Retail subscription in internet of things environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10762552-B2
Application number	US-201615297426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2016
Priority date	Oct 29, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A system and method for item replenishment comprise a subscription device that associates tags with items, a tag tracking device for collecting data on the tags associated with the items, and a management system that monitors changes in use of the items, including analyzing use patterns to determine when the items should be replenished, replaced, or upgraded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for delivery to a consumer location, comprising:
registering with a subscription service that determines an automatic purchase of both a product of interest and an item having a relationship with the product of interest;
applying a monitoring device to the product of interest;
monitoring consumption of the product of interest;
automatically determining by an item replenishment device a need for a replenishment, upgrade or replacement of the product of interest from the monitoring device in response to a result generated by the monitoring device in response to sensing and monitoring the product of interest, and according to a set of predefined rules;
identifying the item having a relationship with the product of interest and combining both the item and the product of interest for a same delivery;
generating the automatic purchase of both the item and commensurate with the performed replenishment, upgrade or replacement of the product of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, in response to the item replenishment device determining the need for replenishment, upgrade, or replacement, a prediction pattern of demand management or time sensitive advertising.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recommending if the product of interest is to be recalled, or available for cross-sell.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating by a notification generator safety alerts regarding the product of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting by a subscription device data on tags through beacons in an area to determine where consumer goods are located and how often they are used.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically determining by an item replenishment device a need for a replenishment, upgrade or replacement of the product of interest from the monitoring device includes processing other data including at least one of a product expiration date and a shelf life is executed by the item replenishment device to modify a replenishment cycle of the product of interest along with product consumption and future upgrade releases of the product of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting item tracking guidelines.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating a customer profile that is used to analyze use patterns of the product of interest for identifying the item.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
associating a tag with the product of interest at a time of purchase where purchase data is electronically communicated at the time of an e-receipt, or receiving a result of scanning the tag; and
receiving by a tag tracking device a unique identification from the tagged item, which is directed to the subscription device for processing.

10. A system for item replenishment, comprising:
a subscription device that associates tags with items of products of interest;
a tag tracking device for collecting data on the tags associated with the items;
an analyzer that monitors changes in use of the items, including analyzing use patterns to determine when the items should be replenished, replaced, or upgraded and outputs a monitoring result;
a customer profile generator that identifies a relationship between a first item of the items and a second item having no tag, wherein the analyzer processes the data collected by the tag tracking device and generates analysis data for recommending the second item; and
an order processor that automatically orders the second item in response to the monitoring result of the analyzer, wherein the system registers with a subscription service that determines the automatic order of both the first and second items.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor analyzer recommends if the item is to be recalled, or available for cross-sell.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a cross-selling processor.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a notification generator safety alerts regarding the product of interest.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the subscription device collects data on tags through beacons in an area to determine where consumer goods are located and how often they are used.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the analyzer processes other data including at least one of a product expiration date and a shelf life is executed by a special purpose processor of the system to modify a replenishment cycle of the product of interest along with product consumption and future upgrade releases of the product of interest.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a tracking processor for setting item tracking guidelines.

17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising the customer profile generator for updating a customer profile that is used to analyze the use patterns for identifying the second item having a relationship with the first item.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the subscription device associates a tag with the product of interest at a time of purchase where purchase data is electronically communicated at the time of an e-receipt, or by receiving a result of scanning the tag whereby the tag tracking device receives a unique identification from the tagged item, which is directed to the subscription device for processing.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Natarajan Chandrashekar
• High Donald R

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q30/0264

  based upon schedule · CPC title

• G06Q30/0635 Primary

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/109

  Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting · CPC title