Apparatus and method for non-weight-based consumption monitoring and automatic replacement initiation

Abstract

An apparatus and method support storage and automatic replacement of a consumable item in an end-user consumer's application setting. These teachings provide for using at least one non-weight-based sensor (such as an image-based sensor and/or an ultrasonic-based sensor) configured to be physically deployed within a storage area and to sense a non-fully-depleted consumption state of the consumable item within the end user consumer's application setting. These teachings also provide for using a control circuit that operably couples to the non-weight-based sensor and that is configured to respond to detection of a particular non-fully-depleted consumption state (for example, a consumption state between 70 percent depleted and 90 percent depleted) by automatically initiating replacement of the consumable item within the storage area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.