Optimization of order fulfillment conditions

Abstract

A method for optimizing order fulfillment conditions is disclosed. Order fulfillment information is received, including items included in the order, inventory information of items included in the order from one or more entities at a corresponding location, and timeline information of the user associated with the order fulfillment information. An entity at a first location is selected from one or more entities at the corresponding location, and a time schedule associated with order fulfillment is determined. Conditions corresponding to the entity at the first location and the travel route to the first location are determined, and in response to determining that the travel route corresponding to the entity and the conditions at the first location are unfavorable to order fulfillment, modifications are performed on the order fulfillment information resulting in favorable conditions for order fulfillment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of scheduling convenience, and more specifically, to automatically changing the location, time, or method of pickup arrangements due to location conditions. Background Technology

[0002] Consumers and businesses are increasingly inclined to order goods or services online and arrange subsequent pickup or delivery. Online ordering offers the convenience of confirming inventory availability, choosing pickup or delivery, and selecting the order fulfillment location. Order fulfillment involves placing an order for an item or service with an entity and arranging pickup or delivery at the chosen entity's location. Order pickup or delivery can be arranged by an entity, which can be a retail store, restaurant or food supplier, service provider, or delivery agency, etc. Executing order fulfillment at an entity involves the travel route to the chosen entity's location. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system. The embodiments include a method for optimizing order fulfillment conditions. The method provides one or more processors to receive order fulfillment information, including items included in the order, inventory information of items included in the order from one or more entities at a corresponding location, and timeline information of a user associated with the order fulfillment information. The one or more processors determine an entity at a first location from the one or more entities at the corresponding location and a time schedule associated with the order fulfillment. The one or more processors determine conditions corresponding to the entity at the first location and the route to the first location, and in response to determining that the route to the entity and the conditions at the first location are unfavorable to order fulfillment, the one or more processors perform modifications to the order fulfillment information, resulting in favorable conditions for order fulfillment. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0005] Figure 2 This describes an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating the operational steps of an order fulfillment process operating in a distributed data processing environment.

[0006] Figure 3 A block diagram depicts components of a computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, including components configured to operatively perform... Figure 3 The computing device for order fulfillment procedures. Detailed Implementation

[0007] Embodiments of the invention recognize situations involving order fulfillment of offline or received orders, with the intent being to pick up or deliver the order at a selected entity's location and via a scheduled route at a chosen time. In some embodiments, the order may be to a supplier or distributor, and the order is scheduled for delivery to the ordering entity at a scheduled time. In other embodiments, a user places an order with an entity that has inventory indicating the availability of items included as part of the order. Order fulfillment includes a scheduled time at which the user plans to pick up the order at the selected entity's location by taking a route to the selected entity's location.

[0008] The embodiments also recognize that in some cases, conditions may exist at or around the scheduled pickup or delivery of an order, which may cause inconvenience, risk, or hindrance to the fulfillment of the order. In some embodiments of the invention, forecast weather at the location of the selected entity and the time of the order fulfillment arrangement may be unfavorable to the user. Similarly, the delivery of an order may find that forecast weather at or around the location of the entity at the time of the delivery arrangement is unfavorable.

[0009] In some embodiments, conditions associated with the pickup or delivery location and / or the route to that location may include other adverse conditions that prevent, endanger, or hinder order fulfillment, such as traffic problems, emergencies, and unexpected changes in physical inventory.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, computer program product, and computer system for modifying order fulfillment information in response to determining that conditions at the location of a selected entity are unfavorable for order fulfillment. In some embodiments, an artificial intelligence (AI) system accesses and interprets forecasted weather or other conditions associated with the route and location of the selected entity for order pickup or delivery, and dynamically suggests to the customer options for changing the entity location / method of order fulfillment or the order fulfillment arrangement if conditions at the original entity location are unfavorable. In a web-based blockchain ledger, the AI ​​system shares information with both the customer and the local entity in a dual manner.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention consider both order pickup and order delivery as components of order fulfillment. Embodiments include consideration of items included in the placed order, the inventory of the primary entity associated with order fulfillment, the inventory of alternative entities located within the actual travel range of the primary entity, and the user performing the order fulfillment. Embodiments also consider predicted weather conditions and other conditions associated with the location of the entity selected for order fulfillment, as well as conditions associated with travel to and from the entity's location.

[0012] In some embodiments, in response to determining that the conditions associated with order fulfillment scheduled at the selected entity are unfavorable, embodiments of the invention may dynamically modify order fulfillment parameters based on the user's timeline (schedule), inventory information of the selected and alternative entities, predicted weather conditions and other conditions associated with the selected and alternative entities, and information on routes to and from the selected and alternative entities. Modifications to the dynamic execution of order fulfillment include at least one of the following: changing the selected entity to an alternative entity at a different location unaffected by adverse conditions, altering the order fulfillment schedule based on analysis of the user's timeline information and predicted conditions, changing the order to a "delivery to home" option, or canceling the order.

[0013] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is typically designated as 100. Figure 1 This is merely a description of one embodiment and does not imply any limitation on the environments in which different embodiments can be implemented. Those skilled in the art can make many modifications to the described environment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0014] The distributed data processing environment 100 includes computing devices 110, condition detection services 120, selected entities 130, alternative entities 140, and a network-based blockchain ledger 160, all interconnected via a network 150. The network 150 can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, a virtual local area network (VLAN), or any combination thereof that may include wired, wireless, or optical connections. Generally, the network 150 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication and data transmission between the computing devices 110, condition detection services 120, selected entities 130, alternative entities 140, and the network-based blockchain ledger 160.

[0015] Computing device 110 includes a user interface 115, a user timeline 117, and an order fulfillment program 200. In some embodiments, computing device 110 is a standalone mobile computing device, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, laptop, or other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving, sending, and processing data. In other embodiments, computing device 110 may be a computing device that interacts with applications and services hosted and operated in a cloud computing environment. In yet another embodiment, computing device 110 may be a netbook computer, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), or another programmable electronic device capable of generating input to and sending input to the order fulfillment program 200 hosted on computing device 110 and receiving programming instructions from it. Alternatively, in some embodiments, computing device 110 may be communicatively connected to a remotely operated order fulfillment program 200. Computing device 110 may include internal and external hardware components, Figure 3 A more detailed description is provided below.

[0016] User interface 115 provides an interface for accessing the features and functions of computing device 110. In some embodiments of the invention, user interface 115 provides access to an order fulfillment program 200 running on computing device 110. User interface 115 also supports access to other applications, features, and functions of computing device 110 (not shown). User interface 115 displays content exchanged between the user of computing device 110 and other computing devices, and sends and receives data. In some embodiments, user interface 115 displays images, text, and other information, and receives input from the user of computing device 110.

[0017] User interface 115 supports access to alarms and notifications and provides communication methods. In one embodiment, user interface 115 may be a graphical user interface (GUI) or a web user interface (WUI), and may receive user input and display text, documents, web browser windows, user options, application interfaces, and operation instructions, including information presented to the user by the program (such as graphics, text, and sound) and control sequences used by the user to control the program. In another embodiment, user interface 115 may also include mobile application software that provides a corresponding interface to the features and functions of computing device 110. User interface 115 enables users of computing device 110 to receive, view, hear, and respond to input, access applications, display online conversation content, and perform available functions.

[0018] User timeline 117 includes schedule information for the user of computing device 110 associated with order fulfillment. User timeline 117 includes the time range during which the user of computing device 110 is unavailable due to planned or scheduled activities or interactions with other users. User timeline 117 also includes the time range during which the user of computing device 110 is available for other activities. In embodiments of the invention, user timeline 117 includes the date and time of the order fulfillment arrangement for an order under selected entity 130 previously planned by the user of computing device 110.

