Systems and methods to track commercial product slotting events at warehouses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018374044-A1
Application number	US-201816011924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some embodiments, system and methods are provided herein useful to assess commercial product slotting events. In some embodiments, systems are provided to assess commercial product slotting events, and comprises: warehouse slots each configured to hold commercial products to be sold, a first identifier positioned proximate to each warehouse slot, and sensors positioned proximate to the slot and configured to communicate sensor data to control circuits. The control circuits use a sensor to captured images of a second identifier positioned on a commercial product when the commercial product undergoes a positional event. The control circuits can use sensor data to confirm an association between the first identifier and the second identifier. The one or more control circuits generate a notification of the positional event, wherein the positional event is either the placement of the commercial product in the slot or the removal of the commercial product from the slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system to track commercial item slotting events at a warehouse, comprising:
a database of information comprising identifying information corresponding to a warehouse slot located at the warehouse and a plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot; the warehouse slot configured to hold a commercial item of the plurality of commercial items and comprising:
a first identifier disposed thereto and uniquely identifying the warehouse slot;
a first sensor disposed thereto and configured to capture an image of the warehouse slot;
a second sensor disposed thereto and configured to collect data regarding a presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot, the commercial item uniquely identified by a second identifier disposed thereto, the collected data comprising a weight value corresponding to the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot; and
a control circuit communicatively coupled to the database, the first sensor, and the second sensor, the control circuit configured to:
cause the first sensor to capture the image of the warehouse slot;
cause the second sensor to collect the data;
confirm the presence of the first identifier and the second identifier in the captured image by identifying a first image and a second image included in the captured image, the first image having a threshold number of visual relationships with the first identifier, the second image having a threshold number of visual relationships with the second identifier;
use the first identifier, the second identifier, and the collected data to confirm that the identifying information dictates that the commercial item is included in the plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot; and
generate a notification comprising information corresponding to the confirmation.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein
the warehouse slot further comprises a third sensor disposed thereto and configured to capture a motion event that occurs at the warehouse slot; and the control circuit is configured to cause the second sensor to collect the data when the motion event is captured.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the first sensor to capture the image when the motion event is captured.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
cause the third sensor to capture a second motion event that occurs at the warehouse; cause the second sensor to collect second data when the second motion event is captured; compare the data to the second data to confirm an absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot; and generate a turnover rate for the commercial item when the absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot is confirmed.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate an inventory record of the commercial item when the absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot is confirmed.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein in confirming that the identifying information dictates that the commercial item is included in the plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot the control circuit is configured to:
convert the captured image to a plurality of machine-readable character strings; and identify a first character string and a second character string each included in the plurality of machine-readable character strings and having a threshold number of visual relationships to the first identifier and the second identifier, respectively.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein in generating the notification the control circuit is configured to generate an error notification when it is not confirmed that the identifying information dictates that the commercial item is included in the plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot.

8 . A method of tracking commercial item slotting events at a warehouse, comprising:
causing, via a control circuit, a first sensor to capture an image of a warehouse slot, the warehouse slot comprising a first identifier disposed thereto and uniquely identifying the warehouse slot, the warehouse slot located at the warehouse, the warehouse slot configured to hold a plurality of commercial items; causing, via the control circuit, a second sensor to capture data regarding a presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot, the commercial item uniquely identified by a second identifier disposed thereto, the collected data comprising a weight value corresponding to the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot; confirming, via the control circuit, the presence of the first identifier and the second identifier in the captured image by identifying a first image and a second image included in the captured image, the first image having a threshold amount of visual relationships with the first identifier, the second image having a threshold amount of visual relationships with the second identifier; using, via the control circuit, the first identifier, the second identifier, and the collected data to confirm that identifying information dictates that the commercial item is included in the plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot, the identifying information stored in a database of information comprising identifying information corresponding to the warehouse slot located at the warehouse and a plurality commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot; and generating, via the control circuit, a notification comprising information corresponding to the confirmation.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the second sensor to capture the data comprises:
causing, via the control circuit, a third sensor to capture a motion event that occurs at the warehouse slot; causing, via the control circuit, the second sensor to capture the data when the motion event is captured.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein causing the first sensor to capture the image comprises causing, via the control circuit, the first sensor to capture the image when the motion event is captured.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
causing, via the control circuit, the third sensor to capture a second motion event that occurs at the warehouse slot; causing, via the control circuit, the second sensor to capture second data regarding a presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot when the second motion event is captured; comparing, via the control circuit, the data to the second data to confirm an absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot; and generating, via the control circuit, a turnover rate for the commercial item when the absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot is confirmed.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, via the control circuit, an inventory record of the commercial item when the absence of the presence of the commercial item at the warehouse slot is confirmed.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein confirming that the identifying information dictates that the commercial item is included in the plurality of commercial items assigned for temporary storage in the warehouse slot comprises:
converting, via the control circuit, the captured image to a plurality of machine-readable character strings; and identifying, via the control circuit, a first character string and a second character string each included in the plurality of ma

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bryan Greg A
• Mattingly Todd D
• Enssle Benjamin D
• Brooks Cristy C
• Winkle David C
• Wilkinson Bruce W

Classifications

• G06Q10/0875 Primary

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• H04N7/188

  Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position (signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253) · CPC title