Automated product shelves for inventory management

Abstract

An exemplary automated product shelf is described herein. The automated product shelf may include a housing and a drawer configured to be slidably received within the housing. The drawer may define a storage area configured to receive products. The automated product shelf may include a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate respective locations of respective units of the product within the storage area and a machine vision system configured to capture information related to the products. The machine vision system may include an optical device. Further, the automated product shelf may include a controller operably coupled to the machine vision system. The controller may be configured to inventory products based at least in part on the information related to the products and activate one or more of the visual indicators associated with desired units of the products.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to For eye lenses Auto Products shelf More specifically, the present invention relates to dispensing ophthalmic objects and recording and tracking patient information; for patients Different lenses judgement death, In the eye care professional's office The present invention relates to a system for tracking and controlling inventory of ophthalmic lenses.

[0002] Eye care professional In a typical office of an ECP, many different ophthalmic lenses are kept in inventory for distribution to patients who walk into the office. ,for example, Determine if the patient needs corrective lenses And necessary and if the patient prefers contact lenses Eyes inspection Have them do it In order to dispense such lenses, the ECP must first determine whether a particular lens is appropriate. test And the complete order shipping The patient will receive enough We keep a large number of lenses in our office to provide .

[0003] Manual and automatic distribution machine is known, and From hot food Specific Over-the-counter medications Health A wide variety of related items These distributions are used to machine The majority of Point of sale It is a vending machine used as a device. distribution Although dispensers and vending machines are available in many regions, they are not widely used in the medical market. The expert is and lens manufacturers Withdrawals manually stored by the operator Try contact lenses from still These withdrawals are done manually. of Inventory management is required, Simple Contact lenses Hold In addition, the lens can be adjusted manually. storage It is necessary to develop a system for Stockkeeping Unit Or SKU, refractive power , one-day disposable, one-week disposable, two-week disposable, or one-month disposable etc. Wearing prescription plan, Lens manufacturers and lens materials It is necessary to separate by attributes such as .this is 、 Keep track of inventory and allow doctors to for Select when you choose did Lenses made easy Locate For, completely full Not requiring much use of drawers.

[0004] however 、 Real-time access to a wide variety of contact lenses To patients as a tool to assist such professionals, with the means and methods for providing medical care There is a need for a system that can be used by professionals. machine Also, a large number of lenses , and Inventory management using automated inventory management of Need to maintain Increase SKU can be used to better manage Such machines and systems also include: Each specific The system may also be used by manufacturers of lenses to provide instant access to lenses that fit the needs of individual patients. In addition, the system may be used to better provide new products that better meet the needs of such patients. D Conduct data analysis In order to deliver product information It is possible. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present disclosure provide devices and methods that address the above clinical needs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An exemplary automated product shelf is described herein. The automated product shelf includes a housing and a product holder that is slidably accommodated within the housing. It is possibleand a drawer configured to receive a product (e.g., a package including one or more contact lenses). storage The automated product shelf may define an area. The automated product shelf may also include a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate a respective location of each unit of product within the storage area, and a machine vision system disposed within the housing and configured to capture information regarding the products. The machine vision system may include an optical device. Further, the automated product shelf may be disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the machine vision system. It has been A controller may be included. The controller may include a processor and a memory. The controller may determine the product based at least in part on the information about the product. Create an inventory list of , may be configured to activate one or more of the visual indicators associated with the desired unit of product.

[0007] The above-described subject matter may also be implemented as a computer controller, a computer process, a computing system, or an article of manufacture such as a computer-readable storage medium. That it can be done I want to be understood.

[0008] Other systems, methods, features and / or advantages will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and / or advantages are intended to be included within this description and protected by the accompanying claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and the same reference numbers refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views. [Figure 1] 1 is an exemplary operating environment for embodiments described herein. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 3A]3A, 3B, and 3C show front (FIG. 3A), side (FIG. 3B), and isometric (FIG. 3C) views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 3B] 3A, 3B, and 3C show front (FIG. 3A), side (FIG. 3B), and isometric (FIG. 3C) views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 3C] 3A, 3B, and 3C show front (FIG. 3A), side (FIG. 3B), and isometric (FIG. 3C) views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 5A] 5A shows an automated product shelf according to an embodiment described herein, in an isometric view with a magnified window showing the storage area of ​​the drawer, and in an isometric view showing a portion of one of the drawers shown in FIG. [Figure 5B] 5A shows an automated product shelf according to an embodiment described herein, in an isometric view with a magnified window showing the storage area of ​​the drawer, and in an isometric view showing a portion of one of the drawers shown in FIG. [Figure 6A] 6A and 6B are top (FIG. 6A) and side (FIG. 6B) views of a set of visual indicators 105 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 6B] 6A and 6B are top (FIG. 6A) and side (FIG. 6B) views of a set of visual indicators 105 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an isometric view of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 8A] 8A-8C are front views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein, each showing a different drawer configuration. [Figure 8B] 8A-8C are front views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein, each showing a different drawer configuration. [Figure 8C] 8A-8C are front views of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein, each showing a different drawer configuration. [Figure 9A] 1 illustrates exemplary labeling that may be included in a product package. [Figure 9B] 1 illustrates exemplary labeling that may be included in a product package. [Figure 9C] 1 illustrates exemplary labeling that may be included in a product package. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates multiple product packages, each having a label according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 11A] 11A and 11B show isometric views of a portion of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein, with FIG. 11A showing a front view of the automated product shelf without side panels, and FIG. 11B showing a side view of the automated product shelf without side panels. [Figure 11B] 11A and 11B show isometric views of a portion of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein, with FIG. 11A showing a front view of the automated product shelf without side panels, and FIG. 11B showing a side view of the automated product shelf without side panels. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 13A] 1 illustrates an example process for using an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 13B] 1 illustrates an example process for using an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 13C] 1 illustrates an example process for using an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 13D] 1 illustrates an example process for using an automated product shelf according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] In the description and claims herein, the term "about" is used interchangeably. By Process or The device will not become non-compliantTo the extent that the recited value can be varied somewhat, for example, the term "about" with respect to some elements may be used to indicate that the recited value can be varied somewhat. 、± 0.1% Fluctuations in It can point to Regarding other elements The term "about" can refer to a variation of ±1% or ±10%, or any point therein.

[0011] As used herein, the term "substantially" or "substantially" refers to the act of Features The term "substantially" flat is also applicable when used in negative notation to refer to the complete or nearly complete absence of a property, state, structure, article, or result. For example, a surface that is "substantially" flat is completely flat or nearly flat, and the effect is the same as if it were completely flat. be .

[0012] As used herein, terms such as "a," "an," and "the" are not intended to refer to a singular entity only, but include general categories for which specific examples may be used for illustration.

[0013] As used herein, terms defined in the singular are intended to include terms defined in the plural and vice versa.

[0014] In this specification, "one embodiment," "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or "embodiments" etc., the embodiment being described (One or more) But certain features 、or feature, all embodiments do not necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, the impact of such feature, structure, or characteristic on other embodiments, whether or not expressly described, is intended to be within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. For purposes of the following description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", and derivatives thereof, shall relate to the invention as oriented in the drawings. The terms "overlying", "disposed over", "disposed on", "overlapping", "overlying" and "overlying" shall mean the same or similar features, structures, or characteristics as those described in the preceding paragraphs. It has been or "disposed on" means that a first element is above a second element; Intervening elements Between the first and second elements Connect The term "direct contact" or "attached" refers to a first element and a second element that are in direct contact with each other. Boundary In Either The middle element of Without It means to be connected.

[0015] Reference herein to any numerical range expressly includes each numerical value subsumed within that range, including fractional and integer values. "at least 50" or "at least about 50 " Scope Includes whole numbers such as 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, and fractions 50.1, 50.2, 50.3, 50.4, 50.5, 50.6, 50.7, 50.8, 50.9 For further explanation, the present specification includes " "Less than 50" or "Less than about 50" " Scope contains the integers 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, etc. and the fractions 49.9, 49.8, 49.7, 49.6, 49.5, 49.4, 49.3, 49.2, 49.1, 49.0, etc. .

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure. and the accompanying claims. Use in Time The term "comprising" and its variations are open, non-limiting terms that are used synonymously with the term "including" and its variations. Terms used herein"Optional" or "optionally" means Features, The event or situation may or may not occur, Features, This is meant to include cases where an event or situation occurs and cases where it does not occur. Embodiment is explained, The embodiments are not limited thereto. , automatic products for storing other types of products shelf It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to

[0017] automatic product storage shelf Such automated products are described herein. shelf Contact lenses and other products of Tracking / Creating an inventory list For example, the automated products described herein may be used shelf (i) of any product removed from storage; unit (ii) keeping track of inventory; needs to the user Inform thing (iii) automatically process your order for products; conduct (iv) all regularly prescribed lenses; Includes storage space and / or (v) during a power outage. Can operate .

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1, Embodiment An exemplary operating environment for the automated product shelf 100 is shown in FIG. , client device 102 , and the remote system 102 is connected to one or more networks 200 To Thus, the devices can be operatively connected. shelf 100 is described in detail below. Client Device 102 may be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or the like. Computing Device (For example, in Figure 14 Computing Device 700), and the remote system 104 may be a server, Computing Device (For example, in Figure 14 Computing Device 700). Optionally, in some implementations form In this example, the remote system 104 may be a cloud-based system, for example, a client device 102 that may Answering needs Cloud-based systems are known in the art and will not be described in further detail below. form Now, the remote system 104 has a database 104A Contains or Alternatively or additionally, the remote system 104 may have access to an electronic medical record ( EMR )104B Includes or can be accessed.

[0019] As mentioned above, automatic products shelf 100 、 Client device 102 and The remote system 104 may include one or more networks 200 can be connected by This disclosure contemplates that network 200 may be any suitable communications network. Consider The networks may be similar to each other in one or more respects. Alternatively or additionally, the networks may be different from each other in one or more respects. Can be different Network 200 may include a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a virtual private network (VPN), or the like, and may include any portion or combination of the above networks. May include Automatic Products Shelf 100, Client device 102 and The remote system 104 may be coupled to the network 200 via one or more communications links. This disclosure construes the communications links as any suitable communications links. Consider For example, communications links may be implemented by any medium that facilitates data exchange, including, but not limited to, wired links, wireless links, and optical links. can be Exemplary communication links include a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, Ethernet, the Internet, or WiFi. 、WiMax 、 This includes, but is not limited to, any other wired or wireless link such as 3G, 4G, or 5G.

[0020] The present disclosure relates to 17 Dec 2018, which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. patent application entitled "DISTRIBUTION AND INVENTORY SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME," filed on 16th / 222,819 issue Consider that the automated product shelf 100, client device 102 and remote system 104 can interact to perform inventory and shipping / delivery functions, as described in For example, as described below, the remote system 104 may shelf 100 Inside The network 200 may manage / maintain a database 104A that reflects the inventory of products (e.g., contact lenses) stored in the network 200. of By exchanging messages via the shelf 100 mosquito The remote system 104 can also receive messages with product inventory updates from the remote system 104. shelf 100 and / or database 104A in response to a request from client device 102 Check out thing but The present disclosure provides an understanding that a user (e.g., a medical professional such as an eye care professional (ECP)) can use a client device 102 to interact with the automated product shelf 100 and / or the remote system 104. Consider For example, the client device 102 may use a web browser to shelf 100 and / or the application with the remote system 104 and / or interface can be executed.

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 2, an automated product according to embodiments described herein. shelf A block diagram of the 100 is shown. shelf 100 includes a housing 101 and one or more drawers. 103 Each of the drawers 103 may include: A storage area configured to receive the product. (For example, Fig. Storage of 5A~5BArea 104) can be defined. This specification As described above, each of the drawers 103 is disposed within the housing 101. Inside The housing is slidably receivable in the housing. In other words , drawer 103 is For example, it can be withdrawn from the housing 101 to provide access to the product (e.g., as shown by FIGS. 7, 13B, 13C). Meanwhile, the drawer 103 may be housed within the housing 101 (e.g., FIG. 4, 5A, 13A) .

[0022] Automatic Products shelf 100 may also include a plurality of visual indicators 105 configured to indicate the respective locations of the respective units of product within the storage area. shelf The housing 101 may include a machine vision system 107 disposed within the housing 101 and configured to capture information about the product. The machine vision system 107 may include optical devices. Additionally, the automated product shelf 100 is a housing 101 Inside The controller 109 may include a controller 109 disposed in Computing Device (For example, in Figure 14 Computing Device 700). Automated Products shelf One exemplary controller for use with 100 is: British Raspberry Pi Foundation RASPBERRY He is a PI.

[0023] This disclosure contemplates that the machine vision system 107 and the controller 109 may be operatively coupled, for example, via one or more communication links. Consider This disclosure contemplates that the communications link may be any suitable communications link. Consider Additionally, the visual indicator 105 and the controller 109 may be operatively coupled, for example, via one or more communications links. For example, the communications links may be implemented by any medium that facilitates data exchange, including, but not limited to, wired links, wireless links, and optical links. can be This allows the controller 109 to control the machine vision system 107 and / or the visual indicator 105. andData can be exchanged.

[0024] Optionally, some implementations form So, automatic products shelf 100 is a housing 101 Inside For example, an automotive product may include a power source 111 disposed in shelf 100 is the grid power (e.g., Home / Business The present disclosure provides a power source 111 that can be configured to connect to standard alternating current (A / C) power provided at a power supply in a power supply system. Disruption (e.g., power outages) shelf That it can power 100 Consider The power source 111 is optionally a battery. could be .

