Wal-Mart Patents

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is a global retailer focused on selling merchandise and services at everyday low prices. The company operates stores under the Walmart and Sam's Clubs brands.

Wal-Mart Patents by Type
  • Wal-Mart Patents Granted: Wal-Mart patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Wal-Mart Patent Applications: Wal-Mart patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Publication number: 20180218409
    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 receiving, from a plurality of entities, objectives and budgets associated with a plurality of keywords, determining cost-per-click (CPC) bids for each of the entities for some of the plurality of keywords using the objectives and the budgets, determining internal bids by the plurality of entities for the plurality of keywords by multiplying the CPC bid and a pacing multiplier, performing one or more iterative internal auctions, determining a highest bidder for each keyword of the plurality of keywords, and coordinating bidding by only the highest bidding entity for each of the keywords on a third-party external auction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Tao Zhu, Madhusudan Mathihalli
  • Publication number: 20180217990
    Abstract: In many embodiments, the method can comprise receiving a search query from a search by a user and determining a question to present to the user. In many embodiments, determining the question to present to the user can comprise evaluating a user profile associated with the user, evaluating the search query, evaluating one or more user actions during a current browse session of the user, and selecting the question from a set of questions. In some embodiments, the method can further comprise presenting the question to the user when a confidence score associated with the question reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Sushant Kumar, Kannan Achan, Venkata Syam Prakash Rapaka
  • Publication number: 20180218407
    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 accessing purchase information history from a website of an online retailer, training a first machine learning model configured to obtain first population demographic data for first products, coordinating a display of an advertisement associated with the first products on social media webpages of new users corresponding to at least a portion of the first population demographic data, receiving an indication that some of the new users selected the first advertisement, accessing additional information of the new users, training a second machine learning model configured to obtain additional data for the one or more first products, and coordinating a display of the first advertisement associated with the first products on additional social media webpages of additional new users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Jun He, Shankara Bhargava Subramanya
  • Publication number: 20180218422
    Abstract: A method including selectively aggregating a first set of filters for an item results list. The first set of filters can include multiple filter types, including category filters, facet filters, and price filters. The method also can include, for each filter in the first set of filters and each item in the item results list, determining user engagement statistics for the item when the filter has been applied. The method additionally can include generating a filter score for each filter in the first set of filters. The method further can include selecting a second set of filters from the first set of filters based on the filter scores of the filters in the second set of filters being above a threshold filter score. The method additionally can include applying space-constraint rules to the second set of filters to limit a quantity of filters in the second set of filters based on a ranking of the filters in the second set of filters and based on a screen size of a user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Onur Gungor, Manas Pathak, Ajay Gopalkrishna
  • Publication number: 20180218082
    Abstract: In many embodiments, the method can comprise storing one or more user actions of a user of one or more users in a database, sorting the one or more user actions into one or more user action types, and extracting one or more correlated signals related to the one or more user actions of the user of the one or more users based at least in part on the one or more user action types to determine one or more independent signals related to the one or more user actions of the user of the one or more users. In some embodiments, the method can further comprise averaging the one or more independent signals related to the one or more user actions of the user of the one or more users to determine a personalization score related to the user of the one or more users and updating a webpage for the user of the one or more users based at least in part on the personalization score. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Abhimanyu Mitra, Kannan Achan, Venkata Syam Prakash Rapaka
  • Publication number: 20180218081
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise receiving a search query from a search by a user during a browse session, receiving one or more items from an item database in response to the search query, and receiving one or more previous search queries from a search database, the one or more previous search queries related to the search query. In many embodiments, the method can further comprise determining a purchase probability associated with a first item of the one or more items based at least in part on a first item score for the first item, ranking the one or more items based at least in part on the purchase probability associated with the first item of the one or more items, and facilitating display of the ranking of the one or more items. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Kannan Achan, Venkata Syam Prakash Rapaka, Evren Korpeoglu, Shirpaa Manoharan
  • Publication number: 20180218428
