Self-service autonomous merchandising machine

• US 20070284442A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Herskovitz
• Original Assignee: Michael Herskovitz
• Inventors: Herskovitz, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,896,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1653 the picking arrangements being collecting buckets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A solution for consumer self-service merchandise order placement, payment, and pick up, integrated with a merchant'"'"'s Internet e-commerce site and with an effective merchant point-of-sale management system. The solution includes a system and apparatus and of a set of specific business methods. A self-service merchandising machine for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic dispensing of retail products includes an input/output subsystem; a control subsystem having and being based upon a computer; a specially configured storage subsystem; a unique pick-and-place robotic-based product retrieval subsystem with an adaptive material handling system; and a product extraction subsystem. A related method of using the machine includes the steps of enabling self-service retail sale; permitting Internet sale with local merchandise pick-up; managing the business operations of the system; replenishing inventory using Kanban methods; restocking inventory; operating and monitoring a security camera; handling Category I error; and handling Category II error.

Claims

1. A self-service merchandising machine for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic purchase, sale, and dispensing of a wide-range of retail products using pick-and-place robotic technology, the machine comprising:

an input/output (I/O) subsystem;

a control subsystem having and being based upon a computer;

a specially configured storage subsystem;

a pick-and-place robotic-based product retrieval subsystem; and

a product extraction subsystem.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the I/O subsystem further comprises:

a housing;

an output subsystem containing a video screen, a speaker, and a miniature receipt printer;

an input subsystem containing one or more of a graphical user interface (GUI) touch screen, a keypad, a microphone, and function keys;

a financial transaction subsystem configured with an insertion slot to accept, validate, and process various forms of acceptable payment such as credit card, debit card, RFID card, proprietary store-issued card, and smart card; and

a system interface operatively connected with the computer.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the control subsystem further comprises:

Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) communication hardware and software adapted to provide secure access to at least one private or proprietary network as well as to provide secure bi-directional communication with a remote point-of-sale system and a remote designated back-office main computer;

software programs contained within the computer that, when executed by the computer, provide overall interoperability, management, and control of the machine;

a merchandise database containing pertinent attributes and images of the products available for selection by the customer;

a printer enabling authorized personnel to obtain special reports and graphs concerning machine status, operation, transaction history, and inventory;

an I/O interface containing a GUI touch screen and a PC keyboard through which an authorized and authenticated user can operate the machine and make changes to a database;

an interior and exterior monitoring camera security subsystem providing images; and

a hand-held device for recording the specific content, quantity, and location of individual products contained within the storage subsystem.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the storage subsystem further comprises:

a storage closet which also houses other subsystems;

a plurality of storage shelves upon which products available for purchase are placed;

a multiplicity of products of various shapes and sizes;

a multiplicity of holding locations into which the retrieval subsystem may deposit customer-purchased products that are ready for later pick-up by a customer; and

an on-shelf location identification consisting of a multiplicity of physical tags, such as bar code and RFID.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the product retrieval subsystem further comprises:

a material handling subsystem (MHS) configured to pick, hold, and release products under the explicit command and control of the computer;

a robot subsystem capable of controlled and precise movements within the confines of the storage subsystem such that the MHS can effectively engage any and all products stored by the machine; and

a robot interface/control subsystem operatively connected to the control subsystem using one or more of wire, optical, and wireless technology connectivity media.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the product extraction subsystem further comprises:

a housing;

a drawer subsystem movably mounted in supporting connection with the housing and configured to provide controlled access by a robot within the interior of a storage closet and by the customer on the exterior of the storage closet;

an interlocking mechanism configured to be in either a locked condition in which access to the interior of the drawer is prevented or an unlocked condition; and

an interface in operative connection with the computer and the interlocking mechanism.

7. A business method of using the machine of claim 1 to implement a system for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic dispensing of retail products, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling self-service retail sale;

(b) permitting Internet sale with local product pick-up;

(c) managing the business operations of the system;

(d) replenishing inventory using Kanban methods;

(e) restocking inventory;

(f) operating and monitoring a security camera;

(g) handling Category I error; and

(h) handling Category II error.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a customer engages the I/O subsystem to review, select, and designate one or more products to be purchased.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an input subsystem of the I/O subsystem communicates with the computer to cause a database to present to the customer on an output subsystem pertinent information to enable the customer to use the input subsystem to select specific products available in a storage closet for purchase.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer uses the input subsystem to indicate their selection of product or products for purchase and the selection is then transmitted by the I/O subsystem to the control subsystem.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer, using software, establishes and transmits commands to the output subsystem and the output subsystem displays to the customer step-wise instructions to initiate a financial transaction using an approved payment method through a financial transaction subsystem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the customer inserts an approved form of payment into a slot contained in the financial transaction subsystem to commence the financial transaction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the form of payment is processed by the computer in operative communication via a LAN/WAN subsystem with an external payment authorization service or a retailer'"'"'s own home office computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer is informed via the LAN/WAN subsystem through the output subsystem whether the form of payment has been rejected or accepted.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein upon rejection of the form of payment, the customer'"'"'s form of payment is ejected from the slot and appropriate instructions are displayed on the output subsystem.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein upon acceptance of the form of payment, a message, including the identification of the specific products the customer selected, is communicated via an interface subsystem to the computer for further processing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, after the message is communicated, the control subsystem, using the software contained in the control subsystem, provides instructions to a robot interface/control subsystem of the product retrieval subsystem concerning the precise location of the selected product.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein (i) the robot interface/control subsystem causes a robot to traverse in three-dimensional space to a point from which the material handling subsystem of the product retrieval subsystem can reach and grab the selected product.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein (ii) the material handling subsystem grabs the selected product.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein (iii) the material handling subsystem provides a signal feedback to the computer via the robot interface/control subsystem that it successfully grabbed the selected product.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein (iv) the computer commands the robot interface/control subsystem to maneuver the robot to a pre-defined product-deposit position and simultaneously commands the product extraction subsystem to cause a drawer of the product extraction subsystem to unlock and open into a product deposit position.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein (v) the robot interface/control subsystem causes the robot to maneuver in three-dimensional space to a designated deposit position.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein (vi) upon receipt by the computer of a signal indicating the robot has arrived at the designated deposit position, the computer signals the product retrieval subsystem to cause the material handling subsystem to release the product thus causing the product to be deposited into the drawer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein (vii) the product retrieval subsystem complies with the computer command and causes the product held by the material handling subsystem to be released and, due to the force of gravity, fall into the drawer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the steps (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), and (vii) are sequentially repeated until all the products selected by the customer for purchase have been deposited into the drawer.

26. The method of claim 7, wherein, upon determination that all of a customer'"'"'s selected products have been properly deposited in a drawer of the product extraction subsystem, the computer sends a signal to the product extraction subsystem causing the drawer to rotate about a hinge axis and open into a product extraction position in order to enable the customer to grab and physically remove the contents within the drawer and wherein the product extraction subsystem causes the drawer to open towards the customer and into the product extraction position.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the computer commands an output subsystem of the I/O subsystem to display instructions to the customer to remove their products from the drawer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the computer commands a financial transaction subsystem of the I/O subsystem to conclude the transaction and to provide the customer with a printed receipt and to release and eject a card of the customer from a card slot contained in the financial transaction subsystem, and wherein the I/O subsystem provides the customer with a printed receipt and causes the card to be ejected to enable the customer to grab and extract the card from the card slot.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein, after the customer removes their card from the card slot, the I/O subsystem sends a signal to the computer and, upon receipt of the signal, the computer commands the product extraction subsystem to cause the drawer to rotate about its hinge axis into an interior and locked position.

30. The method of claim 7, wherein the machine permits a retail merchant or machine operator to complete one or more of (a) monitoring the status and operations of the machine, (b) monitoring the consumption of inventoried products transferred through the machine, and (c) financially consolidating sales made through the machine with sales made within a store using the store'"'"'s point-of-sale system.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the control subsystem is accessed directly by an authorized and authenticated user while inside a storage closet of the storage subsystem through an I/O subsystem of the control subsystem, or indirectly by an authorized and authenticated user via the Internet and a LAN/WAN subsystem of the control subsystem using a private, secure, encrypted, password-protected communication for the purpose of obtaining system status, a multiplicity of reports, details concerning products remaining or sold, and other relevant business information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the control subsystem has software and a printer and uses both its software and interactive engagement with the user via the I/O subsystem of the control subsystem and the printer to execute commands entered by the user and to display or print information for the user.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the control subsystem exchanges data through an operative connection with a point-of-sale system of a store either upon command of an authorized and authenticated user or as scheduled to occur automatically at pre-defined times or time intervals.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the computer communicates with a local point-of-sale system via an operative connection through the LAN/WAN subsystem.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the computer communicates with a remote back-office computer via an operative connection through the LAN/WAN subsystem and an Internet gateway using a secure and encrypted virtual private network.

49. The method of claim 7, wherein a customer indirectly accesses the control subsystem via an Internet web site of a merchant and a LAN/WAN subsystem using a secure or encrypted mechanism in order to place an order for pick-up.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the customer accesses the Internet web site for the purpose of transacting product selection, purchase, and payment using e-catalog and e-commerce methods.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein a server of the Internet web site communicates product information and credit card identification information with the computer.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the products purchased by the customer are individually picked and placed in a designated temporary storage location inside a storage closet of the storage subsystem for rapid processing by the retrieval subsystem at a later time.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the temporary storage location is one of a storage shelf, a specially configured and set-aside bin, or another structure inside the storage closet configured for optimal performance during (a) the initial storage of the products and (b) the storage of multiple products and (c) the eventual removal of products for deposit in a drawer of the product extraction subsystem for the benefit of the customer.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the customer upon arrival at a designated location of the machine inserts a form of payment into a slot in an input subsystem of the I/O subsystem.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the computer validates and authenticates by comparing the payment form inserted into the slot with information made available to the computer through communication of product information and credit card identification information between a server of the Internet web site and the computer.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein upon positive identification of the customer, the computer commands the retrieval subsystem to transfer the customer'"'"'s products from a temporary location to a drawer of the product extraction subsystem.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein upon completion of the transfer of all of the customer'"'"'s products to the drawer, the computer causes the drawer to open and permit the customer to remove their products.

58. The method of claim 7, wherein the computer is operatively connected with a camera subsystem including the security camera.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the computer commands and controls the camera subsystem including the camera operations of pointing, panning, and zooming.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the computer commands and controls either (i) from within a storage closet of the storage subsystem using an input subsystem of the I/O subsystem and software programs of the control subsystem, or (ii) from a remote location by an authorized and authenticated operator via a LAN/WAN subsystem and the software programs of the control subsystem.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the camera subsystem captures high-resolution digital imagery and wherein the computer receives and records in non-volatile memory the imagery for future review and processing by an authorized and authenticated operator.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the computer gives an authorized and authenticated operator access and functionality to (a) monitor the interior or exterior of the storage closet on demand and in real time, or (b) review recorded imagery, or (c) cause recorded imagery to be transferred from the non-volatile memory of the computer to a back-office computer for analysis and/or long term archival purposes.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein the computer and camera subsystem permit a remote operator to monitor the interior and exterior of the storage closet at will and for an indefinite duration.

36. A method of using a self-service merchandising machine to implement a system for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic dispensing of retail products, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a machine including (1) an input/output (I/O) subsystem, (2) a control subsystem having and being based upon a computer and having (a) an I/O subsystem, (b) a printer, and (c) a LAN/WAN subsystem, (3) a specially configured storage subsystem having a storage closet, (4) a robotic-based product retrieval subsystem, and (5) a product extraction subsystem;

enabling an authorized and authenticated user or another computer system, through the computer and one or more of the I/O subsystem of the control subsystem, the printer, and the LAN/WAN subsystem, to query the computer and to obtain a multiplicity of reports, charts, and other information pertinent to sales of products made; and

allowing a retail merchant to implement or leverage an effective regional KANBAN business process, thereby timely and optimally replenishing inventory within the storage closet.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein software programs contained within the computer process sales information and create and transmit upon request or at predefined time intervals or at predefined scheduled times data concerning the inventory contained inside the storage closet.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of providing the data concerning the inventory contained inside the storage closet to a regional inventory distribution center, which then analyses the data and, based on the data, causes replacement products to be periodically shipped to and stocked within the storage closet, thereby maintaining the contents of the storage closet at optimal levels.

39. A method of using a self-service merchandising machine to implement a system for un-attended, autonomous, and automatic dispensing of retail products, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a machine including (1) an input/output (I/O) subsystem, (2) a control subsystem having and being based upon a computer, (3) a specially configured storage subsystem having a storage closet with storage shelves adapted to receive products, (4) a robotic-based product retrieval subsystem, and (5) a product extraction subsystem;

permitting entry by an authorized employee of a retail store operator into the storage closet; and

facilitating one or more of adding, restocking, removing, and rearranging the products located upon the storage shelves.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein entry into the storage closet is permitted only via an electronic, tamper-proof key providing a positive record of the employee who gained entry, including the date and time of entry and exit.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of facilitating is done by the employee who, after gaining access into the storage closet, add, restocks, removes, rearranges, or otherwise re-configures the products located within the storage closet and upon the storage shelves.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of communicating, between the employee using a hand-held device and the computer, to record information pertaining to the products that are added to, restocked on, removed from, rearranged on, or reconfigured upon the storage shelves.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the hand-held device uses RF broadband or optical or wired or similar connectivity and protocol technologies to establish and maintain an operative link or interface with the computer.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the hand-held device uses technology such as an RFID reader or an optical reader or a bar code reader to identify and further communicate to the computer the precise location of individual products as they are added to, restocked on, removed from, rearranged on, or reconfigured upon the storage shelves.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the hand-held device leverages an on-shelf location identification subsystem to identify the precise location of products located on the storage shelves.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the computer, upon receiving information from the hand-held device, causes the information to be processed via software and to be stored in a database.

47. The method of claim 39, wherein the computer, upon receiving a command to do so from the employee or from an authorized and authenticated remote user or from a remote computer via a LAN/WAN subsystem, generates a report summarizing changes made to the products.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the report consists of a paper print-out on a printer or a suitably formatted export data file.