Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
Attorney Docket No. 1234P005 W001
ESTIMATING TIME FOR IMPLEMENTING CHANGES TO DISPLAY FIXTURES
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the management of display
fixtures. More
specifically, the present invention relates to systems, methods, and tools
relating
to determining a level of effort or an amount of time necessary to implement
changes to display elements in a display fixture.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The technological and communications revolutions of the early 21st
century have
led to concomitant revolutions in marketing and retail management. Nowadays,
marketing campaigns can be efficiently managed from a small number of
locations and marketing managers can ensure uniformity of message and look
when it comes to kiosks, stores, and other public facing materials. To this
end,
marketing planners and designers can now design and implement marketing and
promotional campaigns centrally, including designing not just the kiosks used
to
market products but even designing the anangement of the demonstration
products on those kiosks.
[0003] The above also makes it easy for stores and other retail
establishments to
adjust/change the look and/or displays for marketing campaigns. The designers
can now send, using detailed plans, images, and parts lists, the new
marketing/promotional campaign designs to the retail establishments. The
retail
establishments can then simply modify/adjust their customer facing displays
according to these designs.
[0004] However, one capability that cunent platforms do not provide is a
way to
determine how long it would take each retail establishment to adjust/modify
their
displays to accord with the new designs. Such a capability would allow these
retail establishments to make staffing plans accordingly. Similarly, such a
capability would allow designers to take into account, when creating/modifying
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the new designs, the possible labor costs for implementing the designs. As an
example, a wholesale change in the look/placement multiple display fixtures in
the retail establishment may require a retail establishment to shut down and
retool. Because of this level of effort required, a designer may wish to,
instead of
a complete redesign of multiple display fixtures, implement a more gradual or
phased change of these fixtures. This way, the labor costs for implementing
the
wholesale change would be spread out over a period of time as opposed to being
a single one-time cost for the retailer. Similarly, by provided an estimated
time
required to modify a display fixture, retailers can properly schedule
employees to
efficiently implement the new designs.
[0005] There is therefore a need for innovations that allow for the
estimation of time
required for implementing changes to display fixtures and other public facing
marketing platforms. Such methods and systems may also be applicable to fields
where frequent detailed changes need to be made to physical assets and which
require manpower.
SUMMARY
[0006] The present invention provides systems and methods relating to
estimating a time
required to implement changes to a display fixture. A user enters an
identification of a display fixture and a display element to be changed on the
display fixture. The system retrieves change data relating to display element
locations affected by the change and determines how much time, based on
historical change data, the change should take.
[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for
determining an
amount of time for implementing a proposed change in a display fixture in a
retail environment, the method comprising:
a) receiving user input, said user input relating to an identification of a
display fixture and at least one display element to be changed on said
display fixture;
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b) determining which display element locations on said display fixture are
to be affected by said proposed change, said determining being based at
least on said user input, said display element locations being locations on
said display fixture where said at least one display element is displayed;
c) for each of said display element locations to be affected by said
proposed change,
cl) retrieving change data from a database, said change data
comprising time data relating to previous changes made to a
specific display element location, said specific display element
location being one of said display element locations to be affected
by said proposed change;
c2) determining an average amount of time spent on executing said
previous changes to said specific display element location, said
average amount of time being based on said change data retrieved
in step cl);
c3) determining an estimated time to execute said proposed change
to said specific display element location using said average amount
of time determined in step c2);
d) aggregating estimated times to execute said proposed change to said
display element locations to be affected by said proposed change to result
in a total estimated time to execute said proposed change; and
e) presenting said total estimated time to a user.
[0008] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for
tracking time
spent executing changes to at least one display element in a display fixture,
the
method comprising:
a) receiving execution data from said user, said execution data relating to a
total time spent on executing an executed change on said display fixture,
said execution data comprising an identification of said at least one display
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element changed on said display fixture, an identification of said display
fixture, and said total time spent on executing said executed change;
b) determining an average time for said executed change, said average
time for said executed change being based on said total time and on a total
number of display elements changed by said executed change;
c) for each display element changed by said executed change,
cl) determining display element locations affected by changes to a
specific display element by said executed change;
c2) storing said average time in at least one storage location in said
database, each of said at least one location being associated with a
specific display element location affected by said changes to said
specific display element by said executed change such that each
storage location in said database associated with a specific display
element location contains an average time for a previous executed
change.
[0009] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a system for
managing at least
one change to at least one display element in a tangible display fixture for
physical stores, the system comprising:
- a database module embodied in a server, said database module managing
a database containing records relating to times for implementing previous
changes to display elements on said display fixture;
- a processing module embodied in a server, the processing module
processing an input from a user, said input detailing a specific tangible
display fixture and at least one specific display element on said specific
tangible display fixture, said display element being changed in said at least
one change;
- a planning and inventory module embodied in said server, said inventory
module retrieving records from said database using said database module
and enabling said user of said system to view available tangible display
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fixtures in a specific physical store and enabling said user to select display
elements available to be changed on said available tangible display
fixtures, said specific tangible display fixture being one of said available
tangible display fixtures;
- a presentation module embodied in said server, said presentation module
enabling said user to view images of said specific display fixture, said
presentation module also enabling said user to place or remove or replace
images of selected display elements on an image of said specific tangible
display fixture to thereby configure said tangible display fixture and to
thereby virtually implement said proposed change on said specific tangible
display fixture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described by
reference to
the following figures, in which identical reference numerals in different
figures
indicate identical elements and in which:
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of a system according to one aspect of the present
invention;
FIGURE 2 is a block diagram of a variant of the system illustrated in Figure
1;
FIGURE 3 is an example floor plan presented by the present invention to the
user;
FIGURE 4 is an example image of a display fixture presented to the user by the
present invention with display;
FIGURE 5 is a screenshot of a user interface which may be used with the
present
invention;
FIGURES 6A to 6C are screenshots of another user interface which may be used
with the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides systems and methods
relating to the
determination of an estimated time for implementing changes to a display
fixture
given the display element to be changed/adjusted. The system receives a user's
input that indicates a display fixture and a display element to be changed.
The
display element may be removed, placed, adjusted, replaced, or in any way
changed from its present state. The display fixture has a number of display
element locations and these display element locations are affected by the
change
depending on the type of the display element location and the
parameters/format
of the display element. As an example, a display element may be a sign
promoting a sale on a specific item or service. The sign may have a number of
formats or sizes and these different formats or sizes may be suited for one or
more display element locations on the display fixture. As such, for a given
display element, depending on the different formats in which the display
element
is available, different display element locations on the display fixture may
be
affected by the proposed change.
[0012] Once the system has received the display fixture and the display
element to be
changed on the display fixture, the system then determines, by accessing a
suitable database, the number and type of display element locations on that
specific display fixture. The system then determines, given the known formats
that the display element is available in, which of these display element
locations
in that particular display fixture are affected by the change (i.e., which
display
element locations have parameters that match the available formats of the
display
element). For these affected display element locations, database entries of
previous changes are retrieved and, for each of the affected display element
locations, an average time to implement a change is calculated. The average
times are then added to result in the estimated time to implement the change
to
the display element on the specific display fixture.
[0013] It should be clear that the system may be implemented to result in
the
configuration as shown in Figure 1. The system 10 includes an input module 20,
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a processing module 30, and an output module 40. The processing module 30
retrieves data from a database 50 as necessary through a database module 60.
It
should be clear that the input module 20 may receive direct or indirect input
from
a user about a proposed change that affects a display fixture and a display
element. Based on this input, the system passes this data to the processing
module 30. The processing module then determines, based on the display fixture
and on the display element, which display element locations are affected by
the
proposed change. It should be clear that, for the display fixture, there are
only a
certain number of configurations, with each configuration having specific
numbers of display element locations with each having specific dimensions and
parameters. For the display element, there are only a certain number of
formats,
each format being usable with one or more of the display element locations.
The
processing module 30, once it has determined the display element locations
that
conform to the formats for the display element, then retrieves change data for
those display element locations from the database. Using the change data, an
average amount of time for changing the display element in that specific
display
element location is then calculated. It should be clear that, for each display
element location, change data is a history of changes made that involved that
specific display element location and the change data includes a calculated
amount of time it took to implement each change on that specific display
element
location.
[0014] The system retrieves change data for display element locations on
a per display
fixture basis. That is, change data is retrieved for each display fixture that
is
changed. In a preferred implementation, the calculated amount of time is
updated
and presented to a user, through a user interface, every time the user
proposes a
change (i.e., the calculated amount of time a change would require is updated
in
real-time or near-real-time during the planning process). However, as should
be
clear, in some implementations, it may be preferable to only update the
calculated
amount of time in response to a signal from the user (e.g., when the user
activates
a menu option or presses a button to calculate the time).
[0015] To illustrate the process explained above, an example is provided.
In this
example, a display fixture X has 10 display element locations X1 - X10 and
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display element Y has a format that fits display element locations X3, X4, and
X7, with these locations having different sizes and configurations. Display
element Z has a format that fits display element locations Xl, X4, X8, and X9.
The database has a change history as follows for the various locations (note
that
the entries are time entries in minutes):
X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X10
Change 1 10 10 10 10
Change 2 15 15 15 15 15
Change 3 20 20 20 20 20 20
Change 4 30 30 30 30 30
Change 5 17 17 17 17 17 17
Change 6 10 10 10 10 10
Change 7 22 22 22 22 22
[0016] For the proposed change to display element Y on display fixture X,
the process to
arrive at the estimated time would be as follows:
- retrieve change data for display element locations X3, X4, and X7 as
these are
the locations that would be affected.