[0019] Order fulfillment process 200 is described as running on computing device 110. Order fulfillment process 200 includes artificial intelligence capabilities to receive input about placed orders and associate them with selected entities (e.g., stores, businesses, restaurants, etc.), and to receive known or predicted conditional information associated with the location of the selected entity and travel routes to and from that entity. Based on learning weather, travel conditions, inventory, and other entity conditions associated with adverse conditions, order fulfillment process 200 determines whether the conditions associated with order fulfillment are favorable or unfavorable. Unfavorable conditions may include predetermined or known weather conditions, such as icing conditions, snow accumulation, thunderstorms, or other weather conditions that may pose a danger or inconvenience to the user. Unfavorable conditions may be further defined by user input, such as traffic conditions along the travel route or changes in entity inventory.

[0020] In response to determining that conditions at the location of the selected entity are unfavorable for completing order fulfillment, the order fulfillment process 200 modifies the order fulfillment information. In some embodiments, weather forecasts and other conditions may be received from an application (app) that reports conditions or services, such as a condition detection service 120. Based on the condition information received from the condition detection service 120, and determining that the conditions for order fulfillment are unfavorable, the order fulfillment process 200 modifies the parameters for order fulfillment. The order fulfillment process 200 considers the favorable weather conditions at the location of the selected entity, as well as the weather conditions associated with the travel route to and from the entity location at the planned time of order fulfillment. In some embodiments, the order fulfillment process 200 considers other conditions that may affect the travel route to the selected entity location, as well as conditions and environments known at the selected entity. The order fulfillment process 200 improves the favorableness of order fulfillment by making one or more modifications to the parameters and information associated with the order.

[0021] For example, order fulfillment process 200 receives a forecast weather report from condition detection service 120 for the selected entity location. This forecast indicates highly unfavorable travel conditions, such as icy roads, significant snow accumulation, hazardous thunderstorms, or anticipated rainfall, which would make fulfilling the order at the scheduled time and location of the selected entity risky or inconvenient. Order fulfillment process 200 considers modifications to the parameters of the planned order fulfillment and provides optimal changes to reduce or eliminate the risk or inconvenience of order fulfillment. In some embodiments, order fulfillment process 200 considers information regarding conditions along the route to the selected entity location that could result in unfavorable conditions, such as traffic congestion or road blockages or closures. In other embodiments, order fulfillment process 200 considers conditions at the selected entity, such as emergency conditions or unexpected changes in inventory indicating that items included in the order contents are no longer available.

[0022] In one embodiment, in response to identifying adverse conditions associated with the planned order fulfillment, the order fulfillment process 200 checks the inventory of alternative entities within the predetermined travel radius of the user scheduling the order fulfillment and changes the order to an alternative entity that has not experienced the adverse conditions. In another embodiment, the order fulfillment process 200 modifies the order fulfillment parameters by rescheduling the order fulfillment at a different time that aligns with the user's timeline 117 on computing device 110 and with more favorable forecast weather conditions and other known or expected conditions. In yet another embodiment, the order fulfillment process 200 performs the modification of the order fulfillment parameters by changing the order to a "delivery to home" order (if available), thereby avoiding the user placing the order traveling to and from the selected entity location. In yet another embodiment, the user can change the order fulfillment parameters by canceling the order fulfillment.

[0023] If the order fulfillment process 200 determines that conditions at the original entity location are unfavorable, it dynamically suggests options to change the entity location, change the order fulfillment method, reschedule the order fulfillment, or cancel the order fulfillment. The order fulfillment process 200 shares information with both the customer and the local entity in a dual form by publishing at least some of the order fulfillment parameters in a blockchain ledger, such as a web-based blockchain ledger 160. By adding the order fulfillment parameters to the web-based blockchain ledger 160, the order fulfillment process 200 creates an immutable record of order fulfillment information that is shared and available to users and the entities involved.

[0024] Condition detection service 120 represents one or more sources of condition information available via network 150 and received by order fulfillment process 200. Condition detection service 120 includes forecast weather conditions for a specified area, which includes the location of the user of computing device 110 and the locations of selected entity 130 and alternative entity 140. In some embodiments, condition detection service 120 continuously updates weather forecasts for the locations of selected entity 130 and alternative entity 140. In some embodiments, condition detection service 120 includes available condition information on traffic flow, construction, and obstructed roads associated with travel routes to and from selected entity 130. In some embodiments, condition detection service 120 also includes condition information associated with selected entity 130 and alternative entity 140, providing information on the inventory levels of the respective entities, and potential emergencies or other conditions that may pose a risk or inconvenience to order fulfillment. For example, condition detection service 120 may include information on fire, civil unrest, or law enforcement intervention at selected entity 130.

[0025] The selected entity 130 is the location where the planned order fulfillment is scheduled to occur. In some embodiments of the invention, the selected entity 130 may be a retail commercial building, a distribution center, a restaurant or catering service, or a meeting location associated with the fulfillment of an order for an item or service. In some embodiments, the selected entity includes online inventory information that is viewed by the user when placing an order to fulfill it. The selected entity 130 may include an e-commerce website or mobile app that enables users to participate in a buy-on-demand, pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) scenario. The selected entity 130 provides the scheduled pick-up time and location for the order, consistent with the user's timeline 117. In some embodiments, the selected entity 130 may be the recipient of the item to be delivered at the scheduled time and location of the selected entity 130.

[0026] Alternate entity 140 represents an additional entity located within a predetermined distance from the user's location, including a searchable catalog that provides the user with entity selection options when placing an order. The corresponding entity of alternative entity 140 includes routes to and from that entity, which differ from routes to and from the selected entity 130. The corresponding entity of alternative entity 140 is capable of receiving information associated with changes in order fulfillment from the selected entity 130 to one of the corresponding alternative entities 140, wherein the corresponding alternative entity 140 has an inventory including items matching the content of the user's order.

[0027] The network-based blockchain ledger 160 includes an immutable record of order fulfillment parameters for orders and / or deliveries planned by a user of the computing device 110. The hashed order fulfillment parameter information of the network-based blockchain ledger 160 is accessible to the user and entities associated with the order fulfillment. Order fulfillment information added to the blockchain ledger nodes includes information associated with the user who placed the order, the selected entity and location for the order fulfillment, the items included in the order content, the time frame for the order fulfillment arrangement, and the predicted weather conditions for the location and time of the order fulfillment. In some embodiments, weather conditions are continuously monitored, and forecasts are updated and added to the corresponding nodes of the network-based blockchain ledger 160. In response to changes in order fulfillment parameters, the blockchain nodes of the network-based blockchain ledger 160 are updated according to options presented to the user by the order fulfillment procedure 200 and selected by the user, including changes to the selected entity and location, changes to the scheduled time, changes to the method of order fulfillment (i.e., "delivery to home"), and order cancellation.

[0028] Figure 2 This describes an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating the operational steps of an order fulfillment process 200 operating within a distributed data processing environment 100. Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to orders placed for customer pickup and orders placed for delivery, such as from a distribution center to a retail business location. For clarity and simplicity, refer to... Figure 2 The features and inventive concepts of the embodiments of the invention discussed will be presented with reference to the arrangement of pickup of an order placed to a selected entity. In embodiments of the invention, the entity includes the location of a business, organization, or service provider situated at a designated location where pickup of the order is arranged. In some embodiments, order fulfillment includes information and activities that result in conditions leading to successful pickup of the order or cancellation of the order.

[0029] In an embodiment of the invention, a user of the computing device 110 of the managed order fulfillment program 200 performs an online search for a set of items in one or more entities (such as retail stores with searchable inventory). The user selects an entity and places an online order, instructing the "in-store pickup" method for order fulfillment, and indicating the time of the selected pickup arrangement.

[0030] The order fulfillment process 200 receives order fulfillment information (step 210). The information received by the order fulfillment process 200 includes parameters associated with the order placed by the user, such as a list of alternative entities and the entity selected in the order, the location of the corresponding entity, the ordered items, the user's scheduling time, and in some embodiments, information on the route between the user's location and the location of the corresponding entity.

[0031] For example, a user of computing device 110 performs an online search for entities to include in an order. The search returns information including a list of entities that may offer the items the user wants to order. Order fulfillment procedure 200 receives information including entities (selected entity 130 and alternative entity 140), the corresponding locations of the entities, the items the user wants to order, and information from timeline 117 including the user's available time schedule.

[0032] Order fulfillment process 200 receives inventory information and condition information associated with the corresponding entity (step 220). Order fulfillment process 200 accesses and receives information about the availability of items to be included in the expected order from the corresponding inventory of entities located within a predetermined radius of the user's location where the order was placed. In some embodiments, order fulfillment process 200 uses the received information to determine a list of entities that include the expected order items in their inventory. Additionally, order fulfillment process 200 receives condition information associated with the corresponding entity, including weather forecasts near each entity, condition information about the route from the user's location to the corresponding entity, and potential known conditions of the corresponding entity. In some embodiments, condition information is received from an app communicatively connected to order fulfillment process 200, such as a weather app, traffic app, news app, or community awareness notification app.

[0033] For example, order fulfillment process 200 receives inventory information from alternative entity 140 and selected entity 130. Order fulfillment process 200 receives weather forecasts and traffic condition information for each of the respective entity locations from condition detection service 120. In some embodiments, condition detection service 120 includes information about the specific location and structure of the respective entity.

[0034] The order fulfillment process 200 determines the selection of the entity and time schedule associated with order fulfillment (step 230). The order fulfillment process 200 receives information instructing the user to select the entity for placing the order and arranges pickup. The order fulfillment process 200 receives a pickup time schedule consistent with the arrangement information stored by the user and has the location of the previously received selected entity.

[0035] For example, the order fulfillment process 200 determines that the user has selected entity 130 from a list of entities that have the items they wish to order, including alternative entity 140. Furthermore, the order fulfillment process 200 receives pickup time information for the arrangement associated with order fulfillment and has previously received location information for the selected entity 130.

[0036] Order fulfillment procedure 200 determines the conditions for the route and location of the selected entity for order fulfillment (step 240). Upon receiving the selected entity information, order fulfillment procedure 200 determines the conditions associated with the route and location of the selected entity. Order fulfillment procedure 200 receives weather forecasts and route condition information from an available app communicatively connected to computing device 110. In some embodiments, order fulfillment procedure 200 receives information about the conditions of the selected entity site. Order fulfillment procedure 200 aligns the weather, route, and entity location conditions with scheduled pickup time information to determine aggregated conditions consistent with the planned pickup schedule for the order.

[0037] For example, the order fulfillment process 200 includes weather forecasts and traffic condition information received from the condition detection service 120. The order fulfillment process 200 takes into account the predicted weather conditions for the pickup time of the order arrangement and the traffic conditions for the travel route.

[0038] Order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether the conditions associated with the route of travel and the location of the physical entity are favorable (decision step 250). Order fulfillment procedure 200 considers weather forecasts for the route of travel and the selected physical entity at the time of the order pickup arrangement, as well as known or anticipated traffic conditions for the route of travel and additional conditional information provided regarding the location of the selected physical entity. Based on the received conditional information and prior training using a set of conditions considered favorable and unfavorable, order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether the conditions associated with the route of travel and location of the order pickup are favorable.

[0039] If the conditions for determining the route and the selected physical location are favorable in the order fulfillment process 200 (step 250, "Yes" branch), the order fulfillment process 200 continues to instruct the user associated with the order fulfillment to travel to the selected physical location at the scheduled time to fulfill the order (step 280). After the selected physical location completes the order fulfillment and picks up the order at the scheduled time, the order fulfillment process 200 ends.

[0040] If the order fulfillment procedure 200 determines that the conditions of the route and the entity location are unfavorable (step 270, "No" branch), the order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether the order fulfillment method has changed or whether the order fulfillment has been cancelled by the user (determination step 260). The order fulfillment procedure 200 determines unfavorable conditions based on weather forecasts associated with the location of the selected entity and the route to the selected entity. Furthermore, when determining unfavorable conditions, traffic conditions along the route and other conditions associated with the selected entity location are considered.

