SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ORDER FULFILLMENT

• US 20080029595A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Speedgrocer LP
• Original Assignee: John Stuart Fitts, Matthew S. Waller
• Inventors: Waller, Matthew S., Fitts, John Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 9,064,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A system and method for order fulfillment includes receiving an order for a plurality of items, initiating collection of the plurality of items for the order, detecting presence of a user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations when the plurality of items are ready for delivery, and initiating delivery of the items to the user at the selected delivery location.

Claims

1. A method for fulfilling an order, comprising:

receiving an order for a plurality of items;

initiating collection of the plurality of items for the order;

detecting presence of a user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations when the plurality of items are ready for delivery; and

initiating delivery of the items to the user at the selected delivery location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps are performed at a fulfillment center and further comprising detecting presence of the user at the fulfillment center before detecting presence of the user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein initiating the collection of the plurality of items for the order occurs after detecting the presence of the user at the fulfillment center.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an order for a plurality of items comprises a selected one of:

receiving a scheduled order from the user before the user arrives at a fulfillment center;

receiving an in-person order at the fulfillment center from the user;

or

retrieving a recurring order associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items is grocery items, and further comprising:

collecting first items of the plurality of items from a non-refrigerated region;

collecting second items of the plurality of items from a refrigerated region; and

storing the plurality of items as a completed order in a queuing station to await delivery to the user, wherein the queuing station comprises temporary non-refrigerated storage for the first items and temporary refrigerated storage for the second items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving an order, the method further comprises:

reading an identifier associated with the user; and

if the identifier is not associated with an existing account, establishing a new account for the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifier is a radio frequency tag associated with a vehicle operated by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a customer associated with the order, and detecting presence of the user comprises reading a radio frequency tag associated with a vehicle operated by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting presence of the user comprises:

detecting presence of the user at a first delivery location using a first reader, wherein the plurality of items are not ready for delivery to the user while the user is at the first delivery location; and

detecting, after the user has moved from the first delivery location, presence of the user at a second delivery location using a second reader, wherein the items are ready for delivery to the user while the user is at the second delivery location.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving information associated with the user; and

presenting communications to the user at the selected delivery location based on the information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the user is not present at a selected delivery location; and

indicating that the order has been fulfilled.

12. A method for delivering a plurality of items associated with an order to a user in a vehicle, comprising:

providing a plurality of potential delivery locations arranged along an entry lane;

detecting presence of the vehicle at a first delivery location using a first reader, wherein the items are not ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the first delivery location; and

detecting presence of the vehicle at a second delivery location using a second reader, wherein the items are ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the second delivery location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising directing the vehicle to move from the first delivery location to the second delivery location when the second delivery location becomes unoccupied.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting communications at the first or second delivery locations based on retrieved information associated with the user.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting presence of the vehicle at a third location that is not a delivery location.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting that the vehicle is not present at the second delivery location; and

indicating that the order has been fulfilled.

17. A fulfillment center for delivering a plurality of items associated with an order to a user in a vehicle, comprising:

an entrance to the fulfillment center;

an entry lane;

a plurality of delivery locations arranged along the entry lane;

a plurality of readers, each reader associated with a corresponding delivery location and operable to detect presence of a vehicle at the corresponding delivery location; and

an exit lane coupled to the entry lane to allow the vehicle to exit the fulfillment center upon delivering the items associated with the order to the user in the vehicle.

18. The fulfillment center of claim 17, wherein the entry lane comprises:

a first portion to accommodate a plurality of vehicles that enter the fulfillment center; and

a second portion coupled to the first portion, the delivery locations arranged end-to-end along the length of the second portion.

19. The fulfillment center of claim 17, further comprising an additional reader located proximate to the entrance to detect presence of the vehicle at the fulfillment center.

20. The fulfillment center of claim 17, further comprising an order station operable to receive an in-person order from a user.

21. The fulfillment center of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of displays at each delivery location to present communications to the user based on retrieved information associated with the user.

22. The fulfillment center of claim 17, further comprising instructional notices that instruct the user to:

move the vehicle forward in the entry lane to an open delivery location; and

move the vehicle from the entry lane to the exit lane after receiving the items.

23. The fulfillment center of claim 17, wherein the exit lane and the entry lane are adjacent single vehicle lanes.

24. The fulfillment center of claim 17, further comprising a warehouse to store items, the warehouse comprising:

a non-refrigerated section operable to store dry goods;

a refrigerated section operable to store cold goods; and

a queuing station operable to store the dry goods and the cold goods as a completed order before delivery to the user.

25. A controller for a fulfillment center, comprising:

a first interface operable to receive an order for a plurality of items, the order associated with a user in a vehicle that will pick up the items at a fulfillment center while remaining in the vehicle;

a second interface operable to receive status information from a plurality of wireless readers, the status information indicating presence of the vehicle at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations at the fulfillment center;

a memory coupled to the first interface and the second interface and operable to store the order and the status information; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to confirm payment for the order and to initiate delivery of the items to the selected delivery location.

26. The controller of claim 25, wherein the first interface and the second interface are integrated into a single interface.

27. The controller of claim 25, wherein the first interface is coupled to a network to receive orders from a network device.

28. The controller of claim 25, wherein the memory is further operable to store account information to identify the user.

29. The controller of claim 25, wherein the memory is further operable to store communication information to provide communications to the user.

30. The controller of claim 29, further comprising a third interface operable to communicate the communication information, wherein the communicated communication information is based on past transaction history of the user.

31. A computer readable medium including logic operable to perform the following steps:

receive an order for a plurality of items;

initiate collection of the plurality of items for the order;

detect presence of a user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations when the plurality of items are ready for delivery; and

initiate delivery of the items to the user at the selected delivery location.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, the logic further operable to detect presence of the user at the fulfillment center before detecting presence of the user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein initiating the collection of the plurality of items for the order occurs after detecting the presence of the user at the fulfillment center.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein receiving an order for a plurality of items comprises the logic further operable to:

receive a scheduled order from the user before the user arrives at a fulfillment center;

receive an in-person order at the fulfillment center from the user;

or

retrieve a recurring order associated with the user.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items is grocery items, and the logic further operable to:

collect first items of the plurality of items from a non-refrigerated region;

collect second items of the plurality of items from a refrigerated region; and

store the plurality of items as a completed order in a queuing station to await delivery to the user, wherein the queuing station comprises temporary non-refrigerated storage for the first items and temporary refrigerated storage for the second items.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein prior to receiving an order, the logic further operable to:

read an identifier associated with the user; and

if the identifier is not associated with an existing account, establish a new account for the user.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the identifier is a radio frequency tag associated with a vehicle operated by the user.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the user is a user associated with the order, and detecting presence of the user comprises the logic further operable to read a radio frequency tag associated with a vehicle operated by the user.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein detecting presence of the user, the logic further operable to:

detect presence of the user at a first delivery location using a first reader, wherein the plurality of items are not ready for delivery to the user while the user is at the first delivery location; and

detect, after the user has moved from the first delivery location, presence of the user at a second delivery location using a second reader, wherein the items are ready for delivery to the user while the user is at the second delivery location.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 31, the logic further operable to:

retrieve information associated with the user; and

present communications to the user at a selected delivery location based on the information.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 31, the logic further operable to:

detect that the user is not present at the selected delivery location; and

indicate that the order has been fulfilled.

42. A computer readable medium including logic for delivering a plurality of items associated with an order to a user in a vehicle, the logic operable to perform the following steps:

provide a plurality of potential delivery locations arranged along an entry lane;

detect presence of the vehicle at a first delivery location using a first reader, wherein the items are not ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the first delivery location; and

detect presence of the vehicle at a second delivery location using a second reader, wherein the items are ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the second delivery location.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, the logic further operable to direct the vehicle to move from the first delivery location to the second delivery location when the second delivery location becomes unoccupied.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 42, the logic further operable to present communications at the first or second delivery locations based on retrieved information associated with the user.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 42, the logic further operable to detect presence of the vehicle at a third location that is not a delivery location.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 42, the logic further operable to:

detect that the vehicle is not present at the second delivery location; and

indicate that the order has been fulfilled.

47. A system fulfilling an order, comprising:

means for receiving an order for a plurality of items;

means for initiating collection of the plurality of items for the order;

means for detecting presence of a user at a selected one of a plurality of delivery locations when the plurality of items are ready for delivery; and

means for initiating delivery of the items to the user at the selected delivery location.

48. A system for delivering a plurality of items associated with an order to a user in a vehicle, comprising:

means for providing a plurality of potential delivery locations arranged along an entry lane;

means for detecting presence of the vehicle at a first delivery location using a first reader, wherein the items are not ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the first delivery location;

means for detecting presence of the vehicle at a second delivery location using a second reader, wherein the items are ready for delivery to the user while the vehicle is at the second delivery location.