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

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.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to managing products at retail sales facilities and in particular, to monitoring relative positions of products on display shelves at retail sales facilities.

BACKGROUND

Workers at retail sales facilities such as large department stores typically perform different tasks related to inventory management and stocking. One such task revolves around zoning product-displaying shelves on the sales floor of the retail sales facility to move the products that remain on the shelves (after the consumers purchase some of the products) toward the front end of the shelves so that the products are most visible and accessible to the consumers. For example, if multiple units of a product are taken off a front end of the shelf by the consumers and purchased, the products that remain on the shelf would be located at the rear end of the shelf and not as visible to subsequent consumers. Accordingly, zoning of shelves at a retail sales facility by moving remaining products toward the front end of the shelves improves product visibility and facilitates the sales of more products.

One disadvantage of conventional product management systems is that they do not indicate which shelves on the sales floor of the retail sales facilities need zoning, requiring workers at the retail sales facility to walk around the sales floor to visually monitor all of the shelves on the sales floor, and to zone the shelves, when appropriate. Given that a sales floor of a given retail sales facility may have thousands of shelves and hundreds of thousands of products, finding shelves that need to be zoned is a very time consuming task and requires substantial worker time resources, increasing operational costs for retail sales facilities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Generally speaking, this application describes systems and methods of monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility via 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 products located on the shelf relative to a fulcrum of the shelf, and to send a signal to an electronic device configured to receive electronic data associated with the products and to estimate a weight distribution of the products on the shelf based on the received electronic data and the measured torque.

In one embodiment, a system for monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility includes 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; and 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.

In another embodiment, a method of monitoring product placement on shelves at a retail sales facility includes: 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; and 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.

FIG. 1shows a system100for monitoring product positions on shelves on a sales floor105of at a retail sales facility110according to some embodiments. The system100may be utilized in a single retail sales facility110(e.g., brick-and-mortar location where consumer products are sold and/or stocked), or may extend across multiple retail sales facilities110. It will be appreciated that the system100may be utilized not only for monitoring the positions of products on product display locations such as shelves on the sales floor105of the retail sales facility110, but also for monitoring products in product storage locations such as shelves in a stock room of the retail sales facility110.

The exemplary system100ofFIG. 1includes an electronic inventory management device120. The electronic inventory management device120facilitates the management of the inventory of products190at the retail sales facility110, and the monitoring of the positioning of and the zoning of products190on shelves170on the sales floor105of the retail sales facility110, based on electronic data obtained from other electronic devices at the retail sales facility110, including but not limited to inventory management database130, user interface device140, and torque measurement sensors150, which will be discussed in more detail below. The term “zoning” will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art as the process of pulling products190, which remain on the shelf after some products are purchased by the consumers, toward the front end of the shelf170in order to make the products that remain on the shelf better visible to the consumers and easier to access by the consumers when looking at a shelf and standing next to the shelf.

The electronic inventory management device120ofFIG. 1may be a stationary or portable electronic device, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, a mobile phone, or any other electronic device including a processor-based control circuit (i.e., control unit). The electronic inventory management device120may include and/or couple to one or more wired and/or wireless distributed communication network115(e.g., wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), Internet, cellular, other such networks, and combinations of such networks. The electronic inventory management device120is configured for data entry and one-way and/or two-way communication via the communication network115with, for example, an inventory management database130, a user interface device140, torque measurement sensors150, and/or any other computing device located at the retail sales facility110or remote to the retail sales facility110(e.g., regional server). It will be appreciated that the electronic inventory management device120may be implemented as one computing device or a series of computing devices in wired or wireless communication with one another.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the system100includes an inventory management database130configured to store electronic information associated with the products at the retail sales facility, torque measurement data generated by and obtained from torque measurement sensors150at the retail sales facility110, worker tasks generated based on the torque measurement data obtained and processed by the electronic inventory management device120, unique identifiers of the torque measurement sensors150, and electronic data associating locations of shelves170with each of the torque measurement sensors150, as well as predetermined threshold torque values associated with each of the products190stored on shelves170on the sales floor105of the retail sales facility110.

While the inventory management database130is shown inFIG. 1as being separate from the electronic inventory management device120and in communication with the electronic inventory management device120via the communication network115, it will be appreciated that the inventory management database130may be physically incorporated into and/or be electrically coupled (e.g., via a cable) to the electronic inventory management device120. In addition, while one inventory management database130is shown inFIG. 1, the inventory management database130may include two or more separate databases, for example, a product inventory database and a torque measurement values database.

The inventory management database130may be stored, for example, on non-volatile storage media (e.g., a hard drive, flash drive, or removable optical disk) internal to or external to relative to the electronic inventory management device120. The inventory management database130may be stored on one or more servers or may be cloud-based. In some embodiments, the electronic data stored in the inventory management database130may be received from the electronic inventory management device120. In some embodiments, the electronic data stored in the inventory management database130may be transmitted to the inventory management database130from other devices such as torque measurement sensors150.

