A portable microcomputer inventory system including a plurality of components and a support for supporting the components on an user as the user inventories items that have a bar code disposed thereon. The components include a microcomputer, a handheld bar code scanner for scanning the bar code on items to be inventoried, a visual display device carried on the user to display information relative to the item being inventoried, a keypad for accessing the computer and a rechargeable battery pac fo...

A method of managing information used and generated in the scheduling and exhibition of performances is disclosed. A video network includes a video server that operates several video recorders to simultaneously exhibit video performances or programs on a plurality of channels. The video server is controlled in real time in accordance with data presented to it in an exhibition plan. The exhibition plan is generated through the performance of an exhibition manager process which operates on a compu...

An inventory management system which includes a transponder, an interrogation transceiver and control devices utilized therewith. The control devices operate to minimize the power consumption of the transponder while permitting selected, coded operation of the inventory management system. The interrogation transceiver provides linkage to the transponder by means of a modulated radio frequency (RF) carrier during system operation. A transmit/receive switch is also included in the invention to pre...

A modular and portable system adapted to provide inventory control functions comprises a programmable master module including a display, a keypad, and processing electronics, and a scanning module for reading bar code symbols, where the master module is interconnectable with the scanning module to form a portable scanner for reading and analyzing bar code symbols, and the master module is adapted to interconnect to a plurality of other modules such as a printer module, an interface module, and a...

A method and device for ensuring the consumption of perishable food items before the safe storage lifetime of the items has elapsed. A base unit which is mounted near or removably attached to a food storage location such as a refrigerator and allows identification and timing of the stored food items. When an item is placed into the storage location, its name and storage lifetime are recorded on the base unit. This recording may be accomplished manually by writing directly onto the base unit or b...

A system for recording an inventory of articles, in an article storage area, comprises A. a platform sized to be attached to an inventory taker moving about the article storage area, B. instrumentation including an alphanumeric keyboard unit, calculator and display supported on the platform, C. a data recorder operatively connected with the keyboard unit, and means to support the recorder on the inventory taker, and D. the keyboard unit including alpha and numerical keyboards and arithmetic func...

An excess inventory system monitors excess material. In the system, requirements are determined for each component part over a predetermined period (e.g., 6 months) from material requirements planning (MRP) data. When forecasting for the component part is to be determined using an MRP planning method, the MRP data is used to determine a number of excess component parts. The number of excess components is then recorded in a record for the component part within an excess inventory table. When fore...

A method for providing inventory optimization for levels of products in a complex supply chain network for multiple internal supplier or manufacturer locations and external distributor or retailer locations. The invention constructs a representative supply chain network model to indicate the flow of products between internal and external locations, it determines inventory levels and fill rates to meet the service level requirements, calculates a total inventory cost for all products in the netwo...

A method and system for managing inventory of bulk commodities from a remote location. A rack storage unit at the point of use of the parts has multiple levels each having side by side rows for storing boxes of the parts. The rows are inclined downwardly from back to front to effect gravity feeding of the boxes toward the front. Each row has plural sites which may be occupied by a box, and a sensor senses whether a box is present at or absent from each site. Electrical signals from the sensors a...

A system for transporting inventory includes an inventory holder and a mobile drive unit. The inventory holder includes a frame capable of storing inventory items and a docking plate capable of receiving a docking head from underneath. The mobile drive unit, includes a docking head capable of coupling to the docking plate and a drive module capable of propelling the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is further capable to move the inventory holder when the docking head is coupled to the in...