Patent Publication Number: US-2023140331-A1

Title: Rapid product formulation and efficient mass-customization

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applications and patents of related continuity (“Related Applications) are disclosed as part of the Application Data Sheet filed pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.76. All Related Applications are incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the creation of formulated products and, more particularly, to a system for and method of creating individually personalized formulated product. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Individualized consumer products provided on a mass scale are generally rare in the current consumer marketplace. German truck manufacturer Daimler AG uses a 3D printing processes for the creation of some plastic spare parts and components in order to, inter alia, eliminate the need to inventory such components. Plastic components such as covers, spacers, spring caps, air and cable ducts, clamps, mountings and control elements are produced by additive manufacturing and 3D printing upon demand. However, such parts are limited to plastic additive manufacturing technologies, and the parts are not “personalized” but rather equivalent to the original production components, i.e., are produced from an existing limited catalog. 
     Personalized 3D printing technology also exists in some healthcare applications. 3D printing is used to create a portion of skull for trauma victims, and for making teeth and implants for a wide variety of dental procedures. 
     But “formulated” products, to date, have been unable to achieve individually personalized manufacturing. By way of example, for medicaments, a compounded medication may be custom made for an individual by a “compounding pharmacy”. Such a specific type of pharmacy can make medications for people who have certain medication needs or requirements. However, such pharmacies are essentially local or regional, formulating one prescription at a time, and widespread customization of products in these and other health and beauty areas still remain universally unavailable. Some of the reasons for this are explained in greater detail below. 
     However, in spite of the inability of being able to “personalize” products such as skin care or cosmetic products on a large scale, there is an increasing trend toward marketing these product lines as “personalized” products. This leads to faux-personalization, both in marketing and in technology. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 11,328,338, issued in the name of Yuan et al. and assigned to Life Spectacular Inc. D/b/a PROVEN® Skincare, is one such typical faux-personalization method. Commercially embodied and advertised as being “personalized, clinically effective skincare formulated for you based on your skin, life and environment”, the &#39;338 patent teaches a method of providing a skincare regimen recommendation from a curated skincare product portfolio. In other words, while employing an interactive recommendation matrix that could be used to personalize a formulation, such a method instead is used only to identify a recommendation of one product from a limited number of pre-formulated products (i.e., from a curated portfolio). 
     Consequently, a need exists to utilize an interactive or matrix style of identifying a personalized requirement for a formulated product in order to facilitate the actual personalized, individualized formulation of such products. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus objects of the present invention to provide a system and method that allow for personalized and individualized product formulation. 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide a method for identifying customized skincare product requirements that is then actually used to direct the formulation and manufacturing of a personalized, individualized product that is generated from the specific identified user recommendations. 
     Embodiments of the methods described in the present disclosure are directed to a method for providing a custom individual skincare product to a user. Also described are methods directed to recommending and providing a skincare product formulation for personalized manufacturing of a product that addresses the identified specific needs and issues of the user. The skincare product formulation may be derived from and generated using a user skin profile matrix derived from a quiz, algorithm or diagnostic application that maps the user&#39;s skin profile with individual formulation ingredients or from a selection of individual formulation ingredients. By identifying specific formulation ingredients and quantities thereof, a personalized skincare product may be customized to the individual and specific needs and circumstances of the user. 
     In some examples, the present disclosure describes a method of providing a personalized skincare formulation based at least in part on a user skin profile. The method may include creating a user skin profile matrix using a set of skin matrix factors, deriving a skin profile identifier from the user skin profile matrix, using the skin profile identifier to create a selected set of skincare product ingredients, and providing the personalized formulation of the skincare product to a user. The method may also include adapting the skin profile identifier according to an anticipated change to the user skin profile to create an updated product formulation for the user and receiving user data for use in generating and adapting the user skin profile. In some examples, deriving the skin profile identifier from the user skin profile matrix may include mapping the user skin profile to the user skin profile matrix and may also include concatenating individual representative markers of each of the skin matrix factors mapped to the user skin profile. In other some examples, the method may include generating and/or adapting the user skin profile based on other non-skin factors, such as seasonal variations, environmental conditions, availability of ingredients or an anticipated change to the user skin or non-skin factors. 
