Methods for assigning traceability information to and retrieving traceability information from a store shelf

• US 9,384,460 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Grant, Elliott, Carr, J. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/912,447
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/383, 705/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A shelf code in a machine readable format, such as on a QR code on a printed card, is provided where bulk merchandise displayed in a bin. When the bin is stocked from a case bearing a case code, the case code is associated with the shelf code. Lot-specific and lot-independent information previously associated with the case code is then linked to the shelf code. Consumers scan the shelf code with a mobile device to establish a communication channel to access the linked information. Retailers and producers use the channel to reach the consumer, and to solicit feedback from the consumer at a known time and location. A mobile device can also be used to associate quality assessments of merchandise to the shelf code. Analysis of consumer ratings and quality inspection assessments that are tied to time and location can provide valuable insights to both producers and retailers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving merchandise containing produce from a producer in a case, the case bearing a case label including a case code identifying a plurality of the merchandise, the case code comprising both a Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN) and a lot code, wherein the lot code is associated with a set of data comprising lot-specific information, wherein the lot-specific product information includes data pertaining to at least one of a lot of land from which the produce was grown, environment condition during harvesting of the produce, property name from which the produce was grown, type of seed, or fertilizer applications;

providing a shelf label including a shelf code identifying a single merchandise of the plurality of the merchandise, wherein the shelf code is different from the lot code and contains information pertaining to a price of the single merchandise;

stocking a bin with the merchandise from the case;

reading the shelf code with a scanning device;

reading the case code with the scanning device by scanning the case code disposed on the case; and

associating the shelf code to the case code such that scanning the shelf code provides information pertaining to the case code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the shelf label includes printing the shelf label, including the shelf code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the shelf label includes receiving a pre-printed label including the shelf code and further printing upon the pre-printed label.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the shelf label includes

receiving a pre-printed sticker including the shelf code,

printing a label, and

adhering the sticker to the label.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning device is a mobile scanning device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating additional information with the shelf code.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein associating the additional information with the shelf code includes querying a database using at least some of the case code.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein querying the database includes sending the lot code.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising rating a quality of the bulk merchandise in the bin and associating the rating to the shelf code.

10. A method comprising:

receiving merchandise containing produce from a producer in a case, the case bearing a case label including a case code identifying a plurality of the merchandise, the case code comprising a unique serial number linked to a stock-keeping unit (SKU) and production information in a remote database, wherein the production information includes data pertaining to at least one of a lot of land from which the produce was grown, environment condition during harvesting of the produce, property name from which the produce was grown, type of seed, or fertilizer applications;

providing a shelf label including a shelf code identifying a single merchandise of the plurality of the merchandise, wherein the shelf code is different from the lot code and contains information pertaining to a price of the single merchandise;

stocking a bin with the merchandise from the case

stocking a bin with the merchandise from the case;

reading the shelf code with a scanning device;

reading the case code with the scanning device by scanning the case code disposed on the case; and

associating the shelf code to the case code.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing the shelf label includes printing the shelf label, including the shelf code.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein providing the shelf label includes receiving a pre-printed label including the shelf code and further printing upon the pre-printed label.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein providing the shelf label includes

receiving a pre-printed sticker including the shelf code,

printing a label, and

adhering the sticker to the label.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the scanning device is a mobile scanning device.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising associating additional information with the shelf code.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein associating the additional information with the shelf code includes querying a database using at least some of the case code.