In some embodiments, the electronic inventory management device120is in communication via the network115with one or more user interface devices140. The user interface device140can be any electronic device configured for wired and/or wireless communication with the electronic inventory management device120and/or any other electronic device at the retail sales facility110. The user interface devices140allow a user (e.g., a worker at the retail sales facility110) to communicate with the electronic inventory management device120to receive and/or transmit information relevant to locations of products190on the shelves170on the sales floor105of the retail sales facility110, and tasks to be performed by workers at the retail sales facility110relative to the products190. For example, in some embodiments, the user interface device140of a worker may receive alerts relating to variations in positions of products190on the shelves170on the sales floor105and/or alerts relating to tasks to be performed by the worker. The user interface device140may include but is not limited to a smart phone, cell phone, tablet, laptop, retail sales facility-specific wireless communication devices (e.g., electronic hand-held product scanners), or the like.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, the exemplary system100includes one or more torque measurement sensors150positioned proximate one or more mounting locations of product-containing shelves170on the sales floor105of the retail sales facility110. The torque measurement sensors150are configured to measure a torque (i.e., force) exerted by the products190displayed on the shelves170to the consumers. The torque measurement sensors150are also configured to send signals via the communication network115to the electronic inventory management device120and/or the inventory management database130and/or the user interface devices140. Such signals may include electronic data representing torque values measured by torque measurement sensors150.

The torque measurement sensors150may be configured to continuously transmit signals including torque measurement data to the electronic inventory management device120to provide real-time torque values for each product-containing shelf170at the retail sales facility110. Alternatively, the torque measurement sensors150may be configured to intermittently transmit signals including torque measurement data to the electronic inventory management device120to provide torque values for each shelf170at the retail sales facility110at regular predetermined time intervals, for example, every minute, every two minutes, every 5 minutes, every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, every 1 hour. The predetermined time intervals may also be irregular in some embodiments. Each of the torque measurement sensors150preferably includes a unique identifier that identifies the shelf170that is associated with the torque measurement sensor150. The electronic data representing the unique identifiers of the torque measurement sensors150and indicating the association of each torque measurement sensor150with a specific shelf170on the sales floor105may be stored in the inventory management database130. As such, when torque measurement data from a torque measurement sensor150is received in the inventory management database130, the torque measurement data is associated with the identifier of the torque measurement sensor150and with the physical location of the shelf where the torque measurement sensor150is installed.

FIG. 2shows a simplified block diagram of an exemplary electronic inventory management device120, in accordance with some embodiments. The electronic inventory management device120includes one or more processor-based control circuits or control unit210, memory204, and input/output (I/O) interfaces208. The electronic inventory management device120also includes one or more user interfaces206that allows users to interact with the inventory management database130, user interface device140, and/or torque measurement sensors150.

In some embodiments, the control unit210includes one or more processors and/or microprocessors. The control unit210couples with and/or includes the memory204. Generally, the memory204stores the operational code or set of instructions that is executed by the control unit210and/or processor to implement the functionality of the electronic inventory management device120. It is understood that the control unit210may be implemented as one or more processor devices as are well known in the art. Similarly, the memory204may be implemented as one or more memory devices as are well known in the art, such as one or more processor readable and/or computer readable media and can include volatile and/or nonvolatile media, such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory and/or other memory technology. In some embodiments, the control unit210comprises a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or can comprise a partially or wholly programmable platform. These architectural options are well known and understood in the art and require no further description here. The control unit210can be configured (for example, by using corresponding programming as will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and/or functions described herein.

While the memory204is shown as internal to the electronic inventory management device120, the memory204can be internal, external or a combination of internal and external memory. Also, the electronic inventory management device120may include a power supply (not shown) or it may receive power from an external source. In some instances, the control unit210and the memory204may be integrated together, such as in a microcontroller, application specification integrated circuit, field programmable gate array or other such device, or may be separate devices coupled together.

The one or more I/O interfaces208allow wired and/or wireless communication coupling of the electronic inventory management device120to external components, such as inventory management database130, user interface device140, and/or torque measurement sensors150, and other components of the system100. Accordingly, the I/O interfaces208may include any known wired and/or wireless interfacing device, circuit and/or connecting device. For example, in some implementations, the I/O interface208includes one or more transceivers, receivers, and/or transmitters that provide wireless communication in accordance with one or more wireless protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio frequency (RF), cellular, other such wireless communication, or combinations of such communication).

The user interface206of the electronic inventory management device120can include substantially any known input device, such one or more buttons, knobs, selectors, switches, keys, touch input surfaces and/or displays, etc. Additionally, the user interface206may include one or more output display devices, such as lights, visual indicators, display screens, etc. to convey to a user any information relating to positions or products190on shelves170at the retail sales facility110and/or worker tasks associated therewith. WhileFIG. 2illustrates the exemplary components of the electronic inventory management device120being coupled together via a bus, it is understood that the components may actually be coupled to the control unit210and/or one or more other components directly.

In some embodiments, the electronic inventory management device120is configured to receive, from a torque measurement sensor150mounted proximate a mounting location of a shelf170on a sales floor105of the retail facility110, torque measurement sensor data indicating the torque exerted by one or more products190located on the shelf170relative to a fulcrum of the shelf170. In some embodiments, based on such torque measurement sensor data received from the torque measurement sensor150, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device is programmed to estimate a weight distribution of one or more products190on the shelf170. In some embodiments, the torque measurement sensor data is stored on the inventory management database130and may be obtained by the electronic inventory management device120as a result of the control unit210sending a signal including a request for the torque measurement sensor data associated with one or more shelves170to be retrieved from the inventory management database130and/or another electronic database.

In some embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to correlate torque measurement sensor data, generated by a torque measurement sensor150associated with a given shelf170on the sales floor105to a predetermined threshold torque value associated with one or more products190on that shelf170. Such predetermined threshold torque values may be stored on (and retrieved by the control unit210from) the inventory management database130and/or another electronic database. As discussed above, the inventory management database130may store known threshold torque values associated with each product190displayed on sales floor shelves170of the retail sales facility110. The optimal space on a shelf170for displaying a product190to consumers is usually the front-most space (i.e., space at the front end of the shelf170).

A product190positioned at the front end of a shelf170exerts a higher amount of torque on the fulcrum of the shelf170(which is mounted to a support structure at its rear edge) as compared to any of the other positions of that product190between the front and rear ends of the shelf170. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the predetermined threshold torque value associated with each product190on a shelf170is the torque value exerted by the product190when in the optimal position for being displayed on that shelf170to the consumers. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold torque value associated with the shelf170is the total torque value exerted by all of the products190positioned on that shelf170when initially stocked for display to consumers and before any of the products190are purchased by the consumers. As such, this predetermined threshold torque value represents the torque on the shelf170at maximum on-shelf-availability of the products190on the shelf170.

When consumers remove a product190from a shelf on the sales floor105, the torque on the shelf170exerted by the products190on the fulcrum of the shelf170decreases. Accordingly, if the torque measurement sensor data received at the electronic inventory management device120a given point in time from the torque measurement sensor150associated with that shelf170indicates a torque value below the predetermined threshold torque value, the control unit210is programmed to interpret this value as an indication that one or more products190have been removed from the shelf170by the consumers during the preceding time interval. In some embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to determine, in response to an indication of a torque value below or above the predetermined threshold torque value that the shelf170contains an incorrect product190that does not belong on the shelf170. For example, if all the correct products190that are to be displayed on the shelf170are identical and each have a predetermined threshold torque value of 2 ounce (oz)-inch (in), and a product190located on the shelf170was determined to exert a torque of 1 oz-in, then the control unit210is programmed to interpret the value of 1 oz-in as an indication that an incorrect product190has been displayed on the shelf170, and to generate an alert instructing a worker at the retail sales facility110to remove the incorrect product190from the shelf170. In another example, if the predetermined total threshold value for all the correct products190displayed on the shelf170is 20 oz-in, and the total torque value was determined to be 25 oz-in, then the control unit210is programmed to interpret the value of 25 oz-in as an indication that an incorrect product190has been displayed on the shelf170, and to generate an alert instructing the worker to remove the incorrect product190from the shelf170

Consumers typically first remove the product that is closest to their reach and easiest to take off the shelf170, i.e., the product190having the front-most (i.e., closest to the front end) position on the shelf170. As a result, the remaining and now first available product190on the shelf is further away from the front end of the shelf170, and is less visible and harder to reach for the consumers than the product190that was removed from the shelf170by the consumer for purchase. In addition, when consumers remove products190from a shelf170on the sales floor105, they sometimes remove more than one product190, and sometimes inadvertently shift other products190on the shelf170while attempting to reach and grab their product190of interest.

To enable the electronic inventory management device120to monitor the positions of products190on a shelf170after one or more consumers remove products190from the shelf170and/or shift products190away from their initial display positions, and to facilitate appropriately timed zoning of a shelf170by a worker at the retail sales facility110, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to estimate a position of the products on the shelf170in response to a determination by the control unit210that the measured torque value is below the predetermined threshold torque value stored in the inventory management database130. For example, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed in some embodiments to determine a distance of one or more products190on the shelf170relative to the one or more torque measurement sensors150associated with that shelf170.

In some embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to determine an estimated position of one or more products190on the shelf170based on at least in part on electronic torque measurement sensor data received from the torque measurement sensor150at the electronic inventory management device120(and/or the inventory management database130) via the network115. More specifically, the control unit210is programmed in some embodiments to determine that the estimated position of one or more products190on the shelf170supports moving one or more products190on the shelf170further away from the rear end of the shelf and closer to the front end of the shelf170. In such embodiments, in response to a determination by the control unit210that the estimated position of a product190on the shelf170supports moving the product190closer to the front end of the shelf170, the control unit210is programmed to generate an alert (e.g., to a worker at the retail sales facility110) indicating that the product190on the shelf170is to be moved further away from a rear end of the shelf170and closer to a front end of the shelf170.

