Share
Linked In Facebook X (Twitter) Copy
Publication

Quantity Purchase Advisor Utilizing Custom Servings Sizes

Share
Linked In
Facebook
Twitter
Copy
Share
banner image

Authors: 
Patricia Hogan, Daniel Goins, Jessica Snead, Susan Brosnan

Abstract:
While the product packaging lists serving sizes and number of servings per container, this info does not directly map to the number of actual servings a consumer will have per package. Rather than relying on the product packaging, this idea proposes combining product serving details with customers' actual serving containers and habits to recommend and estimate the right size product to purchase.

Background:
When purchasing an item by volume, it can be difficult to visualize the serving size or the number of actual servings in a package, especially when the actual servings are based on a customer's serving container. (For example, the number of actual servings of cereal using my favorite bowl at home.) While the product packaging lists serving sizes and number of servings per container, this information does not directly map to the number of actual servings a consumer will have per package. Public information instructs consumers on healthy portion sizes but does not connect to products or the customer's unique environment.

Description:
Rather than relying on the product packaging, combine the product serving details with customers' actual serving containers and habits to recommend and estimate the right size package for purchase.

Given data details on the following:
* Product package size
* Product serving size
* Product servings per package
* Customer's preferred portion sizes (handful, cereal bowlful, snack bowlful, etc.)
* Customer's containers

Combine the data details in a customer-facing web and/or mobile application that can be used while shopping or while preparing a shopping list to:

* Estimate quantities of items to purchase (how much cereal should I buy to ensure I have a serving each day this week using my favorite cereal bowl?)

* Compare different size packages of similar items (how many bowls full of cereal would I get out of a standard size, family size, vs giant size box of cereal?)

* Calculate the cost per (custom) serving per item purchased

* Visualize the number of (custom) servings in a given package (via numeric or graphic data)

* Show a visual representation of what the “product serving size” would look like in the shopper’s serving container. E.g. show that “product serving size” may just barely cover the bottom of shopper’s favorite cereal bowl.

* Recommend brands and package sizes to meet customer needs

Alternate Flow:
* Use similar logic to determine what size package will fill a storage container to what capacity (e.g., a storage jar for flour, etc.)

 

Supporting Art:

 

“smart bowls” that keep track of how much food was in the bowl and how much was eaten, and use this to do nutritional tracking:  https://patents.google.com/patent/US10352759B1/en

 

TGCS Reference 00362

Contact Intellectual Property department for more information