Product management system and product display fixtures

Abstract

This technology provides a method for accurately detecting removed products based on the detection of indicators that become exposed when a product is removed from a display shelf. [Solution] The product management system comprises indicators placed on the product placement surface 13, a camera 2 that photographs the product placement surface 13, and a product detection unit 30 that detects whether a product corresponding to a detected indicator is not present on the product placement surface 13 based on the detection of indicators by the camera 2. The indicators are arranged in a matrix on the product placement surface 13 to form an indicator group, and the product detection unit 30 detects whether a product is not present on the product placement surface 13 by detecting an indicator from the indicator group that coincides with the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the product placement surface 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a product management system for managing the presence or absence of products displayed along the depth direction on the product placement surface of a display member of a product display fixture, and a product display fixture in which the displayed products are managed by this product management system.

Background Art

[0002] In the notification system according to Patent Document 1, an image of a product storage shelf photographed by cameras installed on the ceiling, walls, and shelves of a store is analyzed using object detection technology and object recognition technology using deep learning, etc., and the number of products on the product storage shelf is calculated. When the calculated number of products is less than or equal to the minimum number and the current time is within the notification target time zone, the display device corresponding to the product is lit.

[0003] In the inventory status management device according to Patent Document 2, the presence or absence of products on a display shelf is determined by whether a marker (indicator) provided at the position where the products are placed is detected from the photographed image of the camera. Since the relationship between the marker and the product is managed, when the marker type or the marker generation position is detected by analyzing the photographed image, the corresponding product name is deduced. The product without a marker is provided at the position where the product remains until the end when the products are taken out in order from the tray on which the products are arranged.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the notification system described in Patent Document 1, the number of products on a shelf is calculated by performing image recognition on an image of the shelf captured by a camera. However, since many products are displayed on a shelf, accurately calculating the number of products from the captured image is difficult even with image recognition technologies such as deep learning. In particular, when a single camera is used to photograph multiple shelves (see Figure 1 in Patent Document 1), each product appears as a small image, and products in the peripheral areas of the captured image are distorted, making it difficult to recognize each product.

[0006] In the inventory management device described in Patent Document 2, a product shortage is determined by detecting a product emptiness marker (indicator) that appears when a product is removed from the display shelf in the captured image. However, if the product emptiness marker is not positioned in a location where it is exposed when a product is removed from the display shelf, a problem arises in that the removal of the product cannot be detected.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a technology for reliably detecting removed products based on the detection of indicators that are exposed when products are removed from display shelves. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The product management system according to the present invention is a system for managing the presence or absence of products displayed along the depth direction on a product placement surface of a product display fixture, and comprises indicators placed on the product placement surface, a camera that photographs the product placement surface, and a product detection unit that detects whether the product corresponding to the detected indicator is not present on the product placement surface based on the detection of the indicator by the camera, wherein the indicators are arranged in a matrix on the product placement surface to form an indicator group, and the product detection unit detects whether the product is not present on the product placement surface by detecting an indicator from the indicator group that coincides with the projection point of the center of gravity of the product onto the product placement surface.

[0009] In this configuration, products are displayed so as to cover a group of indicators arranged in a matrix on the product display surface. When a product is removed from the display surface, the exposed indicators are detected by a camera, and it is detected that the product is not present on the display surface. Furthermore, only the indicators that coincide with the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the display surface are targeted for product presence detection, so products removed from the display shelf are accurately detected. In this invention, although the indicators are arranged in a matrix on the product display surface, "matrix" is a broad term meaning a matrix of 1×n, n×1, or n×n (where n is a natural number), and its rows and columns do not necessarily have to be aligned in a straight line.

[0010] In the display of products on a product display surface, products arranged in the depth direction are moved closer to the front row of the product display surface to facilitate product identification. This movement is caused by customers, store employees, or the inclined structure of the product display surface. In this case, indicators positioned behind the front row of products on the product display surface are exposed to the camera when the front row of products is removed and are captured in the image. This means that when such indicators are detected, it means that all products arranged in the depth direction of those indicators have disappeared. Therefore, in this invention, it is proposed that the group of indicators is positioned behind the front row of products on the product display surface, and that the product detection unit determines that all products arranged in the depth direction are gone by detecting the indicators.

[0011] Even if indicators are arranged in a matrix on the product display surface, if multiple indicators cover the bottom of the product, the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the display surface may be located at the boundary between horizontally aligned indicators (left indicator and right indicator) rather than in the central area of ​​the indicators. In this case, the question arises as to whether to use the left indicator, the right indicator, or both indicators as the indicators to be used for determining the presence or absence of the product. If identical products are displayed on both sides of the product in question, either indicator can be used as the indicator to be determined (detected). Of course, both indicators can also be used as indicators to be determined. However, if a different product (different type of product) is displayed on one side, if the indicator closer to the different type of product is used as the indicator to be determined, the indicator exposed when the product is removed may be hidden (shadowed) by the different type of product, and the indicator to be determined may not be detected even though the product is not present on the display surface. In other words, there is a possibility of a false determination that the product is still present when it is not. On the other hand, even if the indicator to be judged, which is exposed when the product is removed, is hidden by an identical product in an adjacent row, and it is determined that the product is still remaining, there is no error in the determination because the product that hid the indicator to be judged is the same product. For this reason, in the present invention, when multiple rows of the same product are displayed in the width direction on the product display surface, and the projection point is located at the boundary of adjacent indicators in the width direction, it is proposed that the product detection unit detects the indicator on the side of the adjacent identical product.

[0012] Since the indicator group consists of indicators arranged in a matrix on the product placement surface, accurately positioning each indicator on the product placement surface is a cumbersome task. To simplify this task, the present invention proposes that the indicator group be a printed sheet that is affixed to the product placement surface. This allows for the arrangement of numerous indicators in a matrix simply by printing a sheet with multiple indicators accurately positioned and affixing it to the product placement surface.

[0013] In this invention, it is proposed that the indicator is an ArUco marker. Compared to QR codes (registered trademark) and barcodes, ArUco markers have the advantage of being easy and quick to detect by a camera. For this reason, in this invention, it is proposed to use ArUco markers as indicators. For example, since identification data that identifies all products displayed on a product display fixture can be assigned to an ArUco marker, the product detection unit can detect whether a specific product corresponding to the detected ArUco marker is not present on the product display surface by detecting the ArUco marker.

[0014] In this application, the invention encompasses not only the product management system described above, but also product display fixtures to which the product management system is applied. Such product display fixtures include display members that display products along the depth direction from the front, which is the product retrieval surface. A group of indicators for managing the presence or absence of products placed on the product placement surface of the display member is provided on the product placement surface. The group of indicators consists of indicators arranged in a matrix, and based on a detection indicator map that shows the position of the indicators detected by the indicator detection unit, it is detected that the product corresponding to the indicator is not on the product placement surface. The presence or absence of products placed on the product placement surface of the display member in this product display fixture can be appropriately managed by the product management system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing one form of product display fixture used in a product management system that utilizes images captured by a camera. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing another form of product display fixture managed by a product management system that uses images captured by cameras. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing a product display fixture having a product placement surface to which printed indicator sheets are attached. [Figure 4] A schematic functional block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of a product management system. [Figure 5]It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the relationship between the center-of-gravity position of a product and a detection target index. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the center-of-gravity position of a product and a detection target index. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram showing yet another example of the relationship between the center-of-gravity position of a product and a detection target index. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram explaining the process of detecting a product removed from the detected index.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] In FIG. 1, there are shown a product display fixture 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as fixture 1) used in the product management system of the present invention, and a camera 2 installed obliquely upward with respect to a product placement surface 13 formed on a shelf board 12 as a display member of fixture 1 so that the product placement surface 13 falls within the picture angle. An index M is arranged on the product placement surface 13. The product management system manages the presence or absence of products displayed along the depth direction from the front, which is the product removal surface, on the product placement surface 13 of the shelf board 12, which is a display member of fixture 1, based on the detection of the index M reflected in the captured image of camera 2. In addition, although indicated by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this specification, the front side (frontward side) of fixture 1 from which a product is taken out by a customer indicates "front", and the opposite side, that is, the back side (backward side) indicates "back". The left-right direction facing the front of fixture 1 indicates "left" and "right". Hereinafter, the "left-right direction" may be referred to as "horizontal" or "width direction". The "front-back direction" may be referred to as "vertical" or "depth direction".

