Methods systems and computer program products for monitoring inventory and prices

• US 9,898,713 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Blank, Bennett R., Glover, Ryan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US14/192,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 705 712, 705 729, 705 731, 705 28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for an inventory monitor are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves predicting a number of inventory items on a future date based at least in part upon a number of the inventory items on the current date and a rate of consumption of the inventory items, which is determined based on prior sales of the inventory items. The method also involves determining a price trend of the inventory items. In addition, the method involves determining whether to purchase the inventory items on the current date based at least in part upon the predicted number of inventory items, a rate of consumption of the inventory items, and a price trend of the inventory items. Further, the method involves displaying to the user an indicator of whether to purchase the inventory items on the current date or on a later date.

Claims

1. A computerized system, comprising:

an intermediate computer in communication with a computerized source of inventory item data through a first network and in communication with a computing device of a user through a second network; and

a replenishment status program stored in a memory of the intermediate computer and comprising instructions executable by a processor of the intermediate computer and being configured to;

determine data of respective inventory items, the inventory item data comprising respective names or descriptions of respective inventory items, a current quantity of respective inventory items that the user has and at least one of price data and cost data for each of the inventory items;

receive respective electronic data indicating respective numbers of inventory items purchased by the user in the past;

receive respective electronic data indicating respective prior sales of respective inventory items;

determine respective numbers of respective inventory items on a current date based on respective numbers of respective inventory items purchased by the user in the past and respective prior sales of respective inventory items;

predict respective numbers of respective inventory items on a future date based at least in part upon respective numbers of respective inventory items on the current date and respective rates of consumption of respective inventory item determined based on respective prior sales of respective inventory items;

determine respective price trends for respective inventory items;

determine whether the user should purchase respective inventory items on the current date based at least in part upon respective predicted numbers of respective inventory items, respective rates of consumption of respective inventory items, and respective price trends for respective inventory items; and

generate a first user interface page that is presented through a display of a computing device of the user accessing the intermediate computer through a network, the first user interface page being structured to include a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows for each inventory item, the first user interface page comprising

a first column including a listing of respective inventory items,

a second column including respective color-coded alerts indicating whether the user should purchase respective inventory items,

a third column including respective price data for respective inventory items, and

a fourth column including respective quantities of respective inventory items on hand

receive user input through the network comprising selection of an inventory item of the plurality of inventory items presented in the first user interface page,

in response to the user input, generating a second user interface page for the selected inventory item, the second user interface page comprising;

the selected inventory item data,

the color-coded alert indicating whether the user should purchase the inventory item on the current date or on a later date, and

an actionable link that is selectable or clickable by the user through use of an input element of the user'"'"'s computing device to direct the user to a third user interface page to purchase the inventory item,

the second user interface page being structured such that the selected inventory item data, the color-coded alert for the selected inventory item and the actionable link are presented in a single screen view of the second user interface page through the display of the computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, the replenishment status program being configured to determine respective price trends for respective inventory items based on at least one of respective past prices of raw materials used to manufacture respective inventory items, respective past retail prices of inventory items, and respective past wholesale prices of respective inventory items.

3. The system of claim 1, the replenishment status program being configured to determine whether the user should purchase respective inventory items on the current date based on respective sales trends for respective inventory items.

4. The system of claim 3, the replenishment status program being configured to determine respective sales trends for respective inventory items based at least in part upon respective past seasonal sales trends for respective inventory item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein respective color-coded alerts of the first user interface page and the second user interface page are selected from the group consisting of

a first color-coded alert indicating that the user should buy the inventory item now,

a second color-coded alert indicating that the user should buy the inventory item later, and

a third color-coded alert indicating neutral regarding buying the inventory item.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the replenishment status program is further configured to transmit an electronic message involving respective color-coded alerts from the intermediate computer to the user'"'"'s computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the replenishment status program is further configured to generate the first user interface page and the second user interface page including one or more color-coded alerts such that the first user interface page and the second user interface page are presented to the user through a display of the user'"'"'s computing device-when the user'"'"'s computing device accesses the intermediate computer through the second network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one color-coded alert further comprising an auditory indicator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the actionable link to buy the inventory item of the second user interface page presented through the display and clickable by the user allows the user to purchase the inventory item directly from a merchant selling the inventory item.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the actionable link to buy the inventory item of the second user interface page presented through the display and clickable by the user allows the user to purchase the inventory item from a merchant selling the inventory item via a financial institution.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the actionable link to buy the inventory item of the second user interface page allows the user to purchase the inventory item by a single click of the actionable link.

12. The system of claim 1, respective electronic data indicating respective numbers of respective inventory items purchased by the user in the past being received from a computerized financial management system associated with the computer and accessible by the user'"'"'s computing device.

13. The system of claim 12, respective electronic data indicating respective numbers of respective inventory items purchased by the user in the past being received by the computerized financial management system from a computer of a financial institution at which the user has an account.

14. The system of claim 1, respective electronic data indicating respective prior sales of respective inventory items being received from a financial management system associated with the intermediate computer.

15. The system of claim 14, respective electronic data indicating respective prior sales of respective inventory items being received by the financial management system from a computer of a financial institution at which the user has an account.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the replenishment status program is further configured to transmit an electronic message related to respective color-coded alerts from the intermediate computer to a mobile communication device of the user.