Automated vending inventory management apparatuses and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for displaying products for sale, comprising:
- a wall with a plurality of holes drilled through it at predetermined intervals;
one or more storage containers configured to store a plurality of products;
fasteners sufficient to secure the one or more storage containers to the wall through the drilled holes; and
wherein the one or more storage containers further comprise two or more pins configured to hold the products in place, wherein the pins are substantially perpendicular to the storage containers and the pins are oriented on the storage containers to account for a shape of the products,and wherein the one or more storage containers are marked with one or more indicia readable by at least one of a sensor or camera associated with a robot.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for managing inventory within a vending apparatus are disclosed. The vending apparatus includes a robot, which is configured to include a camera or a sensor. The vending apparatus contains one or more storage containers filled with items for sale, and the one or more storage containers may include indicia that are readable by the robot and provide information to outside parties. The robot is configured to monitor the items for sale within the vending apparatus, as well as the level of inventory within each storage container. The vending apparatus may transmit information relating to its included items for sale to an external server, where maintenance and refreshment operations can be implemented in an efficient, cost-effective manner.
78 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for displaying products for sale, comprising:
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a wall with a plurality of holes drilled through it at predetermined intervals; one or more storage containers configured to store a plurality of products; fasteners sufficient to secure the one or more storage containers to the wall through the drilled holes; and wherein the one or more storage containers further comprise two or more pins configured to hold the products in place, wherein the pins are substantially perpendicular to the storage containers and the pins are oriented on the storage containers to account for a shape of the products, and wherein the one or more storage containers are marked with one or more indicia readable by at least one of a sensor or camera associated with a robot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vending apparatus for facilitating sale of products in a retail environment, comprising:
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a wall with a plurality of holes drilled through it at predetermined intervals; one or more storage containers configured to store a plurality of products; fasteners sufficient to secure the one or more storage containers to the wall through the drilled holes; a robot comprising at least one of a camera or a sensor; a delivery opening configured to provide a product to the user; a housing substantially enclosing the wall, one or more storage containers, and robot; and a user interface device configured to facilitate payment by a consumer for a product stored within a storage container within the vending apparatus, wherein the one or more storage containers are marked with one or more indicia readable by the at least one camera or sensor associated with the robot, wherein the one or more storage containers further comprise two or more pins configured to hold the products in place, wherein the pins are substantially perpendicular to the storage containers and the pins are oriented on the storage containers to account for a shape of the products. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for managing inventory within a vending apparatus, comprising:
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placing one or more storage containers containing a predetermined number of one or more types of items for sale within the vending apparatus; configuring one or more indicia associated with each of the one or more storage containers readable by a camera or sensor associated with a robot; determining an initial position of the predetermined number of items for sale within each of the one or more storage containers; associating the determined initial positions with the configured indicia associated with each of the one or more storage containers; reading, by the camera or sensor associated with the robot, each of the configured indicia associated with each of the one or more storage containers; determining, by the camera or sensor associated with the robot, an updated position of the items for sale within each of the one or more storage containers; determining at least one of a number of items for sale remaining or a number of items recently restocked within each of the one or more storage containers based on the determined initial position and determined updated position of the items for sale within the storage containers; and transmitting information relating to the vending apparatus to a remote server. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification