Methods and systems for managing stock transportation

• US 7,770,792 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• 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., Schalper, Daniela
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/873,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 235383-385, 235/435, 235/487, 705/28, 340/5.92
• US Class Current: 235/385
• 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 computer-executable method for managing stock in transport, the method comprising:

providing a stock identifier to identify the stock;

providing a transport unit identifier to identify a transport unit of a vehicle, wherein the transport unit represents a collection of stock for vehicle transport, and further wherein the vehicle includes at least two transport units with different transport unit identifiers, and wherein the stock identifier and transport unit identifier are provided in at least one memory device;

creating, by a processor, an initial association in a database between the stock identifier and the transport unit identifier at a time at which the stock is physically moved on to the vehicle which transports the stock offsite;

determining, from the database, the initial association between the transport unit identifier and the stock identifier, indicating that the stock identifier is located with the vehicle;

redirecting the vehicle, upon the determining, to transport the stock to an alternate location;

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

deleting the initial association between the stock identifier and the transport unit identifier upon completed transport 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, wherein the alternate location is a warehouse or storage facility location.

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

5. The method of claim 4, 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.

6. The method of claim 4, 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.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising triggering an update of the stock identifier when the location of the stock is registered with the database.

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

9. A computer-executable 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, wherein the database is stored in at least one memory device;

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

updating the database, during execution of the transfer order, to create an initial association between the stock identifier and a transport unit identifier for a transport unit of a vehicle at a time at which the stock is physically moved on to the vehicle which transports the stock offsite, wherein the transport unit represents a collection of stock for vehicle transport, and further wherein the vehicle includes at least two transport units with different transport unit identifiers;

transporting the stock, by the vehicle, to a second location in accordance with the transfer order;

determining, from the transport unit identifier, that the associated stock identifier is located with the vehicle;

redirecting the vehicle, upon the determining, to transport the stock to an alternate location;

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

updating the database, upon completed transport to the alternate location by the vehicle, to disassociate the stock identifier from the transport unit identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

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

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising registering the location of the stock with a database.

12. The method of claim 11, 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.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising triggering the further update of the database when the location of the stock in the second location is registered with the database.

14. The method of claim 11, 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.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising triggering the update of the database when the location of the stock with the vehicle is registered with the database.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising reassigning the stock identifier when the stock is registered at the alternate location.

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

at least one memory device configured to store;

a plurality of records identifying stock; and

a plurality of records identifying transport units, each transport unit representing a collection of stock for vehicle transport, wherein the vehicle includes at least two transport units with different transport unit identifiers; and

a management module, executing on a processor, configured to;

associate a stock identifier for stock with a corresponding one of a plurality of records identifying a warehouse location where the stock is stored;

create an initial association in a database between the stock identifier and at least one transport unit identifier associated with the vehicle at a time at which the stock is removed from the warehouse location and transported with a vehicle which transports the stock offsite;

determine, from the database, the initial association between the transport unit identifier and the stock identifier, indicating that the stock identifier is located with the vehicle;

redirect the vehicle, upon the determining, to transport the stock to an alternate location;

register the stock at the alternate location upon completion of the redirected transport by the vehicle; and

delete the initial association between the stock identifier and the transport unit identifier, to thereby provide visibility of the stock during its transport.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

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

19. The system of claim 18, 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.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

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

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for registering comprises at least one of a bar code and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

22. 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, wherein the transport unit represents a collection of stock for vehicle transport, and further wherein the vehicle includes at least two transport units with different transport unit identifiers;

means for creating an initial association in a database between the stock identifier and the transport unit identifier at a time at which the stock is physically moved on to the vehicle which transports the stock offsite;

means for determining, from the database, the initial association between the transport unit identifier and the stock identifier, indicating that the stock identifier is located with the vehicle;

means for redirecting the vehicle, upon the means for determining, to transport the stock to an alternate location;

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

means for deleting the initial association between the stock identifier and the transport unit identifier upon completed transport to the alternate storage facility by the vehicle.