Product management system and product management method

• US 8,489,471 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Kurashima, Shigemi, Yuba, Takashi, Yanagi, Masahiro, Arita, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ ROMAN, DENISSE Y
• Application Number:
  US11/826,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 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

Abstract

A product management system is disclosed. The product management system comprises a product detection device disposed on a product display rack and configured to detect presence/absence of a product on the product display rack, a wireless communication device disposed on the product display rack and configured to wirelessly transmit information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device, a relay device to relay communications between the wireless communication device and a network, a product management device to store and display the information transmitted from the wireless communication device via the relay device and the network, and a terminal device capable of wireless communications with the wireless communication device and configured to travel with a shopper.

Claims

1. A product management system, comprising:

a product detection device disposed on a product display rack and configured to detect presence/absence of a product on the product display rack;

a wireless communication device disposed on the product display rack and configured to wirelessly transmit information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device;

a relay device to relay communication between the wireless communication device and a network;

a product management device to store and display the information about the presence/absence of the product transmitted from the wireless communication device via the relay device and the network, and provide information about when the product will be replenished; and

a terminal device detached from the product detection device, the wireless communication device, and the product display rack, said terminal device being capable of wireless communications with the wireless communication device and configured to travel with a shopper,

wherein the product detection device detects a hand of a person put into or pulled out of the product display rack,

wherein the product management device transmits the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device and the information about when the product will be replenished to the terminal device via the network, the relay device, and the wireless communication device; and

the terminal device displays the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device and the information about when the product will be replenished on a display screen provided on the terminal device, said information being transmitted from the product management device via the network, the relay device, and the wireless communication device, said terminal device including a touch panel for the shopper to operate the display screen, a barcode reader for reading a barcode, and a processing unit for processing a billing process according to information based on the barcode read by the barcode reader during shopping.

2. The product management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device communicates with the product management device and the terminal device using wireless UWB communications.

3. The product management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal device is mounted on a shopping cart.

4. The product management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product detection device detects the presence/absence of the product using an infrared sensor.

5. The product management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product detection device includes, on a front side of the product display rack, a passage detection unit that detects placement of the product into and removal of the product from the product display rack so as to detect the presence/absence of the product.

11. The product management system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device further includes a battery for storing electricity for the terminal device, and a generator for generating the electricity through rotation of wheels provided to the terminal device and charging the battery with the electricity.

6. A product management method, comprising the steps of:

detecting presence/absence of a product on a product display rack with use of a product detection device disposed on the product display rack;

wirelessly transmitting information about the presence/absence of the product to a relay device with use of a wireless communication device disposed on the product display rack;

transmitting the information about the presence/absence of the product from the relay device to a product management device via a network;

detaching a terminal device from the product detection device, the wireless communication device, and the product display rack;

causing the product management device to store and display the information about the presence/absence of the product transmitted via the relay device and the network, to provide information about when the product will be replenished, and to transmit the information to the terminal device via the network, the relay device, and the wireless communication device; and

displaying the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device and the information about when the product will be replenished on the terminal device on a display screen provided on the terminal device, said information about the presence/absence of the product and the information about when the product will be replenished being transmitted from the product management device via the network, the relay device, and the wireless communication device, said terminal device including a touch panel for a shopper to operate the display screen, a barcode reader for reading a barcode, and a processing unit for processing a billing process according to information based on the barcode read by the barcode reader during shopping; and

detecting a hand of a person put into or pulled out of the product display rack.

7. The product management method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the wireless communication device communicates with the product management device and the terminal device using wireless UWB communications.

8. The product management method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the terminal device is mounted on a shopping cart.

9. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive information about presence/absence of a product on a product display rack, the presence/absence of the product being detected by a product detection device disposed on the product display rack;

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a relay device and travel with a shopper, the relay device communicating with a product management device via a network;

a terminal device detached from the product detection device, the wireless communication unit, and the product display rack;

a processing unit configured to wirelessly transmit the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device to the relay device and to wirelessly transmit, to the terminal device, the information about the presence/absence of the product and information about when the product will be replenished transmitted from the product management device via the network and the relay device;

the terminal device displaying the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device and the information about when the product will be replenished on a display screen provided on the terminal device, the information about the presence/absence of the product detected by the product detection device and the information about when the product will be replenished being transmitted from the product management device via the network, the relay device, and the wireless communication device, said terminal device including a touch panel for the shopper to operate the display screen, a barcode reader for reading a barcode, and a processing unit for processing a billing process according to information based on the barcode read by the barcode reader during shopping; and

the receiving unit configured to receive information about a hand of a person put into or pulled out of the product display rack and being detected by the product detection device disposed on the product display rack.

10. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wireless communication unit communicates with the relay device and the terminal device using wireless UWB communications.