METHOD FOR TRACKING STOCK LEVEL WITHIN A STORE

• US 20170193434A1
• Filed: 11/09/2016
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simbe Robotics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simbe Robotics, Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Mirza Akbar, Bogolea, Bradley, Gee, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 10,607,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69

Abstract

One variation of a method for tracking stock level within a store includes: dispatching a robotic system to image shelving structures within the store during a scan cycle; receiving images from the robotic system, each image recorded by the robotic system during the scan cycle and corresponding to one waypoint within the store; identifying, in the images, empty slots within the shelving structures; identifying a product assigned to each empty slot based on product location assignments defined in a planogram of the store; for a first product of a first product value and assigned to a first empty slot, generating a first prompt to restock the first empty slot with a unit of the first product during the scan cycle; and, upon completion of the scan cycle, generating a global restocking list specifying restocking of a set of empty slots associated with product values less than the first product value.

Claims

1. A method for tracking stock level within a store, the method comprising:

dispatching a robotic system to image a set of shelving structures within the store during a scan cycle concurrent with a peak traffic period in the store;

receiving a set of images from the robotic system, each image in the set of images recorded by the robotic system during the scan cycle and corresponding to one waypoint in a set of waypoints defined along the set of shelving structures;

identifying, in the set of images, a set of empty slots within the set of shelving structures;

identifying a product assigned to each empty slot in the set of empty slots based on product location assignments defined in a planogram of the store;

for a first product associated with a first product value and assigned to a first empty slot in the set of empty slots, generating a first prompt to restock the first empty slot with a unit of the first product during the scan cycle; and

in response to completion of the scan cycle, generating a global restocking list specifying restocking of a second subset of empty slots in the set of empty slots, each empty slot in the second subset of empty slots assigned a product associated with a product value less than the first product value.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein dispatching the robotic system to image the set of shelving structures during the scan cycle comprises dispatching the robotic system, within the store comprising a grocery store, after 5;

00 PM and before 7;

30 PM on a weekday; and

wherein generating the global restocking list comprises generating the global restocking list, from images collected from the scan cycle completed by the robotic system, prior to 10;

00 PM on the weekday.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein generating the first prompt comprises, during execution of the scan cycle by the robotic system, serving the first prompt to a first computing device affiliated with an associate of the store; and

wherein generating the global restocking list comprises, following completion of the scan cycle by the robotic system, distributing portions of the global restocking list across a set of computing devices affiliated with associates of the store, the set of computing devices comprising the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

at a time succeeding service of the portion of the global restocking list to the computing device and succeeding a manual restocking period in the store, dispatching the robotic system to image the set of shelving structures during a second scan cycle;

receiving a second set of images from the robotic system, each image in the set of images recorded by the robotic system during the second scan cycle and corresponding to one waypoint in the set of waypoints;

identifying, in the second set of images, a set of slots on shelves within the set of shelving structures;

in memory, labeling each slot in the set of slots as one of stocked, under-stocked, empty, and improperly-stocked based on a comparison between visual data in each slot identified in the second set of images and the planogram of the store; and

generating a list of deviations between the global restocking list and a state of the store during the second scan cycle based on labels assigned to each slot in the set of slots.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first prompt comprises inserting a location of the first empty slot in the store and a target number of units of the first product, specified for the first empty slot in the planogram, into the first prompt.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first prompt comprises:

for the first product associated with the first product value that exceeds a threshold product value, generating the first prompt to restock the first empty slot with the unit of the first product during the scan cycle; and

serving the first prompt to a virtual account affiliated with the store substantially in real-time with receipt of a first image, in the set of images, recorded by the robotic system occupying a waypoint adjacent the first empty slot.

7. The method of claim 6:

further comprising labeling a third slot within the set of shelving structures as improperly-stocked based on a difference between a product identified in a region of an image, in the set of images, corresponding to the third slot and a third product assigned to the third slot in the planogram; and

wherein generating the first prompt comprises generating the first prompt to restock the first empty slot and to correct stocking of the third slot in response to the first product value of the first product and a third product value of the third product exceeding the threshold product value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each product assigned to an empty slot in the set of empty slots:

accessing a current sale rate of the product from a point-of-sale system in the store; and

calculating a product value of the product as a function of a predefined profitability of the product and the current sale rate of the product.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining an order for the set of waypoints based on product values of products assigned to slots, within the set of shelving structures, in fields of view of cameras integrated into the robotic system when occupying each waypoint in the set of waypoints; and

serving the order for the set of waypoints to the robotic system for execution during the scan cycle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the order of the set of waypoints comprises:

for each shelving structure within the set of shelving structures, summing product values of products assigned to slots in the shelf segment;

prioritizing the set of shelving structures in order of product value sum; and

calculating the order for the set of waypoints that minimizes total distance traversed by the robotic system from waypoints defined along a first shelving structure associated with a greatest product value sum to waypoints defined along a last shelving structure associated with a lowest product value sum.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to the robotic system detecting an object obstructing access to a next waypoint in the set of waypoints:

marking, in memory, the next waypoint as deferred;

calculating a revised waypoint order for remaining waypoints in the set of waypoints to enable the robotic system to physically avoid the object;

serving the revised waypoint order to the robotic system; and

triggering robotic system to return to the next waypoint at a later time during the scan cycle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the order of the set of waypoints comprises:

for each waypoint, calculating a sum of product values of products assigned to slots within a field of view of the robotic system occupying the waypoint;

identifying a first subset of waypoints associated with sums of product values greater than a threshold product value;

identifying a second subset of waypoints associated with sums of product values less than the threshold product value; and

defining the order of the set of waypoints specifying image capture at each waypoint in the first subset of waypoints, followed by image capture at each waypoint in the second subset of waypoints, followed by image capture at each waypoint in the first subset of waypoints during the scan cycle.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

during execution of the scan cycle by the robotic system, serving the first prompt through a virtual portal associated with the store;

in response to serving the first prompt, reinserting a first waypoint physically adjacent the first empty slot in the store into a revised order for remaining waypoints in the set of waypoints; and

serving the revised order for remaining waypoints to the robotic system prior to completion of the scan cycle.

14. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving the set of images from the robotic system comprises;

over a first period of time, receiving a first subset of images recorded by the robotic system occupying waypoints along a first shelving structure; and

over a second period of time succeeding the first period of time, receiving a second subset of images recorded by the robotic system occupying waypoints along a second shelving structure;

wherein identifying the set of empty slots within the set of shelving structures comprises;

stitching the first subset of images into a first composite image of the first shelving structure;

projecting a first set of slot boundaries defined in the planogram for the first shelving structure onto the first composite image;

stitching the second subset of images into a second composite image of the second shelving structure;

projecting a second set of slot boundaries defined in the planogram for the second shelving structure onto the second composite image; and

wherein identifying a product assigned to each empty slot in the set of empty slots comprises;

identifying a first set of empty slots in the first composite image bounded by the first set of slot boundaries and excluding visual representation of a product assigned to a corresponding slot defined in the planogram;

identifying a second set of empty slots in the second composite image bounded by the second set of slot boundaries and excluding visual representation of a product assigned to a corresponding slot defined in the planogram; and

labeling each empty slot in the first set of empty slots and the second set of empty slots as empty.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein dispatching the robotic system to image the set of shelving structures within the store comprises tracking a rate of sales in the store through a point-of-sale system in the store and dispatching the robotic system to execute the scan cycle in response to the rate of sales exceeding a threshold rate for a preset duration.

16. A method for tracking stock level within a retail space, the method comprising:

dispatching a robotic system to image a set of shelving structures within the retail space during a scan cycle concurrent with open store hours in the retail space;

receiving a set of images from the robotic system, each image in the set of images recorded by the robotic system during the scan cycle and corresponding to one waypoint in a set of waypoints defined along the set of shelving structures;

identifying, in the set of images, a set of slots within the set of shelving structures;

for each slot in the set of slots;

determining a number of units of a product, assigned to the slot in a planogram of the retail space, currently in the slot;

calculating a slot value of the slot as a function of product value of the product assigned to the slot and as an inverse function of the number of units of the product currently in the slot;

for a first slot in the set of slots associated with a first slot value, generating a first prompt to restock the first slot with a unit of a first product during the scan cycle; and

in response to completion of the scan cycle, generating a global restocking list specifying restocking of a second subset of slots in the set of slots, each slot in the second subset of slots associated with a slot value less than the first slot value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein calculating a slot value of a slot for reach slot in the set of slots comprises, for each slot in the set of slots:

calculating a popularity of a product assigned to the slot based on numbers of units of the product in the slot detected in images recorded by the robotic system over a series of previous scan cycles preceding the scan cycle; and

calculating a product value of the product as a function of a preset profitability of the product and the popularity of the product.

18. The method of claim 16:

wherein generating the first prompt to restock the first slot comprises;

generating a prompt to restock each slot, in the set of slots, associated with a slot value greater than a threshold slot value; and

transmitting prompts to restock slots, in the set of slots, to a set of computing devices affiliated with associates of the retail space in order of slot value in real-time during the scan cycle; and

wherein generating the global restocking list comprises;

populating the global restocking list with prompts to restock slots withheld from the set of computing devices during the scan cycle and in order of slot value; and

transmitting portions of the global restocking list to the set of computing devices affiliated with associates of the store at a preset time following conclusion of the scan cycle.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

defining an order for the set of waypoints based on product values of products assigned to slots, within the set of shelving structures, in fields of view of cameras integrated into the robotic system when occupying each waypoint in the set of waypoints; and

serving the order for the set of waypoints to the robotic system for execution during the scan cycle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein defining the order of the set of waypoints comprises:

for each waypoint, calculating a sum of product values of products assigned to slots within a field of view of the robotic system occupying the waypoint;

identifying a first subset of waypoints associated with sums of product values greater than a threshold product value;

identifying a second subset of waypoints associated with sums of product values less than the threshold product value; and

defining the order of the set of waypoints specifying image capture at each waypoint in the first subset of waypoints, followed by image capture at each waypoint in the second subset of waypoints, followed by image capture at each waypoint in the first subset of waypoints during the scan cycle.

21. A method for tracking stock level within a store, the method comprising:

dispatching a robotic system to image a set of shelving structures within the store during a scan cycle;

receiving a set of images from the robotic system, each image in the set of images recorded by the robotic system during the scan cycle and corresponding to one waypoint in a set of waypoints defined along the set of shelving structures;

identifying, in the set of images, a set of empty slots within the set of shelving structures;

each empty slot in the set of empty slots;

identifying a product assigned to the empty slot based on product location assignments defined in a planogram of the store;

calculating a slot value of the empty slot as a function of a product value of the product assigned to the slot;

generating a global restocking list comprising a set of prompts to specify restocking of the set of empty slots; and

in the global restocking list, ordering the set of prompts according to slot values of empty slots in the set of empty slots.