Patent ID: 7822651
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for remanufacturing cores into remanufactured items, comprising the steps of: providing a total price for the remanufactured items, the total price including at least a refundable core deposit and a remanufactured item price, the core deposit being paid with the total price to secure return of cores for remanufacture; having a plurality of remanufacturer liabilities associated with different deposits paid to secure return of cores at the time of sale of remanufactured items; storing, in a memory device, data reflecting an earlier core liability and a later core liability, the earlier core liability corresponding to a core deposit paid upon sale of earlier-sold one of the remanufactured items, the later core liability corresponding to a core deposit paid upon sale of a later-sold one of the remanufactured items; receiving a core associated with the sale of the later-sold remanufactured item; inspecting the core associated with the sale of the later-sold remanufactured item; determining an amount of credit available for returning the core associated with the sale of the later-sold remanufactured item, the amount being based upon the inspection; updating the data stored on the memory device by applying the credit for the core associated with the sale of the later-sold remanufactured item against the earlier core liability, irrespective of the core deposit for the later-sold remanufactured item having been paid after the sale of the earlier-sold remanufactured item; establishing an entitlement in the amount of each deposit paid to secure return of a core and having a date identifier; and canceling the entitlement after return of core where the entitlement is the oldest available entitlement associated with the returned core; where the step of selecting the liability is based upon an association of the liability and the entitlement.