Patent Publication Number: US-2023134715-A1

Title: System and method for managing product inventory

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Systems and methods for managing product inventory are generally known in the art. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,738,474 describes a system that has a storage bin used to hold a product and a product storage rack intended to hold the storage bin. The storage bin is provided with a near field communication (NFC) tag device and the product storage rack is provided with a NFC antenna device cooperable with the NFC tag device. The NFC antenna device and the NFC tag device are used to determine a relative position of or orientation of the storage bin relative to the product storage rack for the purpose of automatically determining if replenishment of the product within the product storage rack is required. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 10,366,365 describes a system and method adapted to monitor inventory of product within storage bins of a storage facility by mounting cameras to the storage bins. The cameras and a user processing device may be operably connected to a network such that the user processing device is in communication with the cameras. Further, the user processing device may search records of a database that correspond to product stored in the storage facility. Once a product of interest is identified, a location of the relevant storage bin may be provided to the user processing device, along with an image and/or video captured by the camera to show contents of the storage bin. 
     U.S. Published Application No. 2012/0043289 describes a storage bin that includes a body having a bottom wall and two opposed side walls, a front end wall of a first color, e.g., blue, and a rear end wall of a second color, e.g., red or orange, connected thereto. The two end walls have a height lower than a height of the side walls to form a front bin opening and a rear bin opening. A divider wall is positioned midway of the body to form a front hopper and a rear hopper, each of which is filled with a product. When the front hopper is empty and product in the bin needs replenishing, the bin is turned around so that the rear end wall of the second color faces outwardly to provide a visual indicator that replenishment of the product in the bin is needed while there is still product, e.g., safety stock, left in the rear hopper. 
     U.S. Published Application No. 2021/0299849 describes an access and storage system including a storage component configured to store items therein or thereon in an associated storage position. The storage component is configured to provide a user direct manual access to the items in the storage positions. The system further includes a sensor system configured to track at least one of the user&#39;s removal of an item from the associated storage position or replacement of an item to the associated storage position and an identification system for identifying the user. The system also has an authorization database operatively coupled to the identification system for tracking which of the items a particular identified user is authorized to access. 
     Each of these prior art references is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following describes improved systems and methods for managing product inventory. 
     Generally, a system having a storage bin, an accelerometer system coupled to the storage bin, and an inventory management system communicatively coupled to the accelerometer system provides automated product inventory management. An accelerometer of the accelerometer system generates a data representative of a movement of the storage bin and the system determines whether the generated data matches a data that is indicative of a replenishment needed event being performed upon the storage bin. The inventory management system initiates the replenishment of the product when replenishment is determined to be needed. In some examples, the accelerometer system determines whether the generated data matches the data that is indicative of the replenishment needed event being performed upon the storage bin. In other examples, a cloud-based server, which may be a component part of the inventory management system, determines whether the generated data matches a data that is indicative of a replenishment needed event being performed upon the storage bin. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the systems and methods for managing product inventory described herein reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the following drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a side view of an example storage bin for use in connection with the subject systems and methods for managing product inventory; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates storage bins of  FIG.  1    disposed within an example product storage rack; 
         FIG.  3    illustrate an example accelerometer system used to provide data to an inventory management system; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates an example method for using the accelerometer system of  FIG.  3    to detect a bin reorientation and/or movement event for use in generating a product replenishment order; 
         FIG.  5    illustrates an example method for using the accelerometer system of  FIG.  3    to detect product being removed from a bin for use in generating a product replenishment order; 
         FIG.  6    illustrates an example method for using the accelerometer system of  FIG.  3    to detect a reorder tap sequence provided to a bin for the purpose of generating a product replenishment order; and 
         FIG.  7    illustrates an example method for using the accelerometer system of  FIG.  3    to detect a user login tap sequence and to detect product being removed from a bin for use in generating a product replenishment order. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the figures, example systems and methods for managing product inventory are now described. 
     Turning to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , an example system including a bin  10  and a product storage rack  11  is illustrated. The example storage bin  10  generally comprises a body having a bottom wall and two opposed side walls, a front section including a front end wall  12  having a first indicium, e.g., a first color, text, absence of text, or the like, and a rear section including a second end wall  14  having a second indicium different than the first indicia, e.g., a second color, text, absence of text, or the like, connected thereto. A divider wall may be positioned intermediate the front section and the rear section of the body to form a front hopper and a rear hopper, each of which is to be filled with a product. 
     It is not required that the bin  10  be provided with a divider wall and/or that the end walls be provided with an indicium. However, providing the bin  10  with the divider wall and the indicium has the advantage described in the aforementioned U.S. Published Application No. 2012/0043289, namely, the advantage that, when the front hopper is empty and product in the front hopper of the bin  10  needs replenishing, the bin  10  is turned around in the bin holding rack  11  so that the rear end wall  14  of the second color faces outwardly to provide a visual indicator that replenishment of the product in the bin  10  is needed while there is still product left in the rear hopper of the bin  10 . Thus, while such color coded and/or divided bins  10  may be preferred in certain system embodiments, it is to be understood that other bin forms can be used as needed while keeping within the spirit and scope of the systems and methods described herein. 
     When an inventory system relies upon a manual visual inspection of the product storage rack  11  in order to discern whether or not replenishment product is needed (e.g., an inventory system that uses color coded bins  10 ) costs in time and money are associated with the performance of such inspections. Thus, to reduce at least these costs, it is proposed that the bin  10  (whether color coded or not) be provided with an accelerometer system  18  whereby the inventory status of the bin  10  can be automatically discerned by the accelerometer system  18  and/or an inventory management system  21 . 
     For use in connection with automatically discerning the inventory status of the bin  10  the accelerometer system  18 , which is preferably positioned on or embedded within the bin  10 , is provided with one or more accelerometers  22 , such as one or more micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers, that is/are coupled to a processing unit  23 . Preferably, the one or more accelerometers will be capable of detecting both the magnitude and the direction of forces applied to the bin  10 , directly or indirectly, and can be used to sense orientation, coordinate acceleration, vibration, shock, and the like over multiple axes. 
     As additionally shown in  FIG.  3   , the accelerometer system  18  includes a power source  25  and a transmitter  24 . The transmitter  24  is coupled to the processing unit  23  and is used to communicatively couple the accelerometer system  18  to the inventory management system  21 . The power source  25  is coupled to the transmitter  24 , the processing unit  23 , and the accelerometer  22  and is used to provide power thereto, either directly or indirectly, as needed. The power source  25  is preferably in the form of a battery so that the accelerometer system  18  would remain operable even when the bin  10  is separated from/moved relative to the rack  11 . In some instances, the battery could be rechargeable and the rack unit  11  could be provided with corresponding charging contacts, electromagnetic induction pads or an induction strip, etc. as appropriate. Separate charging stations could also be utilized. The transmitter  24  can be a wired and/or a wireless transmitter, e.g., the transmitter can be in the form of a USB port/plug, a BLE transmitter, an IR transmitter or the like as needed/appropriate to communicate with a corresponding receiver that can be positioned on the rack unit  11  and/or elsewhere within a facility to meet the given product tracking needs of a system user. It will also be appreciated that the accelerometer system  18  can be integrated into a single unit or can be created by combining multiple units as appropriate. A memory  26  associated with the processor  23  is utilized to store processor executable instructions and data as needed for the accelerometer system  18  to perform the various steps, in whole or in part, described herein. 
     In instances where the accelerometer system  18  is attached to a surface of the bin  10 , the accelerometer system  18  can be applied to the bin  10  using any of a variety of form factors including, but not limited to, tags, stickers, key fobs, or the like. Furthermore, the accelerometer system  18 , which may be read-only or externally rewriteable as desired (in which case a receiver or transceiver would be included as a part of the accelerometer system  18 ), preferably stores data in memory  26  that would be usable by the inventory management system  21  to identify the specific product that is being held within the bin  10  to which the accelerometer system  10  is connected. This data may be data that is indicative of a stock keeping unit (SKU) that is associated with the product held within the bin  10 , data indicative of a bin number assigned to the bin  10 , data indicative of a location for the bin  10  within the product storage rack  11 , and/or the like as desired. The product identifying data is intended to be usable to, among other things, automatically initiate a replenishment of product within the bin  10  when needed. To this end, the inventory management system  21  will have an associated data repository which will cross reference product identifying data as would be received from an accelerometer system  18  with product replenishment details, such as a product identifier, replenishment amount, sourcing location, replenishment location, replenishment delivery method, replenishment delivery schedule, replenishment payment method, and/or the like as needed. 
     In operation, the accelerometer system  18  can be used to sense and report to the inventory management system  21  an occurrence of an event indicative of a user interaction with the bin  10 , e.g., a user caused change in orientation or position of the bin  10 . In addition or alternatively, the accelerometer system  18  can be used to sense and report to the inventory management system  21  an event indicative of a user interaction with product associated with the bin  10 , e.g., the removing of product from (and possibly the adding of product to) the bin  10 . 
