Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
705022000 | Inventory monitoring | 34 |
20080294527 | Stock Flow Management System and Method - A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier includes instructions that, when executed, perform operations that modify stock levels of a storage location in a logistic environment system. The operations include receiving information indicating a stock level change at storage location database objects that each represent a storage location for stock in a logistic environment. A storage location database object has associated with it a rule, a stock amount value specifying an amount of stock for the storage location, and a threshold that indicates a stock level to be maintained for the storage location. The operations also include determining, using the rule, if the stock level change would cause the stock amount value to cross the threshold, and if so, generating a request to modify the amount of stock at the storage location so that the stock amount value does not cross the threshold. | 11-27-2008 |
20090125405 | POINT OF SALE (POS) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - A point of sale (POS) system and a control method thereof are provided. The POS system comprises a bar code scanner scanning a bar code attached to the goods, a key input unit for selectively cancelling or shelving the scanned goods, a POS terminal receiving goods information from the bar code scanner or the key input unit, and a scan/key input indication unit having one or more indication lamps turned on in certain color through receiving a specified data signal from the POS terminal when the bar code scanner scans the bar code of goods, or the key input unit cancels or shelves the scanned goods whereby when a salesperson manipulates the key input unit so as to cancel or shelve the scanned goods by intention or by mistake after the bar code of goods is scanned, the corresponding indication lamp is turned on so that a manager or others as well as the salesperson recognizes the situation. | 05-14-2009 |
20090299867 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LABELING AND MANAGING THE SALE OF MANUFACTURED CONCRETE BLOCKS - In a method for identifying manufactured concrete or masonry blocks and managing the sale thereof to a customer in a retail establishment, the retail establishment having a computer system configured to monitor inventory, a database operatively coupled to the computer system, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) terminals operatively coupled to the computer system. The method includes a) applying a releasably secured label to the concrete block or a layer of concrete blocks contained on a pallet, where the label has UPC information affixed thereon and is releasable from the concrete block or layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, b) selecting for purchase by the customer, a number of concrete blocks from a selected pallet, c) removing the label from the concrete block or the layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, d) presenting the label at the POS terminal, e) scanning the label via the POS terminal to process the UPC information, and entering the number of concrete blocks intended for purchase, f) transmitting data encoded in the UPC information to the computer system along with an indication of the number of concrete blocks purchased to effect maintenance of the inventory of concrete blocks, and g) issuing a receipt to the purchaser evidencing purchase of the concrete blocks. | 12-03-2009 |
20090319384 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LABELING AND MANAGING THE SALE OF MANUFACTURED CONCRETE BLOCKS - In a method for identifying manufactured concrete or masonry blocks and managing the sale thereof to a customer in a retail establishment, the retail establishment having a computer system configured to monitor inventory, a database operatively coupled to the computer system, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) terminals operatively coupled to the computer system. The method includes a) applying a releasably secured label to the concrete block or a layer of concrete blocks contained on a pallet, where the label has UPC information affixed thereon and is releasable from the concrete block or layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, b) selecting for purchase by the customer, a number of concrete blocks from a selected pallet, c) removing the label from the concrete block or the layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, d) presenting the label at the POS terminal, e) scanning the label via the POS terminal to process the UPC information, and entering the number of concrete blocks intended for purchase, f) transmitting data encoded in the UPC information to the computer system along with an indication of the number of concrete blocks purchased to effect maintenance of the inventory of concrete blocks, and g) issuing a receipt to the purchaser evidencing purchase of the concrete blocks. | 12-24-2009 |
20100161435 | COMMODITY DISPLAY QUANTITY MANAGING SYSTEM AND COMMODITY DISPLAY QUANTITY MANAGING METHOD - RFID tags are attached to commodities sold in a selling floor of a store. The RFID tags have stored therein identification codes for enabling identification of the RFID tags. An RFID reader configured to read the identification codes stored in the RFID tags is attached to a commodity display shelf on which the commodities are displayed. When a display quantity of stock of the commodities displayed on the commodity display shelf changes and the display quantity of stock decreases to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined alert value, a server causes a radio access point to output a reporting signal for causing a PDA terminal to perform reporting operation. A store clerk can learn, by checking a message displayed by the PDA terminal, that the display quantity of stock of the commodities decreases and can take timing for display work for commodities. | 06-24-2010 |
