ACTIVELY MANAGED FOOD DELIVERY

• US 20190220809A1
• Filed: 03/21/2019
• Published: 07/18/2019
• 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 11,037,092 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 product delivery process, according to one embodiment, includes receiving status information about a product container that contains a food product. The status information includes sensor-derived conditions of the product container including at least a temperature in the product container. Preferred ranges for the conditions of the product container are determined based on a profile associated with the food product stored therein. A determination is also made as to whether the received conditions from the product container are within the preferred ranges. A command is sent in response to determining that at least one of the received conditions is and/or has been outside the preferred range associated therewith for a predetermined amount of time.

Claims

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

receiving status information about a product container that contains a food product,

wherein the status information includes sensor-derived conditions of the product container including at least a temperature in the product container;

determining preferred ranges for the conditions of the product container based on a profile associated with the food product stored therein;

determining whether the received conditions from the product container are within the preferred ranges; and

sending a command in response to determining that at least one of the received conditions is and/or has been outside the preferred range associated therewith for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditions of the product container include at least two of:

an ambient temperature in the product container, a relative humidity in the product container, shock and vibration in the product container, specific atmospheric composition within the product container, whether the product container is open or closed and light in the product container.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the status information is received from a plurality of product containers, wherein the method is performed for each of the product containers respectively.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with receiving one or more product containers to perform a corrective action to change a freshness status, expiration date, and/or remaining shelf life of the food product.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with transporting the product container to perform a corrective action to change a destination for the product container.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command is sent to the product container for adjusting a setting of an environmental control unit coupled to the product container to adjust an environmental parameter in the product container to be at least similar to an ideal parameter specified in the profile.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the preferred ranges change over time by a predefined amount, as specified in the profile associated with the food product stored in the product container.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command includes a notification to a computer application to remove the food product from availability within the computer application.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and frozen food.

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

11. A computer program product, comprising:

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

computer code for receiving status information about a product container that contains a food product,

wherein the status information includes sensor-derived conditions of the product container including at least a temperature in the product container;

computer code for determining preferred ranges for the conditions of the product container based on a profile associated with the food product stored therein;

computer code for determining whether the received conditions from the product container are within the preferred ranges; and

computer code for sending a command in response to determining that at least one of the received conditions is and/or has been outside the preferred range associated therewith for a predetermined amount of time.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the conditions of the product container include at least two of:

an ambient temperature in the product container, a relative humidity in the product container, shock and vibration in the product container, specific atmospheric composition within the product container, whether the product container is open or closed and light in the product container.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the status information is received from a plurality of product containers, wherein the method is performed for each of the product containers respectively.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with receiving one or more product containers to perform a corrective action to change a freshness status, expiration date, and/or remaining shelf life of the food product.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with transporting the product container to perform a corrective action to change a destination for the product container.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the command is sent to the product container for adjusting a setting of an environmental control unit coupled to the product container to adjust an environmental parameter in the product container to be at least similar to an ideal parameter specified in the profile.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the preferred ranges change over time by a predefined amount, as specified in the profile associated with the food product stored in the product container.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the command includes a notification to a computer application to remove the food product from availability within the computer application.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and frozen food.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the food product is prepared food.

21. 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, status information about a product container that contains a food product,

wherein the status information includes sensor-derived conditions of the product container including at least a temperature in the product container;

determine, by the processor, preferred ranges for the conditions of the product container based on a profile associated with the food product stored therein;

determine, by the processor, whether the received conditions from the product container are within the preferred ranges; and

send, by the processor, a command in response to determining that at least one of the received conditions is and/or has been outside the preferred range associated therewith for a predetermined amount of time.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the conditions of the product container include at least two of:

an ambient temperature in the product container, a relative humidity in the product container, shock and vibration in the product container, specific atmospheric composition within the product container, whether the product container is open or closed and light in the product container.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the status information is received from a plurality of product containers, wherein the method is performed for each of the product containers respectively.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with receiving one or more product containers to perform a corrective action to change a freshness status, expiration date, and/or remaining shelf life of the food product.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the sent command is for instructing an individual and/or computer associated with transporting the product container to perform a corrective action to change a destination for the product container.

26. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the command is sent to the product container for adjusting a setting of an environmental control unit coupled to the product container to adjust an environmental parameter in the product container to be at least similar to an ideal parameter specified in the profile.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the preferred ranges change over time by a predefined amount, as specified in the profile associated with the food product stored in the product container.

28. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the command includes a notification to a computer application to remove the food product from availability within the computer application.

29. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the food product is a perishable food selected from the group consisting of fresh seafood, fresh meat, dairy, and frozen food.

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