Walmart Inc.
System and method for automatically restocking items on shelves using a pneumatic pipe system

Abstract:

Systems, methods and computer-readable media for automating the restocking of shelves process by sending a notification when a product on a shelf has reached, or will reach, an undesired level of emptiness. This is determined using imaging sensors, such as cameras, which can calculate how full or empty a respective shelf is and predict when the shelf will need to be restocked. When the restocking time arrives, the notification can be sent to automated systems, which automatically cause new products to be stocked on the shelf via a pneumatic pipe system.