SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING REAL-TIME INVENTORY INFORMATION

• US 20180137475A1
• Filed: 11/14/2017
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Onemarket Network LLC
• Original Assignee: Onemarket Network LLC
• Inventors: Wilson, James Arthur
• Application Number:
  US15/811,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20180137475A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• 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 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods, and devices for providing real-time inventory information. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a catalog of products offered for sale by one or more merchants; generating in-store catalogs for each of the one or more merchants, an in-store catalog representing products sold by a store operated by a merchant and an inventory count for each product sold by the store; receiving a product request from a user; identifying one or more related products based on the product request, each of the one or more related products being associated with a store; determining inventory counts associated with each of the one or more related products based on the in-store catalogs associated with the one or more related products; generating a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts; and transmitting the list of in-stock products to the user in response to the product request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a catalog of products offered for sale by one or more merchants;

generating in-store catalogs for each of the one or more merchants, an in-store catalog representing products sold by a store operated by a merchant and an inventory count for each product sold by the store;

receiving a product request from a user;

identifying one or more related products present in the in-store catalogs based on the product request;

determining inventory counts associated with each of the one or more related products based on the in-store catalogs;

generating a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts; and

transmitting the list of in-stock products to the user in response to the product request.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a returned product, the returned product including an RFID tag;

scanning the RFID tag and extracting a product identifier and a store identifier associated with the returned product; and

updating an inventory count associated with the product identifier and the store identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the product request comprises a search query.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein generating a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts comprises generating a search results page that includes an identification of the one or more related products and one or more inventory counts associated with the one or more related products.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

detecting a change in an inventory count associated with the one or more related products; and

updating the one or more inventory counts included on the search results page.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the product request includes a map request, the map request including the location of a user.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein generating a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts comprises:

generating a plurality of labels for the one or more related products, wherein a label includes a product identifier and an inventory count associated with the product identifier; and

displaying the plurality of labels on a map.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein transmitting the list of in-stock products to the user in response to the product request comprises transmitting a notification to a user, the notification indicating the availability of the one or snore related products.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

selecting a first product from the one or more related products;

identifying a location of the first product;

calculating a route to the first product based on the location of the user; and

transmitting the route to the user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the location of the product comprises one of a store location, a section location, or a shelf or wall location.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory memory storing computer-executable instructions therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

receive a catalog of products offered for sale by one or more merchants;

generate in-store catalogs for each of the one or more merchants, an in-store catalog representing products sold by a store operated by a merchant and an inventory count for each product sold by the store;

receive a product request from a user;

identify one or more related products present in the in-store catalogs based on the product request;

determine inventory counts associated with each of the one or more related products;

generate a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts; and

transmit the list of in-stock products to the user in response to the product request.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

detect a returned product, the returned product including an RFID tag;

scan the RFID tag and extract a product identifier and a store identifier associated with the returned product; and

update an inventory count associated with the product identifier and the store identifier.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the product request comprises a search query.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein generating a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts comprises generating a search results page that includes an identification of the one or more related products and one or more inventory counts associated with the one or more related products.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

detect a change in an inventory count associated with the one or more related products; and

update the one or more inventory counts included on the search results page.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the product request includes a map request, the map request including the location of a user.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the instructions causing the system to generate a list of in-stock products based on the inventory counts comprises further include instructions causing the system to:

generate a plurality of labels for the one or more related products, wherein a label includes a product identifier and an inventory count associated with the product identifier; and

display the plurality of labels on a map.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein transmitting the list of in-stock products to the user in response to the product request comprises transmitting a notification to a user, the notification indicating the availability of the one or more related products.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

select a first product from the one or more related products;

identify a location of the first product;

calculate a route to the first product based on the location of the user; and

transmit the route to the user.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the location of the product comprises one of a store location, a section location, or a shelf or wall location.