GB2409312A

GB2409312A - Remote stock level monitoring system for printed news media

Info

Publication number: GB2409312A
Application number: GB0427778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Craig Lewis
Original assignee: DAILYS
Current assignee: DAILYS
Priority date: 2003-12-19
Filing date: 2004-12-17
Publication date: 2005-06-22
Also published as: GB0329358D0; GB0427778D0

Abstract

An electronic data communication system comprising an electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a first location and at least one electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a location remote from the first location, together with means to control data communication between the aforesaid means at the first location and the at least one remote location. At least one publically viewable display means is provided at the remote location in communication with an associated electronic data storage and handling means with means operable from the remote location to control the display of information on the at least one remotely viewable display means. Stock level measurement apparatus for at least one commodity, such as a news media publication, is operable automatically at the least one remote location and communicates with an associated electronic data storage and handling means. Means is provided from the first location to determine stock levels at the remote location to facilitate remote determination of stocking levels.

Description

24093 1 2 Title: An electronic data communication system for printed news

media

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an electronic data communication system for printed news media.

One aspect is concerned with monitoring the stock level of news media publications such as newspapers or magazines.

Another aspect is concerned with displaying information relating to printed news media.

At present, newspaper advertising and headline display, at the point of sale, is mostly in fixed print or hand written on boards. Also, the newspaper supplier only knows the sales of newspapers, at the point of sale, on the day after the print date, and has no idea of the stocks of newspapers, at the point of sale, to be able to assess rate of sale on any particular day and whether re-stocking could be advantageous. This results in poor customer awareness, low sales, poor stock control, plus the return of large numbers of unsold newspapers and reduced profits to the newspaper industry.

One of the particular difficulties associated with the sale of newspapers is that they are supplied from the manufacturer to a large number of sales outlets. In the case of national newspapers, the distribution chain may be via a series of national distributors and finally to local distributors. In the case of locally produced newspapers, the distribution may be direct to the points of sale. The points of sale can range from supermarkets to individual street sellers, not all of who currently have access to the same technology. Thus in endeavouring to achieve the above aims what is required is a system that could be used by all the different types of sales outlets, with little or no modification.

An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an electronic data communication system that is useful for monitoring newspaper sales. Another aspect aims to provide an electronic data communication system that provides more useful headline display at the point of sale.

According to one aspect there is provided an electronic data communication system, particularly but not exclusively for printed news media, the system comprising an electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a first location and at least one electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a location remote from the first location, means to control data communication between the aforesaid means at the first location and the at least one remote location, and further comprising stock level measurement apparatus for at least one commodity which is operable automatically at the at least one remote location, and communicating with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means from the first location to determine stock levels at said at least one remote location using the stock level measurement apparatus.

According to another aspect there is provided an electronic data communication system, particularly but not exclusively for printed news media, the system comprising an electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a first location and at least one electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a location remote from the first location, means to control data communication between the aforesaid means at the first location and the at least one remote location, and further comprising at least one publically viewable display means at the remote location and in communication with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means operable from the remote location to control the display of information on the at least one remotely viewable display means.

The means for monitoring the stocking levels of commodities may be utilised in sales outlets, be they retail or wholesale.

In relation to the sale of a news media publication, the information displayed relates to the news media publication. For example, a headline from the news media publication or some other message related to the news media publication and intended to promote sales of the news media in question.

The means to determine stock level remotely and the means to control information on a display means described in the above aspects, are preferably used in combination to facilitate remote determination of stocking levels and control of the information displayed.

The means at the first location has means to transmit, receive, store and manage data centrally. The means at the remote location has means to transmit, receive, monitor and store data. More preferable the system has means to access and record data at the first location and at the or each remote location.

In the case of printed news media sales and distribution, the first location may correspond to a news media distribution location. This may be a publishing location or a storage location. Alternatively, the remote location may be a host location for the data to which access is available using the world wide web via the web site of the host to permit an authorised user to access stock information and to change information to be displayed. There will usually be a plurality of remote locations at which the news media is being offered for sale. There may be one or more printed news media being offered for sale at each remote location. A display means may be provided for each printed news media publication or one display used for a plurality of different publications either simultaneously or alternately by subtle configuration.

