US 12,307,421 B2
System and method for perpetual inventory management
Greg A. Bryan, Centerton, AR (US); Cristy C. Brooks, Cassville, MO (US); David Blair Brightwell, Bella Vista, AR (US); Benjamin D. Enssle, Bella Vista, AR (US); Matthew A. Jones, Bentonville, AR (US); and Jesse L. Eaton, Springdale, AR (US)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/371,566.
Application 18/371,566 is a continuation of application No. 17/341,549, filed on Jun. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,797,929.
Application 17/341,549 is a continuation of application No. 15/916,829, filed on Mar. 9, 2018, granted, now 11,055,662, issued on Jul. 6, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/471,420, filed on Mar. 15, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0013148 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0875 (2023.01); G06F 16/23 (2019.01); G06Q 10/063 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0875 (2013.01) [G06F 16/2358 (2019.01); G06Q 10/06315 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system that is configured to manage perpetual inventory (PI) values of products in an access-controlled area of a retail store, the system comprising:
one or more sensors disposed in an access-controlled area of a retail store and positioned within the access-controlled area to obtain scans of products present in the access-controlled area of the retail store, the one or more sensors being coupled to an electronic network, wherein the access-controlled area is configured and arranged so as to block public access to the access-controlled area;
wherein the PI value changes as products are sold and physically removed from shelving or display units of the retail store and as products physically arrive in a shipment at the retail store, wherein the last PI adjustment time is measured from any time when the products were sold and removed from the retail store and when the shipment arrived;
a control circuit disposed at a central location separate from the retail store and coupled to the one or more sensors via the electronic network, the control circuit also being coupled to a plurality of other retail stores via the electronic network, the control circuit being configured to execute computer instructions, the computer instructions being effective to:
obtain the PI value and the last PI adjustment time from a database;
obtain the scans and analyze the scans to determine an access-controlled area quantity value for a selected product in the access-controlled area, wherein the access-controlled area quantity value indicates the amount of the selected product in the access-controlled area;
compare the PI value of the selected product to the access-controlled area quantity value of the selected product, and determine a time when the access-controlled area quantity value becomes greater than the PI value for the selected product;
block the adjustment to the PI value of the selected product when the last PI adjustment time is after the time or when an indication of blocking a similar PI adjustment has been received from any of the plurality of other retail stores via the electronic network;
when the access-controlled area quantity value is greater than the PI value and the adjustment to the PI value is unblocked, adjust the PI value to be the access-controlled area quantity value, and transmit the adjusted PI value to the retail store via the electronic network.