RETAIL SHELF SUPPLY MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20090248198A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mueller, Paul, Walker, William H., Rhineberger, Kenneth G., Bacnik, James, Siegel, Norman L., Kump, Daniel, Bird, Gregory M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An inventory shelf monitoring system includes a plurality of track systems located on at least one shelf of a retail or warehouse establishment. Each track system includes a sensor and actuator that determines the position of a product pusher. The identity and location of the product pusher, for each track system on the at least one shelf, is sent to a data acquisition and transmitter circuit that assembles, formats, and transmits pusher position data to a central receiver, which receives corresponding data from all shelves employing the system in the retail or warehouse establishment. The data is then transmitted to a central processing unit in a user device that maintains data corresponding to product count, availability, and activity associated with each track unit of each shelf employing the system in the retail or warehouse establishment. Inventory control, the prevention of out-of-stock situations, and the assessment of activity indicative of theft or accident is thus monitored in real time for prompt remedial action.

Claims

1. An inventory shelf monitoring system, comprising:

at least one track system mounted on an associated shelf, the track system including a track receiving a pusher that is biased toward a front end of the track;

a sensor fixed in relation to the track;

an actuator attached to the pusher and in communication with the sensor, the sensor emitting a first output signal corresponding to an instantaneous location of the pusher in relation to the track;

a microprocessor coupled to the sensor, wherein the microprocessor controls power to the sensor and measures pusher position;

an electric bus located adjacent a rear end of the track, wherein the microprocessor is coupled to the electric bus;

a data acquisition and transmitter circuit associated with the associated shelf and in data receiving communication with the sensors of the track system by receipt of the first output signals, the acquisition and transmitter circuit emitting a second output signal corresponding to the identity and location of the pusher of the at least one track system located on the associated shelf as a function of measured pusher position; and

a receiver receiving the second output signals.

2. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the track system has a wiper contact in contacting engagement with the bus.

3. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of buses is provided, including a ground bus, a signal bus, and a voltage supply bus.

4. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the microprocessor comprises:

a first port coupled to a potentiometer signal wiper;

a second port coupled to the ground bus and to an anode of a capacitor;

a third port coupled to a potentiometer ground wiper;

a fourth port coupled to the signal bus;

a fifth port coupled to a cathode of the capacitor; and

a sixth port coupled to the signal bus and to the fourth port; and

wherein the voltage supply bus is coupled to a potentiometer voltage wiper to provide a voltage thereto.

5. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of buses is interconnected between the data acquisition and transmitter circuit of the associated shelf and the microprocessor of the sensor circuit of each of the track systems located on the associated shelf.

6. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the electric bus is mounted to a housing such that it is oriented vertically.

7. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a potentiometer and the actuator comprises a contact member on the pusher, the contact member defining the signal wiper of the potentiometer.

8. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a rotary wheel operatively connected to the pusher and emitting a signal to the sensor corresponding to rotational activity of the wheel, wherein the wheel is at least one of an encoded wheel and piezoelectric pulse generator.

9. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasonic transponder, sending and receiving ultrasonic waves, the actuator comprising a reflector attached to the pusher reflecting the ultrasonic waves from the transponder back to the transponder.

10. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a light transponder having a light emitter and an array of light receivers, and the actuator comprises a reflector attached to the pusher reflecting light from the emitter back to the array of light receivers.

11. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a signal strength monitor, monitoring the strength of a signal taken from the group of optical, magnetic, radio frequency and acoustic signals, the signal strength being indicative of a position of the pusher.

12. The inventory shelf monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a radio transponder having a radar sender and receiver, and the actuator comprises a reflector attached to the pusher reflecting radar signals received from the sender to the receiver.

13. The inventory shelf monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a central processing unit in communication with the receiver.

14. A product inventory monitoring system, comprising:

a front rail;

a back rail spaced from the front rail;

a plurality of track units coupled to the front rail and the back rail to form a modular system, each track unit comprising;

a spring-loaded pusher that applies force to one or more associated product packages to urge the one or more associated packages toward the front rail;

a contact pad mounted on a bottom face of the pusher in contact with a sensor strip mounted to the track, the sensor strip being electrically coupled to a microprocessor in a sensor circuit, wherein the microprocessor is in turn coupled to a plurality of buses mounted to one of the front rail and the back rail;

a power source that supplies a voltage to the one of the front rail and the back rail; and

a data acquisition and transmitter circuit that is coupled to the track unit and determines a position of the pusher as a function of a voltage difference between the power supply and a voltage detected across the sensor strip; and

a user device that receives pusher position information and generates a report comprising information related to product package count in each of the plurality of track units.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the sensor strip includes a slider potentiometer.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of buses includes a ground bus, a signal bus, and a voltage supply bus.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the microprocessor comprises:

a first port coupled to a potentiometer signal wiper;

a second port coupled to the ground bus and to an anode of a capacitor;

a third port coupled to a potentiometer ground wiper;

a fourth port coupled to the signal bus;

a fifth port coupled to a cathode of the capacitor; and

a sixth port coupled to the signal bus and to the fourth port; and

wherein the voltage supply bus is coupled to a potentiometer voltage wiper to provide a voltage thereto.

18. A system that facilitates monitoring inventory, comprising:

a data acquisition and transmitter circuit that is interconnected to each of a power bus, a ground bus, and a signal bus, wherein the data acquisition and transmitter circuit comprises;

a dedicated microprocessor chip that receives the data input signals from the data bus, from each of a plurality of track units associated with the data acquisition and transmitter circuit; and

wherein the microprocessor formats data received from the plurality of track units for transmission, and passes a formatted output signal through transmitter circuitry for emission as an RF signal from an antenna; and

a receiver that receives the transmitted output signal and forwards the transmitted output signal through a router to a user device that generates at least one of an inventory report and a pilferage report;

wherein each track unit includes a pull-up resistor.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a sensor circuit coupled to each track unit, wherein the sensor circuit provides information to the data acquisition and transmitter circuit including a serial number or location of the track unit and a specific location of a pusher associated therewith.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the microprocessor chip formats the data received from the plurality of track units to include one or more of shelf identity information for an associated shelf on which the plurality of track units is disposed, identity information for each track unit and its dedicated pusher, status of a battery supplying power to the data acquisition and transmitting circuit and the sensor circuit, and a messaging sequence number that prevents duplication of data.