ACTIVELY MANAGED FOOD DELIVERY

• US 20190213536A1
• Filed: 03/21/2019
• Published: 07/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zest Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zest Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Mehring, Peter A., Reese, Thomas C., Kawaguchi, Dean M., Dekate, Sameer, Shikami, Russell
• Granted Patent: US 11,037,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing a food delivery process, according to one embodiment, includes receiving a food product history for each type of food product stored in each of a plurality of product containers. At least one of the food products is predestined for a first destination that is different than a second destination of another of the food products. Each food product history includes: an expiration date of the associated food product, storage time information, storage condition information, and temperature history. The food product history is used to determine a prioritized delivery scheme for the product containers. The prioritized delivery scheme is sent to an individual transporting the product containers and/or to a dispatcher.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a food delivery process, the method comprising:

receiving a food product history for each type of food product stored in each of a plurality of product containers,

at least one of the food products being predestined for a first destination that is different than a second destination of another of the food products,

wherein each food product history includes;

an expiration date of the associated food product, storage time information, storage condition information, and temperature history;

using the food product history to determine a prioritized delivery scheme for the product containers; and

sending the prioritized delivery scheme to an individual transporting the product containers and/or to a dispatcher.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

evaluating the food product history corresponding to the food products and/or the conditions of each of the one or more product containers;

determining whether any of the food products are unsafe and/or undesirable; and

sending a command to not deliver certain food products to an intended delivery recipient in response to determining that they are unsafe and/or undesirable.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising maintaining a freshness metric that reflects a remaining useful life of the food product, the freshness metric being calculated according to sensor data in the food product history and a predefined product profile associated with the food product, wherein the prioritized delivery scheme is determined based on the freshness metric.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the freshness metric indicates a condition of the food product in a range from ideal freshness to disqualification.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each food product history includes information selected from the group consisting of:

ingredient freshness, preparation time of the food product, preparation conditions, hand-off to delivery time, and food product storage conditions during delivery.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of:

produce, fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and/or frozen food.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the food product is prepared food.

8. A computer program product, comprising:

executable computer code embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer code including;

computer code for receiving a food product history for each type of food product stored in each of a plurality of product containers,

at least one of the food products being predestined for a first destination that is different than a second destination of another of the food products,

wherein each food product history includes;

an expiration date of the associated food product, storage time information, storage condition information, and temperature history;

computer code for using the food product history to determine a prioritized delivery scheme for the product containers; and

computer code for sending the prioritized delivery scheme to an individual transporting the product containers and/or to a dispatcher.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, comprising:

computer code for evaluating the food product history corresponding to the food products and/or the conditions of each of the one or more product containers;

computer code for determining whether any of the food products are unsafe and/or undesirable; and

computer code for sending a command to not deliver certain food products to an intended delivery recipient in response to determining that they are unsafe and/or undesirable.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, comprising maintaining a freshness metric that reflects a remaining useful life of the food product, the freshness metric being calculated according to sensor data in the food product history and a predefined product profile associated with the food product, wherein the prioritized delivery scheme is determined based on the freshness metric.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein the freshness metric indicates a condition of the food product in a range from ideal freshness to disqualification.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein each food product history includes information selected from the group consisting of:

ingredient freshness, preparation time of the food product, preparation conditions, hand-off to delivery time, and food product storage conditions during delivery.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of:

produce, fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and/or frozen food.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the food product is prepared food.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to cause the processor to;

receive, by the processor, a food product history for each type of food product stored in each of a plurality of product containers,

at least one of the food products being predestined for a first destination that is different than a second destination of another of the food products,

wherein each food product history includes;

an expiration date of the associated food product, storage time information, storage condition information, and temperature history;

use, by the processor, the food product history to determine a prioritized delivery scheme for the product containers; and

send, by the processor, the prioritized delivery scheme to an individual transporting the product containers and/or to a dispatcher.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, comprising:

logic for evaluating the food product history corresponding to the food products and/or the conditions of each of the one or more product containers;

logic for determining whether any of the food products are unsafe and/or undesirable; and

logic for sending a command to not deliver certain food products to an intended delivery recipient in response to determining that they are unsafe and/or undesirable.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, comprising logic for maintaining a freshness metric that reflects a remaining useful life of the food product, the freshness metric being calculated according to sensor data in the food product history and a predefined product profile associated with the food product, wherein the prioritized delivery scheme is determined based on the freshness metric.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the freshness metric indicates a condition of the food product in a range from ideal freshness to disqualification.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each food product history includes information selected from the group consisting of:

ingredient freshness, preparation time of the food product, preparation conditions, hand-off to delivery time, and food product storage conditions during delivery.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of:

produce, fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and/or frozen food.

21. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the food product is prepared food.