Wal-Mart Patents Granted

Patents granted to Wal-Mart by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11068932
    Abstract: Systems and methods including one or more processing modules and one or more non-transitory storage modules storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processing modules and perform acts of obtaining a uniform resource locator (URL) of a first webpage that is shown on a graphical user interface and that is external to a website of a retailer (where, in some embodiments, the URL is obtained from a referral website or is entered by a user from a chat window or search box), using a web scraper to extract web text displayed on the first webpage on the graphical user interface, processing the web text displayed on the first webpage on the graphical user interface to determine an interest of a user, using a set of rules to determine items related to the web text displayed on the first webpage on the graphical user interface, and coordinating displaying the items on a second webpage to promote the items as related to the interest of the user, where the second webpage is internal or external
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Shen, Yuan Xie, Vahid Jalalibarsari, Lu Wang, Chenxi Liu, Zhao Zhao
  • Patent number: 10909495
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described which utilize improved scheduling techniques. An electronic scheduling platform enables customers to view and select pick-up options for scheduling orders to be retrieved at a location. Each pick-up option is associated with a price and a queue time. An average service time and an average inter-arrival time is determined for the location. A queuing procedure is executed which calculates queue times and prices for the pick-up options based, at least in part, on the average service time and the average inter-arrival time. The queuing procedure dynamically updates in real-time the calculated queue times and prices for the pick-up options. Instructions are generated for providing an interface that displays at least a portion of the pick-up options with the updated queue times and prices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Pratosh Deepak Rajkhowa, Vidyanand Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10607267
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for identifying potential shoplifting incidents. In one embodiment, a system can receive and analyze information related to a number of items removed from a display and a number of items added to a shopping receptacle. These numbers of items can be detected by weight or load changes sensed by a sensor system, and if the counted numbers of items do not match, the system can flag nearby shopping receptacles via their unique identification numbers as potentially involved in shoplifting incidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Anindya Sankar Dey, Sadaf Riyaz Sayyad
  • Patent number: 10040469
    Abstract: Described is a shopping cart bagging station. The shopping cart bagging station is a bagging station that couples to a shopping cart. The shopping cart bagging station described is used by customers to bag their purchases as they shop, or by employees bagging items for a customer. The shopping cart bagging station is designed to be heavy-duty so that it can be used in pick-up areas and other areas that require a bagging station that can withstand temperatures and handle heavy loads. The shopping cart bagging station includes a support structure and three shopping cart coupling hooks. The shopping cart coupling hooks couple the bagging station to a shopping cart, and they hold and dispense the shopping bags. The support structure and the three shopping cart coupling hooks are formed of metal rod that can withstand extremes in temperature and hold heavy loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Yurgis Mauro Bacallao, Megan Baareman, Diane Phillips
  • Patent number: 10040468
    Abstract: Described is a shopping cart basket for affixing to a shopping cart. The shopping cart basket can be used to carry tools, accessories, or other items that an individual wants to carry with, but keep separate from, items in the shopping cart. The shopping cart basket includes a basket body with a pair of hooks on arms that hook the shopping cart basket to the shopping cart. The shopping cart basket can be hung from many different locations on a shopping cart, including the front or back, the sides, the inside, or the outside. The shopping cart basket can be hung from any type of shopping cart, including basket types of shopping carts or flatbed carts. The shopping cart basket includes elements that hold and secure tools commonly used by employees performing tasks with a shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Yurgis Mauro Bacallao, Dennis Charles Beere, II
  • Patent number: 10017322
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems of facilitating movement of product-containing pallets include at least one forklift unit configured to lift and move the product-containing pallets, at least one motorized transport unit configured to mechanically engage and disengage a respective forklift unit, and a central computer system in communication with the at least one motorized transport unit. The central computer system is configured to transmit at least one signal to the at least one motorized transport unit. The signal is configured to cause the at least one motorized transport unit to control the at least one forklift unit to move at least one of the product-containing pallets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Michael D. Atchley
  • Patent number: 9994434
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the shopping facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Michael D. Atchley, Karl Kay, David C. Winkle
  • Patent number: 9996821
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems of managing products at a retail sales facility include scanning a product in a stocking cart at the retail sales facility using a hand-held electronic device including a processor. At least two of the following three functions may be performed based on the scanning of the product. First, the stocking cart may be audited by comparing scanned data to data contained in an inventory management database. Second, a determination of whether the item is on a pick list may be made, which may include determining a demand for the scanned product to arrive at a decision whether to store the product in the stock room or place it on a shelf on the sales floor. Third, if the item is to be stored in the stock room, a determination of whether identical items are stored in bins in the stock room may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Marc A. Fletter, Matthew A. Jones, Daniel R. Shields, Robert J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9994400
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sorting products using conveyors having multiple inputs and multiple outputs include first product conveyors vertically stacked relative to one another, second product conveyors vertically stacked relative to one another, and transfer conveyors connecting the first and second product conveyors. The transfer conveyors permit products travelling on the first product conveyors to be transferred from the first product conveyors onto the second product conveyors by way of the products being first transferred from the first product conveyors onto the transfer conveyors and then from the transfer conveyors onto the second product conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Jessica L. Solana, Mustafa A. Harcar, Craig J. Stevens
  • Patent number: 9990664
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for monitoring a facility, such as the safety, security, and status of individuals and items within the facility. In one illustrative approach, a retail facility maintains information regarding product location, in part, from correlating a shopper's cart path and their purchased items with those of other shoppers. In some approaches, a cart path may be determined, in part, by depositing compounds on a floor surface, provide shopping carts configured to pick up the compounds deposited on the floor of the retail facility, and capture, via a compound detector, the compounds deposited on the cart wheels of a particular shopping cart during a customer checkout at a point of sale terminal, and generate an estimated cart path for the particular one of the plurality of shopping carts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Robert J. Taylor, Aaron J. Vasgaard, Matthew A. Jones, Todd D. Mattingly
  • Patent number: 9990605
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods of tracking uniquely labeled products are provided. An item representing one unit of a consumer product may be labeled with a unique label via automatically generating a random identifier unique to the item, associating the randomly-generated identifier with the item in a record of an electronic database, creating a label comprising a substrate and the randomly-generated identifier, applying the label to the item, and tracking the item via obtaining the randomly-generated identifier from the label. Products labeled with unique identifiers via such methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Mustafa A. Harcar, Andrew J. Rizkallah, Olivia H. Bozik, Bryan J. Rogers
  • Patent number: 9984403
    Abstract: An electronic shopping cart of a user is presented in a first interface during checkout, such as one allowing scrolling through representations of items in a shopping list in a first direction. On selection of an item, a second interface is displayed of a “shelf” for the selected item, the shelf including related items such as might be located on a same shelf as the selected result in a retail location. The second interface may allow scrolling in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Items in the second interface may be selected and either added to the electronic shopping cart or used to replace the selected item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Hemanth Kumar Narayanan, Pravat Ranjan Rana, Bhaavan Merchant, Aastha Garg
  • Patent number: 9984355
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods of monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility include at least one torque measurement sensor proximate at least one mounting location of a shelf on a sales floor of the retail facility. The torque measurement sensor is configured to measure a torque exerted by at least one product located on the shelf relative to a fulcrum of the shelf, and to send a signal to an electronic inventory management device including a processor-based control unit. The control unit of the electronic inventory management device is configured to receive electronic data associated with the at least one product and to estimate a weight distribution of the at least one product on the shelf based on the received electronic data and the measured torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Jones, Nicholaus A. Jones, Robert J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9965788
    Abstract: A system and method for searching databases is disclosed herein. A database system may comprise a first database cluster H and a second database cluster L. After receiving a search request from a requester, the search request is executed in the first database cluster H to retrieve a first set of results. If the first set of results is greater than a minimum number of results, then the first set of results are presented to the requester. Otherwise, the second database cluster L is searched to retrieve a second set of results. Then the first set of results and the second set of results are presented to the requester. The first database cluster H is stored on a first database server; and the second database cluster L is stored on a second database server apart from the first database server. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Varun Srivastava, Yiye Ruan, Yan Zheng
  • Patent number: 9950877
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided to aid in the loading and/or unloading of delivery vehicles. Some embodiments provide a product load system, comprising: multiple pallet lift systems configured to enable pallets to be moved in and out of a delivery vehicle, wherein the multiple pallet lift systems comprise a series of pallet lift magnets; a magnetic levitation track comprising a series of track magnets, wherein track is configured to be positioned adjacent a floor of the first delivery vehicle; and a control circuit configured to control an activation of one of the series of pallet lift magnets and the series of track magnets such that magnetic forces established inducing a lifting force on the series of pallet lift magnets, and reduces a force applied by the first pallet on the floor of the delivery vehicle and allows reduced friction movement of the first pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Thompson, Donald R. High, Chandrashekar Natarajan
  • Patent number: 9953388
    Abstract: In some embodiments, provide apparatuses and methods to estimate unload states. Some of these embodiments include system to monitor unloading of product delivery vehicles, comprising: an audio detector; an audio evaluation circuit configured to: receive the audio signals captured by the audio detector; and identify when the audio signal includes one or more audio signatures corresponding to one or more distinct predefined audio signatures that correspond to movements of products relative to unloading products; and a control circuit coupled with the audio evaluation circuit and configured to estimate at a given time a state of unloading of a load of products intended for the shopping facility as a function of the identifying that one or more of the audio signals include one or more audio signatures corresponding to the one or more predefined audio signatures that correspond to movements of products relative to unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Robert J. Taylor, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 9953362
    Abstract: A shopping system may include a mobile shopping aid sized to support thereon or therewithin one or more items to be purchased. A holder may be connected to the mobile shopping aid to travel therewith. The holder may be sized and shaped to hold a mobile computing device. The holder may have a front aperture enabling an owner of the mobile computing device to view a display screen of the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The holder may also have a back aperture enabling a back-facing camera of the mobile computing device to scan one or more barcodes while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The system may also include an anti-theft program or module programmed to initiate an alarm protocol in the event that the mobile computing device is untimely removed from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9953359
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of receiving, with a processing device of a commerce server, one or more shopping list signals from an electronic computing device to establish a shopping list of a plurality of items offered for sale in a retail store. The method also includes the step of receiving, with the processing device, one or more consumer signals from a first augmented reality device and a second augmented reality device. Each augmented reality device can be worn by a consumer as the consumer shops in the retail store. The method also includes the step of transmitting, with the processing device, a first procuring signal containing data associated with the shopping list to the first augmented reality device and a second procuring signal containing data associated with the shopping list to the second augmented reality device, such that the consumers can cooperatively shop for items on the shopping list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9944461
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a product storage racking system, comprising: a frame comprising frame beams secured together with support surfaces aligned along a first plane; feet posts fixed to the frame beams; feet cooperated with the feet posts, wherein each of the feet is configured to stackably cooperate with a post of a set of posts that are cooperated with another product storage racking system enabling stacking; at least two rack support systems each secured with the frame and configured to support the weight of the product storage racking system and products stored on the product storage racking system independent of the three or more feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Reynolds, Thomas L. McClarty, Morgan D. Reiner, Olivia H. Bozik, Richard T. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 9946574
    Abstract: A system and method for adaptive determination of computing resources is presented. Sometimes, computing jobs are to be allocated among a set of computers. Historical information regarding input data size and output data size is retrieved. Capacity information about each machine is retrieved. A weighted function is used to calculate a desired allocation of computing resources based on historical input data size and output data size. Computing resources are allocated based on the calculated allocation. The computing job can be performed on the allocated computing resources. Other embodiments also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Shenghua Wan, Prijith Chandran, Varun Srivastava
  • Patent number: 9940660
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing a list of frequently purchased items by a user from a retailer to a computing device corresponding to the user includes receiving a request to generate the list of frequently purchased items. A purchase history of the user is obtained in response to the request, the purchase history including a plurality of previously purchased items. A number of purchases for each of the purchased items within a predetermined time period is monitored. The list of frequently purchased items is generated based on the monitored number of purchases for each of the purchased items. The generated list of frequently purchased items is transmitted to the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Valerie Goulart, Lauren Jill Patti
  • Patent number: 9934294
    Abstract: A system and method for using past information for future search results is disclosed. A database system may comprise a first database cluster H and a second database cluster L. Social media mentions are mapped to products in the database system. Thereafter, each record in the database system is tracked to determine if mentions on social media platforms are increasing or decreasing, using a social media popularity trend signal. The social media popularity trend signal is created by comparing social media mentions during one time period to social media mentions in another time period. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Varun Srivastava, Yiye Ruan, Yan Zheng
  • Patent number: 9928535
    Abstract: An electronic shopping system, such as an ecommerce retail website, is constructed and programmed to provide online shoppers with the ability to create and manage multiple configurable item orders contemporaneously within a single customer account. Each item in an item order is associated with a “purchase status” which can, in addition to other discrete adjustments, be toggled between “active” and “inactive” states at or before checkout. Each item order is itself configurable in respect of delivery address, payment source, frequency, and schedule. Orders and settings are saved within the customer's account to be recalled, reviewed, refined (if desired), and executed at checkout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Kumar, Dinesh Amarnath Rao Pise, Preetam Purbia, Praveen Deverachetty, Vibhor Rastogi, Soumya Ranjan Mohanty
  • Patent number: 9928541
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of receiving, with a processing device of a guidance server, a series of guidance request signals from an electronic computing device operated by a consumer shopping in a retail store. Each guidance request signal contains an alphanumeric character. The method also includes the step of determining, with the processing device, at least one location within the retail store in response to the alphanumeric characters contained in any already-received guidance request signals after each of the series of guidance request signals is received. The method also includes the step of transmitting, with the processing device, a series of guidance response signals to the electronic computing device in response to the determination of the at least one location. Each of the series of guidance response signal contains data indicative of the determined location within the retail store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Valerie Goulart, Stefan Li
  • Patent number: 9928497
    Abstract: A point-of-sale system is provided that permits users to self-manage prepaid debit cards. Such a system may be capable of identifying and managing a number of different prepaid debit cards provided by different card issuers. The system may permit, for example, a user to purchase, activate, load funds, or perform other management operations with such cards. The system may also enforce restrictions associated with particular card types, and follow process flows for activating and performing other operations of such cards. The system may also be easily extendible to other types of prepaid cards through established card network relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Kam Lam, Anthony Hylton, Mark Matthews
  • Patent number: 9928542
    Abstract: A shopping list may be ordered in order to guide a shopper through a store in an efficient manner. Congestion in the store may be identified, such as using security camera footage. The shopping list may be reordered in order to avoid congested areas in the store. Expected areas of congestion may be determined based on velocities and maneuverability of other shoppers. Maneuverability of other shoppers may be estimated by analyzing video data and determining attributes of the other shoppers, such as whether they are pushing a cart or have children. The shopping list may be presented with directions to the locations of items within the store and may be periodically reordered throughout the shopper's visit responsive to detected congestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9928471
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically assigning employees to work plurality of cash registers when the employees report for work is described. The system and method automatically compares the employee's qualifications to the current operational status of a plurality of cash registers and any parameters that may govern the operation of the cash registers such as age requirements for the sale of alcohol. The system automatically assigns an employee to a cash register and transmits real time operational status of those cash registers to a supervisor via a wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen Ashley, Anthony Helms, Kevin Hayes, Johan Christophe Baer, Derric D'Souza, Josh Osmon
  • Patent number: 9921811
    Abstract: A multi-display system for management of a software development project having a graphical user interface including interactive user interface elements representing one or more tasks in the software project, first and second source code databases, first and second object code databases, a migration module configured to migrate source code from the first source code database to the second source code database and migrate object code from the first object code database to the second object code database in response to a user input to the graphical user interface, a first output module for executing the one or more blocks of object code and displaying an output of the executed object code stored in the first object code database, a second output module for executing the one or more blocks of object code and displaying an output of the executed object code stored in the second object code database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald High, Henry Sampara
  • Patent number: 9916556
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processer is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Nicholaus Adam Jones
  • Patent number: 9916528
    Abstract: A control circuit determines a reception parameter for an RFID tag that is attached to an object (such as an ice pack) and then determines a frozen state of the object as a function of that reception parameter. By one approach the RFID tag provides a transmission to support the aforementioned determinations, which transmission provides no data that explicitly represents temperature. The reception parameter can comprise, for example, an indication of received signal strength. So configured, a relatively higher indication of received signal strength can serve to determine that the object is and/or remains at least substantially frozen while a relatively lower indication of received signal strength can serve to determine that the object is not at least substantially frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce W. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 9916737
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method, system and assembly for storing components of a point-of-sale (POS) station while keeping the electronic components live and updated. All non-electronic and electronic components of a POS station are disassembled. The non-electronic components except for a cash box with an open face are removed from the sales floor. The electronic components are stored within the inner cavity of the cash box. The open face of the cash box is securely covered using a shroud. The electronic components are kept live and updated using an network and electricity pole resting in a hollow opening of the cash box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua David Osmon, Tricia Mcpherson Hicks, Lori Lee Wise
  • Patent number: 9916560