[0017] The index M used in this invention has a figure (including characters) embedded with information, such as an ArUco marker, a QR code (registered trademark), or a barcode. A barcode is a one-dimensional code that records information horizontally side by side, and an ArUco marker and a QR code (registered trademark) are two-dimensional codes that record information in two directions, vertical and horizontal. In this embodiment, an ArUco marker is used.

[0018] The display fixture 1 is mainly installed in stores such as supermarkets and convenience stores, and is a merchandise display shelf for displaying and selling goods. In the sales area, a plurality of display fixtures 1 are arranged in parallel or individually. The display fixture 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is mainly composed of columns 10 arranged at intervals left and right, a rear wall plate 11 which is a rear plate provided between the left and right columns 10, and a plurality of shelves 12 extending forward from the left and right columns 10. In FIG. 1, the shelf 12 is arranged only on one side in the front-rear direction with respect to the left and right columns 10, but it may also be arranged on the other side.

[0019] The upper surface of the shelf 12 is used as a product placement surface 13 on which products are placed. Products are placed on the product placement surface 13 so as to be arranged in the depth direction and the width direction. At that time, the product placement surface 13 is partitioned into product rows in the depth direction corresponding to the types (product widths) of products, and the same products are placed in each partition of the product rows.

[0020] When there are no products placed on the product placement surface 13, the index M is reflected in the captured image of the camera 2. The indices M are arranged in a matrix on the product placement surface 13. The index M is arranged in a matrix of m rows and n columns (m is a numerical value between 1 and the maximum value that can be arranged in the depth direction of the product placement surface 13). Although the sizes of all the indices M are the same, at least one index M is set to a size that is covered by the bottom surface of the product to be displayed. Also, when the index M is arranged on the rear side in the depth direction of the frontmost product on the product placement surface 13, by detecting this index M, it is possible to determine that all the products arranged in the depth direction are gone or that the products arranged in the depth direction are decreasing.

[0021] In Figure 1, the index M is arranged in a 4x10 matrix, but since the product placement surface 13 is only schematically shown, in reality the number of rows is about 1 to 10 and the number of columns is about 20 to several tens. For example, on the product placement surface 13 shown in Figure 2, the index M is arranged in a 1xn matrix (n is 10 in Figure 2, but about 30 is preferable in reality), and this index M is a modified index in which the length in the depth direction is enlarged to about twice the length in the width direction.

[0022] When an entire product row is removed from the product placement surface 13, all indicators M within the area occupied by the product row are exposed to camera 2 and captured in the image taken by camera 2. If products in a product row are removed sequentially from the front, effectively filling the front of the row, it becomes possible to detect that there are no products in the product row corresponding to a particular indicator M through the captured image in which the indicator M is visible. Furthermore, if at least a code (such as an indicator ID) related to the product name is assigned to an indicator M within the area occupied by a product row, the product removed from the product placement surface 13 can be identified (detection of product shortage or reduction in product) through the indicator M detected through the captured image. Based on this product identification, products are replenished.

[0023] One of the defining features of the present invention is that, when multiple indicators M correspond to the bottom surface of products displayed on the product display surface 13, the indicator M that coincides with the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the product display surface 13 becomes the detection target indicator for product presence detection. Therefore, if a single product row contains two or more rows of indicators M, the indicator M to be the detection target indicator is set in advance by an indicator ID or the like. When this detection target indicator is detected, it is detected that the products in that product row are not present on the product display surface 13.

[0024] Figures 1 and 2 are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the actual configuration. The product placement surface 13 of the top shelf 12 shows no products, only indicators M arranged in the width direction. The product placement surface 13 of the second shelf 12 from the top shows products and a few indicators M. On the product placement surfaces 13 of the remaining shelves 12, both indicators M and products are omitted.

[0025] In this embodiment, the indicator M is provided in the form of an indicator sheet MS, which is a printed sheet printed out by a long sheet printer PT, as shown in Figure 3. The indicator sheet MS is a long sheet having a size corresponding to the product placement surface 13. By adopting this form of indicator sheet MS, the indicator M can be easily placed in the correct position on the product placement surface 13. The indicator sheet MS is printed out using indicator group print data generated by arranging an indicator group, which is a group of multiple indicators M, according to the product display width.

