Method of managing layout of goods

• US 4,947,322 A
• Filed: 04/19/1988
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Igeta, Shouji, Tsushima, Isao, Komoda, Norihisa, Kusuzaki, Tetsuo, Tenma, Tadashi, Akashi, Kichizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kibby, Steven
• Application Number:
  US07/183,669
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.28, 235/376, 235/383, 235/385, 364/401, 364/402, 364/403, 364/513, 434/72
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/925 Business

Abstract

A goods layout planning method for making a layout for a quantity of goods arranged on gondolas in a store by using a terminal device including a display and a processor. Rules regarding goods layouts are stored in a knowledge base. The effort to make layout plans for goods can be simplified and the efficiency thereof improved by using sales data for each of the goods, attributes of goods, attributes of gondolas, and the rules with respect to the goods layouts.

Claims

1. A method of determining a goods layout on gondolas in a store, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying on a display screen of a display device sales data for each of the goods on each gondola in the store based on information in a floor layout file having stored therein layout information about the gondolas in the store, a goods layout file having stored therein layout information about the goods on each gondola in the store, and a sales file having stored therein sales data for each of the goods on each gondola in the store, thereby permitting determination of whether there exists a gondola whose layout of goods should be modified;

(b) designating a gondola determined as a result of step (a) as a gondola whose layout of goods should be modified, and displaying on the display screen a goods layout of the goods on the designated gondola, based on information stored in the goods layout file and sales data for each of the goods on the designated gondola, based on information stored in the sales file, thereby permitting determination of goods to be deleted from or added to the designated gondola;

(c) designating goods determined in step (b) to be deleted from or added to the designated gondola; and

(d) automatically determining a new goods layout for the designated gondola, based on information in the goods layout file and the sales file and knowledge in a knowledge base of rules for determining a goods layout based on characteristics of goods.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

(a) modifying the goods layout determined in step (d) in a man-machine interactive manner permitting a user to designate modifications to the determined goods layout.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) includes displaying a layout of the gondolas in the store and a total amount of sales of goods from each gondola, and step (b) includes displaying a goods layout and sales data for the goods on each shelf of the designated gondola.

4. A method of determining a goods layout for a store, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a layout of goods on a gondola on a display screen of a display device, based on goods layout information about the store;

(b) inputting to a data processor to which the display device is connected the identification of goods to be deleted from or added to the gondola, goods on the gondola whose quantities must not be changed, and goods on the gondola whose positions must not be changed;

(c) adding or deleting information about the identified goods to or from the goods layout information and detecting on the gondola shelves overflowing with goods and shelves having available space as a result of such addition or deletion of goods;

(d) determining alternatives regarding to which shelf of the gondola which goods should be moved and the quantities of which goods should be increased or decreased, based on the goods layout information resulting from step (c), the identification of goods whose quantities or positions must not be changed, and rules in a knowledge base with respect to the increase/decrease in quantities of goods and the rearrangement of the positions of goods; and

(e) selecting an appropriate layout of the goods from among the goods layouts resulting from the determined alternatives.

5. A method of determining a goods layout on gondolas in a store, comprising the steps of:

displaying a floor layout of gondolas in the store, based on information about the position and size of each of the gondolas in the store;

displaying sales data for the goods on each of the gondolas in the store based on stored sales data for the goods;

selecting a gondola on which the layout of goods is to be modified by modifying the positions and/or quantities of the goods on the gondola;

displaying a goods layout for the shelves of the selected gondola based on information about the positions and quantities of goods on the selected gondola;

displaying sales data for the goods on each of the shelves of the selected gondolas based on sales data for the goods;

selecting goods whose positions and/or quantities are to be modified on the selected gondola;

inputting an increase/decrease number for the selected goods;

determining a new goods layout for the shelves of the selected gondola on which the selected goods are positioned based on a knowledge base having rules for determining a new goods layout, information showing sizes of the shelves and of the goods, and the inputted increase/decrease number for the selected goods; and

displaying the new goods layout for the shelves of the selected gondola.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

inputting identification of goods whose positions and/or quantities must not be changed; and

determining the new goods layout based additionally on the identified goods.

7. A method of determining a new goods layout, for shelves in a store, by using information regarding the goods layout for the shelves, the size and position of each shelf, and sales data for goods, said method comprising the steps of:

outputting the goods layout of the shelves and the sales data for the goods;

selecting goods whose layout should be modified;

determining a new goods layout for the said shelves on which the selected goods are positioned based on the outputted information and a knowledge base including rules for determining an appropriate goods layout; and

outputting the new goods layout for the shelves.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outputted goods layout includes identification of goods whose positions and/or quantities must not be changed.

8. An apparatus for determining a new goods layout for shelves of gondolas in a store, comprising:

a memory for storing data showing a gondola layout of the store including the position and size of each of the gondolas in the store and the position and size of each of the shelves on each of the gondolas, an existing goods layout of the store including the size, position and quantity of each of the goods on the shelves of the gondolas in the store, and sales data for the goods;

selecting means for selecting a gondola and goods on the shelves of the selected gondola whose positions and/or quantities are to be modified;

an input device for inputting an increase/decrease number for the selected goods;

a knowledge base including rules for a goods layout;

determining means for determining a new goods layout for the shelves of the selected gondola based on the gondola layout, the existing goods layout, the sales data, the inputted increase/decrease and the rule and

an output device for displaying the gondola layout of the store, the existing goods layout, the sales data and the new goods layout.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said memory further stores an identification of goods whose positions and/or quantities must not be changed.