Inventory control system - Patent Review 4961533

Claims

We claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically determining the weight of a plurality of articles, each of the articles having a surface portion with a unique element thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each including (i) a surface for supporting an article, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an article placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a sensor in operative relationship with an article on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the unique element on the surface portion of the article; and

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each article on said supporting surfaces, for computing the weight of the article based on said transducer output signal and for identifying the article based on said sensor output signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the articles are containers having liquid contents, and said receiving and computing means has stored therein data on the density of the liquid contents and the weight of the empty container and computes the volume of the liquid contents.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving and computing means essentially continuously receives said output signals and, for any appreciable change in the weight of an article, computes the change.

4. An apparatus for automatically determining the volume contents of a plurality of containers, each of the containers having a surface portion with a unique element thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each comprising (i) a surface for supporting a container, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of a container placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a sensor in operative iu relationship with a container on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the unique element on the surface portion of the container; and

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each container 5 on said supporting surface, for computing the volume of the contents of each container based on said transducer output signal, and for identifying the container based on said sensor output signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the containers have liquid contents, and said receiving and computing means has stored therein data on the density of the liquid contents and the weight of the empty container and computes the volume of the liquid contents.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said receiving and computing means essentially continuously receives said output signals and, for any appreciable change in the weight of an article, computes the change.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said sensor comprises a light sensor, said unique element comprises a light reflector, and said output signal from sensor is an electrical signal indicative of the light reflected by said unique element.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of weight sensing means in the vicinity of said plurality of assemblies, each weight sensing means comprising a transducer for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an article placed thereon, and means for receiving said output signals from said weight sensing pads for determining whether or not an article has been placed thereon

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computing means for determining which weight sensing means in said plurality of weight sensing means is producing an output signal indicating that an article is placed thereon.

10. Apparatus for monitoring the sale of articles including inventory item components and detecting discrepancies between the article identified as sold and the inventory item components actually depleted from inventory, comprising:

(A) storage means associating with each article for sale, its name, the price thereof, the inventory item component or components thereof, and the quantity of each inventory item component in the article;

(B) entry means for entering data representing each article sold;

(C) print means for printing a statement including indicia identifying the article sold as entered in each entry means by its name and the price thereof as associated in said storage means with the article sold;

(D) display means for displaying data representing inventory item components and the quantities thereof actually depleted from inventory; and

(E) decrementing means for decrementing from the data represented on said display means the inventory item components and quantities thereof associated in said storage means with the articles represented by the article sold data entered on said entry means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said articles are beverages.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said entry means is a keyboard.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 additionally including means for signalling when the data displayed on said display means remains over a predetermined period of time.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said entry means includes means for entering data representing the names of the articles sold and the number thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said display means additionally displays the locations from which and the times at which the inventory item components were taken.

16. Apparatus for monitoring the sale of articles including inventory item components and detecting discrepancies between the articles identified as sold and the inventory item components actually depleted from inventory, comprising:

(A) storage means associating with each article for sale, its name, the price thereof, the inventory item component or components thereof, and the quantity of each inventory item component in the article;

(B) entry mans for entering data representing each article sold by the name and number of the article;

(C) print means for printing a statement including indicia identifying the article sold as entered in said entry means by its name and the price thereof as associated in said storage means with the article sold;

(D) display means for displaying data representing inventory item components, and the quantities thereof actually depleted from inventory, the locations from which they were taken, and the times at which they were taken;

(E) decrementing means for decrementing from the data represented on said display means the inventory item components and quantities thereof associated in said storage means with the articles represented by the article sold data entered on said entry means; and

(F) means for signalling when the data displayed on said display means remains over a predetermined period of time.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 including means for automatically determining the weight of a plurality of inventory item components, each of the inventory item components having a surface portion with a unique element thereon, said weight determining means comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each including (i) a surface for supporting an inventory item component, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an inventory item component placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a sensor in operative relationship with an inventory item component on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the unique element on the surface portion of the inventory item component; and

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each inventory item component on said supporting surfaces, for computing the weight of the inventory item component based on said transducer output signal and for identifying the inventory item component based on said sensor output signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 additionally including means for essentially continuously receiving said output signals and, for any appreciable change in the weight of an inventory item component, computing the quantity actually depleted from inventory and communicating to said display means data representing the inventory item component and the quantity thereof actually depleted rom inventory.

19. An apparatus for automatically determining the volume contents of a plurality of containers, each of the containers having a surface portion with a unique light reflecting colored patch thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each comprising (i) a surface for supporting a container, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of a container placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a color sensor in operative relationship with a container on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the light reflected by the colored patch on the surface portion of the container; and

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each container on said supporting surface, for computing the volume of the signal, and for identifying the container based on said sensor output signal.

20. An apparatus for automatically determining the volume contents of a plurality of containers, each of the containers having a surface portion with a unique light reflector thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each defining a volume and comprising (i) a surface for supporting a container, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of a container placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a light sensor disposed within said volume in operative relationship with a container on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the light reflected by the light reflector on the surface portion of the container;

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each container on said supporting surface, for computing the volume of the signal, and for identifying the container based on said sensor output signal; and

(C) a light source disposed in said volume, a first transparent section in said supporting surface for accommodating light transmission from said source to said light reflector, and a second transparent section in said supporting surface for accommodating light transmission from said light reflector to said sensor.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said light reflector is a colored patch and said light sensor is a color sensor.

22. An apparatus for automatically determining the volume contents of a plurality of containers, each of the containers having a surface portion with a unique element thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each comprising (i) a surface for supporting a container, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of a container placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a sensor in operative relationship with a container on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the unique element on the surface portion of the container;

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each container on said supporting surface, for computing the volume of the contents of each container based on said transducer output signal, and for identifying the container based on said sensor output signal; and

(C) a multiplexing circuit for sequentially scanning the output signals from each enclosure and transmitting the same to said receiving and computing means.

23. Apparatus for automatically determining the weight of a plurality of articles, each of the articles having a surface portion with a unique light reflecting colored patch thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each including (i) a surface for supporting an article, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an article placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a color sensor in operative relationship with an article on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the light reflected by the colored patch on the surface portion of the article; and

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each article on said supporting surface, for computing the weight of the article based on said transducer output signal and for identifying the article based on said sensor output signal.

24. Apparatus for automatically determining the weight of a plurality of articles, each of the articles having a surface portion with a unique light reflector, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each defining a volume and including (i) a surface for supporting an article, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an article placed on said supporting surface, and (iii) a light sensor disposed within said volume in operative relationship with an article on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the light reflected by the light reflector on the surface portion of the article;

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each article on said supporting surfaces, for computing the weight of the article based on said transducer output signal and for identifying the article based on said sensor output signal; and

(C) a light source disposed in said volume, a first transparent section in said supporting surface for accommodating light transmission from said source to said light reflector, and a second transparent section in said supporting surface for accommodating light transmission from said light reflector to said sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said light reflector is a colored patch and said light sensor is a color sensor.

26. Apparatus for automatically determining the weight of a plurality of articles, each of the articles having a surface potion with a unique element thereon, comprising:

(A) a plurality of assemblies, each including (i) a surface for supporting an article, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of an article placed on relationship with an article on said supporting surface for producing an output signal indicative of the unique element on the surface portion of the article;

(B) means for receiving said transducer output signals and said sensor output signals and, for each article on said supporting surfaces, for computing the weight of the article based on said transducer output signal and for identifying the article based on said sensor output signal; and

(C) a multiplexing circuit for sequentially scanning the output signals from each enclosure and transmitting the same to said receiving and computing means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to inventory control systems, and particularly to inventory control systems of the type wherein the inventory consists of products dispensed from containers. Most particularly, the invention pertains to an inventory control system for alcoholic beverages dispensed from bottles intended for use in bars, restaurants, entertainment clubs and the like.

2. Prior Art

The sale of alcoholic beverages at bars in restaurants, taverns, entertainment establishments and the like yields hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Typically, the alcoholic beverages are in bottles displayed in at the back of the bar, with drinks being dispensed directly from the bottles, usually by the ounce, the price per ounce varying depending upon the type and brand of alcoholic beverage being dispensed. Payment for the drinks is usually received by the bartender directly from the customer, waiter or waitress in the form of cash.

A restaurant or tavern may employ one or more bartenders who collectively dispense hundreds of drinks containing alcoholic beverages and who collect cash receipts totalling hundreds of dollars. In a typical establishment, business is continuous, proceeding without interruption even during changes in bartenders. In such establishments, the opportunities for theft are many. If, for example, a bartender pours a drink and retains the cash payment therefor without recording the drink on the register, the theft is difficult to detect. Even if the proprietor eventually realizes that the cash receipts do not match the alcoholic beverages dispensed, such as would be apparent from a shortage in inventory vis-a-vis cash receipts, the proprietor may be unable to identify the offending bartender, as it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine the shift during which the theft occurred. Consequently, bartenders or other personnel responsible for these shortages often go undetected until the proprietor has been deprived of large sums of money and/or inventory. Cash receipts are also lost when a patron brings his own bottle into an establishment without protest from the bartender. It is estimated that these losses collectively amount to many millions of dollars each year.

