Determining inventory levels using switch-equipped strips and patterns of activated or deactivated indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Impulse strips in materials handling facilities are not suitable for automated transaction processes due to their flexible, non-rigid, and non-electrically powered nature, making it difficult to track inventory levels accurately.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating switches mechanically associated with mounting features on impulse strips that are electrically coupled to indicators, such as illuminators, allowing for the detection of loading conditions through image processing by imaging devices, enabling real-time inventory level updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If impulse strips are made flexible and non-rigid for easy mounting and item display, then ease of operation and adaptability are improved, but device complexity increases and automated transaction processes become difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The impulse strip uses a flexible body made of thin film or shell material that can be easily mounted on various surfaces and can display items in a hanging manner. The flexible nature allows the strip to conform to different mounting surfaces while maintaining its functionality for item display and inventory tracking.
2Ease of manufacture
If impulse strips are made non-electrically powered to simplify construction, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to track inventory levels and enable automated transactions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electronic power systems with a passive optical system. Instead of using electrically powered sensors and active transducers on the flexible strip, the invention uses passive reflective markers that can be detected by external imaging devices, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while enabling inventory tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reflective markers as intermediary elements between the impulse strip and the imaging system. These markers passively reflect light from external sources, allowing the imaging device to detect inventory levels without requiring the strip itself to be electrically powered or contain active sensing components.
3Measurement precision
If switches and indicators are added to impulse strips for inventory tracking, then measurement precision and automated transaction capability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual patterns on reflective markers that represent inventory states. Instead of manufacturing complex electronic switches and indicators on each impulse strip, the system creates a visual copy or representation of inventory levels through patterns that can be detected and interpreted by imaging software, significantly simplifying manufacturing.
4Device complexity
If traditional imaging methods are used without specialized indicators, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to accurately detect loading conditions and update inventory records deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses reflective markers with specific visual patterns that reflect light in distinctive ways. These patterns create detectable variations in the captured images, allowing the imaging system to distinguish between different inventory states (loaded vs. unloaded) without requiring complex active indicators or color-changing materials.
Data Source
AI summary
An impulse strip including a plurality of clips, hooks or other features for attaching items to the impulse strip also includes a plurality of switches associated with each of the clips, hooks or other features. The switches are in communication with illuminators or other indicators that are arranged in an array. When an item is loaded onto the strip, or removed from the strip, a switch may be opened or closed, causing one of the illuminators in the array to be activated or deactivated accordingly. An image captured of the illuminators is processed to determine which of the illuminators is activated and which is deactivated, and an inventory level of the strip may be determined based on the statuses of the respective illuminators corresponding to the clips, the hooks or the other features of the impulse strip.