Systems and methods for arranging sensors to monitor merchandise conditions at or near shelves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017344935-A1
Application number	US-201715602220-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2017
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring the conditions of merchandise on shelves at a shopping facility. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for monitoring merchandise on shelves including: a shelf comprising a bottom surface and side surfaces and configured to support merchandise; a first array of sensors arranged on the bottom surface of the shelf and configured to measure at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, and moisture; a second array of sensors arranged on one or more side surfaces of the shelf and configured to measure at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, and moisture; and at least one interface operatively coupled to the first and second arrays of sensors, the at least one interface configured to transmit sensor data from the first and second arrays to a central computing system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for monitoring merchandise on shelves comprising:
a shelf comprising a bottom surface and at least one side surface and configured to support merchandise; a first array of sensors arranged on the bottom surface of the shelf and configured to measure at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, and moisture; a second array of sensors arranged on the at least one side surface of the shelf and configured to measure at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, and moisture; and at least one interface operatively coupled to the first and second arrays of sensors, the at least one interface configured to transmit sensor data from the first and second arrays to a central computing system.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first array of sensors comprises a plurality of individual strips defining a grid extending along the bottom surface of the shelf

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first array of sensors is formed of piezoelectric material and is configured to measure weight, pressure, temperature, and moisture at predetermined locations along the bottom surface of the shelf.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second array of sensors is disposed at predetermined vertical positions along the at least one side surface of the shelf.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the second array of sensors comprises a plurality of individual strips defining a grid extending along the at least one side surface of the shelf.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first array or second array of sensors comprises at least one gas emission sensor.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one interface comprises an RFID device with a memory having a predetermined number of bits equaling the number of sensors in the first array of sensors; and each bit corresponds to a sensor in the first array of sensors.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third array of sensors disposed at predetermined vertical positions.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the third array of sensors is disposed at a top surface of the shelf.

10 . The system of claim 8 wherein the third array of sensors comprises one or more optical sensors.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more optical sensors comprise one or more charge-coupled devices (CCD) configured to identify the type or orientation of merchandise based on at least one of barcode labels, RFID tags, text recognition, or color recognition.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the central computing system is configured to analyze the sensor data and determine shelf inventory, a liquid spill, a measured temperature exceeding a temperature threshold, or improper or misplaced merchandise on the shelf.

13 . A method for monitoring merchandise on shelves comprising:
providing a shelf comprising a bottom surface and at least one side surface and configured to support merchandise; by a first array of sensors, measuring at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, or moisture at predetermined locations along the bottom surface of the shelf; by a second array of sensors, measuring at least one of weight, pressure, temperature, or moisture at predetermined locations along at least one side surface of the shelf; and by at least one interface, transmitting sensor data from the first and second arrays to a central computing system.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first array of sensors is arranged as individual strips defining a grid extending along the bottom surface of the shelf.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second array of sensors is disposed at predetermined vertical positions along at least one side surface of the shelf.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, by a third array of sensors, identifying the type or orientation of merchandise based on at least one of barcode labels, RFID tags, text recognition, or color recognition.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the third array of sensors comprises one or more optical sensors disposed at predetermined vertical positions.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising transmitting sensor data from the first, second, and third sensors to a central computing system.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising analyzing sensor data and determining shelf inventory, a liquid spill, a measured temperature exceeding a temperature threshold, or improper or misplaced merchandise on the shelf.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Mattingly Todd D
• Winkle David C
• Wilkinson Bruce W

Classifications

• G06K17/0022

  arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L) · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title