System for merchandise ordering and order fulfillment

• US 7,853,492 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederic J. Kirklin, James P. Tersteeg, Patricia J. Tersteeg
• Original Assignee: Frederic J. Kirklin, James P. Tersteeg, Patricia J. Tersteeg
• Inventors: Kirklin, Frederic J., Tersteeg, Patricia J., Tersteeg, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyea; Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US12/077,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 280/79.2, 280/79.3, 340/10.4, 340/825.49, 700/231, 235/462.01, 235/472.01, 235/383, 705/8, 705/17, 705/23, 414/807, 414/270, 414/271, 414/272, 414/273
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system for merchandise ordering and order fulfillment for highly efficient and accessible remote placement and assembly of merchandise orders. The system includes a network comprising a programmed central station and remote stations of various types permitting customer entry and employee fulfillment of merchandise orders.

Claims

1. A method of merchandise ordering and order fulfillment from a product storage space, said method comprising:

providing an order processing system comprising a central station interfaced to a communication network so as be accessible to customers via the communication network for creation of a merchandise order, the order processing system including a database of product locations representing locations of products in the product storage space from which the merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

assembling a customer merchandise order for fulfillment from the product storage space, including receiving identification of product items to be added to the merchandise order and the quantity of each identified product item; and

fulfilling the merchandise order from the product storage space, including the steps of;

compiling a listing of the product items of one or more merchandise orders to be assembled in the product storage space,

identifying the product locations in the product storage space of each of the product items on the listing of product items from the database of product locations; and

determining a merchandise order fulfillment path through the product storage space, the order fulfillment path comprising a sequence of person movement instructions between the product locations of product items on the listing of product items.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the product storage space is a product display space of a grocery store.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of fulfilling the merchandise order additionally comprises providing the sequence of person movement instructions to a person to assemble the merchandise order in the product storage space.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the sequence of person movement instructions to a person comprises sending the sequence of person movement instructions to a wireless device carried by a person assembling the merchandise order.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the sequence of person movement instructions to a person comprises providing a listing of product items in an order reflecting the sequence of person movement instructions in the product storage space.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the sequence of person movement instructions to a person comprises providing a listing of product items for a merchandise order and a corresponding sequence of person movement instructions in the product storage space between the product locations of the product items of the listing.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of fulfilling the merchandise order additionally comprises moving in the product storage space according to the sequence of person movement instructions.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of fulfilling the merchandise order additionally comprises picking the product items from respective product locations in the product storage space while moving in the product storage space according to the sequence of person movement instructions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the product locations in the database of product locations include product groupings in the product storage space.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the product locations in the database of product locations include aisle locations in the product storage space.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the product locations in the database of product locations include aisle side locations in the product storage space.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the product locations in the database of product locations include shelf locations in the product storage space.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the sequence of person movement instructions of the order fulfillment path is arranged in a manner permitting efficient movement of the person moving in the product storage space.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the sequence of person movement instructions of the order fulfillment path includes identification of a product item from the merchandise order and a corresponding product location for the product item that is a product grouping identification in the product storage space.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the sequence of person movement instructions of the order fulfillment path includes identification of a product item from the merchandise order and a corresponding product location for the product item that is an aisle identification in the product storage space.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the sequence of person movement instructions of the order fulfillment path includes identification of a product item from the merchandise order and a corresponding product location for the product item that is an aisle side identification in the product storage space.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication network is a telephone communication network.

17. A method of merchandise order fulfillment from a product storage space, said method comprising:

receiving at least one merchandise order, including identification of product items of the merchandise order, by an order processing system comprising a central station interfaced to a communication network so as be accessible to customers via the communication network for creation of a merchandise order, the order processing system including a database of product locations representing locations of products in the product storage space from which the merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

providing a database of product locations representing locations of products in the product storage space from which the at least one merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

fulfilling the at least one merchandise order from the product storage space, including the steps of;

compiling a listing of the product items of the at least one merchandise order to be assembled in the product storage space,

identifying the product locations in the product storage space of each of the product items on the listing of product items from the database of product locations; and

determining a merchandise order fulfillment path through the product storage space, the order fulfillment path comprising a sequence of person movement instructions between the product locations of product items on the listing of product items.

18. A method of merchandise ordering and order fulfillment from a grocery store environment that includes a retail grocery product storage space, said method comprising:

providing an order processing system comprising a central station interfaced to a communication network so as be accessible to customers via the communication network for creation of a merchandise order, the order processing system including a database of product locations representing locations of products in the retail grocery product storage space from which the merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

assembling a customer merchandise order for fulfillment from the retail product storage space, including receiving identification of product items to be added to the merchandise order and the quantity of each identified product item; and

fulfilling the merchandise order from the retail product storage space, including the steps of;

compiling a listing of the product items of one or more merchandise orders to be assembled in the retail grocery product storage space,

identifying the product locations in the retail grocery product storage space of each of the product items on the listing of product items from the database of product locations; and

determining a merchandise order fulfillment path through the retail grocery product storage space, the order fulfillment path comprising a sequence of person movement instructions between the product locations of product items on the listing of product items;

wherein the determining of the merchandise order fulfillment path is performed prior to movement of the person along the order fulfillment path.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the retail grocery product storage space is accessible to the public.

22. A method of merchandise order fulfillment from a grocery store environment that includes a retail grocery product storage space, said method comprising:

receiving at least one merchandise order including identification of product items of the merchandise order, by an order processing system comprising a central station interfaced to a communication network so as be accessible to customers via the communication network for creation of a merchandise order, the order processing system including a database of product locations representing locations of products in the product storage space from which the merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

providing a database of product locations representing locations of products in the retail grocery product storage space from which the merchandise order is to be fulfilled;

fulfilling the at least one merchandise order from the product storage space, including the steps of;

compiling a listing of the product items of the at least one merchandise order to be assembled in the retail grocery product storage space,

identifying the product locations in the retail grocery product storage space of each of the product items on the listing of product items from the database of product locations; and

determining a merchandise order fulfillment path through the retail grocery product storage space by converting the listing of product items into a sequence of person movement instructions to guide movement of the person assembling one or more orders between the product locations of product items on the listing of product items.