US-20260127542-A1 - Hardware Asset Management in a Fulfillment Center

Abstract

An inventory management system for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device. The system comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory storing a plurality of inventory transaction tables, a data verification table, and a committed transaction table, an inventory application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor receives a plurality of scanned code inputs from a mobile application executing on a handheld scanner, writes each received scanned code input into an inventory transaction table, processes each received inventory transaction table, writes processed asset transactions to the data verification table, and in response to receiving a command to commit processed asset transactions, committing processed asset transactions to the committed transaction table.

Inventors

• Jonathon A. Burr
• Marcus D. FLY

Assignees

• T-MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241101

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An inventory management system for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld scanner and that supports preserving in-flight inventory transactions, comprising: a handheld scanner comprising: a first processor, a first non-transitory memory, a radio transceiver, a reader, a user interface, and a mobile application stored in the first non-transitory memory that, when executed by the first processor: receives a selection of an inventory transaction from the user interface, receives a plurality of scanned code inputs from the reader, and transmits the scanned code inputs via the radio transceiver to an inventory management system; and an inventory management service comprising: a second processor, a second non-transitory memory, an inventory application stored in the second non-transitory memory that, when executed by the second processor: receives the scanned code inputs from the mobile application, writes each received scanned code input into an inventory transaction table stored in the second non-transitory memory, processes each received inventory transaction table, writes processed inventory transactions to a data verification table stored in the second non-transitory memory, and in response to receiving a command to commit processed inventory transactions, commits processed inventory transactions to a committed transactions table stored in the second non-transitory memory.
2. 2 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the radio transceiver is configured to provide a WiFi wireless communication link to a wireless access point (AP).
3. 3 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the radio transceiver is configured to provide a cellular radio communication link to a cell site.
4. 4 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is configured to provide a plurality of screens, wherein each different screen supports completing a different inventory transaction.
5. 5 . The inventory management system of claim 4 , wherein the different inventory transactions comprise a receive inventory transaction, a transfer inventory transaction, a move inventory transaction, a ship inventory transaction, an add/remove parts inventory transaction, an audit inventory transaction, and a log inventory transaction.
6. 6 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the reader is configured to read a bar code.
7. 7 . The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the reader is configured to read a radio frequency identity (RFID) tag.
8. 8 . A method of inventory management for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device and that supports preserving in-flight inventory transactions, comprising: receiving selection of an inventory transaction by a mobile application executing on a handheld scanner; scanning by the handheld scanner a plurality of inventory items; transmitting information associated with the plurality of inventory items with the identity of the selected inventory transaction by the handheld scanner to an inventory transaction table associated with the selected inventory transaction in a data store; processing the information associated with the plurality of inventory items stored in the inventory transaction table based on the identity of the selected inventory transaction by an inventory application executing on a computer system; storing the processed information in a data verification table in the data store by the inventory application; presenting the processed information in a reviewing screen by the inventory application; receiving a commit command associated with the processed information by the inventory application from the viewing screen; and storing the processed information in a committed transaction table by the inventory application.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the inventory transaction table is a staging table and the data verification table is a staging table.
10. 10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein scanning the plurality of inventory items by the handheld scanner comprises scanning a plurality of bar code labels affixed to inventory items.
11. 11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein scanning the plurality of inventory items by the handheld scanner comprises scanning a plurality of radio frequency identity (RFID) tags affixed to inventor items.
12. 12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting by the handheld scanner comprises transmitting via a wireless link by the handheld scanner.
13. 13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of inventory items comprises laptop computers.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein information associated with the plurality of inventory items comprises two or more of a purchase order number, a pallet identity, an inventory item identity, and a version of an image installed on the laptop.
15. 15 . An inventory management system for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device, comprising: a processor; a non-transitory memory storing a plurality of inventory transaction tables, a data verification table, and a committed transaction table; and an inventory application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor receives a plurality of scanned code inputs from a mobile application executing on a handheld scanner, writes each received scanned code input into an inventory transaction table, processes each received inventory transaction table, writes processed inventory transactions to the data verification table, and in response to receiving a command to commit processed asset transactions, committing processed inventory transactions to the committed transaction table.
16. 16 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , wherein the inventory items are laptop computers.
17. 17 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , wherein the inventory transaction table and the data verification table are staging tables.
18. 18 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of scanned code inputs received from the mobile application by the inventory application comprise a purchase order number and a pallet number.
19. 19 . The inventory management system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of scanned code inputs received from the mobile application by the inventory application comprises information about a version of image being installed.
20. 20 . The inventory management system of claim 15 , wherein committing processed inventory transactions comprises creating inventory item records in a backend data store.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS None. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX Not applicable. BACKGROUND Fulfillment centers may be depots for different kinds of hardware that will be staged for later delivery to end users. One kind of fulfillment center may be a depot for different kinds of laptop computers and other electronic equipment. Hardware received at the fulfillment center may be in a raw or unconfigured state and may be configured while stored in the fulfillment center. Once configured, the hardware may be shipped out to different end users. Keeping track of both the hardware inventory and the configuration states of the hardware inventory is a complex and dynamic challenge. SUMMARY In an embodiment, an inventory management system for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device is disclosed. The system comprises a handheld scanner and an inventory management service. The handheld scanner comprises a first processor, a first non-transitory memory, a radio transceiver, a reader, a user interface, and a mobile application stored in the first non-transitory memory. When executed by the first processor, the mobile application receives a selection of an inventory transaction from the user interface, receives a plurality of scanned code inputs from the reader, and transmits the scanned code inputs via the radio transceiver to an inventory management system. The inventory management service comprises a second processor, a second non-transitory memory, and an inventory application stored in the second non-transitory memory. When executed by the second processor, the inventory application receives the scanned code inputs from the mobile application, writes each received scanned code input into an inventory transaction table stored in the second non-transitory memory, processes each received inventory transaction table, writes processed inventory transactions to a data verification table stored in the second non-transitory memory, and, in response to receiving a command to commit processed inventory transactions, committing processed inventory transactions to a committed transactions table stored in the second non-transitory memory. In another embodiment, a method of inventory management for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises receiving selection of an inventory transaction by a mobile application executing on a handheld scanner; scanning by the handheld scanner a plurality of inventory items; and transmitting information associated with the plurality of inventory items with the identity of the selected transaction operation by the handheld scanner to an inventory transaction table associated with the selected inventory transaction in a data store. The method further comprises processing the information associated with the plurality of inventory items stored in the inventory transaction table based on the identity of the selected inventory transaction by an inventory application executing on a computer system; storing the processed information in a data verification table in the data store by the inventory application; presenting the processed information in a reviewing screen by the inventory application; receiving a commit command associated with the processed information by the inventory application from the viewing screen; and storing the processed information in a committed transaction table by the inventory application. In yet another embodiment, an inventory management system for a fulfillment center that supports rapid scanning of inventory items using a handheld electronic device is disclosed. The system comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory storing a plurality of inventory transaction tables, a data verification table, and a committed transaction table, and an inventory application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the inventory application receives a plurality of scanned code inputs from a mobile application executing on a handheld scanner, writes each received scanned code input into an inventory transaction table, processes each received inventory transaction table, writes processed inventory transactions to the data verification table, and, in response to receiving a command to commit processed asset transactions, committing processed asset transactions to the committed transaction table. These and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals repre