Patent Publication Number: US-11656833-B2

Title: Shelving display

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. application Ser. No. 17/084,134, filed on Oct. 29, 2020, which is a continuation application of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/956,263, filed on Apr. 18, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,831,431, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/486,874, filed on Apr. 18, 2017, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Stores often provide pricing and other product information on the shelves on which products are displayed. Sometimes stock is exhausted or must be rearranged, and pricing information needs to be occasionally updated. Sometimes additional signage is applied to shelf fronts to indicate a temporary sale. Some stores do not use shelving tags and instead use other signage or rely on the product itself as the signage. Refrigerated displays will typically have a glass door that must be opened to gain access to the product, arranged on shelving within the refrigerated space. Restocking such shelves is generally done from the rear of the shelf, by a stocking clerk. Improvements are sought in displaying and updating product information on shelves, and managing store inventories. 
     SUMMARY 
     One broad aspect of the invention features a shelving facing display. The shelving facing display includes a housing, an electronic display, and multiple product sensors. The housing is mountable to a forward edge of a product shelf. The electronic display is mounted to the housing and arranged to be viewed from in front of the shelf. The electronic display is controllable to present desired images across at least a majority of a width of the shelf. The multiple product sensors are mounted to the housing. Each sensor is arranged to detect product on a respective width of the shelf. The display is configured to alter a displayed image in response to input from the product sensors. This and other implementations can each optionally include one or more of the following features. 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are associated with respective pixel groups of the electronic display such that the display is configured to alter images displayed in each pixel group in response to input from an associated product sensor. 
     Some implementations include a controller coupled to the electronic display and to the product sensors, where the controller is configured to arrange images relevant to products in respective pixel groups of the electronic display. 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are associated with respective pixel groups of the electronic display. 
     In some implementations, the controller is configured to alter an image presented in a pixel group of the display in response to determining that input from a product sensor associated with the pixel group indicates that no product is located on the respective width of the shelf. 
     In some implementations, the controller is configured to alter an image presented in a pixel group of the display in response to determining that input from a product sensor associated with the pixel group indicates that a low stock for a product that is located on the respective width of the shelf. 
     In some implementations, the controller is configured to send an out of stock notification to a user computing device in response to determining that input form a product sensor associated with the pixel group indicates that no product is located on the respective width of the shelf. 
     In some implementations, the electronic display is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), or an electroluminescent display (ELD). 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are proximity sensors. 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are imaging sensors. 
     Another aspect of the invention features a method of controlling a display. The method includes obtaining product image data for multiple different products. The method includes selecting, for each of the multiple different products, a location on an electronic display for displaying a product image associated with a respective product, where the electronic display is mounted to a shelf, and where each location on the electronic display is selected such that the product image is to be viewed in front of the respective product. The method includes controlling the electronic display to present the product images in the selected locations of the electronic display. The method includes altering one or more of the product images in response to receiving input from one or more product sensors from among multiple product sensors, where each product sensor is arranged to detect product on a respective width of the shelf. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer programs, configured to perform the actions of the methods, encoded on computer storage devices. These and other implementations can each optionally include one or more of the following features. 
     In some implementations, each location on the electronic display is a respective group of pixels of the electronic display. 
     In some implementations, controlling the electronic display to present the product images in the selected locations of the electronic display includes arranging the product images to be displayed in the respective pixel groups of the selected locations. 
     In some implementations, each product sensor is associated with a respective pixel group of the electronic display. 
     In some implementations, altering the one or more of the product images includes altering a particular product image in response to determining that input from a particular product sensor associated a respective pixel group in which the particular product image is displayed indicates that no product is located on a width of the shelf associated with the particular product sensor. 
     In some implementations, altering the one or more of the product images includes altering a particular product image in response to determining that input from a particular product sensor associated a respective pixel group in which the particular product image is displayed indicates that a low stock for a product that is located on a width of the shelf associated with the particular product sensor. 
     In some implementations, the method includes sending an out of stock notification to a user computing device in response to determining that input from a product sensor indicates that no product is located on the respective width of the shelf. 
     In some implementations, electronic display is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), or an electroluminescent display (ELD). 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are proximity sensors. 
     In some implementations, the product sensors are imaging sensors. 
     In some implementations, the method includes obtaining product location data that indicates planned locations of the multiple different products along the shelf and the locations on the electronic display for displaying the product images associated with the respective products are selected based on the product location data. 
     In some implementations, the product location data includes a planogram that provides a mapping between locations of products and locations of product sensors. 
     The concepts described herein may provide several advantages. For example, implementations of the invention may provide a shelving display that automatically reconfigures displayed product information in response to changes in products placed on a shelf. Implementations provide real-time updates to product inventories. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a front-perspective view of an exemplary shelving display. 
