FR2846442A1 - Method for production of an organised list of articles to be added or removed from a stock, comprises stages of allocating numbers to words, associating with location and issue of route/list - Google Patents

Abstract

During a first stage (9) articles to be acquired at say a supermarket are received either electronically or manually. The word for each article is then assigned (11) an identifying number. The identifying number is then used with a table of association (12) to produce a localisation code. Any special offers relating to the items are also identified (13) and a minimum route and shopping list are produced as a print out (14)

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a list

  organized of articles to be stored or destocked, as well as an installation for the implementation

of this process.

  Most households these days shop in large supermarkets. Even if some provide a list for this purpose of the items to be acquired, it is generally tedious and time-consuming to locate and collect all of these items, which constitutes a disadvantage all the more detrimental since the races come back frequently and encroach on leisure time

and rest.

  Managing large stocks, such as those held by central pharmacies in hospitals or such as those held by armies or supermarket chains in their supply depots,

  causes the same type of difficulty.

  The invention, which intends to remedy the aforementioned drawback, therefore has at least the aim of facilitating the storage and / or the destocking of a list of various articles, for the storage of each of which a specific location is

  planned within a storage space.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is a method of producing an organized list of articles to be stored or destocked, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting in: a) acquiring a list of words of everyday language, these words designating articles to be stored or destocked, b) the attribution of at least a first code to each word of the list, this first code expressing a position in a storage space, c) the classification words from the list according to their first respective codes, as a function of data relating to the spatial distribution, in the storage space, of locations for said articles, and d) the edition of the list organized according to the

  classification made in step c).

  According to other advantageous characteristics of this process: between step a) and step d), it comprises a step consisting in: e) assigning to each word a second code which identifies the article designated by this word, this second code being chosen from a predetermined catalog of second codes; - after step e), it includes a step in which f) using a directory o specific information is associated with at least some of the second catalog codes, at least one word from the list is assigned at least one specific piece of information that said directory associates with the second code assigned to this word; step b) comprises step e), as well as a step which follows this step e) and in which: g) the second code of each word is sought in an association table where a first code is associated to each second code in the catalog, and each first word is assigned the first code which the table associates with the second code assigned to this word; - in step c), we classify the words in order

  in which the locations for the articles designated by these words follow one another along a particular path 30 in the storage space.

  The invention also relates to an installation for the implementation of a method as defined above, characterized in that it comprises: - a data processing and recording unit which includes at least the list of words and said first codes, means for entering the list of words in the processing and recording unit, and

  - means to edit the organized list.

  According to other advantageous characteristics of this installation: the means for editing the organized list 10 comprise a computer system which comprises at least one computer and a printer, which is installed in the storage space and which is capable, of a on the one hand, to communicate with the processing and recording unit and, on the other hand, to print the organized list - the processing and recording unit and at least some of the means for entering the data in this unit communicate via an Internet / Intranet type network or a local network; the means for entering the data into the processing and recording unit comprise a server via Internet / Intranet or a local network; the means for entering the data into the processing and recording unit comprise a telephone call center (the processing of which can be either automated or carried out by an operator) The invention will be clearly understood on reading the

  description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, on

  which: - Figure 1 is a diagram of an installation according to the invention and intended for the implementation of a method of producing an organized list of items to be acquired in a supermarket, - Figure 2 is a block diagram of a method according to the invention and intended to be implemented using the installation of FIG. 1, in order to produce an organized list of articles to be acquired in a supermarket, and - the Figure 3 is the plan of a supermarket in which a user of the invention can shop. In Figure 1, there is shown a possible installation 10 for the implementation of an automated method of

  production of an organized list of items to be purchased in a supermarket. This installation includes a computer with which an operator 2, located in a telephone call center 3, can communicate by means of a terminal 4.

  This computer, which constitutes a data processing and recording unit 1, can be connected to an Internet / Intranet server 5, which is connected to a network 6 of the Internet / Intranet type. It is therefore able to exchange data with another computer 7, for example

  personal example, which is connected to network 6 such as the Internet.

  The unit 1 can also communicate bidirectionally with a computer system in the form of an interactive terminal 8, which is installed at the entrance to a supermarket and which is connected to the network 6

Internet type.

  In FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrates the steps of the automated process, the implementation of which using the installation shown in FIG. 1 leads to the production of an organized list of articles to be acquired

in a supermarket.

  The first step of this process is referenced 9 and consists in the acquisition of a list of words designating articles that a customer wants to acquire. To do this, this

  customer can either communicate this list himself to the processing and recording unit 1, using his personal computer 7 connected to the network 6 of the Internet type, or call the telephone call center 3 5 o the operator 2 will enter the word list in unit 1.

  For this purpose, a microphone making it possible to establish communication with the operator 2 can be provided in the

interactive terminal 8.

  The first step 9 is followed by a second step 10 10, which consists in assigning to each word of the list a location code expressing the radius R (FIG. 3) and therefore the position of the location where the article designated by this word is found in the supermarket. This step 10

  has two successive substeps 11 and 12.

  In step 11, an identifier code is assigned to each word that the client has incorporated into his list. The identifier code assigned to a word is chosen from a predetermined catalog and identifies the article designated by this word. Indeed, the latter does not lend itself to automated processing by computer, since it can be

  a word from everyday language, such as a trademark.