    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 training one or more first models to recommend a first item after a user has had an interaction on the web site of the online retailer with a second item, determining static features common to both the first item and the second item, training a second model to determine whether to coordinate a display of any new item as one of one or more recommended items with any of a plurality of items, and coordinating the display of the new item as one of the one or more recommended items when the one or more of the plurality of items are displayed on the website of the online retailer based on the static features of the new item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Min Xie, Kannan Achan, Zoheb Vacheri
  • Publication number: 20180218087
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise receiving a search query from a search by a user during a browse session, receiving one or more items from an item database in response to the search query, and receiving one or more previous search queries from a search database, the one or more previous search queries related to the search query. In many embodiments, the method can further comprise determining a purchase probability associated with a first item of the one or more items based at least in part on a first item score for the first item, ranking the one or more items based at least in part on the purchase probability associated with the first item of the one or more items, and facilitating display of the ranking of the one or more items. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Venkata Syam Prakash Rapaka, Kannan Achan, Kaushiki Nag, Sushant Kumar
  • Publication number: 20180218063
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the method can comprise receiving one or more clicks on one or more items by a user during a browse session, measuring a distance between the one or more items, and determining a relationship between the one or more items based at least in part on the distance. In various embodiments, the method can further comprise clustering the one or more items based at least in part on the relationship into one or more clusters and presenting to the user a recommendation. In a number of embodiments, the recommendation can comprise at least one of one or more search terms related to at least one cluster of the one or more clusters or a set of items related to the at least one cluster of the one or more clusters, the set of items comprising at least a portion of the one or more items. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Kaushiki Nag, Sushant Kumar, Venkata Syam Prakash Rapaka, Kannan Achan
  • Publication number: 20180218372
    Abstract: A method including receiving a weighting vector for each of a plurality of users, the weighting vector tracking a weight corresponding to each feature of a plurality of features. The plurality of features can represent purchasing criteria that are common to each item in a category of items. Each of the weights in the weighting vector for each user of the plurality of users can represent a level of importance of a different feature of the plurality of features to the user. The method also can include applying categorization rules on the weighting vectors for the plurality of users to categorize the plurality of users into a plurality of subgroups. The method additionally can include generating a profile weighting vector for each subgroup of the plurality of subgroups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Jennifer Laetitia Prendki
  • Publication number: 20180211269
    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 receiving sales data for a first plurality of products in a first category and also for a second plurality of products in a second category, determining a first product of the first plurality of products is a best seller in the first category using a first decay factor, determining a second product of the second plurality of products is a best seller in the second category using a second decay factor, coordinating a first display of the first product labeled as the best seller in the first category, and coordinating a second display of the second product labeled as the best seller in the second category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Han, Shanth Harikrishnan
  • Publication number: 20180211302
    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 selecting a plurality of products of an online retailer, receiving first manual categorizations of the plurality of products from a plurality of users, preparing a machine learning model for automatically categorizing additional products based on the first manual categorizations of the plurality of products, receiving a product description for an additional product, automatically categorizing the additional product into one or more categories for display on a webpage of the online retailer based on the product description of the first additional product using the machine learning model, and coordinating the display of the webpage of the online retailer of the additional product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Abhinandan Krishnan, Jonathan Tan, Jianhui Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180211201
    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 receiving a high-priority first order, receiving a low-priority second order, adding an elastic shipping buffer to the low-priority second order to (1) prevent the low-priority second order from being shipped from the fulfillment center before the high-priority first order and also (2) prevent the low-priority second order from being delivered at a final destination after a service level agreement delivery date, and transmitting instructions to a shipping system to ship the high-priority first order from the fulfillment center before shipping the low-priority second order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Amritayan Nayak, Hem Singh, Rajiv Kumar Jain, Sarabjeet Singh
  • Publication number: 20180211303