    Abstract: The present disclosure extends to maintaining an item inventory status at an inventory cache management system. The inventory cache may be refreshed regularly by a threshold-based triggering mechanism. In embodiments, as item inventory breaches certain thresholds, the inventory cache may be refreshed with increased frequency to mitigate overselling or underselling scenarios and reduce overall network traffic for items having relatively high inventory levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Madhavan Kandhadai Vasantham, Vikrant Tare, Manish Gupta
  • Patent number: 9911138
    Abstract: A computer-automated system is disclosed for promoting specifiable items of merchandise in a retail shopping facility for specifiable time periods. The automated promotion system enables a customer with an appropriately configured mobile device to avail of promotional prompts within the shopping facility electronically (i.e., within the specified time period), substantiating redemption of a related benefit at checkout (i.e., within or beyond the specified time period). The system has three principal components: a source, a node, and a checkpoint. The source enables a retailer to script the parameters of the promotion (e.g., the duration, benefit, and relevant merchandise). The node—preferably, an electronic shelf label—provides means for publishing the promotion to a customer pursuant to information entered by the retailer at the source. The checkpoint consummates the promotion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Vadim Grabovski, Charles Rine
  • Patent number: 9911048
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses, and methods are described herein including a shelf assembly that utilizes the accumulated weight of products stocked thereon to compress a compression member disposed within the assembly. An electronic imaging device can be mounted proximate to the assembly and can be oriented to capture an image of the compression member to determine whether a particular shelf needs to be restocked and avoid having to manipulate or remove products from a shelf to determine a current stock level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 9908760
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; a motorized wheel system; a lift system; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: activate a motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container; and activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, David C. Winkle, Michael D. Atchley
  • Patent number: 9913103
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Patent number: 9911145
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for a customer sharing a receipt with other persons. An electronic receipt may be viewed on a mobile electronic device with electronic receipts software thereon. A customer may select the receipt for sharing as well as selecting modifications to the receipt and persons to share the receipt with. Information may be sent to a server or computer system to request that a receipt be shared. The server may then process the request and transmit receipt information to the contact person requested by the customer. The receipt may be shared via data transfer, facsimile or email, or may be shared through a receipts management software or application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9911097
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems of locating overstock items at a retail sales facility include receiving an indication that a product at the retail sales facility is out of stock and determining whether the product is located on a sales floor or in the stock room at the retail sales facility; then, in response to a determination that the product is not located on the sales floor or in the stock room, tracking a location of the product based on at least one inventory management factor associated with the retail sales facility and at least one worker task event associated with the product; and outputting to a worker at the retail sales facility, based on the tracking of the location of the at least one product, an indication of a perceived location of the least one product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Robert J. Taylor, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 9910959
    Abstract: A system and method includes: a pharmacy server receiving a customer ID code to allow a customer wireless access to his medical data file stored on the server; the server receiving adherence confirmation data from the customer and storing the adherence confirmation data into the medical data file to confirm that the customer is taking a prescribed medicine according to directions; and the server receiving additional data from the customer and storing the additional data into the medical data file, whereby the customer is provided with wireless access to enter, edit and retrieve data to and from his medical data file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Nicholas D. Rone, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Patent number: 9904718
    Abstract: A system is provided that permits events to be propagated between systems in near real time for the purpose of ensuring consistency in a transaction-based environment. In one implementation, transactions are streamed between systems using a lightweight protocol shortly after they are processed, rather than being communicated in a one-way batch mode as is typically done in conventional retail store systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Gautham Varada, Suyog Barve
  • Patent number: 9900777
    Abstract: Provided are a system and method for operating a mobile device, comprising: establishing by a locking mechanism at the mobile device that the mobile device is owned or controlled by a retail establishment at which an operator of the mobile device is an agent; searching, by a mobile device, for a signal from a network; authorizing the mobile device to operate in a vicinity of the network when the signal is detected from the network; and inactivating the mobile device or displaying information where the mobile device can operate in response to a failure by the mobile device to detect the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Jones, Daniel R. Shields, Marc Ashley Fletter, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Robert James Taylor
  • Patent number: 9896207
