US 11,922,371 B1
System and method for determining product count information using magnetic sensors
Matthew O'Daniel Redmond, Denton, TX (US)
Assigned to 7-ELEVEN, INC., Irving, TX (US)
Filed by 7-Eleven, Inc., Irving, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/453,165.
Application 18/453,165 is a continuation of application No. 18/171,606, filed on Feb. 20, 2023.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06M 9/00 (2006.01); A47F 1/12 (2006.01); G01R 15/20 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0875 (2023.01); H05K 1/18 (2006.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0875 (2013.01) [A47F 1/126 (2013.01); G01R 15/202 (2013.01); G01R 15/207 (2013.01); H05K 1/181 (2013.01); G01D 5/142 (2013.01); G06M 9/00 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10151 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for counting items stored in a rack, comprising:
a longitudinal rack that stores a plurality of items along the length of the rack between a front end and rear end of the rack;
a shoe movably attached to the rack such that the shoe travels between the front end and the rear end of the rack, wherein the items are placed adjacent to a front end of the shoe, wherein the shoe is pushed back towards the rear end of the rack with each item loaded on the rack;
a magnet coupled to the shoe; and
a longitudinal circuit board arranged along the length of the rack and comprising:
an array of sensors arranged along the length of the circuit board, wherein:
a spacing between each pair of the sensors corresponds to a thickness of an item such that, for any number of items stored in the rack, the magnet is directly above one of the sensors;
each of the sensors generates a maximum voltage value when the magnet is directly above the sensor; and
each sensor corresponds to a particular number of items placed in the rack based on the position of the sensor on the circuit board;
a memory that stores voltage values generated by the sensors; and
a processor coupled to the sensors and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
monitor the voltage value generated by at least a subset of sensors of the array of sensors;
detect that a particular sensor of the array of sensors has generated the maximum voltage value; and
determine a number of items actually stored in the rack based on the particular number of items corresponding to the particular sensor that is detected to generate the maximum voltage value.