Handheld scanner device with display location database
First Claim
1. A handheld scanning system for managing inventory, the system comprising:
- a scanner operable to read identification symbols disposed on products and retail display locations in a retail store environment;
a communication interface to receive information from a remote information repository;
a processor coupled to the scanner and to the communication interface;
a display device coupled to the processor; and
a memory containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;
in response to the scanner reading a product identification symbol that is disposed on a greeting card product, identify a correct location at which the greeting card product should be located in the retail store environment, the correct location being identified based on the product identification symbol that is read from the greeting card product;
in response to the scanner reading a second identification symbol that is disposed on a pocket of a greeting card retail display location at which the greeting card product is currently located, identify a current location at which the greeting card product is currently located in the retail store environment, the current location being identified based on the second identification symbol that is read from the pocket of the greeting card retail display location;
determine, based on a comparison of (i) said identified correct location, with (ii) said identified current location, that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location; and
present on the display device data indicating the correct retail display location responsive to said determination that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of managing inventory may include using a handheld scanning device to locate one or more inventory items on a retail display. The method may further include scanning the identification symbols of inventory items on a retail display to determine the type of the scanned item. An associated apparatus may include a communication interface to receive information from a remote database and to send information to a remote server. The received information may include predetermined information about proper locations for individual inventory items on the retail display, thereby reducing the need to manually determine the proper locations of multiple inventory items, which may be, for example, greeting cards on a retail store display.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A handheld scanning system for managing inventory, the system comprising:
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a scanner operable to read identification symbols disposed on products and retail display locations in a retail store environment; a communication interface to receive information from a remote information repository; a processor coupled to the scanner and to the communication interface; a display device coupled to the processor; and a memory containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; in response to the scanner reading a product identification symbol that is disposed on a greeting card product, identify a correct location at which the greeting card product should be located in the retail store environment, the correct location being identified based on the product identification symbol that is read from the greeting card product; in response to the scanner reading a second identification symbol that is disposed on a pocket of a greeting card retail display location at which the greeting card product is currently located, identify a current location at which the greeting card product is currently located in the retail store environment, the current location being identified based on the second identification symbol that is read from the pocket of the greeting card retail display location; determine, based on a comparison of (i) said identified correct location, with (ii) said identified current location, that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location; and present on the display device data indicating the correct retail display location responsive to said determination that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A handheld scanning system for managing inventory, the system comprising:
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a scanner operable to read identification symbols disposed on products and retail display locations in a retail store environments; a communication interface to receive information from a remote information repository; a processor coupled to the scanner and to the communication interface; a display device coupled to the processor; and a memory containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations to manage inventory of products on a retail display, the operations comprising; in response to the scanner reading a product identification symbol disposed on a greeting card product, identify a correct location at which the greeting card product should be located in the retail store environment, the correct location being identified based on the product identification symbol that is read from the greeting card product; in response to the scanner reading a second identification symbol disposed on a pocket of a greeting card retail display location at which the greeting card product is currently located, identify a current location at which the greeting card product is currently located in the retail store environment, the current location being identified based on the second identification symbol that is read from the pocket of the greeting card retail display location; determine, based on a comparison of (i) said identified correct location, with (ii) said identified current location, that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location; and present on the display device data indicating the correct retail display location responsive to said determination that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification