PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION AND TRACKING
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to track inventory within a store. Stocking procedure and/or inventory analysis can be utilized on delivery vehicles to determine an unloading order for products being unloaded at a retail location. The products can then be identified and tracked after unloading until they are needed to restock product displays at the front of the store. In several embodiments, store layout information can be compared to a location of the products during restocking to determine whether the products are being restocked in a correct location within the store.
1 . A system for identifying and tracking a product during inventory processing in a retail facility, the system comprising:
a movable product support structure having an upper surface configured to receive products thereon;
an array of sensors mounted to the movable product support structure adjacent to the upper surface thereof and configured to actuate in response to a product being placed thereon; and
a control circuit in communication with the array of sensors, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
access shipping information to determine an order and identification of products being placed on the product support structure;
receive signals from one or more sensors of the array of sensors in response to a particular product being placed thereon;
identify the particular product based on the shipping information; and
associate a portion of the upper surface having the one or more sensors mounted thereto with the particular product.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the array of sensors comprises an array of weight sensors each configured to determine a weight of a product placed thereon.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to track changes in a weight of the particular product using readings from the one or more sensors.
4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a location tracking mechanism configured to track a location of the product support structure.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the location tracking mechanism comprises one or more camera devices in communication with the control circuit.
6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein, in response to determining a change in the weight of the particular product, the control circuit is further configured to access product display location information and compare the location of the product support structure at a time of the change in the weight to the product display location information to determine whether the particular product was stocked in a correct location.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to create a work task in response to determining that the particular product was not stocked in the correct location.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product support structure comprises a pallet.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product support structure comprises a cart.
10 . A method for tracking products, the method comprising:
receiving products on an upper wall of a product support structure;
actuating one or more sensors of an array of sensors mounted across the upper wall with a particular product placed on the upper wall;
receiving signals from the one or more sensors at a control circuit in response to the actuation;
accessing shipping information with the control circuit to determine an order and identification of products being placed on the product support structure;
identifying the particular product based on the shipping information; and
associating a portion of the upper wall having the one or more sensors mounted thereto with the particular product with the control circuit.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein actuating the one or more sensors comprises actuating one or more weight sensors; and receiving the signals comprises receiving a weight of the particular product placed thereon.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising tracking changes in the weight of the particular product with the control circuit using readings from the one or more weight sensors.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising tracking a location of the product support structure with a location tracking mechanism.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
accessing product display location information with the control circuit; and
in response to determining a change in the weight of the particular product, comparing the location of the product support structure at a time of the change in the weight to the product display location information with the control circuit to determine whether the particular product was stocked in a correct location.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising creating a work task with the control circuit in response to determining that the particular product was not stocked in the correct location.
16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising resetting the array of sensors in response to an input.