Enhanced smart refrigerator systems and methods

A computer-implemented method for automatically populating a virtual shopping cart, said method implemented using an enhanced smart refrigerator (ESR) including a plurality of walls enclosing a refrigerated section, a processor, the virtual shopping cart, a memory in communication with the processor, and a user interface, said method comprising:

• receiving, by the ESR, a plurality of purchase inputs through the user interface, the plurality of purchase inputs initiating a plurality of purchases of a plurality of products;
• storing, by the ESR, a purchase log within the memory, the purchase log including a purchase history including the plurality of purchases of the plurality of products initiated using the user interface and a date of each purchase of the plurality of purchases;
• storing a product catalog in the memory, wherein the product catalog includes the plurality of products and a respective assigned default half-life therefor, wherein the default half-life represents a default length of time from an initial purchase of a product by which a typical consumer consumes half of the product;
• for each of the products, determining a current interval between a most recent delivery date of the product and a proposed next delivery date of the product based on the purchase history of the product;
• for each of the products, accessing the purchase log stored within the memory to determine, from the purchase log, a plurality of purchase intervals between sequential past purchases of the product;
• for each of the products, calculating a purchase propensity for the product based on the current interval, the plurality of purchase intervals, and the default half-life of the product;
• displaying the virtual shopping cart including a plurality of display regions, the plurality of display regions including a first region including products for which the purchase propensity exceeds a first criteria indicating a high likelihood of purchase, and a second region including products for which the purchase propensity does not exceed the first criteria but exceeds a second criteria, wherein the products in the first region are pre-selected for purchase and the products in the second region are un-selected for purchase;
• enabling, via the user interface, the user to de-select each of the products in the first region and select each of the products in the second region;
• and
• submitting the selected products in the virtual shopping cart to a merchant computing device for purchase.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by at least one processor of an enhanced smart refrigerator (ESR), the ESR including a plurality of walls enclosing a refrigerated section, a virtual shopping cart, a memory in communication with the at least one processor, and a user interface, cause the at least one processor to:

• receive a plurality of purchase inputs through said user interface, the plurality of purchase inputs initiating a plurality of purchases of a plurality of products;
• store a purchase log within the memory, the purchase log including a purchase history including the plurality of purchases of the plurality of products initiated using the user interface and a date of each purchase of the plurality of purchases of the target product;
• store a product catalog in the memory, wherein the product catalog includes the plurality of products and a respective assigned default half-life therefor, wherein the default half-life represents a default length of time from an initial purchase of a product by which a typical consumer consumes half of the product;
• for each of the products, determine a current interval between a most recent delivery date of the product and a proposed next delivery date of the product based on the purchase history of the product;
• for each of the products, access the purchase log stored within the memory to determine, from the purchase log, a plurality of purchase intervals between sequential past purchases of the product;
• for each of the products, calculate a purchase propensity for the product based on the current interval, the plurality of purchase intervals, and the default half-life of the product;
• display the virtual shopping cart including a plurality of display regions, the plurality of display regions including a first region including products for which the purchase propensity exceeds a first criteria indicating a high likelihood of purchase, and a second region including products for which the purchase propensity does not exceed the first criteria but exceeds a second criteria, wherein the products in the first region are pre-selected for purchase and the products in the second region are un-selected for purchase;
• enable, via the user interface, the user to de-select each of the products in the first region and select each of the products in the second region;
• and
• submit the selected products in the virtual shopping cart to a merchant computing device for purchase.

A computing device for automatically populating a virtual shopping cart, said computing device comprising a processor, a memory, the virtual shopping cart, and a user interface, wherein said computing device is configured to:

• receive a plurality of purchase inputs through said user interface, the plurality of purchase inputs initiating a plurality of purchases of a plurality of products;
• store a purchase log within the memory, the purchase log including a purchase history including the plurality of purchases of the plurality of products initiated using said user interface and a date of each purchase of the plurality of purchases;
• store a product catalog in the memory, wherein the product catalog includes a plurality of products and a respective assigned default half-life therefor, wherein the default half-life represents a default length of time from an initial purchase of a product by which a typical consumer consumes half of the product;
• for each of the products, determine a current interval between a most recent delivery date of the product and a proposed next delivery date of the product based on the purchase history of the product;
• for each of the products, access the purchase log stored within the memory to determine, from the purchase log, a plurality of purchase intervals between sequential past purchases of the product;
• for each of the products, calculate a purchase propensity for the product based on the current interval, the plurality of purchase intervals, and the default half-life of the product;
• display the virtual shopping cart including a plurality of display regions, the plurality of display regions including a first region including products for which the purchase propensity exceeds a first criteria indicating a high likelihood of purchase, and a second region including products for which the purchase propensity does not exceed the first criteria but exceeds a second criteria, wherein the products in the first region are pre-selected for purchase and the products in the second region are un-selected for purchase;
• enable, via the user interface, the user to de-select each of the products in the first region and select each of the products in the second region;
• and
• for submission submit the selected products in the virtual shopping cart to a merchant computing device for purchase.