Inventory tracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10217082-B2
Application number	US-201615229962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, a system can comprise one or more processing modules and one or more non-transitory storage modules storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processing modules and perform acts. In some embodiments, the acts can comprise receiving a first item inventory level quantity for an item, storing the first item inventory level quantity at an inventory database, and comparing the first item inventory level quantity with a predetermined high threshold. In many embodiments, the acts further can comprise, when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting a first Limited Stock Alert to an inventory cache, and at the inventory cache, storing a first inventory status corresponding to the first item inventory level quantity. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic device, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed, perform acts of:
receiving a first item inventory level quantity for a first item;
storing the first item inventory level quantity at an inventory database;
comparing the first item inventory level quantity with a predetermined high threshold;
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting a first Limited Stock Alert to an inventory cache;
at the inventory cache, storing a first inventory status corresponding to the first item inventory level quantity;
at the inventory cache, storing (a) a second inventory status corresponding to a second item inventory level quantity for a second item, and (b) the second item inventory level quantity for the second item, wherein:
the second item inventory level quantity is different than the first item inventory level quantity;
the second item is available only after a starting date; and
the second item comprises at least one of:
a holiday item;
a seasonal item; or
a limited stock item; and

after the starting date, transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache comprises transmitting the second inventory status to a front end server.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the front end server comprises one of:
a web front end;
a mobile front end;
a social front end;
a store kiosk; or
a customer service app front end.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions that, when executed, perform an act of:
from the front end server, transmitting one of the first inventory status or the second inventory status for display at a user computing device.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions that, when executed, perform acts of:
receiving an ending date; and
after the ending date, transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions that, when executed, perform acts of:
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting the first Limited Stock Alert to a parallel inventory cache;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the first inventory status;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the second inventory status;
receiving the starting date; and
after the starting date, transmitting the second inventory status from the parallel inventory cache.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein:
transmitting the second inventory status from the parallel inventory cache comprises transmitting the second inventory status to an inventory availability orchestration layer.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions that, when executed, perform acts of:
comparing the first item inventory level quantity with a medium threshold; and
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the medium threshold, transmitting an Out of Stock Alert to the inventory cache.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions that, when executed, perform acts of:
from the front end server, transmitting one of the first inventory status or the second inventory status for display at a user computing device;
receiving an ending date;
after the ending date, transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache;
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting the first Limited Stock Alert to a parallel inventory cache;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the first inventory status;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the second inventory status;
receiving the starting date;
after the starting date, transmitting the second inventory status from the parallel inventory cache
to an inventory availability orchestration layer;
comparing the first item inventory level quantity with a medium threshold; and
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the medium threshold, transmitting an Out of Stock Alert to the inventory cache;
wherein:
transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache comprises transmitting the second inventory status to a front end server; and
the front end server comprises one of:
a web front end;
a mobile front end;
a social front end;
a store kiosk; or
a customer service app front end.

10. A method comprising:
at an inventory management application module, receiving a first item inventory level quantity comprising a quantity of a first item;
storing the first item inventory level quantity at an inventory database;
at the inventory management application module, comparing the first item inventory level quantity with a predetermined high threshold;
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting a first Limited Stock Alert from the inventory management application module to an inventory cache;
at the inventory cache, storing a first inventory status corresponding to the first item inventory level quantity;
at the inventory cache, storing (a) a second inventory status corresponding to a second item inventory level quantity for a second item and (b) the second item inventory level quantity for the second item, wherein:
the second item inventory level quantity is different than the first item inventory level quantity;
the second item is available only after a starting date; and
the second item comprises at least one of:
a holiday item;
a seasonal item; or
a limited stock item; and

after the starting date, transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache comprises transmitting the second inventory status to a front end server.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the front end server comprises one of:
a web front end;
a mobile front end;
a social front end;
a store kiosk; or
a customer service app front end.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving a selected ending date; and
after the selected ending date, transmitting the second inventory status from the inventory cache.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
when the first item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmitting the first Limited Stock Alert from the inventory management application module to a parallel inventory cache;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the first inventory status;
at the parallel inventory cache, storing the second inventory status;
receiving the starting date; and
after the starting date, transmitting the second inventory status from the parallel inventory cache.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
transmitting the second inventory status from the parallel inventory cache comprises transmitting the second inventory status to an inventory availability orchestration laye

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc
• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Vasantham Madhavan Kandhadai
• Sreedhararaj Sreekanth
• Tare Vikrant

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/0877 Primary

  by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting · CPC title