APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STOCKING STORES WITH MOBILE MODULAR DISPLAYS

1 . A system for stocking a store with mobile displays, comprising:

a plurality of mobile modular displays each comprising a location sensor and configured to be stocked with a plurality of types of products in a plurality of shelf spaces at a stocking location, transport the products to a store location, and display the products at the store location;

a sales history database;

a store inventory database; and

a control circuit coupled to the sales history database and the store inventory database, the control circuit configured to:

detect a modular display replacement condition at a store location selling products on a plurality of deployed mobile modular displays;

select a plurality of products to stock a mobile modular display from the plurality of mobile modular displays for the store location based on a sales history of the store location stored in the sales history database and a current inventory of the store location stored in the store inventory database;

determine a planogram for the plurality of products selected for the mobile modular display;

output machine instructions to automated units of a stocking system to pick the plurality of products and stock the mobile modular display with the plurality of products in the plurality of shelf spaces according to the planogram; and

output instructions to transport the mobile modular display to the store location for display.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of products are further selected based on customer information associated a customer base of the store location.

3 . The system of claim 1 , where the plurality of products are further selected based on one or more of date, event, and weather information.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

determine a stock quantity for each of the plurality of products based on estimated sale rates of each of the plurality of products and a capacity of the mobile modular display.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the stock quantity of each of the plurality of products are determined such that the plurality of products on the mobile modular display are estimated to sell out at approximately the same time.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the modular display replacement condition comprises at least one of the plurality of deployed mobile modular displays being empty or low in stock.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the mobile modular display replaces the at least one of the plurality of deployed mobile modular displays on a sales floor of the store location.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an in-store display location for the mobile modular display at the store location based on a current layout of the store location.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

determine a dressing configuration for the mobile modular display; and

output a dressing instruction to the stocking system to prepare the mobile modular display according to the dressing configuration,

wherein the dressing configuration comprises one or more of signage configuration, label configuration, lighting configuration, temperature setting, and security setting.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mobile modular displays are configured to dock with one or more of other mobile modular displays, with a docking structure at the store location, a transport vehicle, and an autonomous ground vehicle.

11 . A method for stocking a store with mobile displays, comprising:

detecting, with a control circuit, a modular display replacement condition at a store location selling products on a plurality of deployed mobile modular displays;

selecting, with the control circuit, a plurality of products to stock a mobile modular display for the store location based on a sales history of the store location stored in a sales history database and a current inventory of the store location stored in a store inventory database, the mobile modular display being selected from a plurality of mobile modular displays each comprising a location sensor and configured to be stocked with a plurality of types of products in a plurality of shelf spaces at a stocking location, transport the products to a store location, and display the products at the store location;

determining, with the control circuit, a planogram for the plurality of products selected for the mobile modular display;

outputting machine instructions to automated units of a stocking system to pick the plurality of products and stock the mobile modular display with the plurality of products; and

outputting instructions to transport the mobile modular display to the store location for display.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of products are further selected based on customer information associated a customer base of the store location.

13 . The method of claim 11 , where the plurality of products are further selected based on one or more of date, event, and weather information.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a stock quantity for each of the plurality of products based on estimated sale rates of each of the plurality of products and a capacity of the mobile modular display.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the stock quantity of each of the plurality of products are determined such that the plurality of products on the mobile modular display are estimated to sell out at approximately the same time.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the modular display replacement condition comprises at least one of the plurality of deployed mobile modular displays being empty or low in stock.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile modular display replaces the at least one of the plurality of deployed mobile modular displays in the store location.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining an in-store display location for the mobile modular display at the store location based on a current layout of the store location.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a dressing configuration for the mobile modular display; and

outputting a dressing instruction to the stocking system to prepare the mobile modular display according to the dressing configuration,

wherein the dressing configuration comprises one or more of signage configuration, label configuration, lighting configuration, temperature setting, and security setting.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of mobile modular displays are configured to dock with one or more of other mobile modular displays, with a docking structure at the store location, a transport vehicle, and an autonomous ground vehicle.

21 . An apparatus for stocking a store with mobile displays, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium storing a set of computer readable instructions; and

a control circuit configured to execute the set of computer readable instructions which causes to the control circuit to:

detect a modular display replacement condition at a store location selling products on a plurality of deployed mobile modular displays;

select a plurality of products to fill a mobile modular display for the store location based on a sales history of the store location stored in a sales history database and a current inventory of the store location stored in on a store inventory database, the mobile modular display being selected from a plurality of mobile modular displays each comprising a location sensor and configured to be stocked with a plurality of types of products in a plurality of shelf spaces at a stocking location, transport the products to a store location, and display the products at the store location;

determine a planogram for the plurality of products selected for the mobile modular display;

output machine instructions to automated units of a stocking system to pick the plurality of products and stock the mobile modular display with the plurality of products in the plurality of shelf spaces according to the planogram; and

output instructions to transport the mobile modular display to the store location for display.