KR102706993B1 - A method for managing items of a center and a device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for managing items of a center performed in an electronic device of the present disclosure may include: a step of checking a first SKU list including first identification information for a source SKU of at least one management type; a step of providing, to a worker terminal, first work request information including second identification information for the at least one source SKU, if at least one source SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to a first set condition among the source SKUs is checked based on the first SKU list; a step of acquiring first work progress information from the worker terminal in response to the first work request information; and a step of changing SKU information of at least some items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub SKU information based on the first work progress information.

Description

{A METHOD FOR MANAGING ITEMS OF A CENTER AND A DEVICE THEREFOR}

The present disclosure relates to a method for managing items displayed in a fulfillment center and a device therefor.

As electronic technology advances, the proportion of online shopping for goods increases, and customers can access e-commerce services and purchase goods without having to go directly to shopping malls or markets. In order to respond to various order requests from customers, e-commerce services have become capable of providing various products and managing inventory in warehouses such as fulfillment centers. In this process, some products require separate management because their sale deadline is approaching.

In the past, products with an imminent sales expiration date were disposed of in bulk or sold at a discount, but the discount sales method was nothing more than selling the same products at a discount. Therefore, since they had the same management identifier, it was not easy to manage inventory without separately managing sales history. In addition, since inbound products were stored in bulk based on information received from sellers, there were cases where the sales expiration date stored in the computer and the actual sales expiration date actually confirmed by workers were different. Therefore, it is necessary to consider how to handle such cases.

The present invention provides a method for managing items in a center and a device therefor. The technical problems to be solved by the present embodiment are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following examples.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method for managing center items performed in an electronic device may include: a step of checking a first SKU list including first identification information for a source SKU of at least one management type; a step of providing, to a worker terminal, first work request information including second identification information for the at least one source SKU when at least one source SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to a first set condition among the source SKUs is checked based on the first SKU list; a step of acquiring first work progress information from the worker terminal in response to the first work request information; and a step of changing SKU information of at least some items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub-SKU information based on the first work progress information.

In addition, in an electronic device for managing items of a center for solving the above-described task, the device comprises: a communication device; a storage device; and a control unit for controlling the communication device and the storage device, wherein the control unit verifies, through the storage device, a first SKU list including first identification information for source SKUs of at least one management type, and, when at least one source SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to a first set condition among the source SKUs is verified based on the first SKU list, provides, through the communication device, first work request information including second identification information for the at least one source SKU to a worker terminal, and, through the communication device, acquires first work progress information from the worker terminal in response to the first work request information, and, based on the first work progress information, changes SKU information of at least some items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub-SKU information.

In addition, in the terminal for managing the center's items for solving the above-mentioned tasks, a communication device; an output device; an input device; And a processor operably coupled with the communication device, the output device and the input device, wherein the processor receives, through the communication device, first work request information including second identification information for at least one source SKU from an electronic device, wherein the at least one source SKU is a SKU whose sell-by date corresponds to a first set condition among the source SKUs based on a first SKU list including first identification information for source SKUs of at least one management type, through the input device, identification information for a work location based on the first work request information, outputs, through the output device, expected sell-by date information for an item corresponding to the second identification information, receives, through the input device, actual sell-by date information and picking quantity information confirmed at the work location for an item corresponding to the second identification information, provides, through the communication device, first work progress information including the actual sell-by date information and the picking quantity information to the electronic device, and, through the communication device, performs, from the electronic device, first work progress information for at least some of the items corresponding to the second identification information. You can receive SKU change information.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to the present disclosure, items with an imminent sales expiration date can be managed as independent items by assigning separate SKU identification information, thereby providing the advantage of making it easy to understand sales performance and manage inventory.

Additionally, items with an imminent sales expiration date can be provided only to users who meet certain conditions, which has the advantage of increasing loyalty among existing members.

Additionally, there is a cost-effective aspect as items that are slated for disposal can be sold again.

The effects of the invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Figure 1 illustrates a system for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.
Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing a source SKU to a sub SKU according to one embodiment.
Figure 4 is a flowchart detailing a method for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a work allocation screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.
Figure 6 is a drawing showing a work quantity input screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.
Figure 7 is a drawing showing a work completion screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device for a method for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a user terminal for a center's item management method according to one embodiment.

The terms used in the embodiments are selected from the most widely used general terms possible while considering the functions of the present disclosure, but this may vary depending on the intention of a technician working in the relevant field, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meanings thereof will be described in detail in the relevant description section. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall contents of the present disclosure, rather than simply the names of the terms.

When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated. In addition, terms such as "part", "module", etc., used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

The expression "at least one of a, b, and c" as used throughout the specification can encompass 'a alone', 'b alone', 'c alone', 'a and b', 'a and c', 'b and c', or 'all of a, b, and c'.

