Method and apparatus for monitoring usage of items

• US 10,198,751 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikan, Jeffrey, Basso, Andrea, Hines, Tara, Ivanov, Aleksey, Morris, Nadia
• Primary Examiner(s): Glass, Russell S
• Application Number:
  US15/239,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20160358223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device having a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor can be operable to transmit a radio frequency signal directed to a radio frequency identifier tag carried by a first item, receive usage information from the radio frequency identifier tag, determine a measure of wear and tear of the first item from the usage information, compare the measure of wear and tear to a threshold, detect from the comparison a state of usage of the first item, and submit a notice representative of the state of usage of the first item. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a measure of wear associated with a first item, wherein the measure of wear is received from the first item by way of a radio frequency identifier tag that is carried by the first item, wherein the measure of wear comprises a plurality of wear observations that are tracked and aggregated at the first item;

determining whether the measure of wear that is received exceeds a threshold; and

responsive to the determining that the measure of wear exceeds the threshold;

receiving, from the first item, point of sale information, wherein the point of sale information was stored at the first item by way of the radio frequency identifier tag;

identifying a replacement item for the first item according to information in a user profile and the point of sale information; and

sending a message associated with the replacement item to a portable device of a user of a media distribution system.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first item comprises a shoe.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a user profile according to media consumption behavior data, demographic information, and location information associated with the user of the media distribution system.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise collecting media consumption behavioral data according to media content consumed by the user of the media distribution system.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise collecting demographic information that is associated with a subscription account of the user.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise collecting location information from the portable device of the user.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein each wear observation of the plurality of wear observations is captured by a sensor that is carried on the first item.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the point of sale information includes a description of the first item, warranty information that is associated with the first item, or a combination thereof.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein a point of sale terminal transmits to the radio frequency identifier tag a radio frequency signal comprising a the point of sale information.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a replacement proposal including replacing the first item with a second item having substantially similar characteristics to the first item, replacing the first item with a third item having a plurality of distinct characteristics to the first item, or a combination thereof.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second item represents a lateral replacement of the first item, and wherein the third item represents a non-lateral replacement of the first item.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

collecting activity information from the portable device of the user; and

determining a psychographic pattern of behavior of the user according to the activity information, wherein the user profile further comprises the psychographic pattern of behavior.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise updating the user profile responsive to the determining that the measure of wear exceeds the threshold.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the point of sale information includes a purchase price at a time when the first item was purchased, an identification of a merchant who sold the first item, a date when the first item was sold, or a combination thereof.

15. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations at a first item, comprising:

capturing a plurality of wear observation by a sensor that is carried on the first item;

aggregating the plurality of wear observations to generate a measure of wear; and

transmitting a first radio frequency signal including the measure of wear to a device by way of a radio frequency identifier tag that is carried by the first item, wherein the device determines if the measure of wear exceeds a threshold; and

transmitting a second radio frequency signal including point of sale information to the device by way of the radio frequency identifier tag responsive to the measure of wear exceeding the threshold, wherein the device identifies a replacement item for the first item according to information in a user profile and the point of sale information, and wherein the device sends a message associated with the replacement item to a portable device of a user of a media distribution system.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third radio frequency signal including the point of sale information by way of the radio frequency identifier tag; and

storing the point of sale information at the first item.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user profile is determined by the device according to media consumption behavior data, demographic information, and location information associated with the user of the media distribution system.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the point of sale information includes a description of the first item, warranty information that is associated with the first item, or a combination thereof.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a measure of wear associated with a first item, wherein the measure of wear is received from the first item by way of a radio frequency identifier tag that is carried by the first item;

determining by the processing system, whether the measure of wear that is received exceeds a threshold; and

responsive to the determining that the measure of wear exceeds the threshold;

receiving, by the processing system and from the first item, point of sale information, wherein the point of sale information was stored at the first item by way of the radio frequency identifier tag;

identifying, by the processing system, a replacement item for the first item according to information in a user profile and the point of sale information; and

sending, by the processing system, a message associated with the replacement item to a portable device of a user of a media distribution system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the measure of wear comprises a plurality of wear observations that are tracked and aggregated at the first item.