Apparatus, method and computer program product for transferring an electronic file

Abstract

A system for providing products to a customer operates with an open purchase order having an acceptable inventory range bounded by a lower and an upper limit for each product supplied to the customer. The system includes a storage unit, a first processing unit that maintains a product inventory count, and a second processing unit that monitors the product inventory count. A system for transferring electronic files includes a first processing unit that stores and transfers the electronic file, generates a pointer associated with the transferred electronic file, generates a reference electronic file and thereafter includes the pointer in the reference electronic file. A second processing unit then displays the reference electronic file. A system for generating composite electronic files includes a first processing unit having composite locations including component electronic files, and generating the composite electronic files when the respective composite location is accessed from a second processing unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 882,834, entitled: MIN / MAX INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT filed on Jun. 15, 2001; and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 267,562, entitled: MIN / MAX INVENTORY CONTROL filed on Feb. 8, 2001, the content of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to inventory control systems and methods and, more particularly, to lean inventory control systems and methods employing a minimum and a maximum inventory level.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Everyday, businesses in product industries deal with inventory, generally consisting all of the goods and materials held by a business for future sale, use or other type of transfer. Typically, these businesses must engage in some type of inventory co...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]In another embodiment, each product provided to the customer includes an electronic identifier for tracking the product. In this embodiment, the customer's processing unit can read each electronic identifier as the customer ships out the respective product and immediately thereafter decrease the product inventory count by the number of products shipped out as identified by the electronic identifiers. Additionally, the customer's processing unit can read each electronic identifier as the customer receives the respective product and immediately thereafter increase the product inventory count by the number of products received as identified by the electronic identifiers.

[0013]To facilitate communication between the supplier and the customer, the present invention also provides a system, method and computer program product for transferring at least one electronic file from a first location. The system includes a first processing unit, typically disposed at the customer location or otherwise under the control of the customer, on which the electronic files are stored. The first processing unit is capable of transferring the electronic files, such as by file transfer protocol (FTP), to a remote location, typically disposed at the supplier location or otherwise under the control of the supplier. After the first processing unit transfers the electronic files, the first processing unit generates at least one pointer, such as a hypertext link, associated with the transferred electronic files and the remote location. The first processing unit then generates a reference electronic file and thereafter includes the pointers in the reference electronic file. Additionally, in one embodiment the reference electronic file includes a date and / or time stamp identifying the date and / or time the electronic files were transferred from the first processing unit. The reference electronic file is capable of being displayed, such as an HTML or XML formatted electronic file. The system also includes a second processing unit disposed remote from the first processing unit, such as at the supplier location. Typically, the remote processing unit and the second processing unit are electrically connected, such as over a local area network (LAN). The second processing unit is capable displaying the reference electronic file, including the pointers, so that a user located proximate the second processing unit is capable of locating the electronic files at the remote location based upon the pointers. For example, by including pointers for the electronic files on a reference electronic file, the supplier can locate the electronic files, previously transferred from the customer, on a supplier accessible computer without additional notification from the customer as to the transfer. In one embodiment, the second processing unit displays the reference electronic file, including the pointers, for a predefined period of time. By displaying the reference electronic file, including the pointers, for a predefined period of time, the reference electronic file can be updated with removed or different pointers to take into account any change in file location, as well as any subsequent electronic file transfers to the second processing unit.

[0014]To further facilitate communication between the supplier and the customer, the present invention also provides a system, method and computer program product for generating at least one composite electronic file, such as an HTML or XML formatted electronic file. The system includes a first processing unit having at least one composite location capable of storing at least one component electronic file. The first processing unit may additionally be capable of receiving the component electronic files into the respective composite locations. In one embodiment, the system further includes a remote processing unit, such as a computer connected to the first processing unit over a LAN, having at least one composite location capable of storing, and possibly receiving, the component electronic files. In another embodiment, the first processing unit also includes a master electronic file, such as an HTML or XML formatted electronic file, having a composite pointer, such as a hypertext link, associated with each composite location so that each composite location is accessible via the respective composite pointer.

[0015]The first processing unit is capable of generating the composite electronic files when the respective composite locations are accessed from a second processing unit. The composite electronic files include at least one component pointer, such as a hypertext link, associated with the component electronic files in the respective composite locations. The composite electronic files are capable of being displayed through an interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), so that the information within component electronic files are accessible via the interface, based upon the component pointers. When a component electronic file is removed from the respective composite location, the first processing unit generates the respective composite electronic file without the component pointer associated with the respective component electronic file. Automatically generating the composite electronic files as the composite locations are accessed allows users at the customer location, for example, who may comprise users from multiple sectors within the customer's business, to create, delete and otherwise modify electronic files pertaining to their particular sector for display by the supplier.

[0016]The present invention therefore provides an improved lean inventory control system that employs minimum and maximum inventory levels and a customer located warehouse or point-of-use (POU) inventory. The min / max inventory system allows the supplier to monitor the inventory and to provide additional products to the customer as the customer's inventory changes. Monitoring the inventory of the customer as the inventory changes reduces wasteful excess inventory, and facilitates a better match between the production of products and customer demand for the products. Providing additional products to the customer, based upon monitored inventory levels instead of based upon a schedule or separate purchase orders from the customer, reduces expensive and wasteful administrative transactions. Also, the min / max inventory system of the present invention allows the supplier to provide products to the customer from a warehouse at or near the customer's location as the customer's inventory level changes, which reduces wasteful transportation time to better match product delivery with customer demand.

[0017]The present invention also provides a system, method and computer program product for transferring at least one electronic file from a first location. The system provides a displayable reference electronic file including a pointer to the transferred electronic files that allows users to verify the location of a transferred file and, thereby, access the transferred electronic file. The present invention further includes a system for creating composite electronic files that allows originators of component electronic files to have their electronic files formatted and compiled into the composite electronic file without special training.

Problems solved by technology

Also, by providing additional products to the customer, based upon monitored inventory levels instead of schedule or separate Purchase Orders from the customer, expensive and wasteful administrative transactions are reduced.

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