Systems and methods for order filling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10346793-B2
Application number	US-201615011096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method can comprise receiving a request for one or more orders, and analyzing the one or more orders. Each of the one or more orders can comprise one or more items and at least a portion of the one or more items are available at a warehouse. The method can further comprise determining one or more pick lists based at least in part on the analyzing the one or more orders and also based at least in part on an inventory layout of the warehouse, determining a first route for a first pick list of the one or more pick lists, and determining a second route for a second pick list of the one or more pick lists, wherein the first pick list and the second pick list each comprise a first common item. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system for filling orders placed online through an electronic commerce website, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more mobile devices; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store computing instructions and the one or more processors configured to execute the computing instructions and perform:
retrieving an inventory layout of a distribution center comprising at least a map of stock keeping units of items located on shelves, rows, or aisles;
receiving a request for one or more orders, each of the one or more orders comprise one or more of the items, at least a portion of the one or more of the items are available at the distribution center;
analyzing the one or more orders by comparing the one or more of the items in the one or more orders to products in a computerized product database;
determining multiple pick lists based at least in part on analyzing the one or more orders and also based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center;
determining a first route for a first pick list of the multiple pick lists for a first customer, wherein the first route comprises a shortest distance or time to complete the first route based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center and the availability at the distribution center of the one or more of the items on the first pick list;
determining a second route for a second pick list of the multiple pick lists for a second customer, wherein the second route comprises a shortest distance or time to complete the second route based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center and the availability at the distribution center of the one or more of the items on the second pick list, wherein the first pick list of the first customer and the second pick list of the second customer each comprise a first common item of the one or more of the items;
transferring the first route and the first pick list of the first customer of the multiple pick lists to a first mobile device of the one or more mobile devices, wherein the first mobile device is configured to communicate with an order system and a substitute system;
transferring the second route and the second pick list of the second customer of the multiple pick lists to a second mobile device of the one or more mobile devices, wherein the second mobile device is configured to communicate with the order system and the substitute system;
determining that the first common item is not available at the distribution center by at least receiving an indication from the first mobile device that the first common item is not available;
analyzing a first set of rules of the substitute system associated with the first customer for use in determining a first substitute item for the first common item of the first pick list of the first customer, wherein the first substitute item is determined by the first set of rules of the substitute system to be within a first predetermined percentage of a size of the first common item;
when the first substitute item is selected to replace the first common item, updating the first route based at least in part on including the first substitute item in the first pick list of the first customer; and
automatically updating the second route based at least in part on determining that the first common item is not available for the first pick list of the first customer, wherein updating the second route occurs before receiving an indication from the second mobile device that the first common item is not available for the second pick list of the second customer, and by analyzing a second set of rules of the substitute system associated with the second customer for use in determining a second substitute item, wherein the second substitute item is determined to be within a second predetermined percentage of the size of the first common item.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computing instructions are further configured to perform:
determining whether the second substitute item can be used as a substitute for the first common item for the second pick list of the second customer, wherein the second substitute item comprises the first substitute item.

3. A method comprising:
retrieving, with a computer system using one or more processors, an inventory layout of a distribution center comprising at least a map of stock keeping units of items located on shelves, rows, or aisles;
receiving, with the computer system, a request for one or more orders, each of the one or more orders comprising one or more of the items, wherein at least a portion of the one or more of the items are available at the distribution center;
analyzing, with the computer system, the one or more orders by comparing the one or more of the items in the one or more orders to products in a computerized product database;
determining, with the computer system, multiple pick lists based at least in part on analyzing the one or more orders and also based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center;
determining, with the computer system, a first route for a first pick list for a first customer of the multiple pick lists wherein the first route comprises a shortest distance or time to complete the first route based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center and the availability at the distribution center of the one or more of the items on the first pick list;
determining, with the computer system, a second route for a second pick list of a second customer of the multiple pick lists, wherein the second route comprises a shortest distance or time to complete the second route based at least in part on the inventory layout of the distribution center and the availability at the distribution center of the one or more of the items on the second pick list, wherein the first pick list for the first customer and the second pick list of the second customer each comprise a first common item of the one or more of the items;
transferring, with the computer system, the first route and the first pick list for the first customer of the multiple pick lists to a first mobile device of one or more mobile devices, wherein the first mobile device is configured to communicate with an order system and a substitute system;
transferring, with the computer system, the second route and the second pick list of the second customer of the multiple pick lists to a second mobile device of the one or more mobile devices, wherein the second mobile device communicates with the order system and the substitute item;
determining, with the computer system, that the first common item is not available at the distribution center by at least receiving an indication from the first mobile device that the first common item is not available;
analyzing a first set of rules of the substitute system associated with the first customer for use in determining, with the computer system, a first substitute item for the first common item of the first pick list for the first customer, wherein the first substitute item is determined by the first set of rules of the substitute system to be within a first predetermined percentage of a size of the first common item;
when the first substitute item is selected to replace the first common item, updating, with the computer system, the first route based at least in part on including the first substitute item in the first pick list for the first customer; and
automatically updating, with the computer system, the second route based at least in part on determining that the first common item is not available for the first pick list for the first customer, wherein updating the second route occurs before receiving an indication from the second mobile device that the first common item is not availa

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc
• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Agarwal Gaurav
• Pattathil Devadas
• Ramkumar Rahul

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• G06Q10/08743

  using optimisation of routes · CPC title