Inventory control system
First Claim
1. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
- a plurality of storage stations each comprising (a) at least one platform for carrying articles and (b) support means supporting said platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations;
said support means comprising a transducer adapted to generate an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by said platform and the articles carried by said platform;
voltage-to-frequency converter means responsive to the gross weight signals generated at said stations for producing digital output signals varying in accordance with said gross weight signals;
a computer adapted to store said digital signals and to provide signals representative of the number of articles carried by said platforms in accordance with the load values represented by said said digital output signals; and
scanning means for reading said digital output signals and applying said output signals to said computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inventory control system for a plurality of storage areas is provided wherein each storage area comprises at least one platform adapted to support a plurality of identical articles, and platform-supporting means including transducer means for providing a first electrical signal which varies in accordance with changes in the load carried by the platform-supporting means. The system also includes signal processing means for processing the first signals and producing in response to each first signal a second signal which is representative of the number of articles supported by the corresponding platform, scanning means for causing each of said first signals to be selectively coupled to said signal processing means, and means for providing an inventory record in response to said second signals.
132 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising (a) at least one platform for carrying articles and (b) support means supporting said platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; said support means comprising a transducer adapted to generate an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by said platform and the articles carried by said platform; voltage-to-frequency converter means responsive to the gross weight signals generated at said stations for producing digital output signals varying in accordance with said gross weight signals; a computer adapted to store said digital signals and to provide signals representative of the number of articles carried by said platforms in accordance with the load values represented by said said digital output signals; and scanning means for reading said digital output signals and applying said output signals to said computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising at least one shelf for carrying articles, and support means supporting each shelf at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; each of said support means comprising at least two beams and strain gages attached to each beam adapted to produce an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by a shelf and the articles carried by said shelf; means including voltage-to-frequency converter means responsive to said gross weight signals for producing digital output signals representative of the number of articles carried on the shelves corresponding to said gross weight signals; and means for storing said digital output signals for subsequent retrieval and use. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising at least one platform for carrying articles, and support means supporting each platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; a specific address for each storage station; each of said support means comprising a transducer adapted to produce an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by said platform and the articles carried by said platform; means response to said gross weight signals for producing output signals representative of the number of articles carried on the platforms corresponding to said gross weight signals; output signal processing means for processing the output signals from each of said storage stations; and scanning means for selectively coupling said output signals to said processing means, said scanning means including means for selectively addressing each of said storage stations, and means for coupling the output of the transducer means of a particular storage station to said signal processing means whenever said each storage station is correctly addressed. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising at least one shelf for carrying articles, and support means supporting each platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; each of said support means comprising (a) two parallel members attached to said shelf so as to undergo a change in stress as the load on the shelf is varied, and (b) transducer means adapted to produce an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by a shelf and the articles carried by said shelf, said transducer means comprising strain gages on each of said parallel members arranged to undergo compression and tension as the load on the shelf is varied and means coupling said strain gages together for producing said analog output gross weight signal; and means responsive to said gross weight signals for producing output signals representative of the number of articles carried on the platforms corresponding to said gross weight signals. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising at least one platform for carrying articles, and support means supporting each platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; each of said support means comprising a transducer adapted to produce an analog output gross weight signal varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by said platform and the articles carried by said platform; means responsive to said gross weight signals for producing output signals representative of the number of articles carried on the platforms corresponding to said gross weight signals; means for repetitively measuring said gross weight signals to determine the value of a selected parameter of said gross weight signals; and means for preventing generation of said output signals until n successive measurements of said gross weight signals reveal no change in said selected parameter, where n is an integer of predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A physical inventory scanning and recording system comprising:
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a plurality of storage stations each comprising a platform for carrying articles and support means supporting said platform at a plurality of mutually spaced locations; said support means comprising transducers adapted to produce analog output gross weight signals varying in accordance with changes in the load on said support means presented by the platforms supported by said support means and the articles carried by said supported platforms; voltage-to-frequency converter means responsive to said gross weight signals for producing digital output signals which vary in accordance with said gross weight signals; and computer means adapted to store said digital output signals for subsequent processing to provide a determination of the number of articles carried on said platforms.
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Specification