After products190are removed from the shelf170and purchased by the consumers, the workers at the retail sales facility110are typically tasked with replenishing the products190displayed to consumers on the shelf170on the sales floor105, such that the availability of the products190on the shelf170is at or near maximum at any given time. When a product190is taken off the shelf170by a consumer, the replenishment of this product190typically requires a worker at the retail sales facility110to pick an identical product190from a bin or shelf in the stock room and to bring (or have another worker bring) the picked product190to the sales floor105for placement on the shelf170in place of the sold product190.

To facilitate the replenishment of products190following sales to consumers, and to increase the on-shelf-availability of products190on the shelves170on the sales floor105, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed in some embodiments to determine, based on torque measurement data received from torque measurement sensor150, that a product190was removed (e.g., by a consumer) from the shelf170, and to generate an alert indicating that a product190identical to the product190removed from the shelf170is to be brought from a stock room and placed on the shelf170to replace the removed product190. In some embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to transmit such an alert to the user interface device140, which in turn may either visually display such an alert (e.g., on an electronic display) to the worker, or may generate an audible instruction relaying this alert (e.g., via a speaker) to the worker. In other embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to transmit such an alert to an optional alert interface device mounted on the shelf170and configured to generate a visual (e.g., blinking light, red light, etc.) alert or an audible alert (beep, verbal command, etc.) to a worker when the worker is in physical proximity to the shelf170and can either see or hear the alert generated by the electronic interface device.

FIG. 3shows a simplified block diagram of a user interface device140, in accordance with some embodiments. The exemplary user interface device140includes one or more control circuits302, memory304, product scanning unit306, input/output (I/O) interface308, user interface310, and power supply312. In some embodiments, the control circuit302includes one or more processors and/or microprocessors. The memory304stores the operational code or set of instructions that is executed by the control circuit302and/or processor to implement the functionality of the user interface device140. In some embodiments, the memory304may also store some or all of particular data that may be needed to make any of the associations, determinations, measurements and/or communications described herein. Such data may be pre-stored in the memory, received from an external source (e.g., the electronic inventory management device120), be determined, and/or communicated to the user interface unit.

The control circuit302and/or processor may be implemented as one or more processor devices as are well known in the art. Similarly, the memory304may be implemented as one or more memory devices as are well known in the art, such as one or more processor readable and/or computer readable media and can include volatile and/or nonvolatile media, such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory and/or other memory technology. Further, the memory304is shown as internal to the user interface device140, but the memory304can be internal, external or a combination of internal and external memory.

Generally, the control circuit302and/or electronic components of the user interface device140can include fixed-purpose hard-wired platforms or can comprise a partially or wholly programmable platform. These architectural options are well known and understood in the art and require no further description here. The user interface unit and/or control circuit can be configured (for example, by using corresponding programming as will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and/or functions described herein. In some implementations, the control circuit302and the memory304may be integrated together, such as in a microcontroller, application specification integrated circuit, field programmable gate array or other such device, or may be separate devices coupled together.

The product scanning unit306of the exemplary user interface device140inFIG. 3is configured to scan (e.g., via radio waves) identifying indicia on a product190in order to identify the product190and/or to view and/or to enter worker tasks associated with the product190. The identifying indicia on the products190that may be scanned by the product scanning unit306may include, but is not limited to: two dimensional barcode, radio frequency identification (RFID), near field communication (NFC) identifiers, ultra-wideband (UWB) identifiers, Bluetooth identifiers, images, or other such optically readable, radio frequency detectable or other such code, or combination of such codes. To that end, the product scanning unit306according to some embodiments may include a barcode reader, RFID reader, optical reader, or the like.

The I/O interface308of the exemplary user interface device140ofFIG. 3allows wired and/or wireless communication coupling of the user interface device140to external components, such as the electronic inventory management device120, inventory management database130, and/or torque measurement sensor150. Typically, the I/O interface308provides at least wireless communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, RF, and/or other such wireless communication), and in some instances may include any known wired and/or wireless interfacing device, circuit and/or connecting device, such as but not limited to one or more transmitter, receiver, transceiver, etc.

The user interface310may be used for user input and/or output display. For example, the user interface310may include any known input devices, such one or more buttons, knobs, selectors, switches, keys, touch input surfaces, audio input, and/or displays, etc. Additionally, the user interface310may include one or more output display devices, such as lights, visual indicators, display screens, etc. to convey information relevant to the monitoring of the positioning of products190on shelves170and/or indication of worker tasks (e.g., to zone a shelf170after some of the products were taken off the shelf170by consumers, to pick a replenishment product190from a bin in a stock room, etc.) to a user such as a worker at the retail sales facility110. The user interface310in some embodiments may also include audio systems that can receive audio commands or requests verbally issued by a user, and/or to output audio content such as audible alerts (e.g., a beep or a verbal instruction identifying the shelf to be zoned) to the worker.