     In some examples, the method may include any or all of generating the initial skin profile identifier by correlating the initial user skin profile to a user skin profile matrix, creating the user skin profile matrix by selecting a set of skin matrix factors that include at least one of a set of skin factors or a set of non-skin factors, and formulating the individually formulated skincare products for the user by selecting at least one base ingredient from a set of base ingredients or by selecting at least one additive from a set of additives, based at least in part on the initial skin profile identifier. In some examples, the present disclosure describes a method directed to creating a personalized skin product for a user, which may include an individualized formulation directed by selecting a set of skin matrix factors 
     In some examples, the method may provide for creation of a consumer-initiated personalized or individualized health or beauty product whereby a customer, from a customer data set database, may create a formulation based on diagnostic initiated from a formula creation algorithm using collected customer specific information through user provided data input and operatively directing a recommended unique formulation adaptable for the preparation of a made-to-order consumer-initiated individualized cosmetics, beauty care, nutrition, health or pharmaceutical products. In some examples, a production template with a final formulation recipe may be operatively directed as a recipe for operational control of an automated manufacturing cell in which each relevant specific selected formulation ingredients are combined and filled into the selected product packaging to create a finished product. 
     It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a system that is capable of providing a true personalized formulation customized for a user&#39;s identified needs. 
     It is another advantage of the present invention to allow for personalized product formulation that can depend upon individual needs, preferences, ingredients, fragrances, concentration, or otherwise individualized to a selecting consumer. 
     It is still another advantage of the present invention to enable a consumer to direct an individualized product formula to create a customized beauty product for their individual needs using an advanced algorithm for true customization. 
     Further objects, features, elements and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a flow diagram for a method of creating individually personalized formulated product according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a flow diagram of the method of  FIG.  1    for an exemplary use case; 
         FIG.  3    is a flow diagram of a method for producing the individually personalized formulated product according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates an example of a skincare recommendation data flow process; 
         FIG.  5    and, continued on  FIG.  6    are process flow diagrams of the process according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention capable of formulating millions of different formula variations rapidly depending on individualized customer input. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment is described and depicted herein in conjunction the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the several views. Referring now to  FIG.  1   , a method of creating individually personalized formulated product, generally noted as  10 , is shown in which an interactive recommendation matrix  20  is implemented for a particular product selection  30 . The interactive recommendation matrix  20  may be enabled using an online, direct to consumer portal, or may be enabled using a kiosk or other retail positioned user interface. Product selection  30  may be in any manner that allows a consumer to initiate and confirm a buying decision in which a selection is made to procure a customized or individualized product. 
     A product selection may be from a range of possible product types and/or package sizes. For purposes of the present invention a product will be referred to as a cosmetic or a beauty care product; however, such a description is meant to be exemplary only and not limiting, and as such the terms “cosmetic” or “beauty care product” should be broadly construed to encompass any topical agent for hair, skin or nails, as well as medicaments, vitamins, supplements, nutritional products, sports or energy drinks or any similar or equivalent consumer product more broadly and the present invention may be equivalently transferrable to any formulated product that can be customizable based upon user initiated use criteria. 
     The interactive recommendation matrix  20  may provide an iterative interface in any manner that solicits intended user and/or desire product character as an input to a selection algorithm  40 . The interactive recommendation matrix  20  may further provide an iterative function  50 , cycling a user through input selections that may change depending upon subsequent inputs. Additionally, the interactive recommendation matrix  20  may be adaptive  60 , in which prior input selections may be modified based on change factors, such as season, availability of ingredients, prior experience (i.e., feedback from prior purchase), consumer preferences (i.e., non-gmo, organic, vegan, cruelty free, etc.) or the like. 
     The selection algorithm  40 , whether modified by iterative  50  or adaptive  60  choices, accesses an ingredient database  70  and maps possible ingredient selections to the results of the interactive user input  80 . Upon completion of the selection recommendation matrix  20  the selection algorithm  40  maps individual ingredients to the generated user profile and provides an output  90  of a formulation, recipe, quantitative list of individual ingredients or other functional equivalent that is used to generate an individualized production formula  95 . 
     Referring now in conjunction with  FIG.  2   , this method is better described for an exemplary use case, namely, for selection and formulation of a cosmetic type product generally notes as  200 . Herein the interactive recommendation matrix  20  is adapted specifically for cosmetics and may result in a skin profile  205  used to generate a series of skin profile identifiers  210 . By way of example, and not meant as a limitation, the product types may include any type of cosmetic or health and beauty product such as facial cream, hand cream, foundation, lip balm, shampoo, body milk, etc. The skin profile may be in the form of a matrix that corresponds skin profile identifier to select products ingredients from an ingredient database  215 . The user skin profile matrix may be one way of documenting a user&#39;s skin profile. The user skin profile matrix may be a multidimensional matrix, in that different data points of the user&#39;s skin profile may indicate an intersection or correlation of two, three, or more skincare factors. For example, a user&#39;s skin profile may include the correlated or intersecting skincare factors of being 19 years old, having oily skin, and living in a high humidity climate. Although each of these factors may be accounted for individually in multiple skincare products, when the intersecting skincare factors are simultaneously accounted for, a more effective skincare recommendation and product or product line may be provided to the user. Further, the user skin profile matrix and correspondingly, the skin profile identifier may be concatenated  220  to particular features and used to identify which ingredients which may best address the intersecting skincare factors of the user. Once complete, a recipe map  230  can be generated. While the initial recipe map  230  may be used, according to one aspect of the invention the map  230  may be adapted based a number of change factors  250 . These change factors  250  are intended to allow a user to modify the map  230  with additional or different ingredients  215  to generate a final recipe  260  that is associated with the control of production  270 . Further, the user&#39;s order, contact information and preferences may be accumulated in a customer database  290  so as to allow a user to repeat a prior order or modify a prior order as based upon product experience. 
