# US 10,769,708 B2 · Consumable usage sensors and applications to facilitate automated replenishment of consumables via an adaptive distribution platform > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,708 B2 - Document ID: US10769708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/801,172 - Filed: 2017-11-01 - Published: 2018-12-06 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-22 - Assignees: OrderGroove, Inc. - Applicants: OrderGroove, Inc. - Inventors: Greg E. Alvo; Paul Frederich; Michael Bifolco; Ofir Shalom; Juan Gutierrez; Marcos Moyano; Bradley Williams Groff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769708B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0633: {Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087)} - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/08726: {for replenishment processing, procedures, or recommendations using forecasting or optimisation} - G06Q 10/08774: {using consumer inventory reporting} - G06Q 30/0202: Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Various embodiments relate generally to data science and data analysis, computer software and systems, and control systems to provide a platform to facilitate implementation of an interface and one or more sensors, and, more specifically, to one or more sensors that implements specialized logic to facilitate in-situ monitoring of inventories of consumables and automatic reordering of a consumable. In some examples, a method may include receiving sensor data representing usage of a device configured to process a consumable, characterizing the usage to form a characterized value, correlating data representing a unit of the consumable processed via the device to a characterized value of the usage, adjusting an amount representing an inventory of the consumable, detecting an amount of the inventory of the consumable is associated with one or more ranges of threshold values, and generating data representing a request to replenish the inventory of the consumable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a surface including a surface area configure to receive a consumable associated with a housing, the housing including: a weight sensor coupled to the surface, the weight sensor including a load cell; a radio configured to exchange electronic messages including data representing consumption of one or more units of the consumable, the radio is further configured to receive data from a collaborative sensor that is configured to determine power usage; a memory including executable instructions; and a processor, responsive to executing the instructions, is configured to: receive data from the weight sensor representing usage of the consumable; characterize a value of weight of the consumable at a point in time based on the received data from the weight sensor; correlate a change of the value of weight to data representing the one or more units of the consumable determined based on a characterized value of the determined power usage; generate the data representing consumption of the one or more units of the consumable based on the correlated change; adjust an amount representing an inventory of the consumable based on the consumption; detect data representing the amount of the inventory of the consumable is associated with one or more threshold values; generate data representing a request to replenish the inventory of the consumable when the amount of the inventory falls below the one or more threshold values; and automatically reorder the consumable to replenish the amount of the inventory. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect a change in orientation to determine the usage of the consumable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orientation sensor comprises: one or more of a mercury switch, a tilt switch, and a rolling ball sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to: transmit the data representing the consumption of the one or more units of the consumable to a computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computing device implements one or more of an adaptive distribution platform, a mobile computing device, and a smart speaker device configured to implement voice-controlled commands to reorder the consumable to replenish the inventory. ### Claim 6 A method comprising: receiving sensor data in a weight monitoring device representing usage of a consumable, the weight monitoring device including a housing and a processor in the housing, the weight monitoring device implementing a load cell; exchanging, via a radio disposed in the housing, electronic messages including data representing consumption of one or more units of the consumable, the radio configured to receive data from a collaborative sensor that is configured to indicate power usage; characterizing, by the processor in the housing, the usage of the consumable to form a characterized value representing a value of weight of the consumable; correlating, by the processor in the housing, data representing one or more units of the consumable determined based on a characterized value of the power usage associated with the value of the weight of the consumable; generating, by the processor in the housing, the data representing consumption of the one or more units of the consumable based on the correlation; adjusting, by the processor in the housing an amount representing an inventory of the consumable based on the consumption; detecting, by the processor in the housing, data representing the amount of the inventory of the consumable is associated with a range of threshold values; generating, by the processor in the housing, data representing a request to replenish the inventory of the consumable when the amount of the inventory falls below the range of threshold values; and automatically reordering, by the processor in the housing, the consumable to replenish the amount of the inventory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein receiving the sensor data representing the usage of the consumable comprises: receiving data representing a value of weight of the consumable at a point in time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein receiving the sensor data representing the usage of the consumable comprises: detecting a reduction of weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein receiving the sensor data representing the usage of the consumable comprises: detecting, by the processor in the housing, a change in orientation of the weight monitoring device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein characterizing the usage of the consumable comprises: determining a change in the weight of the consumable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein characterizing the usage of the consumable comprises: determining a change in the weight of the consumable; accessing data representing a consumption rate; and predicting an amount of the consumable that is consumed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein correlating the one or more units of the consumable to the characterized value comprises: identifying a value of weight representing a change in a weight of the consumable; identifying a unit of consumption for a unit of weight; and converting the change in the value of weight of the consumable to a consumed amount. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein identifying the value of weight representing the change in the weight comprises: determining a first value of weight at a first time point; determining a second value of weight at a second time point; and computing a difference of values of weight to form the value of weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein adjusting the amount representing the inventory of the consumable comprises: determining the one or more units of the consumable associated with a change in the weight of the consumable; reducing the amount of the inventory of the consumable by the one or more units of the consumable to form an adjusted amount of inventory; and comparing the adjusted amount of inventory to determine whether a threshold value of inventory is detectable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: detecting the adjusted amount of inventory complies with the threshold value of the inventory; generating an electronic message including data representing the request to replenish the inventory; and transmitting the electronic message via a network to a computing system implementing an adaptive distribution platform. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the threshold value of the inventory is a bridging amount, wherein the bridging amount is a predicted amount to maintain a number of units of the consumable during a time interval in which the amount of inventory is replenished. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: detecting the adjusted amount of inventory complies with a threshold value of the inventory; and generating a notification that the amount of the inventory is reduced to a predetermined amount. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the notification is one or more of an audio message and an electronic message that describes a state of the inventory.