Supply-chain side assistance

• US 8,282,003 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Malamud, Mark A., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US11/524,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,212 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.13, 235/376, 700 90- 91, 700115-116, 700213-215, 700/228, 700/236
• US Class Current: 235/462.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An apparatus, device, method, computer program product, and system that identifies an item having a presence within a geographic locale in response to a signal indicative of the item, obtains a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a first source and obtaining a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a second source; and aggregates the first supply-chain assistance and the second supply-chain assistance.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:

a) detecting a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of a presence of an item within a geographic locale;

b) obtaining a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a first source and obtaining a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a second source; and

c) generating information responsive to at least one of the first supply-chain assistance and the second supply-chain assistance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of a presence of an item within a geographic locale further includes:

detecting a presence of an item within a geographic locale in response to an electronic signal indicative of the item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of a presence of an item within a geographic locale further includes:

detecting a presence of an item within a geographic locale in response to an optical characteristic indicative of the item.

4. A non-transitory computer program product encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process, the computer process comprising:

a) detecting a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of a presence of an item within a geographic locale;

b) obtaining a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a first source and obtaining a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a second source; and

c) generating information responsive to at least one of the first and the second supply-chain assistance.

5. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 4, wherein the obtaining a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a first source includes obtaining a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified from a network.

6. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 5, wherein the obtaining a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a second source includes obtaining a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from the network.

7. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 5, wherein the computer storage medium product includes a computer program product carried by a computer-readable carrier.

8. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 4, wherein the computer program product includes a computer storage medium product.

9. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 4, wherein the computer program product includes a communication medium product.

10. A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:

a) receiving a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of an item having a presence within a geographic locale subject to a control by an entity;

b) requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity; and

c) providing information responsive to data received in return to the request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity, further includes:

requesting data corresponding to the item over a global network from at least two sources, each source being independent of the entity.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of an item having a presence within a geographic locale subject to a control by an entity, further includes:

receiving a signal indicative of an item having a presence within at least one of a distribution center premises, a retail storage premises, or a warehouse premises subject to a control by an entity.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of an item having a presence within a geographic locale subject to a control by an entity, further includes:

receiving a signal indicative of an item having a presence within a conveyance device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of an item having a presence within a geographic locale subject to a control by an entity, further includes:

receiving a signal indicative of an item carried by at least one of a seagoing vessel, a surface vehicle, or an aircraft.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity, further includes:

requesting a supply-chain information corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources at least one source being independent of the entity.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity, further includes:

requesting at least one of a product recall information, a sales promotion information, a rebate information, and/or a gray market status information corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity, further includes:

requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, each source of the at least two sources being independent of the entity.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting data corresponding to the item over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one source being independent of the entity, further includes:

requesting data corresponding to the time over a computer network from at least two sources, at least one domain of at least two domains being independent of the entity.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing information responsive to data received in return to the request further includes:

providing a human-understandable display of information responsive to data received in return to the request.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing information responsive to data received in return to the request further includes:

providing a signal indicative of information responsive to data received in return to the request.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing information responsive to data received in return to the request further includes:

broadcasting a signal indicative of information responsive to data received in return to the request.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing information responsive data further includes:

broadcasting a signal indicative of information responsive to data, the broadcast receivable by a computing device not subject to a control by the entity.

23. A system comprising:

a) a computing device operable to receive a signal indicative of an item having a presence within a geographic locale and access to a network;

b) instructions that when executed on the computing device enable the computing device to;

(i) detect a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicative of a presence of an item within a geographic locale;

(ii) obtain a first instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a first source and obtain a second instance of a supply-chain assistance corresponding to the identified item from a second source; and

(iii) generate information responsive to at least one of the first supply-chain assistance and the second supply-chain assistance.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a display operable to present a human understandable output from the computing device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions further include:

instructions that when executed on the computing device enable the computing device to broadcast a human understandable version of the information generated responsive to at least one of the first supply-chain assistance and the second supply-chain assistance.