WO2017091184A1

WO2017091184A1 - Method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets

Info

Publication number: WO2017091184A1
Application number: PCT/UA2016/000139
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oleksandr Serhiiovych Mytskevych
Original assignee: Oleksandr Serhiiovych Mytskevych
Priority date: 2015-11-26
Filing date: 2016-11-25
Publication date: 2017-06-01
Also published as: UA111150U

Abstract

The present invention relates to processes of data processing specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or prognosticating goals, in particular, to methods for automatic control of inventory levels of items distributed at sales outlets, and notification on the need to replenish stock of such items. The invention discloses a method for automated receiving and processing inventory levels data on at least one item type at sales outlets. This method can be used in the field of trade or for a free- of-charge distribution of items, i.e. things which are not commodity products, especially through retail or small-scale wholesale outlets or establishments which may form a trading network (stores, cafes, pharmacies, bars, etc.). The present invention provides a universal method for automated receiving and processing inventory levels data on at least one item type at sales outlets, comprising process of automatic remote monitoring of items inventory levels at sales outlets enabling to freely set time intervals of data acquisition and timely automatically notify suppliers on the need to replenish the inventory in the form of a particular supply request specifying an item and required quantitative indicators, ensuring the possibility of being used both for a single mercantile establishment and a large trading network with multiple sales outlets, regardless of the quantity of shop equipment and the quantity of item types that are distributed at sales outlets, and the possibility of its simultaneous use for many of said trading networks with respect to like or different items, i.e. it should provide the possibility of being used by an end retailer, retail or wholesale intermediary, outsourcing company, wholesale supplier or manufacturer.

Description

METHOD FOR AUTOMATED RECEIVING

AND PROCESSING INVENTORY LEVEL DATA ON AT LEAST ONE ITEM TYPE AT SALES OUTLETS The present invention relates to processes of data processing specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or prognosticating goals, in particular, to methods for automatic control of inventory levels of items distributed at sales outlets, and notification on the need to replenish stock of such items. The invention discloses a method for automated receiving and processing inventory levels data on at least one item type at sales outlets. This method can be used in the field of trade or for a free-of-charge distribution of items, i.e. things which are not commodity products, especially through retail or small-scale wholesale outlets or establishments which may form a trading network (stores, cafes, pharmacies, bars, etc.).

Suppliers, i.e. companies that produce and sell consumer goods (food, household chemicals, medicines, etc.) would appreciate the need to organize control of inventory levels at sales outlets and the need to timely supply their products to sales outlets, i.e. to retail or small-scale wholesale outlets, which may form trading networks. These sales outlets may be a part of a trading network of tens to several hundred thousand independent sales outlets. Commodity products, or certain things that are distributed free of charge and therefore not being commodity products, which are distributed at said sales outlets, are considered accounting objects both for a mercantile establishment or sales outlet as such and for a supplier being the company that produces or carries out wholesale distribution of such items through the independent sales outlets. As a result, there is a problem of regular timely receiving data on the inventory level of at least one item type for at least one sales outlet, and organization of the effective control in terms of material and time costs with respect to all the sales outlets.

Currently, the problem is resolved by organizational measures, in particular, by way of periodic visits to each sales outlet by a supplier sales representative, inventory counting, and forming a notification on the expediency of further supply of at least one item. Such a method has several disadvantages which, in particular, include the need for a supplier to maintain a large staff of sales representatives, which significantly increases the cost of distribution of such items, given the need to pay salaries to all sales representatives, and given additional transport costs. In addition, the timeliness of obtaining information and the accuracy of data on volumes of needed replenishment of inventory of items at a sales outlet is completely doubtful due to supplier representative's permanent movement between different sales outlets, impossibility of his/her frequent stay in one sales outlet, difference in time between the moment of the need for replenishment and the moment of arrival and obtaining by a supplier representative of items inventory level data, as well as the difference in time of the moment of transfer of data immediately to the supplier on replenishment delivery. These significant time delays in obtaining data on items inventory level at a sales outlet lead to loss of use of a commercial space and additional financial expenditure both by the supplier and the owner of the sales outlet.

In order to speed up the process of items distribution through sales outlets, and reduce the cost of control over a distribution process, usually outsourcing companies are engaged to perform notably the same actions as the above supplier representatives do. However, engaging outsourcing companies absolutely does not eliminate the above disadvantages. Moreover, in this case the quality of control of supply is lost as outsourcing companies are responsible for supply of items from several suppliers at once thus reducing attention to each particular supplier. Moreover, there is an additional problem of control over the outsourcing company as such, e.g. checking an actual quantity of sales outlets visited by an outsourcing company representative over a given time interval. Moreover, the human factor and the low level of automation increases the risk of a mistake in drawing up a supply request.

Thus, given the above, there is an urgent need for an automatic process of periodic or permanent remote monitoring of inventory levels of said items at sales outlets, and timely notification of suppliers on the need for replenishment of the inventory, and such a process must ensure the possibility of being used both for a single mercantile establishment and a large trading network with multiple sales outlets, regardless of a quantity of shop equipment and a quantity of item types that are distributed at sales outlets, and the possibility of its simultaneous use for many of said trading networks with respect to like or different items, i.e. it should provide the possibility of being used by an end retailer, retail or wholesale intermediary, outsourcing company, wholesale supplier or manufacturer. In this case, the automatic process of periodic or permanent remote monitoring refers to a process enabling to freely set periods of automatic obtaining data on items inventory level. And a significant role in such a process should be played by the automation of periodic capture of data on items inventory levels quantitative indicators to be monitored, by quantity of units or mass, and receiving such data electronically with respect to various types of items, and various number of spaces for their placing in distribution locations.

Among inventions that are designed to provide record of at least one item, inventory levels, etc., there is known a shop window for products (patent of Ukraine for utility model UA 62533 published on 25.08.2011, bulletin No. 16) comprising an upper and lower bases that are carried out in the form of parallelepipeds assembled from vertically and horizontally connected transparent panels which are connected by bonding. The upper and lower bases are detachable, the upper base contains a cover which, when closed, tightly adjoins the walls of the base along the perimeter, while the front wall of the upper base is made of two parts, the upper part being fixed to the side walls of the said base and the lower part is made as a flip cover which opens outwards to an angle of 90°, being attached using an axis installed in the side walls of the said base, while on the bottom of the lower base, which is made without the front wall, there is placed a weighing device.

The said shop window does not provide any means of remote transmission of information. Therefore, the design of the shop window does not enable to remotely monitor the inventory level of at least one item on the shelves. The weighing device does not solve the problem of determining the amount of at least one item in the window, as the said invention is aimed at reducing the area of the shop window as such, and convenient taking and weighing products. The said shop window can be used only for products that have a different weight of each unit or sold by weight, and does not enable to automatically control the quantity of piece goods. The use of such a shop window does not enable forming and sending a message on the need to replenish product inventory.

In the prior art there is the patent of Ukraine for invention (UA 96722 C2, published on 25.11.201 1, bulletin No. 22) providing for a system comprising an in-store product display unit, a data control device that controls data on said products, and a portable processing terminal that is carried by staff moving between a distributor and the said store, and used for acquisition of data on product display layout, and for recording data by the said data control device. The portable processing terminal includes an identification receiving unit which receives product identification data and position identification data, and a display keeping unit which keeps received product identification data and the correlated position identification data. The data control device includes a display capturing unit that captures the product identification data and position identification data acquired from the products display unit through the portable processing terminal, a warning data storage device that stores product display warnings concerning products display layout together with at least a part of the product identification data, and a warning unit that provides product display warnings on the portable processing terminal through which the product identification data and the position identification data are received together with the product identification data.

The said system is designed to assist product supplier personnel in ensuring simple and correct display of particular products at particular sales outlets. However, the said invention does not ensure remote automatic receiving quantitative indicators of product inventory levels, with regard to such product placing and different kinds of products.

There is also the patent CN1979100 disclosing a methodology of a dynamic inventory estimation system comprising an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) device intended to identify and put in the said system items with a certain content of electronic tags, a weight measuring device, scales holders for products, and computational tools connected to the weighing equipment of the aforementioned RFID (electronic tag) equipment. The said computational tool determines the whole mass, and additionally, evaluates and registers, depending on the location of these items, the actual weight of the product obtained respectively prior to and after weighing, and weight obtained using RFID (electronic tag) equipment as a result of the identification of electronic tags. According to one embodiment, the methodology of a dynamic inventory estimation system comprises the following procedure: checking a modification of gross weight loaded on the said measuring equipment; further checking for increasing or decreasing changes in the content of electronic tags of the commodity elements of the system due to changes in the value of gross weight which includes the following procedure: in the case of new electronic marking with higher value, the analysis of correspondence of new electronic tags to newly added elements of the system is carried out, the list of product elements is changed, and also the additional weight of each commodity item is assessed separately. In the case of reducing the quantity of electronic tags the analysis of correspondence of the removed electronic tags to the removed commodity elements of the system is carried out, the removed commodity elements are removed from the list. If the total quantity of the electronic tags has not changed, the weight of a particular category is changed.

The described invention is aimed at creating a fast and easy inventory system enabling to have current information on the amount of stock by each item in order to determine the need for the purchase of a particular type of commodity products. Additionally, a reduction of time spent and labor is achieved.

However, the said invention is intended only for use within one salesroom.

The measuring equipment system does not comprise whatever possibility of external transmission of measurement results data.

In the prior art there is also the patent application CA 2829535 Al published on 10.04.2015 which discloses an inventory management system that includes one or more scales, a portable electronic device, electronic means of data transmission from the scales to the portable electronic device. Also the materials of the application contain a description of a cabinet for controlling and weighing a plurality of items consisting of the following elements: a basis with a space for items placing; a weighing device installed under the respective space for item placing and intended for determining the mass of that item; a portable electronic device whereto item data and results of item mass determination are transmitted. And the weighing device may be carried out with embedded data on the item position within its space. And the described cabinet may contain a main control unit and a data storage device for storing relevant values which contains data on an item and a space for its placing. The main control unit receives the results of determination as well as information about the item and its position to obtain an appropriate value. The cabinet may also be carried out to contain the said control unit and a data storage device for storing matching values. The main control unit uses item information which is stored in memory to ensure matching the item data and the results of a subsequent determination in order to calculate the expenditure of the item.

According to the application, the described inventory management system is designed for use with respect to one particular space for placing items, and in the case of use of several weighing devices within the said space for placing items, all these devices are directly connected to one main control unit which has the data storage device, and provides the storing and processing of data with respect to items. I.e. data is processed and stored by a device that is structurally connected to one or more weighing devices located in one particular space for placing items. And any primary item data which include data on mass, volume, item availability, or item shelf life are entered into the said data processing and storing device by its user via special software application, and are displayed, using such an application, in a user portable electronic computing device. And data related to weight or inventory levels of items are received at user request via the said portable electronic computing device.

Understandably, the described invention has several disadvantages. In particular, it does not provide for the automatic notification on the need to replenish the item inventory, the user receives information about item (product) inventory mass only after running the software application. The materials of the mentioned patent application contain only examples of receiving by the user of an automatically generated message on an item being out of stock or expiry of its shelf life, while the mechanism of formation and transmission of such messages is not disclosed. Also, only in the example of the embodiment the possibility of obtaining data on the quantity of items (products) is mentioned, but the mechanism of obtaining such an indicator is not disclosed, it is only mentioned that to calculate the quantity using the mass indicator it is necessary to use a separate software application installed on a separate electronic computing device. According to the described invention relating to an inventory management system, item data are received namely to the user portable electronic device, and all data processing is carried out only in the main control unit equipped with the data storage device which is installed namely at the space for placing items.

The described invention relating to an inventory management system discloses a method for obtaining data on items inventory level in one particular space for placing such items solely using the weighing device, with processing and storing all the data in the main unit, which is structurally connected to the weighing device where items inventory level data may be obtained by a user on request via the special software application which is installed on the user portable device. I.e. the invention is specifically designed for use solely with respect to one particular space for placing items, it can be used only within one particular mercantile establishment in the interests of its owner and only for obtaining information about the status of items (products) inventory at the time of owner's request, without regard to the procedure of ordering of additional quantity of items from suppliers to replenish inventory at a sales outlet.

Understandably, the described invention relating to an inventory management system has a very narrow range of application and does not ensure the possibility of implementation of the automated process of remote monitoring of items inventory levels at sales outlets, and timely automatic notification of suppliers on the need to replenish inventory with the possibility to freely chose the time intervals of data acquisition, does not ensure the possibility of being used both for a single mercantile establishment and a large trading network with multiple sales outlets, regardless of a quantity of shop equipment and a quantity of item types that are distributed at sales outlets, and the possibility of its simultaneous use for many of said trading networks with respect to like or different items. The described invention does not provide the possibility of being simultaneously used by an end retailer, retail or wholesale intermediary, outsourcing company, wholesale supplier or manufacturer.

The closest prior art of the present invention is a method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets, the essential features of which are disclosed in the above-described patent application materials CA 2829535 Al published on 10.04.2015.

The common essential elements of the present invention and the closest prior art are as follows: the use of shop display equipment located in a sales outlet having at least one base for placing items and comprising at least one measuring device allowing electronic data being periodically received to an input of an electronic computing device, said data being adapted for being interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items.

No of the above inventions, taken separately or combined with others, has a combination of essential features which fully coincides with the features of the present method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type for at least one sales outlet. The features of this method which are common with the features of the above inventions will enable those skilled in the art to appreciate the degree of improvement that ensures meeting such criteria of patentability as novelty and non-obviousness, and industrial applicability. The bellow description of this method shows distinctions from the above-described prior art which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The object of the present invention is to provide a universal method for automated receiving and processing inventory levels data on at least one item type at sales outlets, comprising process of automatic remote monitoring of items inventory levels at sales outlets enabling to freely set time intervals of data acquisition and timely automatically notify suppliers on the need to replenish the inventory in the form of a particular supply request specifying an item and required quantitative indicators, ensuring the possibility of being used both for a single mercantile establishment and a large trading network with multiple sales outlets, regardless of the quantity of shop equipment and the quantity of item types that are distributed at sales outlets, and the possibility of its simultaneous use for many of said trading networks with respect to like or different items, i.e. it should provide the possibility of being used by an end retailer, retail or wholesale intermediary, outsourcing company, wholesale supplier or manufacturer.

The above object is achieved as follows.

The method for automated receiving and processing inventory levels data on at least one item type at sales outlets comprises use of shop display equipment, located at a sales outlet, having at least one base for placing items. Said shop display equipment comprises at least one measuring device allowing electronic data being periodically received to an input of an electronic computing device, said data being adapted for being interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items.

According to the present invention, the method comprises use of said shop display equipment located in at least one sales outlet, said shop display equipment includes at least one sensor that is configured to allow its output signals being received and subsequently interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items. Said shop display equipment includes at least one control unit that is configured to convert the output signals of said at least one sensor and form messages. It also includes a transceiver connected to said control unit, said transceiver being configured to transmit messages formed by the control unit.

