Patent ID: 9280757
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: G06Q

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, working with the processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: determine a deviation between projected sales of a product and actual sales of the product; determine an inventory exception inference associated with the product based, at least in part, on the determination of a deviation between projected sales of the product and actual sales of the product, the inventory exception inference being an identification of circumstances that indicate that an inventory state of the product differs from an inventory plan for the product that identifies at least one intended location for the product; determine an automated inventory inspection directive for the product based, at least in part, on the inventory exception inference, the automated inventory inspection directive comprising instructions configured to identify the product and the intended location for the product as, at least part of, mission data for an automated inventory data acquisition device that instruct the automated inventory data acquisition device to acquire inspected inventory state data for the product based, at least in part, on the product and the location, the inspected inventory state data being inventory state data that is based, at least in part on visual information captured by the automated inventory data acquisition device; transmit the automated inventory inspection directive to the automated inventory acquisition device; receive the inspected inventory state data from the automated inventory data acquisition device in response to the transmission of the automated inventory inspection directive to an automated inventory acquisition device; determine that the inventory state data indicates non-conformance with the inventory plan; and determine that an actual inventory exception exists for the product based, at least in part, on the determination that the inventory state data indicates non-conformance with the inventory plan.