Method for managing inventory

• US 6,549,891 B1
• Filed: 08/28/1998
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Recovery Management Corporation
• Original Assignee: Recovery Management Corporation
• Inventors: Myers, Paul David, Hanshaw, Frank III, Pack, Louis D., Ruiz, Robert Anthony, Bogue, Blaine Everett, Rauber, Brett Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US09/143,277
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22-23, 705/28, 705/29
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing inventory in a distressed inventory warehouse with the aid of a programmable computer is disclosed. The method and apparatus provides for the complete automation of the inventory management of a distressed inventory warehouse. The method and apparatus also provides for the continual updating of records related to the distressed inventory as it passes through various stages within the distressed inventory warehouse.

Claims

1. A method for matching and identifying lost inventory from a carrier that has been delivered to a warehouse, the method comprising:

designating at least one piece of the lost inventory as overgoods inventory;

generating overgoods information for each piece of the overgoods inventory, including descriptive product information, location information, and information about the carrier associated with the overgoods inventory;

inputting the overgoods information into at least one overgoods record in a computer;

searching the at least one overgoods record in the computer for records matching preselected criteria, including information about the carrier, to generate at least one matched overgoods record corresponding to matched overgoods inventory; and

notifying the carrier that at least one matched overgoods record matches the preselected criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

identifying a current location of the corresponding piece of matched overgoods inventory from the location information in the matched overgoods record; and

physically relocating the piece of matched overgoods inventory from the current location to a second location for shipment or further processing.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of printing, with a printer coupled with the computer, a ticket with shipping information for each piece of matched overgoods inventory prior to physically relocating the piece of matched overgoods inventory from the current location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying selected overgoods information on a computer screen for each matched overgoods record.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of designating at least one matched overgoods record as an on-hold record after generating at least one matched overgoods record and displaying the on-hold designation on the computer screen when selected overgoods information is displayed on the computer screen for the corresponding matched overgoods record.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of

de-designating each on-hold record as an on-hold record;

identifying a current location of the corresponding piece of matched overgoods inventory from the location information in the matched overgoods record; and

physically relocating the piece of matched overgoods inventory from the current location to a second location for shipment or further processing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

printing a machine-readable overgoods identification label for each piece of overgoods inventory with a printer coupled with the computer, the label having an overgoods inventory code associated with its respective overgoods record; and

placing the overgoods identification labels on their respective piece of overgoods inventory.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of updating the current location in the location information for each piece of overgoods inventory by inputting the overgoods inventory code into a programmable input device in communication with the computer when the current location changes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching the overgoods records further includes restricting access to selected records based on a log in code supplied by a user of the computer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a selected portion of the matched overgoods record on a display device in communication with the computer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying a selected portion of the matched overgoods record includes allowing a user of the computer to view the entire matched overgoods record.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving overgoods information further comprises the step of receiving a digital image of the overgoods inventory into the overgoods record.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of allowing a user of the computer to view the digital image of the matched overgoods inventory associated with the matched record after identification of the matched record.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of physically relocating each piece of overgoods inventory to an overgoods inventory storage area after designation of the distressed inventory as overgoods inventory.

15. A method for managing overgoods inventory with the aid of a computer, the method comprising:

designating a plurality of pieces of inventory as overgoods inventory;

generating overgoods information for each piece of overgoods inventory, including descriptive product information, location information, and information about a carrier associated with the overgoods inventory;

inputting the overgoods information into an overgoods record in a computer;

searching the overgoods records in the computer for records matching preselected criteria;

identifying records that do not match the preselected criteria and that have been in the computer for a preselected length of time as stale records;

designating the overgoods inventory associated with each stale record as a matured item; and

physically relocating each matured item for release to a salvage process.

16. A method for managing inventory for which delivery to an intended destination has not been made, comprising:

identifying a shipper from which the inventory was acquired;

receiving descriptive product information, including shipper information, for the inventory into records in a computer database;

returning the inventory to the shipper for appropriate disposition;

searching the database for records matching preselected criteria provided by a requesting party corresponding to inventory that did not arrive at its intended destination; and

providing to the requesting party the descriptive product information, including date returned to the shipper, for the inventory records matching the preselected criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of providing information to the requesting party includes providing sufficient information to demonstrate that claims against a carrier of the inventory for loss of the inventory are inappropriate.

18. A method for managing inventory for which consignee information is not known, with the aid of a computer, comprising

identifying a shipper from which the inventory was acquired;

receiving descriptive product information, including shipper information, for the inventory into records in a computer database;

returning the inventory to the shipper for appropriate disposition;

searching the database for records matching preselected criteria provided by the shipper corresponding to inventory that did not arrive at its intended destination; and

providing to the shipper the descriptive product information, including date returned to the shipper, for the inventory records matching the preselected criteria, enabling the shipper to physically identify the inventory corresponding to the matching records.