CN113837675A

CN113837675A - System and method for managing inventory from point of manufacture to point of sale

Info

Publication number: CN113837675A
Application number: CN202010581253.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马克·阿尔伯特·黑尔德
Original assignee: Green Exhibition Holdings Shenzhen Co ltd; Shenzhen Leviathan Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Green Exhibition Holdings Shenzhen Co ltd; Shenzhen Leviathan Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-06-23
Filing date: 2020-06-23
Publication date: 2021-12-24

Abstract

A system and method for providing high-resolution, traceability for products along a global supply chain is disclosed. The present invention includes a centralized cloud network and website that can connect to multiple transportation management systems. The system leverages existing Vehicle Traffic Services (VTS) and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to monitor shipments from the point of manufacture to the point of sale. The purpose of the present invention is to increase supply chain, lifecycle transparency to optimize "instant" efficiency between manufacturers. Other embodiments of the present invention software incorporate blockchain technology to enhance the transparency of the supply chain.

Description

System and method for managing inventory from point of manufacture to point of sale

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to inventory management. More particularly, the present invention relates to utilizing IoT technology along the supply chain to allow manufacturers to enhance the matching of production to actual supply and demand.

Background

"just-in-time" (JIT) manufacturing (also referred to as "lean manufacturing") is a business model that attempts to maximize the efficiency of the manufacturing process while minimizing excess inventory and reducing the cost of storing the inventory. JIT manufacturing can generally go back to japanese regulatory principles applied in manufacturing during the 70 s early 20 th century oil banning, which involves the right projects with the right quality and quantity at the right place and at the right time. JIT was later perfected by taichi ohno at toyota manufacturers as a means to meet consumer demand with minimal delay. Just-in-time production (JITP) is a branch of JIT whereby a customer order is the driver of production. JITP requires real-time knowledge of supply and demand in an effort to promote efficient manufacturing with minimal inventory and waste in order to maximize profitability for all stakeholders. With the advent of the information age and real-time data tools, manufacturers have begun to expand IoT into their transportation logistics and supply chains to enhance their JIT and JITP capabilities. US patent US2020074395a1 to Goldmann discloses an IoT for freight on a train that includes sensors that report problems en route. Chinese patent CN107527176A to the university of south of the river discloses an IoT system for carriers that incorporates an on-board RFID system for supply chain management. Korean patent KR101941613B1 granted to Min-Kwan discloses a logistics system of IoT related to cargo ships. While IoT continues to evolve in the global supply chain, no patents have been discovered that utilize IoT to integrate JIT and JITP manufacturing with existing supply chain systems.

Disclosure of Invention

The apparatus disclosed and described herein provides a solution to the shortcomings in the prior art by disclosing a high resolution, traceability system for products on the global supply chain. The present invention includes a software system and a cloud network that connects the supply chain to the manufacturer in real time. It is an object of the present invention to improve the transparency of the supply chain to facilitate JIT and JITP. For example, an U.S. distributor orders a container's cell phone from a korean manufacturer that embeds an IoT sensor in a shipment. Due to market diversion, half of the monitored pallets remain in the U.S. warehouse, while sales on merchant shelves are decreasing. Using this system, the manufacturer can see the lack of demand through the relay of the IoT device, and can adjust the manufacturing supply accordingly.

Another purpose of the software is to enhance the transparency and traceability of the assets during shipment as the product leaves the manufacturing site, is shipped to distributors, is delivered to stores, and is sold from shelves. For example, the IoT sensors in the above example may send the location, time, and status of the phone to the software cloud network of the present invention in real time at preset intervals at any point along the supply chain. The manufacturer can log into the system, select its supply chain, and make production decisions based on empirical data regarding point-of-sale trends.

It is another object of the present invention to enhance software compatibility on a business network. The cargo tracking software resides on a web-based cloud network that is platform agnostic and compatible with common VTS systems. Further, the software includes a mobile device version that interacts with the cloud network.

In some embodiments, the sensors are capable of interacting with a "blockchain" module within the software. Block chains were first invented by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. Nakamoto developed software that serves as a common distributed transaction ledger (hedger) for crypto currency called "bitcoin". The invention of blockchain software for bitcoins makes it the first digital currency without the need for a trusted authority such as a bank or a central server. Bitcoin relies on the blockchain as a security ledger. Once recorded, the data in any given block cannot be changed retrospectively without changing all subsequent blocks, which requires the consistent consent of most members of the network. In conjunction with intelligent contracts, such blockchains can be thought of as a decentralized notarization service that allows transparency so that anyone with preset rights can see the content within the data element record that was constructed and time stamped using cryptographic hashes.