    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 training a source classifier with labeled source training data of a first product category from a website of an online retailer, clustering target data for a second product category into a plurality of clusters, inserting into each cluster labeled source training data of the first product category, assigning a domain discriminator score to each cluster, determining whether each cluster comprises an agreement cluster or a disagreement cluster using the domain discriminator score, receiving a product search request for a product of the second category from a user of the web site, and coordinating a display of the product on the web site to promote the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Edward Chatwin, Jaymin Daniel Mankowitz, Shie Mannor, Vineet Abhishek
  • Publication number: 20180204175
    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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Madhavan Kandhadai Vasantham, Vikrant Tare, Manish Gupta
  • Publication number: 20180197132
    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 determining a product shipping cost for a product and coordinating a display on the electronic device of the user of the product shipping cost of a carrier shipping cost that is less than the maximum shipping cost for the product. The maximum shipping cost for the product can be determined by determining carriers comprising a transit time for shipping the product that is less than or equal to a shipping time requirement of a service level agreement with the user, determining a baseline cost for shipping the product, retrieving a fixed threshold cost for the product, and combining the fixed threshold cost and the baseline cost to determine a maximum shipping cost for the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Amritayan Nayak, Rajiv Jain, Sarabjeet Singh
  • Publication number: 20180197230
    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 determining that content for a product in an electronic catalog for display on a webpage of an online retailer comprises incorrect content or is missing content, coordinating a first display on mobile electronic devices of a plurality of users of a request to provide additional content that (1) replaces the incorrect content for the product in the electronic catalog or (2) provides the missing content for the product in the electronic catalog, receiving the additional content for the product from the mobile electronic devices of the plurality of users, and coordinating a second display of the additional information of the product on the one or more webpages of the online retailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Tan, Ganesh Krishnan, Scott Fish, Rohit Deep
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180184803
    Abstract: An interchangeable modular shelf system, where a modular shelf framework is made of two support arms and two longitudinal members in a hollow rectangular shape. Onto this modular framework distinct types of display components may be attached, such that a single modular framework may contain a basket and a shelf. The modular framework can be attached to a vertical plane of the gondola rack, and can then be used for easily changing the type of display component attached, or for modifying the arrangement of the display components as necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bellar, Mark Propes
  • Publication number: 20180184816
    Abstract: A tiered storage system which sits atop a gondola shelf. The tiered storage system is made of a support structure having gondola shelf connectors, the gondola shelf connectors configured to removeably attach the support structure to the gondola shelf, and two or more tiers mounted on the support structure, each tier including a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, the horizontal plane being substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane. The tiered storage system can be configured with pegs or other organizational tools for helping arrange items such that surplus items being stored on the tiered storage system can be visible to customers or associates in a store aisle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bellar, Mark Propes
  • Publication number: 20180188977
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise dividing an image into two or more portions and calculating a portion hash value for each portion of the two or more portions, each portion hash value for each portion of the two or more portions is different than an other portion hash value for other portions of the two or more portions. The method can further comprise creating one or more image portion replicas of each portion of the two or more portions by replicating each portion of the two or more portions by a replication factor, the one or more image portion replicas comprising the same portion hash value as each portion of the two or more portions. The method can further comprise sending the one or more image portion replicas to a distributive data storage cluster, the distributive data storage cluster comprising two or more storage nodes, and storing each of the one or more image portion replicas in the two or more storage nodes. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Charandeep Sehgal, Vikas Bhat, Ganesh Krishnan, Venkatesh Kandaswamy
  • Publication number: 20180190160
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for an electronic label for use within shelf label tracks in stores. Such electronic labels receive initial information associated with an item being sold and begin displaying that information. When a change occurs such that the label needs to be modified, a record of the original information is retained within memory in the electronic label, such that the modified display can be used until the need for the modification ends. At that point, the electronic label can be restored to display the original information again using the stored record.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Bryan, Robert Taylor, Todd Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180189845
    Abstract: Retail stores may use the claim processing server to make a claim against a distribution center. Information about the claim may be entered into the store computer via an application and user interface. The claim processing server may use the information to process the claim and validate the related data. Using the information entered via the application the claim processing server may query the item database and the invoice database to retrieve to retrieve addition information from the database regarding the claim and the items. The information from the different databases may be merged together into a single database record which is then validated and stored the claim processing database. The information may also be checked and its accuracy verified. The user interfaces at the retail stores and distribution center may then be used to identify the claims for processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew B. Millhouse, John S. Meredith, Leroy Ellis
  • Publication number: 20180174109
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise facilitating display on an electronic display of one or more available time slots available at a store to a user. In many embodiments, the method can further comprise receiving a selection over an electronic transmission system of a first time slot from the user, the one or more available time slots comprising the first time slot and receiving, in an electronic order cart, a selection of a plurality of items from the user. In some embodiments, the method can further comprise, after receiving the selection of the plurality of items from the user, determining that the plurality of items are available in a store inventory of the store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Anurag Gupta, Sridhar Kandimalla
  • Publication number: 20180165376
    Abstract: A method including receiving on a server a request from a first provider to retrieve a configuration for a lookup order. The request can include the lookup order specifying an ordering of one or more predefined configurations from which to determine configuration settings to be used based on the ordering. The method also can include determining the configuration for the lookup order using the server based at least in part on both: (a) the ordering specified by the lookup order, and (b) whether the call to the first provider by the application is through the direct dependency relationship or through the transitive dependency relationship, such that the configuration determined for the lookup order is different when the call to the first provider by the application is through the direct dependency relationship versus when the call to the first provider by the application is through the transitive dependency relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Prashant Dighe, Bhanu Cherukumille, Niraj K. Agarwal, Brian M. Johnson, Soumen Sarkar
  • 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20180158022
    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 receiving website orders on a website of an online retailer for delivery of products, determining at least one fleet delivery route for delivery of the products using a vehicle fleet of the online retailer, and performing a randomized node movement on the at least one fleet delivery route to optimize delivery of the products. Performing the randomized node movement can include selecting a source route, selecting a first node from the source route, selecting a destination route from the at least one fleet delivery route and one or more third-party delivery routes, evaluating a cost differential of inserting the first node into a third-party delivery route, and inserting the first node into first third-party delivery route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Mingang Fu, Deepak Deshpande, Prakash Seetharaman, Devadas Pattathil
  • Publication number: 20180158013
    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 an act of preparing an initial shortest path matrix including a plurality of elements, an initial number of a plurality of map intersection nodes, and a plurality of full shortest paths between an origination map intersection node and a destination map intersection node. Each element can include a full shortest path, and each full shortest path can include one or more map intersection nodes. The one or more processing modules also can be configured to compress the initial shortest path matrix to form a compressed shortest path matrix that includes a compressed number of the plurality of map intersection nodes that is fewer than the initial number of the plurality of map intersection nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Mingang Fu, Deepak Deshpande, Prakash Seetharaman, Devadas Pattathil
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180150527
    Abstract: Various embodiments can include a system comprising one or more processing modules; a database system that can comprise a first database cluster H and a second database cluster L; and one or more non-transitory memory storage modules storing computing instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Varun Srivastava, Yiye Ruan, Yan Zheng
  • Publication number: 20180150538
    Abstract: A system and method for integrating business logic into a database system is disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Varun Srivastava, Yiye Ruan, Yan Zheng
  • Publication number: 20180150914
    Abstract: In one aspect, a computer system for evaluating the accuracy of an identity mapping method is disclosed. The system can comprise a system memory, one or more processors, and/or a computer readable medium containing compute-executable instructions representing a probability accuracy module. The probability accuracy module can be configured to query an identity map database for an identity map created using the identity mapping method, compare the identity map with additional social media data, calculate a correlation based on similarities between the social media data and the additional social media data, and/or verify the identity map based on the correlation. The identity map can be based on commerce data from a retailer and/or social media data from a first social media site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Shen, Chris Undernehr, Loannis Pavlidis, Zoheb Vacheri, Ronald Benson
  • Publication number: 20180150894
