Managing home inventory
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMichael Wayne Brown, Kelvin Roderick Lawrence, Michael A. Paolini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a storage area is provided within a particular home for storing food-related items. A database of intended food-related inventory items for the storage area is adjusted by a controller according to food-related inventory preferences received at the controller. The controller updates the database of intended food-related inventory items according to inputs from a monitoring device that monitors the addition and removal of food-related items within the storage area. A communication medium coupled to the controller transmits a selection of items from among the database of intended inventory items that are absent from the storage area.
Claims12
A method for managing inventory, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving food-related inventory preferences for a each of a plurality of users at a controller for a particular storage area that monitors current food-related inventory in said particular storage area;
- receiving food-related inventory preferences for a particular user from among said plurality of users at said controller from a personal electronic memory digital data storage device proffered by said particular user at said controller;
- adjusting a current database of intended food-related inventory for said particular storage area at said controller according to said food-related inventory preferences;
- and
- determining a selection of food-related items from among said database of intended inventory items that are absent from said particular storage area, such that food-related inventory that is intended for said particular storage area is managed.
A method for managing inventory by a portable computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving food-related inventory preferences for each of a plurality of users at a portable computer system that monitors current food-related inventory in a particular storage area;
- receiving food-related inventory preferences for a particular user from among said plurality of users at said controller from a personal electronic memory digital data storage device proffered by said particular user proffered by said particular user at said controller;
- adjusting a current database of intended food-related inventory for said particular storage area at said portable computer system according to said food-related inventory preferences;
- and
- determining a selection of food-related items from among said database of intended inventory items that are absent from said particular storage area, such that food-related inventory that is intended for said particular storage area is managed by said portable computer system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.