System for Inventory Management

Abstract

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.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A display management system comprising:
 a mechanism configured to move upon removal of one or more display products from the display management system;   a sensor device configured to output motion data responsive to a motion of the mechanism;   a control module, configured to receive the motion data; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform at least:   detect, from the received motion data, a motion of the mechanism; and   execute a security operational mode, a restocking operational mode, a pairing operational mode, or a status operational mode, based on the detected motion of the mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The display management system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform at least:
 identify, when executing the security operational mode, based on the detected motion of the mechanism, a security event; and   output, based on the identified security event, a security alert signal.   
     
     
         3 . The display management system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the security event further comprises:
 identifying, based on the detected motion of the mechanism, a threshold number of activation signals received within a predetermined period of time from a label holder rotation sensor device or from multiple label holder rotation sensor devices within a same product section.   
     
     
         4 . The display management system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an annunciator device, further comprising:   at least one of a speaker output device and a light output device;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform at least:   receive the security alert signal; and   output at least one of an audible or visible alert indication.   
     
     
         5 . The display management system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform at least:
 identify, when executing the pairing operational mode, a product section with which to save an association of the mechanism from which motion was detected.   
     
     
         6 . The display management system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform at least:
 receive, from a user interface controller, data indicating a product section and a time delay during which the product section is to be restocked;   deactivate a security mode for the product section from a duration of the time delay and ignore the detected motion of the mechanism.   
     
     
         7 . A display management system comprising:
 a sensor device coupled to a movable portion of a display management system;   an annunciator device;
 a control module in operative communication with the sensor device and the annunciator device, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform at least: 
 receive a motion signal from the sensor device; and 
 output an annunciator device electronic signal upon receipt of a threshold number of motion signals from the sensor device within a threshold time period, 
   wherein the annunciator device is configured to receive the annunciator device electronic signal, and in response, output an audible or visible signal.   
     
     
         8 . The display management system of  claim 7 , wherein the movable portion of the display management system is a security window. 
     
     
         9 . The display management system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor device is wirelessly connected to the control module. 
     
     
         10 . The display management system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor device comprises an accelerometer.