     By way of example with reference to  FIG.  4   , when the system is a system such as described in U.S. Published Application No. 2012/0043289, the accelerometer system  18  can cause a signal to be sent to the inventory management system  21  that indicates that the accelerometer system  18  sensed a “replenishment needed” turning of the bin  10  to which the accelerometer system  18  is coupled, e.g., a 180 degree turning of a color coded bin  10  in a horizontal plane. As noted, the signal sent to the inventory management system  21  will preferably have product identifying information to thereby allow the inventory management system  21  to respond to a receiving of the signal by initiating a corresponding product replenishment process. Similarly, if the system uses another bin movement process to indicate that the product needs to be restocked within the bin  10 , such as a moving of the bin  10  to a designated replenishment indicating area such as a designated shelf of the rack  11 , the accelerometer system  18  can sense the movement of the bin  10  to the designated replenishment indicating area and cause a signal to be sent to the inventory management system  21  that indicates that the accelerometer system  18  sensed a “replenishment needed” event as before. 
     In some instances, the system may require a user to move a bin  10  to simulate or train a “replenishment needed” event and the system  18  may store such information in memory  26  for comparison to the raw data obtained by accelerometer system  18  when the system in in replenishment monitoring use. The training may involve, for example, the movement of the bin  10  by a user to a designated replenishment indicating area of the rack  11 . In this case, the accelerometer system  18  may be provided with a button or other input element to indicate to the system that a training of the system is being performed. In other cases, the accelerometer system  18  may be pre-programmed to recognize a simple replenishment indicating movement of the bin  10 , such as a turning of the bin  10  in a horizontal plane on a shelf of the rack  11  at or about 180 degrees, and, as such, the user of the system  18  would not need to perform an explicit training of the system  18 . 
     While the above describes a system in which the system  18  determines if a “replenishment needed” signal is to be sent to the management system  21 , i.e., a system in which the accelerometer system  18  determines if the raw data obtained by the accelerometer system  18  matches (i.e., corresponds to the degree required) the data that indicates a “replenishment needed” event, it is to be understood that, in some instances, the accelerometer system  18  may simply send the raw data obtained by the accelerometer system  18  to the inventory management system  21 , a cloud-server, or the like to thereby allow the inventory management system  21 , the cloud-server, or the like to use the data to determine if a “replenishment needed” event has occurred and that product needs to be provided to replenish stock in a corresponding bin  10 . 
     As to indicating a product interaction event, it is contemplated that the accelerometer system  21  can use data obtained via the accelerometer  22  to determine if a user has removed and or replaced product relative to the bin  10  as illustrated in  FIG.  5   . In this regard, raw movement data obtained by the sensor resulting from a user placing product into or removing product from a bin  10  can be used by the accelerometer system  18  (and/or by the inventory management system  21  when provided thereto) to determine the number/amount of product taken from or placed into a bin  10 . As before, the analysis of the accelerometer data can be performed locally or in a distributed manner and the system may uses machine learning/AI to form sensed bin movement patterns that are indicative of such product removal or placement events for comparison against the raw data that is obtained by the accelerometer  22 . In this regard, it will be appreciated that the AI training of the system will, among other things, allow the system to differentiate between movement of a bin  10  caused by environmental conditions, e.g., machinery caused vibrations of the rack  11 , and movement of a bin  10  caused by a purposeful interaction with the contents of the bin  10  by a user. 
     In the event the system is not programmed to use the raw data obtained by the accelerometer system  18  to automatically determine an amount of product that has been placed into the bin  10 , e.g., an amount of product that has been restocked, the system may require that a user manually indicate to the system either the exact amount of product added to the bin  10 , indicate to the system that a known replenishment amount of product has been added to the bin  10 , or the like. This input by be accomplished by the user interacting with the bin  10  in a predetermined manner, e.g., by providing a predetermined sequence of taps or the like to the bin  10  indicative of a replenishment having been performed (and possibly an amount) where the sequence of taps are capable of being sensed by the accelerometer system  18 . The system will use the indicated replenishment amount as a starting point for determining when another replenishment of product will be needed as a result of the accelerometer system  18  determining that product is being removed from the corresponding bin  10 . 
     As noted, it is contemplated that the accelerometer system  18  can itself be used as an input device for the system. By way of further example as illustrated in  FIG.  6   , it is contemplated that a user can generate a reorder request at any time for a bin  10  by providing to the bin  10  a unique “reorder tap” sequence. This sequence, which would be sensed by the accelerometer system  10 , can be used to instruct the accelerometer system  18  to send a “replenishment needed” signal to the inventory management system  21 . Thus, this replenishment signal can be caused to be issued without the need to reorient the bin  10 . It will also be appreciated that the raw data obtained by the accelerometer system  18  can be sent to a remote server for processing and/or that the “reorder tap” sequence can be programmed by the user and/or be pre-established as previously described. Similarly, it is to be appreciated that, when the accelerometer system  18  is used as an input device, a user can provide further tap sequence to a bin  10  for the purpose of indicating to the system that product is being removed from the bin  10  (and, as needed, the amount), to indicate that product has been replenished within the bin  10 , to indicate the identity of the user, and the like without any limitation. Tap sequences may be required to be applied to a predetermined area of the bin  10  and/or in a predetermined direction upon the bin  10  to thereby allow the system to differentiate such taps from normal usage-based, accelerometer sensed movements of the bin  10 , such as caused by a user reaching into the bin  10 , movements caused by vibrations, etc. Tap sequences may additionally require a timing component for this same differentiation purpose. 
     By way of further example,  FIG.  7    illustrates a method wherein the accelerometer system  18  is usable to track who is taking product from a bin  10 . The accelerometer system  18  and/or the inventory management system  21  may also time stamp the data so that the system may also know when the input was provided to the bin  10 , e.g., when the product was removed from the bin  10 . In the illustrated example, a user (e.g., a customer or OSA (Onsite Service Agent from the vendor)) can identify themselves to the system by providing a unique tap sequence upon a bin  10  (or the rack  11  in the event the accelerometer system  18  is capable of sensing such interaction with the rack  11 ). For example a user&#39;s tap sequence might be indicative of a user&#39;s ID or badge number (e.g., the user sequence is TAP, SMALL DELAY, TAP TAP, SMALL DELAY, TAP TAP which is recognized by the system as the equivalent of entering  122  on a keyboard). As described previously, a user can likewise provide their user identifying tap sequence to indicate that they are the user that is replenishing or returning product to a bin  10  server. A system operator can also configure the system such that multiple users share the same TAP sequence, in whole or in part, to represent that they all belong to a given cost center, or department, or project, or application, or location where product is going to be used. 
     In some instances, the system can include a feedback device, such as one or more LEDs that are a part of an accelerometer system  18 , a rack  11 , an associated app on a user device, etc., that can function to indicate to the user that the system has recognized the user and that the user can now remove product from a bin  10 . The user feedback device can also be used to indicate a current status of a bin  10  and/or bins within a rack  11 , the current status of any replenishment processing, and the like without limitation. 
     With the use of machine learning and AI, the system will be able to distinguish between various events. For example, the reports received from multiple sensing units  18  on multiple bins  10  and/or on multiple racks  11  could be used to distinguish between a meaningful event associated with a given bin and false events such as a purposeful movement of an adjacent bin, an inadvertent bumping of a rack, floor vibrations, etc. In addition, with the use of machine learning and AI, the system will also be able to determine with a high degree of accuracy how many items were removed from a bin  10 . For example, if a bin  10  has bulk items, like bolts, the number of handfuls of product taken from a bin  10  can be determined and the remaining amount of product can be estimated by use of such machine learning and AI. The use of machine learning and AI can also be employed to help a customer understand product usage patterns. 
     In further examples, the system can be setup such that, when a recognized user is determined to have removed product from a bin  10 , a text or email message can be sent using the network to anyone. For example, if a user is determined to have taken product from a bin  10 , an email notification can be sent to their manager, or to a project leader, to a supervisor of/in an area of a factory, or to an employee of the vendor, etc. In addition, the system can provide feedback to a user using any of the aforementioned feedback mechanisms to indicate to a user that a restock request has been received by the vendor regardless of how a reorder request is generated, that an email has been sent, or of any other event being performed and/or being recognized by the system. In still further examples, data can be collected and sent (in real-time or in batch) to a vendor who administers the inventory system for analytics purposes, e.g., a vendor can use the data to propose product to be added to/removed from a rack  11 , to determine how product/bins  10  are to be better arranged on a rack  11 , or the like. To this end, because the system in able to track who took items, when, and how many/much, a heat map can be created to show where product hoarding or general usage is taking place at the customer&#39;s location and, as noted above, this information can be used by both the vendor and customer to tune the customer&#39;s business and reduce costs by guiding employees to take the proper amounts of product each time. Likewise, by tracking times, the system can estimate the amount of time a customer is taking to walk to the bins and how often and this collected information can also be used to help optimize bin placement at a customer&#39;s location. Yet further, it is contemplated that the bins  10  need not be stationary but can be placed on a mobile platform (with power) and follow customers around a project. 
     While various embodiments have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangement disclosed is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.