The "terminal" mentioned below may be implemented as a computer or mobile terminal capable of connecting to a server or other terminal via a network. Here, the computer includes, for example, a notebook, desktop, laptop, etc. equipped with a WEB Browser, and the mobile terminal may include, for example, a wireless communication device that ensures portability and mobility, such as a communication-based terminal such as IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), and all kinds of handheld-based wireless communication devices such as a smartphone, tablet PC, etc.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the present disclosure, an article may mean a single article or a set of articles of the same kind. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates a system for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the item management system (1) may include an electronic device (10) and a user terminal (20). The item management system (1) illustrated in FIG. 1 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that other general components may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 1.

The electronic device (10) and the user terminal (20) can communicate with each other through the network (30). The network (30) includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value added network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that allows each network component illustrated in FIG. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and a mobile radio communication network. Wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra wideband), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), etc., for example.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an item management method of a center according to one embodiment. Based on the block diagram of FIG. 1, an item management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows.

In step S201, the electronic device (10) can check a first SKU list including first identification information for at least one management type source SKU. According to one embodiment, information about the source SKU can include information about one or more corresponding sub SKUs. For example, one source SKU can be converted into a plurality of sub SKUs as the expiration date approaches, and thus information about the source SKU can be mapped to information about sub SKUs derived from the source SKU. Meanwhile, the source SKU and the sub SKU have different SKU IDs but the same product barcode.

In one embodiment, at least one management type may include an expiration date type and a manufacturing date type, and the management type of the sub SKU may be the same as the management type of the corresponding source SKU. In addition, the sell-by date of the source SKU is the same as the sell-by date of the sub SKU, but the sellable period may increase at the time of conversion to the sub SKU. That is, the source SKU must be sold sooner than the sub SKU, but if the source SKU with an imminent sell-by date is converted to the sub SKU under a conditional judgment, the sellable period of the item may increase. The sellable period means the period from the current point in time to the sell-by date, and the sellable period may increase at the moment the source SKU is converted to the sub SKU. In one embodiment, the first identification information may include an item name and a SKU ID for the source SKU.

In step S202, the electronic device (10) can identify a source SKU whose expiration date corresponds to the first set condition among the source SKUs based on the first SKU list. Then, when at least one source SKU is identified, the electronic device (10) can provide first work request information including second identification information for at least one source SKU to the user terminal (20). According to one embodiment, the first work request information can include expected expiration date information, work location information, and work request quantity information for an item corresponding to the second identification information. In addition, the second identification information can include more information about the location where the source SKU is displayed than the first identification information. According to one embodiment, the work request can be generated for each fulfillment center. In addition, the work request can also be generated for an item whose expiration date information is missing.

In one embodiment, source SKUs that meet certain conditions may be assigned a removal instruction directly without generating a change request to a sub-SKU. For example, products that are sensitive to freshness (e.g., fresh products based on the date of manufacture) and products that are intended for short-term sale (e.g., products that must be sold out within a day) may be disposed of directly instead of being converted to a sub-SKU.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device (10) can check the inventory information of the work location based on the first work request information. For example, the electronic device (10) can determine the quantity of items to be picked stored in the work location based on the second identification information included in the second work request information. In addition, the electronic device (10) can check the picking quantity information for at least one item based on the first work progress information. In addition, the electronic device (10) can provide the user terminal (20) with an inventory search request for the work location based on the inventory information and the picking quantity information. For example, if the quantity of items stored in the work location and the quantity of items to be picked are different according to the inventory information, a full inventory search for the corresponding work location may be required. Accordingly, the electronic device (10) can instruct the user terminal (20) to search the inventory for all items stored in the corresponding work location.

According to one embodiment, in addition to the case where the expiration date of the sub-SKU is changed to correspond to the first set condition, the SKU information may also be changed to the sub-SKU in the following cases. For example, if the expiration date or manufacturing date of the LPN is changed to correspond to the first set condition, the first work request may be assigned. Alternatively, if an item scheduled for removal is displayed in a location other than a buffer location where the item is temporarily stored for movement between zones or a picking location where the item is displayed, and then is moved to the buffer or picking location, the first work request may be assigned. Alternatively, if an item scheduled for removal is assigned a status value such as shipping or stock transfer and then the status value is released, the first work request may be assigned. Alternatively, the first work request may be assigned when the SKU information is changed. Specifically, the first work request may be assigned when the expiration date or management type of the SKU is changed.

In step S203, the electronic device (10) may obtain first task progress information from the user terminal (20) in response to the first task request information. According to one embodiment, the first task progress information may include actual sales deadline information and picking quantity information confirmed at the task location for the item corresponding to the second identification information. For example, the user terminal (20) may confirm the actual sales deadline by confirming the actual item corresponding to the second identification information at the task location and pick the item accordingly.

In step S204, the electronic device (10) may change the SKU information of at least some of the items corresponding to the second identification information to the corresponding sub SKU information based on the first task progress information. At this time, the stock information of the source SKU and the stock information of the sub SKU may be updated. In addition, the items scheduled to be changed to the sub SKU may be classified as inventory waiting for sale until the user's actual task. According to one embodiment, the change to the sub SKU may include newly creating a SKU ID and a seller ID and assigning them to the item.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device (10) may verify whether both a first item group in which SKU information is changed to sub-SKU information and a second item group in which SKU information is maintained are included in an item corresponding to the second identification information. If both the first item group and the second item group are verified, the electronic device (10) may provide the user terminal (20) with second task request information including changed display location information for at least one item group among the first item group and the second item group.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device (10) may obtain second task progress information from the user terminal (20) in response to second task request information. Then, the electronic device (10) may update display location information for items included in at least one item group among the first item group and the second item group based on the second task progress information.

According to one embodiment, the selling price of the item corresponding to the second identification information and the selling price of the item corresponding to the sub SKU information may be different. For example, the item corresponding to the sub SKU information may be sold at a discounted price compared to the original item. In addition, the selling period of the item whose SKU information has been changed to the sub SKU information among the items corresponding to the second identification information may be determined based on the first task progress information. For example, the selling period of the sub SKU item may be determined based on the actual selling period information included in the first task progress information received from the user terminal (20). For a more detailed embodiment, refer to FIG. 4.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device (10) compares the actual sale-by-date information and the expected sale-by-date information, and if the two pieces of information match, the electronic device (10) can change the items corresponding to the second identification information into sub-SKU information by the number of items according to the work request quantity information. In other words, if the sale-by-date information on the computer and the actual sale-by-date information confirmed through the user terminal (20) at the work location are the same, there is no need to modify the information, so the items can be picked by the number of items instructed for the work and converted to sub-SKUs. According to another embodiment, the electronic device (10) can compare the actual sale-by-date information and the expected sale-by-date information, and if the two pieces of information do not match, determine which sale-by-date is earlier. If the sale-by-date according to the actual sale-by-date information is earlier than the sale-by-date according to the expected sale-by-date information, the electronic device (10) can provide the user terminal (20) with removal request information for the items corresponding to the second identification information whose actual sale-by-date information is earlier than the expected sale-by-date information. In other words, since the saleable period has already passed, the item may be requested to be discarded. Meanwhile, the electronic device (10) may receive error information from the user terminal (20) about an item whose actual saleable period information is earlier than the expected saleable period information.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device (10) may determine whether to perform special management for a source SKU included in the first SKU list based on error information. For example, it may determine whether to perform special management for the source SKU by considering the cumulative number of error reports and the frequency of error reports. In addition, the electronic device (10) may provide removal request information related to the source SKU to the user terminal (20) for a preset period of time based on the determination. For example, the electronic device (10) may determine that a source SKU for which errors are frequently reported has many errors in the information transmitted from the seller at the time of receipt, and may attempt to perform quick processing for the corresponding source SKU.

In addition, if the sales deadline according to the actual sale deadline information is later than the sales deadline according to the expected sale deadline information, the electronic device (10) may maintain the SKU information of the item corresponding to the second identification information whose actual sale deadline information is later than the expected sale deadline information, and update the expected sale deadline information with the actual sale deadline information. In other words, the conversion to a sub-SKU of the target item may be reserved, and the information may be updated with the actually confirmed sale deadline. Meanwhile, since the sale deadline may be considered in the criterion for storing an item in a location, an item whose expected sale deadline information is updated may need to be displayed in a different location. Accordingly, the electronic device (10) may provide the changed display location information for the item whose sale deadline information is updated to the user terminal (20).

In one embodiment, when an item is returned or returned to the center due to damage or other reasons, the SKU information of the item can be restored to the corresponding source SKU and stored regardless of whether it is a sub SKU. This is because the information stored on the server is deleted when an item leaves the center, so the source SKU is assigned to display the item again.

The electronic device (10) of the present disclosure may be a device included in a server for managing items stored in a center by changing the identification information of the item or updating the sales expiration date information. In addition, the user terminal (20) of the present disclosure may be a terminal for accessing the server and receiving work information and item information.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing a source SKU to a sub SKU according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which a source SKU A, which was received on March 8 and has a sell-by date of March 25, is changed to a sub SKU B. The timing for determining whether to discard or convert the source SKU to a sub SKU can be set in advance through the item management system of the present disclosure, and for example, can be set to determine when there are 10 days left until the expiration date. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether to discard or convert the source SKU A to a sub SKU on March 15, which is 10 days before the sell-by date.

In one embodiment, determining whether to discard a source SKU may take into account the storage condition, sales volume, inventory, etc. of the corresponding item. For example, if the storage condition of the item is not good, the source SKU may be discarded directly without converting to a sub SKU. Alternatively, if the item has high sales volume or a large inventory, it may be converted to a sub SKU to sell as many items as possible.

In FIG. 3, it is decided to change source SKU A to sub SKU B, and on March 15, an item corresponding to source SKU A is changed to a sub SKU. The sub SKU is sold for a preset period from the sales expiration date, and a sub SKU that is not sold during the preset period may be discarded. The discard time for the sub SKU may be preset through the item management system of the present disclosure, and for example, the sub SKU may be discarded when the expiration date is 5 days away. Accordingly, sub SKU B may be removed on March 20, which is 5 days before the sales expiration date.

The example of Fig. 3 is an embodiment for a case where the management type of the source SKU is an expiration date type, and it is explained that the SKU is changed or the item is discarded before a preset period based on the sales date. This embodiment can be applied equally when the management type of the source SKU is a manufacturing date type. For example, the SKU can be changed or the item can be discarded after a preset period based on the sales date.

Figure 4 is a flowchart detailing a method for managing items in a center according to one embodiment.

First, if at least one source SKU whose expiration date corresponds to the SKU change condition among the source SKUs is confirmed, work request information for at least one source SKU can be provided to the worker terminal (S401). The worker who received the request can recognize the identification information of the storage unit that will contain the item and start the work (S402). For example, the worker can scan the barcode of the tote. At this time, the tote must be completely empty. If the tote is assigned to another worker, the worker terminal can output a warning message and provide other tote information or guide the worker to use the existing tote first.

Next, the worker can select at least one management type (S403). The management types may include an expiration date type and a manufacturing date type. The work request information provided to the worker terminal may have one source SKU as a work target, but if multiple source SKUs are provided as work targets, the worker can select the management type of the source SKU that he or she wants to work on. Alternatively, multiple work request information may be provided to one worker, and in this case, the work request information may be provided in an order based on the location identification information. In general, since the storage locations of items managed based on an expiration date and items managed based on a manufacturing date may be different, the worker can select a work location according to his or her convenience.

Thereafter, the worker can select a zone to be worked on from the zone list (S404), and select an aisle to be worked on from the aisle list located in the selected zone (S405), thereby specifying a work location. According to one embodiment, the zone list and the aisle list may include only zones and aisles in which stock of the source SKU to be worked on exists, and may include information on the quantity of the work target SKU existing in the zone and aisle or information on the number of possible tasks.

The worker can move to the work location and recognize the identification information of the location. In one embodiment, the location of the location may be unknown or the identification information may be damaged, and the worker can check whether the location of the location is unknown or the location barcode is damaged (S406). If the location of the location is unknown or the location barcode is damaged (Yes in S406), the worker can report the problem to the system through the worker terminal (S407). Conversely, if the location of the location is clearly confirmed and the location barcode is not damaged (No in S406), the worker can recognize the identification information of the work location (S408). For example, the worker can scan the location barcode of the location.

When the identification information of the work location is recognized, the picking operation for the source SKU can be performed. At this time, the status of the product can be checked to recognize the identification information of the product corresponding to the source SKU. The worker checks whether the product barcode is damaged (S409), and if the product barcode is damaged (Yes in S409), the problem can be reported to the system through the worker terminal (S407). Otherwise, if the product barcode is intact (No in S409) and the identification information can be recognized, the product barcode can be scanned (S410).

When the worker recognizes the identification information of the product, the expected sales period information according to the work request information can be checked. The worker can check the actual sales period of the actual product and compare the expected sales period with the actual sales period. If the comparison result does not match, the item cannot be converted to a sub SKU. Therefore, if it is confirmed that there is an unconverted product (Yes in S411), the worker can input the unconverted quantity into the worker terminal (S412) and input the actual sales period (S413). According to one embodiment, if the expected sales period is earlier than the actual sales period, the sales period information is updated, but if the expected sales period is later than the actual sales period, it can be discarded. The worker can check the actual sales period, and if it is different from the expected sales period (Yes in S414), the sales period information of the source SKU can be updated. Then, the presence of an unconverted quantity can be determined again using the updated sales period information (S411). In this way, by visually checking the sales expiration date information of the item, if there are no more items for which information needs to be updated (No in S414), it is possible to check whether there are items to be converted to sub-SKUs (S415).

Next, if there is an item to be converted into a sub SKU (Yes in S415), the worker can enter the conversion quantity through the worker terminal (S416). If the item corresponding to the source SKU in the work location is confirmed based on the work request information and there are no more items to be converted into a sub SKU (No in S415), the computerized inventory of the item corresponding to the source SKU and the physical inventory confirmed in the work location can be checked (S417). If the computerized inventory and the physical inventory do not match (No in S417), it can be checked again whether there is any unconverted inventory remaining (S411). If the unconverted inventory is rechecked and the computerized inventory and the physical inventory do not match, the worker can report the problem to the system through the worker terminal (S407). If the computerized inventory and the physical inventory match (Yes in S418), it can be checked whether there are items to be converted into a sub SKU and whether there are items not to be converted into a sub SKU (S418). If there are both converted and unconverted quantities (Yes in S418), the item management system of the present disclosure can instruct the worker terminal to store the unconverted items in the storage unit (S419). In this case, the worker terminal can report to the system about the converted items after storing the unconverted items in the storage unit (S407). If there is only the converted quantity (No in S418), the worker terminal can report to the system the conversion to a sub-SKU (S407) and check the empty space in the storage unit (S420).

If there is empty space left in the storage unit and additional work is possible (Yes in S420), the worker can select an aisle to work on from the aisle list (S405) and perform additional work. Otherwise, if there is no empty space in the storage unit and the work must be completed (No in S420), the work completion information can be transmitted to the item management system (S421). This can be referred to as a 'tote full'.

According to one embodiment, when the conversion quantity is 1 or more and the non-converted quantity is 0, the SKU information of the item may be changed to sub-SKU information in the amount entered in the conversion quantity. Alternatively, when the conversion quantity is 1 or more and the non-converted quantity is also 1 or more, the SKU information of the item corresponding to the amount entered in the conversion quantity may be changed to sub-SKU information, and the item corresponding to the amount entered in the non-converted quantity may be stored in the storage unit. At this time, actual sales expiration date information (e.g., expiration date or manufacturing date) may be entered for the non-converted item, and a message may be output through the worker terminal to store the non-converted item in the storage unit. Once the change to the sub-SKU information of the converted item and the storing of the non-converted item in the storage unit are completed, the worker may move to the next location. At this time, the worker can check whether the current storage unit is full, and if the storage unit is full, the worker can request that the items stored in the storage unit be displayed in a displayable location through the worker terminal. If the storage unit is not full, the worker terminal can be assigned the next task and guided to the location for performing the next task. Meanwhile, whether the storage unit has empty space can be manually checked by the worker or automatically checked by a sensor included in the storage unit.

If the conversion quantity is 0 and the unconverted quantity is 1 or more, the item management system of the present disclosure may request the input of actual sale expiration date information (e.g., expiration date or manufacturing date) for the unconverted item through the worker terminal. The worker may input the actual sale expiration date information, and the work may be completed with the sale expiration date of the item updated at the location where the work was being done. Alternatively, the system may request the worker terminal to store the item with the updated sale expiration date into a storage unit, and in that case, the system may provide location information where the item with the updated sale expiration date will be displayed.

In one embodiment, if the computerized inventory is determined to be greater than the physical inventory, an error may be reported to the item management system of the present disclosure. Here, the physical inventory includes the quantity of items to be moved in a storage unit and the quantity of items to be changed to sub-SKU information. Conversely, if the computerized inventory is determined to be less than the physical inventory, a quantity confirmation request may be provided to a worker terminal. In that case, the worker may input the quantity to be added and proceed with the work based on the physical inventory. Accordingly, the item management system may update the computerized inventory based on the physical inventory.

If the computerized inventory and the actual inventory do not match as above, it is an error condition, so an inventory investigation request for the location being worked on can be provided by the worker terminal. On the other hand, if the computerized inventory and the actual inventory match, it is a normal condition, so the subsequent tasks of conversion and item movement can be performed.

FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a work allocation screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.

In one embodiment, the worker can start the work by recognizing the identification information of the storage unit to contain the item. The first screen (510) is an example of a screen requesting scanning of a tote barcode. When the worker recognizes the identification information of the storage unit, the worker can select at least one management type. The management types may include an expiration date type and a manufacturing date type. The second screen (520) indicates the management types as “expiration date product” and “manufacturing date product.” Meanwhile, the identification information (521) of the storage unit can be output at the top of the screen during the work. In one embodiment, when the worker selects the management type of the source SKU that the worker wants to work on, the work location can be selected as the location where the selected source SKU is stored. In other words, when the worker selects the management type of the source SKU that the worker wants to work on, a user interface that allows the worker to select a work location can be activated. The third screen (530) shows that the worker selects “expiration date product” as the work target and the “select work location” button is activated.

According to one embodiment, a worker can select a zone to work on from a zone list, and the zone list can include quantity information of a target SKU for work for each zone. The fourth screen (540) provides a zone list including a plurality of zones, among which the user has selected 14B. Next, the worker can select a passage to work on from a passage list included in the selected zone. The fifth screen (550) provides a passage list including a plurality of passages, among which the user has selected passage 15. When selection of a work location is completed, a user interface for starting work can be activated. In the fifth screen (550), the user has completed selection of a zone and passage, and the "Start Work" button is activated. Thereafter, the worker can move to the work location selected by the worker and recognize the identification information of the location. At this time, in addition to the zone and passage selected by the worker, a more detailed location location can be automatically assigned to the worker terminal. The sixth screen (560) requests the worker to move to a location corresponding to 401 in the selected zone 14B passageway 15, and the user can scan the barcode of the location via the worker terminal on the sixth screen (560). In one embodiment, some information about the source SKU being worked on may also be provided at this stage.

