System, method and apparatus for resupplying fast moving consumable goods associated with appliances
A consumable-goods reordering system in which a system controller has access to the signals transmitted by each smart appliance relevant to the environment being monitored, such as a home. Each appliance monitors a particular physical condition that is related to the appliance's usage of a consumable good, senses changes in the condition being monitored, and reports states of the condition. Meanwhile, the system controller memorizes and maintains the states of various processing events, such as when an appliance reported a particular state of the monitored condition. By considering the information reported by the multiple smart appliances, as well as by accounting for the states corresponding to the various events, the system controller is able to continually update a representation of the state of the monitored environment. Having such context awareness enables the system controller to generate intelligently various reorder messages for transmission to the various suppliers of the consumables.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first computer system, a first signal from a first appliance, wherein the first signal is indicative of a single use of a particular fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) by the first appliance;
updating in a memory, by the first computer system, a current memorized state of at least one processing event, the current memorized state being based on i) the first signal and ii) a previous memorized state, such that the previous memorized state comprises an estimate of an amount of the FMCG that has already been used since a previous resupplying of the FMCG;
generating, by the first computer system, a first indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state;
transmitting, by the first computer system, a resupply message to a second computer system, wherein the transmitted resupply message is based on the generated first indication, and wherein the second computer system resupplies the FMCG based on receiving the transmitted resupply message; and
determining a time to deliver the FMCG based on anticipating a need for the FMCG during a first period of time in an environment in which the first appliance is situated, wherein the need is anticipated based on the number of people expected to be present within the environment during both the first period of time and a second period of time.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a predetermined sequence of past signals having been received by the first computer system prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signals are indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a past signal having been received by the first computer system within a predetermined time interval prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signal is indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first computer system, a second signal from a second appliance; and
generating, by the first computer system, a second indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state, wherein the current memorized state is also based on the receiving of the second signal from the second appliance;
wherein the transmitted resupply message is also based on the generated second indication, whereby the first and second indications are aggregated into the resupply message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resupply message comprises the delivery time determined.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the delivery time determined is based on an availability of a person.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a second computer system to which the resupply message is to be transmitted, based on the current memorized state.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selecting of the second computer system is based on a cost of the FMCG.
9. A building automation controller comprising:
a first network adapter configured to receive a first signal from a first appliance, wherein the first signal is indicative of a single use of a particular fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) by the first appliance;
a processor configured to:
a) update, in a memory, a current memorized state of at least one processing event, the current memorized state being based on i) the first signal and ii) a previous memorized state, such that the previous memorized state comprises an estimate of an amount of the FMCG that has already been used since a previous resupplying of the FMCG,
b) generate a first indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state; and
c) determine a time to deliver the FMCG based on anticipating a need for the FMCG during a first period of time in an environment in which the first appliance is situated, wherein the need is anticipated based on the number of people expected to be present within the environment during both the first period of time and a second period of time; and
a second network adapter configured to transmit a resupply message to a computer system, wherein the transmitted resupply message is based on the generated first indication, and wherein the computer system resupplies the FMCG based on receiving the transmitted resupply message.
10. The controller of claim 9 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a predetermined sequence of past signals having been received by the first network adapter prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signals are indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
11. The controller of claim 9 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a past signal having been received by the first network adapter within a predetermined time interval prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signal is indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
12. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the first network adapter is further configured to receive a second signal from a second appliance;
wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state, wherein the current memorized state is also based on the receiving of the second signal from the second appliance; and
wherein the transmitted resupply message is also based on the generated second indication, whereby the first and second indications are aggregated into the resupply message.
13. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the resupply message comprises the delivery time determined.
14. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the computer system to which the resupply message is to be transmitted, based on the current memorized state.
15. A building automation system comprising:
a first appliance comprising:
1) a sensor configured to sense a single use of a particular fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) and
2) a first network adapter configured to transmit a first signal, wherein the first signal is indicative of the single use of the FMCG having been sensed by the sensor; and
a controller comprising:
1) a second network adapter configured to receive the first signal from the first appliance,
2) a processor configured to:
a) update, in a memory, a current memorized state of at least one processing event, the current memorized state being based on i) the first signal and ii) a previous memorized state, such that the previous memorized state comprises an estimate of an amount of the FMCG that has already been used since a previous resupplying of the FMCG,
b) generate a first indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state, and
c) determine a time to deliver the FMCG based on anticipating a need for the FMCG during a first period of time in an environment in which the first appliance is situated, wherein the need is anticipated based on the number of people expected to be present within the environment during both the first period of time and a second period of time; and
3) a third network adapter that is configured to transmit a resupply message to a computer system, wherein the transmitted resupply message is based on the generated first indication, and wherein the computer system resupplies the FMCG based on receiving the transmitted resupply message.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a predetermined sequence of past signals having been received by the second network adapter prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signals are indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the current memorized state of the at least one processing event is based on a past signal having been received by the second network adapter within a predetermined time interval prior to the receiving of the first signal, wherein the past signal is indicative of usage of the particular FMCG.
18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second appliance comprising a fourth network adapter that is configured to transmit a second signal;
wherein the second network adapter is further configured to receive the second signal from the second appliance;
wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second indication that the FMCG is to be resupplied, based on the current memorized state, wherein the current memorized state is also based on the receiving of the second signal from the second appliance; and
wherein the transmitted resupply message is also based on the generated second indication, whereby the first and second indications are aggregated into the resupply message.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the resupply message comprises the delivery time determined.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the computer system to which the resupply message is to be transmitted, based on the current memorized state.