[0026] Figure 4 shows a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the product management system. Each shelf of the fixture 1 has a product placement surface 13 on which a group of indicators M arranged in the width direction are placed. Images captured by camera 2, which captures this group of indicators within its field of view, are recorded in the image recording unit 22, which is provided in the relay device for camera 2. Since there are many cameras 2 in the store, images captured by each camera 2 are sent to and recorded in the image recording unit 22.

[0027] An edge computer 4 is provided as a central control device for the control of the product management system. The edge computer 4 has a storage unit and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes programs. The storage unit is composed of, for example, an HDD, ROM (Read Only Memory), or non-volatile memory. The edge computer 4 has an index processing module 3, a data output unit 41, and a real-time control unit 42 as functional units particularly relevant to the present invention. Each functional unit of the edge computer 4 is substantially realized by the execution of a program by the CPU of the edge computer 4.

[0028] The index processing module 3 comprises, as functional units, an image acquisition unit 31, an extraction unit 32, and a product detection unit 30. The image acquisition unit 31 acquires images recorded in the image recording unit 22 based on the set product management schedule and provides them to the extraction unit 32. The extraction unit 32 functions as an index detection unit and determines whether the acquired image contains index M. If index M is present, it extracts the region of index M detected from the image.

[0029] Since the displayed products conceal indicator M from camera 2, the detection of indicator M in the captured image means that the product has been removed from the product area corresponding to this indicator M. The product detection unit 30 utilizes this to generate information about the product removed from fixture 1 (non-existent product), information about the product row where the product is no longer present, etc., based on the detected indicator M. The various functions of the product detection unit 30 described below are realized by the execution of related programs by the CPU of the edge computer 4.

[0030] The first function of the product detection unit 30 is to determine whether the extracted (detected) index M is a target index for detecting the presence or absence of a product. For example, as shown in the perspective view (a) and the plan view (b) of Figure 5, the index Ms are arranged in a 1xn matrix, and if the product column for product A contains index M:M(1,1), index M:M(1,2), and index M:M(1,3), then index M:M(1,2) coincides with the projection point of the centroid position of product A (labeled G in the figure) onto the product placement surface 13, and therefore, this index M becomes a target index for detection. Similarly, if the product column for product B includes indicators M:M(1,4), M:M(1,5), M:M(1,6), M:M(1,7), and M:M(1,8), then indicator M:M(1,6) coincides with the projection point of the centroid of product B onto the product placement surface 13, and therefore this indicator M becomes the indicator to be detected.

[0031] In the example in Figure 5, the number of indicators M on the base of one product was odd, so the indicator M located in the center became the indicator to be detected. However, as shown in the example in Figure 6, if the number of indicators M on the base of one product was even, the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the product placement surface 13 was located at the boundary between adjacent indicators M in the width direction, so it was necessary to select one of the indicators M to the left or right of the projection point as the indicator to be detected (see the first and second product rows in Figure 6). A preferred rule for selecting the indicator to be detected in the second product row is that if the same product is displayed in the adjacent product row (see the first product row in Figure 6) to the product row for which the indicator to be detected is being selected (see the second product row in Figure 6) (if the same product is displayed in multiple rows), then of the two indicators M whose projection points are adjacent in the width direction, the indicator M closer to the product row in which the same product is displayed (see the first product row in Figure 6) becomes the indicator to be detected. In the example shown in Figure 6, product A is displayed in both the first and second product rows. Therefore, the detection target index in the first product row is index M:M(1,3), and the detection target index in the second product row is index M:M(1,6). More specifically, if identical products (product A) and different products (product B) are displayed on either side, if the index M:M(1,7) closer to the different product is used as the detection target index, the detection target index exposed by the removal of product A may be hidden by the different product. This could lead to a false determination that the product is still present, even though the product is not actually on the product display surface 13. On the other hand, if the index M:M(1,6) closer to the identical product is used as the detection target index, even if the detection target index exposed by the removal of product A is hidden by the identical product in the adjacent row, and the system determines that the product is still present, this determination is not problematic because the product that hid the detection target index is the identical product.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7, the index M is arranged in a 3xn matrix. In the product column for product A, the index M:M(1,1), index M:M(1,2), index M:M(1,3), index M:M(2,1), index M:M(2,2), index M:M(2,3), index M:M(3,1), index M:M(3,2), and index M:M(3,3) are arranged. Since index M:M(2,2) coincides with the projection point of the centroid of product A onto the product placement surface 13, this index M becomes the index to be detected in the product column for product A. Similarly, in the product column for product B, a 3x5 index M is arranged, and since index M:M(2,6) coincides with the projection point of the centroid of product A onto the product placement surface 13, this index M becomes the index to be detected in the product column for product B.

