Systems and method for generating planogram images

• US 7,957,998 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Burgess, Roger, Riley, Colleen, Nece, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek; Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US12/253,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742, 705 261- 272, 705/28, 705/29, 705 144- 147
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A retail system for implementing planograms includes a communications network, a central computing system, and a plurality of retail computing systems. The central computing system is configured to receive and to transmit a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one retail store of a plurality of retail stores and a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store. Each planogram includes data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products. Each retail computing system is at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores and is configured to receive, via the communications network, planograms associated with the corresponding retail store and to receive inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram. Each retail computing system is also configured to provide a readiness rating value for each planogram, the readiness rating value being based on a comparison of the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product associated with the planogram and being indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

Claims

1. An on-line planogram system comprising:

a central computing system storing a central planogram module configured to define and store a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores, each planogram being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed on one or more display fixtures within the associated one or more retail stores, and each planogram including a first digital image illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a planogram orientation; and

a plurality of retail computing systems, each storing a retail planogram module, each at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores, wherein each retail planogram module is configured to obtain the planograms associated with the corresponding retail stores, and each retail planogram module also being configured to generate a second digital image for each planogram, each second digital image being based on the first digital image of the planogram and illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a display fixture orientation which is the reverse of the planogram orientation,

wherein each retail planogram module is further configured to receive a designation from a user at the corresponding retail store of a standard orientation or a reverse orientation of a retail display within the corresponding retail store; and

display the first image of a selected planogram associated with the corresponding retail store upon receiving a designation of a standard orientation and display the second image of the selected planogram upon receiving a designation of a reverse orientation.

2. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the retail stores are associated with a retail corporation, and wherein the central planogram module is at a headquarters facility of the retail corporation.

3. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the central planogram module is coupled to each retail planogram module via a communications link.

4. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, further comprising at least one interface at each retail store, each interface adapted to enable a user to selectively view planograms, including the first and second digital images, associated with the corresponding retail store.

5. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the central planogram module and retail planogram modules comprise electronically readable code.

6. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the central planogram module stores the planograms at a memory location remote from the retail stores.

7. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein each retail planogram module is adapted to store obtained planograms at a memory location local to the corresponding retail store.

8. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user device in wireless communication with one of the retail planogram modules, wherein the user device is mobile relative to the one of the retail planogram modules and is configured to receive the second digital image from the one of the retail planogram modules and to output the second digital image to the retail store employee at a sales floor location away from the associated one of the plurality of retail planogram modules.

9. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the planogram orientation indicates that a first product is located on a left end of the one or more display fixtures when the retail store employee walks past the one or more display fixtures in the corresponding one of the retail stores, and the display fixture orientation indicates that the first product is located on a right end of the one or more display fixtures when the retail store employee walks past the one or more display fixtures in the corresponding one of the retail stores.

10. The on-line planogram system of claim 1, wherein the central planogram module is configured to transmit pricing and label information associated with each corresponding planogram to the retail planogram module of the one retail store, each retail planogram module is configured to provide labels including the pricing and based on the label information for each product in the corresponding planogram, and each label is configured to be affixed to the one or more display fixtures in the one retail store where the corresponding planogram is implemented, and the labels are provided prior to implementing the corresponding planogram.

11. The on-line planogram system of claim 10, wherein each retail planogram module is adapted to provide a notification of changes to the pricing for previously provided labels and to provide updated labels prior to implementation of the corresponding planogram, and the updated labels include new price information based on the changes to the pricing.

12. The on-line planogram system of claim 11, wherein the updated labels are provided by a printer in communication with the retail planogram module and located at the one retail store.

13. A method of implementing planograms, the method comprising:

defining and storing a plurality of planograms at a central computing system, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores, each planogram being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed on one or more display fixtures within the one or more associated retail stores, and each planogram including a first digital image illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a first planogram orientation;

transmitting to a retail computing system of each retail store the planogram(s) associated with the retail store from the central computing system, wherein the retail computing system is remotely located from the central computing system and in communication with the central computing system via a communications network;

generating at each retail store via the retail computing system of the store a second digital image for each of selected one or more planograms associated with the retail store by automatically reversing the first digital image of each of the selected planograms such that each second digital image illustrates respective positions of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a second planogram orientation which is the reverse of the first planogram orientation;

receiving a designation from a user at a particular retail store of a standard orientation or a reverse orientation of the retail display within the particular retail store; and

displaying the first image of a selected planogram associated with the particular retail store upon receiving a designation of a standard orientation and displaying the second image of the selected planogram upon receiving a designation of a reverse orientation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing, at each retail store, product labels for placement on the one or more display fixtures in accordance with the planogram(s) associated with the retail store, the product labels including a price of each product referred to by the planogram(s) associated with the retail store.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing, at each retail store, a notification of changes in the price of one or more products as included on the product labels, the notification being provided prior to implementation of the planogram(s) associated with the retail store.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing, at each retail store, product labels for including with the planogram(s) associated with the retail store; and

printing at each retail store at least one updated label to replace at least one of the product labels following a change in a product price that occurs after providing the product labels and prior to implementing the planogram(s) associated with the retail store.

17. A retail space planning system comprising:

means for centrally defining and storing a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores, each planogram being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed on one or more display fixtures within the one or more associated retail stores, and each planogram including a first digital image illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a first planogram orientation;

means for transmitting at least one of the planograms associated with a particular retail store of the one or more retail stores to the particular retail store, wherein each of the one or more retail stores is remotely located with respect to the means for centrally defining and storing; and

means for automatically generating at each retail store a second digital image for each of selected one or more planograms associated with the retail store by automatically reversing the first digital image of each of the selected planograms such that each second digital image illustrates respective positions of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a second planogram orientation which is the reverse of the first planogram orientation;

receiving a designation from a user at a particular retail store of a standard orientation or a reverse orientation of the retail display within the particular retail store; and

displaying the first image of a selected planogram associated with the particular retail store upon receiving a designation of a standard orientation and displaying the second image of the selected planogram upon receiving a designation of a reverse orientation.

18. The retail space planning system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for providing original labels for the retail display within the particular retail store corresponding with the at least one of the planograms, the labels including prices for the products depicted by the at least one of the planograms; and

means for prompting the user to print updated labels when a price of the products has changed since the original labels were generated, wherein the means for prompting the user to print updated labels is configured to prompt the user to print updated labels before the at least one of the planograms is implemented in the retail store.

19. The retail space planning system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for printing the updated labels at the direction of the user following any prompting to print updated labels being communicated to the employee by the means for prompting.

20. The retail space planning system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for indicating to the particular retail store that one or more of the planograms has been revised since the one or more of the planograms was first provided to the retail store.