PRESSURE-SENSITIVE DEVICE FOR PRODUCT TRACKING ON PRODUCT SHELVES
A mat with a pressure-sensitive surface may be placed on a product shelf. The product shelf may be used for supporting retail products at a retail location. A wireless beacon may be coupled to the mat. The wireless beacon may include a processor that assesses a resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface to assess an inventory status of retail products on the pressure-sensitive surface. The wireless beacon may broadcast a wireless signal that includes a data packet with a unique identifier for the wireless beacon and the inventory status of the retail products.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A system, comprising:
a pressure-sensitive surface configured to be placed on at least one product shelf, wherein the at least one product shelf is used for supporting retail products at a retail location; and
a wireless beacon coupled to the pressure-sensitive surface, the wireless beacon comprising a processor and a memory, the processor being configured to assess a resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface to assess an inventory status of retail products on the pressure-sensitive surface, wherein the wireless beacon is configured to broadcast a wireless signal, the wireless signal including a data packet, and wherein the data packet comprises a unique identifier for the wireless beacon and the inventory status of the retail products.
22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface changes when a retail product is added or removed from the pressure-sensitive surface.
23 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface increases as retail products are removed from the surface and decreases as retail products are added to the surface.
24 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface comprises a piezoresistive film.
25 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface comprises a piezoresistive film positioned between two conductive layers.
26 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface supports the retail products placed on the at least one product shelf.
27 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the wireless beacon is coupled to the pressure-sensitive surface.
28 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured to assess changes in resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface to determine the inventory status of retail products on the pressure-sensitive surface.
29 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the wireless beacon is configured to immediately broadcast the wireless signal when the inventory status is assessed to be below a selected level.
30 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the wireless signal with the inventory status is configured to be received by a wireless device located at the retail location of the POP display.
31 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one product shelf is located on a point of purchase (POP) display.
32 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface is a surface of a mat configured to be placed on a surface of the at least one product shelf.
33 . A method, comprising:
assessing a resistance of a pressure-sensitive surface, the pressure-sensitive surface being positioned on a product shelf used to support a plurality of retail products at a retail location, wherein the resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface changes when at least one retail product is added or removed from the pressure-sensitive surface, and wherein a circuit board is coupled to the pressure-sensitive surface, the circuit board comprising a processor and a memory;
assessing, using the processor on the circuit board, an inventory status of the retail products on the pressure-sensitive surface based on the resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface; and
broadcasting a wireless signal from a wireless beacon, the wireless beacon being located on the circuit board and coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless signal includes a data packet with a unique identifier for the wireless beacon, and wherein the data packet comprises the assessed inventory status of the products on the pressure-sensitive surface.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface comprises a piezoresistive film.
35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the pressure-sensitive surface comprises a piezoresistive film positioned between two conductive layers.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface is assessed by measuring a voltage signal produced by applying voltage to a resistor matched to the piezoresistive film.
37 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the wireless beacon is coupled to the pressure-sensitive surface.
38 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the assessed resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface increases when at least one retail product is removed from the surface, and wherein the assessed resistance of the pressure-sensitive surface decreases when at least one retail product is added to the surface.
39 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the wireless beacon immediately broadcasts the wireless signal in response to the inventory value being assessed to be below a selected level.
40 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising receiving the wireless signal with the assessed inventory value in a wireless device located at the retail location.
41 - 60 . (canceled)