Patents Assigned to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  • 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20180059234
    Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for detection motion using an air curtain. An air flow source generates an air curtain that can rotate an airfoil located downstream of the air flow source. The airfoil contains an RF reflective material, and a sensor can detect RF reflections from the airfoil. The sensor communicates data associated with the RF energy reflections detected from the airfoil to a computing device that can compare this data against a reflection threshold value. The computing device can determine whether an object has obstructed the air curtain if the reflections detected by the sensor decrease below the reflection threshold value. The computing device can also compute a number of objects passing through the air curtain during a specified period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Adam Jones, Robert James Taylor, Aaron James Vasgaard, Matthew Allen Jones
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180053205
    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 advertisement creatives for an advertisement campaign, generating first predefined frequency weights for the plurality of advertisement creatives, and coordinating a display of the plurality of advertisement creatives within the impression slot of the webpages displayed to the online users based on the first predefined frequency weights. The first predefined frequency weights include a weighted frequency that each advertisement creative of the plurality of advertisement creatives should be displayed to the online users. A first advertisement creative of the can be displayed more frequently than a second advertisement creative because the first advertisement comprises a first frequency weight that is higher than a second frequency weight of the second advertisement creative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Qin, Somnath Banerjee
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20180046973
    Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for detecting missing or miss positioned labels. The system can include a portable scanning device to scan machine-readable elements included on labels at a first and second location. The portable scanning device can detect the acceleration and the cumulative change between the first and second location. The portable scanning device or a computing system can determine the distance between the first and second location based on the acceleration data. The computing system can place a data point on a map of an estimated location of the location of the first scan and the location of the second scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicants: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Adam Jones, Matthew Allen Jones
  • 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: 9888009
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Patent number: 9881328
    Abstract: A system and method for forecasting sales is presented. A transmission by a customer is received indicating an intention for a customer to purchase an item from a retailer via a mobile device. An embodiment determines if the item is subject to an age-restriction. This can be accomplished by using location data of a retailer. Biometric data is received from the customer intending to purchase the item. The biometric data is compared to verified biometric data to confirm the identity of the customer. The age of the customer is determined. Thereafter, the transaction is allowed to proceed if the age of the customer satisfies the age-restriction for the item. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Berk Atikoglu, Eytan Daniyalzade
  • Patent number: D811199
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Yurgis Mauro Bacallao