The exemplary user interface device140according toFIG. 3may include a power supply312that may be rechargeable and/or it may receive power from an external source. WhileFIG. 3illustrates the components of the user interface device140being coupled together via a bus, it is understood that the components of the user interface device140may be coupled to the control circuit302and/or one or more other components directly.

FIG. 4Aillustrates a simplified view of an exemplary product display shelf470including products490a-ddisplayed thereon and coupled at a mounting location464via a mounting device465relative to an upstanding support structure460located on a sales floor405of a retail sales facility. The exemplary product display shelf470has a front end472and a rear end474, and is mounted such that the rear end474of the shelf470is located proximate the support structure460while the front end472of the shelf470is located distal to the support structure460.

InFIG. 4A, the product490ais positioned at the front end472of the shelf470. The products490b-dare positioned behind the product490asuch that the product490dis furthest away from the front end472of the shelf and closest to the rear end474of the shelf470and to the support structure460. Thus, a consumer standing in an aisle on the sales floor and looking at the front end472of the shelf470would see the product490aand not see the products490b-d, since they are located behind the product490a. By the same token, the product490awould be the easiest for the consumer to access and remove from the shelf470, while the product490dwould be the most difficult for the consumer to access and remove from the shelf470.

While the products490a-don the shelf470inFIG. 4Aare identical and have the same weight, each of the products490a-d, when exerting a downward force on the shelf470due to gravity, results in a different torque relative to a fulcrum at the mounting location464. Specifically, the product490a(which is closest to the front end472and furthest from the rear end474and the fulcrum-like mounting location464) exerts the highest amount of torque and the product490d(which is closest to the rear end474and the fulcrum-like mounting location464and furthest from the front end472) exerts the lowest amount of torque. For example, when the product490dis in its original position inFIG. 4B, the force F exerted by the product490din the downward direction indicated by the arrow inFIG. 4Bresults in a lower torque at the mounting location464than the amount of torque at the mounting location464inFIG. 4Cthat results from the downward (indicated by arrow) force F exerted by the product490dafter the product490dis moved to the front end472of the shelf470, for example, as a result of a zoning task completion by a worker.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 4A-C, the shelf470includes a torque measurement sensor450proximate the mounting location464of the mounting device465to the upstanding support structure460. As discussed in more detail below, a shelf470may have two or more torque measurement sensors450. The torque measurement sensor450is configured to measure the torque exerted by the products490a-drelative to the fulcrum-like mounting location464and to transmit the measured torque values via the network115to the inventory management database130, or to the electronic inventory management device120, which in turn may transmit the torque values received from the torque measurement sensor150to the inventory management database130. The inventory management database130may thus store historical torque measurement data associated with each shelf470at the retail sales facility110.

The weight of each product490a-dis known and is stored in some embodiments in the inventory management database130, enabling the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120to estimate a weight distribution of the products490a-don the shelf470based on the torque measurement data retrieved from the inventory management database130. In some embodiments, the inventory management database130stores predetermined threshold torque values representing a torque exerted by each of the products490a-dwhen in the initial display positions shown inFIG. 4A, and the predetermined threshold torque values representing a total torque that would be exerted on the shelf470when all four products490a-dare present on the shelf470in their initial display positions (i.e., the shelf470is fully stocked as inFIG. 4A).

In some embodiments, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120is programmed to retrieve from the inventory management database130the torque measurement data transmitted from the torque measurement sensor450to the inventory management database130, and to correlate the retrieved torque measurement data to a predetermined threshold torque value stored in the inventory management database130in association with each of the products490a-don the shelf470. In other words, based on the known predetermined total torque value associated with the shelf470when fully stocked with products490a-d, the torque exerted by one or more products490a-don the shelf470(which is measured by the torque measurement sensor450) provides an indication of whether the shelf470is fully stocked with products490a-d, whether one or more products490a-dare missing from the shelf470(e.g., as a result of being purchased by consumers), whether the shelf470was replenished with one or more products, and/or whether the shelf470is empty and has no products thereon. For example, in response to a determination by the control unit210that the torque value received from the torque measurement sensor450is below the predetermined historical threshold torque value stored in the inventory management database130, the control unit210is programmed to interpret this determination as an indication that one or more of the products490a-dhas been removed from the shelf470, and to generate a zoning task and/or an alert for the shelf470.

