Mobile merchandising business management system which provides comprehensive support services for transportable business operations

• US 5,367,452 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 11/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carts of Colorado, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Carts of Colorado, Inc.
• Inventors: Gallery, Stanley A., Schultz, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US07/593,236
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/403, 364/405, 364/406, 364/550, 364/505, 364/479, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 235/375, 235/381
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer based system is used for providing a comprehensive set of business support services for mobile business operations such as merchandising carts and kiosks. The services include: i.) providing a two-way computerized communication link between the mobile business unit and a headquarters base station via radio telemetry or ground lines, ii.) a data capture facility which polls a variety of intelligent devices, such as temperature sensors and inventory level indicators, packages the data for subsequent transmission to the base station and summaries the data for display on the mobile system control panel, iii.) a base station communication facility which transmits messages and computer commands to remote carts and kiosks and initiates outbound paging, iv.) a base station mass storage and reporting facility which stores historical data related to product sales, cashier settlement, inventory control and in bound messages for subsequent retrieval and reporting.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of spaced apart merchandising units having limited storage facilities from a control base of operations including the management of personnel, cash resources, equipment status via operator requests for service and fully automatic functions, inventory control and enhanced personnel and equipment security comprising:

identifying means for generating a signal to identify each of said plurality of merchandising units;

a first plurality of system components at each of said merchandising units;

said first plurality of system components comprising;

an inventory control component for automatically generating signals indicative of the remaining quantity of each of a variety of merchandise for sale at such merchandising unit;

a plurality of operational components each of which automatically generates a signal indicative of its operational status;

an operator control panel for generating signals indicative of needs at each of said plurality of merchandising units;

a microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units for receiving said signals from said identifying means, said inventory control component, said plurality of operational components and said operator control panel;

first radio telemetry apparatus connected to said microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units for transmitting said signals from said identifying means, said inventory control component, said plurality of operational components and said operator control panel;

a second radio telemetry apparatus at a control base of operations located at a remote distance from each of said plurality of merchandising units for receiving signals from said first radio telemetry apparatus;

computer apparatus at said control base of operations connected to said second radio telemetry apparatus for interpreting said signals received by said second radio telemetry apparatus so that critical needs at any of said plurality of merchandising units are identified;

a series of thermometers at each merchandising unit for measuring ambient temperature, refrigeration temperature and heating element temperature and automatically sending signals to said microprocessor which transmits said signals to said control base of operations; and

a series of sensors at each merchandising unit for measuring the quantity of available fresh water, waste water, ice, gaseous fuel and carbon dioxide and sending signals to said microprocessor which transmits said signals to said control base of operations.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein:

said operator control panel has information entering means for entering information including inventory request, change request, staff request, maintenance request and emergency request.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein:

at least some of said plurality of said merchandising units having mobile apparatus for permitting movement of said merchandising unit.

4. The system as in claim 3 and further comprising:

each of said merchandising units having mobile apparatus having at least one sensor for detecting motion of said mobile merchandising unit for sensing movement of said mobile merchandising unit and sending a signal to said microprocessor; and

said microprocessor having a motion detector interface for sending a motion signal to said control base of operations.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein:

said microprocessor automatically transmits hourly sales;

critical supply shortage, mechanical failure and temperature violations.

6. The system as in claim 1 and further comprising:

signal generating means at said control base of operations for soliciting information from each of said merchandising units.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein:

said radio telemetry apparatus comprises a UHF transmitter and receiver.

8. The system as in claim 1 and further comprising:

each of said merchandising units having an electrical switch controller; and

said control base of operations generating signals to operate said electrical switch controller.

9. The system as in claim 1 and further comprising:

signal generating means and signal transmitting means at said control base of operations for controlling said operational components.

10. A system for managing a plurality of spaced apart merchandising units having limited storage facilities from a control base of operations including the management of personnel, cash resources, equipment status via operator requests for service and fully automatic functions, inventory control and enhanced personnel and equipment security comprising:

identifying means for generating a signal to identify each of said plurality of merchandising units;

a first plurality of system components at each of said merchandising units;

said first plurality of system components comprising;

an inventory control component for automatically generating signals indicative of the remaining quantity of each of a variety of merchandise for sale at such merchandising unit;

a plurality of operational components each of which automatically generates a signal indicative of its operational status;

an operator control panel for generating signals indicative of needs at each of said plurality of merchandising units;

a microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units for receiving said signals from said identifying means, said inventory control component, said plurality of operational components and said operator control panel;

first radio telemetry apparatus connected to said microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units for transmitting said signals from said identifying means, said inventory control component, said plurality of operational components and said operator control panel;

a second radio telemetry apparatus at a control base of operations located at a remote distance from each of said plurality of merchandising units for receiving signals from said first radio telemetry apparatus;

computer apparatus at said control base of operations connected to said second radio telemetry apparatus for interpreting said signals received by said second radio telemetry apparatus so that critical needs at any of said plurality of merchandising units;

said microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units having a pos interface, a motion detector interface, a sensor interface, two communication ports, a data acquisition port, a program memory, a temporary memory and a data storage control for transmitting signals between each of said merchandising units and said control base of operations and;

a series of sensors at each of said merchandising units for measuring the quantity of available fresh water, waste water, ice, gaseous fuel and carbon dioxide and automatically sending signals to said microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units;

a series of thermometers at each of said merchandising units for measuring refrigeration temperature, heating element temperature and ambient temperature and automatically sending signals to said microprocessor at each of said merchandising units;

said sensor interface receives signals from said microprocessor located at each of said merchandising units indicating fresh water supply, waste water supply, propane gas, carbon dioxide gas, refrigeration temperature, heating element temperature and ambient temperature and generates signals to be sent to said control base of operations.

11. The system as in claim 10 and further comprising:

a first modem for receiving signals from and sending signals to said microprocessor at each of said merchandising units and for receiving signals from and sending signals to said control base of operations;

a second modem at said control base of operations for receiving signals from and sending signals to said first modem.