Figure 6 is a drawing showing a work quantity input screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.

According to one embodiment, the work request information received by the worker may include expected sales expiration date information for the item being the work target. In addition, the worker terminal may provide sales expiration date information to be converted to a sub SKU and sales expiration date information to not be converted based on the expected sales expiration date information. For example, in the first screen (610), it is indicated that a source SKU with an expiration date before March 5, 2021 will be converted to a sub SKU. Therefore, there is no need to convert a source SKU with an expiration date after March 6, 2021 to a sub SKU yet.

The worker can start the picking operation by recognizing the identification information of the item. For example, the worker can scan the product barcode and inform the system that he has started the operation according to the work request information. In this regard, the first screen (610) requests the recognition of the identification information of the item with a phrase such as "Scan the product barcode."

Next, the worker can check the actual sale expiration date information of the item, and compare the actual sale expiration date with the expected sale expiration date. If the comparison result does not match, the item may become a target for non-conversion. The worker can input the quantity of the non-converted item and the actual sale expiration date information through the worker terminal. The second screen (620) shows a case where the SKU information of the item is not converted, and indicates that the quantity of the non-converted item is 4. The third screen (630) shows inputting the actual sale expiration date information of the non-converted item. According to one embodiment, if the actual sale expiration dates of the non-converted item are different, the worker can input based on the earliest date. According to one embodiment, if the actual sale expiration date and the expected sale expiration date match, the item may become a target for conversion to a sub SKU. The fourth screen (640) shows a case where the SKU information is converted, and indicates that the quantity of the converted item is 6.

Figure 7 is a drawing showing a work completion screen of a worker terminal according to one embodiment.

If the computerized inventory matches the actual inventory, the worker can check if there are any items that are not converted to sub-SKUs and store the unconverted items in the storage unit. The first screen (710) is a screen that outputs a message requesting that unconverted items be stored in a tote. The worker can move to the second screen (720) after storing all unconverted items in the tote. According to one embodiment, the worker terminal can automatically input the quantity by recognizing the identification information of the items to be stored in the tote. The second screen (720) is a screen that shows the state in which the unconverted items are stored in the mode tote and the work is finished. Meanwhile, the SKU information of the items to be converted to sub-SKUs can be changed at the work location. Accordingly, the items stored in the storage unit may be items whose expiration date information is updated and thus need to be re-displayed or items that need to be removed. According to one embodiment, if there are unconverted items whose expiration date information is updated and unconverted items that need to be removed at the same time, it can be requested to store both types of items in the tote. Additionally, new work request information can be provided to the worker terminal requesting that each type of item be moved to a new location or removal area.

In one embodiment, the worker can check whether there is empty space left in the storage unit to allow for additional work. If there is empty space left in the storage unit, the worker can be assigned a new location and start a new work. The third screen (730) is a screen that outputs a message requesting to check whether the storage unit is full. If there is empty space left in the storage unit, the worker can move to the fourth screen (740) through the “No, I can store more” button on the third screen (730). If there is no empty space in the storage unit, the worker can move to the fifth screen (750) through the “Yes, there is no space” button on the third drawing (730) to end the work. The fifth screen (750) may additionally provide a user interface to guide the worker to start a new work with a new storage unit. For example, the fifth screen (750) suggests to proceed with the next work using a new tote through the “Scan New Tote” button.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device for a center's item management method according to one embodiment. The electronic device (800) of Fig. 8 may correspond to the electronic device (10) of Fig. 1.

The electronic device (800) of the present disclosure may include, according to an embodiment, a communication device (810), a storage device (820), and a controller (830). The components illustrated in FIG. 8 are not essential for implementing the electronic device, and thus, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that the electronic device (800) described in this specification may have more or fewer components than the components listed above. Meanwhile, the controller (830) in the embodiment may include at least one processor.

The communication device (810) may communicate with an external device using wired or wireless communication technology and may include a transceiver. The external device may be a terminal or a server. In addition, the communication technology used by the communication device (810) may include, but is not limited to, GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), CDMA (Code Division Multi Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G, WLAN (Wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

According to one embodiment, the communication device (810) may communicate with the user terminal to exchange information. For example, the communication device (810) may provide work request information for at least one source SKU to the user terminal and obtain work progress information from the user terminal. In addition, the communication device (810) may receive an error report and a transition report to a sub SKU from the user terminal.

The storage device (820) may include a database of an item management system of the center. The storage device (820) may include first identification information and second identification information for each SKU. For example, the storage device (820) may include item names, SKU IDs, storage location information, etc. for the source SKU and the sub SKU. In addition, the storage device (820) may store inventory information for each location within the center. In addition, the storage device (820) may store a mapping relationship between the source SKU and the corresponding sub SKU as a table.