     As indicated the modification of the initial map can and should be broadly construed. Anything that may affect the performance of the cosmetic (e.g., seasonal changes, altitude, water alkalinity, etc.) which may affect the user&#39;s skin, or the performance of the product may be utilized. 
     Whether creating a more generally individually personalized formulated product of  FIG.  1    or using the exemplary use case of a cosmetic of  FIG.  2   , as shown in conjunction with  FIG.  3    a method for producing the individually personalized formulated product, generally noted as  300 , is shown. The individualized recipe  90 / 260  is adapted through a production control algorithm or template  95 / 290  to control an automated manufacturing cell  310 . There the individually identified and selected ingredients  320  may be sequentially metered  330  into an in-situ product container  340  where it may be mixed  350 , sealed  360 , packages  370  and labeled  380 . 
     It may be appreciated that the user interface  80  may be any can be any suitable personal or commercial electronic device and may include, without limitation or express requirement, a processor, volatile or non-volatile memory, and a display. Example electronic devices include, but are not limited to: laptop computers; desktop computers; wearable devices; cellular phones; tablet computing devices; and so on. Or, it may not be required of all embodiments but is merely intended to transact data or information with, and/or provide input(s) to, the host server configured to enable the interactive recommendations and generate a unique formulation based thereon. In reference to  FIG.  4   , an example of a data flow process  400  is shown, which may include a skincare system  405 . In some examples, the skincare system  405  may be configured to receive, process, output, and transmit various types of data which may be skincare related or non-skincare related. In the example of  FIG.  4   , the skincare system  405  may facilitate receiving user data by a processing block of the skincare system  405 . The processing block  415  of the skincare system  405  may receive the user data and may prepare a curated product recipe  430 . Generally and as illustrated in  FIG.  4   , the skincare recommendation data flow process  400  may include an input device  410 . The input device  80  may be configured to provide the user with a dynamic questionnaire, for example, via an application or a website. The user skincare data entered at the input device  80  may be provided to the system  10 . The skincare system  405  may be provide, via the processing block  415 , a user skin profile which may be documented by employing a user skin profile  205 . The skin profile  205 , via the processing block  415 , may then be translated into a user skin profile identifier  210 , which may be representative of different user skin profile factors. The processing block  415  may include a user characteristic profile  205  which may be used in conjunction with the user skincare data to generate a user skin identifier  210 . The user skin profile identifier  210  may then be used, via the processing block  415 , to select a curated product recipe  430  for the user. 
     Referring now the product customization process, generally noted as  500 , is preferably enabled using an online, direct to consumer portal  512  where the consumer confirms a buying decision  514  in which a selection is made to procure a product  516  or merely provide contact information  518  for addition to a customer database  519  for access during later communication. When a procurement decision  516  is made, the customer confirms the decision to prepare and purchase an individualized cosmetic, beauty care, nutrition, health and pharmaceutical (for purposes of the present invention, referred herein generally as “cosmetic”) product by identifying a product selection  520  whereby a range of possible product types may be presented  522 . By way of example, and not meant as a limitation, the product types may include any type of health and beauty product such as cosmetics, foundation, facial cream, hand cream, lip balm, shampoo, body milk, etc. For purposes of the present invention, “health and beauty” products are to be broadly construed as health product or beauty product, interchangeably, or their equivalent. By way of example, and not meant as a limitation, any topical agent for hair, skin or nails, as well as medicaments, vitamins, supplements, nutritional products, sports or energy drinks or any similar or equivalent consumer product. 
     Once the product type  522  is selected, while it is intended that one or more standard product packaging selections may be provided, in a preferred embodiment a user may further be provided with the option of selecting a product packaging  524 . Product packaging selection may comprise any number of different options of packaging size and/or configuration. 
     Optionally, an expedited method of selection, generally noted as  526 , may be provided directing a customer directly to primary product selection, bypassing product selection  520  that would otherwise require product type  522  and product packaging selections  524  and thereby allowing the customer to access directly a diagnostic process  528  as described in greater detail below. The ability to have such an expedited, bypass entry into the diagnostic process  528  may allow for a manufacture to advertise a specific product selection and direct a customer directly to the personalization process. By way of example for purpose of clarity, and not meant as a limitation, the system  500  is shown herein with two separate ways of entering the diagnostics: either via choosing a product and size first; or, by directly clicking on a priority product. Such a bypass selection may thereby be utilized in online or social media advertising such that when a consumer clicks on advertisement for a product, they are directed straight into diagnostic quiz for such an advertised product. 
     Once a product selection has been made, a formulation diagnostic tool  528  may be initiated in which a diagnostic process initiates a formula creation algorithm. The diagnostic process  528  may include a front-end diagnostic tool  530  and a formula creation algorithm  540 . 
     The front-end diagnostic tool  530  may comprise a customer interface for collection of customer specific information  532  through user provided data input. Such information  532  may include demographic related information (e.g., name, age, gender, etc.) as well as other customer selected criteria such as goals, concerns, routines, existing treatments, lifestyle elements, sensitivities or the like. A user identifiable sobriquet  534  may further be prompted for and accepted, such as a username or email address or similar customer identifier that to the customer database  519  allowing a customer to easily reorder for subsequent purchases and/or provide a bypass interface starting point  526  for direct use or for alteration during subsequent visits. 
     The front-end diagnostic tool  530  may provide operative communication with the formula creation algorithm  540 . The inputting and receipt of user preferences  532  may be accessed iteratively and a formulation database  542 . The front-end diagnostic tool  530  may function by a quiz format (i.e., question or prompt to the user for an answer) in order to facilitate a personalized formulation. Personalized formulation for a health and beauty product may comprise prompts for a number of different parameters, both user oriented and ingredient oriented. By way of example, and not meant as a limitation, in the formulation of shampoo or body lotion the parameters for formulation may include hair type, texture, hair density, scalp moisture, treatment (color/bleach, etc.), hair goals (color, volume, rescue, heat protection, etc.). Similarly, in response to the various inputs to customer specific information  32  the formulation database  542  may select ingredients and ingredient amounts for a variety of appropriate ingredient selections  544 . 
     The net result of the front-end diagnostic tool  530  initiating the formula creation algorithm  540  is the creation of a recommended unique formulation  550  adaptable for the preparation of made-to-order beauty care, nutrition and health products. It is further intended that once an initial formulation recommendation  550  is presented, the customer may be provided with an option to adjust or modify  552  the recommended formulation  550  in order to resolve a final formulation  554 . During the formulation adjustment  552  it is preferred that particular ingredients  544  that are selected may be replaced with alternative proposed ingredients. It is further preferred that there be system limitations place on the replacement of ingredients  556  such that the purpose of the formulation ingredient is not significantly changes (e.g., oily, dry, combination, acne prone, sun sensitive, sensitive, allergy tested, poor texture, large pores, etc.). Further still, the inclusion of additional non-active ingredients  558 , such as fragrances, dyes or the like may be further facilitated. 
     Once a final formulation  554  is obtained, a user may be prompted to add additional products to an order  560 . Such a prompt  560  may redirect the user back to purchase additional individualized cosmetic product from the selection interface  520 . 
     Upon completion of the total number of final formulation selection  554 , each final formulation  554  may be operatively directed as a template for production data  570  and communicated with a production system in which a final formulation  554  is directed as a recipe for operational control of an automated manufacturing cell in which each relevant specific selected formulation ingredients are combined and filled into the selected product packaging to create a finished product that may be conveyed to packaging and distribution. As part of the product data template  570  the customer&#39;s contact information and International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) information may be included to allows for rapid product formulation and efficient mass-customization. 
     Finally, once finalization of a customer&#39;s order is completed a purchase process  580  may be initiated to complete purchasing information and instruction from the customer. 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     In operation, the product customization process  500  provides a capability of individually formulating millions of different formula variations rapidly depending on individual needs, preferences, ingredients, fragrances, concentration, etc. Each user&#39;s individualized selection is customized directly to the consumer&#39;s specific conditions, and every distinct individual may be provided a selection of products customizable and designed each specifically customized. Consumers are thereby enabled to mix their own product formula to create a customized beauty product for their individual needs using an advanced algorithm for true customization. The diagnostics tool and interface assists and guides the consumer to create a formula that addresses their own unique beauty and health needs and preferences, thereby providing the choice of a selection that makes the consumer the producer. 
     The Title, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings and Abstract of the disclosure are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the Detailed Description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples and the various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter. 
     The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 101, 102, or 103, nor should they be interpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed. They are not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed and, obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and its various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that a scope of the invention be defined broadly by the Drawings and Specification appended hereto and to their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is in no way to be limited only by any adverse inference under the rulings of  Warner - Jenkinson Company , v.  Hilton Davis Chemical,  520 US 17 (1997) or  Festo Corp . v.  Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co.,  535 U.S. 722 (2002), or other similar caselaw or subsequent precedent should not be made if any future claims are added or amended subsequent to this patent application.