PRODUCT FIXTURE MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MONITORING PRODUCT FIXTURES
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring the status of various types of fixtures and products sold in commercial, e.g., retail environments. The system is arranged to automatically detect and notify store personnel of undesirable conditions, specifically: out of stock, low-stock, and rapid product dispensing or removal. The system consists of an FMS Intelligent Controller (FMS-IC) which is a microprocessor based input/output device mounted on the monitored display device or fixture, and sensors that are connected to inputs used to trigger the FMS-IC when a sensor senses the presence of an item of merchandise to be monitored. The FMS is battery powered and is used with various embodiments of fixtures that may be mounted to shelves within the retail environment.
35 Citations
38 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A method of monitoring a product display device or fixture, the product display device or fixture being arranged to enable items of merchandise to be removed from it by patrons of a commercial environment, the product display device or fixture comprising at least one storage area for storing the plural items of merchandise and at least one outlet coupled to said storage area from which individual items of merchandise can be removed by the patrons or dispensed to the patrons, said method comprising:
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(A) directly detecting the presence of an item of merchandise at a predetermined position adjacent the at least one storage area with at least one sensor; (B) sensing the removal or dispensing of one of said items of merchandise from said predetermined position of said product display device or fixture with said at least one sensor; (C) providing a first electrical signal indicative thereof based on the removal or dispensation of said item of merchandise from said predetermined position in automatic response to the removal or dispensation; and (D) processing said first electrical signal to enable the rate that said items of merchandise are removed or dispensed from said product display device or fixture to be determined by at least one electronic device, thereby providing an indication of possible item theft. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A product display device or fixture monitoring system, the product display device or fixture being arranged to enable items of merchandise to be removed from it by patrons of a commercial environment, the product display device or fixture comprising at least one storage area for storing the plural items of merchandise and at least one outlet coupled to said storage area from which individual items of merchandise can be removed by the patrons or dispensed to the patrons, said monitoring system comprising:
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means for directly detecting the presence of an item of merchandise at a predetermined position adjacent the at least one storage area with at least one sensor; means for sensing the removal or dispensing of one of said items of merchandise from said predetermined position of said product display device or fixture with said at least one sensor; means for providing a first electrical signal indicative thereof based on the removal or dispensation of said item of merchandise from said predetermined position in automatic response to the removal or dispensation; and means for processing said first electrical signal to enable the rate that said items of merchandise are removed or dispensed from said product display device or fixture to be determined by at least one electronic device, thereby providing an indication of possible item theft. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification