Computer-Implemented Systems and Methods for Providing an Out of Stock/Low Stock Alert

• US 20120091162A1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GOLIATH Solutions LLC (Osa Acquisition, LLC)
• Inventors: Overhultz, Gary L., Pyne, John W., Hardman, Gordon E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,823,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a low stock product display alert system. A system includes a pushing element configured to push one or more products toward a front of a shelf as a unit of the product is removed from the shelf. The system also includes an RFID component, where the RFID component is configured to be in a dormant state when the pushing element is in a first position. The system further includes an activation element configured to activate the RFID component when the pushing element is in a second position, where when activated, the RFID component is configured to emit a signal indicating that the product display is out of product.

Claims

1. A low stock product display alert system, comprising:

a pushing element configured to push one or more products toward a front of a shelf as a unit of the product is removed from the shelf;

an RFID component, wherein the RFID component is configured to be in a dormant state when the pushing element is in a first position;

an activation element configured to activate the RFID component when the pushing element is in a second position, wherein when activated, the RFID component is configured to emit a signal indicating that the product display is out of product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pushing element is configured to push one or more products toward the front of the shelf along a track.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID component is affixed to the pushing element, wherein the activation element is affixed to a front portion of the track.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pushing element is in the second position when the RFID component is aligned with the activation element at the front portion of the track.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID component is activated via a closed magnetic reed switch, wherein the activation element is a magnet, wherein the magnetic reed switch is closed and the RFID component is activated when the RFID component is aligned above the magnet at the front portion of the track.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID component is affixed to the front portion of the track, wherein the activation element is affixed to the pushing element.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the pushing element is in the second position when pushing element is at the front portion of the track and the activation element is aligned over the RFID component.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second activation element configured to activate the RFID when the pushing element is in a third position, wherein when activated in the third position, the RFID component is configured to emit a signal indicating that the product display contains a particular number of units of the product.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the activation element includes an activation element selected from the group consisting of:

a metal contact, a pin, a magnet, a mechanical trip, an LED, a photodiode, an Infrared transmitter, a infrared detector, an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic detector, a voltage, a voltage detector, a capacitor, and a resistor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID component is a passive RFID tag, a battery-assisted RFID tag, or an active transmitter RFID tag.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID component is responsive to multiple pushing elements, wherein the RFID component transmits an out-of-product signal that identifies a particular one of the multiple pushing elements when the particular pushing element is in the second position.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the pushing element is located within a refrigerator, and wherein the RFID component is located outside of the refrigerator, wherein the RFID component transmits an out-of-product signal to an antenna located outside of the refrigerator when the pushing element is in the second position.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the pushing element is located within a refrigerator, and wherein the RFID component is located within the refrigerator, wherein the RFID component transmits an out-of-product signal to an antenna located inside of the refrigerator when the pushing element is in the second position.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the pushing element, the RFID component, or the activation element is permanently integrated into a product shelf.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the product shelf can be moved to different locations within a store.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the activation element is an infrared detector, wherein the infrared detector detects a strength of an infrared signal that is reflected off of the back of the pushing element.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the infrared detector activates the RFID component when the pusher is in a third position to indicate that the product display has a particular amount of product remaining.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the pushing element is located within a refrigerator, and wherein the RFID component is located within the refrigerator, wherein the RFID component transmits an out-of-product signal to an antenna located outside of the refrigerator when the pushing element is in the second position.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the RFID component is affixed to the pushing element, wherein an activation element is affixed to a front portion of the track, and wherein the pushing element is in the activate position when the RFID component is aligned with the activation element at the front portion of the track.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the RFID component is activated via a closed magnetic reed switch, wherein the RFID component is activated using a magnet, wherein the magnetic reed switch is closed and the RFID component is activated when the RFID component is aligned above the magnet at a front portion of the track.

19. A method of providing a product stock alert, comprising:

receiving product in a pusher assembly, wherein the pusher assembly includes a pushing element configured to push one or more products toward a front of a shelf along a track as a unit of product is removed from the shelf;

activating an RFID component when the pushing element is in a activate position, wherein when activated, the RFID component is configured to emit a signal indicating that the pusher assembly is out of product, and wherein the RFID is inactive when the pusher assembly is in an inactive position.