# US 2001/0034636 A1 · Merchandise order apparatus and method thereof, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2001/0034636 A1 - Document ID: US20010034636A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 09/772,922 - Filed: 2001-01-31 - Published: 2001-10-25 - Earliest claimed: 2000-04-19 - Inventors: Yasuaki Ikemura; Akira Watanabe; Mitsugi Saito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20010034636A1 ## CPC - 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 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06Q 30/0601: Electronic shopping [e-shopping] - 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 ## Abstract An apparatus for ordering merchandise is provided with a receiving unit receiving an order signal including remainder quantity information that shows the remainder quantity of merchandise; prediction period calculation unit calculating a period until the remainder quantity of merchandise is exhausted; order information preparation unit selecting the shop where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply based on the calculated period and the selling price of the merchandise, and preparing order information based on the selection; and order unit ordering the merchandise from the shop that is selected based on the order information. Thus, the present invention realizes a process of automatically placing an order, in such a way that merchandise can be purchased most cheaply before the merchandise is exhausted, with regard to the merchandise of which the selling price differs between every shop. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A merchandise order apparatus comprising: a receiving unit receiving an order signal including remainder quantity information that shows a remainder quantity of merchandise; a prediction period calculation unit calculating a period until a remainder quantity of the merchandise is exhausted based on purchase history of a purchaser and the remainder quantity information; an order information preparation unit selecting a shop where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply, based on the calculated period and a selling price of the merchandise, and preparing order information based on the selection; and an order unit ordering the merchandise from the selected shop based on the order information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the order information preparation unit selects a purchase day and shop when and where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply, taking into consideration a delivery charge, within the calculated period, and the order unit places an order with the selected shop so that the merchandise can be purchased on the selected purchase day. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the order information preparation unit selects the purchase day and shop by taking into consideration a fluctuation of the selling price. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the prediction period calculation unit calculates the period by taking into consideration a season change and the purchase history. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein in a case that the remainder quantity information shows that a remainder quantity of the merchandise is half, the prediction period calculation unit calculates a period M until a remainder quantity of the merchandise is exhausted, using a following equation: M=N×K where, N is period between a day when the unit receives the order signal and the previous purchase day, and K is a fluvtuation of a consumption pace. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the remainder information shows that the merchandise is exhausted, the prediction period calculation unit sets the period as a shortest period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a prediction order quantity calculation unit calculating a prediction order quantity based on the calculated period, the purchase history, and remainder quantity information, wherein the order unit notifies the selected shop of the prediction order quantity when placing an order. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the prediction order quantity calculation unit calculates a prediction order quantity R using a following equation: R=V(N+M)/2N or R=V(1+K)/2 where, N is a period between a day when the unit receives the order signal and the previous purchase day, K is a fluctuation of a consumption pace, M is the calculated period and V is a storage capacity of a merchandise storage container of the purchaser. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the prediction order quantity calculation unit sets a prediction order quantity to a storage capacity of a merchandise storage container of the purchaser, in a case that the remainder quantity information shows that the merchandise is exhausted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the receiving unit receives the order signal when a remainder quantity of the merchandise becomes a predetermined quantity or when the merchandise is exhausted. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The merchandise order apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the merchandise is fluid merchandise. ### Claim 12 A merchandise order method comprising: receiving an order signal including remainder quantity information that shows a remainder quantity of merchandise; calculating a period until a remainder quantity of the merchandise is exhausted, based on purchase history of a purchaser and the remainder quantity information; selecting a shop where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply, based on the calculated period and a selling price of the merchandise; preparing order information based on the selection; and placing an order with the selected shop based on the order information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The merchandise order method according to claim 12 further comprising: selecting a purchase day and a shop when and where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply, taking into consideration the delivery charge, within the calculated period; and placing an order with the selected shop so that the merchandise can be purchased on the purchase day. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The merchandise order method according to claim 12 further comprising: calculating a prediction order quantity based on the calculated period, the purchase history, and remainder quantity information; and notifying the selected shop of the prediction order quantity when placing an order. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The merchandise order method according to claim 12 further comprising calculating the period in consideration of a season change and the purchase history. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The merchandise order method according to claim 12 further comprising receiving an order signal when a remainder quantity of the merchandise becomes a predetermined quantity or the merchandise is exhausted. ### Claim 17 A computer-readable recording medium recording a program directing a computer to control placing an order of merchandise, wherein the program includes: receiving an order signal including remainder quantity information that shows a remainder quantity of merchandise; calculating a period until a remainder quantity of the merchandise is exhausted based on purchase history of a purchaser and the remainder quantity information; selecting a shop where the merchandise can be purchased most cheaply, based on the calculated period and a selling price of the merchandise; preparing order information based on the selection; and placing an order with the selected shop based on the order information.