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system for grouping a set of distinct records in a database system, the database system comprising a first database cluster H and a second database cluster L. In many embodiments, the system can comprise one or more processing modules and one or more non-transitory memory storage modules storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processing modules. In some embodiments, the computer instructions can be configured to perform acts of determining, for each distinct record (i) of the set of distinct records, whether the record is a first priority or a second priority; for each distinct record (i) of the set of distinct records which is determined to be the first priority, storing the record in the first database cluster H, wherein the first database cluster H comprises a first computer server; and for each record (i) of the set of distinct records which is determined to be the second priority, storing the record in the second database cluster L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Varun Srivastava, Yiye Ruan, Yan Zheng
  • Publication number: 20180150901
    Abstract: A system identifying an order comprising items for users for delivery to a common geographic location by: identifying an order comprising items for users for delivery to a common geographic location, wherein the order further comprises instructions to separate each item of the items associated with each one of the users by: receiving an indication to identify the each item of the items in the order, wherein the order is stored in a database of a retailer; receiving an indication to identify the users associated with the order by accessing user accounts for the each one of the users, wherein the user accounts are stored in a user database; receiving an indication to identify a particular user of the users that is associated with the each item of the items in the order; and generating a list of items of the items associated with the each one of the users; calculating respective payments for respective portions of the order, wherein the each one of the users is presented with a respective one of the lists of ite
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: David Jon Carr, Richard Mark Ramsden Mark Ramsden
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180144357
    Abstract: Example dynamic pricing systems and methods are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Amaresh Nayak, Vijay Patil
  • Publication number: 20180144385
    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 receiving an online query from an electronic device of a user, the online query comprising natural language of the user, determining an intent of the online query as at least one of a product-related intent or a non-product-related intent, predicting an entity from the online query if the intent of the online query is determined to be a product-related intent, mapping the entity predicted from the online query to product metadata associated with one or more products, and coordinating a display of product information of the one more products on the electronic device. The entity can include a product name, a product attribute, a product price range, an average customer review, or a product brand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Shankara Bhargava Subramanya, Kushal Bhatt, Jun He, Luyang Chen
  • Publication number: 20180137162
    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 transmitting an action command to each of a first server and a second server, the action command comprising one or more operation statements, transmitting an undo operation statement to each of the first server and the second server with each of the one or more operation statements, and receiving a fail notification from the second server indicating that an action associated with the action command has failed if one of the operation statements has failed on the second server. The operation statements can include instructions to create, modify, or delete a referential relationship. The undo operation statements can include instructions to undo operations associated with the operation statements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Venkatesh Kandaswamy, Karthik Deivasigamani, Arvind Chockalingam Senthil Kumaran
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180121977
    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 extracting, with a domain specific language, structured values of one or more product attributes of a product from raw source values of a plurality of vendor data sheets received by an online retailer; obtaining a plurality of normalization rules for transforming the structured values to final normalized values, optimizing the domain specific language to reduce the number of a plurality of normalization rules used in a runtime normalization process, normalizing the structured values by adding the domain specific language to the runtime normalization process to obtain the final normalized values for the structured values, and persisting the final normalized values in a catalog of the online retailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Binwei Yang
  • Publication number: 20180121979
    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 receiving a plurality of normalization rules, using the plurality of normalization rules and a multi-class classification algorithm to train a classification model for one or more product attributes of a plurality of products, determining additional normalization rules for transforming additional structured values to additional final normalized values based on a classification of un-normalized additional raw source values with the classification model, validating the additional normalization rules, and adding the additional normalization rules to the classification model if the additional normalization rules are validated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Binwei Yang
  • 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: 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: 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: 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