[0033] Since the product rows and their target indicators are defined by the product display plan, a detection indicator map is created and stored based on the display plan for each product row, its target indicator, and the information of the products in each row. Using the detection indicator map, it is determined whether the indicator ID of indicator M is a target indicator. In other words, the indicator ID (which can be just a number) assigned to the extracted indicator M is read, and it is determined from this indicator ID whether the extracted indicator M is a target indicator.

[0034] The second function of the product detection unit 30 is to read the indicator ID (which may be just a number) assigned to the extracted indicator M if the extracted indicator M is a target indicator.

[0035] The second function of the product detection unit 30 is to derive the fixture ID, fixture location (location of fixture 1 in the store), shelf level (level position of shelf 12), shelf placement surface ID, and product row (row number) from the indicator ID of indicator M, which was the indicator to be detected, so that the indicator to be detected is exposed when the product is removed from the product placement surface 13. Information about the removed product (type, etc.) is also identified from the product row corresponding to the detected indicator to be detected.

[0036] Next, we will explain an example of a configuration that identifies information about the extracted product from the indicator ID of the target indicator, using Figure 8.

[0037] When a product is removed and the indicator M that was covered by the product is exposed on the product placement surface 13, the exposed indicator M is captured in the image taken by the camera 2 and extracted by the extraction unit 32. Furthermore, by providing the indicator ID of the extracted indicator M to the detection indicator map, it is determined whether the extracted indicator M is a target indicator for detection. If the extracted indicator M is a target indicator for detection, its indicator ID (simply shown as ID31 in Figure 8) is used as a search parameter to derive the fixture ID, fixture location, placement surface ID, product row, and target indicator for detection ("ON" indicates a target indicator for detection, and "OFF" indicates a non-target indicator for detection). Once the product row on the product placement surface 13 with the placement surface ID is known, information about the products displayed there can be obtained. In the example in Figure 8, the fixture ID is "A102", the fixture location is "B1020", the placement surface ID is "1020", the product row is "03", and the target indicator for detection is "ON". Therefore, when indicator ID "31" is detected, it is detected that "Canned Juice A" is out of stock.

[0038] In other words, in this embodiment, when an index detected by the extraction unit 32 is determined to be a target index based on the detection index map shown in Figure 8, it is detected that there is no product corresponding to the target index on the product placement surface 13.

[0039] The product removal information, which is the detection result of the product detection unit 30, is preferably output from the data output unit 41 for product management purposes, along with the captured image and time of capture that served as the basis for the detection.

[0040] When the real-time control unit 42 detects that an item has been removed from the item placement surface 13 of the fixture 1, it uses an alarm device (for example, a flashing light 51 or similar) located near the fixture to alert store staff and others to the need for product management, such as replenishing the stock.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, each store is equipped with at least one edge computer 4. The processing results (product management information) output from the index processing module 3 by the edge computer 4 are transferred to the host computer 6 via a data communication network such as a private line, the internet, or a public line. The host computer 6 is located within the store or in a management center that manages multiple stores. In this embodiment, the processing results from the index processing module 3 are transferred to the host computer 6 approximately every 5 minutes.

[0042] The host computer 6 processes product management information transmitted from the store's edge computer 4 to create product analysis information and product display evaluation information, and then reports and manages the products. The host computer 6 comprises a calculation unit 6A, a notification unit 6B, a database 6C, and a map generation unit 6D.

