Patent Publication Number: US-2007112591-A1

Title: Generating a request from a nutraceutical inventory

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application is related to, claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other than provisional patent applications; claims benefits under 35 USC § 119(e) for provisional patent applications), and incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of the following listed application(s) (the “Related Applications”) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith; the present application also claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Application(s) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith. The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to the effect that the USPTO&#39;s computer programs require that patent applicants reference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is a continuation or continuation in part. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTO Electronic Official Gazette, Mar. 18, 2003 at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/og/2003/week11/patbene.htm. The present applicant entity has provided below a specific reference to the application(s) from which priority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant entity understands that the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language and does not require either a serial number or any characterization such as “continuation” or “continuation-in-part.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, applicant entity understands that the USPTO&#39;s computer programs have certain data entry requirements, and hence applicant entity is designating the present application as a continuation in part of its parent applications, but expressly points out that such designations are not to be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission as to whether or not the present application contains any new matter in addition to the matter of its parent application(s).  
      Related Applications:  
      1. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/283,548, entitled PROVIDING ASSISTANCE RELATED TO HEALTH, naming Edward K. Y. Jung, Joyce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed Nov. 17, 2005, which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.  
      2. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/291,482, entitled TESTING-DEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION OF A NUTRACEUTICAL, naming Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed Nov. 30, 2005, which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.  
      3. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/291,532, entitled GENERATING A NUTRACEUTICAL REQUEST FROM AN INVENTORY, naming Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene an dLowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed Nov. 30, 2005, which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date. 
    
    
     SUMMARY  
      An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the method includes but is not limited to registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen. In addition to the foregoing, other communication method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.  
      In one or more various aspects, related systems include but are not limited to circuitry and/or programming for effecting the herein referenced method aspects; the circuitry and/or programming can be virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices of the system designer.  
      An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the system includes but is not limited to circuitry for registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and a module for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.  
      An embodiment provides another system. In one implementation, the other system includes but is not limited to a computing device and one or more instructions that when executed by the computing device cause the computing device to perform at least one of registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.  
      An embodiment provides a computer program product. In one implementation, the computer program product includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium bearing at least one of (a) one or more instructions for registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and (b) one or more instructions for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen.  
      In addition to the foregoing, various other embodiments are set forth and described in the text (e.g., claims and/or detailed description) and/or drawings of the present description.  
      The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices and/or processes described herein, as defined by the claims, will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  shows an operational flow representing example operations that produce an indication of an amount.  
       FIG. 2  shows an example system in schematic form, a hardware implementation able to perform variants of the flow of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  shows another example system able to perform the flow of  FIG. 1  and many similar variations.  
       FIG. 4  shows another example system able to perform the flow of  FIG. 1  and many similar variations.  
       FIG. 5  shows various optional features of the flow of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 6  shows another example system able to perform many variants of the above-described flows.  
       FIG. 7  shows various optional features of the flow of  FIG. 1  or  5 .  
       FIG. 8  shows various optional features of the flow of  FIG. 1, 5 , or  7 .  
       FIG. 9  shows further optional features of the system of  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 10  shows various optional features of the flow of  FIG. 1, 5 ,  7  or  8 .  
       FIG. 11  shows a system that includes a signal-bearing medium that can comprise or interact with a conduit, a disk, an integrated circuit, or a computing device.  
       FIG. 12  shows other optional features of the above-described flows.  
       FIG. 13  shows still more optional features of the above-described flows.  
       FIG. 14  shows another example system embodiment in schematic form. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 14  shows user system  1400  comprising one or more of registration logic  1440  or quantity determination logic  1490 . Quantity determination logic  1490  optionally comprises one or more of storage logic  1450 , user interface  1462 , module update logic  1470 , network interface  1492 , or compound identification logic  1496 . Registration logic  1440  can include one or more of dispensation confirmation logic  1443 , user query logic  1446 , inventory maintenance logic  1447 , event predictor  1448 , regimen implementation logic  1480 , or scheduler  1483 . Storage logic  1450  can include one or more of subject description  1453 , user data  1454 , regimen description  1455 , and electronic inventory  1456 . User interface  1462  can include one or more of authentication logic  1466  or display  1467 . Nutraceutical bin  1445  can contain one or more nutraceuticals (e.g., nutraceutical-containing compounds) as well as medications and the like. Nutraceutical bin may comprise part of inventory manager  1444 , or may be situated in a stand-alone position accessible to user  1460  or one or more other users.  
       FIG. 1  shows an operational flow  100  representing example operations that produce an indication of an amount of a request quantity, such as by indicating a rate or otherwise expressing a quantity that includes a nutraceutical. Flow  100  and other embodiments as described below systemize regimens that include one or more of these components, facilitating or enabling a user&#39;s implementation of a regimen.  
      After a start operation, operational flow  100  moves to operation  140 , comprising registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory (e.g., registration logic  1440  receiving an indication that user  1460  has removed a certain quantity of nutraceutical from nutraceutrical bin  1445 ). The dispensation can be a completed dispensation, an in-progress dispensation, a tentative dispensation, a scheduled dispensation, or a canceled dispensation of one or more nutraceutical-containing materials, for example. Likewise the dispensation can relate to electronic inventory  1456  or any physical inventory. After operation  140 , flow  100  then moves to operation  150 , comprising responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen (e.g., quantity determination logic  1490  sending a request quantity via network interface  1492 —through network  1420 —to supplier system  1425 , where the request is partly based on a past or present content of nutraceutical bin  1445  and a partly based on a past or present consumption regimen as indicated by regimen description  1455 ). The indication can be a display or other transmission, for example. The consumption regimen can optionally contain one or more regimens or regimen components, such as seasonal, interspersed, contingent, occasional, or other conditional regimen(s). Alternatively or additionally, the consumption regimen can comprise a component of a master regimen that also includes a non-consumption component.  FIGS. 5, 7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  12 , and  13  below include many variations of operational flow  100 . In various embodiments such as these, of course, flow  100  can include additional operations or variations in the sequence of operations.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an example system  200  in schematic form, a hardware implementation able to perform variants of flow  100  as described below. Primary module  210  includes circuitry  230  for receiving at least an indication of the registration (via linkage  232 , e.g.) of a state of a subject (an animal or other organism, e.g.). Primary module  210  further includes logic  240  (such as a processor or programmable logic, e.g.) for indicating the request quantity (via interface  238 , e.g.) partly based on the dispensation or other aspect of the inventory, and partly based on the consumption regimen. Primary module  210  can further include medium  250  accessible by at least logic  240 , as described below. (The dashed outline of medium  250  signifies that some embodiments are specifically contemplated to exclude this feature, and others are contemplated to include it.)  
      Linkage  232  is similarly indicated as optional. Even if system  200  is merely a kit or physical structure with no communication linkage  232 , for example, it can be advantageous for user  260  to access primary module  210  in proximity to inventory manager  280 . Linkage  232  can include one or more of analog data, digital data, or a measurable physical property such as a distance or similar geometry. Alternatively or additionally, linkage  232  can comprise a conduit bearing one or more instructions that can be stored in medium  250 , for example, or can be executed by logic  240  to perform one or more variations of flow  100  such as those shown in  FIG. 5, 7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  12 , or  13 . Alternatively or additionally, information can be conveyed to primary module on a ticket or a similar printed record or memory device that can be deposited into primary module  210 . Alternatively or additionally, circuitry  230  can receive information (such as the regimen, e.g.) remotely and/or from user  260 .  
      Inventory manager  280  includes a medication or other prescribed component (C 1 )  281 , for example, and can include one or more nutraceutical-containing or other components (C 2 )  282 . Inventory manager  280  can be accessible to user  260  via optional interface  262 , which can optionally be used for receiving user input in lieu of interface  238 . Alternatively or additionally, interface  262  can comprise a vending-machine-style dispenser able to dispense one or more of the component(s)  281 ,  282  to user  260 . Even in an embodiment in which dispensations are via a third party, and in lieu of interface  262 , primary module  210  can register the dispensation such as via linkage  232  or interface  238 , and respond accordingly (by operation  150 , e.g.).  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown another example system  300  able to perform operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1  and many similar variations. System  300  includes circuitry  330  and logic  340  as described below, and can further include one or more of link  321 , interface  338 , or medium  350 . Logic  340  can optionally receive input from a user (such as from user  360  via interface  338 , e.g.) locally. Medium  350  can bear one or more instructions that can be executed by logic  340  (optionally a computing device, e.g.) for performing one or more of the flows of  FIG. 5, 7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  12 , or  13 .  
      As shown, link  321  can operably couple system  300  with network  320 . In some embodiments, network  320  can thus have access to online research resource  312  through linkage  322  or to server  313  through linkage  323 . Alternatively or additionally, network  320  can have access to expert  314  through linkage  324  or to supplier  370  through linkage  327 . (“Expert”  314  can actually be an herbalist, a pharmacist, a physician, a psychologist, a parent, an author, a document, a database, a blog, or any other source of opinion or information.) Research resource  312  can be remote from system  300  or from server  313 , expert  314 , or supplier  370 . Expert  314  can optionally be located at a clinic or similar retail or healthcare facility that can advantageously include system  300  as well as one or more of online research resource  312 , server  313 , supplier  370 , or user  360 .  
