Product management system, product management apparatus, and display zone communication apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product management systems in retail environments face inefficiencies in linking products with holding tools, particularly requiring manual registration of association tables and increased burden when product-hanger correspondences change.
Innovation Solution
A product management system that employs wireless tags on products and holding tools, along with a display zone communication apparatus using a wireless tag reader to automatically link product identifiers with tool identifiers, reducing manual registration and adapting to changes in product-tool correspondences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual registration of association tables is used to link products with holding tools, then the system can track product correspondences, but the clerical burden increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-registration of product-tool linkages through wireless tag communication. When a holding tool is placed on a product, the display zone communication apparatus automatically reads both identifiers and establishes the linkage without human intervention, eliminating manual clerical work while maintaining accurate tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of registering associations with an automated wireless communication system. The wireless tag reader automatically detects and communicates product and tool identifiers to the product management apparatus, substituting human-operated mechanical registration with electronic automated identification
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual registration is used to update product-hanger correspondences, then the system can adapt to changes, but the time and effort required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects when a holding tool is placed on or removed from a product and self-updates the association table accordingly. This eliminates the time-consuming manual process of updating correspondences while maintaining full adaptability to changing product-tool relationships
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless tags are pre-installed on both products and holding tools, enabling immediate automatic identification and linkage establishment as soon as the tool contacts the product, eliminating any delay associated with manual registration processes
3Extent of automation
If wireless tag readers are deployed in display zones to automatically read identifiers, then manual registration burden is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display zone communication apparatus serves multiple functions: it reads wireless tag identifiers, determines whether tools are placed on products, establishes linkages, and communicates with the product management apparatus. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated unit
Solution Approach 2:
Wireless tags serve as simple intermediary carriers of identification information. They passively store product and tool identifiers and transmit them to the communication apparatus, simplifying the overall system architecture by using low-complexity intermediate devices rather than requiring direct complex communication between all system components
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
Automates the management of product-tool linkages, reducing clerical burden and enabling efficient tracking of product interest by users, improving customer experience and inventory management.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless tag reader for reading the product identifier from the product wireless tag and reading the tool identifier from the tool wireless tag
Data Source
AI summary
A product management system includes a product management apparatus, a product wireless tag provided on the product and into which a product identifier indicating the product is written, a tool wireless tag provided on a holding tool for holding the product and into which a tool identifier indicating the holding tool is written, a display zone communication apparatus provided in a display zone in which at least one set of the product and the holding tool is disposed and having a wireless tag reader for reading the product identifier from the product wireless tag and reading the tool identifier from the tool wireless tag. The display zone communication apparatus transmits both the product identifier and the tool identifier read by the wireless tag reader to the product management apparatus. The product management apparatus links the holding tool and the product held by the holding tool with each other.