Patent ID: 11868934
Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 15:
16. A device comprising memory and at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:
identify a return of an item from a purchaser of the item to a first location;
generate a first inventory for the item at a first time prior to the return, the first inventory comprising items that have not been previously purchased, items at a fulfillment center, and items in moving vehicles, the item absent from the first inventory at the first time;
receive, based on the return, a dynamic location of a vehicle where the item is located while in transportation from the purchaser to the first location;
generate, based on the return, a virtual fulfillment center representing the vehicle and using the dynamic location during the transportation;
add, based on the return and the generation of the virtual fulfillment center, the item and an indication of the virtual fulfillment center to the first inventory at a second time;
determine, based on the first inventory at the second time, a geographic zone including the dynamic location;
receive, from a second device, a request for the item;
determine, based on the request, prior to a confirmation that the item has been selected from among other items for addition to a shopping cart, a first delivery time associated with delivering the item from the first location to a delivery location;
determine, based on the request, prior to the confirmation that the item has been selected from among other items for addition to the shopping cart, a second delivery time associated with delivering the item from the virtual fulfillment center to the delivery location;
determine, based on the first delivery time and the second delivery time, that the second delivery time is a shortest delivery time for the item from among the first inventory;
select the second delivery time as an estimated delivery date, instead of other delivery times for the item from among the first inventory, to the delivery location based on the second delivery time being the shortest delivery time;
send, to the second device, an indication of the estimated delivery date; and
receive the confirmation that the item has been selected for addition to the shopping cart based on the estimated delivery date.