Since the products490a-dare identical and a predetermined torque value for each of the products490a-din their initial position on the shelf470(FIG. 4A) is known, when consumers remove products490a-coff the shelf470and product490dis the only product remaining on the shelf470(as shown inFIG. 4B), the torque measurement data measured by the torque measurement sensor450and transmitted to the inventory management database130, when correlated by the control unit210against the predetermined torque values stored in the inventory management database130, would be consistent with the torque value stored in association with the product490din its initial position. However, if a worker at the retail sales facility110zoned the shelf470by moving the product490dto the front end472of the shelf (as shown inFIG. 4C), the torque value correlated by the control unit210against the predetermined torque values stored in the inventory management database130would be consistent with the torque value stored in association with the product490ain its initial display position, which is occupied inFIG. 4Cby the product490d. Thus, the correlation of the torque measurement values by the control unit210in real-time against stored historical predetermined torque values for the products490a-ddisplayed on the shelf470permits the control unit210to determine how many of products490a-dremain on the shelf and to determine the weight distribution of the products490a-dand/or the locations of each of the remaining products490a-don the shelf470.

In some embodiments, in response to a determination by the control unit210that the torque value received from the torque measurement sensor450is below the predetermined threshold torque value stored in the inventory management database, the control unit210is programmed to estimate a physical location of one or more of the remaining products490a-don the shelf470. A physical location of any of the products490a-don the shelf470may be determined by correlating the torque measurement data measured by the torque measurement sensors450associated with the shelf470. For example, when the product590dis positioned on the shelf570as shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, each of the torque measurement sensors550aand550bmeasures a torque exerted by the product590drelative to a fulcrum at the mounting location of the mounting devices565aand565bto their respective support structures. Based on the torque value measured by each of the torque measurement sensors550aand550band transmitted by the torque measurement sensors550aand550bto the inventory management database130, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120determines a distance d1from the torque measurement sensor550ato the product590dand a second distance d2from the second torque measurement sensor550bto the product590d. This determination of the distances d1and d2from each of the torque measurement sensors550aand550bto the product590denables the control unit210to estimate the physical location of the product590don the shelf570, and to determine whether the estimated position of the product590don the shelf570supports moving the product590dfurther away from a rear end574of the shelf570and closer to a front end572of the shelf570(i.e., to zone the shelf570).

In some embodiments, the torque measurement values measured by the torque measurement sensors550aand550benable the control unit210to estimate the side-to-side location of the product590don the shelf570, i.e., to determine whether the product590dis closer to the first side576of the shelf570or to the second side578of the shelf570. For example, the torque measurement values measured by the torque measurement sensors550aand550benable the control unit210in some embodiments to estimate a weight distribution percentage of products on the shelf570from the first side576to the second side578(i.e., left to right/right to left). In other words, if the torque measurement values measured by the torque measurement sensors550aand550bindicate that the product590dexerts 60 percent of its torque on the torque measurement sensor550aand 40 percent of its torque on the torque measurement sensor550b, then the control unit210is enabled to determine that the product590dis positioned closer to the first side576of the shelf570and approximately 40 percent of the distance from the first side578of the shelf570to the second side576of the shelf570. In some embodiments, the control unit210is programmed, upon a determination of a side-to-side location of the product590dbetween the first side576of the shelf570and the second side578of the shelf570deemed by the control unit210to be inappropriate, to cause the electronic inventory management device to send an alert to the user interface device140of a worker in order to instruct the worker to position the product590din an appropriate side-to-side location on the shelf570.

When the product590dis the only product remaining on the shelf570is estimated by the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device120to be in its initial display position at the rear end574of the shelf570(i.e., in a position akin to the position of the product490dinFIG. 4B), the control unit210is programmed in some embodiments to generate an alert indicating that the shelf570is to be zoned, i.e., that the product590dis to be moved further away from the rear end574of the shelf and closer to the front end572of the shelf570such that the product590dis easier for the consumers to see and access. For example, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 5A, the control unit210would generate a zoning task instructing a worker at the retail sales facility110to zone the shelf570by moving the sole remaining product590dfrom its initial display position at the rear end574of the shelf570to a position located at the front end572of the shelf570as inFIG. 5Bto make the product590dmore visible to consumers and easier to access by the consumers. A worker task associated with the zoning task that the control unit210is programmed to generate in some embodiments is a pick task, which would instruct a worker to go to the stock room of the retail sales facility110and to pick additional units of the products490a-cfrom a storage bin in the stock room and to bring the picked products490a-cto the sales floor105to replenish the empty spaces on the shelf470.

In some embodiments, the control unit210is programmed to cause the electronic inventory management device120to send an alert signal to a user interface device140of a worker indicating the generation, by the control unit210, of a zoning task and/or a pick task. Such an alert may be in the form of a displayed message on the user interface310of the user interface device140, or may be in the form of an audible beep or spoken verbal command on the user interface310of the user interface device140. A worker receiving such an alert via the user interface device140would then perform the appropriate task (e.g., zoning and/or picking).

