Granted Patent B2

US 12,307,421 · App. 18/371,566 · Granted May 20, 2025

Inventors: Greg A. Bryan (Centerton, AR); Cristy C. Brooks (Cassville, MO); David Blair Brightwell (Bella Vista, AR); Benjamin D. Enssle (Bella Vista, AR); Matthew A. Jones (Bentonville, AR); Jesse L. Eaton (Springdale, AR)

Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC

G06Q10/0875G06F16/2358G06Q10/06315

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A system that is configured to manage perpetual inventory (PI) values of products in an access-controlled area of a retail store, the system comprising:

one or more sensors disposed in an access-controlled area of a retail store and positioned within the access-controlled area to obtain scans of products present in the access-controlled area of the retail store, the one or more sensors being coupled to an electronic network, wherein the access-controlled area is configured and arranged so as to block public access to the access-controlled area;

wherein the PI value changes as products are sold and physically removed from shelving or display units of the retail store and as products physically arrive in a shipment at the retail store, wherein the last PI adjustment time is measured from any time when the products were sold and removed from the retail store and when the shipment arrived;

a control circuit disposed at a central location separate from the retail store and coupled to the one or more sensors via the electronic network, the control circuit also being coupled to a plurality of other retail stores via the electronic network, the control circuit being configured to execute computer instructions, the computer instructions being effective to:

obtain the PI value and the last PI adjustment time from a database;

obtain the scans and analyze the scans to determine an access-controlled area quantity value for a selected product in the access-controlled area, wherein the access-controlled area quantity value indicates the amount of the selected product in the access-controlled area;

compare the PI value of the selected product to the access-controlled area quantity value of the selected product, and determine a time when the access-controlled area quantity value becomes greater than the PI value for the selected product;

block the adjustment to the PI value of the selected product when the last PI adjustment time is after the time or when an indication of blocking a similar PI adjustment has been received from any of the plurality of other retail stores via the electronic network;

when the access-controlled area quantity value is greater than the PI value and the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, adjust the PI value to be the access-controlled area quantity value, and transmit the adjusted PI value to the retail store via the electronic network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the access-controlled area comprises a backroom of the retail store.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer instructions are effective to, when a PI adjustment for the selected product has been blocked in a second retail store because of an audit, block the PI adjustment for the selected product.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, the control circuit sends a message to send at least some of the selected product to a distribution center or another retail store.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, the control circuit sends an alert message to a store employee.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the access-controlled area quantity value comprises a backroom quantity value.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit only processes the records after a predetermined number of records is received.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the number changes over time.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the number is fixed over time.

10. A method for managing perpetual inventory (PI) values of products in an access-controlled area of a retail store, the method comprising:

obtaining product scans of products by one or more sensors disposed at an access-controlled area of a retail store, the products being disposed within shelving units of the access-controlled area of the retail store, wherein the access-controlled area is configured and arranged so as to block public access to the access-controlled area, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned within the access-controlled area to obtain scans of the products at the shelving units;

wherein the PI value changes as products are sold and physically removed by customers from shelving or display units at the retail store and as products physically arrive in a shipment at the retail store, wherein the last PI adjustment time is measured from any time when the products were sold and removed from the retail store and when the shipment arrived;

connecting an electronic network to a control circuit and a plurality of other retail stores, the control circuit being disposed at a central location different from the retail store and the plurality of other retail stores;

at the control circuit:

obtaining the PI value and the last PI adjustment time from the database,

obtaining the scans and analyzing the scans to determine an access-controlled area quantity value for a selected product in the access-controlled area;

comparing the PI value of the selected product to the access-controlled area quantity value of the selected product, and determining a time when the access-controlled area quantity value becomes greater than the PI value for the selected product, wherein the access-controlled area quantity indicates the amount of the selected product in the access-controlled area;

blocking the adjustment to the PI value of the selected product when the last PI adjustment time is after the time or when an indication of blocking a similar PI adjustment has been received from any of the plurality of other retail stores via the electronic network;

when the access-controlled area quantity value is greater than the PI value and the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, adjusting the PI value to be the access-controlled area quantity value, and transmitting the adjusted PI value to the retail store via a network.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the access-controlled area comprises a backroom of the retail store.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, when a PI adjustment for the selected product has been blocked in a second retail store because of an audit, the control circuit blocks the PI adjustment for the selected product.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, the control circuit sends a message to send at least some of the selected product to a distribution center or another retail store.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, the control circuit sends an alert message to a store employee.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the access-controlled area quantity value comprises a backroom quantity value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control circuit only processes the records after a predetermined number of records is received.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the number changes over time.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the number is fixed over time.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (187)