    Abstract: In some embodiments, provide systems, apparatuses and methods to deliver products using unmanned delivery aircraft. In some embodiments, product delivery system is provided, comprising: an unmanned delivery aircraft configured to deliver a package to a package drop point corresponding to a location of a vehicle at a predefined drive-through station, wherein the delivery aircraft comprises: one or more cameras; an image processor configured to process images captured by the one or more cameras and based on the processing of the images confirm a precise location of the package drop point as defined according to a determined current location and an orientation of the vehicle; and a crane system that supports the first package and lowers the first package to the package drop point relative to the current location and orientation of the vehicle while the delivery aircraft hovers above the vehicle by a threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Chandrashekar Natarajan, Donald R. High
  • Patent number: 9898746
    Abstract: A method for comparison of product information based on product codes to determine the cost per unit weight per product and hereby determine the cheapest product per unit weight is disclosed herein. The method further comprises of displaying the location information of the cheapest product within the retail store and providing navigational information for enabling the consumer to access the product easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9896315
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses to fulfill customer orders comprising a motorized transport unit; a product pick unit (PPU) that cooperate with the motorized transport unit; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system configured to communicate with the multiple motorized transport units and the plurality of product pick units, and comprises a control circuit and memory storing instructions executed to cause the control circuit to: communicate an instruction to the motorized transport unit and direct the motorized transport unit to transport the product pick unit to a determined first location within the shopping facility proximate to where a first product having been ordered is located; and communicate an instruction to the product pick unit cooperated with the motorized transport unit and direct the product pick unit to retrieve the first product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Shuvro Chakrobartty, David C. Winkle, Robert C. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9898749
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of positioning at least one location marker at a position in a retail store. The method also includes the step of receiving, with a processing device of a position detection server, a video signal from an electronic device possessed by a consumer as the consumer shops in the retail store. At least one image frame of the video signal contains the at least one location marker. The method also includes the step of determining, with the processing device, a location of the consumer within the retail store in response to the receiving step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
  • Patent number: 9894210
    Abstract: Provided herein are methodologies, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media for providing an adjustable dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) phone system. The DTMF phone system includes a DTMF adjustment module that interfaces with a base DTMF phone system and retrieves call parameter values from at least one properties file. The call parameter value is indicative of an audio file to be played by the DTMF phone system, or a DTMF call flow option file. The DTMF adjustment module provides the call parameter values to the base DTMF phone system. The base DTMF phone system includes a number of variables, and a DTMF call flow is generated by assigning at least one of the call parameter values to one or more of the variables within the base DTMF phone system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Jose Casasola
  • Patent number: 9892358
    Abstract: A presently-powered RFID tag can itself determine its own relative movement with respect to a reader. This RFID tag can responsively alter its read state to thereby permit the RFID tag to respond to a subsequent read inquiry. By one approach the RFID tag assesses its own movement by monitoring the strength of its received power. By another approach, the RFID tag has a power source that becomes electrically charged via radio-frequency energy received by the tag antenna and that power source is configured to become operably discharged at a point in time that corresponds to a typical null-sensing duration of time for a given application setting for that RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce W. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 9886424
    Abstract: The present disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for a web application framework for extracting content. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method of dynamically extracting context associated with a web request comprises, at a context analyzer layer, receiving a web request context, wherein the web request context comprises a coded expression. Some embodiments further comprise, at the context analyzer layer, invoking the context key of the context analyzer name class, determining that the context analyzer name class is not identified or if the value of the context key is not specified, and throwing an invalid configuration exception. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Bhupesh Tuteja, Abhay Maruti Kamble, Amit Khanchi
  • Patent number: 9888390
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting data and mapping wireless network coverage in a building such as a retail store. A mobile computing device is used by an employee to collect data captures and wireless coverage indicators in the retail store. The wireless coverage indicator includes data on the status of wireless network coverage in the location where the data capture was collected. The data capture and the wireless coverage indicators are wirelessly transmitted to a utility for mapping a building when a wireless network is available. If no wireless network is available, the data is stored in the mobile computing device until a wireless network is available. The utility for mapping a building uses information in the data capture to determine the location where the data capture was collected, and maps the data in the wireless coverage indicator to the location on a map of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Adam Jones, Matthew Allen Jones, Robert James Taylor, Daniel R. Shields, Marc Ashley Fletter
  • Patent number: D811199
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Yurgis Mauro Bacallao