20100185524 | TELEMATICS UNIT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING - A method of operating a telematics unit comprising the steps of: first operating the telematics unit in a logistical support mode containing a first set of operations assisting tracking of at least one of (a) the telematics unit and (b) a vehicle containing the telematics unit through storage and travel; and second operating the telematics unit in a customer service mode containing a second set of operations supporting a customer associated with the vehicle, wherein the first set of operations contains at least one operation unique from the second set of operations. | 07-22-2010 |
20100217678 | Automatic learning in a merchandise checkout system with visual recognition - A merchandise checkout system for ringing up merchandise in a grocery or other retail facility is disclosed. The merchandise checkout system includes visual sensors for acquiring images of an object to be rung up at checkout; a database configured to retain a visual model and UPC code of known items; and a processor configured to maintain and update the database with information about new merchandise presented for checkout. The visual model preferably includes at least one image of each item of merchandise in the retail store as well as geometric point features extracted from images of the merchandise. The processor in the exemplary embodiment is configured to: (a) compare the image of the object acquired at checkout to the visual model of the items in the database; (b) recognize the object based on the overall appearance of the packaging; (c) automatically ring up the price of the object at the POS; and (d) automatically add the acquired image to the database if the image of the object is new, i.e., it does not match the visual model of any of the items recorded in the database, thereby enabling the checkout system to dynamically and automatically build up its database of visual models. | 08-26-2010 |
20100268616 | APPRATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN AUTOMATED STOCK LEDGER - An inventory stock ledger system, apparatus and method including a process by which one can track inventory efficiently, but can also utilize to perform inventory analysis on a dynamic level. The method includes recording inventory snapshots across various dimensions of a retail business and tracking the inventory levels for select products in to provide real time reports. Central to the apparatus is the idea that inventory can be viewed from a central starting point, and then examined among various dimensions. Inventory management is readily modified and dynamic. The method includes a build capability for examining the inventory levels and snapshots of inventory for a retail market franchise. | 10-21-2010 |
20100280912 | ONLINE MARKETPLACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATED PRICING TOOL - An online marketplace management system includes software for managing sales by a user on one or more online marketplaces that are operated by entities other than the user. Online marketplaces are online e-commerce sales (e.g., retail) outlets that act as aggregators where third-party sellers (e.g., retailers) can sell items through branded web portals of the online marketplaces for a fee or a percentage of the sales prices. The software of the online marketplace management system includes an inventory management tool for managing inventory that is offered for sale on the one or more online marketplaces, and a pricing tool that provides automatic pricing of inventory that is offered for sale on the one or more online marketplaces, the automatic pricing being based upon real-time pricing of like inventory available on at least one online marketplace from one or more third parties other than the user. | 11-04-2010 |
20110106639 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING SAMPLES AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A method and a system for dispensing samples and a computer readable recording medium are disclosed herein, the system can establish a feedback mechanism and recommend one or more suitable samples for a user on the basis of identification information that is inputted by the user. | 05-05-2011 |
20120150674 | Alcoholic Beverage Allocation Machine - Various methods and systems such as in a software application are presented which may include automated purchase recommendations based on amalgamated purchase constraints ( | 06-14-2012 |
20120290423 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING RENTAL INVENTORY AVAILABLE FOR SALE - A system and method for selling a rental media product having entertainment content therein via an automated vending machine are provided. The method receives a request from a user, the request identifying the rental media product, retrieves, from a database, product rental information relating to the rental media product, wherein the product rental information comprises a product release date, a last maximum out-of-rent value, a sold-out date value, and a current on-hand count, determines whether the product rental information satisfies a set of sales decision criteria, wherein the set of sales decision criteria includes a product release date threshold, a last maximum out-of-rent value threshold, a sold-out date requirement, and a current on-hand count threshold. The method further provides an offer to sell the rental media product if the plurality of sales decision criteria is satisfied, and vends the rental product from a vending apparatus to the user if the user accepts the offer for sale. | 11-15-2012 |
20120330770 | ORDERING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An ordering apparatus stores an order quantity, moreover, generates the order data for each ordered commodity by associating a plurality of the commodity identifiers which is accepted the input with the order quantities which is stored, during the period from the moment that the input of the commodity identifier is accepted to the moment that is determined that the input acceptation is terminated. | 12-27-2012 |
20130060648 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AGGREGATING RATINGS FOR MEDIA CONTENT - Methods of aggregating and importing user-generated and/or professional ratings of media content are provided. User-generated ratings may have been previously created at a ratings source by a user associated with a customer profile. The method for aggregating ratings includes importing the ratings from the ratings source, storing the ratings in a customer profile, normalizing the ratings, and storing the normalized ratings. The normalized rating may be used to determine recommendations and preferences. The method for importing ratings includes receiving authentication information for a ratings source, authenticating to the ratings source, importing the ratings from the ratings source, and storing the ratings in a customer profile. Changes in the ratings may be detected and updated in the customer profile. | 03-07-2013 |
20130080277 | SYSTEM, DEVICE, METHOD, AND MEDIUM FOR PROCESSING SALES AND NON-MONETARY TRANSFERS - A system is described that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers. Processing occurs in a cycle where at a single prompt, a transaction is identified as a sale or a non-monetary transfer. A good that is the subject of the transaction is also identified. The good, and either a sales price or cost price, depending on whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer, respectively, is displayed. A record of the transaction, including whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer and the sales price or cost price, respectively, is created and stored. An inventory count record is adjusted to reflect an adjustment to inventory based on the occurrence of the transaction. The system that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers may include multiple devices in a server/client architecture or may include a single device. A corresponding method and storage medium are also described. | 03-28-2013 |
20130218699 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING POINT-OF-SALE TIRE INVENTORY - Systems and methods are disclosed for manufacturing a tire selected having a certain performance and/or size characteristic from a range of tread-casing combinations having a range of performance and/or size characteristics from a reduced inventory supply. The systems and methods for producing tires can be used to build tires having a selected performance characteristic from an inventory supply having reduced storage time. A customized tire can be produced by providing, either at or near a point-of-sale facility, a set of cured tire casings manufactured without tire treads and a set of cured tire treads manufactured without tire casings. A tire that is customized to the customer is built upon demand at an assembly facility at or near the point-of-sale and delivered to the customer at or near the time of building upon demand by the customer. | 08-22-2013 |
20130275246 | Processing Online Transactions - Disclosed are systems and methods for managing transactions in which an order is specified online and payment is received at a point of sale (POS). Methods are disclosed for managing payment for such transactions at a POS, including transactions involving payment for both in-store purchases and online orders. Methods are also disclosed for managing inventory and price changes for such transactions where payment can occur at any time in a pay period following order creation. Also disclosed are methods for processing refunds for online orders for which payment was made at a POS. Finally, methods for preventing fraud and abuse as well as restricting the availability of this payment method for certain items are disclosed. | 10-17-2013 |
20130275247 | Processing Online Transactions - Disclosed are systems and methods for managing transactions in which an order is specified online and payment is received at a point of sale (POS). Methods are disclosed for managing payment for such transactions at a POS, including transactions involving payment for both in-store purchases and online orders. Methods are also disclosed for managing inventory and price changes for such transactions where payment can occur at any time in a pay period following order creation. Also disclosed are methods for processing refunds for online orders for which payment was made at a POS. Finally, methods for preventing fraud and abuse as well as restricting the availability of this payment method for certain items are disclosed. | 10-17-2013 |
20130297435 | SYSTEMS AND/OR METHODS FOR SELLING NON-INVENTORY ITEMS AT POINT-OF-SALE (POS) LOCATIONS - Certain exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for order processing. A data feed including unique identifiers of purchased products, together with pairs of order numbers and product identifiers for products ordered from, but not delivered by, a store, is received at an electronic registration system. For each entry therein, a corresponding record in an ER database is created, and a message is transmitted to a supplier of an ordered product indicating that payment has been received for that product when it is determined that the entry is a corresponding order number / product identifier pair. This determination may be based on different masks used in creating a part of the unique identifier, and the order number, respectively. An indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with a serial number for that product, is received from the supplier, and the ER database is updated as appropriate. | 11-07-2013 |
20130304595 | AUTOMATIC LEARNING IN A MERCHANDISE CHECKOUT SYSTEM WITH VISUAL RECOGNITION - A merchandise checkout system for ringing up merchandise in a grocery or other retail facility is disclosed. The merchandise checkout system includes visual sensors for acquiring images of an object to be rung up at checkout; a database configured to retain a visual model and UPC code of known items; and a processor configured to maintain and update the database with information about new merchandise presented for checkout. The visual model preferably includes at least one image of each item of merchandise in the retail store as well as geometric point features extracted from images of the merchandise. The processor in the exemplary embodiment is configured to: (a) compare the image of the object acquired at checkout to the visual model of the items in the database; (b) recognize the object based on the overall appearance of the packaging; (c) automatically ring up the price of the object at the POS; and (d) automatically add the acquired image to the database if the image of the object is new, i.e., it does not match the visual model of any of the items recorded in the database, thereby enabling the checkout system to dynamically and automatically build up its database of visual models. | 11-14-2013 |
