US3605089A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Physical inventory scanning and recording system
Assignee: JA Terteling & Sons Inc
•
Filing: 1969-07-14
•
Granted: 1971-09-14
•
Expires: 1989-07-14
Abstract
Abstract In the system, the weight of items physically present in defined increments of inventory placed on electrical transducer units continuously responsive to the weight of those items is sequentially monitored to provide a record of current inventory. The outputs of the weight-responsive transducer units are translated into signals representing the weight of the inventoried items and this information is stored in a computer accessible memory bank or other storage media, i.e. magnetic tape, paper tape, disc storage, etc. Provision may optionally be included to selectively impart identifying data to the transducer signal for storage along with the corresponding inventory weight through the use of a signal generating encoder which selectively attaches to the system at the site of the respective transducer units.
Inventors
- 👤 George W Gray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:02
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G15/00; G01G19/00; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/087; G06Q10/0877; G06Q10/08772
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. translating means operatively associated with the scanning means to translate the continuously variable outputs from the accessed transducers into electrical signals which indicate the discrete weight of items in the inventory represented by respective transducer outputs; and e. control means to automatically coordinate the operation of the scanning and translating means and sequentially direct the translated outputs of the translating means to the memory unit and update the memory unit for each scanning sequence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. translating means operatively associated with the scanning means to translate the continuously variable outputs from the accessed transducers into electrical signals which indicate the discrete weight of items in the inventory represented by respective transducer outputs; and e. control means to automatically coordinate the operation of the scanning and translating means and sequentially direct the translated outputs of the translating means to the memory unit and update the memory unit for each scanning sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
An inventory system as described in claim 1, wherein the memory unit is electrically connected with said translating means, said unit being adapted to separately record the most recently generated signals derived from respective transducer outputs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; and, d. addressing means adapted to function in response to an interrogating signal from the computer system to transmit the signals recorded in the memory unit to the computer system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
127 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; and, d. addressing means adapted to function in response to an interrogating signal from the computer system to transmit the signals recorded in the memory unit to the computer system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
140 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a first memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. encoding means to selectively impart identifying data to the respective transducer outputs; and e. a second memory unit electrically connected to said encoding means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently imparted identifying data corresponding to respective transducer outputs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
140 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a first memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. encoding means to selectively impart identifying data to the respective transducer outputs; and e. a second memory unit electrically connected to said encoding means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently imparted identifying data corresponding to respective transducer outputs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
138 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. sCanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. encoding means to selectively generate identifying data for the respective transducer outputs; and, e. means operatively connected to the memory unit to direct storage of the most recent identifying data along with the corresponding transducer outputs in the memory unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
138 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system, comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having a continuously variable, electrical output characteristic responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. sCanning means to sequentially access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means, said unit adapted to separately record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers; d. encoding means to selectively generate identifying data for the respective transducer outputs; and, e. means operatively connected to the memory unit to direct storage of the most recent identifying data along with the corresponding transducer outputs in the memory unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
An inventory system as described in claim 5 further comprising a register to generate relative address identifying data for each transducer as the output thereof is scanned and wherein the means operatively connected to the memory unit directs storage of the relative address identifying data in the memory unit along with the identifying data from the encoding means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
142 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having continuously variable, electrical outputs of characteristics responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to continuously access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. encoding means to impart an identifying output code to the generic increments of stock associated with the respective transducers when accessed by the scanning means; d. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means and the encoding means, said unit adapted to record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers and to record the identifying output code from the encoding means associated with the respective transducers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
142 words
A physical inventory scanning and recording system to be used in conjunction with a computer system comprising: a. a plurality of electrical transducers, one for each generic increment of stock to be separately inventoried, having continuously variable, electrical outputs of characteristics responsive to the combined weight of the items supported thereon; b. scanning means to continuously access the outputs of the transducers in a predetermined sequence, said means electrically connected to said transducers; c. encoding means to impart an identifying output code to the generic increments of stock associated with the respective transducers when accessed by the scanning means; d. a memory unit electrically connected with the scanning means and the encoding means, said unit adapted to record the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers and to record the identifying output code from the encoding means associated with the respective transducers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
An inventory system as described in claim 7 further comprising: a. a control unit electrically connected to said scanning means and said encoding means to operate the sequential accessing of the scanning means and to coordinate the operation of the encoding unit with the scanning means; b. an analog to digital converter electrically connected to the scanning means to transform the outputs from the respective transducers into digital information signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
An inventory system as described in claim 8, wherein: said control unit comprises a master clock which emits discrete time-pulse signals to electrically control said sequential operation of the scanning means and to coordinate the operation of the encoding means with the scanning means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
100 words
An inventory system as described in claim 8, wherein said control unit further comprises: a. an analog index register electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter to order storage of the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers as transformed by the converter in discrete locations in the memory unit, destroying the digital information signals previously stored for the respective transducers; b. a digital index register electrically connected to the scanning means to order the storage of the identifying output codes from the enclosing means to discrete locations in the memory unit, destroying the outputs previously stored for the respective transducers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
An inventory system as described in claim 8, wherein said control unit further comprises: a. an analog index register electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter to order storage of the most recently accessed outputs from respective transducers as transformed by the converter in discrete locations in the memory unit destroying the digital information signals previously stored for the respective transducers; b. a digital index register to order the series storage of the identifying output code from the encoding means in a separate portion of said Memory unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
A process for determining current physical inventory comprising: a. generating a plurality of electrical analog signals each representative of the combined weight of a generic increment of stock; b. generating a digital identification code for each discrete generic increment of stock; c. continuously scanning and accessing the analog signals in a predetermined sequence; d. transforming the analog signals as accessed into digital information data; e. storing the digital information data and the digital identification code in a memory unit wherein the information is continuously available for transmission to another media including a processing unit; f. comparing the digital information data and the digital identification code to determine the number of units in any particular generic increment of stock.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
118 words
A process for determining current physical inventory comprising: a. generating a plurality of electrical analog signals each representative of the combined weight of a generic increment of stock; b. generating a digital identification code for each discrete generic increment of stock; c. continuously scanning and accessing the analog signals in a predetermined sequence; d. transforming the analog signals as accessed into digital information data; e. storing the digital information data and the digital identification code in a memory unit wherein the information is continuously available for transmission to another media including a processing unit; f. comparing the digital information data and the digital identification code to determine the number of units in any particular generic increment of stock.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |