Supply chain management using item detection system

• US 20030222762A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kubach, Uwe, Decker, Christian, Beigl, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.92
• 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 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• 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

Abstract

A system to monitor item placement and item movement on surfaces includes an identification system embedded in one or more surfaces and a computer. The identification system periodically scans the surfaces to generate data related to items placed on the surfaces. The data includes item type, item location on each surface, and number of items placed on each surface. The computer receives and processes the data to monitor item placement and item movement on the surfaces.

Claims

1. A system to monitor item placement and item movement on surfaces, the system comprising:

an identification system embedded in one or more surfaces and operable to generate data related to items placed on the surfaces by periodically scanning the surfaces, the data including item type, item location on each surface, and number of items placed on each surface; and

a computer configured to receive and process the data to monitor item placement and item movement on the surfaces.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the item type includes one or more of an individual item number, an item name, an item manufacturer name, or an item product name.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification system is an RF-ID system that allows generation of the item-related data by scanning items placed on the surfaces, the items each including an RF-ID tag.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the RF-ID system includes a set of inductor coils embedded in the surfaces that are energized during the scanning.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the RF-ID system includes one or more reader microprocessor units and RF-ID tag readers that generate the item-related data by selectively energizing the set of inductor coils.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the scanning is continuous so as to provide item-related data that may be used to monitor item placement and movement on the surfaces in real-time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the surfaces are surfaces of one or more shelves.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer provides a user interface that displays a graphical representation of one of the surfaces and the items on the surface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the items are products in a store or in a warehouse and the surfaces are the surfaces of one or more store shelves or warehouse shelves.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer generates a message when the number of items placed on the surfaces of store shelves or warehouse shelves decreases below a predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the message is an out-of-stock message and the items are all associated with a specific item manufacturer name or item product name.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer determines whether items are correctly placed on portions of the surfaces of warehouse shelves or store shelves assigned to carry the items by comparing the item location on the surfaces of the shelves with shelf assignment data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer generates a message when a number of items incorrectly placed on the surfaces of store shelves or warehouse shelves increases above a predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer processes the item-related data to determine an item placement on the surfaces of shelves that increases item sales.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer generates a message when an event relating to item movement on the surfaces of shelves occurs.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the event corresponds to an item being removed from the surface of a store shelf and neither bought nor put back on the shelf.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the event corresponds to items being moved from the surfaces of shelves in response to changing the price of the items.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer provides the item-related data to a content based messaging network and updates the item-related data in real-time based on repeated scanning of the surfaces of the shelves.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the item-related data is accessible to a manufacturer or a distribution center associated with the store or the warehouse.

20. A system comprising:

an RF-ID item identification system operable to periodically generate data related to placement and movement of items in one or more supply chain nodes,

a supply chain management system configured to receive and process the data to monitor inventory or customer behavior in the one or more supply chain nodes.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the data is generated in real time.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the supply chain node comprises a retail store and the items are goods in the store.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the items comprise goods on shelves in the store.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the supply chain node comprises a warehouse.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the items comprise goods on shelves in the warehouse.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the placement and movement of items includes placement and movement of items on shelves.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the RF-ID item identification system includes multiple RF-ID systems, each embedded in a shelf.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein each RF-ID system includes one or more master reader microprocessors each communicating with a plurality of slave reader microprocessors.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein the supply chain management system includes a computer that receives the data and publishes it to a content-based messaging network.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein a manufacturer or distribution center may access the data in real-time by subscribing to receive the data from the content-based messaging network.

31. A system comprising:

a content based messaging network;

an identification system embedded in one or more surfaces and operable to generate data related to items placed on the surfaces by periodically scanning the surfaces, the data including item type, item location on each surface, and number of items placed on each surface;

a first computer configured to receive, process, and periodically publish the data to the content based messaging network, the first computer associated with a first supply chain node; and

a second computer configured to periodically receive the data from the content based messaging network, the second computer associated with a second supply chain node.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first supply chain node is a retailer and the second supply chain node is a manufacturer or distribution center.