Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
  • B65G1/02—Storage devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
  • G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Definitions

• the object of the invention is a method as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
• the object of the invention is also a system as defined in the preamble of claim 12.
• the invention relates generally to monitoring the presence of objects in a storage unit.
• US 2008/077510 presents a camera, which is arranged to monitor the status of shelves.
• US 5703785 presents the use of LED light sources and light detectors for monitoring the status of shelves.
• US 5671362 presents the use of sensors that react to weight for monitoring the status of shelves.
• solutions used nowadays for monitoring fill rate require either a line of sight to the shelving and to its products or they require a lot of different installation jobs or special shelf solutions, in which case they are expensive to install e.g. into existing shelving solutions.
• the solutions typically used are typically based on continuous monitoring, in which case their energy requirement is quite large. That being the case, the shelving must be provided with an electricity supply.
• the aim of the invention is to achieve a new type of solution, by means of which the problems of prior art can be avoided.
• the invention is based on a concept in which a storage unit is provided with a sensor, the information given by which is requested every now and again, in which case the sensor activates and gives an on/off type of indication, the result of which is transmitted to the system.
• the sensor consumes energy only during the observation procedure.
• the information can be transmitted to the sensor by wireline or wirelessly.
• the data transmission means of the product information display system can be used also for transmitting sensor information.
• the method of the invention is mainly characterized by what is disclosed in claim 1.
• the method of the invention is also characterized by what is disclosed in claims 2 - 11.
• the system according to the invention is mainly characterized by what is disclosed in claim 12.
• the solution according to the invention has a number of important advantages.
• the system for a sensor being a sensor that transmits on/off data
• the sensor arrangement can be considerably simplified.
• current consumption can be reduced, because the sensor is activated to perform an observation and to transmit observation data only when requested or at set intervals.
• This enables the use of a wireless sensor solution.
• This is a significant advantage e.g. in equipping the shelvings of stores with a system according to the invention.
• the alarm limit of a storage location can be simply set by using a sensor with an operating area that is only in a part of the volume or area of the storage location.
• a storage unit can be simply provided with sensors of different sizes, in which case the alarm limit is determined according to the size of the sensor.
• the sensor can be fitted directly to the surface of a storage unit. Alternatively the sensor can be arranged e.g. under the shelf surface or embedded into the shelf.
• the data transfer of the sensor is preferably bidirectional, in which case the sensor can be activated by means of the data transmission means.
• An observation request is transmitted to the sensor by aid of the data transfer means and observation data returns to the system.
• Data transfer is preferably wireless, at least partly.
• the data transfer and activation of a sensor is performed by means of a second data transmission system, at least partly, e.g. via the electronic price label system of the shop.
• the sensor is in this case preferably connected to a transmission unit of the electronic price display.
• FIG. 1 presents a detail of a system that utilizes the invention, in connection with a shelf
• Fig. 2 presents a detail of one system according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 presents a simplified view of a second sensor utilized in the invention.
• Fig. 1 presents a simplified view of a shelf 1 provided with a part of the system according to the invention.
• a plane surface is between the front edge 3 and the rear edge of the shelf 1 , on which surface the products placed on display can be arranged.
• the shelf can be divided into a number of units, which hereinafter are called storage units 100A, 100B 100C, 100D.
• dashed lines have been marked between the adjacent storage units 100A, 100B; 100B 1 100C; 100C, 100D.
• different products or product grades can be placed in different storage units.
• Fig. 1 the products 2 in the first storage unit 100A are disposed near the area of the storage unit 100A, in which case the storage unit, more particularly the shelf unit, is almost full.
• the second storage unit 100B the products 2 are only in the rear part of the storage unit.
• the third storage unit 100C and the fourth storage unit 100D are presented in Fig. 1 without any products.
• At least one or more sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D are arranged on the surface or under the surface of the storage unit, more particularly of the shelf.
• the sensor is of the type that detects whether a detectable object, such as a product 2, is in the operating area of the sensor or not.
• the sensor is preferably e.g. a capacitive proximity sensor in terms of its operating principle.
• a capacitive proximity sensor is able to detect the presence of an object in the operating area of the sensor also without physical contact between the object and the sensor.
• a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D can be arranged in a storage unit, more particularly on a shelf, e.g.
• a sensor can be arranged under a storage unit, such as a shelf level, or inside a shelf, because contact between the sensor and the object to be detected is not needed.
• a storage unit such as a shelf level, or inside a shelf, because contact between the sensor and the object to be detected is not needed.
• FIG. 1 the operating area A1 of the sensor 5C of a third storage unit 100C is marked in the figure.
• the operating area A1 of the sensor 5C covers a part of the storage location 100C in the embodiment of Fig. 1.
• the operating area A1 of the sensor 5C extends a distance X1 from the front edge 3 of the storage location, such as of the shelf.
• the operating area of the sensor extends in the embodiment of the figure for the width Y of the storage location l OOC.
• the sensor 5C in the embodiment of the figure is thus arranged to detect whether there is a product in the area A1 in the front part of the storage location 100C.