[0043] The calculation unit 6A performs statistical calculations and inference calculations using the received product management information and past product management information stored in the database 6C. The map generation unit 6D accesses the database 6C and outputs the requested fixture 1, store images around the location of the stockout, or a store map (map), or both, and provides them to the notification unit 6B, etc. The notification unit 6B includes a notification information generation unit 61 and a display unit 62. The notification information generation unit 61 generates product analysis information and product display evaluation information using the calculation results of the calculation unit 6A. The product analysis information here is, for example, information showing when, where, and how each product was sold, and the product display evaluation information is information showing the display locations with good sales and the rows of stockout products over time. The display unit 62 converts the information into display information (for example, HTML data) and provides it to the host computer 6 or the mobile communication terminal 8 that has accessed the system. Furthermore, the display unit 62 can directly display notification information such as product analysis information and product display evaluation information on the screen of the host computer 6's display device 62a or the screen of the mobile communication terminal 8. The printing unit 63 prints out the notification information via the printer 63a. In addition, the notification unit 6B can send product analysis information, product display evaluation information, or simply messages regarding the location of stock shortages to the registered user's mobile communication terminal 8, such as a smartphone.

[0044] [Another embodiment] (1) The form of the fixture 1 shown in the above-described embodiment is just an example, and the fixture 1 may be a freezer or refrigerator, or a flat-lay fixture 1.

[0045] (2) In the above-described embodiment, when product shortage information was output, the real-time control unit 42 illuminated the warning light 51 and a predetermined lamp in the fixture management room for a certain period of time in order to notify in real time that product removal had occurred. As a variation of this, if the out-of-stock product is a specific product that has been set in advance (such as a featured product, a sale product, or a promotional product), a different notification method may be used than for normal products. For example, the warning light 51 and a predetermined indicator light in the fixture management room may flash at a different frequency or light up in a different color. In addition, in the case of voice notification by a buzzer or speaker, the tone and volume may be different for specific products and normal products. Furthermore, a message informing that a product, especially a specific product, has become out of stock may be sent to the person in charge's mobile communication terminal 8 using a different font color and font size than for normal products.

[0046] (3) The configuration of the edge computer 4, host computer 6, and mobile communication terminal 8 is just one example; the whole may be an integrated configuration, or it may be composed of many additional computer devices.

[0047] (4) Each functional unit in the functional block diagram shown in Figure 4 may be integrated or further divided.

[0048] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. Moreover, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0049] The present invention is applicable to a product management system for detecting the location where a displayed product has been removed, and to product display fixtures used in such a system. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1: Fixtures (merchandise display fixtures) 2: Camera 3: Indicator Processing Module 4: Edge computing 6: Host computer 6A: Arithmetic unit 6B: News Department 6C: Database 6D: Map generation unit 8: Mobile communication terminals 10: Strut 11: Rear wall board 12: Shelf board 13: Product placement surface 22: Image Recording Unit 30: Product detection unit 31: Image acquisition unit 32:Extraction part 36:Product Specification Department M :Indicator MS: Metric Sheet PT: Long sheet printer

Claims

1. A product management system for managing the presence or absence of products displayed along the depth direction on the product placement surface of a product display fixture, The indicator placed on the product placement surface, A camera for photographing the product placement surface, The system includes a product detection unit that detects, based on the detection of the indicator by the camera, that the product corresponding to the detected indicator is not present on the product placement surface, The indicators are arranged in a matrix on the product placement surface to form a group of indicators. The product detection unit is a product management system that detects whether a product is not present on the product placement surface by detecting an indicator from the group of indicators that coincides with the projection point of the product's center of gravity onto the product placement surface.

2. The aforementioned group of indicators is positioned on the product placement surface, behind the product in the front row in the depth direction. The product detection unit determines, by detecting the indicator, that none of the products arranged in the depth direction exist, as described in claim 1.

3. The product management system according to claim 1, wherein, on the product display surface, multiple rows of the same product are displayed in the width direction, and the projection point is located at the boundary of adjacent indicators in the width direction, the product detection unit targets the indicator on the side of adjacent identical products for detection.

4. The product management system according to claim 1, wherein the group of indicators is a printed sheet and is affixed to the product placement surface.

5. The product management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned indicator is an ArUco marker.

6. A product display fixture equipped with display members that arrange products along the depth direction from the front, which is the product retrieval surface, A group of indicators for managing the presence or absence of the products placed on the product placement surface of the display member is provided on the product placement surface, and the group of indicators consists of indicators arranged in a matrix. A product display fixture that detects that the product corresponding to the indicator is not present on the product display surface, based on a detection indicator map that shows the location of the detection indicator detected by the indicator detection unit.

Images