[0025] Optionally, some implementations form So, automatic products shelf The drawer 100 may include a locking device 113 disposed within the housing 101 and configured to secure the drawer 103. For example, the locking device 113 may include: Passcode , Key Card , radio frequency identification (RFID), or biometrics (e.g., authentication) release The mechanism is an electronic lock that secures drawer 103. could be The client device 102 receives automated product orders via the network. shelf It should be understood that authentication information can be sent to the 100. Authentication is an automated product shelf 100 and / or a remote system Remote and local in Alternatively, the locking device 113 may be a mechanical lock that can be operated with a physical key. release mechanism Using The drawer 103 is fixed.

[0026] Optionally, some implementations form So, automatic products shelf 100 is drawer 103 ofAs described below, the machine vision system 107 may be configured to detect the movement of the drawer 103. of In some implementations, the form In this example, the controller 109 controls the machine vision system 107. of For example, an automated product may be configured to detect movement of the drawer 103 using a shelf 100 is drawer 103 Inside The location strip may include a location strip including a machine readable code disposed along or adjacent one or more of the dividers (e.g., In Figures 5A-5B Partition 400 ) It should be understood that a machine readable location code may be provided corresponding to each slot in the drawer that receives a unit of the product. Embodiment Then, a machine vision system 107 (e.g., an imager or a barcode scanner) can be configured to read / decode the location strip. Information can be sent to and received by the controller 109. , Controller 109 teeth , configured to detect movement of the drawer 103 can be Alternatively or additionally, an automated product shelf 100 is a housing 101 To The drawer 103 may further include a position detector 115 configured to sense the position of the drawer 103 relative to the drawer 103. For example, the position detector 115 may include: Through Beam Photoelectric Sensor could be This implementation form Now, a plate with a through hole but Automatic Products shelf 100 Inside Provided to can be The drawer 103 is connected to the housing 101 To When the plate is moved relative to the Translation The photoelectric sensor detects when the light beam passes through each of the through holes. The controller 109 can transmit and receive the , relative position drawer 103 of Optionally, the automated product tracking system may be configured to shelf 100, the drawer is in and out of the housing SlidingThe drawer may include a drawer cushion to stabilize the drawer's draw rate.

[0027] Here, the figure 3A~3C See and an automated product shelf 100 according to embodiments described herein. Front view (Figure 3A), side view (Figure 3B), and Isometric view (Figure 3C) Shown A housing 101 and a number of drawers 103 are shown in FIG. 3A~3C As shown in 。 The drawers 103 are made up of four relatively small drawers (e.g., the top four drawers) and four relatively large drawers (e.g., Bottom The drawers 103 include four drawers (one for each of the four drawers). Different size drawers 103 may be provided to accommodate different size products. For example, the top four drawers may be sized to accommodate one pair (1p) contact lens packages, while the top four drawers may be sized to accommodate one pair (1p) contact lens packages. Bottom The four drawers are sized to accommodate three pair (3p) or five pair (5p) contact lens packages. can be The number, size, and / or arrangement of the drawers 103 may be Just an example As Provided , it should be understood that other configurations are possible.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 4, an automated product according to embodiments described herein. shelf An isometric view of a storage unit 100 is shown in FIG. 4. A housing 101 and a number of drawers 103 are shown in FIG. 4. The drawers 103 have three relatively small Withdrawals (e.g. Top 3 drawers) and 3 relatively large drawers (e.g. Bottom 3 drawers ) Includes. The above So, there are 103 drawers of different sizes. teeth ,Accommodates products of different sizes may be provided for For example, the top three drawers may be sized to accommodate one pair (1p) contact lens packages; Meanwhile, the lower The three drawers are sized to accommodate three pair (3p) or five pair (5p) contact lens packages. can beThe number, size, and / or arrangement of the drawers 103 may be Just an example As Provided , it should be understood that other configurations are possible.

[0029] The automated product shelf 100 may also include visual indicators (e.g., visual indicator 105 of FIG. 2). Each of the visual indicators may be a light emitting diode (LED), etc. Light emitter It could be. It should be understood that the light emitters are provided as examples only. The present disclosure relates to a method for detecting a visual indicator comprising: graphic that other elements may include, but are not limited to, Consider do. the above As such, the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 105 of FIG. 2) may be operatively coupled to a controller (e.g., controller 109 of FIG. 2). shelf 100 Inside Desired product location of User (e.g. eye care Expert (ECP), to inform health professionals, such as Visual Indicators is an automatic product shelf On an exterior surface of 100 (e.g., on a drawer and / or drawer adjacent to), and / or automated products shelf 100 Storage Areas internal The controller may determine where the desired product is located (e.g., in the drawer and / or in the drawer itself). Location User To inform One As described herein, the controller may transmit an activation signal to the above visual indicators. shelf of 100 External Activate one or more visual indicators Do you want to , and / or activate one or more visual indicators in the drawer. In some embodiments, the visual indicators may, for example, change color to alert a user to a change in condition. Changes , blinking, Or a change of state By such as Can be shownVisual indicators also help to identify the product. shelf When loading into User (For example, ECP, staff , employees, third parties, or other users) Inside the shelf Available in position Guide to There is something to do In certain embodiments, the visual indicator comprises: Induction It has been thing To specify different images, colors, or other instructions Show There is something to do .for example, Device Each user of the system may, in the case of a graphical display, select a particular icon, graphic, or text. Can be associated Or, in the case of LEDs or other light-emitting visual indicators, a specific User teeth, shelf operatively associated with In software applications Given color or Blink Associated with sequence It can be said ,Thereby, multiple users can In the correct position on the shelf The assigned color on the visual indicator follow thing At the same time, users can be guided to their desired products. .

[0030] Here, the figure 5A~5B See and , an automated product according to the embodiments described herein shelf 100 is shown. FIG. 5A shows a drawer 103 Storage area Zoomed in to show 104 With the window Automatic Products shelf 5A is an isometric view of a housing 101 and a number of drawers 103. The drawers 103 have two relatively small drawers (e.g., the top two drawers) and three relatively large drawers (e.g., Bottom 3 drawers ) Includes. The above So, there are 103 drawers of different sizes. teeth ,Accommodates products of different sizes may be provided for For example, the top two drawers may be sized to accommodate one pair (1p) contact lens packages; Meanwhile, the lowerThe three drawers are sized to accommodate three pair (3p) or five pair (5p) contact lens packages. can be The number, size, and / or arrangement of the drawers 103 may be Just an example As Provided , it should be understood that other configurations are possible.

