58, wherein said one or more additional data items are associated with a livestock merchant.

60. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said report is output in response to a query.

61. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said report is output automatically.

62. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein said data collection location is in communication with said at least one computer via the internet.

63. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing the forecasting of inventory needs of said customer and livestock merchant based on inventory usage or inventory availability trends,

wherein said evaluation of customer inventory information and livestock merchant inventory and cost information is executed in light of said restocking parameters provided by said customer and said forecast inventory needs.

64. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for:

(1) monitoring inventory levels; and

(2) reporting anticipated shortages.

65. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for:

(1) monitoring inventory levels; and

(2) generating orders to cover anticipated shortages.

66. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing users to order inventory items or to supplement inventory when desired.

67. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions wherein said step of ordering is completed automatically based upon the evaluation of said customer inventory information and said livestock merchant inventory and cost information in light of said restocking parameters provided by said customer.

68. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing said step of updating to take place in real time.

69. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for providing access to the information in said one or more databases, according to said assigned roles or permissions, to a user of the computer program identified via an optical reader which can read specially coded information on a person.

70. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for providing access to the information in said one or more databases, according to said assigned roles or permissions, to a user of the computer program identified via an electronic device for scanning wirelessly accessible identifiers associated with a person.

71. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for providing access to the information in said one or more databases, according to said assigned roles or permissions, to a user of the computer program identified via a biometric identification device.

72. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for enabling registration and removal of individual users of the computer program product and modification of user information.

73. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for performing administrative functions.

74. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for:

(1) allowing inventory items to be grouped into classifications;

(2) allowing restrictions to be placed on distribution of such inventory items;

(3) providing for recording of information when individual inventory items or inventory items belonging to a particular group or set of groups are added to, restocked to, or removed from inventory; and

(4) allowing printing of inventory item specific or group specific labels or information to be included with each inventory item removed from inventory.

75. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing users to specify a price for goods for sale within an inventory.

76. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing detection of an RFID tag associated with each said inventory item to be executed by one or more RFID readers.

77. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing said RFID tag to be read by a hand held electronic device.

78. The computer program product of claim 52, further comprising program instructions for allowing said RFID tag to be read by an electronic portal device.