         FIG.  1 B  is a rear-perspective view of the shelving display. 
         FIG.  1 C  is side cutaway view of the shelving display. 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an exemplary control system for the shelving display. 
         FIG.  3    depicts several diagrams that illustrate operations of the shelving display. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS.  1 A- 1 C  illustrate an exemplary shelving display  100 . Shelving display  100  includes a display housing  103  mounted at a forward end  122  of a product shelf  102 . An electronic display  104  and product sensors  112  are mounted to display housing  103 . Electronic display  104  is arranged to be viewed from in front of shelf  102 . Electronic display  104  is controlled to present desired images along the width of shelf  102 . The images can be related to products  106 ,  108 ,  110  placed behind housing  103 , e.g., the images can include product pricing information and sale information. Furthermore, images displayed on electronic display  104  can be altered in response to output of the product sensors  112 . 
     Shelving display  100  is controllable to present images that are relevant to products  106 ,  108 , or  110  located behind various sections or widths of electronic display  104 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  1 A , a first portion of electronic display  104  shows a price of $1.95 for product  106 , a second portion of electronic display  104  shows an advertisement indicating a sale price of $4.95 for product  108 , and a third portion of electronic display  104  shows an advertisement for a sale price of $5.95 for product  110 . Furthermore, images presented on electronic display  104  can be altered in response to output of product sensors  112 . For example, images presented on electronic display  104  can be adjusted in size to match a width of shelf  102  occupied by a product. Thus, if a product sensor output indicates that the left-most row of product  106  is empty, the size of the “$1.95” price image can be adjusted to match the width of shelf  102  occupied by the remaining three rows of product  106 . For example, the size of the size of the “$1.95” price image can be automatically adjusted to match the width of shelf  102  occupied by the remaining three rows of product  106   
     Electronic display  104  can be a continuous display that extends along the width of shelf  102 . In some implementations, electronic display  104  extends along a majority of the width of shelf  102 . That is, electronic display  104  can continuously extend a distance along shelf  102  to cover a width that is sufficient to extend in front of products space for multiple different products  106 , 108 ,  110 . In some implementations, electronic display  104  extends along the entire width of shelf  102 . 
     Electronic display  104  can be a thin flexible display mounted to housing  103 . As illustrated in  FIG.  2 C , electronic display  104  can be mounted to housing  103  by being inserted within a channel  124  of housing  103 . Housing  103  can, thereby, serve as a protective covering for electronic display  104 . Housing  103  can be constructed of a transparent or semi-transparent material. For example, housing  103  can be constructed of a plastic material, a polymer material, or glass. Housing  103  be configured to reduce glare on the front surface, through which electronic display  104  is viewed. For example, housing  103  can include an anti-reflective coating. 
     Electronic display  104  can be a digital display. For example, electronic display  104  can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), or an electroluminescent display (ELD). Electronic display  104  can be a static digital display, e.g., an electrophoretic display. In implementations in which shelving display  100  is installed inside a refrigerated cabinet, it may be preferable to use an electronic display that has a low thermal output (e.g., an OLED) to minimize the amount heat introduced into the refrigerated cabinet by display  104 . 
     Products sensors  112  are arranged to detect product placed on a respective width of shelf  102 . For example, referring to  FIG.  1 B , product sensors  112   a ,  112   b , and  112   c  are arranged on a back-side of housing  103  to each detect product placed on respective widths  113   a ,  113   b ,  113   c  of shelf  102 . In addition, as described in more detail below in reference to  FIG.  3   , each product sensor  112  can be associated with a respective width of electronic display  104 . For example, output from each sensor can be used to control images displayed along a respective width of display  104 . For example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  1 B and  1 C  products sensors  112  can be mounted in alignment with the respective width of display  104  which their output is used to control. As shown in  FIGS.  1 B and  1 C , product sensors  112  are mounted directly behind a portion of display  104  for which the output of each respective sensor  112  is used to control. 
     Product sensors  112  can be proximity sensors or imaging sensors. For example, proximity sensors include sensors that are capable of detecting the presence of an object near the sensor with or without the object contacting the sensor. In addition, some proximity sensors can detect a distance to an object in proximity to the sensor (e.g., a ranging sensor). Proximity sensors can include ultrasound sensors, laser sensors, and optical sensors (e.g., IR sensors). Imaging sensors can obtain still or video images of an object near the sensor. Imaging sensors include low and high resolution optical or infra-red cameras. 
