Automated Shelf Replenishment With Sensor-Guided Robotic Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Stockouts and inefficient shelf replenishment in retail environments lead to significant sales loss and customer dissatisfaction, exacerbated by manual inventory processes prone to errors.

Innovation Solution

An automated storage system with movable shelves, robotic units, and sensors (CV and RFID) that monitor and manage inventory, enabling automated restocking based on real-time shelf status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical inventory counts are performed to reduce stockout frequency, then stockout frequency is reduced, but time consumption and disruption to customer experience increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestockout frequencyVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual physical inventory counting with an automated optical sensing system. Sensors capture images of shelves and products, and image processing algorithms automatically identify and count inventory items, eliminating the need for human workers to physically count stocks while maintaining accurate inventory data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-monitoring of inventory levels through continuously operating sensors that automatically detect and track product availability on shelves. The system autonomously identifies low-stock situations and generates replenishment alerts without requiring manual intervention, allowing the storage system to monitor itself continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If physical inventory counts are performed to reduce stockout frequency, then stockout frequency is reduced, but customer experience is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestockout frequencyVSAvoidcustomer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides continuous, uninterrupted monitoring of inventory levels through always-on sensors that operate without stopping. This allows inventory tracking to occur continuously in the background without periodic disruptions to store operations or customer shopping experiences, maintaining constant awareness of stock levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If manual shelf replenishment is used to restock products, then labor flexibility is maintained, but replenishment speed and accuracy decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereplenishment speedVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual shelf replenishment operations with an automated robotic system. A robotic arm equipped with grippers retrieves products from storage areas and autonomously places them on appropriate shelves based on real-time inventory data, significantly increasing replenishment speed and consistency while reducing human labor requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements closed-loop feedback control where sensors continuously monitor inventory levels, the control system processes this data to determine replenishment needs, and the robotic system executes replenishment actions. The system constantly adjusts its operations based on real-time feedback from sensor data, ensuring accurate and timely replenishment decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If manual inventory management is used to maintain stock levels, then operational simplicity is maintained, but inventory accuracy and stock availability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual inventory counting with an automated optical sensing system. Sensors capture images of shelves and products, and image processing algorithms automatically identify and count inventory items, eliminating the need for human workers to physically count stocks while maintaining accurate inventory data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20250368434A1Automated storage system and a method thereof technological field

Publication Date: 2025.12.04 HAND HELD PRODS INC

AI summary

An automated storage system is disclosed. The automatic storage system comprises a storage unit that comprises a pair of racks and a pair of tracks. Each rack having a plurality of shelves configured to store one or more objects, and a pair of tracks coupled, directly or indirectly, to the pair of racks. Each sensor of a plurality of sensors is configured to determine a status of a respective shelf. At least one movable shelf is configured to be positioned within an opening of the storage unit. At least one robotic unit is movably coupled to the pair of tracks and comprises at least one inverted robotic arm. At least one processor is configured to control the at least one inverted robotic arm to place the objects from the at least one movable shelf to a corresponding shelf, based at least on the status of each shelf.