Order quantity and product recommendations based on sensor data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10846780-B2
Application number	US-201815927990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2018
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Techniques for using sensor data from an auto replenishment device (ARD) to generate recommendations for ordering other items not associated with an ARD, updating a quantity of an already ordered item, or updating a time period associated with delivery of the ordered items. In embodiments, order history information associated with a user profile for a plurality of items may be maintained. Consumption data from a sensor of an ARD may be received that indicates a current amount of the item. A subset of items may be determined based at least in part on the consumption data and the order history information. In accordance with at least one embodiment, instructions for delivering the subset of items to a location associated with the user profile may be executed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
maintaining, by a computer system, a user profile that indicates an amount of an item that is ordered automatically on behalf of a user and delivered at a periodic interval, the item being stored by an automatic replenishment device (ARD) that is configured to obtain, via an associated sensor, sensor data indicating a current amount for the item being stored by the ARD;
receiving, by the computer system, the sensor data from the ARD;
determining, by the computer system, consumption data for the item based on the sensor data received from the ARD over time;
determining, by the computer system, an updated amount for the item in response to determining that the amount of the item is expected to be consumed prior to expiration of the periodic interval based at least in part on the consumption data;
generating, by the computer system, a recommendation to update a reorder amount for the item from the amount to the updated amount;
generating, by the computer system, a notification indicating that a discount is available for an automatic order for the item based at least in part on other sensor data from other ARDs associated with other items indicated in the user profile; and
transmitting, by the computer system, the recommendation to update the reorder amount and the notification to a user device associated with the user profile.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile includes user preferences that indicate a confirmation of the automatic order for the item must be obtained prior to automatically ordering the item.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile includes information that identifies a reorder threshold for the item that represents a percentage of the item being stored by the ARD.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the sensor data indicates a current weight for the item, and where ordering the item automatically on behalf of the user is based at least in part on a current weight for the item that is being stored by the ARD being equal to or less than the reorder threshold.

5. A computer system comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and
a processor in communication with the memory configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to at least:
maintain a plurality of user profiles, a user profile of the plurality of user profiles including one or more characteristics for an associated user;
obtain sensor data of an automatic replenishment device (ARD) associated with a particular item, the sensor data associated with a particular user profile of the plurality of user profiles;
determine a consumption rate for the particular item based at least in part on the sensor data;
determine a subset of user profiles from the plurality of user profiles based at least in part on a comparison of the one or more characteristics of the plurality of user profiles and the one or more characteristics of the particular user profile; and
generate a recommendation for the subset of user profiles that includes order information for the particular item.

6. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein determining the subset of user profiles is further based at least in part on determining a confidence score that represents similarity between the one or more characteristics of a given user profile of the subset of user profiles and the one or more characteristics of the particular user profile.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein determining the subset of user profiles is further based at least in part on the confidence score being equal to or above a certain threshold.

8. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprises at least one of demographic information, geographic location information, purchase history information, search history information, or user preference information.

9. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein the processor when executing the computer-executable instructions is further configured to transmit the recommendation to one or more internet of thing devices associated with the subset of user profiles, and to determine a reorder threshold for the particular item based at least in part on aggregate sensor data from a plurality of ARDs associated with the particular item.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer system, configure the computer system to perform operations comprising:
maintaining a plurality of user profiles, a user profile of the plurality of user profiles including one or more characteristics for an associated user;
obtaining sensor data of an automatic replenishment device (ARD) associated with a particular item, the sensor data associated with a particular user profile of the plurality of user profiles;
determining a consumption rate for the particular item based at least in part on the sensor data;
determining a subset of user profiles from the plurality of user profiles based at least in part on a comparison of the one or more characteristics of the plurality of user profiles and the one or more characteristics of the particular user profile; and
generating a recommendation for the subset of user profiles that includes order information for the particular item.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Lefkow Dave Jonathan
• Brown Chris
• Heyworth Samuel Stevens

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q30/0637

  requiring approval before final submission, e.g. parental approval · CPC title

• G06Q30/0261

  based on user location · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633 Primary

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0635

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title