     In some implementations, product sensors  112  can be mounted at a rearward end of shelf  102 . In such implementations, each product sensor  112  can still be arranged to detect product on the respective width of shelf  102 . Each product sensor can be arranged to detect product on shelf  102  from a forward facing direction. That is, product sensors  112  can be directed towards a back portion of each respective row of products  106 ,  108 , and  110  (e.g., the sensors  112  are facing the back of the last product in the row). In such implementation, product sensors  112  can be configured to detect distance. For example, a rearward mounted sensor  112  can be configured to provide an output signal that indicates a distance along the depth of shelf  102  between the location of the sensor and a respective product  106 ,  108 , or  110  at the back of a row of products. A shelving display controller (discussed in more detail below) can use the distance measurement to detect whether the row of products is out of stock, low on stock, or both. 
     In some implementations, shelving display  100  can include pairs of product sensors  112  where each pair of sensors is configured to detect product placed on a respective width of shelf  102 . For example, a given pair of product sensors  112  can include one sensor mounted near the forward end  122  of shelf  102 , e.g., on housing  103  as shown, and a second sensor mounted near the rearward end of shelf  102 , as described above. 
     Referring again to  FIGS.  1 A- 1 C , shelf  102  can be a flat shelf or a gravity feed shelf. For example, a flat shelf is one in which products  106 ,  108 ,  110  from the back of a row of products do not automatically move towards the front of the shelf when a product is removed from the front of a row. A gravity feed shelf allows products  106 ,  108 ,  110  to feed forward (towards the front of a shelf) when a product is removed from the front of a row. Shelf  102  can include spacers  114 , e.g., to separate different products. Shelf  102  can include rollers  116 , e.g., to facilitate gravity feeding of products. 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an exemplary control system  200  for shelving display  100 . Control system  200  includes a controller  202  coupled to display  104  and product sensors  112 . Controller  202  controls the operations of electronic display  104  in accordance with input received from product sensors  112 . 
     Controller  202  includes a communication interface to communicate with other computing systems over network  208 . Controller  202  can communicate with computing system  204  and user computing device  206  over network  208 . Computing system  204  can be, for example, a server system that stores information related to products displayed on retail shelfs in a store. User computing device  206  can be a computing device used by store personnel. For example, user computing device  206  can be, but is not limited to, a point of sale (POS) system, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, a handheld computer, or a smart phone. 
     Controller  202  can obtain product location data. Product location data can include data that indicates the planned locations of products along the width of shelf  102 . That is, product location data indicates which products (e.g., by type, brand, name, sku number, etc.) are placed in in which location along the width of shelf  102 . Product location data can be represented as, for example, a planogram that indicates the desired location of different products along width of shelf  102 . Controller  202  can use the product location data to identify which products (e.g., by type, brand, name, SKU number, etc.) each product sensor  112  will be used to monitor. For example, controller  202  can use the product location data to correlate the positions of products along the width of shelf  102  with the respective portion of the width of shelf  102  that each sensor  112  is arranged to monitor. Controller  202  can, thereby, associate each sensor  112  with a particular product. In some implementations, the product data (e.g., a planogram) can provide a mapping between products and sensors  112 . For example, a planogram can associate each sensor (e.g., by a sensor ID number) with a particular product. 
     Controller  202  can communicate with computing system  204  to obtain information associated with products displayed on shelf  102 . Controller  202  can obtain product image data. Product image data can include data that represents product images to be presented on a portion of electronic display  104  that is positioned near a respective product. Product images can include, but are not limited to, product pricing, sales information, advertisements, product logos, coupons for products, video demonstrations of a product, suggested uses for a product (e.g., as an ingredient in a recipe), or any combination thereof. 
     Controller  202  receives sensor data from product sensors  112 . For example, controller  202  can occasionally poll each of the product sensors  112 . In response to begin polled, each sensor  112  transmits sensor data to controller  202 . The sensor data can be binary data, for example, indicating whether or not product is detected within the respective portion (e.g., the respective width) of shelf  102  that is monitored by the polled sensor. The sensor data can include a distance measurement, for example, indicating a distance along the depth of shelf  102  between the polled sensor  112  and product located within the respective portion (e.g., the respective width) of shelf  102  that is monitored by the polled sensor. The sensor data can include an image of product located within the respective portion (e.g., the respective width) of shelf  102  that is monitored by the polled sensor. 
     Controller  202  determines whether the sensor data indicates that product is present within the portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by each sensor  112 , and, in some implementations, how much product is present. For example, if the sensor data is binary sensor data, controller  202  determines whether or not the value of the sensor data indicates that product is present within the portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by the respective sensor  112 . If the sensor data includes a distance measurement, controller  202  can determine how much product is present within the portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by the respective sensor  112 . For example, controller  202  can use a threshold distance measurement as an indication that the stock of a given product on the shelf is low. For instance, a distance measurement that is greater than (or less than—depending on the arrangement of the sensor on shelf  102 ) the threshold distance can indicate a low stock condition. A different threshold distance (e.g., a distance comparable to the depth of an empty shelf) can indicate an out of stock condition. 
     Controller  202  can control electronic display  104  to present different images in a portion of the display that is associated with each sensor  112  based on whether or not product is detected within the portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by each sensor  112 .  FIG.  3    shows a series of diagrams  300 A- 300 C illustrating control of electronic display  104 . As shown in diagram  300 A, controller  202  can the images presented along electronic display  104  according to virtual partitions along the width of the display. The partitions can be represented by pixel groups  104 A- 104 N of the electronic display  104 . Each pixel group  104 A- 104 N encompasses a respective width of the electronic display. Controller  202  can associate each pixel group  104 A- 104 N with a respective product sensor  112  or a respective group of product sensors  112 . For example, as shown in diagram  300 A, the width of each pixel group  104 A- 104 N can be comparable to the respective width of shelf  102  that is monitored by each sensor  112 . 
     Controller  202  can arrange product image data for each respective product  106 ,  108 , and  110  to be presented in appropriate locations of electronic display  104 . For example, controller  202  can identify appropriate locations along electronic display  104  based on associations between the pixel groups  104 A- 104 N and respective product sensors  112 . Controller  202  can arrange and scale product image data associated with each product  106 ,  108 , and  110  to be presented in the appropriate pixel groups pixel groups of electronic display  104 . For example, as illustrated in diagrams  300 A and  300 B, a product image  302  that is associated with product  106  is displayed within pixel groups  104 A- 104 C. Furthermore, each pixel group  104 A- 104 C can be associate with product sensors  112   a - 112   c  of  FIG.  1 B , respectively, which controller  202  can use to display product images  302  in an appropriate location along the display. Diagrams  300 A and  300 B also illustrate product images  303  and  304 , which are associated with products  108  and  110 , displayed in pixel groups  104 D- 104 E and  104 F- 104 G. 
     Controller  202  can alter the images displayed in each pixel group  104 A- 104 N of electronic display  104  based on input received from an associated product sensor  112 . For example, diagram  300 C illustrates that product  110  is out of stock. In response, controller  202  can detect the out of stock condition based on data received from respective product sensors  112 , and alter image  304  that is displayed in pixel groups  104 F- 104 G accordingly. As another example, diagram  300 C illustrates that one row of product  106  is out of stock. In response, controller  202  rescales product images  302  (e.g., the price of $1.95) to fit within only pixel groups  104 A- 104 B and obtains a different image  305  to present in pixel group  104 C. For instance, when controller  202  detects that product  106  located in a portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by sensor  112   c  is out of stock, controller  202  can alter the images displayed in the respective pixel group of electronic display  104 . More specifically, controller  202  can determine that product  106  is not completely out of stock, because other product sensors  112  that monitor portions of shelf  102  used to stock the same product  106  do not indicate an out of stock condition. Therefore, controller  202  can repurpose the portion of electronic display  104  that is in front of an empty row of product for another use such as an advertisement. 
     In some implementation, controller  202  can send notifications to store personnel to inform them when a product is out of stock on shelf  102  or low on stock. For example, upon detecting and out of stock condition or a low stock condition, controller  202  can send an appropriate notification to user computing device  206 . The notification can be sent in a proprietary format or a general format. A proprietary format notification can include a notification that is sent only to particular user computing devices  206  associated with the store (e.g., POS devices) or to computing accounts associated with a store manager or store owner). A general format notification can include a notification sent in a general format including, but not limited to, an SMS message or an e-mail message. 
     In some implementations, controller  202  can control electronic display  104  to present different images in a portion of the display that is associated with each sensor  112  based on whether or not a low stock condition is detected within the portion of shelf  102  that is monitored by each sensor  112 . 
     In some implementations, controller  202  can control the operation of multiple shelving displays  100 . For example, one controller  202  can be used to control the operation of a shelving displays  100  multiple shelves of a shelving display unit. 
     Implementations of the subject matter and the operations described in this specification can be realized in analog or digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be realized using one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on computer storage medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. A computer storage medium can be, or be included in, a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination of one or more of them. Moreover, while a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal; a computer storage medium can be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagated signal. The computer storage medium can also be, or be included in, one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices). 
     The operations described in this specification can be implemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer-readable storage devices or received from other sources. 
     The term “data processing apparatus” encompasses all kinds of apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, a system on a chip, or multiple ones, or combinations, of the foregoing. The apparatus can include special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). The apparatus can also include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, a cross-platform runtime environment, a virtual machine, or a combination of one or more of them. The apparatus and execution environment can realize various different computing model infrastructures, such as web services, distributed computing and grid computing infrastructures. 
     A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. 
     The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). 
     Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry. 
     Thus, particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking and parallel processing can be advantageous.