      System  300  optionally includes circuitry (optionally circuitry  330  with link  321 , e.g.) for communicating with supplier  370  via network  320 , such as by electronic mail, facsimile, or a similar digital format. Alternatively or additionally, circuitry  330  can coordinate with link  321  for communicating with a regimen server (such as server  313 , e.g.) or with a consultant (such as expert  314 ) remotely. Alternatively or additionally, supplier  370  can be configured to communicate with expert  314  via linkage  327  or with (another) user  360  via linkage  361 . Alternatively or additionally, user  360  can access a component C 1    381  (and optionally one or more additional components C 2    382 ) in an inventory manager  380  via interface  362 .  
      In some embodiments, system  300  is a computer or similar device with inventory maintenance capabilities. In performing operation  140  (of  FIG. 1 ) or some variants described below, logic  340  can register a dispensation from an inventory, for example by receiving an indication of the dispensation via user interface  338 . Circuitry  330  can respond as appropriate by indicating a request quantity (at operation  150 , e.g.), such as by transmitting the request quantity via link  321  as an order (to supplier  370 , e.g.) or as a validation request (to a physician or other expert  314 , e.g.).  
      Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown another example system  400  able to perform operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1  and many similar variations such as those of  FIG. 5, 7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  12 , or  13 . System  400  comprises circuitry  440  for registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and module  470  for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen. Circuitry  440  can adjoin, overlap, or otherwise be operable to interact with module  470 .  
      Module  470  optionally comprises circuitry  471  for determining the request quantity partly based on a user preference. Alternatively or additionally, module  470  can comprise one or more of circuitry  472  for implementing the consumption regimen, medium  473  for storing at least the request quantity, circuitry  474  for confirming the nutraceutical-containing dispensation, or medium  475  bearing one or more instructions for generating the request quantity.  
      Also as shown, alternatively or additionally, system  400  can further comprise circuitry  481  for receiving at least a portion of the consumption regimen remotely. Alternatively or additionally, system  400  can further comprise circuitry  482  for identifying a compound comprising the request quantity, circuitry  483  for receiving a user preference, circuitry  484  for authenticating a user input, circuitry  485  for receiving an update of the consumption regimen, or circuitry  486  for receiving an update of the module for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1 . Operation  140 —registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory—may include one or more operations such as operation  543 , which depicts confirming the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., dispensation confirmation logic  1443  confirming that a user  1460  has removed about 6 grams of St. John&#39;s wort from nutraceutical bin  1445  over the course of a week, such as, for example, dispensation confirmation logic  1443  comparing starting and ending volumes of St. John&#39;s wort in nutraceutical bin  1445 ). Operation  543  can likewise be performed by dispensation confirmation logic  1443  receiving a user input affirming the dispensation, for example, or by a module  470  that includes circuitry  474  of  FIG. 4 .  
      In various implementations, user system  1400  of  FIG. 14  or system  400  of  FIG. 4  can alternatively or additionally be configured to perform operation  150 —responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen—by including one or more of operation  551 , operation  552 , operation  556 , operation  557 , operation  558 , or operation  560 . Operation  551  comprises receiving a user preference (e.g., user interface  1462  receiving a preference from user  1460  that user  1460  desires a high-energy formulation of his regimen), such as can be performed by a system  400  that includes circuitry  483  of  FIG. 4 .  
      Operation  552  comprises identifying a compound comprising the request quantity (e.g., compound identification logic  1496  identifying a nutraceutical such as bee pollen or ginkgo biloba). For example, if the electronic inventory  1456  indicates that the nutraceutical bin  1445  contains bee pollen and the user data  1454  indicates a preference for a high energy regimen, compound identification logic  1496  can identify bee pollen as a desirable nutraceutical by updating regimen description  1455 . In other embodiments, operation  552  can be performed a variant of system  400  that includes circuitry  482 .  
      Operation  556  comprises determining the request quantity partly based on a user preference (e.g., quantity determination logic  1490  determining that user  1460  has requested one pound of a protein supplement in response to a user preference for one-month-based purchases). The user data  1454  can also include one or more preferences relating to nutraceutical price, freshness and/or diversity, or the like. In other embodiments, operation  556  can be performed by a module  470  that includes circuitry  471  of  FIG. 4 .  
      Operation  557  comprises receiving the request quantity (e.g., user interface  1462  can receive data indicating a suggested amount of 50 tablets of a vitamin B complex), which can then be displayed to user  1460  or stored for later use, for example. In other embodiments, the request quantity can likewise be received from module  470  after executing the one or more instructions for generating the request quantity borne by medium  475 .  
      Operation  558  comprises storing the request quantity (e.g., user interface  1462  storing a message in user data  1454  containing several suggested reorder amounts until user  1460  logs in again). In other embodiments, operation  558  can be performed with medium  473  of  FIG. 4  or with medium  350  of  FIG. 3 . These or other media of system  400  can likewise store data related to the request quantity, of course, such as other request quantities, medical history data, security information, supplier identification, user preferences, or instructions in light of teachings herein.  
      Operation  560 —performing one or more additional operations—may include one or more of the following operations:  561 ,  562 ,  563 ,  564 , and/or  566 . Operation  561  depicts receiving an update of the consumption regimen remotely (e.g., network interface  1492  receiving an indication that a given expert&#39;s diet regimen now allows up to 280 grams of protein supplement per week). This information can then be used by scheduler  1483  or stored in regimen description  1455  for later display to user  1460 , for example.  
      Operation  562  depicts scheduling the consumption regimen (e.g., scheduler  1483  using a received update in changing the current regimen to allow at most 40 grams of protein per day). In other embodiments, operation  562  can be performed by a module  470  that includes circuitry  472  of  FIG. 4 .  
      Operation  563  depicts receiving an update of a module (e.g., module update logic  1470  receiving version 2.7 of a data file relied upon by compound identification logic  1496 , and using it to replace version 2.8 previously in effect). In other embodiments, operation  563  can be performed by a system  400  that includes circuitry  486  of  FIG. 4 .  
      Operation  564  depicts receiving at least a portion of the consumption regimen (e.g., network interface  1492  receiving a list of all 45 nutraceuticals that can be required by regimen X). User  1460  can use this information in determining whether regimen X will require any unusual purchases, for example. In other embodiments, operation  564  can be performed by circuitry  481  of  FIG. 4  or by logic  240  of  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments.  
      Operation  566  depicts authenticating a user input (e.g., authentication logic  1466  confirming the correctness of a password input by user  1460 ). In other embodiments, operation  566  can be performed by a system  400  that includes circuitry  484  of  FIG. 4 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is shown another example system  600  able to perform many variants of flow  100  described with reference to one or more of  FIG. 5, 7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  12 , or  13 . System  600  can be configured to perform these variants with or without proximity or direct interaction with any user or inventory manager, except those few variants for which context dictates otherwise.  
      System  600  includes circuitry  650  for registering a dispensation from an inventory within a module  630  for responding to the registering by indicating a request, consistent with flow  100  of  FIG. 1 . As shown, module  630  can also include one or more of computing device  634 , logic  636 , or logic  638 . Circuitry  650  can optionally include one or more of logic  654 , logic  656 , or memory  658 . Storage  660  can optionally include one or more of code  667 , data  668  (which can comprise historical data or inventory data, e.g.), or other data  670  such as one or more regimens  672 ,  674 .  
      In some embodiments, logic  654  can comprise logic for prompting the test result (and/or other information that may relate to the subject) by requesting a test that partly depends on a medical history of the subject, for example, by transmitting a prompting signal as output  622  to network  620 . (See  FIGS. 11&amp;12 .) Alternatively or additionally, system  600  can perform a flow  100  including an operation  556 , for example, based on a user preference received via input  621  and archived in storage  660 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1  or  5 . In various implementations, system  600  of  FIG. 6  can optionally be configured to perform flow  100  with one or more of operation  743  or operation  749 .  
      Operation  743  comprises applying one or more inventory maintenance criteria to the inventory and to the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., inventory maintenance logic  1447  determining that a family&#39;s current regimen will exhaust the family&#39;s annis root in nutraceutical bin  1445  in less than a triggering time of two weeks). The criteria can likewise include a default or user-specified upper limit on a monetary value of an inventory, for example, or a maximum acceptable age of a perishable nutraceutical-containing compound. In some variants of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , in response to receiving an input  621  indicating that a user&#39;s inventory manager is nearly full, for example, applying the criteria may accordingly reduce the request quantity to avoid spoilage, substantial investment in an ineffective or unneeded regimen, or other forms of waste. Also, system  600  optionally includes logic  638  comprising logic for querying a user responsive to the registering (at operation  749 ), such as by transmitting one or more requests as output  622  to network  620 . This approach can help tailor the regimen by seeking input about a subject when a user is likely to be available, for example, around the time of the registering.  
      Operation  749  comprises querying a user responsive to the registering (e.g., user query logic  1446  sending a request to user  1460  to know whether a child still has a flu, to facilitate a decision of whether to reorder).  
      Operation  754  comprises retrieving at least a portion of the consumption regimen at least partly based on one or more attributes of a primary subject (e.g., storage logic  1450  selecting a portion of the contents of regimen description  1455  based on learning that the primary subject is a 6′2″ man who is slightly overweight). In some embodiments, operation  754  can include retrieving a regimen (regimen  672  of  FIG. 6 , e.g.) unique to the subject. Absent such an individualized regimen, even a few attributes such as age or symptom can form a basis for an effective regimen.  
