Inventory management system and wireless tag device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inventory management systems for stores incur high facility costs and power consumption due to the need for weight sensors and transmitters on each shelf, leading to increased data transmission costs and load on communication lines.
Innovation Solution
An inventory management system that uses a weight measurer and a passive RF tag powered by an electromagnetic or magnetic field, which transmits weight information wirelessly to a wireless device, reducing the need for external power sources and minimizing facility costs by processing data locally within the store.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a weight sensor and transmitter are installed on each store shelf, then inventory management accuracy is improved, but facility cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transmitter function from the shelf-mounted devices and consolidates it into a centralized gateway. Only simple weight sensors and passive RF tags remain on shelves, while data transmission is handled centrally, reducing per-shelf complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple shelf data collection points are merged into a single gateway that handles all wireless communications. This consolidates transmission resources and reduces the need for multiple expensive transmitter units distributed throughout the store.
2Productivity
If a transmitter is attached to each store shelf, then real-time inventory data is obtained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses passive RF tags that harvest energy from the electromagnetic fields of readers to power their identification signals. This eliminates the need for batteries or power wiring at each shelf location while maintaining real-time tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous transmission, the system uses periodic weight measurements triggered by changes in inventory levels. The gateway periodically queries shelves for data updates, reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
3Adaptability or versatility
If weight data is transmitted to a web server via the Internet, then remote access is enabled, but data transmission cost and communication line load increase
Solution Approach 1:
A local gateway acts as an intermediary between the shelf sensors and the remote web server. The gateway collects and pre-processes data locally, then transmits consolidated information remotely, reducing the frequency and volume of Internet transmissions while maintaining remote access capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient inventory management for each shelf with reduced facility costs and power consumption, as the RF tag generates power from received electromagnetic waves, allowing for wireless communication without external power sources and decreasing data transmission loads on communication lines.
Implementation Method 1
an RF tag configured to transmit a wireless signal including information related to the weight measured by the weight measurer in response to a read request from a wireless device, wherein the RF tag includes a transceiver configured to generate power by a received electromagnetic wave or magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
An inventory management system according to an embodiment comprises: a weight measurer configured to measure a weight of a shelf on which an item can be placed; and an RF tag configured to transmit a wireless signal including information related to the weight measured by the weight measurer in response to a read request from a wireless device, wherein the RF tag includes a transceiver configured to generate power by a received electromagnetic wave or magnetic field and transmit the wireless signal to the wireless device by using the generated power, a storage configured to store therein the information related to the weight measured by the weight measurer, and a controller configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the wireless signal including the information related to the weight stored in the storage to the wireless device.