Point of supply use distribution process and apparatus

Claim 1

A method using a central computer and at least one work station for tracking inventory of a plurality of items, comprising the steps, using said central computer and said work station, of: a. inputting to said central computer, item information for each of the plurality of items, with the item information including item name, item bar code, item cost, and item charge status; b. inputting to said central computer, user information for each of a plurality of users, with the user information including user name, user bar code, and user access data; c. inputting to said central computer, consumer information for each of a plurality of consumers, with the consumer information including consumer name and consumer billing information; d. inputting to said central computer, inventory information for each of a plurality of items, with the inventory information including number of items in inventory referenced to item name, item bar code, and item cost; e. reading at said work station a user bar code of a user; f. reading at said work station user access data of the user; g. defining, by the user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for an item; h. inputting to said central computer, by the user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; i. calculating, by said central computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; j. adding, by said central computer, the safety stock days value, the review time days value, and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; k. multiplying, by said central computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order Point for the item; l. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; m. identifying a particular consumer at said work station; n. identifying at said work station each item issued to the particular consumer as issued-item data, by the user identified through the work station by the user bar code and user access information of the user, for each item dispensed to the particular consumer identified at said work station; o. inputting, at said workstation, item identification information for each item issued to the particular consumer as issued-item data; p. communicating the issued-item data from said work station to said central computer; q. decrementing, in said central computer, the issued item from inventory data and from the on-hand quantity; r. determining at said central computer whether each issued item is chargeable to the particular consumer; s. recording in said central computer, in response to a chargeable status of the issued-item data to the particular consumer, the issued-item data as a charge to the particular consumer; t. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; u. adding, by said central computer, responsive to the Dynamic Order Point being at least equal to the on-hand quantity, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a second sum; v. multiplying by said central computer, the second sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; w. adding, by said central computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a third sum; x. subtracting, by said central computer, the third sum from the product to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order Quantity for the item; y. generating a replenishment order for purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and z. transmitting the replenishment order to a vendor.

Claim 2

A method using a central computer and at least one work station for tracking inventory of a plurality of items, comprising the steps, using said central computer and said work station, of: a. inputting to said central computer, item information for each of the plurality of items, with the item information including item name, item bar code, item cost, and item charge status; b. inputting to said central computer, user information for each of a plurality of users, with the user information including user name, user bar code, and user access data; c. inputting to said central computer, consumer information for each of a plurality of consumers, with the consumer information including consumer name and consumer billing information; d. inputting to said central computer, inventory information for each of a plurality of items, with the inventory information including number of items in inventory referenced to item name, item bar code, and item cost; e. reading at said work station a user bar code of a user; f. reading at said work station user access data of the user; g. defining, by the user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for an item; h. inputting to said central computer, by the user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; i. calculating, by said central computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; j. adding, by said central computer, the safety stock days value, the review time days value, and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; k. multiplying, by said central computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order Point for the item; l. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; m. identifying a particular consumer at said work station; n. identifying at said work station each item issued to the particular consumer as issued-item data, by the user identified through the work station by the user bar code and user access information of the user, for each item dispensed to the particular consumer identified at said work station; o. inputting, at said workstation, item identification information for each item issued to the particular consumer as issued-item data; p. communicating the issued-item data from said work station to said central computer; q. decrementing, in said central computer, the issued item from inventory data and from the on-hand quantity; r. determining at said central computer whether each issued item is chargeable to the particular consumer; s. recording in said central computer, in response to a chargeable status of the issued-item data to the particular consumer, the issued-item data as a charge to the particular consumer; t. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; u. adding, by said central computer, responsive to the Dynamic Order Point being at least equal to the on-hand quantity, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a second sum; v. multiplying by said central computer, the second sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; w. adding, by said central computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a third sum; x. subtracting, by said central computer, the third sum from the product to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order Quantity for the item; y. generating a replenishment order for purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and z. transmitting the replenishment order to a vendor.

Claim 8

A method using a central computer and a work station for tracking inventory of an item by calculating a Dynamic Order Point and a Dynamic Order Quantity for the item, comprising the steps, using said central computer and said work station, of: a. defining, by a user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for the item; b. inputting to said central computer, by the user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; c. calculating, by said central computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; d. adding, by said central computer, the safety stock days value, the review time days value, and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; e. multiplying, by said central computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a quantity representing the Dynamic Order Point for the item; f. determining at said central computer whether an issued item is chargeable to a particular consumer; g. recording in said central computer, in response to the issued-item being chargeable to the particular consumer, issued-item data as a charge to the particular consumer; h. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; i. adding, by said central computer, responsive to the Dynamic Order Point being greater than the on-hand quantity, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a second sum; j. multiplying, by said central computer, the second sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; k. adding, by said central computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a third sum; l. subtracting, by said central computer, the third sum from the product to generate the Dynamic Order Quantity for the item; m. generating a purchase order for purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and n. transmitting the purchase order to a vendor for replenishment of the item.

Claim 9

A method using a central computer and a work station for tracking inventory of an item by calculating a Dynamic Order Point and a Dynamic Order Quantity for the item, comprising the steps, using said central computer and said work station, of: a. defining, by a user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for the item; b. inputting to said central computer, by the user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; c. calculating, by said central computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; d. adding, by said central computer, the safety stock days value, the review time days value, and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; e. multiplying, by said central computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a quantity representing the Dynamic Order Point for the item; f. determining at said central computer whether an issued item is chargeable to a particular consumer; g. recording in said central computer, in response to the issued-item being chargeable to the particular consumer, issued-item data as a charge to the particular consumer; h. comparing the Dynamic Order Point to the on-hand quantity; i. adding, by said central computer, responsive to the Dynamic Order Point being greater than the on-hand quantity, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a second sum; j. multiplying, by said central computer, the second sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; k. adding, by said central computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a third sum; l. subtracting, by said central computer, the third sum from the product to generate the Dynamic Order Quantity for the item; m. generating a purchase order for purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and n. transmitting the purchase order to a vendor for replenishment of the item.

Claim 12

A method, using a computer and at least one workstation, for monitoring and maintaining an inventory of an item, comprising the steps of: defining, by a user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for the item; inputting to the computer, by a user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; calculating, by the computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; adding, by the computer, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; multiplying, by the computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; adding by the computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a second sum; subtracting, by the computer, the second sum from the product to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order quantity for the item; generating a replenishment order or purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and transmitting the replenishment order to a vendor.

Claim 13

A method, using a computer and at least one workstation, for monitoring and maintaining an inventory of an item, comprising the steps of: defining, by a user, a maximum days inventory value, a safety stock days value and a review time days value for the item; inputting to the computer, by a user, the maximum days inventory value, the safety stock days value and the review time days value; calculating, by the computer, an average daily usage value, a lead time days value, an on-hand quantity, and an open order quantity for the item; adding, by the computer, the maximum days inventory value and the lead time days value to generate a first sum; multiplying, by the computer, the first sum and the average daily usage value to generate a product; adding by the computer, the on-hand quantity and the open order quantity to generate a second sum; subtracting, by the computer, the second sum from the product to generate a quantity representing a Dynamic Order quantity for the item; generating a replenishment order or purchasing the Dynamic Order Quantity of the item; and transmitting the replenishment order to a vendor.