By means of this feature, any desired information can be displayed on the display unit at the local point of sale by an operator of the central unit. In a variation, the local unit may have means for changing the local message that is being displayed.

The stock level measurement apparatus is provided for the or each different printed news media.

By sensing the printed news media stock levels in real time decisions can be made centrally on whether re-stocking and/or re-distribution of local stocks is required based on up-to-date local information to maximise sales and thereby, where applicable, minimise returns for disposal. In the case of the application to newspaper sales, the display unit is used to display promotional news headline information.

The display unit may comprise an LED display unit, but more preferably it comprises an LCD display panel. The display unit is mounted in a suitable indoor or outdoor casing. The display unit may provide a single or up to full colour display, and provide a static or moving message display.

It is envisaged that each printed news media will have its own dedicated stock level sensor. The sensor unit may use pressure, magnetic, or light sensing devices to monitor stock levels. Automatic operation is particularly advantageous, especially when the point of sale is an unmanned machine or supermarket application to trigger restocking of shelves. The sensors are conveniently in wireless data communication with the associated electronic data storage and handling means may be wireless.

Preferably they are battery operated. The preferred sensor operates automatically to transmit a signal to the data store. The sensor may operate continually or be arranged to operate on a periodic basis, say at predetermined intervals. More particularly it is arranged to transmit a signal to the data store when a predetermined stock level is reached.

The means to provide communication between the first location and each of the remote locations comprise a telecommunications line. More particularly, it comprises a wireless telecommunication system that conveniently makes use of GSM network or any other suitable wireless telecommunication technology. A two-way communication system is required to implement the sending of display messages from the processing and control means of the first location unit and communication of sales data to the first location.

The present invention will now be described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure represents a central processing unit by the dotted outline 1 and a plurality of local (remote) units by the outlines 3.1, 3.2 3.n. Two-way communication between the central unit is by a wireless GSM network and represented by arrows A,B. The central unit has a signal/data transmitting and receiving unit 1.3, and each of the local units has a respective transmitting and receiving unit 3.3.1, 3.32 - 3.3.n. The local units have a dial up modem that is programmed with the number of the central unit. A code transmitted with any transmission from a local unit, identifies to the central unit the source of the message which can then be correlated to the location of the local unit sending the message.

Thus the central unit has a decoding module 1.5. The central unit has a dial up modem that is able to communicate with all the local units simultaneously or individually. The local unit conveniently incorporates a main processor controller PCB with say 128 mb of RAM memory, a real time clock, and a GSM multi- frcquency transmitter and receiver, two SIM cards, a display output port 3.7, one or more sensor points 3.9 and programmable firmware. The unit will have intelligence to aid and censor information received and automatically advise local and central units of stock status and requirements, either continually in real time or on a periodic basis. By having multiple sensor imports 3.9, stock levels of different newspapers can be monitored.

A display 4.1, 4.2, 4.n in the form of say an LCD screen is supplied with data fiom the display output port via a suitable connection line. The display may form an integral part of the local unit, or be a separate screen in data communication with the local unit to permit conventional siting of the display screen.

A sensor unit 43 is portrayed in the illustration in the form of scales on which the newspapers are piled. A load cell 4.5 measures the weight of papers remaining on the scales and thereby provides a stocking level indication. A calibration nature is preferred with each issue of newspaper by placing a known number of copies usually one copy, on the scales and setting the weight measure as the unit measure. Thus multiples of the set amount will indicate the number of newspapers on the scales and hence the stocking level.

As stated above two-way data communication between the local and the central site will make use of a GSM network, a communication link can be established from the local site or from the central site to the newsagent or newspaper delivery driver 6 to refill stock at the local site. This may be instigated automatically if stocking levels fall below prescribed levels at prescribed times of the day, or may be instigated manually.

A more general application is in relation to monitoring the stocking level of commodities in sales outlets, be they retail or wholesale. In the case of say a supermarket type store where commodities are stacked on shelves for a customer to remove for purchase, the sensor unit enables stocking level for any selected commodity to be monitored. In its most basic form, the sensor may again comprise an electronic scale on which the commodity to be monitored is placed, whereby stocking levels can be communicated to the data store. Preferably this is done when the sensor detects that the stocking level has dropped to a prescribed level. In a more sophisticated application, smart materials may be used or in-built microchips, permitting the presence of each item of a commodity to be detected and stacking levels determined in relation to proximity to a detector. In such an application, local stocking levels may need to take account of on-shelf display stocks, and backroom stock. Thus a two tier monitoring supplier may be employed. Thus a signal from the on-shelf stocking monitoring units may be used local to trigger replenishing of the in store stock levels, whilst the monitoring of backroom stocking levels is used to trigger re-ordering from a remote location. This may be a central control unit, or direct to individual commodity suppliers. On the other hand, the stocking levels may simply be monitored in the back room warehouse, and in store shelves filled as and when stocking levels are noted as low.

Claims

1. An electronic data communication system comprising an electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a first location and at least one electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a location remote from the first location, means to control data communication between the aforesaid means at the first location and the at least one remote location, and further comprising stock level measurement apparatus for at least one commodity which is operable automatically at the at least one remote location, and communicating with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means from the first location to determine stock levels at said at least one remote location using the stock level measurement apparatus.

2. An electronic data communication system, the system comprising an electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a first location and at least one electronic data storage and handling means disposed at a location remote from the first location, means to control data communication between the aforesaid means at the first location and the at least one remote location, and further comprising at least one publically viewable display means at the remote location and in communication with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means operable from the remote location to control the display of information on the at least one remotely viewable display means.

3. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one publically viewable display means at the remote location and in communication with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means operable from the remote location to control the display of information on the at least one remotely viewable display means to facilitate remote determination of stocking levels and control of the information displayed.

4. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising stock level measurement apparatus for at least one commodity which is operable automatically at the at least one remote location, and communicating with an associated electronic data storage and handling means, and means from the first location to determine stock levels at said at least one remote location using the stock level measurement apparatus to facilitate remote determination of stocking levels and control of the information displayed.

5. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the commodity is a news media publication and the information displayed relates to the news media publication.

6. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to wherein the data storage and handling means at the first location has means to transmit, store and manage data centrally.

7. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the data storage and handling means at the remote location has means to transmit, receive, monitor and store data.

8. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the system has means to access and record data at the first location and at the or each remote location.

9. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the first location corresponds to a new media distribution location.

10. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first location is a publishing location or a storage location.

11. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 1() wherein the remote location is a host location for the data to which access is available using the world wide web via the web site of the host to permit an authoriscd user to access stock information and/or to change information to be displayed.

12. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11 wherein there are a plurality of remote locations at which the news media publication is being offered for sale.

13. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 12 wherein one or more printed news media is being offered for sale at each remote location.

14. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 13 wherein a display means is provided for each printed new media publication.

15. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim]3 wherein one display means is provided for a plurality of different publications either simultaneously or alternately by subtle configuration.

16. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to wherein the remote unit has means for changing the local message that is being displayed.

17. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the stock level measurement apparatus is provided for the or each different printed news media.

18. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 17 wherein the display unit comprises an LED display unit.

19. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the display unit is an LCD display unit.

20. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 19 wherein each printed news media has its own dedicated stock level sensor.

21. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the sensor unit uses pressure, magnetic, or light sensing devices to monitor stock levels.

22. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21 wherein automatic operation of the sensor is possible.

23. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein the or each sensor is in wireless data communication with the associated electronic data storage and handling means.

24. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23 wherein the or each sensor is battery-operated.

25. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24 wherein the or each sensor operates automatically or on a periodic basis.

26. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 25 wherein the or each sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the data store when a predetermined stock level is reached.

27. An electronic data communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to provide communication between the first location and the or each remote location comprises a telecommunications line.

28. An electronic data communication system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the telecommunications line is a wireless telecommunication system.

29. An electronic data communication system substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawing.