Cooler inventory management system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products, comprising:
- a shelf;
said plurality of products positioned on said shelf;
said shelf comprising a first end;
each of said plurality of products being accessible through said first end without restriction;
an optical sensor positioned about said first end of said shelf; and
a controller functionally connected to said optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of said plurality of products from said first end of said shelf and to track the insertion of one of said plurality of products into said first end of said shelf.
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Abstract
An apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products. The apparatus includes a shelf with a plurality of products positioned thereon. The shelf has a first end with an optical sensor positioned thereabout. A controller is functionally connected to the optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of the products from the first end of the shelf and to track the insertion of one of the products into the first end of the shelf.
51 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products, comprising:
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a shelf;
said plurality of products positioned on said shelf;
said shelf comprising a first end;
each of said plurality of products being accessible through said first end without restriction;
an optical sensor positioned about said first end of said shelf; and
a controller functionally connected to said optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of said plurality of products from said first end of said shelf and to track the insertion of one of said plurality of products into said first end of said shelf. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products, comprising:
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a gravity-assisted product slide;
said plurality of products positioned within said slide;
said slide comprising a first end, a lower part of said first end, and an upper part of said first end;
each of said plurality of products being accessible through said first end without restriction;
a lower optical sensor positioned about said lower part of said first end of said slide;
an upper optical sensor positioned about said upper part of said first end of said slide; and
a controller functionally connected to said lower optical sensor and to said upper optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of said plurality of products from said first end of said slide and to track the insertion of one of said plurality of products into said first end of said slide. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for tracking a number of products on a product slide, comprising the steps of:
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positioning a first optical sensor along a first part of said product slide;
positioning a second optical sensor along a second part of said product slide;
positioning said number of products on said product slide;
each of said number of products being accessible between said first part and said second part without restriction;
monitoring when said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor change state;
said monitoring step comprises determining whether said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor are blocked or open; and
determining when said products are removed from said product slide and when said products are inserted into said product slide based upon said change of state. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for tracking a number of products on a product slide, comprising the steps of:
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positioning a first optical sensor along a first part of said product slide;
positioning a second optical sensor along a second part of said product slide;
positioning said number of products on said product slide;
each of said number of products being accessible between said first part and said second part without restriction;
monitoring when said first optical sensor and said second optical sensor are blocked or open; and
determining when said products are removed from between said first part and said second part of said product slide and when said products are inserted between said first part and said second part of said product slide based said monitoring step. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification