Smart cabinet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11143543-B2
Application number	US-201916547792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2019
Priority date	Feb 12, 2013
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus is provided including a processor, a memory, and a door. A scale is configured to, when the door is opened, measure the weight of an item placed in the apparatus. A scanner is then configured to, when the door is opened, scan an item placed in the apparatus. The processor is then configured to track the weight of the item when the item is placed in the apparatus and to automatically reorder more of the item in response to a determination that the weight of the item has fallen below a predefined threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive an identification of each of one or more food items being stored in the apparatus;
determine an amount of calories previously consumed by comparing the one or more food items to a prior inventory of food items;
identify one or more recipes available to be prepared using the one or more food items being stored in the apparatus; and
cause display of the amount of calories previously consumed and the one or more recipes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to determine a remaining quantity of an individual food item of the one or more food items, wherein the apparatus is configured to identify the one or more recipes based on the remaining quantity of the individual food item.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a sensor configured to measure a weight of the individual food item, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to calculate the remaining quantity of the individual food item based on the weight.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the identification of each of the one or more food items is received from a mobile device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mobile device obtains the identification of each of the one or more food items via a scanner on the mobile device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the scanner comprises a bar code scanner.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a scanner, wherein the identification of each of the one or more food items is received via the scanner.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to access an inventory of items stored in a separate cabinet to verify that the one or more recipes can be prepared using the one or more food items and the inventory of items.

9. A method comprising:
receiving an identification of each of one or more food items being stored in an apparatus;
determining an amount of calories previously consumed by comparing the one or more food items to a prior inventory of food items in the apparatus;
identifying, one or more recipes available to be prepared using the one or more food items being stored in the apparatus; and
causing display of the amount of calories previously consumed and the one or more recipes.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a remaining quantity of an individual food item of the one or more food items, wherein identifying the one or more recipes is performed based on the remaining quantity of the individual food item.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring a weight of the individual food item; and
calculating the remaining quantity of the individual food item based on the weight.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identification of each of the one or more food items is received from a mobile device.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identification of each of the one or more food items is received from a scanner configured as part of the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising accessing an inventory of items stored in a separate cabinet to verify that the one or more recipes can be prepared using the one or more food items and the inventory of items.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:
receiving an identification of each of one or more food items being stored in an apparatus;
determining an amount of calories previously consumed by comparing the one or more food items to a prior inventory of food items in the apparatus;
identifying one or more recipes available to be prepared using the one or more food items being stored in the apparatus; and
causing display of the amount of calories previously consumed and the one or more recipes.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising determining a remaining quantity of an individual food item of the one or more food items, wherein identifying the one or more recipes is performed based on the remaining quantity of the individual food item.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
measuring a weight of the individual food item; and
calculating the remaining quantity of the individual food item based on the weight.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising receiving the identification of each of the one or more food items from a scanner configured as part of the apparatus.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising identifying a nutritious alternative for at least one of the one or more food items and causing display of the nutritious alternative.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the amount of calories previously consumed represents an amount of calories consumed during a specified time period, the operations further comprising displaying the amount of calories previously consumed with an indication of the specified period of time.

Assignees

• Ebay Inc

Inventors

• Higgins Krystal Rose
• Tapley John
• Farraro Eric J

Classifications

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G07G1/0072

  with means for detecting the weight of the article of which the code is read, for the verification of the registration (weighing combined with recording means, e.g. in weighing scale, G01G19/415) · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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

• G06Q20/208 Primary

  Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing · CPC title

• G01G19/4146 Primary

  for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control · CPC title