[0031] Furthermore, each of the drawers 103 shown in FIG. 103A top In FIG. 5A, the visual indicator 105 is located at the top of the drawer 103. external surface 103A (e.g., on or near the handle of the drawer). The placement of the visual indicator 105 shown in FIG. Just an example As Provided It should be understood that, as described herein, the visual indicator 105 is used to locate a desired product. User , so that the visual indicator 105 User (e.g., activate a particular drawer 103 for the benefit of was done When Highlight For withdrawal above and / or nearby Any position in Thus, the present disclosure can be arranged in drawer 103. of External surface 103A Instead 1. It should be noted that a visual indicator 105 may optionally be provided adjacent the exterior surface 103A of the drawer 103. Consider In FIG. 5A, one of the visual indicators 105 , i.e. ,Auto Products shelf 100 Top of Activate (e.g., illuminate) the second visual indicator 105 from the drawer 103. This indicates that the desired product is in this particular drawer 103. Inside To be located in User Inform 。

[0032] The magnified window in FIG. 5A shows drawer 103 Inside of storage1 shows storage area 104. It should be understood that storage area 104 receives a product. In the embodiment described herein, the product is a contact lens. The product is optionally stored in one or more product packages 300 (e.g., boxes, cartons, Wrapping paper For example, Product Package 300 is one More Contact Lenses Automotive Products shelf 100, 300 multiple product packages 、 In FIG. 5A, the product package 300 is stored in the storage area 104. Inside In line In other words, , product package 300 (referred to herein as “product unit ") is a partition between are arranged in a row In addition, a set of visual indicators 105 are provided in the storage area 104. Inside Each visual indicator 105 may be provided on the product package 300. of Each is provided adjacent to the other. window As shown in FIG. 1, each visual indicator 105 adjacent to two product packages 300 (i.e., the product packages being removed from the storage area 104) is activated (e.g., illuminated). teeth , the desired product is stored in storage area 104 Inside Inform the user that they are located at these specific locations 。

[0033] FIG. 5B shows an isometric view of a portion of one of the drawers 103 shown in FIG. 5A. As shown in FIG. 5B, the drawer 103 has: Storage Area 104 Inside In addition, the drawer 103 may further include a plurality of trays 420 configured to receive products, Tray Each of the partitions 420 is adjacent to the partition 400 of Placed between TrayEach of the sets of visual indicators 105 may include a plurality of slots 440 for receiving units of a product (e.g., product package 300). As shown in FIG. 5B, each set of visual indicators 105 may include a plurality of slots 440 for receiving units of a product (e.g., product package 300). of The visual indicators 105 may be arranged along each of the slots 440. To Linearly arranged along the partition 400 so as to be adjacent to each other can be In Figure 5B, Vision Indicator 105 Set of is indicated by the dashed box. Thus, the visual indicator 105 is of One of them both sides which, when activated (e.g., illuminated), identifies a specific location of a desired unit of the product. For the benefit of users emphasis display do.

[0034] Here, the figure 6A~6B See and , the implementation described herein form 6A and 6B show a top view (FIG. 6A) and a side view (FIG. 6B) of a set of visual indicators 105 according to the present invention. As described herein, the set of visual indicators 105 may include: partition (For example, in Fig. 5B partition 400). form , the visual indicators 105 are arranged linearly along the partition. Figure 6 A~6B in In the illustrated embodiment, the visual indicators 105 are evenly spaced because the slot sizes are the same. This disclosure contemplates that the visual indicators 105 may be unequally spaced, for example, when the slot sizes are different. Consider do. In other words, a visual indicator 105 is arranged such that one visual indicator 105 is provided adjacent each slot. Size decision and / or interval Can be placed The number, size, and / or spacing between the visual indicators 105 may be determined by: Just as an exampleare provided, it being understood that other configurations are possible.

[0035] Referring now to FIG. 7, an automated product according to embodiments described herein. shelf 1 shows an isometric view of a storage device 100. A housing 101 and a number of drawers 103 are shown. Will be In FIG. 7, one of the drawers 103 is Housing 101 Pulled out from Expose your product to users .

[0036] Here, the figure 8A~8C Referring to the drawings, an automated product according to the embodiments described herein is Front view of shelf 100 8A-8C show different withdrawal configurations. FIG. 8A shows a one pair (1p) contact lens package. for Two drawers sized for 3 pair (3p) contact lens packages for One sized drawer and a 5 pair (5p) contact lens package Sized for FIG. 8B shows a configuration with one drawer. For size It was decided FIG. 8C shows a configuration with six drawers. for 4 drawers sized for 3 pair (3p) contact lens packages for One sized drawer and a 5 pair (5p) contact lens package For size It was decided A configuration having three drawers is shown. The number, size, and / or arrangement of the drawers may vary. mere It should be understood that this is provided as an example and that other configurations are possible.

[0037] As described herein, a machine vision system (e.g., machine vision system 107 of FIG. 2) may provide information about a product. capture This disclosure provides that such information may be associated with the product packaging and / or the product itself. ConsiderFor example, product packaging may include a bar code (1D, 2D, or 3D), a Universal Product Code (UPC), and / or Stock keeping It can contain labels such as unit (SKU). 9A~9C See and , product packaging above Exemplary labeling is shown in some implementations. shape In this embodiment, the label 500 is attached to the product package 300 (FIGS. 9A to 9C). See 9A-9C, the label 500 includes a 2D barcode (e.g., a QR code). shape In another embodiment, the label 600 is printed directly onto the product package 300 (see FIG. 9C). In FIG. 9C, the label 600 is a UPC. shape In this embodiment, the label may be included on the product itself (not shown) and / or affixed to the product itself. obtain Further, the present disclosure relates to a method for providing information about a product that is included and / or displayed on the product packaging or the product itself. Paste Attached Text (e.g. brand name, product name, product description, etc.) and / or graphics (e.g. brand logo, product logo) Consider do( figure 9B, 9C reference ). Product-related information is generated by machine learning algorithms. By , optical character recognition (OCR), or other means as described in more detail herein. shelf To 100 storage Each of the product packages provided may contain a label. Consider FIG. 10 illustrates a plurality of product packages 300, each having a label 500. The product packages 300 may be used to package the automated product described herein. shelf Stored inside the Can be , a machine vision system can capture information about the product by reading / decoding the label 300.

[0038] 11A-11B, an isometric view of a portion of an automated product shelf 100 is shown according to an embodiment described herein. A housing 101 and a plurality of drawers 103 As shown in Figures 11A-11B. Figure 11A shows an automated product without side panels. shelf of 100 Front 11A shows a view from the outside of the drawer. One of the exterior drawer faces is transparent in FIG. 11A for visibility. FIG. 11B shows the automatic product without the side panel. shelf 11A-11B show a side view of the housing 101. Inside The machine vision system is shown in Fig. 11A~11B Machine Vision Systems teeth, Optical device 107A and light reflecting device 107B (collectively, FIG. 11A~11B "machine vision systems" 。 The optical device 107A is an imaging device such as a digital camera. could be One of many suitable cameras includes the E-Consystems model 3CAM_CU135_TC. Digital cameras include a lens, a sensor, and an image processor. Digital cameras are known in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail below. Also, the light reflecting device 107B is adapted to reflect at least one of the storage areas. part The light reflected from the optical device 107A Point to Configured as follows can be For example, light reflecting devices include, but are not limited to, mirrors, prisms, lenses, etc. 11A~11B As shown in 、 The optical device 107A and the light reflecting device 107B are disposed in the drawer 103. of The light reflecting device 107B is arranged on both sides of the optical device 107A. of Downwards on the axis be directed at Arranged at an angle like this It has been In this way, the light reflecting surface 107B is part from The reflected light Optical device 107A This will The optical device 107A detects the products in the storage area. unitIt should be understood that the characteristics, size, and / or location of the optical device 107A and the light reflecting device 107B depend on the desired image field. This disclosure contemplates that one or more optical devices 107A and / or one or more light reflecting surfaces 107B can form a machine vision system. Consider do. the above As such, this is determined by the desired image field. Furthermore The present disclosure relates to a machine vision system that may include only one or more optical devices 107A (i.e., a light reflecting surface 107B (not having Consider This depends, for example, on the size of the storage area, the optical device characteristics, the number of optical devices, etc.

[0039] Here, Figure 12 of With reference to the embodiments described herein, Automated Product Shelf An isometric view of the automated product shelf 100 is shown in FIG. 12. The housing 101 and the multiple drawers 103 are shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 shows a view from the front of the automated product shelf 100 without the exterior surfaces of the drawers 103. The machine vision system of FIG. 12 includes an optical device 107C. The optical device 107C is a bar code scanner. Possible A barcode scanner reads a printed, machine-readable code (e.g., a barcode) and On computing devices The barcode scanner can output a barcode. Device Barcode scanners include, but are not limited to, charge coupled device (CCD) scanners, and omnidirectional scanners. Barcode scanners are known in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail below.

[0040] As described herein, automatic Storage shelf 100 may include multiple drawers and multiple machine vision systems. shape In this embodiment, each machine vision system (e.g., FIG. 11A to FIG. 11B Optical device 107A / light reflecting device 107B or optical device 107C of FIG. ) Each drawer everyProvided to In other words, Each drawer can have its own machine vision system. shape In this embodiment, the machine vision system 107 may be implemented using a single optical device (e.g., 11A~11B As shown in tree broth One for each The camera may include a

[0041] Referring again to FIG. 2, the controller 109 may determine a product number based at least in part on the information about the product. Inventory list of Construction , may be configured to activate one or more of the visual indicators 105 associated with the desired unit of the product. 13A~13D An exemplary process will be described in relation to: Figure 13A Now, a user (e.g., an ECP) ​​may use a client device 102 to submit a request for a desired unit of a product. Enter The client device 102 is connected to a network (see FIG. 13A~13D (not shown in the figure) to automatically generate a request for the desired units of the product. shelf It can be sent to 100. 100 automatic product shelves Controller (Figure 13A~13D To teeth Not shown ) may be configured to receive a request for a desired unit of the product. product Desired units of for Request Through the network Remote Systems (Not shown in Figures 13A-13D) may be further configured to transmit 。 As described herein, a remote system (e.g., remote system 104 of FIG. 1) can include an inventory database, and and / or have access to the remote system. To determine the location(s) of the desired unit(s) of product within the automated product shelf 100, In the database Contact Us The remote system can send a response over the network to the controller, which in turn can storage Desired units of product in area (One or more) Position ( One or more) A response can be received In such a position ( One or more ) is a withdrawal (One or more) A specific drawer ( One or more ) and / or specific location ( One or more As described herein, the controller may include: To assist the user in identifying the location(s) of the desired unit(s) of product within the drawer 103; Visual indicators (Figure Not shown in 13A-13D Activate Send a signal to It can be configured as follows. Optional Then, as described herein, the controller may access the drawer 103. of The open drawer 103 can be unlocked. As shown in Figures 13B and 13C, also shows visual indicators 105 that are activated (e.g., illuminated) by the controller. These visual indicators are: User For the benefit of the product desired unit Emphasize the position of display Figure 13D in The drawer 103 is then returned to the housing. This movement (e.g., from the housing 101) may be accomplished as described herein. of Drawer 103 of Withdrawals, and / or Housing 101 Drawer 103 Return of ) is an automatic product Shelf 100 For example, the controller may detect the position of the object by using a machine vision system and / or a position detector. do By starting the machine vision system, automatic product shelf 100 can read / decode machine-readable labels (e.g., barcode, UPC, SKU, text, graphics) associated with units of product. Each unit of product can then be associated with a respective location within the storage area. Each unit of Each position may be transmitted by the controller to a remote system. In other words The controller is configured to transmit the updated product inventory to a remote system over a network. can be , the database may be updated accordingly. Selective Then, as described herein, the controller may access the drawer 103. of Can be locked.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, an automated product shelf 100 is easy In stock replenishment For example, User (e.g., ECP) ​​can fill one or more drawers by placing a product package into any empty slot in the storage area. Open Products Replenish inventory Conventional Storage System Unlike, for example, by prescription, power, type, etc., in any way storage There is no need to organize. instead, The product package includes: storage When the drawer is closed, the controller can initiate a machine vision system. shelf 100 can read / decode machine-readable labels (e.g., barcode, UPC, SKU, text, graphics) associated with units of product. Each unit of product can then be associated with a respective location within the storage area. Each unit of Each position may be transmitted by the controller to a remote system. In other words The controller is configured to transmit the updated product inventory to a remote system over a network. can be , the database can be updated accordingly.

[0043] Referring again to FIG. 2, some implementations shape In this state, the controller 109 controls the drawer 103 to alarm A host of conditions may function to trigger alarms, including the product being inserted incorrectly, such as upside down (as recognized by a computer vision system). SexualAs an alarm condition, the controller 109 may, for example, detect that the drawer 103 has remained open for longer than a pre-set period of time to notify the user (e.g., Half-open ) according to alarm In addition, the controller 109 may provide Pipe Area Depending on the environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, humidity, etc.) alarm This disclosure also provides that the drawer 103 may include various sensors for detecting environmental conditions. Consider do.

[0044] As described herein As shown, the optical device 107C of the machine vision system 107 may be a barcode scanner (see FIG. 12) capable of reading and decoding a machine-readable product identifier, such as a 1D barcode, UPC, or SKU. The machine-readable product identifier may be affixed to the product packaging and / or the product itself, as described herein, and / or directly Thus, the step of inventorying the products based at least in part on the information about the products may include using a barcode scanner to inventory the products. Each of This may also include reading the respective product identifiers associated with the units and decoding the respective product identifiers associated with the respective units of product. After reading / decoding the respective product identifiers, the respective units of product may be associated with respective locations within the storage area. The present disclosure provides for performing this association with either the controller 109 and / or a remote system (e.g., remote system 104 of FIG. 1). Consider do.

[0045] As described herein, the optical device 107A of the machine vision system 107 may be an imaging device such as a digital camera (FIGS. 11A-11B (see , 1D barcode, 2D barcode, 3D barcode, UPC, or SKU, or other machine-readable product identifier. Capture The imaging device may also capture text and / or graphic images that may function as a machine readable product identifier. captureFor example, the text and / or graphics may include brand names, product names, product descriptions, logos, etc. include These include, but are not limited to, the following: embodiment In the present invention, image processing techniques can be used to decode the machine-readable product identifier, thereby identifying the product based at least in part on information about the product. of stock Create a table The step of acquiring includes receiving an image of the product captured by an imaging device. and ,identifying each product identifier associated with each unit of the product; Analyzing product images to , decrypting each product identifier associated with each unit of the product. And Including Can be seen After analyzing / decoding each product identifier, each unit of product is stored in its respective location within the storage area. To The present disclosure relates to this association with either the controller 109 and / or a remote system (e.g., the remote system 104 of FIG. 1). Add To carry out Consider do.

[0046] Optionally, some implementations use an imaging device. form Based at least in part on the information about the product, Inventory list of make The process is as follows: and cropping a portion of the image of the product. Product Identifier Thus, the cropped portion of the image can be used to determine the location of each unit of the product. Associated with Each product is analyzed to identify its product identifier. The controller 109 controls the The images can be configured to be transmitted over a network to a remote system (e.g., remote system 104 of FIG. 1). In these embodiments, the images may be stored by the remote system for backup purposes, or image processing (some or all) may be offloaded from the controller 109 to the remote system. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 109 may be configured to store an image of the product in a memory. In an embodiment, images may be stored temporarily (eg, to allow for image processing) and then written to minimize storage requirements on the automated product shelf 100 .

[0047] Optionally, in some embodiments using an imaging device, inventorying the products based at least in part on the information about the products further includes analyzing the images of the products to identify one or more of the respective locations within the storage area associated with missing, unrecognized, or unreadable product identifiers. Units and Recognition Not / reading impossible and units of a product having a unique product identifier. Stock replenishment while the latter may be repositioned to correctly orient the product identifier for reading by a machine vision system. can be (for example, Turned over , rotated, Can be relabeled ) for example, by using machine learning algorithms to find missing, Not or Read Removal impossible Product Identifier To It can be determined whether one or more of the respective locations within the associated storage area contain units of the product. form So, using traditional vision systems (e.g., pattern recognition) , machine learning algorithms By controller 109 To be executed That Can , other implementations form So, machine learning algorithms but , may be performed by a remote system (i.e., an automated production shelf From 100 transfer to be Consider Machine learning algorithms are Missing ,recognition Not or Unreadable The machine learning algorithms may be trained using an existing dataset to perform a specific task, such as identifying suitable product identifiers. Machine learning algorithms are known in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail below. Exemplary machine learning algorithms include those known in the art. Open Source Machine TensorFlow, a learning algorithm in TensorFlow is a machine learning algorithm An Example This disclosure is merely Neural Network Work, Support Vector Machine You may use other machine learning algorithms, including but not limited to nearest neighbor algorithms, supervised learning algorithms, and unsupervised learning algorithms. Consider do.

[0048] Optionally, some implementations use an imaging device. form We have determined that the product is based, at least in part, on the information about the product. Inventory list of make process But by analyzing the product images, ,We use machine learning algorithms to Determine the source of each unitThis may be particularly useful, for example, when products are supplied by multiple vendors or manufacturers. In other words ,Auto Products shelf 100 may be used to store products from different sources (e.g., contact lenses from different manufacturers). As mentioned above, a machine vision system 107, including an imaging device such as a camera, may be used to identify machine readable codes (barcodes, UPC, SKU) and text. and Both images of the graphic capture The product identifier can then be decoded using image processing techniques. This disclosure demonstrates that machine learning algorithms can be used to distinguish between machine readable codes associated with different vendors or manufacturers. Consider This allows the automated product shelf 100 to select the appropriate decoding rules. Alternatively or additionally, machine learning algorithms can be used to identify the units of a product based on text and / or graphics (even in the absence of machine readable code). source This disclosure provides several implementations. form In this case, the machine learning algorithm is executed by the controller 109. Will be thing Can , other implementations form So, machine learning algorithms but , may be performed by a remote system (i.e., an automated production shelf from transfer to be Consider Machine learning algorithms are trained using existing datasets to generate product unit of source Machine learning algorithms can perform specific tasks such as identifying a feature or feature size. Machine learning algorithms are known in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail below. Exemplary machine learning algorithms are provided above.

[0049] The logical operations described herein with respect to the various figures are: (1) A computer-implemented method for executing on a computing device (e.g., the computing device depicted in FIG. 14) As a sequence of operations or program modules (i.e., software) (2) in a computing device The interconnected machine As a logic circuit or circuit module (i.e., hardware); and / or (3) Computing Device Software and hardware combinations It is understood that the present invention may be implemented as .therefore, As described herein Will be Logical operations Hardware and It is not limited to any particular combination with software. Embodiment teeth, Computing Device Performance and other requirements based on choice Will be Thus, the logical operations described herein are not limited to operations, structures, or operations. device, act These operations, structures, and Device The acts and modules may be implemented in software, firmware, special purpose digital logic, or any combination thereof. Can be carried out It should also be understood that more or less operations may be performed than illustrated in the figures and described herein. These operations may also be performed in a different order than described herein. can be .

[0050] Figure 14 of With reference to the methods described herein, implementation An exemplary embodiment that can be Computing Device 700 is shown. Computing Device 700 is a method according to the present invention implementation It should be appreciated that this is merely one example of a suitable computing environment that may be used. Computing Device 700 is a personal computer, a server, a handheld or Laptop device , multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network personal computers (PCs), minicomputers, mainframe computers, embedded systems, and / or any of the above systems or Device Several of Any Distributed computing environments, including The computing system may be any known computing system, including, but not limited to, The distributed computing environment may be connected to a communications network or other data transmission medium. Remote Computing DeviceIn a distributed computing environment, program modules, applications, and other data are local and / or Remote Computer Stored on storage media can be .

[0051] In its most basic configuration, Computing Device System 700 typically includes at least one processing unit 706 and a system memory 704 . Computing Device Depending on the exact configuration and type of system memory 704, the system memory 704 may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.), or some combination of the two. Possible This most basic configuration is illustrated in Figure 14 by dashed line 702. The processing unit 706: Compute A standard programmable processor that performs the arithmetic and logical operations required for the operation of device 700. Computing Device The 700 is also Computing Device 700, including a bus or other communication mechanism for communicating information between the various components. Can be seen .