      Operation  755  comprises selecting the request quantity partly based on an increment size of an inventory (e.g., quantity determination logic  1490  deciding to suggest a second 1-pound tin of herbal tea even when 4 single-ounce packets would have been a less costly way to reach a total of 20 ounces). In other embodiments, data  668  of  FIG. 6  may identify the increment size, for example, used by computing device  634  for performing the selecting operation  755 .  
      Operation  757  comprises receiving a user input indicating at least one of a nutraceutical or a symptom (e.g., compound identification logic  1496  receiving an indication of a symptom of “having foot cramps” from subject description  1453  or user  1460 ). The user input may be received via a questionnaire (electronic or paper, e.g.), for example.  
      Operation  758  comprises selecting a nutraceutical at least partly based on one or more symptoms (e.g., compound identification logic  1496  selecting calcium and magnesium citrate responsive to an indication of foot cramps).  
      Referring now to  FIG. 8 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1, 5 , or  7 . In various implementations, system  200  of  FIG. 2  or user system  1400  of  FIG. 14  can be configured to perform flow  100  with operation  140  including one or more of operation  841 , operation  843 , operation  847 , operation  848 , or operation  849 .  
      Operation  841  comprises dispensing a nutraceutical (e.g., dispensation confirmation logic  1443  sending an instruction to nutraceutical bin  1445  or to user  1460  via display  1467 ). In other embodiments, inventory manager  280  likewise performs operation  841 , for example, by dispensing a nutraceutical-containing component  282  responsive to an instruction (via linkage  232 ) from primary module  210 . The registering can optionally cause or enable or result from the dispensing operation  841 , or stand in some other relation to the dispensing operation  841 , conditional or otherwise.  
      Operation  843  comprises combining a mineral with an amino acid (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  implementing a nutraceutical combination including an amino acid chelated calcium). In other embodiments, for a subject who takes a steady regimen including more than one component (such as these), compound identification logic  1496  can optionally streamline regimen implementation by preferring multivitamins and other products that encapsulate more than one regimen component in a single article (tablet, e.g.) or otherwise consolidate consumption.  
      Operation  847  comprises registering a received antioxidant-containing component apportioned into one or more capsules (e.g., inventory maintenance logic  1447  receiving an electronic inventory update to show that vitamin C capsules have been added to nutraceutical bin  1445 ). Operation  848  depicts allocating a multivitamin supplement component apportioned into one or more increments of a uniform increment size (e.g., inventory maintenance logic  1447  reserving all 100 identical tablets for the use of one person who draws from nutraceutical bin  1445 ). Operation  849  comprises forming the nutraceutical-containing dispensation as a combination containing one or more of the capsules and one or more of the increments (e.g., inventory maintenance logic  1447  generating a dispensation specifying two capsules and one tablet, which dispensation can then be included in a message displayed to user  1460 ).  
       FIG. 8  also shows various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1, 5 , or  7  comprising additional operation  852 , operation  854 , or operation  856 . In various implementations, system  300  of  FIG. 3  or user system  1400  of  FIG. 4  can be configured to perform flow  100  with operation  150  including one or more of these additional operations.  
      Operation  852  comprises receiving a validation of at least a portion of the consumption regimen (e.g., network interface  1492  receiving a message of approval from the subject&#39;s doctor concerning a detoxifying regimen that includes calcium D-glucarate). In some embodiments relating to  FIG. 3 , the validation of operation  852  can be received from user  360  or expert  314 , for example, optionally in response to an automated request for such a validation. The request can define or justify the portion of the consumption regimen briefly, for example, and specify an action (such as clicking a button or entering a code, e.g.) by which the validation can be generated. The responding operation  150  can optionally be made conditional on receiving the validation before a deadline, for example, or can otherwise affect a condition or manner by which system  300  will complete the responding operation  150 .  
      Operation  854  comprises receiving at least a portion of a health regimen that includes the consumption regimen (e.g., regimen description  1455  receiving a complete diet and exercise regimen). In some variants of  FIG. 3 , for example, the portion can be received by circuitry  330  via network  320 . System  300  can present several such health regimens of interest to user  360  via interface  338 , for example, prompting user  360  to adopt one or more of the health regimens. Logic  340  can then implement one or more user-adopted regimens by storing one or more instructions of each of the adopted regimens in medium  350  (a memory, e.g.). Likewise, as will be shown following, system  300  can perform operation  856  before, during, after, or without the above-described adoption operation. See  FIG. 10 , for example.  
      Operation  856  comprises receiving one or more components of the consumption regimen (e.g., regimen description  1455  receiving a complete diet and exercise regimen). Other components of the consumption regimen can optionally be obtained, for example, by deriving them from regimen description  1455 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 9 , there are shown further optional features of system  400  of  FIG. 4 . As explained above, system  400  comprises circuitry  440  for registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and module  470  for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen.  
      Module  470  optionally comprises display  971  configured for digitally indicating the request quantity. Alternatively or additionally, module  470  can comprise one or more of display  972  configured for graphically indicating the request quantity, module  973  for receiving input from a user locally, or module  974  for predicting a state of the inventory. Alternatively or additionally, module  470  can comprise signal-bearing medium  980  bearing one or more instructions such as those of  FIG. 11  below.  
      Also as shown, alternatively or additionally, system  400  can further comprise circuitry  981  for accessing a network. Alternatively or additionally, system  400  can further comprise circuitry  982  for determining whether any update can be obtained for the consumption regimen, circuitry  983  for obtaining a regimen remotely, circuitry  984  for communicating with a consultant remotely, circuitry  985  for communicating with a supplier, or circuitry  986  for communicating with an inventory manager containing the inventory.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 10 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1, 5 ,  7  or  8 . In various implementations, user system  1400  of  FIG. 14  or system  400  of  FIG. 9  can optionally be configured to perform flow  100  with operation  140  including one or more of operation  1041 , operation  1046 , operation  1047 , operation  1048 , or operation  1049 . Operation  1041  comprises accessing a network (e.g., user query logic  1446  contacting a consultant or other user via the Internet). In other embodiments, operation  1041  is performed by circuitry  981  in the system  400  as shown in  FIGS. 4 &amp; 9 .  
      Operation  1046  comprises receiving input from a user locally (e.g., user query logic  1446  receiving a query response from user  1460  through user interface  1462 ).  
      Operation  1047  comprises predicting a state of the inventory (e.g., event predictor  1448  predicting that a supply of zinc in nutraceutical bin  1445  will run out in 28 days in lieu of restocking or a regimen change). In some embodiments, operation  1047  can be performed by a variant of system  400  comprising module  974 . The prediction may be based on one or more attributes of one or more dispensations such as the registered one(s), for example, or upon the consumption regimen or a current state of the inventory. The predicted state may be detailed, such as a complete description of each component and its ingredients, its age, its location, and the like. The predicted state may alternatively be more basic, such as “adequate” or “in need of component Z.” The predicted state may also be expressed in various forms, such as a duration or a percentage.  
      Operation  1048  comprises postponing an action responsive to determining that the predicted state meets one or more criteria (e.g., scheduler  1483  postponing ordering any single item over $200 without a specific approval from user  1460 ).  
      Operation  1049  comprises communicating with an inventory manager containing the inventory (e.g., dispensation confirmation logic  1443  or inventory maintenance logic  1447  communicating with inventory manager  1444  containing an inventory of supplements and medications in nutraceutical bin  1445 ).  
      Operation  1052  comprises determining whether any alternative, substitute, or other update can be obtained for the consumption regimen (e.g., module update logic  1470  reviewing an accumulation of content periodically within or through network interface  1492  to determine whether the Bone-Up™ regimen has published any updates since last month). The determining can be performed by checking a mailbox, for example, or otherwise by sending a message into a network such as may be received by a server. Making a negative determination can be performed by receiving a negative reply or by waiting a given duration without receiving a reply, for example, or by making some similarly reasonable inference derived from one or more received signals.  
      Operation  1053  comprises receiving an available regimen remotely (e.g., network interface  1492  receiving a mark-up language segment relating to at least one nutraceutical from a clinic in another state). Operation  1054  comprises adopting the available regimen as the consumption regimen (e.g., module update logic  1470  responding to a user selection by changing to a simpler regimen).  
      In some embodiments, system  400  comprises circuitry  983  that can perform operation  1053  by receiving an available regimen in response to a request or subscription, for example, or may select the available regimen as a preferable regimen automatically using information about the subject.  
      Operation  1055  comprises graphically indicating the request quantity (e.g., display  1467  showing a pixel image of two bottles that can obviate a translation or enable a person to understand and approve a purchase without having to read). In some embodiments, display  972  performs operation  1055  by showing a first component that is visually distinguishable from at least a second component, such as by color or shape.  
      Operation  1056  comprises digitally indicating the request quantity (e.g., display  1467  showing a default reorder list to a nutraceutical vendor). Alternatively or additionally, indicating operation  1056  can be performed by transmitting the request quantity digitally via a conduit (of  FIG. 11 , e.g.) or a wireless link (of  FIG. 3 , e.g.).  
      Referring now to  FIG. 11 , a system  1100  includes a signal-bearing medium  1180  that can comprise (or interact with) a conduit  1120 , a disk  1130 , an integrated circuit  1140 , or a computing device  1150 . System  1100  can further include a dispenser  1170 . Medium  1180  can optionally bear one or more instructions  1160  comprising at least one of (a) one or more instructions for registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory and (b) one or more instructions for responding to the registering by indicating a request quantity partly based on the inventory and partly based on a consumption regimen.  
      Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1162  for recording the nutraceutical-containing dispensation with other medical history data of a subject. The other medical history data can include one or more prior recordings of a dispensation, for example. Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1163  for performing the nutraceutical-containing dispensation. Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1164  for prompting the nutraceutical-containing dispensation. Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1165  for detecting the nutraceutical-containing dispensation. Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1166  for determining the request quantity. Alternatively or additionally, medium  1180  can bear one or more instructions  1168  comprising at least one of (a) one or more instructions for receiving an indication of a quantity within each of one or more delivery units and (b) one or more instructions for indicating the request quantity as a number of the one or more delivery units. A given set of one or more instructions can comprise more than one of instructions  1162 - 1168 , of course, optionally executable by computing device  1150 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 12 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1, 5 ,  7 ,  8 , or  10 . In various implementations, system  1100  of  FIG. 11  can optionally be configured to perform flow  100  with operation  140  including one or more of operation  1242 , operation  1243 , operation  1246 , operation  1247 , or  1249 .  
      Operation  1242  comprises performing the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  generating a dispensation identifying a list of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals). In some embodiments, system  1100  performs operation  1242  by transmitting instructions  1163  via medium  1180  to dispensers  170 .  
      Operation  1243  comprises prompting the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  causing inventor manager  1444  to perform a physical dispensation immediately). This can likewise be performed by a computing device  1150 , for example, such as by transmitting a dispensing command or by otherwise causing an actuation of a dispenser.  
      Operation  1246  comprises detecting the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., dispensation confirmation logic  1443  detecting a physical dispensation from inventory manager  1444  or a planned dispensation from regimen implementation logic  1480 ). In another example, operation  1246  can be performed by integrated circuit  1140  before, during, after, or without the physical dispensation. The dispensation to be registered can optionally be conditional, scheduled, or actual.  
      Operation  1247  comprises responding to a result of a test indicating a state of a subject (e.g., user query logic  1446  receiving a “yes” response after asking the user  1460  whether the subject has a fever). In some embodiments of system  1100  of  FIG. 11 , for example, operation  1247  can be performed by executing one or more instructions  1166  for determining the request quantity.  
      Operation  1249  comprises recording the nutraceutical-containing dispensation with other medical history data of a subject (e.g., user query logic  1446  recording the dispensation in subject description  1453 ). In some embodiments, operation  1249  is performed by computing device  1150  performing instruction(s)  1162 .  
      Operation  1251  comprises displaying a performance indicator of the regimen relating to a potential result of following the regimen (e.g., display  1467  can show a comparison between a likelihood of catching a flu with a probiotic-containing yogurt regimen and a similar likelihood without a regimen). The potential result can be tangible, intangible, subjective, objective, or some combination of these. The performance ratio or other indicator can comprise an estimated probability of a measurable improvement, a ratio of “satisfied” regimen subscribers to “dissatisfied” regimen subscribers, a record of subjective experience, an anecdotal log, a rating, a research summary, a certification, an endorsement, or some other indicator.  
      Operation  1253  comprises receiving an indication of a quantity within each of one or more delivery units (e.g., electronic inventory  1456  including an indication of a per-unit “dose”). The quantity can be a nominal increment of mass (such as milligrams of a vitamin, e.g.), a count (of eggs, e.g.), a length, or some other convenient increment. In some embodiments, a code module comprising one or more instructions  1166  performs operation  1253  before or during operation  1254 .  
      Operation  1254  comprises indicating the request quantity as a number of the one or more delivery units (e.g., regimen description  1455  describing a regimen as 2 units of item X, et cetera, with item X defined only in electronic inventory  1456 ).  
      Operation  1255  comprises detecting a condition (e.g., quantity determination logic  1490  detecting a user login or other action via user interface  1462 ). The condition can comprise a substantially periodic event, for example, such as an appointment, a day of the month, a time of day, a mealtime, a work break, or the like. The condition can also comprise a storm or other weather condition, a job change or price change or other economic event, a smoking habit or some other personal condition, or any other condition that may affect the subject&#39;s life.  
      The detecting can be triggered by a signal from a calendar program, an alarm clock, a sensor, a network event, or a real time trigger, for example. In some variants of embodiments described above, system  300  of  FIG. 3  performs operation  150  responsive to one or more criteria that depend on the detected event(s) as well as the request quantity and the regimen. A care provider can use system  300  to adjust or otherwise update a regimen-implementing request automatically, responsive to a scheduled visit by a patient, for example, if system  300  performs operation  1256 .  
      Operation  1256  comprises responding to the condition by determining the request quantity (e.g., quantity determination logic  1490  responding to a user action by refreshing a proposed order by using a current system time).  
      Operation  1258  comprises determining the request quantity partly based on an indication of a visible attribute or a behavior of a subject (e.g., compound identification logic  1496  and quantity determination logic  1490  identifying and ordering a quantity of non-prescription lithium responsive to chronic extreme mood swings). The subject, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a parent, or some other observer may provide an objective indication (conscious, e.g.), for example, or a subjective indication (irritable or fatigued, e.g.) of the attribute or behavior. The request quantity may be zero if the visible attribute or the behavior indicates a negative reaction by the subject to a component of that regimen, for example. The indication may relate to a facial attribute (“bags under the eyes,” e.g.), some other skin condition (“rash,” e.g.), or any other visible attribute of a subject.  
      Operation  1259  comprises indicating the request quantity via a display of a hand-held device (e.g., display  1467  indicating the quantity via a cell phone, a camera, or a hybrid device). In various embodiments, any of the above-described systems can optionally include a display, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the system can comprise a hand-held device such as a cell phone, wrist watch or the like.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 13 , there are shown various optional features of operational flow  100  of  FIG. 1, 5 ,  7 ,  8 ,  10 , or  12 . Operation  140 —registering a nutraceutical-containing dispensation from an inventory—may include one or more of the following operations:  1341 ,  1342 ,  1343 ,  1344 , or  1345 . Operation  1341  depicts listing one or more nutraceuticals and one or more pharmaceuticals in the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  including these items in a displayed or transmitted dispensation). Operation  1342  depicts listing a vitamin and/or a mineral in the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  including these items in a displayed or transmitted dispensation). Operation  1343  depicts listing a protein, an amino acid, an oil, and/or a fat in the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  including these items in a displayed or transmitted dispensation). Operation  1344  depicts listing a traditional remedy in the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., regimen implementation logic  1480  including these items in a displayed or transmitted dispensation). Operation  1345  depicts receiving a user report of the nutraceutical-containing dispensation (e.g., user query logic  1446  requesting and receiving a notification from user  1460  that the dispensation is planned).  
      Operation  1360 —performing one or more additional operations—may include one or more of the following operations:  1361 ,  1362 ,  1363 ,  1364 ,  1366 ,  1368 , or  
      1369. Operation  1361  depicts receiving a request for a subscription (e.g., user interface  1462  receiving a decision that user  1460  is subscribing to the Adkins diet). Operation  1362  depicts obtaining data from one or more remote sources (e.g., registration logic receiving the registration(s) as the obtained data from a nutraceutical bin  1445  that can be remote). Operation  1363  depicts obtaining data via a network (e.g., network interface  1492  receiving data via the Internet).  
      Operation  1364  depicts receiving at least one of a diagnosis or one or more observations (e.g., subject description  1453  receiving an indication that a particular subject has rheumatoid arthritis). Operation  1366  depicts receiving at least one of a prognosis or another prediction (e.g., subject description  1453  receiving an indication that a 2-week convalescence is expected). The diagnosis or prognosis can optionally be based on one or more test results and/or reports by others, observations, predictions, reports, history, or other indications of status. The diagnosis or prognosis may relate to a subject who has adopted the consumption regimen, for example, and may warrant storing the diagnosis in a medical history. The subject may be diagnosed as having an allergy to seafood, for example, which may bear against a fish oil supplement. Substantially the same criterion (“no fish,” e.g.) may effectively become a part of a given subject&#39;s regimen in other circumstances as well. It may arise from a received user instruction or preference (“no fish,” e.g.), a user status (“vegan,” e.g.), or otherwise arise from a received input (via interface  1462 , e.g.). The subject may be diagnosed with osteoporosis, as another example, which may bear toward a calcium-containing (or higher-calcium) regimen.  
      Operation  1368  comprises communicating with a consultant remotely (e.g., network interface  1492  automatically notifying a subject&#39;s dietician at a remote facility). Operation  1369  comprises communicating with a supplier (e.g., network interface  1492  requesting the supplier&#39;s availability and lead times for products of interest). These operations can generate timely information about the availability or advisability of an available regimen, for example, facilitating appropriate adjustments at operation  150 . Many embodiments described herein allow for a more sophisticated and cost-effective approach to building and maintaining an inventory of effective remedies.  
      Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the art has progressed to the point where there is little distinction left between hardware and software implementations of aspects of systems; the use of hardware or software is generally (but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardware and software can become significant) a design choice representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that optical aspects of implementations will typically employ optically-oriented hardware, software, and or firmware.  
      The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication link, etc.).  
      While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” Moreover, “can” and “optionally” and other permissive terms are used herein for describing optional features of various embodiments. These terms likewise describe selectable or configurable features generally, unless the context dictates otherwise.  
      The herein described aspects depict different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically interactable and/or logically interacting components.  
      While certain features of the described implementations have been illustrated as disclosed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the embodiments of the invention.