The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application serial number 62/423,360 filed on November 17, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a "smart" trash receptacle that is able to monitor a user's consumption habits. More specifically, the present invention monitors each disposed product entering the "smart" trash receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the general system used to implement the method the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the overall process for the method of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 through 21 are flowcharts illustrating sub-processes for the method of the present invention.

FIG. 22 illustrates by perspective view coupled with a schematic diagram an exemplary inventory management system.

FIG. 23 illustrates by perspective view portions of the exemplary inventory management system of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 illustrates by schematic diagram portions of the exemplary inventory

management system of FIG. 22. The figures are exemplary only, and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The steps in the various processes illustrated herein may be performed in other orders or may be divided or subdivided in various ways in other implementations, so that the sequences of steps of the exemplary implementations presented herein are not to be considered limiting unless specifically so stated. Similarly, the various apparatus and the components thereof are exemplary only, and may be configured in other ways in other implementations. Information flows and process flows in the charts included herein are indicated by arrows, which are not to be considered limiting unless specifically so stated, as it should be understood that additional information flows may occur between various components and that other process flows may occur, in various other implementations. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms "top," "bottom," "right," "left," "forward," "rear," "first," "second," "inside," "outside," and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. Use herein of relative terms such as generally, about, approximately, essentially, may be indicative of engineering, manufacturing, or scientific tolerances such as ±0.1 %, ±1%, ±2.5%, ±5%, or other such tolerances, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Preferred Description: The present invention is a system and a method of inventory management of a setting by monitoring the kind and the amount of trash that is exiting the setting. The setting is preferably a household but can be any kind of living or work area. The system for the present invention includes at least one monitorable disposal apparatus, at least one remote server, and a personal computing (PC) device (Step A). The monitorable disposal apparatus is any object that is able to retain trash within the setting. The monitorable disposal apparatus can be, but is not limited to, a trashcan, a waste bin, or a trash shoot. In addition, the monitorable disposal apparatus has certain "smart features" that electronically monitor and communicate what kind of trash is being deposited into the monitorable disposal apparatus and how much trash is being deposited into the monitorable disposal apparatus. The remote server is used to collectively manage and process the data gathered from the monitorable disposal apparatus. The remote server is also used to manage sets of provided data, and one such set of provided data is the plurality of product-identification profiles. Each product-identification profile includes the identification data of a product and a set of defining characteristics of the product. For example, a product-identification profile would be able to identify a 150-ounce bottle of Tide® with an orange enclosure and brand logo. The PC device allows a user to interact with different aspects of the present invention.

The method of the present invention follows an overall process that requires the monitorable disposal apparatus, the remote server, and the PC device to be in

communication with each other. The overall process begins by sensing a physical attribute of a disposed product with the monitorable disposal apparatus, if the disposed product is placed within the monitorable disposal apparatus (Step B). The disposed product can be any piece of trash that is being throw away into the monitorable disposal apparatus. The physical attribute is any discernable feature of the disposed product that can be used to identify the disposed product. In one example, the physical attribute can be a physical property of the disposed product such as the size, color, or shape of the disposed product. In another example, the physical attribute can be an indicium inscribed onto a display surface of the disposed product such as a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, a matrix barcode, a numeric identifier, a trademark, a logo, a marking, or a combination thereof. The overall process continues by sending the physical attribute from the monitorable disposal apparatus to the remote server (Step C). This allows the remote server to compare the physical attribute to each product-identification profile in order to identify a matching profile from the plurality of product-identification profiles (Step D). For example, if the physical attribute includes the size of a 150-ounce enclosure, an orange color for the enclosure, and a Tide® brand logo, then the matching profile should be for a 150-ounce bottle of Tide®. The remote server then proceeds to send the matching profile to the PC device (Step E). This allows the PC device to preferably display the matching profile after Step E and consequently notify the user of the matching profile.

The overall process continues by prompting to place a product replacement order for the matching profile through a desired vendor with the PC device (Step F). The product replacement order is a set of instructions for the desired vendor about what the user wants to buy from the desired vendor. Step F provides the user with the opportunity to buy the disposed product again, to buy a similar product to the disposed product, or to buy the disposed product from a different vendor. If the product replacement order is placed into the PC device, then the overall process concludes by sending the product replacement order from the PC device to the contact information of the desired vendor (Step G). This allows the desired vendor to view and process the product replacement order, which can be sent through a variety of communication means such as email or an automated phone call to the desired vendor.

The monitorable disposal apparatus preferably includes a trashcan, at least one imaging sensor, and a controller. The imaging sensor is mounted adjacent to an opening of the trashcan so that the imaging sensor is able to capture image data of the physical attribute, which occurs during Step B as the disposed product is entering the trashcan. The image data is then routed from the imaging sensor to the remote server with the controller so that the image data can be used as the physical attribute for the comparison described in the Step D. One way to improve the quality of the image data is to have a plurality of imaging sensors that are distributed around the opening of the trashcan, which allows each imaging sensor to capture a different view of the physical attribute for the image data during Step B. For example, the plurality of imaging sensors is able to capture any combination of a front view, a rear view, a top view, a bottom view, a left view, and a right view of the disposed product. Another way to improve the quality of the image data is to have at least one light source that is mounted adjacent to the opening of the trashcan and is electronically connected to the imaging sensor, which allows the light source to activate illuminate the area near the imaging sensor as the imaging sensor capture the image date of the physical attribute. The light source allows the imaging sensor to capture high-quality image data because the inside of a trashcan typically does not have illumination.

The present invention is also able to monitor all of the trash being thrown out of a user's setting (e.g. their household). If the remote server manages a user account, and if the remote server is monitoring a plurality of monitorable disposal apparatuses, then the present invention allows the user account to select and associate with specific monitoring disposal apparatuses within the user's setting. Thus, the PC device begins by prompting the user account to select a plurality of setting apparatuses from the plurality of monitorable disposal apparatuses. For example, the PC device presents the user with 10 monitorable disposal apparatuses that are near the user, and then the user selects the 6 monitorable disposal apparatuses that is within the user's household, which allows the user to monitor all of the trash being thrown out from the user's household. Thus, the setting apparatuses are the trashcans within the user's household. The remote server needs to actively associate the user account to the setting apparatuses so that, whenever a product is thrown away into one of the setting apparatuses, the user is notified by the PC device.

When the comparison between the physical attribute and each product- identification profile is unsuccessful in identifying a matching profile, the present invention allows an alternative process to identify the disposed product through user input. Thus, the PC device prompts to enter a user-inputted product-identification profile with the PC device so that the user is able to manually enter the identity of the disposed product through the PC device. The user-inputted product-identification profile is contextually the same as one of the plurality of product-identification profiles but is just inputted on the present invention by the user. One way of manually entering the user- inputted product-identification profile is to textually receive the user-inputted product- identification profile through a physical or virtually keyboard that is provided within the PC device. Another way of manually entering the user-inputted product-identification profile is to audibly receive the user-inputted product-identification profile through a microphone that is provided within the PC device. If the user-inputted product- identification profile is entered into the PC device, the PC device can then relay the user- inputted product-identification profile to the remote server so that the remote server can append the user-inputted product-identification profile into the plurality of product- identification profiles. This allows the user-inputted product-identification profile to be available for the current iteration of Steps B through G and to be available for future iterations of Steps B through G. In addition, the remote server automatically designates the user-inputted product-identification profile as the matching profile for the current iteration of Steps B through G, which allows the present invention to execute Steps F and G during the current iteration.

The present invention allows the user to select the desired vendor by providing a plurality of vendor profiles managed by the PC device. Each vendor profile includes a description of who the vendor is and what the vendor is selling and the vendor's contact information. The PC device displays the plurality of vendor profiles to the user and then prompts to select a user-inputted profile from the plurality of vendor profiles. If a user- inputted profile is selected from the plurality of vendor profiles, then the PC device designates the user-inputted profile as the desired vendor. Thus, the present invention provides the user with a variety of retailer options to buy the replacement product. In addition, the present invention may provide a set of available discounts and a set of prices for each vendor account. The PC device displays the set of available discounts for each vendor profile so that the user can select a desired vendor that is more financially beneficial to the user. The PC device also comparatively displays the set of prices for each vendor so that the user can again select a desired vendor that is more financially beneficial to the user.