[0041] For example, a predetermined amount of snow accumulation can trigger the order fulfillment process 200 to determine unfavorable conditions, as well as predicted weather such as thunderstorms, heavy rain, icy roads, power outages, traffic disruptions, or other conditions that might lead to danger, risk, or inconvenience for the user attempting to pick up the order at a selected entity. In some embodiments of the invention, given a set of conditions, the order fulfillment process 200 is trained to determine favorable and unfavorable conditions based on learning from user actions. In other embodiments, the order fulfillment process 200 is trained using supervised learning techniques and modified over time based on user input.

[0042] Order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether the order fulfillment method has been changed or cancelled (determination step 260). If it has been determined that there are unfavorable conditions at the location of the selected entity or along the route to pick up the order from the selected entity, order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether the option to change the order fulfillment method or cancel the order has been made. If order fulfillment procedure 200 determines that the order fulfillment method has been changed or the order has been cancelled (step 260, "Yes" branch), order fulfillment procedure 200 takes no further action and terminates.

[0043] In some embodiments of the invention, the order fulfillment process 200 determines that an option to change the order fulfillment method exists, including changing the "pick up in store" option to a "deliver to home" option, and avoiding travel to the selected physical location under adverse conditions. In some embodiments, an option to cancel the order is determined, and the order fulfillment process 200 takes no further action and terminates.

[0044] If order fulfillment procedure 200 determines that the order fulfillment method has not changed and the order has not been cancelled (step 260, "No" branch), order fulfillment procedure 200 modifies the order fulfillment information (step 270). Order fulfillment procedure 200 modifies the order fulfillment parameters to provide favorable conditions for order fulfillment. In some embodiments of the invention, order fulfillment procedure 200 determines whether it is possible to select an alternative entity with favorable conditions for order placement. Order fulfillment procedure 200 determines to provide an alternative entity with available inventory that matches the item content of the previously placed order, selects an alternative entity with sufficient inventory, and proceeds to step 250 to determine whether the conditions of the alternative entity are favorable, as described above.

[0045] In other embodiments, order fulfillment procedure 200 determines that favorable conditions will exist at a later time and checks the information in user timeline 117. Order fulfillment procedure 200 modifies the order fulfillment parameters to arrange order pickup at the selected entity at a later scheduled time, consistent with the availability indicated by user timeline 117. Order fulfillment procedure 200 automatically updates the order fulfillment information for the selected entity and alternative entities consistent with the determination of favorable conditions and updates the network-based blockchain ledger 160 with the updated information. In some embodiments, order fulfillment procedure 200 appends the updated order fulfillment information to the node information of the blockchain ledger as additional metadata attributes of the order fulfillment. In some embodiments, a notification of the modification to order fulfillment is sent to the relevant entities and the user who placed the order.

[0046] After modifying the order fulfillment parameters to favorable conditions, the order fulfillment procedure 200 proceeds to step 280, completes order fulfillment, and ends.

[0047] Figure 3 A block diagram depicting components of a computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, including a computing device 305 configured to include or be operatively connected to Figure 1 The components described herein, and have operable execution capabilities. Figure 3 The ability to fulfill orders in 200% of cases.

[0048] According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention, computing device 305 includes components similar to server 120. Figure 1 The components and functional capabilities of the ) should be understood. Figure 3 The illustrations provided are merely one example of an implementation and do not imply any limitation on the environments in which different embodiments can be implemented. Many modifications can be made to the described environment.

[0049] The computing device 305 includes a communication structure 302 that provides communication between a computer processor 304, a memory 306, a permanent memory 308, a communication unit 310, and an input / output (I / O) interface 312. The communication structure 302 can be implemented using any architecture designed to transfer data and / or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communication and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within the system. For example, the communication structure 302 can be implemented using one or more buses.

[0050] Memory 306, cache memory 316, and persistent memory 308 are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory 306 includes random access memory (RAM) 314. Typically, memory 306 may include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.

[0051] In one embodiment, the order fulfillment process 200 is stored in persistent memory 308 for execution by one or more corresponding computer processors 304 via one or more memories of memory 306. In this embodiment, persistent memory 308 includes a magnetic hard disk drive (MDD). Alternatively, or in addition to an MDD, persistent memory 308 may include a solid-state drive (SSD), a semiconductor storage device, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other computer-readable storage medium capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

[0052] The media used in persistent storage 308 can also be removable. For example, a removable hard disk drive can be used for persistent storage 308. Other examples include optical discs and disks, thumb drives and smart cards, which are inserted into the drive to transfer data to another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage 308.

[0053] In these examples, communication unit 310 provides communication with other data processing systems or devices, including resources of the distributed data processing environment 100. In these examples, communication unit 310 includes one or more network interface cards. Communication unit 310 can provide communication using one or both physical and wireless communication links. Order fulfillment procedure 200 can be downloaded to permanent storage 308 via communication unit 310.

[0054] I / O interface 312 allows data input and output to other devices that may be connected to computing system 300. For example, I / O interface 312 can provide connectivity to external device 318, such as a keyboard, keypad, touchscreen, and / or other suitable input devices. External device 318 may also include portable computer-readable storage media, such as thumb drives, portable optical discs or disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to implement embodiments of the invention, such as order fulfillment program 200, can be stored on such portable computer-readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent memory 308 via I / O interface 312. I / O interface 312 is also connected to display 320.

[0055] The display 320 provides a mechanism for displaying data to the user and can be, for example, a computer monitor.

[0056] The programs described herein are identified based on applications that implement them in specific embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that any specific procedural terminology used herein is merely for convenience, and therefore the invention should not be limited to use only in any specific application identified and / or implied by such terminology.

[0057] This invention can be any possible system, method, and / or computer program product at any level of integration technical detail. The computer program product may include one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to execute aspects of the invention.

[0058] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible devices capable of retaining and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes the following: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices, such as punched cards or raised structures in recesses on which instructions are recorded, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used herein, computer-readable storage media should not be construed as being a transient signal, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0059] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a suitable computing / processing device, or via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or a wireless network, to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, optical fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to a computer-readable storage medium within the suitable computing / processing device.

[0060] Computer-readable program instructions used to perform the operations of this invention may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, status setting data, integrated circuit configuration data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk and C++, and procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet provided by an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs) may execute the computer-readable program instructions by utilizing the status information of the computer-readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry and thereby perform aspects of the invention.

[0061] This document describes various aspects of the invention with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0062] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can instruct a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture including instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0063] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device, thereby producing a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device, perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0064] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, including one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative embodiments, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a non-linear order. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be completed as a single step, executed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously with partial or complete time overlap, or these blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It will also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a system based on dedicated hardware that performs the specified function or action or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing order fulfillment conditions, the method comprising: One or more processors receive order fulfillment information, including items included in the order, and information identifying one or more entities that provide the items included in the order at the appropriate locations; The selection of the entity at the first location is determined by the one or more processors based on information identifying one or more entities at the corresponding location and the timing associated with the order fulfillment; The conditions corresponding to the entity at the first location and the route to the first location are determined by the one or more processors, wherein the conditions are received from an application reporting conditions or services or defined by user input; as well as In response to determining that the conditions corresponding to the travel route of the entity and the first position are unfavorable to the order fulfillment, the one or more processors perform modifications to the order fulfillment information, resulting in favorable conditions for the order fulfillment.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The one or more processors add the order fulfillment information to the blockchain ledger. The order fulfillment information includes the selection and non-selection of one or more entities at the first location, the items included in the order, and known and predicted conditions associated with the entity at the first location and the route to the first location.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Modifying the order fulfillment information further includes: The one or more processors may change the entity whose order fulfillment is scheduled to be replaced by a substitute entity at a second position among the one or more entities at the corresponding position where the conditions are determined to be favorable.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Modifying the order fulfillment information further includes: The one or more processors receive timeline information of the user associated with the order fulfillment; and The one or more processors change the timing of the order fulfillment arrangement at the entity in the first location to a time that corresponds to the predicted favorable conditions and is consistent with the timeline information of the user associated with the order fulfillment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Modifying the order fulfillment information further includes: The one or more processors change the order fulfillment method to a "delivery to home" method.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The conditions for determining the route and the first position also include: The one or more processors determine the forecast of unfavorable weather conditions corresponding to the route of travel and the first location.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The conditions at the entity where the first location is determined to be unfavorable also include: The one or more processors receive inventory information of the items included in the order from one or more entities at the corresponding locations; and Based on inventory information of items included in an order from one or more entities at the corresponding location, the one or more processors determine that one or more items included in the order are no longer available from the entity at the first location.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, One or more entities at the corresponding location are within a predetermined distance of the location of the user associated with the order fulfillment information.