20140222601 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INVENTORY LOCATIONS - A system and method for determining a specific location in a brick and mortar retail store from which an item purchased by a customer in the store was likely obtained, so as to enable maintenance of inventory at the location level within the store is provided. The system includes a central database in which information regarding product inventory for a brick and mortar store location is maintained, a point of sale client capable of obtaining a product identifier from items being purchased by a customer, and a product location mechanism that utilizes the product identifier obtained by the point of sale client for the items being purchased by the customer, and other information from the point of sale client and/or from within the database to determine the most likely location from which an item was obtained by the customer and decrement the inventory unit amount stored in the database for the location by the number of such items purchased. | 08-07-2014 |
20140304096 | Business Process Management System - Systems and methods for providing improved efficiency and management of business processes are provided. The management of business enterprises such as convenience stores is improved by tracking and verifying shift data as relates to tracking fuel availability, settling and tracking inventory, and auditing lottery information. | 10-09-2014 |
20140337152 | Method and System Having a Virtual Stock Keeping Unit for Configurable Mobile Phone Purchases - One disclosed method includes recording a sale to a customer of a configurable mobile device at a retail point-of-sale system and providing the customer with a virtual stock-keeping-unit at the point-of-sale system. The virtual stock-keeping-unit represents a customized mobile device that has not yet been assembled. The method further includes granting the customer access to a mobile device configurator based on a configurator access code associated with the virtual stock-keeping-unit and generating, by the mobile device configurator, a bill of material in response to configuration input received by the mobile device configurator. The configurator then sends the bill of material to a manufacturing system for assembly of the customized mobile device and the customized mobile device is assembled in accordance with the bill of material and information associated with the virtual stock-keeping-unit. The customized mobile device is shipped from the place of assembly to the customer. | 11-13-2014 |
20140372236 | Method And Apparatus For Improved Sales Program and User Interface - The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program related to a Point of Sale (POS) web-based application/website and user interface that may be applied on any product that can be photographed, videoed, or transformed. The image created through the program can be provided to the customer electronically by email or other service who may want to purchase products or services listed in sequenced steps at a later date with auto generated links, while also allowing the retailer to be able to record the products the customer tried on or used but did not purchase. The program further enhances the shopping experience by allowing the customer or seller to record the sequenced steps with purchased and not purchased products used during any service for any product in any industry which then ties into the program's social media website or various other social media websites. | 12-18-2014 |
20150019357 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RESERVATION INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - A system and method for automatically managing the allocation of reservation inventory for an individual POS terminal in a distributed reservation system having multiple POS terminals. Inventory allocation for an event for the individual POS terminal is calculated as a function of total reservation capacity for the event, the allocation and use of reservation inventory at the individual POS terminal, and/or the allocation and use of reservation inventory at other POS terminals in the reservation system. All POS terminals in the reservation system periodically share a token with one another to get updated inventory status for use in calculating inventory allocations. | 01-15-2015 |
20150032560 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VERSION INDEPENDENT POINT OF SALE ACTIVATION (POSA) PRODUCT DOWNLOAD - A computer implemented method and apparatus for version independent Point of Sale Activation (POSA) product download. The method comprises accessing a database, wherein the database comprises a plurality of entries associated with a plurality of Point of Sale Activation (POSA) cards available for purchase at a retail store; retrieving, from the database, a plurality of entries associated with a previous version of a software product, wherein the previous version of the software product has not been redeemed; generating a serial number for each retrieved entry, wherein each serial number is associated with a current version of the software product; and updating, in the database, each retrieved entry with the generated serial number. | 01-29-2015 |
20150120477 | System and Method for Managing Inventory of a Consumable - An inventory of a consumable is managed by positioning a sensor within a storage tank holding the consumable and determining the volume of the consumable in the storage tank. A processor is also located on the vehicle for receiving data relative to the volume of the consumable in the storage tank, the mileage of the vehicle, and vehicle location, date, and time, and for transmitting such data to a remote inventory management server (“RIMS”). The RIMS also receives point-of-sale (“POS”) data, including location, date/time, purchase amount, and purchase price related to a consumable intake event at the storage tank of the vehicle. The RIMS then reconciles the data received from the vehicle processor with the POS data to determine whether there are any discrepancies between the fuel purchased and the volume of fuel measured. | 04-30-2015 |
20150317620 | DIGITAL POINT-OF-SALE ANALYZER - A digital point-of-sale system for determining key performance indicators (KPIs) at a point-of-sale includes a product identification unit and a realogram creation unit. The product identification unit is configured to receive a captured image of a product display and to identify products in the captured image by comparing features determined from the captured image to features determined from products templates. The realogram creation unit is configured to create a realogram from the identified products and product templates. A product price KPI unit is configured to identify a product label proximally located to each identified product, and to recognize the product price on each product label. Each product price is compared to a predetermined range of prices to determine whether the product label proximally located to the identified product is a correct product label for the identified product. | 11-05-2015 |
20150324779 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR TRACKING AND ESTIMATING INVENTORY - The disclosure herein provides system, methods, and devices for tracking and estimating inventory. A real-time inventory system for tracking and estimating inventory of a plurality of items comprises an electronic items database configured to store data relating to the plurality of items; an electronic inventory database configured to store inventory count data; a counting interface configured to receive current count data from a user access point system; a variance calculator configured to access the estimated current quantity to determine a first variance; a prioritization engine configured to analyze the first variance and to increase the first count frequency such that the first item will be counted more frequently than at least one other item. | 11-12-2015 |
20150347997 | PER-ITEM SECURITY CHECKS DURING SELF CHECKOUT PROCESSES - System, method, and computer program product to determine whether to apply a security check to items during a self-checkout process, by, responsive to receiving identification information for an item, generating a random number for the item, and upon determining that the random number exceeds a security value, applying the security check to the item. | 12-03-2015 |
20160026988 | Methods and Apparatus for Unified Inventory Management - In some embodiments, a transaction-related communication system includes one or more receiving modules configured for receiving a first item of inventory transaction information from a customer-facing interface, and receiving a second item of inventory transaction information from a merchant-facing point-of-sale interface. In some embodiments, the transaction-related communication system includes an inventory coordination module configured for rendering in a common internal format the first item of inventory transaction information from the customer-facing interface, and rendering in the common internal format the second item of inventory transaction information from the merchant-facing point-of-sale interface. In some embodiments, the transaction-related communication system includes an inventory coordination module configured for transmitting the second item of inventory transaction information for inventory transaction execution by the second inventory resource, and transmitting the first item of inventory transaction information for inventory transaction execution by a first inventory resource. | 01-28-2016 |
20160110700 | TRANSACTION AUDIT SUGGESTIONS BASED ON CUSTOMER SHOPPING BEHAVIOR - Systems, methods, and computer program products to perform an operation comprising receiving location data identifying a plurality of areas visited by a person in a shopping environment providing self-serve-checkout, identifying, based on the location data, a first product located in a first area of the plurality of areas in the shopping environment visited by the person, and returning an indication to perform an audit to determine whether the person is in possession of the first product without including the first product as part of a purchase completed by the person using self-serve-checkout. | 04-21-2016 |
20160117649 | PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PURCHASING REGULATED GOODS - A system for processing payment of regulated goods includes a computer-based manager configured with databases for storing data relative to a user's eligibility to purchase regulated goods, data relative to vendor inventory of regulated goods, data relative to vouchers requested by such user. Such system further includes a remote system in communication with the manager through which a user may request a voucher and pay for the regulated goods after which a voucher is generated by the remote system. A vendor system verifies the validity of the generated voucher and provides inventory data to the manager upon dispensing of the regulated goods to the verified user. | 04-28-2016 |
20160162865 | Vending Machine Route Management - An embodiment includes a method executed by at least one processor comprising: determining inventories for first and second times for a first vending machine (VM); determining inventories for first and second times for a second VM; determining inventories for first and second times for a third VM; and determining a service route to visit the first and second VMs on a specific date, and to specifically avoid visiting the third VM on the specific date, in response to determining the inventories for the second times for the first, second, and third VMs. Other embodiments are described herein. | 06-09-2016 |