The present invention presents the user with some options while compiling the replacement product order. One option during Step F is to prompt the user to replace the disposed product with a specific product associated to the matching profile with the PC device. The specific product is the product described in the matching profile. If the user instructs the PC device to replace the disposed product with the specific product associated to the matching profile, then the PC device appends the matching profile into the replacement product order before Step G so that the same product will be sent to the user to replace the disposed product. Another option is to be provided with at least one similar profile for each product-identification profile, wherein the similar profile is from the plurality of product-identification profiles. For this option during Step F, the PC device prompts the user to replace the disposed product with a specific product associated to the similar profile, which is related to the matching profile. For example, if the matching profile is for a 150-ounce bottle of Tide®, then the similar profile could be for a 140-ounce bottle of Downy®. Likewise, if the disposed product is replaced with the specific product associated to the similar profile, then the PC devices appends the similar profile into the replacement product order before Step G so that a similar product will the sent to the user to replace the disposed product.

The present invention is also able to monitor the trash being thrown away by the user over an extended period of time. In order to track the user's consumption habits over the extended period of time, the remote server needs to manage a user account so that the collected data over the extended period of time can be associated to the user. More specifically, the present invention tracks the user's consumption habits by executing a plurality of iterations for Steps B through G in order to collect consumption data for the user account. The consumption data is the data collected to track the user's consumption habits over the extended period of time and includes the matching profile, the product replacement order, and the desired vendor for each iteration. The consumption data can be used to determine what the user is throwing away, how often the user is throwing away a specific product, what are the user's favorite vendors, and any other derivable analytics. Thus, the remote server need to store the consumption data and to enable access to the consumption data for the user and for external parties such as other vendors.

The present invention also allows the user to add context to the consumption data by prompting to enter demographic information with the PC device. The demographic information is any data describing characteristics of the user in relation to the general population. If the demographic information is entered into the PC device, then the PC device relays the demographic information to the remote server, which allows the remote server to append the demographic information into the consumption data. The remote server also enables access to the demographic information similar to the consumption data.

The present invention also allows the user to place a larger order for product replacement for multiple incomplete iterations from the plurality of iterations for Steps B through G. An incomplete iteration is an iteration of Steps B through G where Step G was not executed because the product replacement order was not placed into the PC device during the incomplete iteration. The PC device prompts the user account to place a collective replacement order through at least one collective vendor. The collective replacement order should include multiple kinds of replacement products that have accumulated over the multiple incomplete iterations. The collective vendor is preferably a wholesale retailer. Once the collective replacement order is placed into the PC device, the PC device sends the collective replacement order to the contact information of the collective vendor.

The present invention is also able to alert the user to a low-quantity of a product based on the consumption data. More specifically, the remote server stores a low-quantity threshold for a specific product. For example, if the user regularly buys a 24-pack of dishwashing liquid, then the low-quantity threshold for the dishwashing liquid should be 1 bottle so that the present invention alerts the user, who then places an order for another 24-pack of dishwashing liquid. A plurality of related iterations from the plurality of iterations for Steps B through G are iterations where the specific product is associated to the matching profile. For example, each iteration where the matching profile describes a bottle of dishwashing liquid is a related iteration to the dishwashing liquid. During each of the related iterations, the remote server decrements a current quantity counter for the specific product. The current quantity count for the specific product describe how many of the specific product does the user have left. Consequently, the PC device displays a low-quantity alert for the specific product, if the current quantity counter is less than or equal to the low-quantity threshold.

The present invention also allows vendors to access the consumption data of the user account. Thus, the remote server is able to manages at least one vendor account that are able to access the present invention through an external computing device. The remote server enables the vendor account access to the consumption data of the user account through the external computing device. This allows the vendor account to target specific advertisements or other marketing techniques around the consumption data of the user account.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred

embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Alternative Description:

The inventory management system disclosed herein tracks consumption data including the product identity of products discarded into a trashcan by a user, the quantities of products discarded, and the inventory of the products the user has on hand, in various aspects. The inventory management system allows the user to order replacement products to replace the products discarded, in various aspects. The inventory management system may track consumption data including the ordering of replacement products, vendor, quantity, and replacement product identity of the replacement products.

