IP Library Granted Patent US 10,699,328
Granted Patent B2
US 10,699,328 · App. 15/588,393 · Granted Jun 30, 2020

Systems to fulfill a picked sales order and related methods therefor

Inventors: Pratosh Deepak Rajkhowa (Bangalore, IN); Ameya Ajay Shendre (Bangalore, IN); Pavan Kumar Raichur Rajoli (Bangalore, IN); Shekhar Gupta (Bangalore, IN); Vidyanand Krishnan (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
G06Q30/0635G06Q10/083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,699,328
App. No.
15/588,393
Granted
Jun 30, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some embodiments include a system. The system can include one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memory storage devices storing computer instructions configured to run on the processor(s) and perform acts including: receiving a request for a picked sales order; estimating an estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the good(s) of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer, wherein estimating the estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the good(s) of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer includes evaluating an availability of one or more pickers to pick the good(s); determining a receivable clock time at which to promise the good(s) for receipt by the customer; and communicating the receivable clock time to the customer. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also provided.

Claims (115)

1. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory memory storage devices storing computer instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform:

receiving a request for a picked sales order, wherein the picked sales order:

is associated with a customer; and

comprises one or more goods offered for sale;

determining when an order is eligible for batch picking by finding one or more other orders comprising at least one of the one or more goods;

clustering, into one or more clusters, the one or more goods of the picked sales order and the at least one of the one or more goods of the one or more other orders;

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer by evaluating a respective availability of one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods;

determining a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by the customer by:

identifying a current clock time;

identifying a first available clock time of one or more predetermined clock times, wherein:

a difference of the first available clock time and the current clock time is greater than a total estimated fulfillment time interval of the picked sales order; and

the first available clock time (1) occurs after the current clock time and (2) is nearest to the current clock time compared to other available clock times; and

assigning the first available clock time as the receivable clock time;

assigning one respective cluster of the one or more clusters to each of at least one respective picker of the one or more respective pickers who are evaluated to be available to pick the one or more goods; and

communicating the receivable clock time to the customer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

evaluating the respective availability of the one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods comprises:

evaluating a respective shift schedule of a respective picker of the one or more respective pickers.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

evaluating the respective availability of the one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods comprises:

receiving a respective picker status of a respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

evaluating the respective picker status of the respective picker.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the respective picker status is selected by the respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

the respective picker status is an available picker status.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

estimating the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer comprises:

evaluating a quantity of the one or more goods.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, one or more good types of the one or more goods in the respective cluster.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a quantity of aisle switches associated with picking the one or more goods in the respective cluster.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein:

the request for the picked sales order comprises a conveyance type of the picked sales order; and

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating the conveyance type of the picked sales order.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating whether one or more previously promised picked sales orders for the customer have been canceled.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the respective picker status is selected by the respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

the respective picker status comprises at least one of: (i) an available picker status, (ii) a limited wind-down picker status, and (iii) a full wind-down picker status.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a quantity of the one or more goods in the respective cluster.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, one or more good types of the one or more goods in the respective cluster.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a quantity of aisle switches associated with picking the one or more goods in the respective cluster.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the request for the picked sales order comprises a conveyance type of the picked sales order; and

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating the conveyance type of the picked sales order.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein:

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, the component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer further comprises:

evaluating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, whether one or more previously promised picked sales orders for the customer have been canceled.

16. A method implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and configured to be stored at non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a picked sales order, wherein the picked sales order:

is associated with a customer; and

comprises one or more goods offered for sale;

determining when an order is eligible for batch picking by finding one or more other orders comprising at least one of the one or more goods;

clustering, into one or more clusters, the one or more goods of the picked sales order and the at least one of the one or more goods of the one or more other orders;

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer by evaluating a respective availability of one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods;

determining a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by the customer by:

identifying a current clock time;

identifying a first available clock time of one or more predetermined clock times, wherein:

a difference of the first available clock time and the current clock time is greater than a total estimated fulfillment time interval of the picked sales order; and

the first available clock time (1) occurs after the current clock time and (2) is nearest to the current clock time compared to other available clock times; and

assigning the first available clock time as the receivable clock time;

assigning one respective cluster of the one or more clusters to each of at least one respective picker of the one or more respective pickers who are evaluated to be available to pick the one or more goods; and

communicating the receivable clock time to the customer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

evaluating the respective availability of the one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods comprises:

receiving a respective picker status of a respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

evaluating the respective picker status of the respective picker.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the respective picker status is selected by the respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

the respective picker status is an available picker status.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the respective picker status is selected by the respective picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

the respective picker status comprises at least one of: (i) an available picker status, (ii) a limited wind-down picker status, and (iii) a full wind-down picker status.

20. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory memory storage devices storing computer instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform acts comprising:

receiving a request for a picked sales order, wherein the picked sales order:

is associated with a customer; and

comprises one or more goods offered for sale;

determining when an order is eligible for batch picking by finding one or more other orders comprising at least one of the one or more goods;

clustering, into one or more clusters, the one or more goods of the picked sales order and the at least one of the one or more goods of the one or more other orders into one or more clusters;

estimating, for each respective cluster of the one or more clusters, a component estimated fulfillment time interval to make ready the one or more goods of the picked sales order for receipt by the customer by:

evaluating a respective availability of one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods;

evaluating a quantity of the one or more goods;

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 a conveyance type of the picked sales order; and

evaluating whether one or more previously promised picked sales orders have been canceled;

determining a receivable clock time at which to promise the one or more goods for receipt by the customer by:

identifying a current clock time;

identifying a first available clock time of one or more predetermined clock times, wherein:

a difference of the first available clock time and the current clock time is greater than a total estimated fulfillment time interval of the picked sales order; and

the first available clock time (1) occurs after the current clock time and (2) is nearest to the current clock time compared to other available clock times; and

assigning the first available clock time as the receivable clock time;

assigning one respective cluster of the one or more clusters to each of at least one respective picker of the one or more respective pickers who are evaluated to be available to pick the one or more goods; and

communicating the receivable clock time to the customer wherein:

evaluating the respective availability of the one or more respective pickers to pick the one or more goods comprises:

receiving a picker status of a picker of one or more respective pickers; and

evaluating the picker status of the picker;

the picker status is selected by the picker of the one or more respective pickers; and

the picker status is selected from one of: (i) an available picker status, (ii) a limited wind-down picker status, and (iii) a full wind-down picker status.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: DESHPANDE, DEEPAK RAMESH
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 063675/0945 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: WM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 057996/0313 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 057996/0356 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2018
From: RAJKHOWA, PRATOSH DEEPAK; SHENDRE, AMEYA AJAY; RAJOLI, PAVAN KUMAR RAICHUR; GUPTA, SHEKHAR
To: WM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047342/0295 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2017
From: RAJKHOWA, PRATOSH DEEPAK; SHENDRE, AMEYA AJAY; RAICHUR RAJOLI, PAVAN KUMAR; GUPTA, SHEKHAR; KRISHNAN, VIDYANAND
To: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042301/0286 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62486266 · Apr 17, 2017
Provisional Application 62486254 · Apr 17, 2017
Provisional Application 62486275 · Apr 17, 2017
Related Publication 20180300800A1 · Oct 18, 2018
Cited By (4)
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