[0052] Computing Device 700 is an additional Features / Functionality obtain .for example, Computing Device 700 is a magnetic disk Young Includes optical disks or tapes Can be seen But not limited to, Removable Storage device 708 and Non-removable The system may include additional storage devices such as storage device 710. Computing Device The 700 is also Device But other Device 716 that allows the device to communicate with Computing Device The 700 also supports inputs such as keyboard, mouse and touch screen. Device Has 714 obtain Output for displays, speakers, printers, etc. Device 712 may also be included. Computing DeviceTo facilitate the communication of data between the 700 components, they are connected to a bus. obtain All of these devices are known in the art. Already Here, Explain in detail There is no need to.

[0053] The processing unit 706 is configured to execute program code encoded on a tangible computer-readable medium. obtain The tangible computer readable medium is Computing Device 700 (i.e. machine ) to operate in a specific fashion. A variety of computer-readable media may be utilized to provide instructions to the processing unit 706 for execution. Exemplary tangible computer readable The medium is a computer Possible Any method or technology for storage of information, such as readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Execution Volatile medium , non-volatile Media, removable media, and Non-removable medium Includes obtain But not limited to these . System Memory 704 , removable Storage device 708 and non- Removable The storage device 710 all , are examples of tangible computer storage media. To is an integrated circuit (e.g., a field programmable gate array Young are application specific integrated circuits), hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, holographic storage media, solid-state Device ,RAM,ROM,Electrically erasable N Program read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory Young Other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital Tulversatile Disc (DVD) Young other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage devices, or other magnetic storage devices This includes, but is not limited to: .

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, processing unit 706 may execute program code stored in system memory 704. For example, a bus may carry data to system memory 704, where processing unit 706 receives and executes instructions. Data received by system memory 704 may optionally be stored on removable storage 708 or non-removable storage 710 before or after execution by processing unit 706.

[0055] The various techniques described herein may be implemented in connection with hardware or software, or, where appropriate, in a variety of different configurations. Those of combination In relation to It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Methods and Apparatus 、 or the Specific Aspects Young The part may be stored on a floppy diskette, CD-ROM, hard drive, or any other machine-readable storage medium. Etc., Tangible medium To Incorporated Program code ( That is , command) form take Can , where , the program code is , computing device Loading into machines such as Be When executed, the The machine is Subject matter of the present disclosure When program code is executed on a programmable computer, Computing devices are generally , a processor, a processor-readable storage medium (including volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device. 。 One or more programs may, for example, Application Programming Interface (API), reuse By using the enabling controls, etc., the processes described in connection with the subject matter of this disclosure can be implementation Or use obtain Such programs can be implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, if desired, the programs can be written in assembly or machine language. implementation In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language, and may be implemented in hardware. Can be combined with implementation .

[0056] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

[0057] [Embodiment] (1) An automated product shelf, Housing and a drawer configured to be slidably receivable within the housing, the drawer defining a storage area configured to receive a product; and a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate the location of each of the units of product within the storage area; a machine vision system disposed within the housing and configured to capture information regarding the product, the machine vision system including an optical device; and a controller disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the machine vision system, the controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored therein, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the controller to: causing an inventory of said products based at least in part on said information regarding said products; a controller for activating one or more of the visual indicators associated with a desired unit of the product; and Including, automated product shelves. (2) The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, wherein the drawer includes an exterior surface and at least one of the visual indicators is disposed on or adjacent to the exterior surface. (3) The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, wherein the drawer further includes a plurality of dividers disposed within the storage area, and wherein each set of the visual indicators is disposed along each of the dividers. (4) The automated product shelf of embodiment 3, wherein the drawer further includes a plurality of trays configured to receive the products, each of the trays being disposed between adjacent dividers. (5) The automated product shelf of embodiment 4, wherein each of the trays includes a plurality of slots for receiving units of the product.

[0058] (6) The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to transmit the product inventory over a network to a remote system. (7) The automated product shelf of claim 6, wherein the remote system includes a database. (8) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the optical device is a barcode scanner. (9) inventorying said products based at least in part on said information regarding said products; reading a respective product identifier associated with each unit of said product; decrypting the respective product identifier associated with the respective unit of product; using said respective product identifiers to associate said respective units of said products with said respective locations within said storage area; 9. The automated product shelf of embodiment 8, comprising: (10) The automated product shelf of claim 9, wherein each of the respective product identifiers is a one-dimensional (1D) bar code, a universal product code (UPC), or a stockkeeping unit (SKU).

[0059] (11) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the optical device is an imaging device. (12) The automated product shelf of claim 11, wherein the machine vision system further includes a light reflector configured to direct light reflected from a portion of the storage area toward the imaging device. (13) The automated product shelf of claim 12, wherein the imaging device and the light reflecting device are disposed on opposite sides of the drawer. (14) inventorying said products based at least in part on said information regarding said products; receiving an image of the product captured by the imaging device; analyzing the image of the product to identify a respective product identifier associated with each unit of the product; decrypting the respective product identifier associated with the respective unit of product; using said respective product identifiers to associate said respective units of said products with said respective locations within said storage area; 12. The automated product shelf of embodiment 11, comprising: (15) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein each of the respective product identifiers is a one-dimensional (1D) bar code, a two-dimensional (2D) bar code, a three-dimensional (3D) bar code, a universal product code (UPC), a stockkeeping unit (SKU), text, or a graphic.

[0060] (16) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein creating an inventory of the products based at least in part on the information about the products further comprises analyzing the images of the products to identify one or more of the respective locations within the storage area associated with missing, unrecognized, or unreadable product identifiers. (17) The automated product shelf of embodiment 16, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to use a machine learning algorithm to determine whether the one or more of the respective locations within the storage area associated with the missing, unrecognized, or unreadable product identifier contains a unit of the product. (18) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein creating an inventory of the products based at least in part on the information about the products further comprises analyzing the images of the products to determine a source of each of the respective units of the product using a machine learning algorithm. (19) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein creating an inventory of the products based at least in part on the information regarding the products further comprises cropping a portion of the image of the product, the cropped portion of the image being analyzed to identify the respective product identifiers associated with the respective units of the product. (20) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to store the image of the product in the memory.

[0061] (21) The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to transmit the image of the product over a network to a remote system. (22) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to initiate the machine vision system in response to movement of the drawer. (23) The automated product shelf of claim 22, wherein the movement of the drawer comprises pulling the drawer out of the housing and then returning the drawer back into the housing. (24) The automated product shelf of claim 22, further comprising a position detector configured to sense a position of the drawer relative to the housing. (25) The automated product shelf of claim 24, wherein the position detector is a through beam photoelectric sensor.

[0062] (26) The automated product shelf of claim 22, further comprising a location strip including a machine-readable code disposed within the drawer, the machine vision system further configured to capture information relating to the location strip, the memory having further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to detect the movement of the drawer based at least in part on the information relating to the location strip. (27) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to receive a request for the desired unit of the product. (28) The memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein, the further computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the controller to: transmitting said request for said desired unit of said product to a remote system over a network; 28. The automated product shelf of claim 27, further comprising receiving a response from the remote system, the response including a location of the desired unit of product within the storage area. (29) The automated product shelf of claim 28, wherein the remote system includes a database. (30) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to provide an alert in response to a status of the drawer.

