IP Library Granted Patent US 9,773,223
Granted Patent B2
US 9,773,223 · App. 14/192,650 · Granted Sep 26, 2017

Inventory cache

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,773,223
App. No.
14/192,650
Granted
Sep 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure extends to maintaining an item inventory status at an inventory cache management system. The inventory cache may be refreshed regularly by a threshold-based triggering mechanism. In embodiments, as item inventory breaches certain thresholds, the inventory cache may be refreshed with increased frequency to mitigate overselling or underselling scenarios and reduce overall network traffic for items having relatively high inventory levels.

Claims (58)

1. A computer-implemented method of updating a store inventory cache management system, comprising:

providing a website to a user computer device at a front end server and over an internet, the website comprising an inventory status indicator;

at a store inventory database module, receiving an item inventory level quantity from at least one individual store database;

at the store inventory database module, comparing the item inventory level quantity with an item high threshold;

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the item high threshold, transmitting a Limited Stock inventory status from the store inventory database module to a store inventory cache;

at a store inventory data ingestion layer within the store inventory cache, processing the Limited Stock inventory status;

at a data store within the store inventory cache, storing the Limited Stock inventory status;

at an inventory availability orchestration layer, receiving a data request from the front end server;

at the inventory availability orchestration layer, determining that the data request is for data related to the Limited Stock inventory status;

at the inventory availability orchestration layer, calling the store inventory cache for the Limited Stock inventory status in response to the data request;

transmitting the Limited Stock inventory status to the front end server for display at the website as the inventory status indicator in response to determining that the data request is for the data related to the Limited Stock inventory status; and

at the inventory availability orchestration layer, requesting the item inventory level quantity from the store inventory database module if transmitting the Limited Stock inventory status fails.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

at the store inventory database module, comparing the item inventory level quantity with an item medium threshold; and

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the item medium threshold, transmitting an Out of Stock inventory status from the store inventory database module to the store inventory cache.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a second request from the inventory availability orchestration layer to the store inventory database module; and

at the inventory availability orchestration layer, receiving the item inventory level quantity in response to the second request.

4. A system comprising:

a front end server providing a website to a user computer device over an internet, the website comprising an inventory status indicator;

an inventory cache comprising:

an owned inventory cache;

an owned inventory data ingestion layer;

a store inventory cache; and

a store inventory data ingestion layer;

an inventory core database, adapted to store an item inventory level quantity;

an inventory management application module, adapted to:

compare the item inventory level quantity to a predetermined high threshold; and

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the predetermined high threshold, transmit a Limited Stock inventory status to the owned inventory cache; and

an inventory availability orchestration layer configured to:

receive a data request from the front end server;

determine that the data request is for data related to the Limited Stock inventory status;

call the store inventory cache for the Limited Stock inventory status in response to the data request; and

request the item inventory level quantity from the inventory core database if the transmitting the Limited Stock inventory status fails;

wherein:

the inventory management application module is further adapted to transmit the Limited Stock inventory status to the front end server for display at the website as the inventory status indicator in response to determining that the data request is for the data related to the Limited Stock inventory status.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:

the inventory management application module is further adapted to:

compare the item inventory level quantity with an item medium threshold; and

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the item medium threshold, transmit an Out of Stock inventory status to the store inventory cache.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein

the inventory availability orchestration layer is further configured to:

transmit a second request to a store inventory database module; and

receive the item inventory level quantity in response to the second request.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein:

the inventory availability orchestration layer is configured to:

transmit a second request to a store inventory database module; and

receive the item inventory level quantity in response to the second request; and

the inventory management application module is further adapted to:

compare the item inventory level quantity with an item medium threshold;

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the item medium threshold, transmit an Out of Stock inventory status to the store inventory cache; and

transmit the Limited Stock inventory status to the front end server in response to the data request.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a second request from the inventory availability orchestration layer to the store inventory database module;

at the inventory availability orchestration layer, receiving the item inventory level quantity in response to the second request;

at the store inventory database module, comparing the item inventory level quantity with an item medium threshold;

if the item inventory level quantity is less than the item medium threshold, transmitting an Out of Stock inventory status from the store inventory database module to the store inventory cache; and

from the front end server, transmitting the Limited Stock inventory status for display at the user computer device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2018
From: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 045817/0115 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2014
From: VASANTHAM, MADHAVAN KANDHADAI; SREEDHARARAJ, SREEKANTH; TYAGARAJAN, MAHESH
To: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
Reel/Frame 032318/0125 →