Retail inventory supply chain management

• US 10,423,910 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2019
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Ryan, Blackner, Joseph, Cerda, Jr., Santos, Mattingly, Todd D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumbess, Yolanda R
• Application Number:
  US16/381,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20190236517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 166 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for monitoring and updating a supply chain record for one or more products. More specifically, a wearable smart device can be utilized by users to access a supply chain for a particular product, which can include shipping information, delivery vehicle information, package information, package condition, source information, destination information, storage information, and so forth. The wearable smart device can include an output device to present the supply chain to the user. The wearable smart device can also include a user input to add, update, or revise various pieces of information in the supply chain.

Claims

1. An inventory supply chain record system configured to task retail workers at a retail facility, the system comprising:

a database storing supply chain records each corresponding to one of at least thousands of products being distributed to at least a particular retail facility;

a frame having a pair of temple arm members configured to rest on ears of a user and a front support having a bridge portion configured to rest on a nose of the user;

an electronic assembly mounted to the frame, the electronic assembly comprising;

a control circuit;

a transceiver; and

a hands-free user input;

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

receive, through the hands-free user input operated by the user at a first location along a supply route, an indication to retrieve a first supply chain record corresponding to a first product of the at least thousands of products;

retrieve the first supply chain record and cause at least a first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user;

receive, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, a user input regarding a condition of the first product at the first location; and

cause the first supply chain record to be updated at the database based on the user input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a microphone and a memory, such that the user can record an audio message regarding the first product and cause the first supply chain record to be updated with the audio message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a microphone, and the hands-free user input comprises voice commands to the control circuit that are captured using the microphone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a camera, such that the user can record an image or video regarding the first product and cause the first supply chain record to be updated with the image or video.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a lens attached thereto so as to be disposed forwardly of an eye of the user during use, and the electronic assembly is configured to utilize the lens as a display.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first supply chain record includes a destination location along the supply route for the first product, and the control circuit is configured to send a control signal to a conveyance mechanism to move the first product to a next location specified in the first supply chain record towards the destination location for further processing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises one or more conveyors.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises a robot.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first supply chain record includes at least one of the following information:

SKU information for the first product, a description of the first product, a destination of the first product, dimensions of the first products, vendors of the first product, a condition of the first product, a source of the first product, a delivery vehicle used for first product, a manifest for the first product, or a purchase order for the first product; and

the control circuit is configured to cause one or more of the information for the first product to be updated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, an input regarding an error in the first supply chain record, to further cause the first supply chain record to be updated to correct the error and log the correction within the first supply chain record.

11. A method for updating a supply chain record, the method comprising:

accessing a database with a control circuit of an electronic assembly mounted to a frame having a pair of temple arm members configured to rest on ears of a user and a front support having a bridge portion configured to rest on a nose of the user;

receiving, through a hands-free user input of the electronic assembly being operated by the user at a first location along a supply route, an indication to retrieve a first supply chain record corresponding to a first product of at least thousands of products;

retrieving a first supply chain record for the first product from the database and causing at least a first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user;

receiving, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, a user input regarding a condition of the first product at the first location;

causing the first supply chain record to be updated based on the user input.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, through a microphone of the electronic assembly, an audio message regarding the first product using a microphone of the electronic assembly;

recording the audio message regarding the first product; and

wherein the causing the first supply chain record to be updated comprises causing the first supply chain record to be updated with the audio message.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, through a microphone of the electronic assembly, voice commands; and

operating the control circuit to implement the voice commands detected by the microphone.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising recording an image or video captured by a camera of the electronic assembly;

and wherein the causing the first supply chain record to be updated comprises causing the first supply chain record to be updated to include the image or video.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the causing the at least the first portion of the first supply chain record to be presented to the user comprises:

displaying information from the first supply chain record on a lens attached to the frame, wherein the lens is configured to be disposed forwardly of an eye of the user during use.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

communicating, from the electronic assembly controlled by the control circuit, a control signal to a conveyance mechanism that is separate from the electronic assembly causing the conveyance mechanism to move the first product to a subsequent location as defined within the first supply chain record.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein sending the control signal to the conveyance mechanism comprises sending a control signal to one or more conveyors.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein sending the control signal to the conveyance mechanism comprises sending a control signal to a robot.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first supply chain record includes at least one of the following information:

SKU information for the first product, a description of the first product, a destination of the first product, dimensions of the first products, vendors of the first product, a condition of the first product, a source of the first product, a delivery vehicle used for first product, a manifest for the first product, or a purchase order for the first product; and

wherein the causing the first supply chain record to be updated comprises causing one or more of the information for the first product to be updated.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, through the electronic assembly operated by the user, an input regarding an error in the first supply chain record;

causing the first supply chain record to be further updated to correct the error; and

causing the correction to be logged within the first supply chain record.