Systems to fulfill a picked sales order and related methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021049672-A1
Application number	US-202017087341-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2020
Priority date	Apr 17, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A number of embodiments can include a system. The system can include one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices storing computing instructions. The computing instructions can be configured to run on the one or more processors and perform: receiving a request for a picked order that can comprise: a conveyance type; and one or more goods; estimating a fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked order by: evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in a picked order batch; and when the picked order is able to be batched, evaluating the conveyance type to determine a conveyance type average fulfilment time interval; determining, using the fulfillment time interval, as estimated, and the conveyance type average fulfilment time interval, a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by a receiver; and communicating the receivable clock time to an electronic device of the receiver. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory memory storage devices storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform:
receiving a request for a picked order comprising:
a conveyance type; and
one or more goods;

estimating a fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked order by:
evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in a picked order batch; and
when the picked order is able to be batched, evaluating the conveyance type to determine a conveyance type average fulfilment time interval;

determining, using the fulfillment time interval, as estimated, and the conveyance type average fulfilment time interval, a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by a receiver; and
communicating the receivable clock time to an electronic device of the receiver.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the conveyance type average fulfilment time interval comprises evaluating one or more of:
a dispensing capacity of the conveyance type; a batching ability of the conveyance type; and an ability of the conveyance type to operate autonomously.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the receivable clock time comprises:
identifying a current clock time; identifying a first available clock time of one or more predetermined clock times; and assigning the first available clock time as the receivable clock time.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein identifying the first available clock time comprises:
identifying a clock time of the one or more predetermined clock times that satisfies at least two additional conditions:
(1) a difference of the clock time and the current clock time is greater than the fulfillment time interval, as estimated;
(2) the clock time occurs after the current clock time; and
in response to satisfying the at least two additional conditions, identifying the clock time as the first available clock time.

5 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the one or more predetermined clock times comprise:
one or more clock hours; or
one or more clock half-hours.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-transitory memory storage devices storing the computing instructions are further configured to run on the one or more processors and perform:
after communicating the receivable clock time to the electronic device of the receiver, receiving an acceptance of the receivable clock time.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
minimizing a pick walk of the picked order batch using a vector based clustering algorithm.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
optimizing a tote fill of the picked order batch using a multi-objective optimization algorithm.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
minimizing a pick walk of the picked order batch; and optimizing a tote fill of the picked order batch.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein estimating the fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked order comprises:
evaluating one or more good types of the one or more goods; evaluating a quantity of aisle switches associated with picking the one or more goods; evaluating an availability of one or more pickers to pick the one or more goods; and evaluating whether one or more previously promised picked sales orders have been canceled.

11 . A method comprising:
receiving a request for a picked order comprising:
a conveyance type; and
one or more goods;
estimating a fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked order by:
evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in a picked order batch; and
when the picked order is able to be batched, evaluating the conveyance type to determine a conveyance type average fulfilment time interval;
determining, using the fulfillment time interval, as estimated, and the conveyance type average fulfilment time interval, a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by a receiver; and communicating the receivable clock time to an electronic device of the receiver.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the conveyance type average fulfilment time interval comprises evaluating one or more of:
a dispensing capacity of the conveyance type; a batching ability of the conveyance type; and an ability of the conveyance type to operate autonomously.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the receivable clock time comprises:
identifying a current clock time; identifying a first available clock time of one or more predetermined clock times; and assigning the first available clock time as the receivable clock time.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein identifying the first available clock time comprises:
identifying a clock time of the one or more predetermined clock times that satisfies at least two additional conditions:
(1) a difference of the clock time and the current clock time is greater than the fulfillment time interval, as estimated; and
(2) the clock time occurs after the current clock time; and
in response to satisfying the at least two additional conditions, identifying the clock time as the first available clock time.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein:
the one or more predetermined clock times comprise:
one or more clock hours; or
one or more clock half-hours.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
after communicating the receivable clock time to the electronic device of the receiver, receiving an acceptance of the receivable clock time.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
minimizing a pick walk of the picked order batch using a vector based clustering algorithm.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
optimizing a tote fill of the picked order batch using a multi-objective optimization algorithm.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein evaluating whether the picked order is able to be batched in the picked order batch comprises:
minimizing a pick walk of the picked order batch; and optimizing a tote fill of the picked order batch.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein estimating the fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked order comprises:
evaluating one or more good types of the one or more goods; evaluating a quantity of aisle switches associated with picking the one or more goods; evaluating an availability of one or more pickers to pick the one or more goods; and evaluating whether one or more previously promised picked sales orders have been canceled.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Rajkhowa Pratosh Deepak
• Shendre Ameya Ajay
• Rajoli Pavan Kumar Raichur
• Gupta Shekhar
• Krishnan Vidyanand

Classifications

• G06Q30/0635 Primary

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title