# US 2019/0378155 A1 · Time critical inventory control systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378155 A1 - Document ID: US20190378155A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/190,484 - Filed: 2018-11-14 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: Live Inc. - Applicants: Live Inc. - Inventors: Keith Wong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378155A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0223: {based on inventory} - G06Q 20/387: {Payment using discounts or coupons (relating to marketing G06Q30/02)} - G06Q 30/0284: {Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters} - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 4/23: for mobile advertising - G06Q 2220/00: Business processing using cryptography - 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 - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Apparatus and associated methods relate to a perishable product inventory control system configured to predict a perishable product surplus quantity at a location and time determined as a function of product expiration time, associate the predicted product surplus to a shopper seeking the product at the predicted location and time, and, automatically offer the shopper a portion of the product surplus discounted as a function of the perishable product surplus expiration time. In an illustrative example, the product surplus quantity, location, and time may be calculated based on inventory level and consumption rate. The product surplus location and time may be, for example, a restaurant's closing time, permitting the shopper to receive an offer to purchase a meal discounted as a function of time remaining until closing. Various examples may advantageously reduce cost and waste, based on matching shoppers with perishable products discounted as a function of product expiration time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a perishable product inventory control system configured to reduce product inventory with a product discounting action executed in response to a perishable product surplus predicted by the system, comprising: a processor; and, a memory that is not a transitory propagating signal, the memory operably coupled with the processor and encoding computer readable instructions, including processor executable program instructions, the computer readable instructions accessible to the processor, wherein the processor executable program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: predict a perishable product surplus quantity at a location and time determined as a function of the product expiration time; associate the predicted product surplus to a shopper seeking the product at the predicted location and time; and, automatically offer the shopper a portion of the product surplus at a price discounted as a function of the perishable product surplus expiration time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise receiving an electronic message comprising the product consumption rate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the function of the product expiration time used to predict the perishable product surplus quantity further comprises a function of the product consumption rate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise: in response to receiving an electronic message comprising a price threshold, configuring a discount price alert triggered as a function of comparing the discounted product surplus price to the price threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise sending an electronic message comprising the discount price alert. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discount determined as a function of the perishable product surplus expiration time further comprises the discount determined as a progressive function of increasing time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise receiving an electronic message comprising the shopper location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise: in response to receiving an electronic message comprising a product preference, configuring a shopper interest alert triggered as a function of the product preference and the shopper location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise sending an electronic message comprising a product identification determined as a function of shopper location and product expiration time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise receiving an electronic message comprising a fee amount to be added to the discounted price. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise sending an electronic message comprising the offer price determined as a function of the fee amount added to the discounted price. ### Claim 12 An apparatus, comprising: a perishable product inventory control system configured to reduce product inventory with a product discounting action executed in response to a perishable product surplus predicted by the system, comprising: a processor; and, a memory that is not a transitory propagating signal, the memory operably coupled with the processor and encoding computer readable instructions, including processor executable program instructions, the computer readable instructions accessible to the processor, wherein the processor executable program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receive an electronic message comprising a product inventory level, product location, and product consumption rate; receive an electronic message comprising a shopper product preference, including the shopper preferred product location; receive an electronic message comprising the shopper location; predict a perishable product surplus quantity at a location and time determined as a function of the product expiration time and product consumption rate; in response to receiving an electronic message comprising a price threshold, configure a discount price alert triggered as a function of comparing the discounted product surplus price to the price threshold; determine a perishable product surplus price discounted as a function of the perishable product surplus expiration time; associate the predicted product surplus location and time to the shopper having the product preference for the discounted price at the shopper location and time; send an electronic message comprising the discount price alert; and, automatically offer the shopper a portion of the product surplus at the discounted price. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electronic message comprising a shopper product preference further comprises a product category the shopper is not interested in. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise: in response to receiving an electronic message comprising a radius from the shopper's preferred product location, configure a product location alert triggered as a function of the product location and the radius from the shopper's preferred product location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise associating the product location to the shopper based on comparing the product location and the radius from the shopper's preferred product location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise sending an electronic message comprising the product location alert. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein automatically offer the shopper a portion of the product surplus at the discounted price further comprises sending an electronic message authenticated as a function of a cryptographically secure random number generator seeded based on data selected by the shopper. ### Claim 18 An apparatus, comprising: a perishable product inventory control system configured to reduce product inventory with a product discounting action executed in response to a perishable product surplus predicted by the system, comprising: a processor; and, a memory that is not a transitory propagating signal, the memory operably coupled with the processor and encoding computer readable instructions, including processor executable program instructions, the computer readable instructions accessible to the processor, wherein the processor executable program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receive an electronic message comprising a product inventory level, product location, and product consumption rate; receive an electronic message comprising a shopper product preference, including the shopper preferred product location; receive an electronic message comprising the shopper location; predict a perishable product surplus quantity at a location and time determined as a function of the product expiration time and product consumption rate; configure a product location alert triggered as a function of the product location and the radius from the shopper's preferred product location; determine a perishable product surplus price discounted as a function of the perishable product surplus expiration time; associate the predicted product surplus location and time to the shopper having the product preference for the discounted price at the shopper location and time; send an electronic message comprising the product location alert; and, automatically offer the shopper a portion of the product surplus at the discounted price. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise authenticating a seller to a buyer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise sending to a seller a portion of a payment received from a buyer.