# US 2019/0244166 A1 · Smart shelves

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- Number: US 2019/0244166 A1
- Document ID: US20190244166A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/389,470
- Filed: 2019-04-19
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-30
- Assignees: eBay Inc.
- Applicants: eBay Inc.
- Inventors: Roy L. Camp
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190244166A1

## CPC

- G01G 19/4144: {for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- A47F 5/0043: {Show shelves (shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F)}
- A47F 10/02: for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets (A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D)
- G01G 19/42: for counting by weighing (G01G19/387 takes precedence)
- G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting}
- G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing}
- G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping}
- A47F 2010/025: {using stock management systems}
- G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16)
- 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
- A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS

## Abstract

A method may include obtaining a weight of merchandise supported by a shelf and obtaining identifier data of the merchandise supported by the shelf. The identifier data may be wirelessly received from tags associated with the merchandise. The method may also include determining information for presentation to a consumer regarding the merchandise based on the weight of the merchandise and the identifier data of the merchandise. The method may also include providing the information for presentation to the consumer of the merchandise when the consumer is proximate the merchandise that is supported by the shelf.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a weight measurement device configured to determine a weight of merchandise supported by a shelf; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the weight measurement device, the computing system configured to perform operations comprising:
obtain identifier data of one or more pieces of the merchandise supported by the shelf;
obtain a weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise based on the identifier data;
determine a change in the weight of the merchandise supported by the shelf;
compare the weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise with the change in the weight of the merchandise supported by the shelf; and
verify the identifier data obtained for the one or more pieces of the merchandise based on the comparison of the weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise with the change in the weight of the merchandise.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to present information regarding the merchandise based on the identifier data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise determine the information to be presented based on the verified identifier data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the information includes a price of the merchandise.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise determines the price of the merchandise based on two or more of: a location of the shelf, a time of day, a day of the week, a manufacturer's coupon or rebate for the merchandise, how many pieces of the merchandise are supported by the shelf, and a competing price of the merchandise at a different location.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:
obtain a location of a consumer with respect to the merchandise; and
obtain an identity of the consumer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise in response to the location of the consumer being in proximity of the shelf based on the location of the consumer, determine the information provided to the consumer regarding the merchandise based on consumer information obtained using the identity of the consumer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic field reader configured to wirelessly receive the identifier data of the merchandise supported by the shelf from tags coupled to the merchandise.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
obtaining identifier data of one or more pieces of merchandise supported by a shelf;
obtaining a weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise based on the identifier data;
determining a change in the weight of the merchandise supported by the shelf;
comparing the weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise with the change in the weight of the merchandise supported by the shelf; and
verifying the identifier data obtained for the one or more pieces of the merchandise based on the comparison of the weight of the one or more pieces of the merchandise with the change in the weight of the merchandise.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting information regarding the merchandise based on the verified identifier data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the information includes a price of the merchandise.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising determines the price of the merchandise based on two or more of: a location of the shelf, a time of day, a day of the week, a manufacturer's coupon or rebate for the merchandise, how many pieces of the merchandise are supported by the shelf, and a competing price of the merchandise at a different location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
obtaining a location of a consumer with respect to the merchandise; and
obtaining an identity of the consumer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising in response to the location of the consumer being in proximity of the shelf based on the location of the consumer, determining the information provided to the consumer regarding the merchandise based on consumer information obtained using the identity of the consumer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the identifier data is obtained from tags coupled to the merchandise.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

One or more computer-readable media configured to store instructions that when executed by a system cause the system to perform the method of claim 9.

### Claim 17

A method comprising:
obtaining a first weight of merchandise supported by a shelf at a first time;
obtaining a second weight of merchandise supported by the shelf at a second time;
obtaining identifier data of the merchandise supported by the shelf;
determining interest of a consumer in the merchandise based on a difference between the first weight and the second weight and a difference between the first time and the second time; and
determining information for presentation to the consumer regarding the merchandise based on the identifier data and the determined interest of the consumer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a price of the merchandise.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the information of the merchandise for presentation to the consumer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein based on the difference between the first weight and the second weight and the difference between the first time and the second time, determining that the consumer removed a first piece of the merchandise from the shelf and then replaced the first piece of the merchandise to the shelf