RFID system and method for managing out-of-stock items
First Claim
1. A system for providing product information in a supply chain, said system comprising:
- at least one electronic tag device associated with products, wherein each distinct product is associated with at least one electronic tag, and wherein said electronic tag is configured to convey product information;
at least one product inventory location for holding said distinct products;
at least one electronic reading device configured to retrieve information from said electronic tag;
an electronic computing device configured to communicate with said electronic reading device and accept, process, store and output said product information;
said electronic computing device further configured to monitor inventory data representing the inventory level of said each distinct product and to initiate action to maintain an inventory level above a predefined minimum inventory level for said each distinct product; and
a customer interface associated with said electronic computing device and configured to present information related to out-of-stock items requested by a customer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID method and system for preventing product out-of-stock conditions in a retailer supply chain is disclosed. RFID smart tags are associated with products in a place of purchase or a place of selection of such products. Each distinct product may be associated with at least one smart tag, the smart tags containing identification information regarding their respective product. RFID smart tag readers are used to obtain real time inventory data that may be used in a method for prevent product out-of-stock conditions thereby reducing the number of lost sales that may result from out-of-stock events. In addition, such real time inventory data is also be used in a process to reduce the number of lost sales resulting from out-of-stock events.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A system for providing product information in a supply chain, said system comprising:
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at least one electronic tag device associated with products, wherein each distinct product is associated with at least one electronic tag, and wherein said electronic tag is configured to convey product information;
at least one product inventory location for holding said distinct products;
at least one electronic reading device configured to retrieve information from said electronic tag;
an electronic computing device configured to communicate with said electronic reading device and accept, process, store and output said product information;
said electronic computing device further configured to monitor inventory data representing the inventory level of said each distinct product and to initiate action to maintain an inventory level above a predefined minimum inventory level for said each distinct product; and
a customer interface associated with said electronic computing device and configured to present information related to out-of-stock items requested by a customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A retailer inventory system, comprising:
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at least one electronic tag device associated with products, wherein each distinct product is associated with at least one electronic tag, and wherein said electronic tag is configured to convey product information;
a plurality of electronic reading devices configured to retrieve information from said at least one electronic tag;
a first network operating in accordance with a predetermined protocol;
a second network comprising said plurality of electronic reading devices each of which includes electronics for reading said at least one electronic tag;
a gateway operatively coupled to said first network and to said second network; and
an HTTP server embedded in one of (1) said gateway and (2) said plurality of electronic reading devices, for accessing said product information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for managing products in a supply chain, said method comprising:
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associating RFID smart tags with products, wherein each distinct product is associated with at least one smart tag, the smart tags containing product information regarding their respective product;
storing at least one said distinct product in a first inventory location;
providing at least one RFID STR within communication distance of said at least one smart tag;
providing a customer interface;
providing a first computer configured to communicate with said at least one RFID STR and said customer interface;
configuring said customer interface to receive a customer request for a desired product and to transfer said customer request to at least one of said first computer and said at least one RFID STR;
configuring at least one of said first computer and said at least one RFID STR to initiate a transfer of said product information, for the desired product, to said customer interface upon receiving said customer request; and
wherein said product information comprises information related to out-of-stock events when said desired product is determined to be out-of-stock in said first inventory location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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22. A method for managing products in a supply chain as in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:
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configuring said first computer to determine if an alternative product to said desired product is sold; and
configuring said first computer to acquire alternative product information and to transfer said alternative product information to said customer interface. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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29. A method for managing products in a supply chain, said method comprising:
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associating RFID smart tags with products, the smart tags containing information regarding their respective product;
providing a first inventory location and placing said RFID smart tagged products in said first inventory location;
providing at least one RFID STR within communication distance of said RFID smart tags;
providing a central computer configured to communicate with said at least one RFID STR;
configuring said central computer to use said at least one RFID STR to acquire a first inventory location count for said RFID smart tagged products;
comparing said first inventory location count to a predefined first inventory location minimum value for respective products; and
generating a first inventory location restock request when said first inventory location count drops below said predefined first inventory location minimum value. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for managing products in a supply chain, said method comprising:
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associating RFID smart tags with products, the smart tags containing information regarding their respective product;
providing at least one distribution center inventory location;
storing said products at said distribution center inventory location;
providing at least one RFID STR within communication distance of said RFID smart tags;
providing a central computer configured to communicate with said at least one RFID STR;
configuring said central computer to use said at least one RFID STR to acquire a distribution center inventory count for at least one said distinct product; and
generating a distribution center inventory restock request when said distribution center inventory count drops below said predefined distribution center inventory minimum value. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for managing an out-of-stock event comprising the steps of:
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placing products associated with at least one electronic tag in a first-inventory location and a second-inventory location;
receiving a customer request for a desired product;
determining when said desired product is not presently in said first-inventory location but is presently in said second-inventory location using at least one of real-time inventory data and near real-time inventory data for said first-inventory location and said second inventory-location; and
performing the following steps when it is determined that said desired product is not in said first-inventory location but is in said second-inventory location;
(a) notifying said customer that said desired product is temporarily out-of-stock in said first-inventory location;
(b) notifying said customer that said desired product is in said second-inventory location and that a restock request has been initiated;
(c) presenting said customer with an estimated time required to restock said desired product;
(d) providing said customer with a wait-to-purchase incentive. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for managing an out-of-stock event comprising the steps of:
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placing products associated with at least one electronic tag in a first-inventory location and a second-inventory location;
determining when a customer is searching for a desired-product in a first-inventory location;
automatically determining when said desired product is presently out-of-stock in said first-inventory location;
automatically determining when said desired product is in a second-inventory location;
automatically notifying said customer that said desired product is not in said first-inventory location but is in said second-inventory location;
presenting said customer with at least one of the following;
(a) offer in-store delivery of said desired product;
(b) offer out-of-store delivery of said desired product;
(c) offer to have said desired product available at a point-of-sale where said customer is to check-out;
(d) offer a wait-to-purchase incentive; and
(e) offer an alternative-product purchase incentive. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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Specification