Method for managing inventory
AssigneeRecovery Management Corporation
InventorsBrett Alan Rauber, Louis D. Pack, Blaine Everett Bogue, Paul David Myers, Frank Hanshaw, III, Robert Anthony Ruiz
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims18
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.