The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 15, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 21, 2007
Timothy James Gerber, Rochester, MN (US);
Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Rochester, MN (US);
William Robert Taylor, Rochester, MN (US);
Timothy James Gerber, Rochester, MN (US);
Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Rochester, MN (US);
William Robert Taylor, Rochester, MN (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A logical inventory mechanism takes components in assemblies into account when determining purchase requirements. The inventory control system determines assemblies that are available, determines their components and whether or not each component may be reused, then adjusts physical inventory to generate therefrom logical inventory based on physical inventory plus parts in the assemblies that may be reused if the assemblies are disassembled. By computing logical inventory that would be available by disassembling assemblies, inventory levels may be reduced, thereby enhancing the efficiency of an inventory control system that includes the logical inventory mechanism. Assemblies in inventory thus may be used in two very different matters, as the starting point for a higher-level assembly, or to be disassembled to use one or more reusable components in the assembly in a different assembly.