An automated ordering system in a retail shop adapted to automatically order goods. In the system, a demand amount in the future is first supposed on the basis of an average of the past demands, the supposed future demand amount is corrected by the variable condition used to change the demand amount to predict a future demand amount, and the order amount is determined pursuant to a calculation formula on the basis of the predictive future demand amount and the stock volume of goods. Goods tend to be stocked in surplus or out of stock are diagnosed on the basis of the change of the past demands and the worker determines the amount of orders in respect to these goods.

Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for real-time control of inventory and environmental impacting events. The invention implements statistical analysis of the inventory and environment data at a remote site, typically the site at which the inventory is located or where the environmental impacting event may occur. Once the statistical analysis determines that a significant inventory change has occurred or a significant environmental impacting event has occurred, the inventory data or environmental data is immediately communicated, in real-time, to a central location for monitoring and control, typically a regional or corporate office. The invention has specific relevance and embodiments directed at monitoring and controlling the inventory and environmental events at fuel service stations.

A method and system for determining a filtrate (FQ.sub.CL) for a product on a current level in a supply chain or network A market tank balance (MTB.sub.CL) is determined for the product in the supply chain the filtrate quantity for the product is determined by calculating the difference between the market tank balance (MTB.sub.CL) and a preferred balance (PB.sub.CL) of products in the market tank, and if the filtrate quantity is lower than a predetermined threshold, the filtrate quantity is increased on the current level by increasing the delivery of the product to the market tank, or increasing the production, or decreasing the delivery of the product from the market tank. If the filtrate quantity is higher than a predetermined threshold, the filtrate quantiy is reduced by reducing the delivery of the product to the market tank, or by reducing the production, or by increasing the outflow from the market tank.

A differential pressure gauge for a cryogenic storage tank provides onboard entry, by an operator, of tank dimensions, tank orientation, and the type of liquid stored within the tank. A differential pressure sensor supplies a signal corresponding to a differential pressure. The gauge uses the information supplied by an operator, combined with stored formulas and liquid characteristics, to perform real-time liquid volume computations. The liquid volume may be displayed on the gauge itself or may be transmitted via telemetry to an external device.

The device for monitoring the storage level of a product contained in a tank includes a device for measuring the storage level of the product, a central processing unit for utilizing the level read off by the measurement device, a memory for holding at least one storage level threshold, a device for comparing a level value output by the central processing unit with the threshold, a device for triggering a restocking command and controlled by the comparison device, and a device for transmitting the restocking command to a restocking center. It furthermore includes a device for receiving at least one time of information which is issued by the restocking center in response to the transmission of the restocking command.