Wireless shelf pusher activity detection system and associated methods

• US 8,941,495 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wiese, Brian, Christianson, David, Shafer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US13/493,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.8, 340/539.1, 340/592, 221/4, 705/28, 705/22, 211/59.2, 700/231
• US Class Current: 340/568.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1654 using passive vibration detection systems

Abstract

According to some example embodiments, systems, apparatus, methods, computer readable media, and computer program products are provided for implementing a wireless shelf pusher activity detection system. One example apparatus is a monitoring device for monitoring theft or sales activity associated with a product pusher device. The monitoring device may include a sensor configured to detect movement of a pusher member of the product pusher device, a wireless communications interface, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive at least one sensor signal from the sensor indicating movement of the pusher member, determine a product movement activity type based on characteristics of the at least one sensor signal, and generate, for transmission via the wireless communications interface, a pusher activity message indicating the product movement activity type.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring theft or sales activity associated with a product pusher device, the monitoring device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect movement of a pusher member of the product pusher device;

a wireless communications interface;

a processor configured to;

receive at least one sensor signal from the sensor indicating movement of the pusher member,

determine a product movement activity type based on characteristics of the at least one sensor signal, the product movement activity type being selected from a group of product movement activity types that includes removal of a product from the product pusher device, and

generate, for transmission via the wireless communications interface, a pusher activity message indicating the product movement activity type; and

a user input interface configured to receive, and provide to the processor, user input indicating a count of products present in the product pusher device;

wherein the processor is further configured to;

determine a current pusher deflection distance based on the at least one sensor signal; and

calibrate the monitoring device for the size of a single product based on the current pusher deflection distance and the count of products;

wherein the user input interface includes a magnetically actuated switch; and

wherein the processor is configured to monitor a state of the magnetically actuated switch and enter a calibration mode based on the state of the magnetically actuated switch.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a contact switch, and wherein the contact switch is positioned such that the contact switch is depressed in an instance in which a product is present in the product pusher device, and the contact switch is not depressed in an instance in which a product is not present in the product pusher device.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor configured to determine the product movement activity type includes being configured to determine that the product movement activity type is a removal of a last product in the product pusher device based on the characteristics of the at least one sensor signal indicating an absence of a product in the product pusher device.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the determination of the current pusher deflection distance includes determination of a direction that the pusher member has been deflected, wherein the sensor is further configured to include a representation of the deflection distance and direction in the at least one sensor signal;

and

wherein the processor configured to determine the product movement activity type includes being configured to determine that the product movement activity type is a removal of a product in the product pusher device or an insertion of a product into the shelf pusher based on the representation of the deflection distance and direction.

5. The monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises an optoelectronic sensor and image processing hardware configured to detect movement.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

power down at least the wireless communications interface after a threshold duration of time since the sensor last detected movement; and

maintain the wireless communications interface in the sleep mode until the sensor detects movement.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a display;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive, via the wireless communications interface, a sales price for products to be stocked in the product pusher device; and

send a signal to the display to present the sales price on the display.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications interface is configured to transmit the pusher activity message to a server configured to send an interne-based or text message to a predefined recipient indicating a representation of the product movement activity type.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications interface is configured to transmit the pusher activity message to a server configured to sound an alarm.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises an audible alarm;

and wherein the processor is further configured to sound the audible alarm based on the product movement activity type.

11. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications interface is configured to transmit the pusher activity message to a server configured to increment or decrement an inventory count of products present in the product pusher device.

12. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a representation of the deflection distance and a direction that the pusher member has been deflected, wherein the sensor is further configured to include a representation of the deflection distance and direction in the at least one sensor signal;

and

wherein the processor configured to determine the product movement activity type includes being configured to determine that the product movement activity type is a theft sweep event involving the removal of at least a threshold number of products within a threshold duration of time based on the representation of the deflection distance over a period of time.

26. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive ping signals, each ping signal comprising a unique identifier corresponding to an originating ping node;

and

wherein the wireless communications interface is configured to transmit status signals, the status signals comprising the ping signal unique identifiers.

27. The monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the status signals are transmitted to a server, the server determining a location of the monitoring device based on the received status signals.

13. A method for monitoring theft or sales activity associated with a product pusher device, the method comprising:

detecting, via a sensor, movement of a pusher member of the product pusher device;

receiving at least one sensor signal from the sensor indicating movement of the pusher member;

determining a product movement activity type based on characteristics of the at least one sensor signal, the product movement activity type being selected from a group of product movement activity types that includes removal of a product from the product pusher device;

generating a pusher activity message indicating the product movement activity type;

transmitting the pusher activity message via a wireless communications interface;

receiving ping signals, each ping signal comprising a unique identifier corresponding to an originating ping node;

receiving user indicating a count of products present in the product pusher device;

determining a current pusher deflection distance based on the at least one sensor signal;

calibrating a monitoring device for the size of a single product based on the current pusher deflection distance and the count of products; and

monitoring a state of magnetically actuated switch and entering a calibration mode based on the state of the magnetically actuated switch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting movement includes detecting movement via the sensor, the sensor comprising a contact switch;

and wherein the contact switch is positioned such that the contact switch is depressed in an instance in which a product is present in the product pusher device, and the contact switch is not depressed in an instance in which a product is not present in the product pusher device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the product movement activity type includes determining that the product movement activity type is a removal of a last product in the product pusher device based on the characteristics of the at least one sensor signal indicating an absence of a product in the product pusher device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the current pusher deflection distance includes determining a direction that the pusher member has been deflected, and a representation of the deflection distance and direction is included in the at least one sensor signal;

and

wherein determining the product movement activity type includes determining that the product movement activity type is a removal of a product in the product pusher device or an insertion of a product into the shelf pusher based on the representation of the deflection distance and direction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises an optoelectronic sensor and image processing hardware configured to detect movement.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

powering down at least the wireless communications interface after a threshold duration of time since the sensor last detected movement; and

maintaining the wireless communications interface in the sleep mode until the sensor detects movement.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, via the wireless communications interface, a sales price for products to be stocked in the product pusher device; and

sending a signal to a display affixed to the product pusher device to present the sales price on the display.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the pusher activity message to a server; and

sending an internet-based or text message to a predefined recipient indicating a representation of the product movement activity type.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the pusher activity message to a server;

and sounding an alarm.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising sounding an audible alarm that is affixed to the product pusher device based on the product movement activity type.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the pusher activity message to a server;

and incrementing or decrementing an inventory count of products present in the product pusher device.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of the current pusher deflection distance includes detecting a direction that the pusher member has been deflected, and a representation of the deflection distance and direction is included in the at least one sensor signal;

and

wherein determining the product movement activity type includes determining that the product movement activity type is a theft sweep event involving the removal of at least a threshold number of products within a threshold duration of time based on the representation of the deflection distance over a period of time.

28. The method of claim 13, further comprising;

receiving ping signals, each ping signal comprising a unique identifier corresponding to an originating ping node; and

transmitting status signals, the status signals comprising the ping signal unique identifiers.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the status signals are transmitted to a server, the server determining a location of the monitoring device based on the received status signals.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program code stored thereon, the computer program code configured to, when executed, cause an apparatus to perform:

receiving at least one sensor signal from a sensor indicating movement of a pusher member of a product pusher device;

determining a product movement activity type based on characteristics of the at least one sensor signal, the product movement activity type being selected from a group of product movement activity types that includes removal of a product from the product pusher device; and

generating a pusher activity message indicating the product movement activity type for transmission via a wireless communications interface;

receiving ping signals, each ping signal comprising a unique identifier corresponding to an originating ping node;

receiving user input indicating a count of products present in the product pusher device;

determining a current pusher deflection distance based on the at least one sensor signal;

calibrating a monitoring device for the size of a single product based on the current pusher deflection distance and the count of products; and

monitoring a state of a magnetically actuated switch and entering a calibration mode based on the state of the magnetically actuated switch.