Stock level indication apparatus and method

• US 10,130,177 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Nicholaus A., Jones, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Refai, Ramsey
• Application Number:
  US15/709,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20180078038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2010/025 using stock management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/0608 Height gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/00 Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to provide a visual indication of a weight of products stocked on a display assembly, such as a shelf of a shelving unit. The visual indication is provided by virtue of the display assembly having a product support member with a curved configuration that sequentially flattens as additional weight is added thereto. A laser device can be mounted proximate to the assembly and oriented to determine a distance to the product support member and a control circuit can be configured to receive the distance and analyze the distance to determine a deflection of the product support member to determine a current stock level.

Claims

1. A stock level indication system comprising:

a shelving unit comprising;

an upstanding back wall;

a plurality of shelves mounted to the back wall, the plurality of shelves each including a product support member having a curved configuration with a convex upper surface and concave lower surface such that an intermediate portion of the product support member is raised with respect to outer edges thereof, wherein the curved configuration of the product support members is configured to sequentially deflect as products are stocked thereon such that a height of the intermediate portion of the product support member varies with respect to a weight of products stocked thereon;

one or more laser devices mounted adjacent to the shelving unit and oriented to measure distances to the product support members; and

a control circuit in communication with the one or more laser devices and configured to analyze the distances to estimate a deflection of each of the product support members and estimate a weight of products stocked on each of the product support members based on the estimated deflections.

2. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to be calibrated by analyzing distances of the product support members with the intermediate portions at a maximum height thereof corresponding to an unstocked configuration and analyzing distances of the product support members with the intermediate portions at a minimum height thereof corresponding to a fully stocked configuration.

3. The stock level indication system of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

access product location information; and

estimate the number of products on the shelf based on the product location information and the estimated weight.

4. The stock level indication system of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is further configured to send a low stock signal in response to determining that the number of products estimated to be on the shelf is at or below a predetermined number.

5. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of shelves are mounted to the back wall such that there is a gap between the product support member and the back wall;

a depth of the gap varies with the deflection of the product support member; and

the one or more laser devices are oriented to measure distances of product support members of lower shelves through the gaps.

6. The stock level indication system of claim 5, wherein one or more of the shelves further comprise a transparent cover portion configured to cover at least a portion of the gap.

7. The stock level indication system of claim 5, wherein, with the same weight on each of the product support members, the shelves are mounted to the back wall such that the gaps of the shelves get sequentially smaller with a lower mounting height.

8. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the back wall is angled outwardly so as to be at an acute angle with horizontal and includes an intermediate opening or transparent portion, such that the shelves are disposed at least partially laterally adjacent to one another when viewed from above the shelving unit.

9. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more laser devices are mounted above the shelving unit.

10. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more laser devices comprise a plurality of laser devices oriented at different angles with respect to the shelving unit.

18. The stock level indication system of claim 1, wherein the distances to the product support members are measured based on a reflection of a beam projected to the product support members by the one or more laser devices.

11. A method for determining a stock level, the method comprising:

receiving one or more products on one or more of a plurality of shelves of a shelving unit, the shelving unit including an upstanding back wall and the plurality of shelves mounted thereto, the plurality of shelves each including a product support member having a curved configuration with a convex upper surface and concave lower surface such that an intermediate portion of the product support member is raised with respect to outer edges thereof,

sequentially deflecting the curved configuration of the one or more of the plurality of shelves as the one or more products are stocked thereon such that a height of the intermediate portion of the product support member varies with respect to a weight of products stocked on the product support member;

measuring distances to the product support members with one or more laser devices mounted adjacent to the shelving unit; and

analyzing the distances with a control circuit in communication with the one or more laser devices to estimate a deflection of each of the product support members and estimate a weight of products stocked on each of the product support members based on the estimated deflections.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising calibrating the control circuit by analyzing distances of the product support members having a maximum height of the intermediate portion corresponding to an unstocked configuration and analyzing distances of the product support members having a minimum height of the intermediate portion corresponding to a fully stocked configuration.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

accessing product location information; and

estimating the number of products on the shelf based on the product location information and the estimated weight.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending a low stock signal in response to determining that the number of products estimated to be on the shelf is at or below a predetermined number.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of shelves are mounted to the back wall such that there is a gap between the product support member and the back wall;

and measuring the distances to the product support members with the one or more laser devices comprises measuring the distances to lower product support members with the one or more laser devices through the gaps.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein measuring the distances to the product support members with one or more laser devices comprises measuring distances to the product support members with a movable laser device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein measuring the distances to the product support members with one or more laser devices comprises measuring distances to the product support members with a plurality of laser devices oriented at different angles with respect to the shelving unit.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the distances to the product support members are measured based on a reflection of a beam projected to the product support members by the one or more laser devices.