Managing shipments based on data from a sensor-based automatic replenishment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11741418-B1
Application number	US-202217730696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2022
Priority date	Mar 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

Techniques for selecting a delivery method based on sensor data of an automatic replenishment device (ARD) are described. In an example, a computer system is communicatively coupled with the ARD and receives the sensor data from the ARD. The sensor data is generated by a sensor of the ARD and indicates an amount of an item that is stored by the ARD. The computer system maintains, in a profile, a consumption rate based on the sensor data. The computer system determines that the amount of the item is less than a threshold amount based on the consumption rate and, based on this amount, identifies available delivery methods for a delivery of a replacement amount of the item. The computer system selects one of the delivery methods based on the consumption rate and causes the delivery of the replacement amount of the item based on the selected delivery method.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an automatic replenishing device (ARD) comprising a sensor; and
a computer system communicatively coupled with the ARD and comprising one or more processors and one or more memory, the one or more memory storing instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, configure the computer system to:
receive, from the ARD, sensor data generated by the sensor and indicating an amount of an item stored by the ARD, the sensor data being generated or received at a data collection frequency that is based at least in part on a consumption rate of the item and a power source of the ARD;
store, based at least in part on the sensor data, consumption data indicating the consumption rate;
determine a plurality of available delivery methods for a delivery of a replacement amount of the item;
select a delivery method from the plurality of available delivery methods based at least in part on the consumption rate;
generate an indication that the delivery method is to be used for the delivery of the replacement amount of the item;
receive, from the ARD, additional sensor data, indicating an updated amount of the item, the additional sensor data being received at a larger data collection frequency based at least in part on the updated amount being smaller than the amount of the item stored by the device; and
determining an updated consumption rate based at least in part on the additional sensor data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the computer system to:
determine, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, that the amount of the item stored by the ARD will be depleted prior to a completion of the delivery, wherein the additional sensor data is received after initiation of the delivery;
select a different delivery method from the plurality of available delivery methods; and
cause a second delivery of a second replacement amount of the item based at least in part on the different delivery method.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the computer system to:
determine, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, that the consumption rate has decreased, wherein the additional sensor data is received after the delivery method is selected;
select a different delivery method from the plurality of available delivery methods; and
generate another indication that the different delivery method is to be used to deliver the replacement amount.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the computer system to:
send a notification about the replacement amount to a user device associated with the ARD, the notification comprising an option to initiate a return of the replacement amount;
receive a selection of the option; and
generate another indication that a pickup of the replacement amount is to be performed.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, from a device, sensor data generated by a sensor of the device and indicating an amount of an item stored by the device, the sensor data being generated or received at a data collection frequency that is based at least in part on a consumption rate of the item and a power source of the device;
storing, based at least in part on the sensor data, consumption data indicating the consumption rate;
determining a plurality of available delivery methods for a delivery of a replacement amount of the item;
selecting a delivery method from the plurality of available delivery methods based at least in part on the consumption rate;
generating an indication that the delivery method is to be used for the delivery of the replacement amount of the item;
receiving, from the device, additional sensor data indicating an updated amount of the item, the additional sensor data being received at a larger data collection frequency based at least in part on the updated amount being smaller than the amount of the item stored by the device; and
determining an updated consumption rate based at least in part on the additional sensor data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the item is associated with a default delivery method, and wherein selecting the delivery method comprises:
determining, based at least in part on the consumption data, a slope of the consumption rate; and
selecting the delivery method as an accelerated delivery method relative to the default delivery method based at least in part on a determination that the slope indicates an increase in consumption of the amount of the item.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the item is associated with a default delivery method, and wherein selecting the delivery method comprises:
determining, based at least in part on the consumption data, a slope of the consumption rate; and
selecting the delivery method as a decelerated delivery method relative to the default delivery method based at least in part on a determination that the slope indicates a decrease in consumption of the amount of the item.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the item is associated with a default delivery method, and wherein selecting the delivery method comprises:
determining, based at least in part on the consumption data, a slope of the consumption rate; and
selecting the delivery method as the default delivery method based at least in part on a determination that the slope indicates a regular consumption of the amount of the item.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, that the amount of the item stored by the device will be depleted prior to a completion of the delivery, wherein the additional sensor data is received after initiation of the delivery;
selecting a second delivery method from the plurality of available delivery methods, the second delivery method being faster than the delivery method; and
causing a second delivery of a second replacement amount based at least in part on the second delivery method.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
sending a notification about the replacement amount and the second replacement amount to a user device associated with the device, the notification comprising an option to initiate a return of the replacement amount.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that the amount of the item stored by the device is less than a threshold amount; and
comparing, based at least in part on the amount being less than the threshold amount, the consumption rate to an expected consumption rate, wherein the delivery method is selected based at least in part on the comparing.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
storing, in a profile associated with the device and with a user device, indication of the delivery method, the profile further storing the consumption data; and
sending a notification about an initiation of the delivery to the user device.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, upon execution on a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a device, sensor data generated by a sensor of the device and indicating an amount of an item stored by the device, the sensor data being generated or received at a data collection frequency that is based at least in part on a consumption rate of the item and a power source of the device;
storing, based at least in

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Lefkow Dave Jonathan
• Heyworth Samuel Stevens
• Osias Daniel
• Virani Amirali
• Richards Hannah Mcclellan

Classifications

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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