• A1 X1 * Y.
• A2 X2 * Y.
• An indication of whether there are detectable objects in the operating area of a sensor or not is taken from only a part of the storage unit, such as of the shelf unit.
• a storage unit can be e.g. the size of the whole area/volume of a shelf or of only a part of the area/volume of a shelf.
• the alarm limit is determined according to the fill rate of the shelf .
• a sensor can be arranged on another surface than on the floor of a storage unit or on the shelf surface of a shelf.
• the system according to the invention also comprises means 10, by the aid of which the indication given by a sensor about whether there is a detectable object in its operating area or not is transmitted to the information system 20 and/or to a display means and/or to an alarm means.
• an alarm can be given to the personnel or to the storage system to fill the storage unit, more particularly the shelf unit, with products, and/or to move products to the front part of the storage unit, more particularly of the shelf, from the rear part of the shelf.
• Information about an indication is transmitted to a connection unit 10.
• the information can be transmitted preferably wirelessly from a transmission unit 41 (Fig. 2) arranged in connection with or in the proximity of one or more sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D.
• the transmission unit 41 can be the same transmission unit as, or a different transmission unit from, the one used with the electronic price display means 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D presented in Fig. 1.
• the price display means of products are arranged to receive data from the information system via one or more transmission units, preferably wirelessly.
• Publication WO2006087424 presents an arrangement for presenting and updating information, in which price display means are used. A corresponding system is known by the name ELLA Store Label system.
• the system operates typically as follows:
• the system requests, e.g. at set intervals, the indication data of the sensor/sensors of one or more storage units.
• the indication data is simply whether there are detectable objects in the detection area of the sensor or not.
• the sensor and the transmission unit produce reply data, which is preferably on/off-type data. If there are detectable objects, i.e. products, in the operating area of the sensor, e.g. the result 1 is given as the indication data. If there are not any products in the operating area, e.g. 0 is given as the result.
• Fig. 2 presents one embodiment of a sensor, in which the sensor 5C of the storage unit 100C of Fig. 1 is presented more closely.
• the sensor is connected to a terminal device, such as to a transmission unit 41 or corresponding, with conductors 51 , 52.
• the sensor comprises electrode areas 55, 56, which are connected to each other with conductors 53 and 54.
• the electrode areas 55, 56 are arranged to be interleaved with each other, in which case the detection of rather small objects can be improved.
• the electrodes are preferably formed by etching onto a laminated metal film or printed with conductive ink.
• the base can be e.g. a flexible polyester film.
• a transmission unit 41 which can be used for transmitting the observation data of a sensor and/or for receiving an observation request coming to a sensor, can also be seen in Fig. 2.
• the transmission unit 41 can also be used for receiving data coming to the price display means 4C and/or for sending acknowledgement data to the information system.
• the shape of the sensors and the placement of the electrodes can differ according to the application.
• publication WO2006/003245 presents sensor products and laminated sensors, which can be used as a sensor 5C.
• Publication WO 2008/068387 also presents a sensor web.
• the senor 201 based on capacitive measurement presented in Fig. 3 is used as a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, which sensor covers a set area that is the object of monitoring and which can be fitted to a flat base, such as to a shelf 203 of a shop.
• An electronic control unit/observation unit 202 can be arranged in connection with a sensor and connected to its edge, which unit detects an object 200 that is on top of the sensor, such as an object of a conductive substance, the position or status of it, and gives information about this onwards to the monitoring system, e.g. to the monitoring system of products to be sold in the shop.
• a conductive object on top of a sensor influences the capacitance, and the system measures changes of capacitance, on the basis of which the presence, position, movement or status of an object can be determined with a sensor.
• the sensor 201 is e.g. a rectangularly-shaped planar sensor 201 , which comprises transverse intersecting conductive sensor strips 111a-111c, 112a-112c, of which the parallel first sensor strips are signal electrode strips, and the second sensor strips that intersect in an insulated manner with them at a right angle are earthing strips.
• a sensor is fitted on top of a shelf 203 or between a shelf and the coating 204 on top of it, and the strips in the sensor are insulated from each other with an intermediate insulation layer or insulation layers, and from the shelf (or from the coating on top of the shelf) with an insulation layer on top of the sensor and below the sensor.
• a change of the capacitance ⁇ Cn 3a - ⁇ Cn 3 i is monitored in each intersection point and on the basis of that it is deduced whether such a change of capacitance has occurred at the intersection point in question that a detectable object is at the intersection point in question.
• a sensor or in connection with the transmission unit is e.g. an accumulator or battery, from which the sensor and/or the transmission unit receives the energy needed in an indication and in transmitting it.
• solar panels are arranged in connection with the system, e.g. in connection with storage locations, which solar panels give the energy needed to the sensors of the system or which charge the accumulators of the sensors and/or of the transmission unit.
• the sensor receives the necessary current from an electricity network.
• the control impulse of a sensor can be transmitted by radio.
• the invention thus relates to a method for monitoring the amount of objects 2 in a storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D or for monitoring the fill rate of a storage unit.
