INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20140201042A1
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tagnetics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tagnetics Incorporated
• Inventors: MEYER, MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US14/152,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/413 using electromechanical or electronic computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/414 using electronic computing means only
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/42 for counting by weighing G01G19/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 7/06 by electrostatic action
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

A weight sensing system for retail shelves includes multiple shelves having an electrical communication and power distribution system, and weight sensors located on the top surfaces of the shelves and coupled to the electrical communication and power distribution system for detecting the placement of retail products on the shelves. A controller monitors real-time at-the-shelf inventory and issues alerts when a retail product becomes out-of-stock, is anticipated to become out-of-stock, or is misplaced on a shelf. Collection of real-time inventory data enables comprehensive inventory control at the shelf and in storage areas.

Claims

1. A method of inventory control, comprising:

associating a sensor, disposed on a shelf, with a product;

measuring at a first time, via the sensor, a weight of the product disposed on the sensor;

accessing a database containing information specific to the product;

using a processor, converting the weight the product at the first time to an inventory of the product at the first time as a function of the weight of the product and the accessed information;

recording the inventory of the product at the first time;

measuring at a second time, via the sensor, a weight of the product disposed on the sensor at the second time;

using a processor, converting the weight of the product at the second time to an inventory of the product at the second time as a function of the weight of the product and the accessed information; and

using a processor, determining an inventory depletion rate of the product based on the inventory at the first time and the inventory at the second time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining when the inventory will be out of stock as a function of the inventory at a point in time and the determined depletion rate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the database containing information specific to the product includes at least one of universal product codes, product numbers, individual weight of the product, product manufacturer, expiration date, and pricing information.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein measuring at the first time and measuring at the second time occur at a regular interval.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

generating an alert signal when either the inventory at the first time or the inventory at the second time is below a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the alert signal is indicated visually or aurally at an electronic shelf label associated with the product.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the alert signal is sent to a remote location.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

transmitting the alert signal via email, text message, automated phone call, or computer notification.

9. A method of inventory control, comprising:

measuring at a regular interval the weight of a product disposed on a sensor;

accessing a database containing information specific to the product;

using a processor, converting each measured weight of the product to an inventory as a function of the measured weight and the accessed information;

using a processor, determining an inventory depletion rate based on a plurality of the inventories;

using a processor, estimating when the inventory will reach a predetermined threshold as a function of the inventory at a point in time and the determined depletion rate.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating an alert based on the estimated time when the product will reach a predetermined threshold;

transmitting the alert via email, text message, automated phone call, or computer notification; and

planning a re-stocking event to prevent the product from reaching the predetermined threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the alert is indicated visually or aurally at an electronic shelf label associated with the product

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined threshold is a low inventory threshold.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an optimized shelf inventory based on the inventory depletion rate and a predetermined frequency of re-stocking the product.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the inventory of the product is updated in real time.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the database containing information specific to said product includes at least one of universal product codes, product numbers, individual weight of the product, product manufacturer, expiration date, and pricing information.

16. An inventory control system, comprising:

a sensor, configured to be disposed on the top of a shelf and to sense the status of a product;

an electronic shelf label, associated with the sensor and a product and configured to indicate the status of the product;

a processor, wherein the sensor and the electronic shelf label are each operatively connected to the processor by an inductively coupled connection; and

a computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein for executing on said processor, the instructions when read and executed, for;

receiving from the sensor at a regular interval a weight measurement of the product;

converting each weight measurement of the product to an inventory as a function of the weight measurement and an individual weight of a product stored in the computer readable storage medium; and

determining an inventory depletion rate based on a plurality of the inventories converted at a regular interval.

17. The system of claim 16, the computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions stored therein for executing on said processor, the instructions when read and executed, for:

estimating when the inventory will reach a predetermined threshold as a function of the inventory at a point in time and the determined depletion rate

18. The inventory control system of claim 17 wherein said electronic shelf label visually indicates when said product is out of stock or low in inventory.

19. The inventory control system of claim 18 wherein said processor generates an alert based upon an out of stock or low inventory status of said product.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises:

a first laminate sheet, having an exterior and interior surface and having a plurality of first contacts affixed to the interior surface of first laminate sheet;

a second laminate sheet, having an exterior and interior surface and having a plurality of second contacts affixed to the interior surface of second laminate sheet, each one of the plurality of second contacts aligned with one of the plurality of first contacts to form a plurality of opposing contact pairs;

a spacer layer disposed between first laminate sheet and second laminate sheet having a plurality of apertures, each one of the plurality of apertures aligned with one of the plurality of opposing contact pairs; and

a plurality of raised annular biasing regions, each one of the plurality of raised annular biasing regions aligned with one of the plurality of opposing contact pairs wherein the first and second contact of an opposing contact pair are moved into engagement with each other when a predetermined weight is applied to the exterior surface of the first laminate sheet and wherein the plurality of opposing contact pairs are disposed in groups.