System & method of updating planogram information using RFID tags and personal shopping device

• US 20050021561A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Noonan, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method and system for updating and verifying the accuracy of a retailer'"'"'s planogram, while using a portable shopper device having a location sensing means and an RFID reader in conjunction with RFID shelf labels, is provided for. In part, the method provides a system and steps associated with collecting RFID product label information and comparing collected information with product information in relation to an initial planogram, via a software means. Once differences are identified, an updated planogram may be created for the retailer'"'"'s use using the system and method of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for updating a retail planogram comprising the steps of

reading an electronic transmission from at least one RFID tag in a retail environment located in proximity to a product, using a personal shopper device having a location sensing mechanism, a memory, a software means, and an RFID reader, wherein an initial planogram is stored therein,

collecting said read electronic location information transmitted from said at least one RFID tag by said shopper device,

analyzing and comparing said collected location information by said software means of said shopper device, with said initial planogram in relation to initial location information of said product with collected location information for said product from said collected information,

updating said initial location information for said product in said initial planogram in response to collected location information to provide an updated planogram to display current location information for said product in a current planogram arrangement in said retail environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is fixedly mounted to a shopping cart.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said RFID tag is an RFID shelf tag.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said method further comprises the step of transmitting said analyzed information to a retail server wherein a database map of product locations is generated in relation to their respective RFID shelf tags.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said read electronic information includes unique product identifiers and unique location identifiers indicating unique information about products in said retail environment.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said method is performed by a consumer.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said method is performed by a retailer.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein all product labels in said retail environment are RFID shelf tags.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of generating an updated planogram.

10. A system for updating a planogram comprising,

a portable shopper device having a location sensing means, a software means and an RFID reader,

a retail system comprising a database in communication with said shopper device,

an initial planogram stored in said database, and

one or more product RFID shelf labels positioned in a retail environment,

wherein said RFID reader is capable of reading an electronic transmission from at least said one or more RFID shelf labels using said personal shopper device and transmitting collected read electronic information to said database, wherein said initial planogram is updated in response to collected read electronic information by said software means and said database is updated with a current planogram reflecting said collected read electronic information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said software means is software that compares initial product location information with collected product location information and identifies differences therebetween.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said location sensing means reads coordinates from known location points within said retail environment to determine a coordinate location point of said shopper device at an instant of time.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said shopper device is a hand-held device having a display in wireless communication with said retail system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said RFID shelf label further comprise visible product information including per unit price.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said RFID label transmits electronic information including unique product identifiers and unique location identifiers indicating unique information to said RFID reader.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein all product labels in said retail environment are RFID shelf tags.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a display for displaying an updated planogram.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a printer for printing an updated planogram.

19. A system for generating an updated planogram in a retail environment comprising,

a portable shopper device having a location sensor, comparative software and an RFID reader,

a retail system comprising a server, a database in communication with said shopper device,

a wireless communication network,

an initial planogram stored in said database, and

a plurality of product RFID shelf labels positioned in proximity to each of their respective products,

wherein said RFID reader reads product location information electronically transmitted from at least one of said plurality of product RFID shelf labels using said personal shopper device and said comparative software compares initial product location information of said initial planogram with said read product location information and updates said initial planogram in response to said read product location information and said database is updated with a current planogram in relation to said read product location information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said database stores said initial planogram and said current planogram concurrently. instant of time.