IP Library Granted Patent US 8,949,149
Granted Patent B2
US 8,949,149 · App. 11/964,480 · Granted Feb 3, 2015

Attribute based inventory usage and stocking

Inventors: Francis E. del Rosario (Rochester, MN); Kael B. Eddy (Lanesboro, MN); Clinton W. Erie (Adams, MN); Ivory W. Knipfer (Rochester, MN); Matthew H. Zemke (Rochester, MN)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G06Q10/087G06Q10/0875
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,949,149
App. No.
11/964,480
Granted
Feb 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes. A method for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes that can include establishing a stock footprint, which maps stocking locations to attributes on a part, establishing a usage strategy, which maps a prioritized list of attributes to a part request order type, establishing a usage characteristic set, which maps a set of usage characteristics to the usage strategy, receiving a request order, and, applying the established usage strategy to the received request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received request order with the usage characteristic set of the established usage strategy.

Claims (39)

1. A method, by a computer hardware system for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes, the method comprising:

establishing, by the computer hardware system, a stock footprint, the stock footprint mapping stocking locations to attributes on a part;

establishing, by the computer hardware system, the usage strategy mapping a prioritized list of attributes to a part request order type;

establishing, by the computer hardware system, a usage characteristic set, the usage characteristic set mapping a set of usage characteristics to the usage strategy;

receiving, by the computer hardware system, a request order; and

applying, by the computer hardware system, the established usage strategy to the received request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received request order with the usage characteristic set of the established usage strategy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing a stock footprint comprises associating a stocking location in a stock area with a set name and list of part attributes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing a usage strategy comprises associating a request type with a stock area and a usage strategy priority level.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising modifying the usage strategy based on the stock footprint.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the modifying the usage strategy based on the stock footprint comprises modifying the part attributes at a stocking location.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising searching the inventory for each part identified in the request order based on a usage strategy prioritized part attribute.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a stocking strategy, the stocking strategy mapping a prioritized list of attributes to a stocking order request type;

establishing a stocking characteristic set, the stocking characteristic set mapping a set of stocking characteristics to the stocking strategy;

receiving a stocking request order; and,

applying the established stocking strategy to the received stocking request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received stocking request order with the stocking characteristic set of the established stocking strategy.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein establishing a stocking strategy comprises associating a request type with a request area and a stocking strategy priority level.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising evaluating the inventory locations for quantity if record is a non-null entry.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising modifying the stocking strategy based on the stock footprint.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modifying the stocking strategy based on the stock footprint comprises modifying the part attributes at a stocking location.

12. A method, by a computer hardware system for controlling inventory stocking based on part attributes, the method comprising:

establishing, by the computer hardware system a stock footprint, the stock footprint mapping stocking locations to attributes on a part;

establishing, by the computer hardware system a stocking strategy, the stocking strategy mapping a prioritized list of attributes to a stocking order request type;

establishing, by the computer hardware system a stocking characteristic set, the stocking characteristic set mapping a set of stocking characteristics to the stocking strategy;

receiving, by the computer hardware system a stocking request order; and

applying, by the computer hardware system the established stocking strategy to the received stocking request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received stocking request order with the stocking characteristic set of the established stocking strategy.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein establishing a stocking strategy comprises associating a request type with a request area and a stocking strategy priority level.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising modifying the stocking strategy based on the stock footprint.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modifying the stocking strategy based on the stock footprint comprises modifying the part attributes at a stocking location.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , further comprising computer usable program code for modifying the usage strategy based on the stock footprint.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising evaluating the inventory locations for quantity if record is a non-null entry.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium, embodying computer usable program code for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for establishing a stock footprint, the stock footprint mapping stocking locations to attributes on a part;

computer usable program code for establishing a usage strategy, the usage strategy mapping a prioritized list of attributes to a part request order type;

computer usable program code for establishing a usage characteristic set, the usage characteristic set mapping a set of usage characteristics to the usage strategy;

computer usable program code for receiving a request order; and,

computer usable program code for applying the established usage strategy to the received request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received request order with the usage characteristic set of the established usage strategy.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer usable program code for establishing a stock footprint comprises associating a stocking location in a stock area with a set name and list of part attributes.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer usable program code for establishing a usage strategy comprises associating a request type with a stock area and a usage strategy priority level.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2007
From: DEL ROSARIO, FRANCIS E.; EDDY, KAEL B.; ERIE, CLINTON W.; KNIPFER, IVORY W.; ZEMKE, MATTHEW H.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020303/0797 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090171816A1 · Jul 2, 2009