Ex Parte Hoffman et al - Page 6

                Appeal 2006-2018                                                                              
                Application 09/815,731                                                                        

           1          6.  [S]uggested business transactions may be suggested order                            
           2    quantities ("SOQs") along with other transaction related data. (col. 4, ll. 46-               
           3    48).                                                                                          
           4                                                                                                  
           5          7.  Next, a transmission of inventory adjustment and point of sale                      
           6    information from value added network 30 to replenishment system 10                            
           7    occurs. Value added network interface 210 receives inventory adjustment                       
           8    and point of sale information from value added network 200. (col. 5, ll. 17-                  
           9    22).                                                                                          
          10                                                                                                  
          11          8.  Inventory activity file 245 and stock data file 240 comprise inputs                 
          12    to forecasting engine 230. (col. 5, ll. 34-35).                                               
          13                                                                                                  
          14          9.  Assuming updated inventory information is available, forecasting                    
          15    engine 230 predicts future inventory needs based on parameters entered by                     
          16    the supplier, and on information from stock data file 240 and inventory                       
          17    activity file 245. Forecasting engine 230 runs on demand or when requested                    
          18    by scheduler 220. Suggested order quantity generator 270 generates SOQs                       
          19    based on predictions from forecasting engine 230.  (col. 5, ll. 41-48).                       
          20                                                                                                  
          21          10.  Next, the supplier either approves or changes the SOQ via the                      
          22    replenishment application 300 and confirms the approval or change at                          
          23    steps 620 and 630. This approval/change is communicated via the                               
          24    communications manager 280 to PO [purchase order] generation function                         
          25    275 at steps 640 and 650. Based on the approval/change and the SOQ file,                      
          26    PO generation function 275 creates POs and communicates them to value                         
          27    added network interface at step 680.  (col. 6, ll. 29-37).                                    
          28                                                                                                  
          29          From our review of Yamamoto, we make the following finding of                           
          30    facts:                                                                                        
          31          11.  Yamamoto’s invention relates to a production system for retail                     
          32    goods such as beauty products and more particularly to a production system                    
          33    which receives sales information from retail outlets timely and with                          
          34    accuracy and manufacture said goods with flexibility. (col. 1, ll. 12-16).                    
          35                                                                                                  



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