The inventory management system disclosed herein includes one or more image sensors disposed about a trashcan to capture image data comprising a visual attribute of a product as the product is being discarded into the trashcan, in various aspects. The image data from the image sensors may be communicated through a network cloud to a product identifier in operable communication with the network cloud, the product identifier being operable to identify the product identity of the product using the visual attribute of the image data, in various aspects.

The product identifier communicates the product identity through the network cloud to an app operably received by a computer, and the app presents the product identity of the discarded product to the user, in various aspects. The user may use the app to order replacement products

from a vendor, and the user may select the replacement product identity of and quantity of the replacement products and the vendor that supplies the replacement products using the app, in various aspects. The app communicates the replacement product identity and quantity of replacement products to the vendor through the network cloud, and the vendor then supplies the replacement products to the user.

The consumption data generated may be tied to the user, and the consumption data may be, for example, used by vendors, sources, advertisers, marketers, or researchers for marketing or other purposes. The consumption data may be sold, for example, to vendors or to sources. Access to the app portions of the inventory management system for advertising or other purposes may be sold to vendors or sources. Various transaction fees may be charged, for example, to vendors, sources, advertisers, or the user, in various aspects.

The apparatus and related methods of operation and compositions of matter disclosed herein may be implemented, at least in part, in software having the form of computer readable instructions adapted to execute upon one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to function as the apparatus or to implement the steps of the methods. Software may be, for example, in the form of high-level code such as C or Java, or may be in the form of machine code.

Compositions of matter disclosed herein include computer readable instructions operably received on non-transient computer readable media. For example, computer readable media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital video disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store the information and that may be accessed by the computer, such as computer 60 or controller 85 (see FIG. 24), whether locally or in the network cloud.

FIG. 22 illustrates inventory management system 10 including trashcan 20, product 30 network cloud 50, app 65 operably received by computer 60, vendor 70, replacement product 75, product identifier 90, and consumption data 99. As illustrated, various combinations of trashcan 20, app 65, vendor 70, product identifier 90, and consumption data 99 may be in communication with one another through network cloud 50.

As illustrated in FIG. 22, product 30 is being discarded into cavity 25 of trashcan

20, and inventory management system 10 detects the product identity 37 of product 30 as product 30 is being discarded. Product 30 may include, for example, various consumables or the packaging of the consumable in a household, office, commercial, light industrial, or medical settings. Product 30 may include, for example, a consumable or the packaging of a consumable such as a container of food, cleaning agent, personal care product, office supply, household product, and light industrial product (e.g., solvent, lubricant, paint, container of fasteners) and product 30 may include a manufactured good no longer operable for its intended purpose (e.g., a defunct toaster, defunct hair dryer, burnt out light bulb, expended printer cartridge). Product 30 may include a medical device or medicament or the packaging thereof such as a syringe, gauze, bandage,

tongue depressor, stitch kit, container of medicament (e.g., vial, jar, bottle, tube).

The product identity 37 of product 30 includes the type of good and the source of the good. As an example, the product identity 37 of an exemplary product 30 is a 12 oz. container of dish detergent (the type of good) sold under trademark Dawn® by Procter and Gamble, Inc. (the source).

Network cloud 50 includes, for example, local area networks, cellular telephone networks (i.e. 3G or 4G), text messaging networks (such as MMS or SMS networks), wide area networks, the Internet, and combinations thereof. Communication may be conducted over network 50 by various wired and wireless technologies and combinations thereof. Network cloud 50 may include various data storage devices, input/output devices, servers, routers, wireless transmitters, wireless receivers, optical devices, computers, and so forth, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Cloud connections 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 between trashcan 20, computer 60, vendor 70, product identifier 90, and consumption data 99, respectively, and network cloud 50 may be, for example, by wired communication (e.g. Ethernet (IEEE 802), Firewire (IEEE 1394)), by various radio communications (e.g. Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11 , CDMA, GSM), or combinations thereof.

Computer 60 includes, for example, hand-held computing devices (e.g., iPad), smart cellular telephones (e.g., iPhone), and other microprocessor-based consumer electronics. Computer 60 includes, for example, a computer having one or more processors, memory, and computer 60 may include a display, mouse, keyboard, storage device(s), network interface(s), and so forth, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure.

App 65, in this implementation, is in the form of software operably received, at least in part, by computer 60, and computer 60 including app 65 is under the control of a user. In some implementations, portions of app 65 may be disposed operably in network cloud 50 as well as on computer 60.

Vendor 70 includes one or more sellers of replacement product 75 for product 30. Vendor 70 may be a physical store (e.g., Walmart, Home Depot, Publix, Walgreens) that the user may physically engage as well as Internet based vendor (e.g., Amazon) that may supply replacement product 75 to the user.

Replacement product 75 replaces the product 30 that is discarded. Replacement product 75 may have a replacement product identity 77 that may include the type and source of the replacement product 75. Replacement product identity 77 of replacement product 75 may be the same as product identity 37 of product 30 or replacement product identity 77 of replacement product 75 may be similar to product identity 37 of product 30. Following the example given above, the product identity 37 of product 30 is a 12 oz. container of dish detergent sold under trademark Dawn® by Procter and Gamble Inc. Per this example, the replacement product 75 may have replacement product identity 77 that is the same as product identity 37, for example, 12 oz. container of Dawn® detergent. Alternatively, in this example, replacement product identity 77 may be similar to product identity 37, for example, a 32 oz. container of Dawn® detergent (similar type of good and same source), or a 24 oz. container of Palmolive® by Colgate Palmolive Co. (similar type of good and different source).

Consumption data 99 is accumulated by inventory management system 10, in this implementation. Consumption data 99 includes the product identity 37 of product 30, the replacement product identity 77 of replacement product 75, vendor 70 that supplies replacement product 75, and the user. Consumption data 99 may include, for example, the user's inventory of replacement products, such as replacement product 75, vendors, such as vendor 70, that the user selects as potential suppliers of replacement products, pricing of replacement products by various vendors, and other market, transactional, and user's demographic data (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity, educational level, business or profession, trashcan location). Consumption data 99 is illustrated as being in

communication with network cloud 50 by cloud connection 55, and consumption data may be stored on one or more storage devices in communication with network cloud 50. Consumption data 99 may be accumulated by inventory management system 10 through interactions with or between trashcan 20, app 65, vendor 70, and product identifier 90 through network cloud 50. Consumption data 99 may be accumulated by inventory management system 10 through user inputs including, for example, user inputs of demographic data via app 65 or by a postcard registration filed in conjunction with receipt of trashcan 20.

As illustrated in FIG. 23, image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e and light sources

82a, 82b, 82c are disposed about trashcan 20 of inventory management system 10. Light sources 82a, 82b, 82c illuminate product 30 including visual attribute 31, as illustrated. Image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e detect visual attribute 31 of product 30

simultaneously with the illumination of product 30 by light sources 82a, 82b, 82c, as product 30 is being disposed of into cavity 25. Of course, various numbers of image sensors, such as image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e, and various numbers of light sources, such as light sources 82a, 82b, 82c, may be provided, in various other implementations. Some implementations may use ambient lighting including sunlight and artificial light either in addition to or in lieu of light sources 82a, 82b, 82c to illuminate product 30 including visual attribute 31.

Visual attribute 31 identifies the product identity 37 of product 30, in this implementation. Visual attribute 31 may be, for example, the size of product 30, the shape of product 30, the color(s) of product 30, indicia 35 on display surface 33 of product 30, or combinations thereof that may identify the product identity 37 of product 30. Indicia 35 may be, for example, a barcode, QR code, matrix barcode, numeric identifier, trademark, logo, marking, or combination thereof.

Light sources 82a, 82b, 82c are located about trashcan 20 to illuminate differing portions of product 30 as product 30 is being disposed of image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e cooperate with light sources 82a, 82b, 82c to detect visual attribute 31 as visual attribute 31 is illuminated by light sources 82a, 82b, 82c, and image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e may be located about trashcan 20 to detect visual attribute 31 differing portions of product 30 as product 30 is being disposed of into cavity 25.

Light sources 82a, 82b, 82c may be, for example, light emitting diodes (LED). An image sensor, such as image sensor 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e, may include, for example, an array of photo-optical sensors, each photo-optical sensor of the array converts light into voltage or into electrical current. Examples of photo-optical sensors include photodiodes and phototransistors. The image sensor may include a lens, housing, connectors for communicating electrical power to the image sensor and for

communicating data, such as image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e, between the image sensor and controller 85 (see FIG. 24).

