Graphical user interface to display inventory data at merchant locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10600102-B2
Application number	US-201615389444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A graphical user interface displays inventory data that has been determined based on user supplied data and merchant supplied data. When a user searches for a product on a search engine computing system, the search engine computing system associates the searched items with the user. The search engine computing system logs if a user visits a local merchant location associated with the searched product. The search engine computing system requests inventory data from the user for the product at the local merchant location. The search engine computing system aggregates the user response with other user responses and incorporates the responses with the inventory data provided by the merchant. The inventory display may include one or more inventory metrics to provide more useful inventory data to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to render graphical user interfaces to display inventory data on mobile phones, comprising:
by one or more computing devices associated with a search system:
receiving inventory data from one or more merchant computing systems each associated with one or more physical merchant locations;
rendering, on a mobile phone, a graphical user interface configured to receive product search requests;
receiving, from the mobile phone, a product search request comprising a product query for a product, the product query being received as an input into the graphical user interface;
determining a location of the mobile phone associated with the product search request;
selecting one or more local physical merchant locations near the location of the mobile phone, wherein the one or more local physical merchant locations are selected from the one or more physical merchant locations, and wherein the one or more local physical merchant locations have the product associated with the product query in inventory;
presenting product data on the graphical user interface, the product data comprising the one or more local physical merchant locations and a number of units of the product available for sale at each of the one or more local physical merchant locations;
determining that the mobile phone was proximate to a particular merchant location of the one or more local physical merchant locations after the product data was presented on the graphical user interface;
in response to determining that the mobile phone was proximate to the particular merchant location, presenting, on the graphical user interface, a request to verify the number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location;
aggregating the verification from the mobile phone with verifications from one or more other mobile phones;
calculating inventory metrics associated with the particular merchant location, wherein calculating the inventory metrics comprises:
calculating an accuracy of the inventory data from the merchant computing system as compared to the aggregated verifications;
based on the aggregated verifications, calculating a rate at which the number of units of the product is decreasing; and
based on the rate at which the number of products is decreasing, calculating a likelihood that the particular merchant will have at least one unit of the product available for sale within a given period of time;

based on a comparison of the inventory data from the merchant computing system associated with the particular merchant location and the aggregated verifications, updating the inventory data received from the merchant computing system to reflect the number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location;
receiving, from a second mobile phone, a subsequent product search request comprising a subsequent product query, the subsequent product query being received as an input into a graphical user interface presented on the second mobile phone; and
presenting subsequent product data on the graphical user interface of the second mobile phone, the subsequent product data comprising the particular merchant location that has the product in inventory, the updated number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location, and the inventory metrics.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request to the mobile phone is presented via the mobile phone in one or more of a popup advertisement, a banner advertisement, or an instant message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting, via the mobile phone, a notification that an amount of inventory at the particular merchant location is ample.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting a notification that the amount of inventory at the particular merchant location is not ample.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices determines the location of the mobile phone by accessing a GPS application on the mobile phone.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more local physical merchant locations near the location of the mobile phone are located within a 20-mile radius of the mobile phone.

7. A computer program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage device having computer-executable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to display inventory data on mobile phones on graphical user interfaces, the graphical user interfaces generated in response to search queries, the computer-executable program instructions comprising instructions to:
receive inventory data from one or more merchant computing systems each associated with one or more physical merchant locations;
receive from a mobile phone, a product search request comprising a product query for a product, the product query being received as an input by a user into a graphical user interface;
determine a location of the mobile phone associated with the product search request;
select one or more local physical merchant locations near the location of the mobile phone, wherein the one or more local physical merchant locations are selected from the one or more physical merchant locations, and wherein the one or more local physical merchant locations have the product associated with the product query in inventory;
present product data on the graphical user interface, the product data comprising the one or more local physical merchant locations and a number of units of the product available for sale at each of the one or more local physical merchant locations;
determine that the mobile phone was proximate to a particular merchant location after the product data was presented on the graphical user interface;
present, on the graphical user interface, a request to verify the number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location;
aggregate the verification from the mobile phone with verifications from one or more other mobile phones;
compare the inventory data from a merchant computing system associated with the particular merchant location and the aggregated verifications;
calculate inventory metrics associated with the particular merchant location, wherein calculating the inventory metrics comprises computer-executable program instructions to:
calculate an accuracy of the inventory data from the merchant computing system as compared to the aggregated verifications;
based on the aggregated verifications, calculate a rate at which the number of units of the product is decreasing; and
based on the rate at which the number of products is decreasing, calculate a likelihood that the particular merchant will have at least one unit of the product available for sale within a given period of time; and

update the inventory data received from the merchant computing system to reflect the number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , further comprising computer-executable program instructions to:
receive from a second mobile device, a subsequent product search request comprising a subsequent product query, the subsequent product query being input into a second graphical user interface; and
present subsequent product data on the second graphical user interface, the subsequent product data comprising the particular merchant location that has the product in inventory, the updated number of units of the product available for sale at the particular merchant location, and the inventory metrics.

9. A system to display in

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Haubold Alexander

Classifications

• G06Q30/0641

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title

• G06Q30/0277

  Online advertisement · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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

• G06Q30/0625 Primary

  by formulating product or service queries, e.g. using keywords or predefined options · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title