The control unit (830) can control the overall operation of the electronic device (800) and process data and signals. According to one embodiment, the control unit (830) can check a first SKU list including first identification information for at least one management type of source SKU, and check at least one source SKU whose sales period corresponds to the first set condition among the source SKUs based on the first SKU list. In addition, the control unit (830) can provide first task request information for at least one source SKU to the user terminal through the communication device (810), and can obtain first task progress information from the user terminal based on the first task request information. In addition, the control unit (830) can change SKU information of at least some items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub-SKU information based on the first task progress information. At this time, the change to the sub-SKU information can be performed on a physical item through the user terminal at the task location.

The control unit (830) can control embodiments performed by the electronic device (800) through interaction with the communication device (810) and the storage device (820), and further components that the electronic device (800) may include.

Fig. 9 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a user terminal for a center's item management method according to one embodiment. The user terminal (900) of Fig. 9 may correspond to the user terminal (20) of Fig. 1.

The user terminal (900) of the present disclosure may include, according to an embodiment, a communication device (910), an output device (920), an input device (930), and a processor (940). The components illustrated in FIG. 9 are not essential for implementing the terminal, and thus, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that the terminal described in the present disclosure may have more or fewer components than the components listed above.

The communication device (910) may communicate with an external device using wired or wireless communication technology as described above with respect to the communication device (810) of FIG. 8. According to one embodiment, the communication device (910) may receive first work request information including information on at least one source SKU from an electronic device, and transmit work progress information on at least one source SKU to the electronic device. In addition, the communication device (910) may receive SKU change information on at least some of the work target items.

The output device (920) is for generating output related to visual, auditory, or tactile sensations, and may include at least one of a display, an audio output unit, a haptic module, and an optical output unit. The display may be formed as a touch screen by forming a mutual layer structure with a touch sensor or by forming an integral structure with the touch sensor. This touch screen may function as a user input unit that provides an input interface between a terminal and a user, and may provide an output interface between the terminal and the user.

According to one embodiment, the output device (920) can output location information for the user to work on and target item information for the work. For example, the output device (920) can output expected sales expiration information for the target item for the picking work received from the electronic device. In addition, the output device (920) can output a zone list and an aisle list to allow the user to select a work location.

The input device (930) may include a camera or an image input unit for inputting an image signal, a microphone or an audio input unit for inputting an audio signal, and a user input unit (e.g., a touch key, a mechanical key, etc.) for receiving information from a user. In addition, the input device (930) may include one or more sensors for sensing at least one of information within the terminal, information about the surrounding environment surrounding the terminal, and user information. For example, the input device (930) may include at least one of a proximity sensor, an illumination sensor, a touch sensor, a motion sensor, a finger scan sensor, an optical sensor (e.g., a camera), a microphone, etc. Meanwhile, the mobile terminal of the present disclosure may utilize information sensed by at least two or more of these sensors in combination.

According to one embodiment, the input device (930) may receive identification information about a work location based on work request information. In addition, the input device (930) may receive actual sales expiration date information and picking quantity information of a target item confirmed at a work location based on work progress. In addition, the input device (930) may receive identification information about a storage unit where an item is temporarily stored for movement between locations.

The processor (940) can control the overall operation of the user terminal (900) and process data and signals. According to one embodiment, the processor (940) can control the operation of the communication device (910), the output device (920), and the input device (930) to provide work progress information. Meanwhile, the information confirmed by the processor (940) can be based on information received through the communication device (910) or the input device (930). The processor (940) can control the embodiments performed by the user terminal through interaction with the communication device (910), the output device (920), the input device (930), and further components that the user terminal can include.

The device according to the above-described embodiments may include a memory for storing and executing program data, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a user interface device such as a touch panel, a key, a button, etc. The methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program commands executable on the processor. Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., a CD-ROM, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected to a network, so that the computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium is readable by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed by a processor.

The present embodiment may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various numbers of hardware and/or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the embodiment may employ direct circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly to the fact that the components may be implemented as software programming or software elements, the present embodiment may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, etc., including various algorithms implemented as a combination of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. The functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms that are executed on one or more processors. In addition, the present embodiment may employ conventional techniques for electronic environment setting, signal processing, and/or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism", "element", "means", and "configuration" may be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations. The terms may also include the meaning of a series of software processes (routines) in connection with a processor, etc.

The above-described embodiments are only examples, and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the claims set forth herein.

Claims (20)

In a method of managing items of a center performed in an electronic device,
A step of identifying a first SKU list including first identification information for a source SKU of at least one management type;
A step of providing first work request information including second identification information for at least one source SKU to a worker terminal when at least one source SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to the first set condition among the source SKUs is identified based on the first SKU list;
A step of obtaining first task progress information from the worker terminal in response to the first task request information; and
An item management method, comprising a step of changing SKU information of at least some items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub-SKU information based on the first work progress information. In the first paragraph,
An item management method further comprising the step of providing, to the worker terminal, second work request information including change display location information for at least one item group among the first item group and the second item group, when the item corresponding to the second identification information includes a first item group in which the SKU information has been changed to the sub-SKU information and a second item group in which the SKU information is maintained. In the second paragraph,
A step of obtaining second task progress information from the worker terminal in response to the second task request information; and
An item management method further comprising a step of updating display location information for an item included in at least one item group among the first item group and the second item group based on the second task progress information. In the first paragraph,
An item management method, wherein the selling price of an item corresponding to the second identification information and the selling price of an item corresponding to the sub SKU information are different. In the first paragraph,
An item management method, wherein the sales period of an item whose SKU information has been changed to the sub-SKU information among the items corresponding to the second identification information is determined based on the first work progress information. In the first paragraph,
A method for managing items, wherein information about the above source SKU includes information about one or more corresponding sub SKUs. In the first paragraph,
An item management method, wherein at least one of the above management types includes an expiration date type and a manufacturing date type, and the management type of the sub SKU is the same as the management type of the corresponding source SKU. In the first paragraph,
An item management method, wherein the first work request information includes expected sales deadline information, work location information, and work request quantity information for an item corresponding to the second identification information. In Article 8,
An item management method, wherein the first work progress information includes actual sales deadline information and picking quantity information confirmed at the work location for an item corresponding to the second identification information. In Article 9,
An item management method further comprising the step of changing the item corresponding to the second identification information to the sub SKU information by the item quantity according to the work request quantity information when the actual sales period information and the expected sales period information match. In Article 9,
If the above actual sales period information and the above expected sales period information do not match,
A step of providing, to the worker terminal, removal request information for an item whose actual sales expiration date information is earlier than the expected sales expiration date information among the items corresponding to the second identification information; and
An item management method further comprising the step of maintaining SKU information of an item corresponding to the second identification information, the actual sale-by-date information of which is later than the expected sale-by-date information, and updating the expected sale-by-date information with the actual sale-by-date information. In Article 11,
An item management method further comprising the step of providing changed display location information for an item for which the expected sales expiration date information is updated to the worker terminal. In Article 11,
An item management method further comprising the step of receiving, from the worker terminal, error information about an item whose actual sales expiration date information is earlier than the expected sales expiration date information. In Article 13,
Based on the above error information, a step of determining whether to perform special management on the source SKU included in the first SKU list; and
An item management method further comprising the step of providing removal request information related to the source SKU to the worker terminal for a preset period of time based on the above determination. In the first paragraph,
A step of checking inventory information of a work location based on the first work request information;
A step of confirming picking quantity information for at least some of the items based on the first work progress information; and
An item management method further comprising the step of providing an inventory check request for the work location to the worker terminal based on the inventory information and the picking quantity information. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 1 on a computer. In an electronic device for managing items in a center,
communication device;
storage device; and
A control unit for controlling the above communication device and the above storage device is included,
The above control unit,
Through the storage device, a first SKU list including first identification information for a source SKU of at least one management type is identified,
If at least one source SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to the first set condition is identified among the source SKUs based on the first SKU list, first work request information including second identification information for the at least one source SKU is provided to the worker terminal through the communication device,
Through the above communication device, first task progress information is obtained from the worker terminal in response to the first task request information,
An electronic device that changes the SKU information of at least some of the items among the items corresponding to the second identification information to corresponding sub-SKU information based on the first work progress information. For terminals for managing items in the center,
communication device;
Output device;
input device; and
A processor operably coupled with the communication device, the output device and the input device,
The above processor,
Through the above communication device, receiving first job request information including second identification information for at least one source SKU from an electronic device, wherein the at least one source SKU is a SKU whose sales expiration date corresponds to a first set condition among the source SKUs based on a first SKU list including first identification information for source SKUs of at least one management type,
Through the above input device, identification information for the work location is input based on the first work request information,
Through the above output device, output the expected sales expiration date information for the item corresponding to the second identification information,
Through the above input device, the actual sales expiration date information and picking quantity information confirmed at the work location for the item corresponding to the second identification information are input,
Through the above communication device, first work progress information including the actual sales deadline information and the picking quantity information is provided to the electronic device,
A terminal that receives SKU change information for at least some of the items corresponding to the second identification information from the electronic device through the communication device. In Article 18,
The above processor,
If the actual sales expiration date information and the expected sales expiration date information for the item corresponding to the second identification information match, the first picking quantity information is input through the input device,
A terminal for receiving second picking quantity information through the input device when the actual sales period information and the expected sales period information for the item corresponding to the second identification information do not match. In Article 19,
A terminal in which, when the first picking quantity information and the second picking quantity information correspond to a work request quantity according to the first work request information, the processor provides work completion information to the electronic device through the communication device.

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