Method and system for producing customized cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations on demand

• US 20020082745A1
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lab21 Inc. (Diagnostics Holdings PLC)
• Original Assignee: Collaborative Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Aust, Duncan T., Wilmott, James M., Crawford, Timothy K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,782,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/044 Suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/068 Microemulsions
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/585 Organosilicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/70 containing perfluoro groups, e.g. perfluoroethers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/73 Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/731 Cellulose; Quaternized cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/732 Starch; Amylose; Amylopectin; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/735 Mucopolysaccharides, e.g. hyaluronic acid; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/737 Galactomannans, e.g. guar; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9761 Cupressaceae [Cypress family], e.g. juniper or cypress
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9789 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9794 Liliopsida [monocotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/7015 Drug-containing film-forming compositions, e.g. spray-on
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 17/00 Barrier preparations; Preparations brought into direct contact with the skin for affording protection against external influences, e.g. sunlight, X-rays or other harmful rays, corrosive materials, bacteria or insect stings
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 17/04 Topical preparations for affording protection against sunlight or other radiation; Topical sun tanning preparations
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/844 with means for customizing the mixture on the point of sale, e.g. by sensing, receiving or analysing information about the characteristics of the mixture to be made
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/8442 using a computer for controlling information and converting it in a formula and a set of operation instructions, e.g. on the point of sale
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system for selecting and producing a customized cosmetic or pharmaceutical formulation is disclosed below. The system can be implemented in an Internet based system or a stand-alone version, such as a Kiosk. An improved method of custom formulation is presented which utilizes the user'"'"'s preferences and profile, as well as external factors. The customized formulation can be directed to a manufacturing facility for on-demand production. Alternatively, a printout of the formulation can be provided for subsequent use at point-of-sale locations, such as a cosmetics store or a pharmacy. The custom formulation software can also be provided in conjunction with a cosmetics manufacturing kit for use in home or business application.

Claims

1. A method for producing a customized cosmetic or pharmaceutical product comprising the steps of:

receiving a customer order for a customized product;

retrieving a user profile associated with the user;

generating an initial formulation comprising at least one predefined partial-formulation in accordance with the customer order;

modifying the initial formulation in accordance with the user profile to produce a customized formulation; and

outputting the customized formulation for subsequent manufacture of the customized product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of further modifying the initial formulation in accordance with external factors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step comprises sending the customized formulation to a manufacturing facility.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step comprises printing the customized formulation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the formulation is printed as a prescription.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the printed formulation at a point-of-sale location;

manufacturing the customized product in accordance with the printed formulation; and

providing the manufactured product to the user.

7. A system for producing a customized cosmetic or pharmaceutical product comprising:

a computer server connected to the Internet, the server configured to;

receive a customer order for a customized product from a client;

retrieve a user profile associated with the user from a client database;

generate an initial formulation comprising at least one predefined partial-formulation in accordance with the customer order;

modify the initial formulation in accordance with the user profile to produce a customized formulation; and

output the customized formulation for subsequent manufacture of the customized product.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server is further configured to modify the initial formulation in accordance with external factors.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a manufacturing facility in communication with the server, the server being configured to output the customized formulation by sending it to the manufacturing facility.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the manufacturing facility is local to the server.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the manufacturing facility is remote from the server.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the customer order is provided to the server from a client and the server is configured to output the customized formulation by sending it to the client.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a manufacturing facility in communication with the client.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the manufacturing facility is local to the client.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to retrieve a user profile associated with the user from a client database.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to modify the initial formulation in accordance with external factors.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer is further configured to modify the initial formulation in accordance with external factors.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising an on-demand manufacturing facility in communication with the computer;

the computer configured to output the customized formulation to the manufacturing facility.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a kiosk housing, the computer and the manufacturing facility being housed at least partially within the kiosk housing.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a printer;

the computer configured to output the customized formulation to the printer.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a kiosk housing, the computer and the printer being housed at least partially within the kiosk housing.

25. The kit of claim 24, further comprising a computer disk containing software for configuring a computer to:

receive a specification for a customized product from a user;

generate a customized formulation for the specified customized production; and

output the customized formulation for use by the user.

26. The kit of claim 25, wherein the software further configures the computer to:

generate an initial formulation comprising at least one predefined partial-formulation in accordance with the specification; and

modify the initial formulation in accordance with at least one of a user profile and external factors to thereby produce the customized formulation.

15. A computer program product for producing a customized formulation for a cosmetic or pharmaceutical product, the program stored on a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions to configure a computer to:

receive a customer order for a customized product from a user;

generate an initial formulation comprising at least one predefined partial-formulation in accordance with the customer order;

modify the initial formulation in accordance with a user profile to produce a customized formulation; and

output the customized formulation for subsequent manufacture of the customized product.

18. A system for producing a customized cosmetic or pharmaceutical product comprising:

a computer configured to;

receive a customer order for a customized product from a client;

generate an initial formulation comprising at least one predefined partial-formulation in accordance with the customer order;

modify the initial formulation in accordance with a user profile to produce a customized formulation; and

output the customized formulation for subsequent manufacture of the customized product.

24. A kit for producing customized cosmetics or pharmaceutical comprising:

at least one container containing a base composition;

a plurality of dispensers containing additives, the dispensers suitable for dispensing the respective additive in a measured quantity; and

a mixing wand.