System and method for perpetual inventory management

Abstract

An analysis of the scans is performed to determine whether the selected item was moved from the back room to the shelf, then returned from the shelf to the back room. The analysis also determines a re-bin time when the selected product was returned to the back room. An adjustment to the PI is blocked when last PI adjustment time is later than the re-bin time. An adjustment to the PI is also blocked when an audit indicator is received at the interface indicating that the retail store is under an audit. An adjusted PI value is determined when the analysis indicates that the selected item was moved from the back room to the shelf, then returned from the shelf, the adjusted PI value being at least one more than the shelf capacity value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system that manages a perpetual inventory (PI) value of products that are moved between a back room and a product display unit of a retail store, the back room not being accessible to the public, the system comprising:
 one or more sensors disposed in a backroom of a retails store, the sensors configured to obtain scans of the back room;   a product display unit disposed in the retail store;   an automated vehicle that is configured to move a selected product between the backroom and the product display unit;   a transceiver circuit disposed at the retail store and coupled to the one or more sensors and the automated vehicle;   a network coupled to the transceiver circuit;   an interface disposed at a central processing center, coupled to the network, and configured to receive from the retail store scans of the back room made by one or more first sensors in the back room;   a database disposed at a central processing center and that is configured to store the scans, a perpetual inventory (PI) value for a selected product, a last PI adjustment time when the PI value was last adjusted, and a product display capacity value, the product display capacity value being an amount of the selected product capable of being stored on the product display;   a control circuit disposed at a central processing center and that is coupled to the interface and the database, the control circuit configured to:
 obtain the PI value, the scans, and the product display capacity value from the database; 
 perform an analysis of the scans to determine whether the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display unit by the automated vehicle, then returned from the product display unit by the automated vehicle, the analysis also determining a re-bin time when the selected product was returned to the back room; 
 block an adjustment to the PI when last PI adjustment time is later than the re-bin time; 
 block an adjustment to the PI when an audit indicator is received at the interface indicating that the retail store is under an audit; 
 determine an adjusted PI value when the analysis indicates that the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display unit by the automated vehicle, then returned from the product display unit by the automated vehicle, the adjusted PI value being at least one more than the product display capacity value and based at least in part upon adjusted PI values of the selected product in other retail stores. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit the adjusted PI value to the store via the network and the interface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interface also receives second scans from one or more second sensors disposed at the product display unit. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit also analyzes the second scans to determine whether the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display, then returned from the product display. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the product display unit is a top shelf that is not accessible to the public. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the re-bin time is confirmed with a determination that no shipment of the item has been received at the retail store. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit sends a message to an employee of the retail store, the message advising the removal of at least some of the selected product from the retail store to another location. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit sends a message to an employee of the retail store advising of the change in the PI value. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the one or more first sensors are cameras deployed on an automated vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . A method for managing a perpetual inventory (PI) value of products that are moved between a back room and a product display unit of a retail store, the back room not being accessible to the public, the method comprising:
 receiving at a central processing center and from a retail store scans of the back room made by one or more first sensors in the back room;   storing at a database at the central processing center the scans, a perpetual inventory (PI) value for a selected product, a last PI adjustment time when the PI value was last adjusted by the retail store, and a product display capacity value, the product display capacity value being an amount of the selected product capable of being stored at the product display unit;   obtaining the PI value, the scans, and the product display capacity value from the database;   performing an analysis of the scans to determine whether the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display unit by an automated vehicle, then returned from the product display unit by the automated vehicle, the analysis also determining a re-bin time when the selected product was returned to the back room;   blocking an adjustment to the PI when last PI adjustment time is later than the re-bin time;   blocking an adjustment to the PI when an audit indicator is received at the interface indicating that the retail store is under an audit;   determining an adjusted PI value when the analysis indicates that the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display unit by the automated vehicle, then returned from the product display unit by the automated vehicle, the adjusted PI value being at least one more than the product display capacity value, the adjusted PI value also be based at least in part upon adjusted PI values for the selected product in other retail stores.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the adjusted PI value to the store via the interface. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving second scans from one or more second sensors disposed at the product display unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising analyzing the second scans to determine whether the selected item was moved from the back room to the product display unit, then returned from the product display unit. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the product display unit is a top shelf that is not accessible to the public. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the re-bin time is confirmed with a determination that no shipment of the item has been received at the retail store. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting a message to an employee of the retail store, the message advising the removal of at least some of the selected product from the retail store to another location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting a message to an employee of the retail store advising of the change in the PI value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the one or more first sensors are cameras deployed on an automated vehicle.