9. A computer system for optimizing order fulfillment conditions, the computer system comprising: One or more computer processors; One or more computer-readable storage media; Program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: A program instruction to receive order fulfillment information including items included in an order and information identifying one or more entities that provide the items included in the order at the appropriate location; A program instruction to determine the selection of an entity at a first location based on information identifying one or more entities at the corresponding location and the time schedule associated with the fulfillment of the order; Program instructions that determine conditions corresponding to an entity at a first location and a route to that first location, wherein the conditions are received from an application reporting conditions or services or defined by user input; and In response to determining that the conditions corresponding to the travel route of the entity and the first position are unfavorable to the order fulfillment, a program instruction is executed to modify the order fulfillment information to result in favorable conditions for the order fulfillment.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, further comprising: The program instructions to add information to the blockchain ledger include the selection and non-selection of one or more entities at the first location, the items included in the order, and known and predicted conditions associated with the entity at the first location and the route to the first location.

11. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein, The program instructions for executing modifications to the fulfillment of the order also include: A program instruction to change the entity whose order fulfillment is arranged to a substitute entity in a second position where the conditions are determined to be favorable.

12. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein, The program instructions for modifying the order fulfillment information further include: Program instructions to receive timeline information of the user associated with the fulfillment of the order; and A program instruction to change the timing of an order fulfillment arrangement at the entity in the first location to a time that corresponds to the predicted favorable conditions and is consistent with the timeline information of the user associated with the order fulfillment.

13. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein, The program instructions for determining the conditions corresponding to the travel route and the first position further include: Program instructions for determining unfavorable weather conditions corresponding to the travel route and the first location.

14. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein, The program instructions that determine the condition at the entity at the first location as unfavorable also include: Program instructions to receive inventory information of items included in the order from one or more entities at the corresponding location; and Based on inventory information of items included in an order from one or more entities at the corresponding location, program instructions are used to determine that one or more items included in the order are no longer available from the entity at the first location.

15. A computer program product for optimizing order fulfillment conditions, the computer program product comprising: One or more computer-readable storage media; Program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: A program instruction to receive order fulfillment information including items included in an order and information identifying one or more entities that provide the items included in the order at the appropriate location; A program instruction to determine the selection of an entity at a first location based on information identifying one or more entities at the corresponding location and the time schedule associated with the fulfillment of the order; Program instructions that determine conditions corresponding to an entity at a first location and a route to that first location, wherein the conditions are received from an application reporting conditions or services or defined by user input; and In response to determining that the conditions corresponding to the travel route of the entity and the first position are unfavorable to the order fulfillment, a program instruction is executed to modify the order fulfillment information to result in favorable conditions for the order fulfillment.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising: The program instructions to add information to the blockchain ledger include the selection and non-selection of one or more entities at the first location, the items included in the order, and known and predicted conditions associated with the entity at the first location and the route to the first location.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein, The program instructions for modifying the order fulfillment information also include: A program instruction to change the entity whose order fulfillment is arranged to a substitute entity in a second position where the conditions are determined to be favorable.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein, The program instructions for modifying the order fulfillment information further include: Program instructions to receive timeline information of the user associated with the fulfillment of the order; and A program instruction to change the timing of order fulfillment at the entity in the first location to a time that corresponds to the predicted favorable conditions and is consistent with the user's timeline information.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein, The program instructions for modifying the order fulfillment information further include: The program instruction to change the order fulfillment method to "delivery to home".

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein, One or more entities at the corresponding location are within a predetermined distance of the location of the user associated with the order fulfillment information.

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