In some embodiments, instead of, or in addition to sending an alert signal to the user interface device140of a worker to indicate the generation of a zoning task by the control unit210, the control unit210is programmed to cause the electronic inventory management device120to send an alert signal to an alert interface device575mounted proximate to the front end572of the shelf570. The alert interface device575may be a single light or series of lights, a speaker, and/or a visual display configured to generate a visual (e.g., blinking light, red light, etc.) alert or an audible alert (beep, verbal command, etc.) to a worker when the worker is in physical proximity to the shelf570, prompting the worker seeing or hearing the alert to perform the task of zoning with respect to the shelf570. In some embodiments, after the worker performs the zoning task by moving the product590dfrom its initial display position inFIG. 5Ato the zoned position at the front end572of the shelf570, the control unit210is programmed to confirm whether the worker performed the zoning task by correlating the newest torque values provided by the torque measurement sensors550aand550bagainst the predetermined torque values stored in the inventory management database130and/or by processing the torque values provided by the torque measurement sensors550aand550bto determine the new physical location of the product590d.

Referring back toFIGS. 4A-C, the mounting device465may be a hinge, bracket, frame, clip, hook, T-bar, or the like mounting structures that are configured to permit detachable or permanent coupling of the shelf470to an upstanding (e.g., vertical and/or slanted) support structure460such as a frame, upright, rod, or the like. The shelf470may be mounted relative to the support structure460via a single mounting device465, two mounting devices465, three mounting devices465, four mounting devices465, or more than four mounting devices465.

For example, in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, the shelf570may be mounted via at least two mounting devices565, a first mounting device565aproximate an intersection of the rear end574of the shelf570and a first side576of the shelf570, and a second mounting device565bproximate an intersection of the rear end574of the shelf570and a second side578of the shelf570. The shelf570may, in some embodiments, be mounted via four mounting devices565such that a third mounting device is positioned below the mounting device565aand a fourth mounting device is positioned below the mounting device565b.

FIG. 6illustrates one exemplary arrangement of mounting a shelf670via a top (i.e., upper) mounting device (i.e., hook)665acoupled to support structure660aand a bottom (i.e., lower) mounting device (i.e., hook)665bpositioned below the top mounting device665a. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 6, the top and bottom mounting devices665aand665bare located proximate to the first side676of the shelf670akin to the mounting device565ainFIGS. 5A-5B, and it will be appreciated that the shelf670may include a second pair of mounting devices identical to the mounting devices665aand665bproximate to the second side of the shelf670. The second side of shelf670is not visible inFIG. 6, but is akin to second side578ofFIG. 5A.

The presence, and more specifically, the weight, of the product690aon the670exerts a downward force on the upper-facing surface671of the shelf due to gravity. Since the shelf670is mounted to the upstanding support structures660aand660bvia two hook-like mounting devices665aand665bas shown inFIG. 6, the weight of the product690aexerts a torque or force (Ft) at the fulcrum-like mounting location664aof the top mounting device665ato the support structure660ain a direction indicated by the right-facing arrow. Similarly, the weight of the product690aexerts a torque or force (Fb) at the fulcrum-like mounting location664bof the bottom mounting device665bto the support structure660bin a direction indicated by the left-facing arrow. A first torque measurement sensor650ais mounted proximate the mounting location664ato measure the torque Ft, and a second torque measurement sensor650bis mounted proximate the mounting location664bto measure the torque Fb.

It will be appreciated that the size of the torque measurement sensors650aand650binFIG. 6is not drawn to scale. It will also be appreciated that while the torque measurement sensors650aand650bare shown inFIG. 6as being positioned on top of the hook-like mounting deices665aand665bby way of example only, the torque measurement sensors650aand650bmay be located below, on the side of, or proximate the mounting devices665aand665b. It will likewise be appreciated that, in some embodiments, instead of having top and bottom torque measurement sensors650aand650bproximate the exemplary top and bottom mounting devices665aand665b, respectively, as shown inFIG. 6, the shelf670may have only one bottom torque measurement sensor650bproximate the bottom mounting device665b, and no top torque measurement sensor650aproximate the top hook-like mounting device665a.

If the product690awere located closer to the rear end674of the shelf670and further away from the front end of the shelf670, the torque Ftand the torque Fbwould be lower, since the product690awould be closer to the fulcrum-like mounting locations664aand664bof the top and bottom mounting devices665aand665bto their respective support structures660aand660b. Conversely, if the product690awere located further away from the rear end674of the shelf670and closer to the front end of the shelf670, the torque Ftand the torque Fbwould be higher, since the product690awould be further away from the fulcrum-like mounting locations664aand664bof the top and bottom mounting devices665aand665bto their respective support structures660aand660b. Accordingly, the torque (i.e., Ftand/or Fb) exerted by the product690aon the shelf670and measured by the torque measurement sensors650aand650bprovides an indication of the physical location of the product690aon the shelf, as discussed above with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B.

