Order entry and inventory control method
United States Patent [191
_ [11]
Patent Number:
4,972,318
[45]
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 1990
Brown et al. [54] ORDER ENTRY AND INVENTORY CONTROL METHOD
Riggs, “Direct Marketing Goes Electronic”, S & MM Jan. 1985, PP. 59-60.
Videodisk and Optical Disk, vol. 5, No. 4, Jul-Aug.
[75] Inventors: Gordon T. Brown; Richard H. Scherer, both of Pittsburgh, Pa.
1985, pp. 244-247.
Videodisk and Optical Disk, vol. 5, No. 5, Sep.-Oct. 1985, pp. 343-345.
[73] Assignee: Iron City Sash & Door Company,
‘Advertising Age, vol. 56, No. 90, Nov. 1985, p. 66. Primary Examiner-Jerry Smith Assistant Examiner-David Huntley Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter J. Blenko, Jr.; David
Pittsburgh, Pa.
[21] Appl. No.: 513,840 [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1990
V. Radack
Related U.S. Application Data
[57]
[63]
Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 243,090, Sep. '9, 1988.
[51] [52]
1m. 01.5 ............................................ .. G06F 15/21 U.S. c1. ................................... .. 364/403; 364/401
[58] Field of Search
364/401, 403, 406, 200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
[56]
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3/1987 DeAngelis .......................... .. 379/95 3/1988 Schla?y ............................ .. 364/408
accessories and building product components sold by a dealer to a customer. The method comprises the steps of providing a computer having a display screen and a
plurality of ?les. A ?rst ?le lists descriptions, dimen
uct code along with building product accessories. A second ?le lists rough opening dimensions and building products ?tting the rough opening dimensions and a third ?le lists building product components. A customer can enter into the computer a product code, a rough
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 2105075
tory control for building products, building product
sions and styles of available building products by prod—
References Cited 4,654,482 4,734,858
ABSTRACT
A method of order entry, product selection and inven
opening dimension or plural product codes for a desired building product. Based on the entry, the computer will select a building product. The computer then deter
3/1983 United Kingdom .
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
mines and displays the desired building product along
“Comp-U-Store System Could Change Retail Eco nornics”, Direct Marketing, Jul. 1983, pp. 101-107. Gatty, “Setting Up Shop on Computer Screens”, Na
with a price. The customer can then order the desired
building product from an inventory.
tion’s Business, Mar. 1984, pp. 57-58.
10 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
r- 21
f
2,
COMM
Mimenanee
/
22
Puma‘
Ininmory
Order
Maintenance
[23 Entry
,
Control System
Price Quotations
Cultnmer
Systems
/ Shipment
25
Order
US. Patent
N0v.20, 1990
14
,/
Sheet 1 of 17
f
4,972,318
12
1 6 \\
'
Dealer
Distributor's
Inventory
Computer
r1 5
18
17
FIG. 1
Distributors
Supplier's
Inventory
Inventory
,
Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 2 of 17
4,972,318
I 21
f
23
Customer
Maintenance
/
22
Purchase
inventory
Order
Maintenance
f 23 Comment F-l |e
order
Price . Quotations
Entry inventory Control System
Cdstomer
‘[24
-
Systems Option '
[ 25
Order
I
Entry
Direct
Shipment
FIG. 2
US. Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 3 of 17
Customer
4,972,318
,21
Maintenance
30
31
Change
Add New Customer
50
40
Enter Account Number And Sort Code
[
Delete Customer
Customer Information
Select Customer Record
Selecting 01‘
Customer Information
Customer Information
Customer Record
42
Enter Invoice
To Name And Address Information
Displayed
Displayed 63%
J53
44
“Enter Deliver To Name And Address information
Correct Customer
Correct Customer
Select Information
Enter Deletion
Enter Product Discounts For Direct
Shipments 48
Enter Product Discounts For Warehouse
Shipments
Customer File
Customer Added To Customer File
FIG. 3
US. Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 4 of 17 Inventory
4,972,318
{- 22
Maintenance 72
70
71
Add New
Adjust
Delete
Inventory
On-Hand
inventory
Items
Quantities
Items 101
Enter Distributor's *-
Code
82
./
Enter
Enter
Code
Code
Number
Number
Description Displayed
9
_ [11]
Patent Number:
4,972,318
[45]
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 1990
Brown et al. [54] ORDER ENTRY AND INVENTORY CONTROL METHOD
Riggs, “Direct Marketing Goes Electronic”, S & MM Jan. 1985, PP. 59-60.
Videodisk and Optical Disk, vol. 5, No. 4, Jul-Aug.
[75] Inventors: Gordon T. Brown; Richard H. Scherer, both of Pittsburgh, Pa.
1985, pp. 244-247.
Videodisk and Optical Disk, vol. 5, No. 5, Sep.-Oct. 1985, pp. 343-345.
[73] Assignee: Iron City Sash & Door Company,
‘Advertising Age, vol. 56, No. 90, Nov. 1985, p. 66. Primary Examiner-Jerry Smith Assistant Examiner-David Huntley Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter J. Blenko, Jr.; David
Pittsburgh, Pa.
[21] Appl. No.: 513,840 [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1990
V. Radack
Related U.S. Application Data
[57]
[63]
Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 243,090, Sep. '9, 1988.
[51] [52]
1m. 01.5 ............................................ .. G06F 15/21 U.S. c1. ................................... .. 364/403; 364/401
[58] Field of Search
364/401, 403, 406, 200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
[56]
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3/1987 DeAngelis .......................... .. 379/95 3/1988 Schla?y ............................ .. 364/408
accessories and building product components sold by a dealer to a customer. The method comprises the steps of providing a computer having a display screen and a
plurality of ?les. A ?rst ?le lists descriptions, dimen
uct code along with building product accessories. A second ?le lists rough opening dimensions and building products ?tting the rough opening dimensions and a third ?le lists building product components. A customer can enter into the computer a product code, a rough
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 2105075
tory control for building products, building product
sions and styles of available building products by prod—
References Cited 4,654,482 4,734,858
ABSTRACT
A method of order entry, product selection and inven
opening dimension or plural product codes for a desired building product. Based on the entry, the computer will select a building product. The computer then deter
3/1983 United Kingdom .
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
mines and displays the desired building product along
“Comp-U-Store System Could Change Retail Eco nornics”, Direct Marketing, Jul. 1983, pp. 101-107. Gatty, “Setting Up Shop on Computer Screens”, Na
with a price. The customer can then order the desired
building product from an inventory.
tion’s Business, Mar. 1984, pp. 57-58.
10 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
r- 21
f
2,
COMM
Mimenanee
/
22
Puma‘
Ininmory
Order
Maintenance
[23 Entry
,
Control System
Price Quotations
Cultnmer
Systems
/ Shipment
25
Order
US. Patent
N0v.20, 1990
14
,/
Sheet 1 of 17
f
4,972,318
12
1 6 \\
'
Dealer
Distributor's
Inventory
Computer
r1 5
18
17
FIG. 1
Distributors
Supplier's
Inventory
Inventory
,
Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 2 of 17
4,972,318
I 21
f
23
Customer
Maintenance
/
22
Purchase
inventory
Order
Maintenance
f 23 Comment F-l |e
order
Price . Quotations
Entry inventory Control System
Cdstomer
‘[24
-
Systems Option '
[ 25
Order
I
Entry
Direct
Shipment
FIG. 2
US. Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 3 of 17
Customer
4,972,318
,21
Maintenance
30
31
Change
Add New Customer
50
40
Enter Account Number And Sort Code
[
Delete Customer
Customer Information
Select Customer Record
Selecting 01‘
Customer Information
Customer Information
Customer Record
42
Enter Invoice
To Name And Address Information
Displayed
Displayed 63%
J53
44
“Enter Deliver To Name And Address information
Correct Customer
Correct Customer
Select Information
Enter Deletion
Enter Product Discounts For Direct
Shipments 48
Enter Product Discounts For Warehouse
Shipments
Customer File
Customer Added To Customer File
FIG. 3
US. Patent
Nov. 20, 1990
Sheet 4 of 17 Inventory
4,972,318
{- 22
Maintenance 72
70
71
Add New
Adjust
Delete
Inventory
On-Hand
inventory
Items
Quantities
Items 101
Enter Distributor's *-
Code
82
./
Enter
Enter
Code
Code
Number
Number
Description Displayed
9
