METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPERATURE BASED PLACEMENT OF AN ITEM WITHIN A STORAGE UNIT

• US 20080047282A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Watt, Stephen James, Bodin, William Kress, Masterson, Michael Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/129
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/123 more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for identifying an optimal placement of an item within a storage unit. The process identifies an item for placement in the storage unit. The process determines a preferred storage temperature range for the identified item. The process then selects an optimal placement location within the storage unit for the identified item based on the preferred storage temperature range and a set of temperature readings for the storage unit.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for identifying an optimal placement of an item within a storage unit, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying an item for placement in the storage unit to form an identified item;

determining a preferred storage temperature range for the identified item; and

selecting an optimal placement location within the storage unit for the identified item based on the preferred storage temperature range and a set of temperature readings for the storage unit.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage unit is selected from a group consisting of a refrigeration unit, a freezer, an ice box, a pantry, a cupboard, and a cabinet.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an alert to a user, wherein the alert includes the optimal placement location within the refrigerator.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the alert is presented as an alert selected from a group consisting of a graphical alert on a display screen, an auditory alert, a flashing visual alert, an LED display, a vibration alert, and a combination graphical and auditory alert.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the alert is an audio alert providing a text-to-voice message providing the optimal location to the user.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the alert is a display providing a diagram of the storage unit indicating the optimal location to the user.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the optimal storage temperature is determined from an item profile corresponding to the identified item.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining temperature readings from a plurality of temperature sensors located within the storage unit to form the set of temperature readings.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein a set of temperature sensors from the plurality of temperature sensors are located on each shelf in the storage unit.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are mapped to predetermined locations on each shelf within the storage unit.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors provides data regarding a real time temperature for a plurality of locations within the storage unit to form the set of temperature readings.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the item further comprises:

receiving, by a radio frequency identifier reader, a unique radio frequency identifier signal from a radio frequency identifier tag associated with the item.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the item further comprises:

receiving, by a universal product code scanner, a universal product code identification number from a universal product code associated with the item.

14. An apparatus for identifying an optimal placement of an item within a storage unit, the apparatus comprising:

a user interface;

a tag reader;

a plurality of temperature sensors; and

a controller, wherein the controller further comprises;

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains a computer usable program product; and

a processor unit, wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program product to identify an item for placement in the storage unit to form an identified item;

determine a preferred storage temperature range for the identified item; and

select an optimal placement location within the storage unit for the identified item based on the preferred storage temperature range and a set of temperature readings for the storage unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the storage unit is selected from a group consisting of a refrigeration unit, a freezer, an ice box, a pantry, a cupboard, and a cabinet.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to provide an alert to a user, wherein the alert includes the optimal placement location within the refrigerator.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to determine whether a current mass of the identified item is greater than a non-depleted mass for the identified item.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to generate an alert to a user in response to determining that a current mass of the identified item is greater than a non-depleted mass for the identified item.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for identifying an optimal placement of an item within a storage unit, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for identifying an item for placement in the storage unit to form an identified item;

computer usable program code for determining a preferred storage temperature for the identified item; and

computer usable program code for selecting an optimal placement location within the storage unit for the identified item based on the preferred storage temperature range and a set of temperature readings for the storage unit.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the storage unit is selected from a group consisting of a refrigeration unit, a freezer, an ice box, a pantry, a cupboard, and a cabinet.