Vehicle Lifecycle Management System for Wholesale Inventory

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for managing vehicle inventories, particularly for leased vehicles, are inefficient and lack comprehensive computer-assisted systems to track and facilitate the lifecycle management, sale, and consignment processes within the wholesale community.

Innovation Solution

A network-based system that allows for the electronic management of vehicle inventory, including data storage, access control, electronic notifications, and user interfaces for searching, tracking, and facilitating the sale of vehicles, with features such as vehicle description, pricing, and customer intent management, enabling efficient lifecycle management and sale processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual methods are used to manage vehicle inventories, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and management efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle inventory management efficiencyVSAvoidcomputer-assisted system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides a universal platform that handles multiple functions including inventory tracking, lifecycle management, sale facilitation, and consignment processes through a single integrated computer-assisted system, improving productivity across all vehicle management operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates and maintains electronic copies of vehicle information and inventory data, replacing manual record-keeping with digital representations that enable efficient tracking and management without requiring physical movement of documentation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive tracking systems are implemented, then measurement precision of vehicle lifecycle data is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle lifecycle data accuracyVSAvoiddata management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms that automatically update and verify vehicle lifecycle data through electronic notifications and status tracking, ensuring measurement precision while managing complexity through automated data validation processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The comprehensive tracking system is segmented into modular components that handle specific aspects of vehicle lifecycle management separately, making the overall system more manageable while maintaining precise tracking of individual vehicle parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of time

If electronic information systems are used, then loss of time in vehicle sale processes is reduced, but loss of information security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle sale process timeVSAvoidvehicle data security risks
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses electronic notifications and digital communication as intermediaries to transfer vehicle information and facilitate sales processes, reducing time losses while implementing security measures to protect information integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains secure electronic copies of vehicle information that can be accessed and transmitted digitally, reducing the time required for information exchange while implementing security protocols to prevent data loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Reliability

If access control mechanisms are implemented, then reliability of information access is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation access securityVSAvoidsystem accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements access control mechanisms that provide different levels of information access to different users based on their roles and permissions, ensuring reliability of information access while maintaining ease of operation for authorized users through role-based interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8738472B2Systems and methods for vehicle lifecycle management
Publication Date: 2014.05.27 OPENLANE US INC
  • US8738472B2 patent drawing
  • US8738472B2 patent drawing
  • US8738472B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A computerized system for vehicle management and purchase. The system may include a database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles. The system may also include a computer interface that provides access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles; an option on the user interface to search; an option on the user interface to indicate intent to purchase a vehicle; a computer interface that receives information regarding a vehicle returned; and a computer interface to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle. Also described are an Internet-based system including a web server; a method for vehicle management and purchase; and a vehicle management and purchase system.