  For example, step 11 will consist in assigning to a known brand of handkerchiefs an identifier code meaning "handkerchief". It is performed automatically, using an appropriate program, by

  the processing and recording unit 1. As a variant, it can also be carried out by the operator 2, who, after having assigned the identifier codes to the words in the list, between these identifier codes in the processing unit and recording 1.

  In step 12, the unit 1 uses a registered association table, where a location code is associated with each of the identifier codes present in the catalog. More precisely, unit 1 assigns to each word the location code that the table associates with the code

identifier of this word.

  In parallel with step 12, the unit 1 carries out a step 13, in which it refers to a directory 5 recorded in one of its memories. In this directory, specific information, such as promotions on articles present in the supermarket or such as specific brands of the chain of which this supermarket is a member, is each associated with one of the 10 identifier codes present in the catalog. In step 13, the unit 1 allocates to at least one word from the list one or more specific pieces of information which this directory associates with the identifier code of this word. For example, step 13 consists in assigning to the aforementioned brand 15 of tissues the information according to which the price of these tissues is reduced by 10% during

two weeks.

  During this step 13, the unit 1 can possibly make a selection aiming not to attribute certain eliminated information according to criteria established by the client. At the end of steps 12 and 13, the unit 1 carries out a step 14, which consists in classifying the words of the list using their respective location codes. In this step 14, the unit 1 begins by establishing a particular path in the supermarket, a plan of which is represented in FIG. 3. This path, which is symbolized by the arrow C in FIG. 3, is determined so as to reduce as much as possible the length of this path C between the entrance and the exit of the supermarket, and, possibly, to pass the customer through certain areas of the supermarket. Alternatively, it is predetermined and invariable. At the end of step 14, unit 1 classifies the words in the list in the order in which the articles designated by these words follow one another along path C. The last step, referenced 15, for producing an organized list takes place once the customer has gone to the supermarket to do their shopping. This client then uses the interactive terminal 8 to order the printing of the list classified in the order established in step 14, after which this terminal 8 exchanges data with the unit 1 and then issues a ticket 16 on which it has 10 printed the classified list of words and, next to each

  word, the specific information (s) relating to this word. As a variant, the specific information (s) linked to the list may be printed (or transferred) on a support separate from the ticket 16.

  A plan of the store also appears on this ticket 16.

  On this plan, the R departments of the store are identified by the location codes present in the association table.

  On the ticket 16, in addition to the list of words and any specific information, the interactive terminal 8 prints, next to each word, the location code assigned to

this word.

  The customer with this ticket 16 then goes shopping in the supermarket. As this customer meets the 25 articles of his list in the order that they follow one another on

  his ticket 16, his task is then greatly facilitated, in accordance with the object of the invention, and he saves time.

  In particular, he does not have to regularly review his entire list to check if he has not forgotten an article in the aisle where he is. In addition, he no longer risks having to make one or more round trips to the supermarket to pick up an item he has forgotten.

  to take when it first passes in front of this article.

  In addition, this customer can quickly determine the location of an item in the store, using the location location code, by locating, on the plane of his ticket 16, the radius R identified by this location code. The invention is not limited to the field of supermarkets. On the contrary, it can be used in any field where there are stocks to manage. For example, it can be implemented both for storing items 10 in the central pharmacy of a hospital or in a supply depot owned by an army, and for

  destock these items later.

Claims (10)

  1. Installation for producing an organized list of articles to be stored or destocked, characterized in that it comprises: - means (3, 4; 5, 6, 7) allowing the acquisition of a list of words in common parlance, these words designating articles to be stored or destocked, - first means of assigning at least a first code to each word in the list, this first code expressing a position in a storage space, - means for classifying the words in the list according to their first respective codes, as a function of data relating to the spatial distribution, in the storage space, of locations (R) for said articles, and - means for editing the organized list   according to the classification made by the classification means.   2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises second allocation means 20 adapted to assign to each word a second code which identifies the article designated by this word, this second code being chosen from a predetermined catalog second codes. 3. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises third allocation means   adapted to, using a directory o specific information is associated with at least some of the second catalog codes, assign to at least one word of the list at least one specific information that said directory associates with the second code assigned to this word.   4. Installation according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first allocation means comprise the second allocation means, as well as means for searching for the second code of each word in an association table o a first code is associated with each second code in the catalog, and to assign to each word the first code that the table associates with the second code assigned to this word.   5. Installation according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the first classification means are adapted to classify the words in the order in which the locations (R) for the articles designated by these words follow one another along a particular path (C) in storage space.   6. Installation according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the allocation means and the classification means are part of a unit (1) for processing and recording data.   7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the editing means comprise a computer system (8) which comprises at least one computer and a printer, which is installed in the storage space and which is suitable, d on the one hand, to communicate with the processing and recording unit (1) and, on the other hand, to print the organized list.   8. Installation according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the processing and recording unit (1) and at least some (7) of the means allowing the acquisition of a list of words of the current language communicate via a network (6) of the type Internet / Intranet or local network.   9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the means (3, 4; 5, 6, 7) allowing the acquisition of a list of words in everyday language comprise a server (5) via Internet / Intranet or local network. he 10. Installation according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the means (3, 4; 5, 6, 7) allowing the acquisition of a   list of words in everyday language includes a telephone call center (3).