Sensor-Based Shelf Pusher Tracking for Retail Inventory and Theft Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Retail stores face challenges in inventory management, including high costs due to manual labor for inventory counting, product theft, inefficiencies in tracking inventory levels, and maintaining excess stock due to lack of real-time data on shelf availability.

Innovation Solution

A display management system that includes a pusher assembly and sensor assembly, where the pusher assembly moves in response to product removal, generating electronic data detectable by sensors, which can indicate security events like theft and automatically update inventory levels, and communicate with a central computer for real-time monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual inventory counting is performed, then inventory levels can be determined, but significant manual labor is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory level determinationVSAvoidmanual labor requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical counting with an automated sensor-based detection system. Sensors detect product removal events automatically, eliminating the need for manual inventory counting while maintaining accurate inventory level determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The inventory system performs self-monitoring through sensors that automatically detect when products are removed from shelves. The system updates inventory records autonomously without requiring human intervention, enabling the system to service itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Object-affected harmful factors

If in-store cameras are used to monitor theft, then security monitoring is provided, but theft detection effectiveness is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetheft detectionVSAvoidtheft detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces sensors as intermediary devices between products and the monitoring system. These sensors detect product removal events at the source (shelf level) rather than relying on cameras to observe customer actions from a distance, significantly improving theft detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of product removal events before theft can occur. By monitoring at the point of removal and comparing against sale data, the system identifies potential theft cases proactively rather than reactively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If excess inventory is maintained on shelves, then product availability is ensured, but inventory management costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct availabilityVSAvoidinventory quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system where sensors continuously monitor inventory levels and provide real-time data to the management system. This feedback loop enables dynamic inventory adjustment, allowing the system to maintain optimal stock levels rather than excessive inventory, while ensuring product availability through timely restocking alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11182738B2System for inventory management

Publication Date: 2021.11.23 RTC IND INC

AI summary

Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system.