US 11,887,053 B2Granted

Systems and methods of wireless communication for inventory management

AssigneeGlas, Inc.

InventorSean Greenbaum

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for automatically monitoring and managing inventory in real time within a retail environment are presented. To monitor and manage inventory of electronic devices configured to communicate wirelessly, the electronic devices are configured to send device status messages via wireless communication to wireless connection devices, which in turn send inventory messages to a remote inventory server via a communication network. To monitor non-communicating inventory, wireless tags are included within or affixed to inventory packaging to communicate with the electronic devices or wireless connection devices. Based upon such inventory messages, the remote inventory server monitors inventory location and levels at retail locations. Inventory levels may be adjusted according to inventory distribution plans based upon such inventory information.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for automatically monitoring inventory, comprising:

determining, by a processor of a wireless connection device, occurrence of a triggering event associated with a triggering condition;
transmitting, by a wireless communication component of the wireless connection device, an inventory request message;
receiving, at a wireless tag of each of one or more inventory items within a wireless communication range of the wireless connection device, the inventory request message;
transmitting, by the wireless tag of each of the respective one or more inventory items, a response message to the wireless connection device in response to the inventory request message;
receiving, at the wireless communication component of the wireless connection device, the one or more response messages from the respective one or more wireless tags in response to the inventory request message;
receiving, at the wireless communication component of the wireless connection device, one or more device response messages from one or more wirelessly communicating electronic devices within the wireless communication range of the wireless connection device in response to the inventory request message;
generating, by the processor of the wireless connection device, an inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages, wherein the inventory message indicates a level of inventory at a location associated with the wireless connection device and wherein the inventory message is distinct from each of the one or more responses messages;
and
sending, from the wireless connection device to an inventory server via a communication network, the inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages.

6 more elements

A system for automatically monitoring inventory, comprising:

a wireless connection device having (i) a processor, (ii) a wireless communication component, and (iii) a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless connection device to:
determine occurrence of a triggering event associated with a triggering condition;
transmit an inventory request message via the wireless communication component, wherein the inventory request message is transmitted to one or more wireless tags of respective one or more inventory items within a wireless communication range of the wireless connection device;
receive a response message from each of the one or more wireless tags via the wireless communication component;
receive, in response to the inventory request message, one or more device response messages from one or more wirelessly communicating electronic devices within the wireless communication range of the wireless connection device via the wireless communication component;
generate an inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages, wherein the inventory message indicates a level of inventory at a location associated with the wireless connection device and wherein the inventory message is distinct from each of the one or more responses messages;
send the inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages to an inventory server via a communication network.

4 more elements

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for automatically monitoring inventory that, when executed by one or more processors of a wireless connection device, cause the wireless connection device to:

determine occurrence of a triggering event associated with a triggering condition;
transmit an inventory request message via a wireless communication component of the wireless connection device, wherein the inventory request message is transmitted to one or more wireless tags of respective one or more inventory items within a wireless communication range of the wireless connection device;
receive a response message from each of the one or more wireless tags via the wireless communication component;
receive, in response to the inventory request message, one or more device response messages from one or more wirelessly communicating electronic devices within the wireless communication range of the wireless connection device via the wireless communication component;
generate an inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages, wherein the inventory message indicates a level of inventory at a location associated with the wireless connection device and wherein the inventory message is distinct from each of the one or more responses messages;
send the inventory message based upon the one or more response messages and the one or more device response messages to an inventory server via a communication network.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/548,846Filed 13 Dec 2021 · continuation
Priority: 8 Oct 2020
Published: US 2022/0114539 A114 Apr 2022
Granted: 30 Jan 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
G06K 19/0723
With integrated circuit chips: the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on…
G06Q 10/08726
Using inventory planning: for replenishment processing, procedures, or recommendations using forecasting or optimisation
G06Q 10/0874
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: inventory fulfillment

Family

Application17/065,825Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Oct 2020
Application17/234,733Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Apr 2021
US 2022/0114539 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Apr 2022
US 11,200,535 B1Parent of this continuation
US 10,984,380 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application17/234,733Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,887,053 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.