Intelligent Item Tracking and Expedited Item Reordering by Stakeholders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016314518-A1
Application number	US-201615136438-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system are described for ordering items within a zone of a physical location. An example method may include wirelessly receiving at a server via a computer network a unique identifier associated with a physical ordering device, the physical ordering device being remotely located from the server, retrieving, at the server from an information source, item information describing an item configured to be associated with the unique identifier of the physical ordering device, retrieving, at the server from the information source, shipping data including a physical location uniquely associated with the physical ordering device, and generating at the server a purchase request for re-ordering the item. The method may further include processing at the server the purchase request, and authorizing at the server shipment of the item to the physical location associated with the physical ordering device responsive to the processing of the purchase request.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
wirelessly receiving at a server via a computer network a unique identifier associated with a physical ordering device, the physical ordering device being remotely located from the server; retrieving, at the server from an information source, item information describing an item configured to be associated with the unique identifier of the physical ordering device; retrieving, at the server from the information source, shipping data including a physical location uniquely associated with the physical ordering device; generating at the server a purchase request for re-ordering the item; processing at the server the purchase request; and authorizing at the server shipment of the item to the physical location associated with the physical ordering device responsive to the processing of the purchase request.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the physical ordering device is configured to order items associated with a zone of the physical location.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the physical ordering device includes a beacon configured to indicate a presence within the zone of the physical location.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is uniquely associated with the item.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the item to be associated with the unique identifier of the physical ordering device by linking, in the information source, the unique identifier with a quantity of the item based on a previous order of the item for the physical location.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the physical ordering device includes a user-actuateable input device.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein
the user-actuateable input device includes one or more of a button and a microphone, and in response to receiving an input signal indicating actuation of the input device, processing the input signal to generate the purchase request.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the user-actuateable input device includes a touchscreen device.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein actuation of the user-actuateable input device causes a graphical user interface to be displayed, the graphical user interface displaying graphical elements representing a plurality of items associated with the unique identifier of the physical ordering device and a quantity of one or more of the plurality of items to re-order.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wirelessly receiving, from the physical ordering device via a near-field communication network, the unique identifier associated with the physical ordering device, the client device being configured to communicate with the physical ordering device via the near field communication network; generating, at the client device, an order request at the client device including the unique identifier of the physical ordering device; and transmitting via the computer network the order request to the server.

11 . A system for ordering an item comprising:
a physical ordering device including
a housing,
a wireless communications device mounted in the housing and configured to wirelessly transmit data to other nodes on a computer network, and
a processor mounted in the housing and programmed to transmit a signal including a unique identifier identifying the physical ordering device, the unique identifier being associated one or more items in an information source of an e-commerce platform; and
a support having one or more receptacles configured to accept and detachably retain the housing.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the physical ordering device includes a battery wired to the processor and wireless communications device, and the support is configured to charge the battery of the physical ordering device when the housing of the physical ordering device is retained within the one or more receptacles.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the physical ordering device is configured to order items associated with a zone of a physical location associated with the physical ordering device.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the physical ordering device includes a beacon configured to indicate a presence within the zone of the physical location.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the housing of the physical ordering device includes a user-actuateable input device, the user-actuateable input device being electronically communicatively coupled to the processor.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the user-actuateable input device includes a touchscreen device.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein actuation of the user-actuateable input device causes a graphical user interface to be displayed, the graphical user interface displaying a graphical element representing the item associated with the unique identifier and enabling a user to order the item by interacting with the graphical element.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the ordering device is associated with a zone of a physical location and the graphical user interface displayed in response to the actuation of the user-actuateable input displays a plurality of graphical elements for items specifically associated with the zone.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein actuation of the user-actuateable input causes the wireless device to transmit a signal to a client device, the signal causing the graphical user interface to be displayed on the client device.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the graphical user interface is displayed on a touchscreen device of the ordering device and configured to re-order a particular quantity of the item, the particular quantity being based on a previous order of the item at a physical location.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the physical ordering device is a beacon, the beacon is inserted into and retained by one of the receptacles of the support, the support retains a plurality of additional beacons in a plurality of other receptacles, each of the additional beacons being associated with disparate items stockable in a zone of a physical location.

22 . A system comprising:
one or more physical ordering devices distributed in one or more physical locations and electronically communicatively coupled to a computer network; and a server electronically communicatively coupled to the computer network, the server including one or more processors and one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
wirelessly receiving at the server via the computer network a unique identifier associated with a physical ordering device of the one or more physical ordering devices, the physical ordering device being remotely located from the server;
retrieving, at the server from an information source, item information describing an item configured to be associated with the unique identifier of the physical ordering device;
retrieving, at the server from the information source, shipping data including a physical location uniquely associated with the physical ordering device;
generating at the server a purchase request for re-ordering the item;
processing at the server the purchase request; and
authorizing at the server shipment of the item to the physical location

Assignees

• Staples Inc

Inventors

• Goodwin Ian
• Masud Faisal
• Agarwal Shiv
• Bartley Ryan
• Walker M Steven
• Vemana Pratabkumar

Classifications

• G06Q30/0641

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title

• G06Q30/0637 Primary

  requiring approval before final submission, e.g. parental approval · CPC title