- for each display element location whose change data has been retrieved,
add the
retrieved times. For the display element location X3, this would be 10+20+30 =
60. For display element location X4, this would be 15+17+10+22 = 64. For
display element location X7, this would be 15+20+10+22 = 67.
- for each sum, divide by the number of data points that were used to
arrive at the
sum to result in an average time for each display element location. For
display
element location X3, this would be 60 / 3 =20. For display element location
X4,
this would be 64/4 = 16. For display element location X7, this would be 67/ 4
=
16.75
- the average times for each display element location are then added
together to
arrive at the estimated time for the proposed change. For this example, this
estimated time would be: 20+16+16.75 = 52.75 minutes.
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[0017] For the proposed change to display element Z on display fixture X,
the results of
the above process are as follows:
X1 - 10+15+17+10 = 52 --> 52 / 4 = 13
X4 - 15+17+10+22 = 64 --> 64 / 4 = 16
X8 - 15+20+30+17 = 82 --> 82 / 4 = 20.5
X9 - 20 + 17 = 37 --> 37 / 4 = 9.25
[0018] The estimated time for a proposed change to display element Z on
display fixture
X would therefore be 13 + 16 +20.5 + 9.25 = 58.75.
[0019] It should be clear that the system or the database that the system
accesses to
retrieve the change data has records that indicate which display fixtures have
which display element locations and the parameters and requirements for each
of
these locations.
[0020] To enter records into the database, a user can enter the total
time for a specific
change to one or more display element locations on a tangible display fixture.
The average time for all the affected display element locations is determined
and
then stored in the database associated with the specific display element
location.
[0021] As an example of the above, in one example scenario, a user
implemented
changes to display element D on display fixture E with the display fixture E
having display element locations El-E5. The changes to display element D
affected display element locations El, E3, and E5. It took the user 10 minutes
to
implement the changes to display element location El. Similarly, it took the
user
15 minutes to implement the changes to display element location E3 and it took
the user 13 minutes to implement the changes to display element E5. To store
the
data in the database, the user enters the average time for all the changes
affecting
the three affected locations. The total time to implement the changes is 10 +
15 +
13 = 38 minutes. The average time is thus 38 minutes / 3 locations = 12.67
minutes. This average time is then stored in the database in storage areas
associated with the three locations affected by the change, i.e., El, E3, and
E5.
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[0022] In another scenario, the user implements changes to display
element F on the
same display fixture E, but this time affecting display element locations El,
E2,
E4, and E5. For these changes, it took the user 15 minutes for location El, 17
minutes for location E2, 14 minutes for location E4, and 11 minutes for
location
E5. The average time for the changes is therefore (15 + 17 + 14 + 11) /4 =
57/4 =
14.25 minutes. This average time is then stored in the database in storage
locations associated with each of the affected display element locations,
i.e., El,
E2, E4, and E5.
[0023] After the above two examples, the database change data for the
locations El-E5
would thus be as follows:
El E2 E3 E4 E5
Change 1 12.67 12.67 12.67
Change 2 14.25 14.25 14.25 14.25
[0024] It should be clear that the process to determine the estimated
time to implement
changes may be repeated for every display element to be changed for every
display fixture. As well, it should be clear that the process to enter data
into the
database for changes may be repeated for every change for every display
fixture.
[0025] To assist the user, a planning and inventory module and a
presentation module
may be present in the system. Referring to Figure 2, the system may use the
planning and inventory module alongside the presentation module to provide the
user with a more user-friendly experience and to provide more usability. The
planning and inventory module 70 and the presentation module 80 can be used to
plan changes to tangible display fixtures at specific stores or locations. The
presentation module can provide the user with an overhead plan view (floor
plan)
of a retail location detailing location and placement of the various tangible
display fixtures within the retail location. This allows the user/designer to
properly plan promotional or marketing campaigns. The user/designer can then
highlight which display fixture needs changes and, once highlighted, an image
of
that model of the display fixture (including the display elements placed on
the
display fixture) is presented to the user. The user can then
remove/replace/adjust
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the various display elements on that display fixture accordingly. This allows
the
user to virtually design/adjust a display fixture. Once all the adjustments or
changes on the display fixture have been finished, the system can then
determine
which display elements have been changed. With the display elements
determined, the system can then estimate, for each display element affected by
the changes, the time for implementing each change to a display element. The
estimated time for each element (and even the total time for all the changes)
can
then be provided to the user and the user can use the estimated time to
rethink the
changes or to schedule work orders or scheduling for the changes.
[0026] It should be clear that the planning and inventory module operates
with the
presentation module to provide the user with images and data regarding the
various display fixtures, the various display elements, and the various plans
for
different retail locations. These images and data are, preferably stored in a
database that is accessible with and managed by the database module. Of
course,
this database for images and data regarding the display fixtures and display
elements may be the same as or different from the database storing the change
data. The presentation module and the planning and inventory modules work
together to provide the system with the capability to show the user an image
of
each of the various models of display fixtures available in the various retail
locations and allows the user to virtually place display elements on the
display
fixtures. The user can thus view what the final display fixture is supposed to
look
like after all the display elements have been placed. The ability to estimate
the
time to implement changes to a display fixture also provides the user with the
data needed to determine how long it would take to convert one display fixture
from marketing campaign configuration to another.
[0027] Referring to Figure 3, illustrated is a sample floor plan of a
retail location
illustrating the layout and the locations of the various tangible display
features 90
inside. As can be seen, the various display fixtures represented in the floor
plan
can be highlighted by the user and this highlighting can lead the system to
present
to the user an image of the display fixture. This image of the display fixture
can
then be amended/adjusted with images of the various display elements to arrive
at
the changed display fixture.
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[0028] Referring to Figure 4, illustrated is a sample display fixture
with a number of
display elements deployed in different display element locations. As can be
seen,
a number of display elements 100A, 100B, 100C are shown in the Figure. These
display elements can be removed/replaced from the image of the display fixture
so that the user can reconfigure the display fixture.
[0029] Referring to Figure 5, another example of a user interface for
provisioning a
display fixture is illustrated. As can be seen, the display fixture 110 is
shown
with a flat screen monitor in the middle and display element locations 120 at
each
side of the monitor. A listing of display elements 130 available for placement
on
the display fixture image is provided on the right side of the user interface.
In
one implementation of the system, placing a display element in one of the
display
element locations automatically causes the system to calculate an estimate 140
of
how much time is necessary to implement that placement of that display element
in that display element location.
[0030] Referring to Figures 6A to 6C, another user interface is shown.
The amount of
time necessary to make proposed changes is, in this interface, highlighted in
yellow at the top of the screen (pointed to by the anow). As nothing has been
changed in Figure 6A, the calculated time is 0 minutes. As can be seen, as
additional display changes are made in Figures 6B and 6C, the calculated time
increases to reflect the additional changes.
[0031] It should be clear that the various aspects of the present
invention may be
implemented as software modules in an overall software system. As such, the
present invention may thus take the form of computer executable instructions
that, when executed, implements various software modules with predefined
functions.
[0032] Additionally, it should be clear that, unless otherwise specified,
any references
herein to 'image' or to 'images' refer to a digital image or to digital
images,
comprising pixels or picture cells.
[0033] The embodiments of the invention may be executed by a computer
processor or
similar device programmed in the manner of method steps or may be executed by
an electronic system which is provided with means for executing these steps.
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Similarly, an electronic memory means such as computer diskettes, CD-ROMs,
Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM) or similar
computer software storage media known in the art, may be programmed to
execute such method steps. As well, electronic signals representing these
method
steps may also be transmitted via a communication network.
[0034] Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in any
conventional
computer programming language. For example, preferred embodiments may be
implemented in a procedural programming language (e.g., "C" or "Go") or an
object-oriented language (e.g., "C++", "java", "PHP", "PYTHON" or "C#").
Alternative embodiments of the invention may be implemented as pre-
programmed hardware elements, other related components, or as a combination
of hardware and software components.
[0035] Embodiments can be implemented as a computer program product for
use with a
computer system. Such implementations may include a series of computer
instructions fixed either on a tangible medium, such as a computer readable
medium (e.g., a diskette, CD-ROM, ROM, or fixed disk) or transmittable to a
computer system, via a modem or other interface device, such as a
communications adapter connected to a network over a medium. The medium
may be either a tangible medium (e.g., optical or electrical communications
lines)
or a medium implemented with wireless techniques (e.g., microwave, infrared or
other transmission techniques). The series of computer instructions embodies
all
or part of the functionality previously described herein. Those skilled in the
art
should appreciate that such computer instructions can be written in a number
of
programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating
systems. Furthermore, such instructions may be stored in any memory device,
such as semiconductor, magnetic, optical or other memory devices, and may be
transmitted using any communications technology, such as optical, infrared,
microwave, or other transmission technologies. It is expected that such a
computer program product may be distributed as a removable medium with
accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., shrink-wrapped
software), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed
disk), or distributed from a server over a network (e.g., the Internet or
World
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Wide Web). Of course, some embodiments of the invention may be implemented
as a combination of both software (e.g., a computer program product) and
hardware. Still other embodiments of the invention may be implemented as
entirely hardware, or entirely software (e.g., a computer program product).
[0036] A
person understanding this invention may now conceive of alternative structures
and embodiments or variations of the above all of which are intended to fall
within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.
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