METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING USAGE OF ITEMS

• US 20130024301A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: MIKAN, JEFFREY, Basso, Andrea, Hines, Tara, Ivanov, Aleksey, Morris, Nadia
• Granted Patent: US 9,449,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device having a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor can be operable to transmit a radio frequency signal directed to a radio frequency identifier tag carried by a first item, receive usage information from the radio frequency identifier tag, determine a measure of wear and tear of the first item from the usage information, compare the measure of wear and tear to a threshold, detect from the comparison a state of usage of the first item, and submit a notice representative of the state of usage of the first item. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor is operable to;

receive usage information from a radio frequency identifier tag carried by a first item;

determine a measure of wear and tear of the first item from the usage information;

compare the measure of wear and tear to a threshold;

detect from the comparison a state of usage of the first item; and

generate a notice representative of the state of usage of the first item.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to detect a need to replace the first item according to the detected state of usage of the first item.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the usage information comprises a date when the first item was purchased from a merchant.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a point of sale terminal of the merchant transmits to the radio frequency identifier tag a radio frequency signal comprising the date of purchase of the first item.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the processor is operable to:

determine from the usage information a pattern of usage of the first item; and

determine from the pattern of usage a replacement proposal comprising one of replacing the first item with a second item having substantially similar characteristics to the first item and replacing the first item with a third item having a plurality of distinct characteristics to the first item.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second item represents a lateral replacement of the first item, and wherein the third item represents a non-lateral replacement of the first item.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the processor is operable to:

identify a profile associated with a user of the first item; and

determine the replacement proposal according to the pattern of usage and the profile.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the profile comprises at least one of a behavioral pattern of the user, demographic information about the user, and psychographic information about the user.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the processor is operable to submit the replacement proposal in the notice.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the usage information comprises at least one of a purchase price at a time when the first item was purchased, an identification of a merchant who sold the first item, a date when the first item was sold, a description of the first item, and a description of warranty information associated with the first item.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a radio frequency identifier reader, and wherein the radio frequency identifier tag is one of an active or passive radio frequency identifier tag.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first item comprises one of a food item, a transportation item, a fixture item, and an appliance item.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first item comprises a sensor coupled to the radio frequency tag to determine usage of the first item, and wherein the processor is operable to:

transmit a radio frequency signal directed to the radio frequency identifier tag; and

receive usage information from the sensor responsive to the transmitted radio frequency signal.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a motion sensor, a weight sensor, and a location sensor, and wherein the usage information comprises at least one of motion data, weight data, and location data.

15. An item, comprising:

a radio frequency identifier tag;

a sensor for sensing usage of the item;

a memory for storing information associated with the item; and

a processor coupled to the radio frequency identifier tag, the sensor, and the memory, wherein the processor is operable to;

store usage information generated by the sensor responsive a detected usage of the item;

receive by way of the radio frequency identifier tag a request for the stored usage information; and

cause the usage information to be transmitted to a device initiating the request to enable the device to determine a measure of usage of the item and to determine from the measured of usage of the item whether replacing the item is warranted.

16. The item of claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to:

receive a signal by way of the radio frequency identifier tag;

retrieve from the signal point of sale information associated with the item;

store the point of sale information.

17. The item of claim 16, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the point of sale information with the usage information to the device initiating the request.

18. The item of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency identifier tag comprises a radio frequency transceiver for exchanging messages with the device.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving information from a transmitter coupled to a first consumer item;

determining a measure of usage of the first consumer item according to the information;

monitoring a behavior of a user of the first consumer item;

identifying from the behavior of the user a second consumer item to replace the first consumer item responsive to determining that the measure of usage of the first consumer item exceeds a replacement threshold; and

submitting a notice identifying the second consumer item.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising determining the measure of usage of the first consumer item according to a date of purchase of the item identified from the received information.