Multi-entity inventory management using storage bin and inventory reassignment

A computer-implemented method for managing product inventory of a plurality of different entities at a plurality of facilities comprising storage structures served by robotic handlers, said computer-implemented method employing an inventory management system comprising at least one storage device and at least one processor communicably coupled to said storage device, said processor configured to execute computer program instructions defined for performing said method comprising the following steps:

• storing, in said storage device, a database containing product ownership information, said product ownership information comprising information necessary for identification of said plurality of different entities;
• activating, by said inventory management system, a first subset of said robotic handlers at one of said facilities to physically store a first product of a particular product type into a first storage bin located in a first storage structure;
• responsive to activating said first subset of said robotic handlers, updating said database, by said inventory management system, to record that said first product is owned by a first entity included among said plurality of different entities identified in said database;
• receiving, by said inventory management system via a communication network, first order of said particular product type from a second entity included among said plurality of different entities identified in said database, said second entity being different than said first entity;
• updating said database, by said inventory management system, to record a transfer of ownership of said first product stored at said first storage bin located in said first storage structure from said first entity to said second entity;
• activating a second subset of said robotic handlers, by said inventory management system, to retrieve said first product from said first storage bin located in said first storage structure, for use in fulfilling said first order of said particular product type for said second entity;
• activating, by said inventory management system, a third subset of said robotic handlers to physically store a second product of said particular product type into a second storage bin located within a second storage structure, said second storage structure located at a different one of said facilities than said first storage structure, and wherein ownership of said second product is assigned, by said inventory management system, to said second entity;
• responsive to receiving a second order from said first entity for said particular product type, updating said database, by said inventory management system, to record a transfer of said ownership of said second product from said second entity to said first entity, whereby said ownership of said first product and said second product is swapped between said first entity and said second entity in a 1:1 exchange of storage bins;
• and wherein, said first storage bin and said second storage bin are rendered compatible, by said inventory management system, with a facility-based array of indexed storage locations and an inter-nodal transport vehicle-based array of indexed storage locations, thereby facilitating:
• direct physical transfer of said first storage bin and said second storage bin between any of said plurality of different entities via any of inter-nodal transport vehicles, without said first storage bin and said second storage bin having to be at least temporarily assigned to a buffer area during said transfer between any of said plurality of different entities;
• continuous tracking of said first storage bin and said second storage bin across each of said plurality of different entities, any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, and between any of said plurality of different entities and any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, and without necessitating identification of said first storage bin and said second storage bin by way of scanning to complete a logical transfer of said first storage bin and said second storage bin to any of said plurality of different entities and any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles;
• configuring said inventory management system to facilitate said 1:1 exchange of storage bins at each of said plurality of different entities and at each of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, thereby causing a flow of said storage bins to be equivalent in both upstream direction and downstream direction, thereby eliminating buffering of overflow materials in a staging area during said exchange of said storage bins.

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon, computer program instructions executable by a processor for managing product inventory of a plurality of different entities at a plurality of facilities comprising at least one storage structure served by robotic handlers, said computer program instructions when executed by said processor cause said processor to:

• store a database containing product ownership information in said storage device, said product ownership information comprising information necessary for identification of said plurality of different entities;
• activate a first subset of said robotic handlers at one of said facilities to physically store a first product of a particular product type into a first storage bin located in a first storage structure;
• responsive to activating said first subset of said robotic handlers, update said database to record that said first product is owned by a first entity included among said plurality of different entities identified in said database;
• receive, via said communication network, a first order of said particular product type from a second entity included among said plurality of different entities identified in said database, said second entity being different than said first entity;
• update said database to record a transfer of ownership of said first product stored at said first storage bin located in said first storage structure from said first entity to said second entity;
• activate a second subset of said robotic handlers to retrieve said first product from said first storage bin located in said first storage structure, for use in fulfilling said first order of said particular product type for said second entity;
• activate a third subset of said robotic handlers to physically store a second product of said particular product type into a second storage bin located within a second storage structure, said second storage structure located at a different one of said facilities than said first storage structure, and wherein ownership of said second product is assigned to said second entity;
• responsive to receiving a second order from said first entity for said particular product type, update said database to record a transfer of said ownership of said second product from said second entity to said first entity, whereby said ownership of said first product and said second product is swapped between said first entity and said second entity in a 1:1 exchange of storage bins;
• and wherein, said first storage bin and said second storage bin are rendered compatible with a facility-based array of indexed storage locations and an inter-nodal transport vehicle-based array of indexed storage locations, thereby facilitating:
• direct physical transfer of said first storage bin and said second storage bin between any of said plurality of different entities via any of inter-nodal transport vehicles, without said first storage bin and said second storage bin having to be at least temporarily assigned to a buffer area during said transfer between any of said plurality of different entities;
• continuous tracking of said first storage bin and said second storage bin across each of said plurality of different entities, any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, and between any of said plurality of different entities and any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, and without necessitating identification of said first storage bin and said second storage bin by way of scanning to complete a logical transfer of said first storage bin and said second storage bin to any of said plurality of different entities and any of said inter-nodal transport vehicles:
• configure said inventory management system to facilitate said 1:1 exchange of storage bins at each of said plurality of different entities and at each of said inter-nodal transport vehicles, thereby causing a flow of said storage bins to be equivalent in both upstream direction and downstream direction, thereby eliminating buffering of overflow materials in a staging area during said exchange of said storage bins.