US 10,762,469 B2Granted

Dispenser and associated tracking application

AssigneeKohl's, Inc.

InventorsBeau Gray, Stephanie Sansoucie

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for storing, dispensing, and facilitating replenishment of a dispenser. The dispenser may store and dispense one or more types of consumable items. Additionally, the dispenser may include one or more sensors for sensing a storage status of the dispenser (e.g., the quantity consumable items remaining in the dispenser). Further still, the dispenser may communicate storage status updates to a remote device on which a related application can be executed, for updating a current storage status, and presenting a notification to a user of the remote device, suggesting the purchase of additional consumable items to replenish the dispenser. The related application may further present the user with other types of purchasing-related information, such as cross merchandise opportunities, a retailer located nearest to the user/mobile device where the additional consumable items can be purchased from, as well as other shopping-related features and/or functionalities.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A system for replenishing a consumable item, the system comprising:

a dispenser for dispensing the consumable item, wherein the dispenser includes at least one sensor for detecting a remaining quantity of the consumable item;
a controller communicatively coupled to sensor, wherein the controller is configured to—
determine a storage status based on detected signals from the sensor, wherein the storage status reflects the remaining quantity of the consumable item associated with the dispenser, and
predictively determine when the consumable item associated with the dispenser will deplete based at least in part on a depletion rate of the consumable item;
and
a mobile device application adapted to be displayed on a mobile device and communicatively coupled to at least one of the dispenser or the controller,
wherein the mobile device application is further adapted to—
display a notification suggesting replenishment of the dispenser with additional quantities of the consumable item when the storage status is below a predetermined threshold associated with the depletion rate, and
upon displaying the notification suggesting replenishment, provide a user interface to enable online purchases of the additional quantities of the consumable item at a retailer, wherein the mobile device application is configured to reorder additional quantities of the consumable item.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/445,078Filed 28 Feb 2017 · continuation
Priority: 20 Nov 2013
Published: US 2017/0262794 A114 Sep 2017
Granted: 1 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
G06Q 10/08726
Using inventory planning: for replenishment processing, procedures, or recommendations using forecasting or optimisation
G06Q 10/0877
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: by inventory control or reporting using inventory…
G06Q 20/18
Payment architectures: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals

Family

Application14/085,635Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Nov 2013
US 2017/0262794 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Sep 2017
US 10,579,958 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0142621 A1Published application
US 10,762,469 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.