• one or more capacitive proximity sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D are used for monitoring a storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, or a part of it, from which proximity sensor on/off-type data is taken about whether or not there are detectable objects in the detection area of the sensor or not. Receiving on/off-type data is sufficient, in which case the sensor can be activated for the observation, and energy does not need to be consumed for continuous observation.
• one or more sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D only a part of the area or volume of the storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D is observed. In this case it is possible to observe e.g. that part of the storage unit which should preferably have products, e.g. the front part of a shelf location.
• the senor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D performs an observation when separately activated.
• the senor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is activated to perform an observation at set intervals. If there are products in the detection area, no procedures are necessarily required. If there are no products in the detection area an indication of the exceedance of the alarm limit is given, in which case a stipulated procedure is performed. If the data transmission device of the sensor does not reply to the request, a new request to perform an observation is given.
• the observation information received from a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is transmitted at least partly wirelessly.
• the observation request to be given to the sensor, or at least to its data transmission means is transmitted at least partly wirelessly.
• the observation information received from a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is transmitted at least partly by radio waves.
• an optical connection an infrared connection or some other suitable wireless connection can be used for data transfer.
• a wired connection which can be a conventional connection suited to the transmission of data or, for instance, an optical cable is used.
• a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D of a storage unit is arranged to monitor only a certain part of a storage unit.
• the storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D is a shelf or a section of a shelf or a display rack or a section of a display rack.
• the operating area of the sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is determined according to the alarm limit for the desired fill rate of the storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D.
• the data transmission to a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D and/or from a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is arranged at least partly via a second data transmission system, such as via an electronic price label system.
• the senor is a planar sensor, which comprises intersecting conductive sensor strips 111 a-111c, 112a-112c, of which the parallel first sensor strips are signal electrode strips, and the second sensor strips that intersect in an insulated manner with them are earthing strips, and in which overlapping intersecting areas or intersecting points formed of strip parts that are insulated from each other form at the intersection points 113a-113i of the strips in question.
• the invention also relates to a system for monitoring the amount of objects 2 in a at least one storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D or for monitoring the fill rate of a storage unit.
• the system comprises at least one or more capacitive proximity sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D for it to detect whether there are any objects 2 being monitored in a storage unit in the detection area of a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D or not, means for transmitting on/off-type data taken from a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and means for further processing and/or presenting the data.
• the system is fitted with at least one or more sensors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D to observe only a part of the area or volume of a storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D.
• a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is fitted to perform an observation when separately activated.
• the system gives to the sensor an observation request, e.g. at certain set intervals.
• On/off-type information comes from the sensor to the system.
• the sensor does not consume energy or consumes very little compared to a situation in which the sensor continuously observes the operating area.
• the sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is fitted to activate and to perform an observation at set intervals.
• the system comprises means for transmitting the observation information to be received from a sensor at least partly wirelessly.
• the system can comprise means for transmitting the observation information to be received by a sensor at least partly by radio waves.
• a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D of a storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D is preferably arranged to monitor only a certain part of the volume or area of the storage unit.
• the storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D is a shelf or a section of a shelf or a display rack or a section of a display rack.
• the operating area of a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is determined according to the alarm limit for the desired fill rate of the storage unit 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D.
• data transmission to a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D and/or from a sensor 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is arranged at least partly via a second data transmission system, such as via an electronic price label system 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D.
• the senor is a planar sensor, which comprises intersecting conductive sensor strips 111 a-111c, 112a-112c, of which the parallel first sensor strips are signal electrode strips, and the second sensor strips that intersect in an insulated manner with them are earthing strips, and in which overlapping intersecting areas or intersecting points formed of strip parts that are insulated from each other form at the intersection points 113a-113i of the strips in question.

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Cited By (4)

Citations (2)

• 2009
  • 2009-03-30 FI FI20095336A patent/FI20095336A/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2010
  • 2010-03-10 WO PCT/FI2010/050181 patent/WO2010112666A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2010-03-29 AR ARP100101015A patent/AR076166A1/es unknown

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