Said at least one sensor is further configured to transmit, to said control unit, output signals corresponding to a mass or quantity or static image of items that are placed on a shop display equipment base for placing items or are placed on/in such shop display equipment.

And said control unit is configured to convert signals of said sensor for messages being periodically formed, and to periodically transmit these messages through said transceiver, and to store such messages pending receiving, via the transceiver, a message confirming the receipt.

Furthermore, said messages formed by the control unit contain data on mass or quantity of said items and/or contain a static image of said items that are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in a respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and contain a time reference and a respective identifier of the sales outlet and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contain a respective identifier of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items.

This method further comprises use of an electronic control system designed to carry out this method by a preset algorithm, it is designed for periodic receiving messages in electronic form containing data pertaining to inventory level, at a particular moment of time, of at least one type of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing items. Said electronic control system is also designed for processing and storing these data and for forming and transmitting messages in electronic form on the need to supply said particular items to the particular sales outlet and/or displaying such data.

Said electronic control system is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be connected to at least one communication network in order to receive and send messages containing data on said items and provide access to said data stored in the electronic control system.

Said electronic control system, in particular, contains a server application, recorded in a data storage device, designed to process input data, control the choice of output data based on input data, control the processes of data recording, sampling, reading and reproduction from at least one database which is contained in the electronic control system and is created and managed by the database management system. Said database is designed for data collection, systematization, storage and deletion.

This method comprises creation of said at least one database using said electronic control system server application. Said database contains, as a minimum, data on at least one supplier of such items, data on at least one sales outlet where items are placed, data on at least one item type.

The data on the supplier of items include an array of interrelated data that at least include a supplier identifier and supplier contact details. The supplier contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing such supplier's client application, and/or supplier's client interface identifier.

Said data on the sales outlet include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing items, as well as sales outlet contact details. The sales outlet contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing the vendor's client application, and/or vendor's client interface identifier.

Said data on said item include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of such an item associated with a sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or a shop display equipment base for placing such items. At the same time said identifier is also associated with at least one supplier. The data on the item also include a quantity or mass of that item and/or a static image with a time reference as well as a value of the minimum and a value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the item for a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items.

In this method, upon receipt to the input of the electronic control system of a message that was formed by said control unit and sent through said transceiver, and which contains data on mass or quantity of such items and/or contains a static image of these items which are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and contains a time reference and a respective identifier of the sales outlet and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contains a respective identifier of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, in this method said received data are compared with data, contained in the above-described database, on an item having the same identifier associated with the respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items. At that, if it is needed to obtain an items quantity indicator based on a received items mass indicator, the quantity indicator is calculated, using the preset algorithm, based on the mass of one unit of the item. And if it is needed to obtain the items quantity or mass indicator based on a received static image, the objects are identified and the quantity or mass indicator is calculated using the preset algorithm of recognition of spatial patterns.

The received or calculated item mass or quantity indicator, using said server application, is compared with a respective value of the minimum quantity or mass of that item stored in the database.

The above-described data at least include a time reference and, for items that are recorded by mass - a mass or a mass and a static image of the item, and for items that are recorded by quantity - a quantity or a quantity and a static image of the item, and these data are added, while preserving previous data or modifying previous data, to the above-mentioned database data on items having the same identifier that is associated with a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items, or these data are deleted.

In the case where the received or calculated item quantity or mass indicator is less or equal to the respective value of the minimum quantity or mass of that item stored in the database, using the server application a preliminary message is formed on the need to supply said items.

Said preliminary message at least contains the identifier of said item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items. This message also contains stored in the database corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item.

The formed preliminary message on the need to supply said items is sent at respective sales outlet contact details stored in the database being at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing vendor's client application for being confirmed, or corrected and confirmed, and/or said data are displayed via the respective vendor's client interface based on the identifier of said interface stored in the electronic control system database.

After said data are confirmed in a form of an electronic message or via the respective vendor's client interface, using the server application, a final message on the need to supply such items is formed.

Said final message at least contains the identifier of said item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, also it contains corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item.

The formed preliminary message on the need to supply said items is sent at respective supplier contact details stored in the database being at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing supplier's client application, and/or said data are displayed via the respective supplier's client interface based on the identifier of said interface stored in the electronic control system database.

Some embodiments of this method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets may further comprise use of said shop display equipment that contains said at least one sensor, which is a strain gauge or optoelectronic sensor or electromechanical sensor, or radio frequency identification reader, and said sensor includes a primary signal transducer. Such shop display equipment may further include said at least one control unit which is a microcontroller, and the shop display equipment may include said transceiver which is a radio transceiver configured to be connected to a mobile network.

This method may further comprise use of said electronic control system which is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the Internet and/or mobile network radio transceivers.

And said messages between said shop display equipment transceiver and the electronic control system may be transmitted by data transfer protocol that provides for an automatic confirmation of their receipt.

Given that the present invention can be modified and have alternative embodiments, the bellow detailed description of the method is not to be construed as limiting to such described particular embodiments, and instead includes all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the nature and scope of patent protection set forth in the appended claims.

The method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets can be used both with respect to sellable items and items that are distributed free of charge. And those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present method, subject to certain changes, can be used also to ensure timely removal of at least one item, e.g. when collecting products or goods as an aid to orphanages, hospitals, and for other needs.

The term "item" deserves special explanation. In this case the item refers to a product or thing that may be a commodity product to be sold for money, or may not be a commodity product as it is distributed free of charge. An item may be a packaging, box, pack, sack, or any other container, it can be single-piece being distributed per item. And a general property of an item is a determined mass of its unit. At the same time, an item may be either bulk or poured, such as sugar, cereals, vegetables, drinks on tap, etc. being not packaged in containers and distributed by mass or volume units.

A sales outlet refers to a mercantile establishment, premises or place of sale or distribution of items related to a mercantile establishment. A sales outlet may be any public institutions selling goods or services. These places are preferably, but not limited to, stores, pharmacies, bars, cafes, shopping and entertainment centers, paid health care institutions, etc.

In this method, there is used shop display equipment, i.e. the equipment which is designed for shelving, storing, and selling or distributing goods or items, these may include specialized furniture, refrigerators, or other equipment which enables temporary storage and display of products or items being distributed.

Such equipment is located in at least one sales outlet. I.e. this method includes monitoring items inventory levels not only in one but in multiple sales outlets.

The said equipment has at least one base for placing items allowing to place on each such a base a particular type of item in a required quantity. Such a base may be a shelf, bracket, stand, etc. on which similar objects are based, suspended or otherwise held.

The said shop display equipment comprises at least one measuring device allowing electronic data being periodically received to an input of an electronic computing device, said data being adapted for being interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items.

Said embodied shop display equipment comprises at least one sensor as said at least one measuring device. In this case the sensor refers to a device that includes both a sensory element and a primary transducer of a sensory element signal. Said at least one sensor is configured to allow its output signals being received and subsequently interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items. I.e. sensor output signals are adapted either for being converted, in the control unit, into electronic data that directly reflect quantitative indicators with respect to items, or adapted for being converted, in the control unit, into electronic data adapted for being subsequently converted, in another electronic computing device, into electronic data which directly reflect quantitative indicators with respect to the items.

The said shop display equipment includes at least one control unit that is configured to convert output signals of said at least one sensor and form messages. Preferably, the control unit is carried out in the form of a microcontroller having a data storage device that may be integrated or external. Depending on a type of shop display equipment, one or more of said sensors placed on one piece of such shop equipment can be connected to one control unit. Alternatively, one or more of such sensors connected to one of several bases for placing items can be connected to one control unit. I.e. each base for items placing may have its own control unit or there may be one control unit for one or several pieces of shop display equipment.

Said shop display equipment also includes a transceiver connected to said control unit, said transceiver being configured to transmit messages formed by the control unit. I.e. said transceiver can be connected to one or more control units of one piece of shop equipment or several pieces of shop display equipment. Said transceiver is designed for being connected to a wired or wireless network. Preferably in this method a radio transceiver is used configured to be connected to a mobile network.

As already mentioned, the shop display equipment includes said at least one sensor. I.e. one or more different types of sensors may be combined with one or more bases for placing items.

And said at the least one sensor is configured to transmit, to said control unit, output signals corresponding to the mass or quantity or static image of items that are placed on a shop display equipment base for placing items or are placed on/in such shop display equipment. I.e., as already mentioned, the method includes the possibility of converting signals into electronic data both in the control unit and in another electronic computing device. Inter alia, further multiple conversion of electronic data is possible, in particular, the conversion of photosensor output signals into static image electronic data in the control unit for subsequent recognition of graphic images and calculation of the quantity or mass of items. And a static image may be used not only to calculate the quantity or mass, but also for control purposes. Furthermore, the static image may be used simultaneously for both controlling and calculating the quantity or mass of the items. Preferably in this method said shop display equipment is used containing at least one said sensor, which is a strain gauge or optoelectronic sensor or electromechanical sensor, or radio frequency identification reader, and said sensor includes a primary signal transducer. The strain gauge may be utilized to measure weight, optoelectronic sensor - to obtain static images. The electromechanical sensor may be utilized to measure distance, e.g. the distance to a movable bracket which position depends on the quantity of items that are stacked up as the bracket is based on the outermost item in the stack. This principle of use of the electromechanical sensor may be used in shop equipment, particularly, for placing packets of cigarettes. And said radio frequency identification reader may be carried out, particularly, in the form of an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) equipment reader to calculate the quantity of items by the quantity of RFID tags attached thereto.

Furthermore, said control unit is configured to convert signals of the sensor namely for messages being periodically formed, and to transmit such messages via said transceiver. I.e., this method allows to periodically capture items inventory level by setting a time interval both directly and remotely via the electronic control system. Further, remotely, this interval may be changed, or a periodic repetition may be provided by periodic requests from the electronic control system which is used in this method. Said control unit is further configured to store such messages pending receiving, via the transceiver, a message confirming the receipt. The receipt confirmation message can be an automatically formed backward message from mobile network equipment, the Internet or said control system. In this method, messages between said shop display equipment transceiver and electronic control system are preferably transmitted by data transfer protocol that provides for automatic confirmation of their receipt. Thus, in case of break of communication between said shop display equipment transceiver and said electronic control system, item inventory level data are temporarily stored with the specification of the time of obtaining said data until the communication is restored.

