AUTOMATIC RESUPPLY OF CONSUMABLE COMMODITIES

• US 20120150677A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Original Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating initiation of resupply orders for consumable commodities include using a stand-alone electronic or audio-generating device incorporated into retail product packaging. The stand-alone device is equipped with a rudimentary processor or logic circuit, a memory, and a wireless transmitter. A simple user interface/activation device such as a push button or membrane switch is coupled to the logic circuit or processor. The stand-alone device is incorporated into or with product packaging, and may be configured with a resupply code at or after a point of sale. A user may activate the user interface of the device when the product needs resupplying, causing the resupply code to be transmitted to an access point or terminal that initiates a reorder sequence for the product.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal encoding a registered code from a code-provision device associated with a defined quantity of a commodity, in response to an event indicating that consumption of a predetermined portion of the defined quantity has occurred;

decoding the signal to recognize the registered code, using a client device proximal to the code-provision device; and

transmitting the registered code to a designated remote address, to initiate an automated transaction ordering an additional amount of the commodity for shipment to a designated address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the code-provision device is packaged with a defined quantity of a commodity in packaging that is free of any wired interface to a machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a confirmation signal from the client device, prior to transmitting the registered code to the designated remote address.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the registered code to the designated remote address is performed in response to receiving a response to the confirmation signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal comprises photographing an image encoding the registered code, using a camera operatively coupled to the client.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the event comprises finally revealing the image by consumption of the predetermined portion of the commodity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal comprises receiving a wireless electronic transmission encoding the registered code from a radio-frequency transmitter of the code-provision device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises activating a sensor in communication with the code-provision device, the sensor operative to sense at least one of a commodity level and a change in package configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating an application on the client device to place the client device in a state for receiving the signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device is incorporated in a wireless router, and uses a different wireless protocol than the wireless router to receive the signal from the code-provision device.

11. An apparatus comprising a wireless receiver;

a processor coupled to the receiver; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory holds program instructions, that when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform;

receiving a signal encoding a registered code from a code-provision device associated with a defined quantity of a commodity, in response to an event indicating that consumption of a predetermined portion of the defined quantity has occurred;

decoding the signal to recognize the registered code, using a client device proximal to the code-provision device; and

transmitting the registered code to a designated remote address, to initiate an automated transaction ordering an additional amount of the commodity for shipment to a designated address.

12. An assembly, comprising:

a stand-alone code-provision device packaged with a defined quantity of a commodity, wherein the code-provision device is configured in relation to the commodity or to packaging for the commodity to provide a signal encoding a registered code, wherein activation of the code-provision device is enabled by consumption of at least a predetermined portion of the defined quantity and the packaging is free of any wired interface to a machine.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the code-provision device comprises a substrate bearing the registered code in a machine-readable form, the substrate affixed to a predetermined one of multiple commodity units included in the assembly.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the code-provision device comprises a label bearing the registered code in a machine-readable optically encoded form, the substrate affixed to packaging for the commodity so as to be finally revealed when the predetermined portion is completely consumed.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the code-provision device comprises a processor coupled a memory, and a transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the memory holds the registered code.

16. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising a user input device coupled to the processor, wherein the user input device is positioned to be accessible to a user after the consumption of the at least a predetermined portion of the defined quantity.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the user input device is positioned to be inaccessible until the consumption of the at least a predetermined portion of the defined quantity has occurred.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the user input device comprises an input key or switch.

19. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the memory further holds program instructions that when executed by the processor cause the code-provision device to transmit the registered code in response to a signal from the sensor.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to provide the signal in response to a sensed commodity level relative to the packaging.

21. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to provide the signal in response to opening of a package seal or compartment of the packaging.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically placing the order is further performed in response to receiving the account identifier from the client device with the scheme identifier.

22. A method comprising:

configuring an automated ordering scheme in response to user inputs, using a computer, the automated ordering scheme identifying at least a commodity, a quantity of the commodity, and a destination address for a user account identified by an account identifier, and a scheme identifier for the automated ordering scheme;

providing the scheme identifier for encoding in a code-provision device to be supplied with the commodity to the destination address;

recording the automated ordering scheme in a computer memory; and

automatically placing an order according to the automated ordering scheme in response to receiving the scheme identifier from a client device.

24. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory holds program instructions, that when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform;

configuring an automated ordering scheme in response to user inputs, using a computer, the automated ordering scheme identifying at least a commodity, a quantity of the commodity, and a destination address for a user account identified by an account identifier, and a scheme identifier for the automated ordering scheme;

providing the scheme identifier for encoding in a code-provision device to be supplied with the commodity to the destination address;

recording the automated ordering scheme in a computer memory; and

automatically placing an order according to the automated ordering scheme in response to receiving the scheme identifier from a client device.