Smart contracts are dynamic, real-time contracts that cannot be changed once created, but can perform certain actions when certain conditions are met, such as automatically sharing records with pre-approved parties using digital signatures. Each chunk in the software contains a cryptographic hash, a timestamp, and transaction data of a previous chunk. By design, the blockchain may resist modification of the data. To serve as a distributed ledger, blockchains are typically managed by a peer-to-peer network, collectively adhering to protocols for inter-node communication and verification of new blocks. Blockchains are currently expanding beyond cryptocurrency and are found in many shipping industries. In fact, IBM has recently worked with the denmark logistics huge headquarters Maersk to update its logistics network with block-chain software.

In the cargo tracking embodiment of the present invention, the status of all products (or bulk products) is continuously monitored by IoT sensors. These sensors wirelessly transmit information to a blockchain on the cloud network. Metadata such as time, date, GPS coordinates and asset condition (temperature of refrigerated items, etc.), who may have interacted with or moved the product, may be immediately added and recorded to a permanent, encrypted record on the block on the chain. If any pre-programmed parameters are violated, all interested parties on the blockchain are automatically notified via the scatter ledger. For example, at an inspection point in a channel in the indian ocean, the RFID sensor detects that the crew is not maintaining a cooler temperature onboard, resulting in 10 tons of fruit damage that will arrive at a port in the following week. The software records these conditions on the blockchain and immediately informs the financial staff of the problem and who is responsible.

Another object of the invention is to make the manufacturer more competitive in its industry. Because these manufacturers may employ JIT and JITP based on actual, real-world conditions rather than abstract predictions, they may provide their services at a reduced cost as compared to competitors that rely on predictions.

A system and method for providing high resolution, traceability of products on the global supply chain is disclosed. The present invention includes a centralized cloud network and website that can be connected to a plurality of transportation management systems. The system utilizes existing Vehicular Traffic Service (VTS) and internet of things (IoT) sensors to monitor goods from a goods manufacturing site to a goods point of sale. It is an object of the present invention to increase supply chain, lifecycle transparency to optimize "on-the-fly" efficiency between manufacturers. Other embodiments of the present invention incorporate blockchain techniques to enhance the transparency of the supply chain.

In this brief description, upon reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize various means for implementing the desired features of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that other methods, applications, and systems suitable for the task can also be configured to implement these features and are therefore considered to be within the scope and intent of the present invention and are contemplated. With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the apparatus of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions and methods insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As used in the claims to describe various inventive aspects and embodiments, "comprising" means including but not limited to anything following the word "comprising". Thus, use of the term "comprising" indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. "consisting of …" means anything including and limited to the word "consisting of …". Thus, the word "consisting of …" means that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. "consisting essentially of …" is meant to include any element listed in that word and is not limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or effect specified in the disclosure for the listed element. Thus, the word "consisting essentially of …" means that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present, depending on whether they affect the activity or function of the listed elements. The object features and advantages of the invention, as well as its advantages over the prior art, will become apparent from the description which follows, and are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but is not to be considered as limiting thereof.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some embodiments and/or features, but are not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the invention in use.

Fig. 2 shows a representative view of the inventive process.

Fig. 3 shows a blockchain embodiment of the present invention.

Other aspects of the invention will be more readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.

Detailed description of the drawings

In this specification, the directional prepositions "upward," "downward," "front," "back," "top," "above," "bottom," "below," "left," "right," and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawing figures, and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting and do not mean that the device must be used or positioned in any particular orientation. The conventional components of the present invention are well known elements in the art and will not be discussed in detail in this information disclosure.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, where a manufacturer 4 interacts with software 1 on a desktop computer, which software shows in real time a real-time presentation room at a distributor 5, the point of sale 2 of their products is slowed down, and said manufacturer 4 then steps through after thatProduction is stopped as part of the JIT and JITP protocols. The present invention includes the software and cloud network that interacts with sensors embedded within products along the supply chain from the manufacturing facility to the distributor and to the sales region. The sensors may include, but are not limited to, wireless active radio frequency identification tags that transmit wireless signals to the manufacturer through the cloud network and website interface of the present invention. The signals utilize networks associated with, but not limited to, WiFI, GSM cellular signals, GPS signals, and the like. The application of the above inventive software may be written in a variety of codes, which may include but are not limited to: java (Java)^TM、C++^TM、Visual Basic^TM、Fortran^TMAnd Basic^TMAnd so on. Fig. 2 shows a representative view of the system. The software is compatible with a plurality of operating systems, such as but not limited to: windows (R) Windows^TM、Apple^TMAnd Andriod^TMAnd is compatible with a variety of hardware platforms such as, but not limited to: desktop computer 3, laptop computer, tablet 4, and smart phone 4A, etc. The figure shows a cloud network server with algorithms and operations including, but not limited to: device registration 6 (user service subscription; subscription payment, etc.); stakeholder notification 7 (SMS, text message, email, etc. related to product status, sales, etc.); a data collection platform 8 (sensor data based on product and sensor archives); monitoring and communication 9 (sensor status, calibration and maintenance routines, etc.); and JIT and JITP algorithms 10 (recommendations to manufacturer stakeholders based on real-time sales sensor data, etc.). The recommendation algorithm described above is a production recommendation routine that is customized and preprogrammed by the manufacturer and used to ramp production up or down as part of JIT and JTP based on reported sensor data. Figure 2 also shows the manufacturer interacting with the cloud network server of the present invention and accessing asset location data 11 (based on GPS sensor data within the supply chain at any given moment), asset status 12 (status of en-route product safety, etc.), and notifications 13 (emergency notification, shipping delay, point-of-sale notification, sent by SMS, email, text message, etc.).

Fig. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention incorporating blockchain software. The blockchain software component has functionality such as, but not limited to: an initial transaction 14 (such as an inventory of assets registered to an ocean vessel) is identified as an origination block 15 after approval by a network node consisting of, but not limited to: manufacturers, distributors, shippers, and distributors, among others. As the asset is en route within the supply chain, each transaction (asset status, location, etc.) is encrypted and added to the previous block 16, forming a chain of hashed blocks 17, where each transaction has a timestamp and metadata, which is broadcast 18 individually as a transaction recorded on a distributed ledger 19 to the aforementioned authorized stakeholders (etc.) and is only available on the cloud network. By design, blockchains may resist modification of data. To serve as a distributed ledger, the blockchain is typically managed by a peer-to-peer network, collectively adhering to protocols for inter-node communication and authentication of new blocks. Once recorded, the data in any given block cannot be changed retrospectively without changing all subsequent blocks, which would require the consistent consent of most members of the network. In conjunction with intelligent contracts, such blockchains can be thought of as a decentralized notarization service that allows transparency so that anyone with preset rights can see the content within the data element record that was constructed using cryptographic hashes and time stamped. Smart contracts are dynamic, real-time contracts that cannot be changed once created, but can perform certain actions when certain conditions are met, such as using digital signatures to automatically share records with pre-approved parties.

It is also to be noted and contemplated that while the device is shown in its simplest form, various components and aspects of the device may be shaped differently or modified slightly when forming the present invention. As such, those skilled in the art will recognize that the descriptions and descriptions set forth in this disclosure, or simply, are meant as examples of preferred modes of operation within the general scope and intent of the invention, and should not be taken as limiting in any way. While all of the fundamental features and characteristics of the present invention have been shown and described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be apparent that in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth.

Claims

1. A system for providing traceability of products along a global supply chain, comprising the following parts:

a) a software application;

b) a cloud network; and

c) a sensor.

2. The system for providing traceability of products along the global supply chain according to claim 1, wherein said software application resides on said cloud network.

3. The system for providing traceability of products along a global supply chain according to claim 1, wherein said cloud network has an algorithm that performs the following operations: managing subscriptions, communicating with sensors and stakeholders in real-time, performing JIT and JITP recommendations, and automatically notifying users.

4. The system for providing traceability of products along a global supply chain of claim 1, wherein sensors are active and send asset data to said cloud network.

5. A method for providing traceability of a product along a global supply chain, comprising the steps of:

a) installing a sensor in asset cargo transport;

b) sending asset status and location signals to a cloud network in real time: and

c) based on the point-of-sale data, JIT and JITP recommendations are calculated.

6. The method for providing traceability of a product along a global supply chain according to claim 5, wherein sending asset status and location signals to a cloud network comprises: an additional step of transmitting the signal over the wireless network.

7. The method for providing traceability of a product along a global supply chain according to claim 5, wherein manufacturing jostling is sent as a text message, SMS, email, or the like.