METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING STOCK ROOM BIN AUDITS AT RETAIL SALES FACILITIES

• US 20170132560A1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Nicholaus A., Taylor, Robert J., Jones, Matthew A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,289,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems of managing bins audits in a stock room of a retail sales facility include generating at least one bin audit management factor for the bins at the retail sales facility. The bin audit management factor can include an amount of time a total number of products stored in the bin does not change; a number of times a one product is binned or picked from the bin, a number of products stored in the bin; and an accuracy percentage of a worker at the retail sales facility during a preceding audit of the bin. Based on whether the value of one or more of the bin audit management factors meets a predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of a bin, an indication to a worker at the retail sales facility is generated as to whether that bin is to be audited or not.

Claims

1. A method of managing a number of audits of bins storing products at a stock room location of a retail sales facility, the method comprising:

generating, using an electronic inventory management device including a processor, at least one bin audit management factor for at least one bin at the retail sales facility, wherein the at least one bin audit management factor comprises at least one of;

an amount of time a total number of products stored in the at least one bin does not change;

a number of times at least one product is binned or picked from the at least one bin, a number of products stored in the at least one bin; and

an accuracy percentage of a worker at the retail sales facility during a preceding audit of the at least one bin;

obtaining, using the electronic inventory management device, the at least one bin audit management factor for the at least one bin and determining whether at least one threshold value for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meets a predetermined threshold value that supports auditing the at least one bin; and

generating, using the electronic inventory management device, an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility whether the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further includes generating an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that at least two threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further includes generating an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that at least three threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further includes generating an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that all threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further includes, when the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin, outputting an indication to the worker that the at least one bin is to be audited, and when the determining step does not support the auditing of the at least one bin, an indication to the worker that the at least one bin is not to be audited.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising restricting the worker from the auditing of the at least one bin when the determining step does not support the auditing of the at least one bin.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the predetermined threshold value for the number of products stored in the at least one bin based on a determination, by the electronic inventory management device, of whether the products stored in the at least one bin are stored as pallets, cases, or eaches.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the at least one bin audit management factor in a database stored on a server in communication with the electronic inventory management device, and wherein the obtaining step further includes determining the at least one bin for which the at least one bin audit management factor is to be obtained and obtaining the at least one bin audit management factor for the at least one bin from the database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising counting a number of products stored in the at least one bin when the determining step does not support the auditing of the at least one bin.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the predetermined threshold value for the at least one bin audit management factors based on at least one previous auditing of the at least one bin.

11. A system for managing a number of audits of bins storing products at a stock room location of a retail sales facility, the system comprising:

a database configured to store at least one bin audit management factor for at least one bin at the retail sales facility; and

an electronic inventory management device including a control unit having a processor in communication with the database and configured to;

generate at least one bin audit management factor for at least one bin at the retail sales facility, wherein the at least one bin audit management factor comprises at least one of;

an amount of time a total number of products stored in the at least one bin does not change;

a number of times at least one product is binned or picked from the at least one bin, a number of products stored in the at least one bin; and

an accuracy percentage of a worker at the retail sales facility during a preceding audit of the at least one bin;

obtain, the at least one bin audit management factor for the at least one bin and determine whether at least one threshold value for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meets a predetermined threshold value that supports auditing the at least one bin; and

generate an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility whether the determination supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determination supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that at least two threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determination supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that at least three threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility that the determination supports the auditing of the at least one bin in response to a determination that all threshold values for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meet the predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of the at least one bin.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the determination supports the auditing of the at least one bin, output an indication to the worker that the at least one bin is to be audited, and when the determination does not support the auditing of the at least one bin, an indication to the worker that the at least one bin is not to be audited.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to restrict the worker from the auditing of the at least one bin when the determination does not support the auditing of the at least one bin.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to set the predetermined threshold value for the number of products stored in the at least one bin based on a determination, by the control unit, of whether the products stored in the at least one bin are stored as pallets, cases, or eaches.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the database is stored on a server in communication with the electronic inventory management device, and wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the at least one bin for which the at least one bin audit management factor is obtained and obtain the at least one bin audit management factor from the database.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to count a number of products stored in the at least one bin when the determination does not support the auditing of the at least one bin.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to adjust the predetermined threshold value for the at least one bin audit management factors based on at least one previous audit of the at least one bin.

21. A system of managing a number of audits of bins storing products at a stock room location of a retail sales facility, the system comprising:

means for generating, using an electronic inventory management device including a processor, at least one bin audit management factor for at least one bin at the retail sales facility, wherein the at least one bin audit management factor comprises at least one of;

an amount of time a total number of products stored in the at least one bin does not change;

a number of times at least one product is binned or picked from the at least one bin, a number of products stored in the at least one bin; and

an accuracy percentage of a worker at the retail sales facility during a preceding audit of the at least one bin;

means for obtaining, using the electronic inventory management device, the at least one bin audit management factor for the at least one bin and determining whether at least one threshold value for the obtained at least one bin audit management factor meets a predetermined threshold value that supports auditing the at least one bin; and

means for generating, using the electronic inventory management device, an indication to the worker at the retail sales facility whether the determining step supports the auditing of the at least one bin.