FIG. 24 illustrates controller 85 that is disposed about trashcan 20. In various implementations, controller 85 may be formed, for example, as a microcontroller or as a number of chips including a microprocessor disposed about one or more boards.

Controller 85 includes a microprocessor, memory, 1/0 bus, and network interface that implements, at least in part, cloud connection 51 to allow communication between controller 85 of trashcan 20 and network cloud 50, in various implementations.

Accordingly, trashcan 20 may communicate with network cloud 50 using controller 85. Controller 85 may operably receive software that controls the operation of controller 85, light sources 82a, 82b, 82c as directed by controller 85, and image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e as directed by controller 85. Controller 85 may be configured in other ways, in various implementations, as would be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure.

As illustrated in FIG. 24, controller 85 is in operable communication with light sources 82a, 82b, 82c by pathways 83a, 83b, 83c, respectively, to control the operation of light sources 82a, 82b, 82c. Power may be flowed onto light sources 82a, 82b, 82c via pathways 83a, 83b, 83c, and data indicative of the operation of light sources 82a, 82b, 82c, or that controls the operation of light sources 82a, 82b, 82c as directed by controller 85, may be passed between light sources 82a, 82b, 82c and controller 85 by pathways 83a, 83b, 83c.

Controller 85 is in operable communication with image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c,

80d, 80e via pathways 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d, 81e, respectively, to monitor and control the operation of image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e. Data may be communicated over pathways 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d, 81e, between controller 85 and image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e, respectively, indicative of the operation of image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e or that controls the operation of image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e as directed by controller 85. Power may be flowed onto image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e via pathways 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d, 81e, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 24, controller 85 may receive image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e from image sensors 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e, respectively, and image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e either singularly or in combination is indicative of visual attribute 31.

As illustrated in FIG. 24, controller 85 is in communication with network cloud

50 by cloud connection 51. Controller 85 may communicate image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e to network cloud 50 by cloud connection 51, and, thence, for example, to product identifier 90 that is in communication with network cloud 50 by cloud connection 54.

Product identifier 90 is operable to identify the product identity 37 of product 30 using visual attribute 31 as indicated by image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e. Product identifier 90 may be at least in part, for example, Flow in an operable configuration. Flow is software available from A9 of 30 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, California, 94301 that uses text recognition, barcode, and image recognition to identify the product identity, such as product identity 37, of a product, such as product 30. Product identifier 90 may use resources such as computers and databases available in the network cloud 50, and memory and microprocessor components physically onboard controller 85 may be configured to interact in various ways with product identifier 90 through network cloud 50. In other implementations, at least portions of identifier 90 may be disposed operably within memory physically onboard controller 85.

In operation of an inventory management system, such as exemplary inventory management system 10, the user may register with the inventory management system so that the inventory management system knows the user identity of the user. The user identity may include, for example, demographic information, location, and contact information. During registration, the user may select one or more vendors, such as vendor 70, to supply replacement products, such as replacement product 75. The user may then discard a product, such as product 30, into a cavity of a trashcan, such as cavity 25 of trashcan 20. The discarding of the product triggers controller 85 to illuminate the product using one or more light sources, such as light source 82a, 82b, 82c, and to capture image data, such as image data 87a, 87b, 87c, 87d, 87e using one or more image sensors, such as image sensor 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e. The image data is indicative of a visual attribute of the product, such as visual attribute 31, in various implementations. The image data is then communicated by the controller, which is disposed about the trashcan, to a product identifier, such as product identifier 90, via network cloud, such as network cloud 50. If the image sensors cannot identify the product, the user can input the product identity directly into the app, such as by voice input, scanning the product barcode with a barcode reader or smart phone, or the like. Product identifier 90, in this implementation, identifies the product identity, such as product identity 37, of the product using the visual identifier indicated by the image data. The product identifier then communicates the product identity 37 to an app, such as app 65 operably received by computer 60. The user may view the product identity 37 using the app and the computer. The app may present the product identity 37 to the user by using a stock photo including other representations of the product identity 37 of the product 30. Following the example presented above where the product is a 12 oz.

container of Dawn® detergent, the app ay use a stock photo of a 12 oz. container of Dawn® detergent to present the product identity of this exemplary product to the user. In some implementations, the user may input the product identity 37 into the app by text or voice, for example, in the event the product identifier is unable to identify the product identity 37.

The user may use the app to order a replacement product, such as replacement product 75. The user may select the vendor(s), such as vendor 70, to supply the replacement product, and the user may order the replacement product from the selected vendor using the app. Alternatively, the user may elect not to order a replacement product corresponding to the particular product. The user may select the vendors that the user wishes to select from using the app, and the user may change vendors using the app.

The app may accumulate a number of product identities corresponding to a number of products that have been discarded, and the user may then order replacement products simultaneously. The product identities may be presented to the user in an organized manner by the app, such as being organized by usage, such as foods, cleaning items, personal care products, etc. A number of trashcans may communicate with the app, and the app may display product identities of products discarded into any trashcan of the number of trashcans. The app may accumulate a number of product identities

corresponding to a number of products discarded into the number of trashcans, and the app may present the product identities of the number of products to the user.

The user may review all product identities and select replacement products using the app. The app may suggest replacement products that are similar to the products discarded as well as replacement products that are the same as the products discarded. The app may present a coupon for the replacement product. The app may suggest vendor(s) for the replacement product(s). Advertising, coupons, incentives such as buy one get one (BOGO), rewards, discounts, upsizing, clearance specials, upgrades, sweepstakes, contests, and so forth may be presented to the user via the app. The app may then display a price for the replacement products from one or more vendors. For example, the price for the replacement products as supplied by various vendors may be displayed as Publix $17.21, Walmart $16.22, Dollar Stores $16.55, Amazon $15.32. Per this example, the user may then select Publix as the vendor resulting in the user being charged $17.21, and Publix may supply the replacement product(s) at a selected store location for pick-up by the user or ship the replacement product(s) to an address designated by the user.

The user may view the product identities while shopping in a store. As replacement products are acquired in the store, the user may designate the replacement products in the app. The app may access the product identifier to identify replacement products acquired while shopping by sending image data to the product identifier, the image data being obtained using a camera disposed about the computer. Replacement products so identified may not correspond to products previously discarded. The app may track inventory of various products including products not discarded, and notify the user of the inventory. For example, the app may notify the user when the inventory of a certain product reaches a predetermined minimum based on products discarded and replacement products acquired, or the app may notify the user of the number of products having a particular product identity that are on hand.

An exemplary method of operation of the inventory management system is presented in the following steps:

• Step 505, a user discards the product into the cavity of the trashcan.

• Step 510, the product identifier in cooperation with light source(s), image sensor(s), and a controller disposed about the trashcan, identifies the product identity of the product as the product is being discarded. The product identifier may cooperate with the light source(s), image sensor(s), and a controller disposed about the trashcan through the network cloud.

• Step 515, the product identifier communicates the product identity of the product through the network cloud to the app.

• Step 520, the app presents one or replacement products for the product to the user using the product identity communicated to the app at step 515. Various vendors, sources, marketers, and so forth may pay to present replacement product to the user via the app.

• Step 525, the user selects the replacement product using the app.

• Step 530, the user selects a vendor to supply the replacement product using the app.

• Step 535, the app communicates the replacement product selected at step 525 to the vendor selected at step 530 through the network cloud.

• Step 540, the vendor selected at step 530 supplies the replacement product selected at step 525.

• Step 549, method of operation terminates at.

Methods of operation may include accumulation of consumption data, such as consumption data 99, by the inventory management system. The consumption data may be accumulated during interactions with or between the trashcan, app, vendor, and the product identifier through the network cloud. The app may accumulate portions of the consumption data, and the consumption data may therefore include various user interactions with the app including, for example, products not replaced, information related to vendors and potential vendors, information related to replacement product selection, timing related to product usage and product replacement. The accumulation of consumption data may include data related to or resulting from the various methods of operation including data related to or resulting from the performance of steps 510, 515, 520, 525, 530, 535, 540 of exemplary method of operation 500.

The foregoing discussion along with the Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. These implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Upon study of this disclosure and the exemplary implementations herein, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.