Retail inventory supply chain management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10304017-B2
Application number	US-201815939783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 29, 2017
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for monitoring and updating a supply chain record for one or more products. More specifically, a wearable smart device can be utilized by users to access a supply chain for a particular product, which can include shipping information, delivery vehicle information, package information, package condition, source information, destination information, storage information, and so forth. The wearable smart device can include an output device to present the supply chain to the user. The wearable smart device can also include a user input to add, update, or revise various pieces of information in the supply chain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inventory supply chain record system configured to task retail workers at a retail facility, the system comprising:
a database storing supply chain records each corresponding to one of at least tens of thousands of products being distributed to at least a particular retail facility;
a frame having a pair of temple arm members configured to rest on ears of a user and a front support having a bridge portion configured to rest on a nose of the user;
an electronic assembly mounted to the frame, the electronic assembly comprising:
a control circuit;
a transceiver; and
a hands-free user input;

wherein the control circuit is configured to:
receive, from the hands-free user input operated by the user at a first location of a set of locations along a supply route, an indication to retrieve a first supply chain record corresponding to a first product of the at least tens of thousands of products, wherein the supply route defines at least the set of locations, including an initial location and a destination location, to which the first product is to travel between the initial location to the destination location;
retrieve, via the transceiver, the first supply chain record and cause at least a first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user;
receive, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, a user input regarding a condition of the first product at the first location of the set of locations along the supply route;
update the first supply chain record based on the user input; and
communicate the updated first supply chain record to be stored on the database.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic assembly comprises a microphone and a memory, such that the user can record an audio message regarding the first product and update the first supply chain record with the audio message.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic assembly comprises a microphone, and the hands-free user input comprises voice commands to the control circuit that are captured using the microphone.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic assembly comprises a camera, such that the user can record an image or video regarding the first product and update the first supply chain record with the image or video.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a lens attached thereto so as to be disposed forwardly of the user's eye during use, and the electronic assembly is configured to utilize the lens as a display.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first supply chain record includes a destination location along the supply route for the first product, and the control circuit is configured to send a control signal to a conveyance mechanism to move the first product to a next location specified in the first supply chain record towards the destination location for further processing.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises one or more conveyors.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises a robot.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first supply chain record includes at least one of the following information: SKU information for the first product, a description of the first product, a destination of the first product, dimensions of the first products, vendors of the first product, a condition of the first product, a source of the first product, a delivery vehicle used for first product, a manifest for the first product, or a purchase order for the first product; and the control circuit is configured to update one or more of the information for the first product.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to receive, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, an input regarding an error in the first supply chain record, to further update the first supply chain record to correct the error and log the correction within the first supply chain record, and communicate the further updated first supply chain record to be stored on the database.

11. A method for updating a supply chain record, the method comprising:
accessing a database with a control circuit of an electronic assembly mounted to a frame having a pair of temple arm members configured to rest on ears of a user and a front support having a bridge portion configured to rest on a nose of the user;
receiving, from a hands-free user input of the electronic assembly being operated by the user at a first location of a set of locations along a supply route, an indication to retrieve a first supply chain record corresponding to a first product of at least tens of thousands of products;
retrieving a first supply chain record for the first product from the database and causing at least a first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user;
receiving, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, a user input regarding a condition of the first product at the first location of the set of locations along the supply route;
updating the first supply chain record based on the user input provided to the electronic assembly; and
communicating the updated first supply chain record to be stored on the database.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, through a microphone of the electronic assembly, an audio message regarding the first product using a microphone of the electronic assembly;
recording the audio message regarding the first product; and
wherein updating the first supply chain record comprises updating the first supply chain record with the audio message.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, through a microphone of the electronic assembly, voice commands; and
operating the control circuit to implement the voice commands detected by the microphone.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising recording an image or video captured by a camera of the electronic assembly; and wherein updating the first supply chain record comprises updating the first supply chain record to include the image or video.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the causing the at least the first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user comprises:
displaying information from the first supply chain record on a lens attached to the frame, wherein the lens is configured to be disposed forwardly of a user's eye during use.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
communicating, from the electronic assembly controlled by the control circuit, a control signal to a conveyance mechanism that is separate from the electronic assembly causing the conveyance mechanism to move the first product to a subsequent location as defined within the first supply chain record.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein sending the control signal to the conveyance mechanism comprises sending a control signal to one or more conveyors.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein sending the control signal to the conveyance mechanism comprises sending a control signal to a robot.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first supply chain record includes at least one of the following information: SKU information for the first product, a description of the first product, a destination of the first product, dimensions of the first products, vendors of the first product, a condition of the first product, a source of the first product, a delivery vehicle used for first product, a manifest for the first product, or a purchase order for the first product; and
updating the first

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Lee Ryan
• Blackner Joseph
• Cerda Jr Santos
• Mattingly Todd D

Classifications

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G06Q10/0875

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• G06K7/10297

  arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 (cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title