Abstract:
An interactive and customizable food delivery system with a high degree of personalization. The system provides for the personalization of a product and product label thereby delivering a client-specified food product based upon their recipe input through a computer device interface. Through use of a computer interface, such as a mobile computing device or “smart phone,” personal computer, or even through a unique computerized kiosk located at a fixed location, the user can input recipes or order products from existing recipes. The product is prepared either locally or remotely and is then delivered or shipped to the user with a customized label indicating ingredients and other information.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/305,897, filed Mar. 9, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to a food processing and delivery system and method for use thereof, and more specifically to a self-contained, customizable and personalized food delivery system and method of use thereof. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Most households in America are faced with the continuous challenge of teaching their kids to make good decisions about food choice. This active conversation between parents and children can often lead to arguments and ultimately feelings of discord which can become part of a very negative dialogue for most families. As a result, there is not only valuable time lost for families associated with this tension, but also a true financial cost due to food waste and non-nutritious food intake. Beyond the emotional issues associated with healthy food choices, families are also facing rising expenses associated with food. 
         [0006]    This problem or challenge most certainly exists globally, ultimately presenting an opportunity for an international revenue model, but the early scope of the business concept is to remain focused on the approximately  40  million households which participate in the production and/or consumption of garden-raised, home-canned goods. 
         [0007]    What is needed is a system providing easily customizable and personalized food options which can be entirely produced, labeled, and delivered at a single point. Food items can be produced by qualified households, food manufacturers or other qualified market participants. 
         [0008]    Heretofore there has not been available a system or method for a customizable food and recipe delivery system with the advantages and features of the present invention. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention generally provides an interactive and customizable food delivery system with a high degree of personalization. The system provides for the personalization of a product and product label thereby delivering a client-specified food product based upon their recipe input through a computer device interface. Through use of a computer interface, such as a mobile computing device or “smart phone,” personal computer, or even through a unique computerized kiosk located at a fixed location, the user can input recipes or order products from existing recipes. The product is prepared either locally or remotely and is then delivered or shipped to the user with a customized label indicating ingredients and other information. 
         [0010]    Benefits of the present invention include, but are not limited to: (1) customized recipe generation resulting from an interaction system; (2) personalized, home-preserved goods which can be labeled; (3) facilitation of produce and home-preserved goods exchanged in an exclusive web environment with a variety of qualified market participants—expert households, food manufacturers, community gardens, community kitchens, buying institutions; and (4) educational processes and information for food preservation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic representation showing the relationship between several elements of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is another diagrammatic representation showing the relationship between elements of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is yet another diagrammatic representation showing the relationship between elements of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic representation of an interactive kiosk element of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart diagramming steps taken in practicing an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
       [0017]    As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
         [0018]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. Additional examples include computing devices such as a mobile smart device including a display device for viewing a typical web browser or user interface will be commonly referred to throughout the following description. The type of device, computer, display, or user interface may vary when practicing an embodiment of the present invention. A computing device could be represented by a desktop personal computer, a laptop computer, “smart” mobile phones, PDAs, tablets, or other handheld computing devices. The computing device could be included in a stand-alone kiosk which is electrically communicating with a local or remote system for producing, exchanging or gifting and in some instances selling customized and/or personalized garden and preserved food goods or other final products. 
       II. Preferred Embodiment Product Delivery System  2   
       [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic representation of several elements interacting within a product delivery system  2 , which provides food or other consumer goods through a private network  26  to members within the network. As shown in  FIG. 1 , there is a member user interface  8  which is interacted with by the members of the product delivery system  2 . Members may be made up of community growers and makers  4 , which also may be referred to herein as “qualified households,” and of produce and goods takers or “buyers”  6 . The qualified households  4  make goods, and the buyers  6  request the goods. However, there are a number of other exchanges of goods and services capable of being performed with this system. 
         [0020]    As shown, the member user interface  8  includes recipe creation features  10  and uploads of recipes created by members, safety testing and supply  12  which can be provided by a central entity, third parties, or other members, and processing support and video education  14  which also would be handled by a central entity or third party. These features provide a typical buyer/seller relationship with quality control on the back end. Other features of the present invention include commerce/trade features  16 , such as the examples shown in the box therein. Two members can exchange goods directly using the system, or can create products for mere buyer-members. The member user interface  8  likely is a computer interface, such as a touch screen smart kiosk, mobile computing device (e.g. smartphone, tablet computer) or a personal computer. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  diagrams the relationships between multiple parties through a communications and shipping network  26  which is the core of the product delivery system  2 . Shown here are a qualified household #1  18 , a qualified household #2  20 , a member buyer/user  22 , a supply/process entity  24 , and a charity or gift recipient  48 . Of course, more qualified households and members could be included. The qualified households  18 ,  20  are approved by a central entity, such as the supply/process entity  24 , to make and ship goods, such as food items, using the communication and shipping network  26 . Member buyer/users  22  have limited access to the network  26 . The supply/process entity  24  mostly controls the network and approves and monitors goods and transactions, but may also fulfill orders. The charity or gift recipient  48  is an outside entity which may receive goods based upon a transaction within the network. 
         [0022]    Each of the qualified households  18 ,  20  have both inputs into the network  26  and outputs coming out of the network as shown in  FIG. 2 . Each qualified household may produce goods  28 , which may be traded with other qualified households or member buyers  22 . These goods could include food items or other homemade goods, or may consist of new food items from a recipe submitted by a member buyer/user  22 . The qualified households can also provide support/education productions  30 , such as educational videos for preparing a food or other product (e.g. how to pickle foods). These can also be ordered out by other users. Finally, since the qualified households are also members, they can receive goods  32  through the network  26  either by purchasing or trading with other qualified households. 
         [0023]    The member buyer/user  22 , which would likely be the most common user for the system, can create recipes  34  which can be submitted to the network  26  and be fulfilled either by the supply/process entity  24  or any of the qualified households  18 ,  20 . These recipes may then also be stored in an archive  44  with the supply/process entity for access by other members. The member can also request  36  goods, such as those advertised by the qualified households. Purchased goods  38  are then shipped directly to the member  22 . 
         [0024]    The supply/process entity  24  may also act as a central entity which owns and operates the entire delivery system  2 . This entity receives goods and productions for testing  40  from qualified households and approves them or rejects them, receives orders for goods  42  from members, and receives the members&#39; recipes for archiving  44 . The supply/process entity may also supply goods  46  out to members, or may source this from third parties. 
         [0025]    Members have an option to send a charity a copy of whatever they order through the network  26 , or to send a gift to another person who may or may not be a member. These charity or gift recipients  48  receive the goods purchased by members or sent for free by a qualified household through the communication and shipping network  26 . Goods shipped through the network  26  could be sent directly to the buyer or recipient in the mail or other door-to-door delivery method, or could be sent to a localized kiosk or delivery point for pickup by the recipient or buyer. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows another relationship between the members and the network. Here, each of the parties communicates through a wireless network  64  by using computing devices, which may include personal computers, mobile computing devices (e.g. smart phones), or proprietary smart kiosks. Here, the member computing device  50  includes CPU and Data storage  52 , a software application  54  for accessing the product delivery system  2 , and a local data base with data input  56  for creating customized recipes and orders. The device  50  should also include a graphical user interface (GUI)  58 , a location determination feature  60 , such as a GNSS like GPS, and a camera  62  for taking and uploading photographs of recipes or products. 
         [0027]    Similarly, the qualified household computing device  76  includes CPU and Data storage  78 , a software application  80  for accessing the product delivery system  2 , and a local data base with data input  82  for creating customized recipes and orders. The device  76  should also include a graphical user interface (GUI)  84 , a location determination feature  86 , such as a GNSS like GPS, and a camera  88  for taking and uploading photographs of recipes or products. 
         [0028]    The central computing device  66 , which is a central server most likely associated with the supply/process entity  24 , but could be a separate entity, houses the central point of the product delivery system  2 . There is a CPU and data storage  68 , application software  70  necessary to arrange the features of the system as described above, and a master database  72  which includes records of all purchases, recipes, educational videos, and other data uploaded to the central computing device  66 . Third party sources  74  may also add data to the master database. These third parties may include product sources used by the supply/process entity to fulfill orders. 
         [0029]    In lieu of every member having a mobile computing device or personal computer to access the network, smart kiosks  90 , such as shown in  FIG. 4 , may be placed in geographically selected positions, such as near farmers markets or co-op stores. These kiosks would include a kiosk portion  92  which has a graphical user interface  98 , communication link  100  (e.g. Wi-Fi or wired internet connection), processor  102 , data storage  104 , and optionally a security camera  106  to correctly identify members using the kiosk. The kiosk  90  may also include a secure drop-box portion  94  with an optional security lid  96  which requires passwords or identification to open. Here, users can drop off packages to be picked up by other members or postal service employees for shipment to buyers and other members. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a typical method of practicing the present invention, which starts at  200 . A buyer or member will need to decide at  202  whether they will be ordering a custom recipe or an existing recipe. If a custom recipe is selected at  202 , the user must then input the custom recipe at  206  into the system. Otherwise the user merely selects a recipe from a display at  204  from a list of existing recipes. The system will receive and confirm the selection of recipe at  208 . 
         [0031]    Next, the user must determine if they would like a customized label at  210 . If yes, the user will design and create the label at  212 , either by interacting with the graphical user interface of their selected computing device or smart kiosk, or by inserting or uploading a previously-created label. Otherwise, the user can select a standard label at  214 , which may be selected from a list of preexisting labels. 
         [0032]    The user will need to determine if they would also like to purchase a charity batch at  216 . As described above, this charity batch would be an exact copy of the product they are ordering, but would be delivered for free to a charity or recipient of the user&#39;s choice. If the user decides to create a charity batch at  216 , the user selects the charity and inputs its relevant data at  218 . Otherwise the system receives and confirms the selection at  220 , a confirmation is generated and sent to the user at  222 , such as via email, and the order is transferred to processing at  224 . The processing step here may send the request out to a qualified household or third party, but the result is that the product is made according to the specifications as entered in the kiosk, and then the product is packaged and shipped at  226  and the process ends at  228  with the user receiving their ordered product. 
         [0033]    Additionally, users can create sharable recipe libraries and videos about their personalized and/or custom food-making for other users to watch and learn from. 
         [0034]    The order is transmitted to the processing facility, which may be local to the ordering station (e.g. at the kiosk) or remote from the user. The processing facility could automatically generate the product from the recipe using machinery. Once the product is prepared, it is packaged and labeled and the selected quantities are sent to the user and to all other recipients selected by the user. 
         [0035]    For orders transmitted, the user will build the product recipe from several category lists which includes ingredients or base components of the final product. This again would be done using a computerized interface as described above. After the product is designed by the user using the computerized interface, the steps continue as outlined above. This alternative embodiment provides a more simplified approach to providing a finished food product. Alternatively, for self-produced orders by qualified households, orders are made in accordance with documented recipe procedures as established within the system and as processed by the processing entity. 
         [0036]    It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.