System and method for mapping of planograms

• US 7,885,865 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kroger Company
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Porginski, Harold William Jr., Marsh, Joshua Alen, Benson, Wayne Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US10/843,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20050256726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

A method for storing and organizing item arrangement information for an enterprise is provided. Standardized item arrangement maps are generated at the enterprise level and disseminated to stores within the enterprise. Managers create store maps consisting of compilations of the item arrangement maps provided by the enterprise. The resulting store maps define the arrangement of all items within the store. The store maps may be used in conjunction with an inventory system to order items and stock the store. Additionally, store maps may be used with a location information system to provide item location information to consumers.

Claims

1. A method for arranging a collection of electronic planogram files, wherein said collection of electronic files is illustrative of the arrangements of items on portions of store shelves, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of the electronic planogram files including a first set of electronic files and a second set of electronic files, the first set of electronic files containing a graphical depiction and a textual description of an arrangement of a plurality of items on at least a portion of a store shelf, the second set of electronic files containing only text characters and identifying a minimum number of stock units for each of the plurality of items;

b) storing the first set of electronic files in a storage medium on an enterprise level system and transmitting the second set of electronic files to a division level system;

c) creating a collection file for storage of identification information for at least one of the first and second sets of electronic files;

d) obtaining identification information for at least one electronic file from the storage medium on the enterprise level system or the storage medium on the division level system;

e) storing said identification information for at least one of the obtained electronic files in the collection file; and

f) providing an inventory system comprising a scanner, and importing into the inventory system from the second set of electronic files the minimum number of stock units for each of the plurality of items, wherein the inventory system;

obtains an actual number of units for each of the plurality of items;

compares the actual number of units to the minimum number of stock units for each of the plurality of items; and

generates a stock order for the order amount when the actual number of units is less than the minimum number of stock units for at least one of the plurality of items.

2. A store mapping system for enabling commodities to be mapped to locations within a store of a given division of an enterprise, comprising:

a) an enterprise level system containing a collection of planogram information files for multiple divisions of the enterprise;

b) a division system of the given division, the division system containing a compilation of planogram information files associated with the given division and connected to the enterprise level system through a network, the division system further including a store mapping application; and

c) at least one workstation connected to the division system and the enterprise level system through a network such that the store mapping application can be used to map commodities within the given store, wherein a user accesses the store mapping application from the workstation and;

(i) the user is presented with multiple commodities that can be mapped for the given store,

(ii) upon user selection of a given commodity for mapping, the user is presented with multiple available planograms for the given commodity, each planogram identified by description and having a user view selection enabling the user to view the planogram and a user use selection enabling the user to select the planogram for use in mapping the given commodity within the given store,

(iii) upon user selection of a given planogram for the given commodity, the user identifies aisle information for the commodity to facilitate mapping,

wherein the compilation of planogram information files are used to define a store map that contains information sufficient to identify the planograms selected for use in the given store.

3. The store mapping system of claim 2, wherein the enterprise level system comprises an enterprise level application server and an enterprise level database server connected through a network, the enterprise level database server containing the collection of planogram information files.

4. The store mapping system of claim 3, wherein the division system comprises a division database server and a division application server, wherein the compilation of planogram information files is located in the division database server.

5. The store mapping system of claim 4, wherein the compilation of planogram information files contained on the division system is contained in a relational database.

6. A store mapping system for enabling commodities to be mapped to locations within a store of a given division of an enterprise, comprising:

a) an enterprise level system containing a collection of planogram information files for multiple divisions of the enterprise;

b) a division system of the given division, the division system containing a compilation of planogram information files associated with the given division and connected to the enterprise level system through a network; and

c) a store mapping application residing on one of the division system and the enterprise level system;

d) at least one workstation connected to the division system and the enterprise level system through a network such that the store mapping application can be used to map commodities within the given store, wherein the store mapping application implements a store mapping method at the workstation in which;

(i) a user is presented with multiple commodities that can be mapped for the given store,

(ii) upon user selection of a given commodity for mapping, the user is presented with multiple available planograms for the given commodity, each planogram can be viewed by the user for consideration and selected for use in mapping the given commodity within the given store,

(iii) upon user selection of a given planogram for the given commodity, the user identifies aisle information for the commodity to facilitate mapping,

wherein the compilation of planogram information files are used to define a store map for the given store that contains information sufficient to identify the planograms selected for use in the given store and the location of each of such planograms within the given store based at least in part upon the aisle information identified by the user.