[0063] (31) The automated product shelf of claim 1, further comprising a power source disposed within the housing. (32) The automated product shelf of claim 1, further comprising a locking device disposed within the housing and configured to secure the drawer. (33) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the machine vision system includes a single optical device. (34) A method for manufacturing a portable electronic device, comprising: a plurality of drawers, each of the drawers configured to be slidably received within the housing; and a plurality of machine vision systems disposed within the housing, each one of the machine vision systems corresponding to a respective one of the drawers; 2. The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, further comprising: (35) The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, wherein each of the visual indicators is at least one of a light emitter or a graphic display.

[0064] (36) The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein each of the respective units of product is a product package. (37) The automated product shelf of embodiment 36, wherein the product packages include one or more contact lenses. (38) The automated product shelf of embodiment 1, wherein at least one of the visual indicators is configured to display first user instructions associated with a first user and second user instructions associated with a second user, and the first user instructions and the second user instructions may be selected from icons, images, or colors associated with a particular user. (39) A system comprising: A client device; A remote system; The automated product shelf of claim 1. wherein the client device, the remote system, and the automated product shelf are operably coupled via a network.

Claims

1. 1. An automated product shelf, comprising: Housing and a drawer configured to be slidably receivable within the housing, the drawer defining a storage area configured to receive a product; and a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate the location of each of the units of product within the storage area; a location strip including a machine readable code disposed within the drawer; a machine vision system disposed within the housing and configured to capture information regarding the product, the machine vision system including an optical device and further configured to capture information regarding the location strip; a controller disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the machine vision system, the controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored therein, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the controller to: causing an inventory of said products based at least in part on said information regarding said products; activating one or more of the visual indicators associated with a desired unit of the product; initiating the machine vision system in response to movement of the drawer; a controller for detecting the movement of the drawer based at least in part on the information regarding the position strip; Including, automated product shelves.

2. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein the drawer includes an exterior surface, and at least one of the visual indicators is disposed on or adjacent to the exterior surface.

3. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein the drawer further comprises a plurality of dividers disposed within the storage area, a respective set of the visual indicators disposed along each of the dividers.

4. The automated product shelf of claim 3 , wherein the drawer further comprises a plurality of trays configured to receive the products, each of the trays being disposed between adjacent ones of the dividers.

5. The automated product shelf of claim 4 , wherein each of said trays includes a plurality of slots for receiving said units of product.

6. 2. The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to transmit the product inventory over a network to a remote system.

7. The automated product shelf of claim 6 , wherein the remote system includes a database.

8. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein the optical device is a bar code scanner.

9. inventorying the product based at least in part on the information regarding the product; reading a respective product identifier associated with each unit of said product; decrypting the respective product identifier associated with the respective unit of product; using said respective product identifiers to associate said respective units of said products with said respective locations within said storage area; The automated product shelf of claim 8 .

10. 10. The automated product shelf of claim 9, wherein each of the respective product identifiers is a one-dimensional (1D) bar code, a universal product code (UPC), or a stock keeping unit (SKU).

11. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein the optical device is an imaging device.

12. The automated product shelf of claim 11 , wherein the machine vision system further comprises a light reflector configured to direct light reflected from a portion of the storage area toward the imaging device.

13. The automated product shelf of claim 12 , wherein the imaging device and the light reflecting device are positioned on opposite sides of the drawer.

14. inventorying the product based at least in part on the information regarding the product; receiving an image of the product captured by the imaging device; analyzing the image of the product to identify a respective product identifier associated with each unit of the product; decrypting the respective product identifier associated with the respective unit of product; using said respective product identifiers to associate said respective units of said products with said respective locations within said storage area; The automated product shelf of claim 11 .

15. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein each of the respective product identifiers is a one-dimensional (1D) bar code, a two-dimensional (2D) bar code, a three-dimensional (3D) bar code, a universal product code (UPC), a stock keeping unit (SKU), text, or a graphic.

16. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein inventorying the products based at least in part on the information regarding the products further comprises analyzing the images of the products to identify one or more of the respective locations within the storage area associated with missing, unrecognized, or unreadable product identifiers.

17. 17. The automated product shelf of claim 16, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to use a machine learning algorithm to determine whether the one or more of the respective locations in the storage area associated with the missing, unrecognized, or unreadable product identifier contains a unit of the product.

18. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein inventorying the products based at least in part on the information about the products further comprises analyzing the images of the products to determine a source of each of the respective units of the product using a machine learning algorithm.

19. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein inventorying the products based at least in part on the information regarding the products further comprises cropping a portion of the image of the product, the cropped portion of the image being analyzed to identify the respective product identifiers associated with the respective units of the product.

20. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein the memory has further computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to store the images of the products in the memory.

21. 15. The automated product shelf of claim 14, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to transmit the images of the products over a network to a remote system.

22. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein said movement of said drawer comprises pulling said drawer out of said housing and then returning said drawer into said housing.

23. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , further comprising a position detector configured to sense a position of the drawer relative to the housing.

24. 24. The automated product shelf of claim 23, wherein the position detector is a through beam photoelectric sensor.

25. 2. The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to receive a request for the desired unit of the product.

26. The memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein, the further computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the controller to: transmitting said request for said desired unit of said product to a remote system over a network; 26. The automated product shelf of claim 25, further comprising receiving a response from the remote system, the response including a location of the desired unit of the product within the storage area.

27. 27. The automated product shelf of claim 26, wherein the remote system includes a database.

28. 2. The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to provide an alert in response to a condition of the drawer.

29. The automated product shelf of claim 1 further comprising a power source disposed within the housing.

30. The automated product shelf of claim 1 further comprising a locking device disposed within the housing and configured to secure the drawer.

31. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein said machine vision system comprises a single said optical device.

32. a plurality of said drawers, each of said drawers configured to be slidably receivable within said housing; a plurality of said machine vision systems disposed within said housing, each one of said machine vision systems corresponding to a respective one of said drawers; The automated product shelf of claim 1 further comprising:

33. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein each of the visual indicators is at least one of a light emitter or a graphic display.

34. The automated product shelf of claim 1 , wherein each of said respective units of product is a product package.

35. 35. The automated product shelf of claim 34, wherein the product packages include one or more contact lenses.

36. 2. The automated product shelf of claim 1, wherein at least one of the visual indicators is configured to display first user instructions associated with a first user and second user instructions associated with a second user, the first user instructions and the second user instructions may be selected from icons, images, or colors associated with a particular user.

37. 1. A system comprising: A client device; A remote system; The automated product shelf of claim 1 . wherein the client device, the remote system, and the automated product shelf are operably coupled via a network.

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