IP Library Granted Patent US 12,620,004
Granted Patent B2
US 12,620,004 · App. 18/232,731 · Granted May 5, 2026

Real-time dayparting management

Inventors: Changzheng Liu (Sunnyvale, CA); Boning Zhang (Santa Clara, CA); Changfu Li (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
G06Q30/0264G06N5/01G06Q30/0255G06Q30/0275
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,620,004
App. No.
18/232,731
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method including obtaining real-time observed orders per minute (OPM) data. The method also can include training a prediction model to make a real-time OPM prediction for a current time period, based on the real-time observed OPM data over past time steps based on lagged time steps in a moving average. The method additionally can include determining, in real-time, whether a demand surge exists based on the real-time observed OPM data and the real-time OPM prediction, to generate a first surge modifier. The method further can include when the demand surge exists, generating, in real-time, a sub-hour revenue per click (RPC) prediction for a first sub-hour time interval. The method additionally can include determining, in real-time, the first surge modifier for the first sub-hour time interval. The method further can include uploading, in real-time, the first surge modifier to a dayparting system of a search engine to bypass existing time intervals and modifiers. Other embodiments are described.

Claims (40)

1 . A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computing instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining real-time observed orders per minute (OPM) data;

training a prediction model to make a real-time OPM prediction for a current time period, based on the real-time observed OPM data over past time steps based on lagged time steps in a moving average;

determining, in real-time, that a demand surge exists based on the real-time observed OPM data and the real-time OPM prediction, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing the real-time observed OPM data to the real-time OPM prediction for the current time period; and

responsive to determining that the real-time observed OPM data exceeds the real-time OPM prediction, determining that the real-time observed OPM data is a statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction and that the demand surge exists;

responsive to the determination that the demand surge exists, generating, in real-time, a sub-hour revenue per click (RPC) prediction for a first sub-hour time interval;

determining, in real-time, a first surge modifier for the first sub-hour time interval; and

uploading, in real-time, the first surge modifier to a dayparting system of a search engine to bypass existing time intervals and modifiers.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the real-time observed OPM data is the statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction comprises:

calculating a P value for the real-time observed OPM data based on the real-time OPM prediction.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the determining that the real-time observed OPM data is the statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction further comprises:

determining that the P value is less than a threshold.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the prediction model is a time-series prediction machine-learning model.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the time-series prediction machine-learning model is an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

while the demand surge exists, determining a second surge modifier for a second sub-hour time interval, wherein the first sub-hour time interval and the second sub-hour time interval are within a single hour.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

while the demand surge exists, uploading the second surge modifier to the dayparting system of the search engine to bypass the first surge modifier.

8 . A method implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors, the method comprising:

obtaining real-time observed orders per minute (OPM) data;

training a prediction model to make a real-time OPM prediction for a current time period, based on the real-time observed OPM data over past time steps based on lagged time steps in a moving average;

determining, in real-time, that a demand surge exists based on the real-time observed OPM data and the real-time OPM prediction, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing the real-time observed OPM data to the real-time OPM prediction for the current time period; and

responsive to determining that the real-time observed OPM data exceeds the real-time OPM prediction, determining that the real-time observed OPM data is a statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction and that the demand surge exists;

responsive to the determination that the demand surge exists, generating, in real-time, a sub-hour revenue per click (RPC) prediction for a first sub-hour time interval;

determining, in real-time, a first surge modifier for the first sub-hour time interval; and

uploading, in real-time, the first surge modifier to a dayparting system of a search engine to bypass existing time intervals and modifiers.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the real-time observed OPM data is the statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction comprises:

calculating a P value for the real-time observed OPM data based on the real-time OPM prediction.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining that the real-time observed OPM data is the statistical outlier for the real-time OPM prediction further comprises:

determining that the P value is less than a threshold.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the prediction model is a time-series prediction machine-learning model.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the time-series prediction machine-learning model is an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

while the demand surge exists, determining a second surge modifier for a second sub-hour time interval, wherein the first sub-hour time interval and the second sub-hour time interval are within a single hour.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

while the demand surge exists, uploading the second surge modifier to the dayparting system of the search engine to bypass the first surge modifier.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2023
From: LIU, CHANGZHENG; ZHANG, BONING; LI, CHANGFU
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 064639/0712 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17587054 · Jan 28, 2022
Related Publication 20230385878A1 · Nov 30, 2023
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