COMPUTER-BASED ORDERING SYSTEM FOR SELECTION OF PERISHABLE FOODSTUFFS

• US 20120191623A1
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graham Bosher
• Original Assignee: Graham Bosher
• Inventors: BOSHER, Graham
• Application Number:
  US13/208,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/332
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0433 the inner container being a tray or like shallow container, not formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks B65D81/3862 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/264 for absorbing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/28 Applications of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-based food delivery system (100) arranged to select (and ship to specific customers) perishable fruit and vegetables through a postal delivery system. A process controller (110) is operable to select, from an inventory database (122), a plurality of perishable foodstuffs that are to be assembled into the box (90) and sent through the postal network. Selection by the process controller is based on: (i) a customer order instruction (104) received by the process controller (110) from the specific customer and the availability of the foodstuffs as reflected in the inventory database (122); and (ii) similar orders placed by other clients sharing similar dietary preferences or similar purchase profiles. A supply database (124) configured to maintain historical order data on prior orders for multiple individual clients may be accessed by the process controller (110) such that overall selection may also be based on a weighting of earlier historical order data from the specific customer.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A computer-based ordering system configured or arranged to determine and automatically select a plurality of perishable foodstuffs to be assembled into a box containing individual portions of the plurality of selected foodstuffs, the box for delivery to a specific customer through a post-network, the computer-based ordering system comprising:

an inventory database containing a list of available foodstuffs from which the plurality of perishable foodstuffs is selectable;

a client database containing client-specific profiles for multiple individual clients, the client specific profiles including purchase profiles and dietary preferences; and

a process controller operable to select, from the inventory database, the plurality of perishable foodstuffs that are to be assembled into the box and sent through the postal network, the selection by the process controller based on;

(i) a customer order instruction received by the process controller from the specific customer and the availability of the foodstuffs as reflected in the inventory database; and

(ii) similar orders placed in earlier orders sharing similar dietary preferences or similar purchase profiles.

15. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 14, further including a supply database maintaining historical order data on prior orders for multiple individual clients and wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to base the selection on earlier historical order data from the specific customer.

16. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 15, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to:

provide instructions for dispatch of the box containing the selected plurality of perishable foodstuffs; and

update said databases to reflect the customer order assembled for dispatch.

17. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 15, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to select the plurality of foodstuffs based on nutritional rules.

18. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 15, wherein the process controller references historical order data to weight selection of foodstuffs to achieve a desired frequency of delivery of particular categories of produce.

19. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 15, wherein the process controller references historical order data to weight selection of foodstuffs to achieve a desired frequency of delivery of individual foodstuffs.

20. A method of sending perishable foodstuffs through a postal delivery service to fulfil a customer order, the method comprising:

at a service coordinator, receiving a customer order;

in response to the customer order, having a process controller of the service coordinator automatically select for delivery at least one foodstuff from a plurality of available foodstuffs, the process controller responsible for a final section of foodstuffs and wherein the final selection is influenced by;

a) historically acquired order data stored in a database and related to at least one of the customer and other customers sharing similar purchase profiles or similar personal profiles with those of the customer whose order is to be fulfilled; and

b) at least one of;

i) customer preferences acquired and stored in the database;

ii) customer requirements acquired and stored in the database; and

iii) nutritional rules;

in response to instructions from the process controller, assembling a food delivery packaging with the final selection and sealing the food delivery packaging; and

dispatching the food delivery packaging to the customer through the postal delivery service to satisfy the customer order.

21. A computer-based ordering system configured or arranged to determine and automatically select a plurality of foodstuffs to be assembled into individual portions for collective dispatch in a multi-sectioned container addressed to a specific customer through a post-network, the computer-based ordering system comprising:

an inventory database containing a list of available foodstuffs from which the plurality of foodstuffs is selectable;

a client database containing client-specific profiles for multiple individual clients, the client specific profiles including purchase profiles and dietary requirements; and

a process controller operable to select, from the inventory database, the plurality of foodstuffs that are to be assembled into the container and sent through the postal network, the selection by the process controller based on;

(i) a customer order instruction received by the process controller from the specific customer and the availability of the foodstuffs as reflected in the inventory database; and

(ii) similar orders placed in earlier orders sharing similar dietary preferences or similar purchase profiles.

22. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 21, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to select the plurality of foodstuffs based on nutritional rules.

23. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 21, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to reference historical order data to weight selection of foodstuffs to achieve a desired frequency of delivery of particular categories of produce.

24. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 21, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to reference historical order data to weight selection of foodstuffs to achieve a desired frequency of delivery of individual foodstuffs.

25. The computer-based ordering system according to claim 21, wherein the process controller is further arranged or configured to undertake stock control housekeeping, to assign scheduling of delivery to the specific customer and to track each specific order.