Systems and methods for inventory monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing inventory management. The methods comprise: measuring, by an Out Of Stock (“OOS”) sensor at a first time, a first collective weight of a plurality of items disposed thereon; measuring, by the OOS sensor at a second later time, a second collective weight of a plurality of items disposed thereon; using the first and second collective weights to determine if an item has been added to or removed from the OOS sensor; and wirelessly communicating, from the OOS sensor to a remote computing device, a notification that an item has been added to or removed from the OOS sensor such that stored inventory information is updated accordingly. The OOS sensor comprises a base layer having a planar cross-sectional profile and an array of weight measuring sensors (e.g., piezoresistive sensors).

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An inventory system, comprising:
 an Out Of Stock (OOS) sensor comprising:
 a base layer defining a bottom wall of the OOS sensor, having a planar cross-sectional profile, and extending horizontally relative to ground; 
 an array of weight measuring sensors integrated with the base layer and configured to measure, at a first time, a first collective weight of a plurality of items disposed on the base layer, and measure, at a second later time, a second collective weight of the plurality of items disposed thereon; 
 a sidewall coupled with the bottom wall, having a planar cross-sectional profile, and extending vertically relative to ground; 
 an array of height measuring sensors integrated with the sidewall and configured to measure a height of the plurality of items disposed on the base layer; 
 a processor configured to use the first collective weight, the second collective weight and the height to determine if one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS sensor; and 
 a communications device configured to wirelessly communicate a notification that one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS sensor such that stored inventory information is updated accordingly. 
   
     
     
         24 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the OOS sensor is disposed on or integrated with a piece of display equipment. 
     
     
         25 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the weight measuring sensors comprise piezoresistive sensors. 
     
     
         26 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the processor determines that one or more items have been added to the OOS sensor when the second collective weight is greater than the first collective weight. 
     
     
         27 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the processor determines that the one or more items have been removed from the OOS sensor when the first collective weight is greater than the second collective weight. 
     
     
         28 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a number of items currently residing on the OOS sensor by dividing the second collective weight by a reference weight previously measured for a single item;   compare the number of items to a threshold value; and   cause a low inventory notification to be communicated from the OOS sensor when the number of items is less than the threshold value.   
     
     
         29 . The inventory system according to  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 obtain current inventory information indicating a remaining inventory for the item in a back room or other facility location; and   cause the current inventory information to be output from the OOS sensor.   
     
     
         30 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine if the item added thereto is of a same type as an item assigned to the OOS sensor; and   cause added item information indicating at least a measured weight of the item added thereto to be communicated from the OOS sensor, when a determination is made that the item added thereto is not of the same type as the item assigned to the OOS sensor.   
     
     
         31 . The inventory system according to  claim 30 , wherein the measured weight contained in the added item information is used to identify at least one item in inventory which could potentially be the item added to the OOS sensor. 
     
     
         32 . The inventory system according to  claim 30 , wherein an individual is notified of a misplaced item disposed on the OOS sensor, when the item added thereto is not of the same type as the item assigned to the OOS sensor. 
     
     
         33 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the OOS sensor is modular so that the OOS sensor is collectively used with other modular OOS sensors as a combined OOS sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The inventory system according to  claim 33 , wherein the OOS sensor comprises at least one electrical connector configured to mate with at least one electrical connector of the other modular OOS sensors. 
     
     
         35 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein sensors of the array of weight measuring sensors are arranged as at least one set of concentric shapes. 
     
     
         36 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the height measuring sensors comprise capacitive sensors. 
     
     
         37 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the weight measuring sensors and the height measuring sensors are of a same sensor type. 
     
     
         38 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the weight measuring sensors and the height measuring sensors are of a different sensor type. 
     
     
         39 . The inventory system according to  claim 23 , wherein the OOS sensor further comprises:
 a request interface that facilitates input of a request for an item to be brought to a current location of the OOS sensor;   wherein the communications device is configured to wirelessly communicate with an inventory device remote from the OOS sensor; and   the processor further configured to:
 receive, via the request interface, a request for having an item retrieved from a remote location and brought to the current location of the OOS sensor; and 
 cause the received request to be communicated from the OOS sensor to the inventory device in response to a user-software interaction. 
   
     
     
         40 . A method for performing inventory management, comprising:
 measuring, by an array of weight measuring sensors integrated with a base layer of an Out Of Stock (OOS) sensor at a first time, a first collective weight of a plurality of items disposed on the base layer of the OOS sensor, with the base layer defining a bottom wall of the OOS sensor and having a planar cross-sectional profile and extending horizontally relative to ground;   measuring, by the array weight measuring sensors at a second time, a second collective weight of the plurality of items disposed on the base layer of the OOS sensor;   measuring, by an array of height measuring sensors integrated with a sidewall at a third time, a height of the plurality of items disposed on the base layer of the OOS sensor, with the sidewall coupled with the bottom wall of the OOS sensor, having a planar cross-sectional profile and extending vertically relative to ground;   determining, by a processor of the OOS sensor, if one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS sensor by using the first collective weight, the second collective weight and the height; and   wirelessly communicating, by a communications device of the OOS sensor, a notification that one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS sensor such that stored inventory information is updated accordingly.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein determining if one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS comprises determining, by the processor, that one or more items have been added to the OOS when the second collective weight is greater than the first collective weight. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein determining if one or more items have been added to or removed from the OOS comprises determining, by the processor, that one or more items have been removed from the OOS when the second collective weight is less than the first collective weight.