Another problem for establishments dispensing alcoholic beverages is maintaining sufficient inventory. Typically, as noted above, the alcoholic beverages at the bar are in bottles displayed at the back of the bar Depending upon the popularity of the beverage, one or several bottles may be displayed. In addition, full bottles must be maintained at a separate inventory site in the establishment for replacing the bottles at the bar as they are depleted. Accordingly, it is important for the proprietor to maintain an accurate inventory for each different type and brand of alcoholic beverage to avoid an unintentional depletion of stock.

Some of the prior art approaches for reducing bar theft, and their drawbacks, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,724 which itself is directed to such an apparatus. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,724 includes a plurality of weight sensing mechanisms, one disposed beneath each of the several bottles of alcoholic beverages displayed at the bar. The output from each weight sensing mechanism is communicated to a computer, which senses the weight of the bottle on each respective mechanism at two different time intervals, e.g. at the beginning and at the end of a particular bartender's shift. The difference in weight at the beginning and at the end of the shift indicates the quantity of alcoholic beverage dispensed from the bottle placed on that mechanism, which can then be translated to expected cash receipts from that bottle for that shift.

A major drawback of the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,724 is that it assumes that the same bottle will always be placed on the same weight sensing mechanism. Unfortunately, this is not a valid assumption. In a busy bar, several bottles may be temporarily removed form their weight sensing mechanism simultaneously as alcoholic beverages are dispensed. If these bottles are then placed back on different weight sensing mechanisms, the system described in the patent is rendered essentially useless. More to the point, a dishonest bartender could defeat the system by intentionally moving the bottles from one weight sensing mechanism to another.

An inventory control system for alcoholic beverages is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,739. This system includes a hand-carried portable unit having a weight sensing mechanism and a bar code reading wand for reading a bar code affixed to each bottle, each code being unique to the brand and bottle size to which it is affixed. Consequently, this system can both determine the weight of the bottle placed on the weight sensing mechanism and, by reading the bar code, identify the type of alcoholic beverage contained in the bottle. While this system may prove useful for inventory tracking, it is too labor intensive for use in monitoring expected cash receipts, as it requires each bottle behind the bar to be placed on the scale at the end of each shift--a time consuming process. Also, it is not seen how this system can distinguish between several bottles of the same brand and bottle size. Furthermore, use of the system described in this patent requires the bar code reading want to be scanned across the bar code on the bottle at a substantially uniform rate to insure that the bar code is properly read, thereby introducing a human error factor. Still further, such system is not automatic.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the prior art does not teach an effective inventory control system for alcoholic beverages which is suitable for monitoring stock and expected cash receipt with minimum human intervention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Broadly speaking, the apparatus of the present invention is useful for determining the volume contents of a plurality of containers, such as bottles containing alcoholic beverages, and comprises, in combination, (a) a plurality of assembles, each including (i) a surface for supporting a container, (ii) a transducer in operative contact with the surface for producing an output signal indicative of the weight of a container placed thereon, (iii) a sensor for receiving an output signal from a surface portion of the container, the surface portion of the container having an element thereon generating a unique output signal, the sensor producing an output signal indicative of the unique element; (b) means for scanning the output signals from the transducer and the sensor in each enclosure; and (c) means for receiving the transducer output signals and the sensor output signals and computing the volume contents of each bottle on a container supporting surface based on the transducer output signal, and for identifying the bottle based on the sensor output signal.

The system of the present invention is particularly suited for use in bars. In such use, the shelves at the back of the bar which display the bottles of alcoholic beverage are fitted with the assemblies of the present invention, there being sufficient assemblies to support each of the bottles on display. In the preferred embodiment, the unique elements disposed on the bottles comprise colored patches, with a differed colored patch on each bottle, such that each colored patch reflects a specific wavelength of light uniquely identifying the bottle on which it is placed. Preferably, a listing matching each unique color with the bottle on which it is placed is stored in the memory of a microcomputer incorporated as part of the system of the present invention, such information being updated each time a bottle is consumed or a new bottle is received in inventory.