Systems and methods for monitoring location of products on shelves at a retail sales facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9984355-B2
Application number	US-201715437763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2017
Priority date	Feb 25, 2016
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods of monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility include at least one torque measurement sensor proximate at least one mounting location of a shelf on a sales floor of the retail facility. The torque measurement sensor is configured to measure a torque exerted by at least one product located on the shelf relative to a fulcrum of the shelf, and to send a signal to an electronic inventory management device including a processor-based control unit. The control unit of the electronic inventory management device is configured to receive electronic data associated with the at least one product and to estimate a weight distribution of the at least one product on the shelf based on the received electronic data and the measured torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility, the system comprising:
at least one torque measurement sensor proximate at least one mounting location of a shelf on a sales floor of the retail facility, the at least one torque measurement sensor being configured to measure a torque exerted by at least one product located on the shelf relative to a fulcrum of the shelf and to send a signal to an electronic inventory management device including a processor-based control unit;
wherein the control unit is configured to receive electronic data associated with the at least one product and estimate a weight distribution of the at least one product on the shelf based on the received electronic data and the measured torque;
wherein the control unit is further configured to correlate the measured torque to a predetermined threshold torque value associated with the at least one product on the shelf and stored in an electronic database in communication with the electronic inventory management device; and
wherein the control unit is further configured to estimate a position of the at least one product on the shelf in response to a determination by the control unit that the measured torque value is below the predetermined threshold torque value stored in the electronic database.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf is mounted via at least one top hook and at least one bottom hook, and further comprising one torque measurement sensor proximate the at least one bottom hook and no torque measurement sensor proximate the at least one top hook.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf is mounted via at least one top hook and at least one bottom hook, and further comprising one torque measurement sensor proximate each of the top and bottom hooks.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine a distance of the at least one product on the shelf relative to the at least one torque measurement sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
determine an estimated position of the at least one product on the shelf based on at least the received electronic data and the signal received from the torque measurement sensor;
determine that the estimated position of the at least one product on the shelf supports moving the at least one product on the shelf further away from a rear end of the shelf and closer to a front end of the shelf; and
generate an alert indicating that the at least one product on the shelf is to be moved further away from a rear end of the shelf and closer to a front end of the shelf.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine, based on at least the signal received from the torque measurement sensor, that the at least one product was removed from the shelf, and to generate an alert indicating that at least one product identical to the at least one product removed from the shelf is to be brought from a stock room and placed on the shelf to replace the at least one product removed from the shelf.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one torque measurement sensor is configured to send the signal to the electronic inventory management device at regular predetermined time intervals.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate at least one of a visual and audible alert at the electronic inventory management device and to transmit the at least one of a visual and audible alert to a product scanning device of a worker at the retail sales facility.

9. A method of monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility, the method comprising:
providing at least one torque measurement sensor proximate at least one mounting location of a shelf on a sales floor of the retail facility;
measuring, via the at least one torque measurement sensor, a torque exerted by at least one product located on the shelf relative to a fulcrum;
sending a signal from the at least one torque measurement sensor to an electronic inventory management device including a processor-based control unit;
receiving electronic data associated with the at least one product and estimating a weight distribution of the at least one product on the shelf based on the received electronic data and the measured torque;
wherein the measuring step further comprises correlating the measured torque to a predetermined threshold torque value associated with the at least one product on the shelf and stored in an electronic database in communication with the electronic inventory management device; and
wherein the estimating step further comprises estimating a position of the at least one product on the shelf in response to determining by the control unit, that the measured torque is below the predetermined threshold torque value stored in the electronic database.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the shelf is mounted via at least one top hook and at least one bottom hook, and wherein the providing step further comprises providing one torque measurement sensor proximate the at least one bottom hook and no torque measurement sensor proximate the at least one top hook.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the shelf is mounted via at least one top hook and at least one bottom hook, and wherein the providing step further comprises providing one torque measurement sensor proximate each of the top and bottom hooks.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the estimating step further comprises determining a distance of the at least one product on the shelf relative to the at least one torque measurement sensor.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the estimating step further comprises:
determining an estimated position of the at least one product on the shelf based on at least the received electronic data and the signal received from the torque measurement sensor;
determining that the estimated position of the at least one product on the shelf supports moving the at least one product on the shelf further away from a rear end of the shelf and closer to a front end of the shelf; and
generating an alert indicating that the at least one product on the shelf is to be moved further away from a rear end of the shelf and closer to a front end of the shelf.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining step further comprises determining, based on processing of at least the signal received from the torque measurement sensor by the control unit, that the at least one product was removed from the shelf, and generating an alert indicating that at least one product identical to the at least one product removed from the shelf is to be brought from a stock room and placed on the shelf to replace the at least one product removed from the shelf.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sending step further comprises sending the signal from the at least one torque measurement sensor to the electronic inventory management device at regular predetermined time intervals.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the generating an alert further comprises generating at least one of a visual and audible alert at the electronic inventory management device and transmitting the at least one of a visual and audible alert to a product scanning device of a worker at the retail sales facility.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Jones Matthew A
• Jones Nicholaus A
• Taylor Robert J

Classifications

• G08B21/24

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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