System and method for inventory monitoring and control of household consumable items

An apparatus for use within a home storage area for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals, comprising:

• containing means for containing one or more household consumable items for use within home storage areas typically associated with the storage of said items;
• one or more sensing means for determining the amount remaining of the one or more household consumable items contained by said containing means;
• identification means for identifying the one or more household consumable items contained by said containing means;
• and
• transmit means connected to said one or more sensing means and said identification means for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals received from said one or more sensing means and from said identification means.

In a household consumable items inventory monitoring and control system in which one or more containing units are used within one or more home storage areas for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals, an apparatus for interfacing with said one or more containing units, comprising:

• communication means for communicating with one or more containing units, including reception means for receiving one or more household consumable item information signals from said one or more containing units;
• interface means connected to said communication means for interfacing between said one or more containing units and logic processing means elsewhere in the system, wherein said interface means includes transformation means for transforming said household consumable item information signals into one or more corresponding container interface information signals for transmission to said logic processing means;
• and
• communication means connected to said interface means for communicating with said logic processing means elsewhere in the system, including transmit means for transmitting said one or more container interface information signals to said logic processing means.

A household consumable item inventory monitoring and control system, comprising:

• one or more containing means for containing one or more household consumable items for use within home storage areas typically associated with the storage of said household consumable items, sensing the amount remaining of the one or more said household consumable items, identifying the said one or more household consumable items, and transmitting said amount remaining and identification information as one or more household consumable item information signals;
• container interface means for receiving said one or more household consumable item information signals, transforming said household consumable item information signals into one or more corresponding container interface information signals, and transmitting said one or more container interface information signals;
• logic processing means for receiving said one or more container interface information signals, implementing inventory monitoring and control methods using household consumable item information included in said one or more container interface information signals, and transmitting the results of said inventory monitoring and control methods;
• and
• global access means for receiving said results of said inventory monitoring and control methods, accessing one or more other devices on the internet, and executing the results of said inventory monitoring and control methods by communicating with said one or more other devices on the internet.

An apparatus for use within a home storage area for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals in a household consumable items inventory monitoring and control system, comprising:

• a container for containing one or more household consumable items for use within home storage areas typically associated with the storage of said items;
• one or more sensors for determining the amount remaining of the one or more household consumable items contained by said container;
• an identification tag for identifying the one or more household consumable items contained by said container;
• a transmitter connected to said one or more sensors and to said identification tag for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals received from said one or more sensors and from said identification tag;
• and
• an interfacer connected to said one or more sensors, said identification tag, and said transmitter for interfacing between said one or more sensors, said identification tag, and said transmitter.

An apparatus for use within a home storage area for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals, comprising:

• a container for containing one or more household consumable items for use within home storage areas typically associated with the storage of said items;
• one or more sensors for determining the amount remaining of the one or more household consumable items contained by said container;
• an identification tag for identifying the one or more household consumable items contained by said container;
• and
• a transmitter connected to said one or more sensors and said identification tag for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals received from said one or more sensors and from said identification tag.

In a household consumable items inventory monitoring and control system in which one or more containing units are used within one or more home storage areas for transmitting one or more household consumable item information signals, an apparatus for interfacing with said one or more containing units, comprising:

• a communicator for communicating with one or more containing units, including a receiver for receiving one or more household consumable item information signals from said one or more containing units;
• an interfacer connected to said communicator for interfacing between said one or more containing units and a logic processor elsewhere in the system, wherein said interfacer includes a transformer for transforming said household consumable item information signals into one or more corresponding container interface information signals for transmission to said logic processor;
• and
• a communicator connected to said interfacer for communicating with said logic processor elsewhere in the system, including a transmitter for transmitting said one or more container interface information signals to said logic processor.

A household consumable item inventory monitoring and control system, comprising:

• one or more containers for containing one or more household consumable items for use within home storage areas typically associated with the storage of said household consumable items, sensing the amount remaining of the one or more said household consumable items, identifying the said one or more household consumable items, and transmitting said amount remaining and identification information as one or more household consumable item information signals;
• a container interface unit for receiving said one or more household consumable item information signals, transforming said household consumable item information signals into one or more corresponding container interface information signals, and transmitting said one or more container interface information signals;
• a logic processor for receiving said one or more container interface information signals, implementing inventory monitoring and control methods using household consumable item information included in said one or more container interface information signals, and transmitting the results of said inventory monitoring and control methods;
• and
• a global access unit for receiving said results of said inventory monitoring and control methods, accessing one or more other devices on the internet, and executing the results of said inventory monitoring and control methods by communicating with said one or more other devices on the internet.

A method for monitoring and controlling the inventory of one or more household consumable items comprising the steps of:

• getting household consumable item information from one or more containing units located within one or more home storage areas;
• determining which one or more household consumable items are needed;
• ordering one or more household consumable items that are needed;
• and
• restocking said one or more home storage areas with the corresponding said one or more household consumable items.