Inventory management system

• US 8,321,302 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bauer, Donald G., Campero, Richard J., Rasband, Paul B., Weel, Martin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US10/348,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,596 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention collect item information from RFID tags attached to items in an inventory, and uses the collected item information to perform various inventory management processes. In one aspect, the inventory management processes may include determining, reporting, and/or providing corrective actions for one or more events associated with at least one of depletions of items in the inventory, changes in the design of items in the inventory, defects with one or more items, misplaced items, the movement of an unusual umber of items within a short period of time (i.e., shrinkage), and malfunctions of one or more components included in the environment.

Claims

1. A method for managing an inventory of items using a computer system that executed an inventory management system program that is coupled to a wireless data collection system, each item being positioned in one of a plurality of respective locations within an environment having a plurality of respective locations including a first location such that those items stored therein are available for customer review, a second location having a plurality of shelves that is different than the first location such that those items stored therein are available for customer review, and a third location different from the first location and the second location such that those items stored therein are not available for customer review, the method comprising:

providing item information associated with each item from each corresponding wireless identification device to the computer system using the wireless data collection system, the item information including item identification and item location, the item location indentifying a current one location of the plurality of respective locations for each item, and

performing, by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, an inventory management process based on the item information to provide management information associated with the inventory of items, the inventory management process including an out of stock control process, wherein the out of stock control process includes;

(i) determining by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, a current inventory count of each item type for all items of any type located in the plurality of respective locations within the environment based on the item information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(ii) determining, by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, when a number of items of a same type in the inventory falls below a first threshold value for a corresponding location within the environment based on the information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices; and

(iii) determining, by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, whether there exists any particular item types which are located only in the third location and not in any of the plurality of locations within the environment, and identifying certain ones of those particular item types for placement within the environment in another of the plurality of locations other than the third location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the current inventory count includes:

retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database, wherein the database previously received the item information from a collection process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device; and

determining, by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, the count of each item type based on the retrieved item information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the out of stock control process further includes:

determining by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system, an alternate location within the environment and different from a present location to position certain items that have a history of sales below a second threshold value at the present location.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the out of stock control process further includes determining, be executing planogram software on the computer system, a shelf location from the plurality of shelves within the second location where replenished items are needed upon determination that a number of items of another same type in the shelf location of the second location falls below a shelf threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory management process further includes determining an alternate location within the environment, and wherein determining the alternate location within the environment includes:

determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below a second threshold value in the environment; and

determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the inventory management process further includes providing an out of stock message, and wherein providing the out of stock message includes:

determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and

generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory management process further includes providing an indication reflecting a query of a database associated with the inventory management system, and wherein the providing the indication includes providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in proximity of a queried item'"'"'s respective location in the environment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the queried item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the queried item, and indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the queried item is not available, and directions to the one or more alternative environments.

9. The method of claim 1, further including providing an indication to a user interface regarding a particular item, wherein the user interface is located on a structure that previously supported the particular item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the out of stock control process includes determining an inventory characteristic for certain ones of the items, wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of each of the certain ones of the items over a predetermined time period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mathematical relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of certain ones of the items have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.

12. A system for managing an inventory of items, each item being positioned in one of a plurality of respective locations within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, the environment having a plurality of respective locations including a first location such that those items stored therein are available for customer review, a second location having a plurality of shelves that is different than the first location such that those items stored therein are available for customer review, and a third location different from the first location and the second location such that those items stored therein are not available for customer review, the system comprising:

a wireless data collection system;

a computer system;

means for providing item information associated with each item from each corresponding wireless identification device to the computer system using the wireless data collection system, the item information including item identification and item location, the item location identifying a current one location of the plurality of respective locations for each item, and

means for performing an inventory management process by executing the inventory management system program on the computer system based on the item information to provide management information associated with the inventory items, the means for performing the inventory management process including means for performing an out of stock control process, wherein the means for performing the out of stock control process includes;

(i) means for determining a current inventory count of each item type for all items of any type located in the plurality of respective locations within the environment based on the item information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(ii) means for determining when a number of items of a same type in the inventory falls below a first threshold value for a corresponding location within the environment based on the information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices; and

(iii) means for determining whether there exists any particular item types which are located only in the third location and not in any of the other plurality of locations within the environment; and

means for identifying certain ones of those particular item types for placement within the environment in another of the plurality of locations other than the third location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for determining a current inventory count includes:

means for retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database, wherein the database previously received the item information from a collection process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device; and

means for determining the count of each item type based on the retrieved item information.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the means for performing the out of stock control process further includes:

means for providing an out of stock message to a display device for certain misplaced items.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the means for performing the out of stock control process further includes:

means for determining an alternate location within the environment and different from a present location to position certain items that have a history of sales below a second threshold value at the present location.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the means for performing the out of stock control process further includes means for determining, using a planogram process, a shelf location from the plurality of shelves within the second location where replenished items are needed upon determination that a number of items of another same type in the shelf location of the second location falls below a self threshold value.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first threshold value is provided by one of a user and a threshold determination process.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory management process further includes means for determining an alternate location within the environment, and wherein determining the alternate location within the environment includes:

means for determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below a second threshold value in the environment; and

means for determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory management process further includes means for providing an out of stock message, and wherein the means for providing the out of stock message includes:

means for determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and

means for generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory management process further includes means for providing an indication reflecting a query of a database associated with the inventory management system, and wherein the means for providing the indication includes means for providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in a proximity of a queried item'"'"'s respective location in the environment.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the queried item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the queried item, and indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the queried item is available, and directions to the one or more alternative environments.

22. The system of claim 12, further including means for providing an indication to a user interface regarding a particular item, wherein the user interface is located on a structure that previously supported the particular item.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for performing the out of stock control process includes means for determining an inventory characteristic for certain ones of the items, wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of each of the certain ones of the items over a predetermined time period.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the mathematical relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of certain ones of the items have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for managing an inventory of items, each item being positioned in one of a plurality of respective locations within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, the environment having a plurality of respective locations including a first location such that those items stored therein are available for customer review, a second location having a plurality of shelves that is different than the first location such as those items stored therein are available for customer review, and a third location different from the first location and the second location such that those items stored therein are not available for customer review, the instructions for performing the method comprising:

providing item information associated with each item from each corresponding wireless identification device; and

performing an inventory management process based on the item information to provide management information associated with the inventory of items, the inventory management process including an out of stock control process, wherein the out of stock control process includes;

(i) determining a current inventory count of each item type for all items of any type located in the plurality of respective locations within the environment based on the item information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(ii) determining when a number of items of a same type in the inventory falls below a first threshold value for a corresponding location within the environment based on the information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices; and

(iii) determining whether there exists any particular item types which are located only in the third location and not in any of the other plurality of locations within the environment; and

identifying certain ones of those particular item types for placement within the environment in another of the plurality of locations other than the third location.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the determining the current inventory count includes:

retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database, wherein the database previously received the item information from a collection process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device; and

determining the count of each item type based on the retrieved item information.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the out of stock control process further includes:

determining an alternate location within the environment and different from a present location to position certain items that have a history of sales below a second threshold value at the present location.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the out of stock control process further includes determining, using a planogram process, a shelf location from the plurality of shelves within the second location wherein replenished items are needed upon determination that a number of items of another same type in the shelf location of the second location falls below a shelf threshold value.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the inventory management process further includes determining an alternate location within the environment, and wherein determining the alternate location within the environment includes:

determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below a second threshold value in the environment; and

determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the inventory management process further includes providing an out of stock message, and wherein providing the out of stock message includes:

determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and

generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the inventory management process further includes providing an indication reflecting a query of a database associated with the inventory management system, and wherein the providing the indication includes providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in a proximity of a queried item'"'"'s respective location in the environment.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the queried item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the queried item, an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the queried item is available, and directions to the one or more alternate environments.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, further including providing an indication to a user interface regarding a particular item, wherein the user interface is located on a structure that previously supported the particular item.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the out of stock control process includes determining an inventory characteristic for certain ones of the items, wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of each of the certain ones of the items over a predetermined time period.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the mathematical relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of certain ones of the items have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.