FIG. 7illustrates a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process700of monitoring placement of products on shelves at a retail sales facility110. The method700is described in the context of the system100ofFIG. 1by way of example only, and it will be appreciated that embodiments of the method700may be implemented not only in the system100, but in other systems. Referring toFIGS. 4A and 7, step710of the exemplary method700includes providing at least one torque measurement sensor450proximate at least one mounting location464of a shelf470on a sales floor405of the retail sales facility110.FIGS. 4A and 6illustrate exemplary product display shelves470and670coupled at mounting locations464664a, and664bvia mounting devices465,665a, and665brelative to upstanding support structures460,660a, and660b. As discussed above, the coupling of the mounting device465(i.e., a hook) to the upstanding support structure460(i.e., an upright and/or bracket) provides for a fulcrum-like structure at the mounting location464.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 4A, one torque measurement sensor450is provided to measure a torque exerted by the products490a-drelative to the fulcrum of the shelf480, while in the embodiment ofFIGS. 5A and 6, two torque measurement sensors550a,550b,650a, and650bare provided, but it will be appreciated that the number of torque measurement sensors may be larger than two (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, or more), and may be chosen based on the size of the shelf and/or the support structure on which the shelf is mounted. In step720, the torque exerted one or more products490a-490dlocated on the shelf470relative to a fulcrum at the mounting location464is measured via one or more torque measurement sensors450. After the torque exerted by the products490a-dlocated on the shelf470relative to the fulcrum at the mounting location464is measured by the torque measurement sensor or sensors450, the next step (step730) of the exemplary method700includes sending a signal from the torque measurement sensor450to an electronic inventory management device120including a processor-based control unit210via the network115. The torque measurement sensor450is configured to transmit the measured torque values via the network115to the inventory management database130or to the electronic inventory management device120, which in turn may transmit the torque values received from the torque measurement sensor450to the inventory management database130.

Step740of the exemplary method300includes receiving electronic data associated with the products490a-d, and estimating a weight distribution of the products490a-don the shelf470based on the received electronic data and the torque measured by the torque measurement sensor450. Examples of electronic data in step740may include but is not limited to a unique identifier of each of the products490a-d, a weight of each product490a-d, historical torque value data associated with the shelf470in general and/or with the individual products490a-d. As described above, based on a correlation of the torque values provided by the torque measurement sensor450to predetermined torque values stored in the inventory management database130, the control unit210of the electronic inventory management device is programmed to determine that one or more of the products490a-dhas been removed from the shelf470, and to generate a zoning task (i.e., a task instructing the worker to move a product from a position at the rear end474of the shelf to a position at the front end472of the shelf), and to transmit an appropriate alert, either to a user interface device140of a worker at the retail sales facility110and/or to an alert interface device475located on the shelf470.

The correlation of the torque measurement values by the control unit210against predetermined historical stored torque values for the products490a-ddisplayed on the shelf470permits the control unit210to determine how many of products490a-dremain on the shelf470and to determine the weight distribution of the products490a-dand/or the locations of each of the remaining products490a-don the shelf470. A physical location of any of the products490a-don the shelf470may be determined by correlating the torque measurement data measured by the torque measurement sensors450associated with the shelf470. As described above, based on the torque value measured by each of the torque measurement sensors550aand550b, the control unit210determines a distance d1from the torque measurement sensor550ato the product590dand a second distance d2from the second torque measurement sensor550bto the product590d, which enables the control unit210to estimate the physical location of the product590don the shelf570. This estimation of the physical location of the product590don the shelf570enables the control unit210to determine whether the estimated position of the product590don the shelf570supports moving the product590dfurther away from a rear end574of the shelf570and closer to a front end572of the shelf570(i.e., to zone the shelf570).

More specifically, the control unit210is programmed in some embodiments to generate an alert indicating that the shelf570is to be zoned, i.e., that the product590dis to be moved further away from the rear end574of the shelf and closer to the front end572of the shelf570such that the product590dis easier for the consumers to see and access. In some embodiments, when generating a zoning task, the control unit210is also programmed to generate a pick task instructing a worker to go to the stock room of the retail sales facility110and to pick additional units of the products490a-cfrom a storage bin in the stock room, and to bring the picked products490a-cto the sales floor105to replenish the empty spaces on the shelf470.

In some embodiments, the control unit210is programmed to cause the electronic inventory management device120to send an alert signal to a user interface device140of a worker indicating that a zoning task and/or a pick task has been generated for the worker. In some embodiments, the control unit210may be programmed to cause the electronic inventory management device120to send an alert signal to an alert interface device575mounted proximate to the front end572of the shelf570and configured to generate a visual or an audible alert to a worker when the worker is in physical proximity to the shelf570, and can either see and/or hear the alert generated by the alert interface device575, prompting the worker to perform the task of zoning with respect to the shelf570.

The systems and methods described herein provide for torque measurement-based monitoring of locations of products displayed on the shelves at a retail sales facility and timely generation of shelf zoning tasks for the workers at the retail sales facility without requiring the workers to manually inspect each shelf on the sales floor to determine whether zoning of the shelf is warranted. Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein advantageously improve the on-shelf-availability of products and the efficiency of workers at the retail sales facility, thereby provide for significant cost savings to the retail sales facilities.