WO2010131173A1

WO2010131173A1 - A system for collecting and communicating data relating to exhibitor units

Info

Publication number: WO2010131173A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/052021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianni Andreotti
Original assignee: V.E.P. 87 S.R.L.
Priority date: 2009-05-12
Filing date: 2010-05-07
Publication date: 2010-11-18
Also published as: ITBO20090302A1; IT1394030B1; EP2430604A1

Abstract

The system (1) is associated to exhibitor units containing panels (3) which are singly movable in order to allow vision thereof, and comprises: sensor means (4) associated to each of the panels (3) for detecting movements of the each of the panels (3) from a rest position (R) thereof to a viewing position (V) thereof and vice versa; at least a peripheral processing unit (5) associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit (2) and destined to receive and store data coming from the sensor means (4); at least a monitor (11), associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit (2) and connected to a relative peripheral processing unit (5) and destined to display images originating therefrom; a telematic connection (6) for interfacing the peripheral processing unit (5) with a central processing unit (7) situated in a remote operating location (8) and able to acquire the data contained in the peripheral processing unit (5), as well as being able to pilot the peripheral processing unit (5) and the monitor (11) associated thereto. The system can comprise a second telematic connection (9), destined to make the data contained in the central processing unit (7) accessible from at least a station (10) which is detached with respect to the operating location (8).

Description

A SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING AND COMMUNICATING DATA RELATING TO EXHIBITOR UNITS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical sector of acquiring and communicating data in a commercial network for sale of products, in particular of a type in which a client orders having viewed samples on display in an exhibitor unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

In the sector of ceramic tiles, both floors and coverings, for example, the prior art describes exhibitor units having multiple movable panels, each of which is constituted by a vertical frame designed to support a portion of flooring or covering containing a predetermined type of tile.

The client visiting the sales point can manually extract each exhibitor panel and inspect the aesthetic effect of a particular tile, or composition of tiles, once laid.

If the client draws out an article which is to her or his taste, she or he can formalise the order.

The inspection of the exhibitor panel with the pre-selected article, having an obviously limited surface, can sometimes leave a lingering doubt as to whether the final choice is indeed the desired one.

A tile producer having a complete and usually very large range, today receives, in terms of market response data, only the actual orders that arrive; with only this data it is not in a position to make real-time production plans, because of the tardiness with which production can be adjusted to suit sales trends. This means that there is a risk of intervening inappropriately with regard to the real needs of the moment, with obvious negative effects.

With the aim of planning more timely production and setting up more effective commercial strategies, accessory information coming in from each sales point can be very useful, for example:

the number and type of articles exhibited;

the most-viewed and appreciated articles and those least appreciated.

The above information, suitably collated and evaluated, can provide realistic data on the prevalent aesthetic preferences and/or trends in the clientele at a given sales point, or in a certain geographical area; this data can also offer a deeper comprehension of the actual orders, which can be used to understand which lines should be subject to intervention, whether at production level or in terms of commercial strategy, in order to maximise results.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is thus to provide a system for collating and communicating data from exhibitor units, able to automatically record and transmit, to a remote operating base, data relating to the movement of each single panel in each exhibitor unit.

A further aim of the invention consists in offering a system which can be integrated with visual communication means to be applied to the exhibitor units, directly commanded from the remote operating base.

A further aim of the invention relates to the desire to have an expandable system, which enables other data apart from the main information to be obtained, by simple addition of special components.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a flexible system, configurable such as to be manageable directly by personnel interested in the collated data, or such as to enable a service supplier to manage the system and exchange information with a product supplier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention will emerge in the following description of preferred embodiments of the system, in accordance with the claims and with the aid of the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic view of the system of the invention, in a base configuration;

figure 2 illustrates the system of figure 1 , in a variant configuration;

figure 3 is the system of figure 2 with some accessory components added;

figure 4 is a perspective view of an exhibitor unit relating to the system of figure 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes the system of the invention in its entirety.

The system 1 is designed to be associated to exhibitor units 2 containing a series of panels 3 or, possibly, also a single panel, which can be singly moved to enable viewing.

In the figures, which are a non-limiting example, an exhibitor unit 2 is shown which has vertical movable panels 3, of a type used in exhibition rooms and sales points of ceramic tiles, both floor tiles and wall tiles.

As is known, each panel 3 comprises a portion of flooring or covering with predetermined tile models (not illustrated); the client, visiting the sales point, can manually extract one or more panels 3 in order to evaluate the various articles and the relative aesthetic effects of the laying thereof.

The figures illustrate, for the sake of simplicity, a single exhibitor unit 2 unit, but obviously the system 1 described herein below can at the same time be connected to several exhibitor units 2.

In a first basic configuration illustrated in figure 1 , the system 1 comprises:

sensor means 4 associated to each of the panels 3 for detecting movements of the each of the panels 3 from a rest position R thereof to a viewing position V thereof and vice versa;

at least a peripheral processing unit 5 associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit 2 and destined to receive and store data coming from the sensor means 4;

a telematic connection 6, for interfacing the peripheral processing unit 5 with a central processing unit 7 situated in a remote operating location 8 and able to acquire the data contained in the peripheral processing unit 5 as well as being able to pilot the peripheral processing unit 5.

The sensor means 4 can comprise an optic reader for reading off a bar code associated with the relative panel 3 and corresponding to a predetermined article.

Alternatively, the sensor means 4 can comprise a plurality of RFID transponders (or RFID tags, or RFID labels, as they are more commonly known), each of which being fixable to a panel 3, and at least an RFID transponder reader (or more simply an RFID reader, as it is usually known) which is fixable to the exhibitor unit 2.

Each RFID tag is suitable for storing data identifying the panel 3 to which it is fixed.

In particular, the stored data identify the respective panel 3 as a panel 3 which is bearing a sample of a given type of covering or flooring, etc.

Therefore the data identify a given panel 3 as a member of a group or set of panels 3 which bear a portion of same type of floor or covering, etc.

The RFID reader is appropriate for receiving signals carrying the data stored by RFID transponders.

Consequently, the RFID reader is able to identify univocally a given RFID tag by means of signals, sent to the RFID reader by said given RFID tag, which signals comprise the above-mentioned stored data in the RFID tag itself.

The RFID transponders and the RFID reader are respectively fixable to the panels 3 and the exhibitor unit 2, in a reciprocal arrangement such that when a given panel 3 is moved from the rest position R to the inspection position V or vice versa, the movement is detected by the RFID reader.

In this way, each time a given panel 3 is moved between the rest position R and inspection position V, the data relating to the event are received by the peripheral processing unit 5 via the RFID reader.

The RFID tags can be located between the frame of the panel 3 and the portion of flooring or covering which it bears.

In detail, the RFID transponders and the RFID transponder readers can be fixed, with respect to the panels and the exhibitor unit 2, such that when the panels 3 are moved from the rest position R to the inspection position V or vice versa, a distance between the RFID transponder and the RFID transponder reader changes.

Preferably the reciprocal arrangement between each RFID transponder and the RFID transponder reader, and the configuration of the RFID transponder reader, are such that when a panel 3 in which the RFID transponder reader is mounted is in the inspection position V, the RFID transponder reader detects an absence of signals on the part of the RFID transponder. The RFID reader is configured such as to have an RFID tag detection zone of a predetermined range, i.e. the zone in which the RFID tags have to be placed so that the signals codifying the respective data contained therein can be received by the RFID reader.

The position the RFID tag is fixed to the panel 3 is established in accordance with the position of the RFID reader and with the dimensions of the respective detection zone, such that, once inserted in the exhibitor unit 2, the RFID tag remains in the detection zone of the RFID reader when the panel is in the rest position R, while it exits the detection zone when the panel 3 is brought into the inspection position V.

A further embodiment is however possible in which the RFID reader receives signals from RFID tags when the respective panels 3 are in the inspection position V and does not receive them when the panels 3 are in the rest position R.

Using the peripheral processing unit 5 it is possible, if required, to record the time each panel 3 remains in the inspection position V.

The telematic connection 6 is advantageously realised via internet communication channels, and can be protected using known information technology means.

The operating location 8 in this case can be located at the tile producer's facility, or at the area manager's location.

Figure 2 illustrates a variant of the configuration of figure 1 , in which a second telematic connection 9 is comprised, destined to make the data contained in the central processing unit 7 available from at least a detached station 10 with respect to the operating location 8.

The second telematic connection 9 is also advantageously realised via internet communication channels.

The above configuration enables management of the system by a services provider in the operating location 8, and authorises a provider, for example the tile producer, to have access to the data from its remote location 10, by paying an agreed rate.

Figure 3 illustrates the system 1, complete with the second telematic connection 9 and integrated with a monitor 11 associated to the exhibitor unit 2 (see in particular figure 4), connected to the peripheral processing unit 5 and destined to show images.

The command for actuating the viewing is given by the central processing unit 7 and, by means of the telematic connection 6, reaches the peripheral unit 5 on which the monitor 11 depends.

The images to be viewed can be priorly stored in the peripheral unit 5, or can be implemented in the central unit 7 and can relate, for example, to promotional or publicity messages or images of locations which have already been realised, or more besides.

One from among the many possibilities involves displaying static or filmed images relating to rooms decorated with the tiles of the panel 3 being inspected; a further possibility involves displaying images relating to tiles which are the object of a particular promotional campaign.

In a case in which the system 1 with the monitor 11 is managed by a services provider and there is a second telematic connection 9, the supplier can naturally superintend all the choices relating to the images to be transmitted.

The system 1 is expandable with further accessories, specifically developed for acquiring further information from the place where the exhibitor unit 2 is installed; for example a reader of electronic identification cards (magnetic band or microchip) can be associated to the exhibitor unit, which the sales agent on a periodic visit to the showroom might have to insert to confirm that she or he has passed by.

The system potentialities emerge very clearly from the foregoing. The system enables recording and automatically transmitting, to a remote operating base, data relating to the movements of each single panel present in each exhibitor unit, such as to be able to extract commercial and production strategies from the data.

To this end the configuration of the system complete with monitor is extremely effective.

The described expandable characteristics are susceptible to further development, which will be defined on the basis of the specific requirements of the products exhibited in the exhibitor unit.

The possibility of an external supplier's managing the system is an interesting commercial opportunity for the supplier and is also appealing to the producer itself, as the latter does not have to support the costs relating to the installation and maintenance of the components.

The above is presented by way of non-limiting example, and any modifications which may be made to the described system in order to suit it to the various applicational needs are considered to fall within the ambit of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and communicating data relating to exhibitor units, each of the exhibitor units containing panels (3) which are singly movable in order to allow vision thereof, characterised in that it comprises: sensor means (4) associated to each of the panels (3), suitable for detecting movements of the each of the panels (3) from a rest position (R) thereof to a viewing position (V) thereof and vice versa; at least a peripheral processing unit (5) associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit (2) and suitable to receive and store data coming from the sensor means (4); a telematic connection (6), suitable for interfacing the peripheral processing unit (5) with a central processing unit (7), situated in a remote operating location (8) and able to acquire the data contained in the peripheral processing unit (5) as well as being able to pilot the peripheral processing unit (5) itself.

2. A system for communicating and collecting data relating to exhibitor units, each of the exhibitor units containing panels (3) which are singly movable in order to allow vision thereof, characterised in that it comprises: sensor means (4) associated to each of the panels (3), suitable for detecting movements of the each of the panels (3) from a rest position (R) thereof to a viewing position (V) thereof and vice versa; at least a peripheral processing unit (5) associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit (2) and able to receive and store data coming from the sensor means (4); at least a monitor (11), associated to a corresponding exhibitor unit (2), connected to a relative peripheral processing unit (5) and able to display images originating therefrom; a telematic connection (6) suitable for interfacing the peripheral processing unit (5) with a central processing unit (7) situated in a remote operating location (8) and able to acquire the data contained in the peripheral processing unit (5), as well as being able to pilot the peripheral processing unit (5) itself and the monitor (11) associated thereto.

3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that it comprises a second telematic connection (9), able to make the data contained in the central processing unit (7) accessible from at least a station (10) which is detached with respect to the operating location (8).

4. The system of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises an identification card reader, associated to the exhibitor unit (2) and connected to the peripheral processing unit (5) relative thereto.

5. The system of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the sensor means (4) comprise an optical reader, provided for reading a bar code associated to a panel of the panels (3) and corresponding to a predetermined article.

6. The system of any one of claims from 1 to 4, characterised in that the sensor means (4) comprise:

a plurality of RFID transponders, each of which is fixable to a panel (3) and is able to store identifying data of the panel (3), and

at least an RFID transponder reader, fixable to the exhibitor unit (2) and able to receive signals carrying information stored by RFID transponders,

the RFID transponders and the RFID transponder reader being arranged with respect to one another such that when a given panel (3) is moved from a rest position (R) thereof to an inspection position (V) thereof or vice versa, such movement can be detected by the RFID reader.

7. The system of the preceding claim, characterised in that the reciprocal arrangement between each RFID transponder and the RFID transponder reader, and a configuration of the RFID transponder reader, are such that when a panel (3), in which a respective RFID transponder is mounted, is in the inspection position (V), the RFID transponder reader detects an absence of signals on the part of the RFID transponder.