Product display rack system and purchasing behavior analysis program

• US 7,881,988 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Information Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Tana-X-Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Information Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.), Tana-X-Incorporated
• Inventors: Tsutsumimoto, Hirofumi, Kanai, Kiyoshi, Otani, Yoshinori, Kaneko, Tohru, Kishida, Katsumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Champagne; Luna
• Application Number:
  US11/991,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A system with an intelligent shelf (100) has product display shelves (110 to 130) displaying products having RFID tags R. The system includes antennas (112a to 112c) each having unique antenna numbers and detecting a tag serial number from an RFID tag on a product, human body sensors S disposed on each end of the product display shelf 120, a tag-product ID registration table storing the tag serial numbers of the RFID tags and the product IDs of the products and a control computer (200) detecting that a particular product is picked up from and/or returned to a particular product display shelf by combining the input tag serial number and the antenna number of the antenna detecting the tag serial number and analyzing which direction the detected human body has moved based on the difference of the detection times of the human body sensors.

Claims

1. A product displaying system comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area;

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body; and

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.

2. A product displaying system comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area;

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body; and

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors,

wherein each of said plurality of antennas is disposed on a predetermined position of said plurality of product display shelves and each of said plurality of antennas communicate with each respective RFID tag applied on a surface of each of the plurality of products, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.

3. A product displaying system comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area;

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body; and

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors,

wherein each of said plurality of antennas is disposed on a predetermined position of said plurality of product display shelves and each of said plurality of antennas communicate with each respective RFID tag applied on a top of each of the plurality of products, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a purchase behavior analysis program for a product displaying system recorded thereon, the purchase behavior analysis program for determining a customers'"'"' purchase behavior for a plurality of products displayed on a plurality of product display shelves of the product displaying system,

wherein the product displaying system includes the plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number,

wherein the product displaying system includes a plurality of antennas disposed on the plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of the plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of the plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area,

wherein the product displaying system includes human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of the plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body,

wherein the product displaying system includes a control computer having a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID, and such that the control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by the plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which the human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein the product displaying system includes a display device, and

wherein the purchase behavior analysis program causes the control computer to execute a method comprising:

detecting at least one of

(i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of the plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of the plurality of product display shelves, the control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number;

judging which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of the human body sensors; and

simultaneously displaying, on the display device, in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication displays, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of the plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication displays, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by the human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by the human body sensors.

5. A product displaying system comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body;

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID;

a plurality of partitions partitioning each of said plurality of product display shelves into a plurality of areas, each of said plurality of areas having at least one of said plurality of antennas set thereon; and

switches and reader/writers, or reader/writers having a switching function switching from among said plurality of antennas to send the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag to said control computer,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.

6. A product displaying system comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area;

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body;

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID;

a plurality of partitions partitioning each of said plurality of product display shelves into a plurality of areas, each of said plurality of areas having at least one of said plurality of antennas set thereon; and

switches and reader/writers, or reader/writers having a switching function switching from among said plurality of antennas to send the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag to said control computer,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors,

wherein each of said plurality of antennas is disposed on a predetermined position of said plurality of product display shelves and each of said plurality of antennas communicate with each respective RFID tag applied on a surface of each of the plurality of products, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.

7. A product displaying system, comprising:

a plurality of product display shelves displaying a plurality of products, such that each respective product of the plurality of products has a respective RFID tag applied thereto, and such that each respective RFID tag stores a unique tag serial number;

a plurality of antennas disposed on said plurality of product display shelves, each antenna of said plurality of antennas having a unique antenna number and each antenna of said plurality of antennas detecting the unique tag serial number from the respective RFID tag applied to a particular product of the plurality of products located within a predetermined area;

human body sensors disposed at different positions on a front side of said plurality of product display shelves and detecting an approach of a human body;

a control computer including a tag-product ID registration table storing the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag and storing a unique product ID of each of the plurality of products, such that each stored unique tag serial number corresponds to each stored unique product ID;

a plurality of partitions partitioning each of said plurality of product display shelves into a plurality of areas, each of said plurality of areas having at least one of said plurality of antennas set thereon; and

switches and reader/writers, or reader/writers having a switching function switching from among said plurality of antennas to send the unique tag serial number of each respective RFID tag to said control computer,

wherein said control computer receives the unique tag serial number of a respective RFID tag detected by said plurality of antennas and receives a detection time at which said human body sensors detect the approach of the human body,

wherein said control computer detects at least one of (i) that a particular product of the plurality of products is picked up from a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, and (ii) that a particular product of the plurality of products is returned to a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves, said control computer performing the detection by combining the unique tag serial number of the respective RFID tag and the unique antenna number of an antenna of the plurality of antennas that detected the unique tag serial number,

wherein said control computer determines which direction the detected human body has moved based on a difference between the detection time of detecting the approaching human body obtained by each of said human body sensors,

wherein each of said plurality of antennas is disposed on a predetermined position of said plurality of product display shelves and each of said plurality of antennas communicate with each respective RFID tag applied on a top of each of the plurality of products, and

wherein said control computer comprises a display device simultaneously displaying in parallel both a first bar indication and a second bar indication, such that the first bar indication represents, in time series, times at which a particular product of the plurality of products on a particular product display shelf of said plurality of product display shelves was picked up from the particular product display shelf and returned to the particular product display shelf, and such that the second bar indication represents, in time series, times at which the human body is detected by said human body sensors or times at which the human body is not detected by said human body sensors.