# US 2014/0156423 A1 · Suggesting Expired Product Replenishment Based On Receipt Data

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- Number: US 2014/0156423 A1
- Document ID: US20140156423A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,040
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Applicants: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Inventors: Stuart Argue; Anthony Emile Marcar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156423A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services}
- G06Q 10/08726: {for replenishment processing, procedures, or recommendations using forecasting or optimisation}
- G06Q 20/047: {using payment protocols involving electronic receipts}
- G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
- G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring}
- G06Q 30/0633: {Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087)}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- 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

A computer-implemented method is disclosed for suggesting purchases. Within the method, one or more point-of-sale transactions may be conducted. The transactions may involve a computer system and a customer possessing a mobile computing device. The computer system may store receipt data documenting the transactions. Sometime after the transactions, the computer system may search the receipt data in an effort to locate one or more products that have a high probability of having passed (or are very near) their expiration dates. When such products are identified, the corresponding customer may be so informed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method for suggesting purchases, the method comprising:
storing, by a computer system, one or more records correlating expiration data to one or more products having predictable expiration;
conducting, by a point-of-sale system forming part of the computer system, a point-of-sale transaction involving a customer possessing a computing device;
determining, by the computer system using the one or more records, that a first product identified within receipt data documenting the point-of-sale transaction has passed an expected expiration date; and
informing, by the computer system via the computing device, the customer that the first product has expired.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale system is contained within a brick-and-mortar store corresponding to a retailer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the conducting comprises receiving the customer within the brick-and-mortar store.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the conducting further comprises delivering the receipt data to an application installed on the computing device in the form of an electronic receipt.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the application comprises part of the computer system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising initiating, by the application, a shopping list.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the initiating precedes the determining.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the determining comprises searching, by the computer system, the receipt data in an effort to identify certain products listed therein that have passed an expected expiration date at the time of the searching.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the initiating triggers the searching.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, receiving, by the application from the customer after the informing, an instruction to add the first product to the shopping list.

### Claim 11

A computer-implemented method for suggesting purchases, the method comprising:
storing, by a computer system, one or more records correlating expiration data to one or more food products having predictable expiration;
conducting, by a point-of-sale system forming part of the computer system, a point-of-sale transaction involving a customer possessing a mobile computing device;
delivering, by the computer system to the mobile computing device, receipt data documenting the point-of-sale transaction;
determining, by the computer system using the one or more records, that a first product identified within receipt data has passed an expected expiration date; and
informing, by the computer system via the mobile computing device, the customer that the first product has expired.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the receipt data to an application installed on the mobile computing device in the form of an electronic receipt.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the application comprises part of the computer system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating, by the application at the instruction of the customer, a shopping list.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the initiating precedes the determining.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises searching, by the computer system, the receipt data in an effort to identify certain products listed therein that have passed an expected expiration date at the time of the searching.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the initiating triggers the searching.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, receiving, by the application from the customer after the informing, an instruction to add the first product to the shopping list.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein:
the point-of-sale system is contained within a brick-and-mortar store corresponding to a retailer; and
the conducting comprises receiving the customer within the brick-and-mortar store.

### Claim 20

A computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory devices operably connected to the one or more processors; and
the one or more memory devices collectively storing
a receipt module programmed to deliver receipt data documenting one or more point-of-sale transactions to one or more computing devices of corresponding customers,
a data store storing one or more records correlating expiration data to one or more products having predictable expiration,
a search module programmed to identify products that form part of the one or more point-of-sale transactions and that, according to the one or more records, have passed an expected expiration date, and
an output module programmed to inform appropriate customers that one or more products corresponding thereto have passed an expected expiration date.