Said messages formed by the control unit contain data on mass or quantity of said items and/or contain a static image of these items that are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items. These messages sets include data on quantity in case of calculating the quantity of items based on a total mass and a mass of one item unit in the very control unit, or in case of calculating by the control unit when receiving signals or data from electromechanical sensor or radio frequency identification reader. These messages may include data on mass or quantity and/or static image of items on each basis, on/in each piece of shop equipment or in a sales outlet as a whole. These messages further contain a time reference being the time of signal receipt from a respective sensor or the time of formation of the message by the control unit. They also contain the respective identifier of a sales outlet and/or the identifier of shop display equipment and/or the identifier of a shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contain the respective identifier of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items. I.e. in this method, quantitative indicators and/or static image in the message may be associated with a particular space for items placing (without specifying the type of items) and/or specifying the type of the items, and the identifier can be both a conditional code and name. An item may be identified both by its type and only by the space for its placing. Hereinafter the term "identifier" refers to an identification marking which may be a distinctive character set, including in the form of a name or denomination as a sociolinguistic unit, and in any case this marking is a set of machine-readable characters.

As described above, this method further comprises use of the electronic control system designed to carry out this method by a preset algorithm. Said system is designed for periodic receiving messages in electronic form containing data pertaining to the inventory level, at a particular moment of time, of at least one item type placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in respective shop display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing items. Said system is also designed for processing and storing these data and for forming and transmitting messages in electronic form on the need to supply said particular items to a particular sales outlet and/or displaying such data. Such data may be displayed, as described above, in the electronic control system both for the one who controls it and for a vendor and/or supplier via respective user interfaces with limited access. Said display of data and access to them can be used in particular to adjust the data as well as to periodically reconcile general quantitative indicators of items being received by the vendor by separate batches within certain periods from the supplier, etc.

Said electronic control system is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be connected to at least one communication network in order to receive and send messages containing data on said items and provide access to said data stored in the electronic control system. Said communication network can be a wired or wireless communication network or a combination of such networks, including global networks such as the Internet or local networks. Said access to such data provides a possible third party limited access, including limited access via the client interface by the vendor and/or supplier. Preferably this method comprises the use of said electronic control system which is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the Internet and/or mobile network radio transmitters.

Said electronic control system, in particular, contains the server application recorded in the data storage device. The term "server" is used figuratively, considering a part of functions of this software application pertaining only to the "client-server" network architecture created and the function of this application in the system being performance service (operating) functions on request from "client", or client application, and providing access to certain resources or services. And this server application is not limited to said function and purpose, but has other functions and purposes disclosed hereinbelow.

Said server application is designed to process input data, control the choice of output data based on input data, control the processes of data recording, sampling, reading and reproduction from at least one database which is contained in the electronic control system and is created and managed by the database management system and is designed for data collection, systematization, storage and deletion.

This method comprises creation of said at least one database using said electronic control system server application, the database to contain, as a minimum, data on at least one supplier of items. In this case, the term "supplier" refers to an entity that supplies items and/or a set of warehouses where items are stored and/or a particular warehouse, and in the context of the present method - equipment which is used in this method and associated therewith. The database also contains data on at least one sales outlet where items are placed, data on at least one item type.

Data on a supplier of items include an array of interrelated data that at least include a supplier identifier and supplier's contact details. Hereinbelow the term "identifier" refers to an identification marking which may be a distinctive machine-readable character set or a particular name.

Said supplier contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address ("messenger") and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address to which there is connected an electronic computing device containing such supplier's client application, and/or supplier's client interface identifier.

The telephone number can be used to send and receive SMS or MMS messages. The network account address refers to accounts of social or other networks and services, for example Skype or Viber. The term "network address" refers to any device identifier in a computer network that provides addressing in global or local networks, including domain addressing.

In this case the above term "client application" is used figuratively, considering the basic function of this software application pertaining only to the "client-server" network architecture created and the function of this software application in the system - providing queries and retrieving data from the aforementioned server application, i.e. accessing certain resources or services. And the client application may not be limited to said function and purpose, but may have other functions and purposes, including those disclosed hereinbelow. A reference to the "supplier" additionally discloses the function of said client application.

The term "supplier's client interface", in this case, refers to user interface which provides limited access to particular specially intended electronic control system data or resources which are intended for a particular supplier. And the interface as such is implemented by supplier access to the system via communication networks from supplier's electronic computing means. And the identifier of said interface refers to identification of a certain area for displaying data that is intended for a particular supplier, such as "user page" or "personal area".

Said data on the sales outlet include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing items, as well as sales outlet contact details.

The sales outlet contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing the vendor's client application, and/or vendor's client interface identifier. Here, the term "vendor's client application" is similar to the term "supplier's client application," where the term "vendor" has the same meaning as the term "sales outlet" which is explained above, and in the context of this method the "vendor" means equipment which is used in this method and related hereto.

The aforementioned data on the item include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of such an item associated with a sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or a shop display equipment base for placing such items, and associated with said at least one supplier, these data also include a quantity or mass of that item and/or a static image with a time reference as well as a value of a minimum and a value of a needed additional quantity or mass of the item for a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items.

Using, in this case, item quantity or mass allows to keep record of items both by their quantity or mass - for items with the inventory not countable by pieces, for example, for poured items. Said item minimum quantity value is a minimum or threshold item quantity or mass that determines the need for an additional supply of the item. The value of the needed additional quantity of said item is the item quantity or mass which is needed in case of an additional supply of said item to replenish its inventory. Understandably, the present method allows to adjust the value of the minimum and the value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the item both by the vendor and the supplier, for example, based on the rate of distribution and time required for item supply, or based on the vendor's or supplier's working time pattern.

In this method, upon receipt to the input of the electronic control system of a message that was formed by said control unit and sent through said transceiver, said received data are compared with the data, contained in the above-described database, on the item having the same identifier associated with a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items.

Said received message contains data on mass or quantity of such items and/or contains a static image of these items which are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and contains a time reference and the respective identifier of the sales outlet and/or identifier of the shop display equipment and/or identifier of the shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contains the respective identifier of the item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items.

Further if it is needed to obtain an items quantity indicator based on a received items mass indicator, the quantity indicator is calculated, using the preset algorithm, based on the mass of one unit of the item. And if it is needed to obtain the items quantity or mass indicator based on a received static image, the objects are identified and the quantity or mass indicator is calculated using the preset algorithm of recognition of spatial patterns.

The above-described data at least include a time reference and, for items that are recorded by mass - a mass or a mass and a static image of the item, and for items that are recorded by quantity - a quantity or a quantity and a static image of the item, and these data are added, while preserving previous data or modifying previous data, to the above-mentioned database data on items having the same identifier that is associated with a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items, or these data are deleted. I.e. this method allows to store item inventory level data obtained through each message or particular messages with the specification of the time of their capture, in order to obtain general statistical data on items distribution, or delete these data in order to save electronic control system resources.

In the case where the received or calculated item quantity or mass indicator is less or equal to the respective value of the minimum quantity or mass of that item stored in the database, using the server software application a preliminary message is formed on the need to supply said items.

Said preliminary message on the need to supply items at least contains the identifier of said item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and also contains stored in the database corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item. 00139

The formed preliminary message on the need to supply said items is sent at respective sales outlet contact details stored in the database. The contact details of a sales outlet are at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing vendor's client application for being confirmed, or corrected and confirmed, and/or said data are displayed via the respective vendor's client interface based on the identifier of said interface stored in the electronic control system database.

The preliminary message on the need to supply items may contain any other data, including details such as name, address, bank details of the sales outlet and supplier, names of responsible persons of the sales outlet and supplier, and generate an electronic order form or invoice.

Further, after said data are confirmed in a form of an electronic message or via the respective vendor's client interface, using the server application, a final message on the need to supply such items is formed. In this case, said data may be confirmed by a message confirming their correctness, or by a return of the above- described preliminary message on the need to supply items, including a corrected one. Given that the preliminary message on the need to supply items may contain data composed as an electronic order form or invoice, the data may be confirmed by the sales outlet using its electronic signature.

The final message on the need to supply said items at least contains an identifier of the item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, also it contains corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item. This final message on the need to supply items may also contain any other data particularly included in the electronic order form or invoice which further may contain the electronic signature of the sales outlet.

The formed final message on the need to supply items is sent at respective supplier contact details stored in the database being at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing supplier's client application, and/or said data are displayed via the respective supplier's client interface based on the identifier of said interface stored in the electronic control system database.

Understandably, the above-described method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets is a universal automated process of automatic remote monitoring of items inventory levels at sales outlets enabling to freely set time intervals of data acquisition and timely automatically notify suppliers on the need to replenish the inventory in the form of a particular supply request specifying an item and required quantitative indicators. The described combination of essential elements of this method ensures the possibility of being used both for a single mercantile establishment and a large trading network with multiple sales outlets, regardless of the quantity of shop equipment and the quantity of item types that are distributed at sales outlets, and the possibility of its simultaneous use for many of said trading networks with respect to like or different items, i.e. it provides the possibility of being used by an end retailer, retail or wholesale intermediary, outsourcing company, wholesale supplier or manufacturer.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets, comprising use of shop display equipment, located at a sales outlet, said shop display equipment having at least one base for placing items, said shop display equipment comprising at least one measuring device allowing electronic data being periodically received to an input of an electronic computing device, said data being adapted for being interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items, wherein this method comprises use of said shop display equipment located in at least one sales outlet, said shop display equipment includes:

at least one sensor that is configured to allow its output signals being received and subsequently interpreted as quantitative indicators with respect to said items, at least one control unit that is configured to convert the output signals of said at least one sensor and form messages, and

a transceiver connected to said control unit, said transceiver being configured to transmit messages formed by the control unit,

said at least one sensor is further configured to transmit, to said control unit, output signals corresponding to a mass or quantity or static image of items that are placed on a shop display equipment base for placing items or are placed on/in such shop display equipment,

said control unit is configured to convert signals of said sensor for messages being periodically formed, and to periodically transmit these messages through said transceiver, and to store such messages pending receiving, via the transceiver, a message confirming the receipt,

furthermore, said messages formed by the control unit contain data on mass or quantity of said items and/or contain a static image of said items that are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in a respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and contain a time reference and a respective identifier of the sales outlet and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contain a respective identifier of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items,

this method further comprises use of an electronic control system designed to carry out this method by a preset algorithm, it is designed for periodic receiving messages in electronic form containing data pertaining to inventory level, at a particular moment of time, of at least one type of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing items, said electronic control system is also designed for processing and storing these data and for forming and transmitting messages in electronic form on the need to supply said particular items to the particular sales outlet and/or displaying such data,

said electronic control system is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be connected to at least one communication network in order to receive and send messages containing data on said items and provide access to said data stored in the electronic control system, said electronic control system, in particular, contains a server application, recorded in a data storage device, designed to process input data, control the choice of output data based on input data, control the processes of data recording, sampling, reading and reproduction from at least one database,

said at least one database is contained in the electronic control system and is created and managed by the database management system, said database is designed for data collection, systematization, storage and deletion,

and this method comprises creation of said at least one database using said electronic control system server application, said database contains, as a minimum, data on at least one supplier of such items, data on at least one sales outlet where items are placed, data on at least one item type,

the data on the supplier of items include an array of interrelated data that at least include a supplier identifier and supplier contact details, where the supplier contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing such supplier's client application, and/or supplier's client interface identifier, said data on the sales outlet include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing items, as well as sales outlet contact details, where the sales outlet contact details include at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing the vendor's client application, and/or vendor's client interface identifier,

said data on said item include an array of interrelated data that at least include an identifier of such an item associated with a sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or a shop display equipment base for placing such items, and said identifier is also associated with at least one supplier, the data on the item also include a quantity or mass of that item and/or a static image with a time reference as well as a value of the minimum and a value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the item for a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items,

in this method, upon receipt to the input of the electronic control system of a message that was formed by said control unit and sent through said transceiver, and which contains data on mass or quantity of such items and/or contains a static image of these items which are placed at a respective sales outlet and/or on/in respective display equipment and/or on a respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, and contains a time reference and a respective identifier of the sales outlet and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment and/or an identifier of the shop display equipment base for placing such items, and/or contains a respective identifier of an item placed at the respective sales outlet and/or on/in the respective shop display equipment, and/or on the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, in this method said received data are compared with data, contained in the above-described database, on an item having the same identifier associated with the respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items, at that, if it is needed to obtain an items quantity indicator based on a received items mass indicator, the quantity indicator is calculated, using the preset algorithm, based on the mass of one unit of the item,

and if it is needed to obtain the items quantity or mass indicator based on a received static image, the objects are identified and the quantity or mass indicator is calculated using the preset algorithm of recognition of spatial patterns, the received or calculated item mass or quantity indicator, using said server application, is compared with a respective value of the minimum quantity or mass of that item stored in the database,

the above-described data at least include a time reference and, for items that are recorded by mass - a mass or a mass and a static image of the item, and for items that are recorded by quantity - a quantity or a quantity and a static image of the item, and these data are added, while preserving previous data or modifying previous data, to the above-mentioned database data on items having the same identifier that is associated with a respective sales outlet and/or shop display equipment and/or shop display equipment base for placing such items, or these data are deleted,

in the case where the received or calculated item quantity or mass indicator is less or equal to the respective value of the minimum quantity or mass of that item stored in the database, using the server application a preliminary message is formed on the need to supply said items,

said preliminary message at least contains the identifier of said item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, this message also contains stored in the database corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item,

the formed preliminary message on the need to supply said items is sent at respective sales outlet contact details stored in the database being at least one telephone number and/or at least one electronic mail address and/or at least one network instant messaging system address and/or at least one network account address and/or at least one network address associated with an electronic computing device containing vendor's client application for being confirmed, or corrected and confirmed, and/or said data are displayed via the respective vendor's client interface based on the identifier of said interface stored in the electronic control system database,

after said data are confirmed in a form of an electronic message or via the respective vendor's client interface, using the server application, a final message on the need to supply such items is formed, said final message at least contains the identifier of said item and/or the identifier of the respective sales outlet and/or the identifier of the respective display equipment and/or the identifier of the respective shop display equipment base for placing such items, also it contains corresponding value of the needed additional quantity or mass of the respective item,

2. The method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: use of said shop display equipment that contains said at least one sensor, which is a strain gauge or optoelectronic sensor or electromechanical sensor, or radio frequency identification reader, and said sensor includes a primary signal transducer,

and the shop display equipment includes said at least one control unit which is a microcontroller, and the shop display equipment includes said transceiver which is a radio transceiver configured to be connected to a mobile network.

3. The method for automated receiving and processing inventory level data on at least one item type at sales outlets of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises use of said electronic control system which is a hardware-software complex based on at least one electronic computing device configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the Internet and/or mobile network radio transceivers,

and the above-described messages between said shop display equipment transceiver and the electronic control system are transmitted by data transfer protocol that provides for an automatic confirmation of their receipt.