Systems, methods, and devices for tracking and estimating inventory

Abstract

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.

1 . A real-time inventory system for tracking and estimating inventory of a plurality of items, the inventory system comprising:
 one or more electronic databases configured to store data relating to the plurality of items, the data comprising a first count frequency associated with a first item, a second count frequency associated with a second item, and an estimated current inventory quantity of the first item, the first count frequency indicating a frequency at which the first item is to be counted, the second count frequency indicating a frequency at which the second item is to be counted;   a point of sale system configured to receive and process orders, the point of sale system comprising an electronic display for inputting and viewing order information and a payment accepting device for receiving payment data from a customer payment device;   a projection engine configured to calculate in real-time the estimated current inventory quantity of the first item based at least in part on sales data received from the point of sale system;   a prioritization engine configured to analyze the first count frequency and a last count time for the first item to determine that the first item should be counted;   a counting interface configured to electronically communicate with a user access point system through a computer network to transmit counting instructions indicating that the first item should be counted and to receive current count data from the user access point system, the current count data indicating a current actual inventory quantity of the first item;   a variance calculator configured to access the estimated current inventory quantity to determine a first variance value based on comparing the current count data to the estimated current inventory quantity of the first item;   the prioritization engine further configured to analyze the first variance value and to, automatically based on determining the first variance value exceeds a threshold value, increase the first count frequency relative to the second count frequency, such that the first item will be caused to be counted more frequently than the second item; and   one or more computers configured to operate the counting interface, variance calculator, and prioritization engine, wherein the one or more computers comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.   
     
     
         2 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment accepting device of the point of sale system comprises a credit card reader. 
     
     
         3 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is based on a second variance value associated with the second item. 
     
     
         4 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the counting interface is further configured to, automatically based on a determination that the first variance value exceeds an error threshold value, transmit counting instructions to the user access point system indicating that the first item should be recounted. 
     
     
         5 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the prioritization engine is further configured to, automatically based on determining the first variance value is smaller than a second threshold value, decrease the first count frequency relative to the second count frequency such that the first item will be caused to be counted less frequently than the second item. 
     
     
         6 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the counting interface is further configured to transmit storage unit data to the user access point system, the storage unit data indicating one or more units of storage that are applicable to one or more storage locations, the storage unit data configured to cause the user access point system to enable inputting of current count data only in the one or more units of storage that are applicable to a current storage location being counted. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the variance calculator is configured to operate in real-time to update the first variance value based on updated current count data received from the user access point system and real-time sales data. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer implemented method of tracking and estimating inventory of a plurality of items, the computer implemented method comprising:
 accessing, by a computer system, in an electronic database, a first count frequency associated with a first item and a last count time for the first item, the first count frequency indicating a frequency at which the first item is to be counted;   receiving, by the computer system from a point of sale system through a computer network, sales data related to the first item;   calculating, by the computer system, an estimated current inventory quantity of the first item based at least in part on the sales data received from the point of sale system;   analyzing, by the computer system, the first count frequency associated with the first item and the last count time for the first item to determine whether the first item should be counted;   transmitting, by the computer system to a user access point system through the computer network, counting instructions comprising an indication that the first item should be counted, responsive to a determination that the first item should be counted;   receiving, by the computer system from the user access point system, current count data indicating a current actual inventory quantity of the first item;   calculating, by the computer system, a first variance value based on comparing the current count data to the estimated current inventory quantity of the first item;   analyzing, by the computer system, the first variance value in conjunction with a threshold value; and   increasing, by the computer system, the first count frequency automatically based on a determination that the first variance value exceeds the threshold value, such that the first item will be caused to be counted more frequently than a second item associated with a second count frequency;   wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.   
     
     
         22 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the threshold value is based on a second variance value associated with the second item. 
     
     
         23 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the computer system to the user access point system through the computer network, counting instructions comprising an indication that the first item should be recounted, responsive to a determination that the first variance value exceeds an error threshold value.   
     
     
         24 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 decreasing, by the computer system, the first count frequency automatically based on a determination that the first variance value is smaller than a second threshold value, such that the first item will be caused to be counted less frequently than the second item.   
     
     
         25 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the computer system to the user access point system through the computer network, storage unit data indicating one or more units of storage that are applicable to one or more storage locations, the storage unit data configured to cause the user access point system to enable inputting of current count data only in the one or more units of storage that are applicable to a current storage location being counted.   
     
     
         26 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system from the user access point system through the computer network, updated current count data;   receiving, by the computer system from the point of sale system through the computer network, updated sales data; and   updating, by the computer system, in real time the first variance value based on the received updated current count data and sales data.   
     
     
         27 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the point of sale system comprises an electronic display for inputting and viewing order information and a payment accepting device for receiving payment data from a customer payment device. 
     
     
         28 . A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for causing a suitably programmed computer system to process by one or more processors computer-program code by performing a method of tracking and estimating inventory of a plurality of items when the computer program is executed on the suitably programmed computer system, the method comprising:
 accessing, by a computer system, in an electronic database, a first count frequency associated with a first item and a last count time for the first item, the first count frequency indicating a frequency at which the first item is to be counted;   receiving, by the computer system from a point of sale system through a computer network, sales data related to the first item;   calculating, by the computer system, an estimated current inventory quantity of the first item based at least in part on the sales data received from the point of sale system;   analyzing, by the computer system, the first count frequency associated with the first item and the last count time for the first item to determine whether the first item should be counted;   transmitting, by the computer system to a user access point system through the computer network, counting instructions comprising an indication that the first item should be counted, responsive to a determination that the first item should be counted;   receiving, by the computer system from the user access point system, current count data indicating a current actual inventory quantity of the first item;   calculating, by the computer system, a first variance value based on comparing the current count data to the estimated current inventory quantity of the first item;   analyzing, by the computer system, the first variance value in conjunction with a threshold value; and   increasing, by the computer system, the first count frequency automatically based on a determination that the first variance value exceeds the threshold value, such that the first item will be caused to be counted more frequently than a second item associated with a second count frequency;   wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of  claim 28 , wherein the threshold value is based on a second variance value associated with the second item. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of  claim 28 , the method further comprising:
 transmitting, by the computer system to the user access point system through the computer network, counting instructions comprising an indication that the first item should be recounted, responsive to a determination that the first variance value exceeds an error threshold value.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of  claim 28 , the method further comprising:
 decreasing, by the computer system, the first count frequency automatically based on a determination that the first variance value is smaller than a second threshold value, such that the first item will be caused to be counted less frequently than the second item.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of  claim 28 , the method further comprising:
 transmitting, by the computer system to the user access point system through the computer network, storage unit data indicating one or more units of storage that are applicable to one or more storage locations, the storage unit data configured to cause the user access point system to enable inputting of current count data only in the one or more units of storage that are applicable to a current storage location being counted.   
     
     
         33 . The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of  claim 28 , the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system from the user access point system through the computer network, updated current count data;   receiving, by the computer system from the point of sale system through the computer network, updated sales data; and   updating, by the computer system, in real time the first variance value based on the received updated current count data and sales data.