Method for managing inventory and apparatus thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11087277-B1
Application number	US-202016996755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2020
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a method of managing inventory, the method including receiving location information indicating at least one space location among a plurality of space units and space information corresponding to the location information, calculating a state change amount related to the at least one space location based on at least one of the location information, the space information, and information on a previous space state for each of the plurality of space units, or updating the information on the previous space state for each of the plurality of space units with information on a current space state based on the state change amount. An inventory management apparatus performing the method is provided. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium for performing the method is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for managing inventory, the apparatus comprising:
a communications receiver configured to receive location information indicating at least one space location among a plurality of space units organized in a hierarchical structure and space information corresponding to the location information; and
a processor configured to calculate a state change amount related to the at least one space location based on at least one of the location information, the space information, or information on a previous space state for each of the plurality of space units and generate a current space state based on the previous space state for each of the plurality of space units and the state change amount.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the space information includes at least one of a number of inventories, a number of inventory types, a total inventory volume, or a total loadable volume regarding a space corresponding to the location information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the information on the previous space state with the information on the current space state by calculating the state change amount and updating at least one of a number of inventories, a number of inventory types, a total inventory volume, or a total loadable volume for each of the plurality of space units.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communications receiver is further configured to receive the location information indicating a space location for each of at least two units among the plurality of space units.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the updated information regarding the current space state for each of the plurality of space units to a second storage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communications receiver is configured to receive the location information and the space information when a state of a space is changed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform based on the state change amount accumulated for a predetermined period of time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the information on the previous space state with the information on the current space state by accumulating, for the predetermined period of time, the state change amount calculated in response to information on an item or information on a loading space being changed collectively.

9. A method operable by an electronic apparatus to manage inventory, the method comprising:
receiving, at a communications receiver of the electronic apparatus, location information indicating at least one space location among a plurality of space units organized in a hierarchical structure and space information corresponding to the location information;
calculating, at a processor of the electronic apparatus, a state change amount related to the at least one space location based on at least one of the location information, the space information, or information on a previous space state for each of the plurality of space units; and
generating, at the electronic apparatus, a current space state based on the previous space state for each of the plurality of space units and the state change amount.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the space information includes at least one of a number of inventories, a number of inventory types, a total inventory volume, or a total loadable volume regarding a space corresponding to the location information.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the updating comprises:
updating the information on the previous space state with the information on the current space state by calculating the state change amount and updating at least one of a number of inventories, a number of inventory types, a total inventory volume, or a total loadable volume for each of the plurality of space units.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the location information indicating a space location for each of at least two units among the plurality of space units.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting the updated information on the current space state for each of the plurality of space units to a second storage.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the location information and the space information when a state of a space is changed.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the updating the information on the previous space state comprises:
updating the information on the previous space state with the information on the current space state based on the state change amount accumulated for a predetermined period of time.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the updating of the information on the previous space state further comprises:
updating the information on the previous space state with the information on the current space state by accumulating, for the predetermined period of time, the state change amount calculated in response to information on an item or information on a loading space being changed collectively.

17. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium comprising a computer program for performing the method of claim 9 .

Assignees

• Coupang Corp

Inventors

• Yang Byung Suk

Classifications

• C12H1/0432

  with the aid of ion-exchange material · CPC title

• C12H1/0408 Primary

  with the aid of inorganic added material · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• G06F16/23

  Updating · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title