Abstract:
An inventory system which stores information indicative of a time until the inventory will be ready for reuse. The inventory system may automatically estimate that time based on information. The information can include a time of testing, a time until testing can be carried out, and/or a repair time.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from Provisional application No. 60/939,587, filed May 22, 2007, the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Equipment for shows is typically rented so that the show can easily get the equipment, return it to the rental company, and then either move the show to another location or shut down completely. Successful rental companies must have certain kinds of equipment available for rental to the customers. It is also important that the rental company know what they have on hand, and how quickly they can rent it. Sometimes rentals are short-term rentals, other times they are long-term rentals. 
         [0003]    When the equipment is returned, it needs to be examined to make sure it is ready for re-rental. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present application teaches an inventory management system adapted for use with show equipment. More specifically, the inventory management system may be adapted for use with units there are intended for rental as part of the show, for example cable, moving lights, and other equipment. More specifically, the inventory management system is adapted for use in a situation where products are rented out, taken back in, and repaired. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows an overall diagram; and 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows a flowchart of operation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment. The basic structure includes a database  100  that stores at least one file indicating the items that are in inventory, as well as their readiness for rental. A processor  101  is used to execute the flowcharts described herein and maintain housekeeping functions. In the embodiment,  105  shows a record indicating light  1 .  106  shows a record for a ready time, indicating the time until the light  1  is likely to be ready for rental. 
         [0008]    A number of scanners  110  are provided. Each scanner such as  110 - 114  may scan a corresponding sticker or readable item  112  on a corresponding piece of equipment  120 . For example, the moving light  120  may include a barcode sticker  112  that includes a unique serial number or other designation indicating the light. That number may be looked up in the database, which may also include a conversion file  107  that indicates the unique serial number and the kind of light or equipment that corresponds to that unique serial number. Each scanner  110 ,  111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 , as well as other scanners, are aware of their position in the chain. For example, the scanner may be permanently assigned at a specific location. Alternatively, different areas may have different location codes such as a POI location code  115  that represents the position of stage  2  of a five-stage tester. 
         [0009]    In operation, the equipment is first unloaded from a truck, onto loading dock  130 . Loading dock  130  may be considered as the entry to the inventory system. Each specific piece of equipment needs to go through specified tests before it can be returned to inventory  150 . For example, the moving light  120  may have a multistage test that it needs to go through. The cable  121  may also have a test sequence, defining the different steps of the test sequence requiring a different number of stages. 
         [0010]    In addition, when many different devices are brought in, each of them needs to be tested. Therefore, there is also a queue. For example, if five lights are brought in, the first light may be started on testing, while the second through fifth lights are queued for the testing. Of course, if there are multiple test sections, mere lights may be tested at once, with fewer lights being correspondingly added to the queue. 
         [0011]    When a light such as  120  is scanned, its position is detected, as well as the number of lights in the queue ahead of it. Each light such as  120  requires a specified test time. Moreover, as the light progresses to different stages, the test time may change. For example, when the light first comes off the truck on the loading dock  130 , its expected test time may be five hours, adding 15 minutes for each light ahead of it in the queue. However, when the light gets to stage  1  of the test, shown as  140 , it is scanned there. At that time, the expected time until ready may be four hours. At stage  2 ,  141 , the expected time to ready may be three hours, and at stage five shown as  144 , the expected time to ready may be one hour. After the light is fully tested, it is sent to inventory  150 . Any light in inventory has a ready time of zero—meaning it is completely ready to rent. 
         [0012]    According to an embodiment, the queue time may also include shift information. For example, if an item comes in at 3:45, and the testing shift ends at four o&#39;clock, the time until testing might not start again until the next morning at 8 a.m. The total time until ready may also take into account the shifts of people who do the test. 
         [0013]    The cable may have an entirely different test sequence. The cable test is shown as simply test the cable (for continuity or other tests as described in our copending application Ser. No. 11/940,263, filed Nov. 14, 2007) for example, at  145 , of followed by coiling the cable at  146 . This may be a total test time of 45 minutes. 
         [0014]    Therefore, when the cable  121  is first put on the dock, the time to rental may be considered as one hour plus 10 minutes for each item in the queue. Similarly, different pieces of equipment may have different test sequences and different associated times. Some lights may require more testing than others. 
         [0015]    The operation follows the flowchart of  FIG. 2 . At  200 , the device is scanned, and at  210 , the location of the scan is ascertained. For example, the location of the scan 
         [0016]    may be obtained by scanning a position marker such as  115 , or from the designation of the scanner which may be permanently associated with a specific location. 
         [0017]      215  determines if the location of the device is in inventory  150 , and if so, the ready time is set to zero, indicating that the equipment is now ready for rental. If the location is anything other than inventory, a test time is loaded at  220  based on location. For example, for each of the positions of the equipment, the loading dock  130 , stage one  140 , stage  2 ,  141 , or test  145 , or any other location for any specific equipment, there is an associated time to ready. That time to ready is loaded at  220  based on the light&#39;s current position. At  222 , a system determines whether other similar devices are ahead of the current device in the queue. If so, a queue time is added at  225 . The ready time is finally determined at  230  as being the test time plus the queue time. Testing continues, until the device either makes it to inventory, or fails a test at  240 . When a light fails the test, the ready time is first set to overflow, e.g. the maximum ready time that is possible.  250  can use the inventory management system to determine if the parts are available based on the specific way in which the device has failed the test. If the parts are available at  250 , an estimated repair time is taken from the database, and the ready time is set to be that estimated repair time for this kind of equipment to be repaired in this specific way. If not, parts are ordered at  260 , and the ready time can either be left as the overflow, or can be set to an estimated time of arrival of the parts, added to the repair time. 
         [0018]    Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intends these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, while the above has described certain variables and handling o those variables, others are alternatively possible. 
         [0019]    Also, the inventor intends that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. 
         [0020]    This system can be used in the light of the type shown in  FIG. 1  which can be controlled by a remote console, that communicates with the light over wired or wireless protocols such as DMX  512 . Both the console and the light can include computers therein. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The computer may be an Intel (e.g., Pentium Core  2  duo) or AMD based computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer. The computer may also be a handheld computer, such as a PDA, cellphone, or laptop. 
         [0021]    The programs may be written in C or python, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, wired or wireless network based or Bluetooth based Network attached Storage (NAS), or other removable medium. 
         [0022]    The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein. 
         [0023]    Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed.