Flower Arrangement Image Verification for Delivery Quality Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flower delivery networks face quality control issues due to filling florists making substitutions or using wilted flowers, leading to disputes between sending and filling florists, which undermines the network's value.

Innovation Solution

A method where a filling florist captures an image of the flower arrangement and sends a report to the sending florist, including the image and order number, using a computer with optional indicia such as RFID tags, bar codes, or optical characters to ensure accuracy and prevent misuse of images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If filling florists prepare flower arrangements according to standardized instructions, then quality consistency is improved, but monitoring and verification become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality consistencyVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses digital photographs as copies of the actual flower arrangements to transmit quality information. The sending florist receives electronic images that replicate the visual appearance of the delivered arrangement, allowing verification without physical inspection. This copying mechanism resolves the contradiction by making remote quality monitoring feasible while maintaining standardized preparation practices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop where the filling florist sends photographs of completed arrangements back to the sending florist. This feedback mechanism allows the sending florist to verify compliance with standardized instructions and provide corrective feedback if deviations are detected, thereby maintaining quality consistency through continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If filling florists use substitutions or wilted flowers to increase profit, then short-term financial gain is improved, but customer trust and network value deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefinancial profitVSAvoidcustomer trust
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by implementing quality verification through photograph comparison before disputes arise. The system proactively detects potential quality violations by comparing delivered arrangements against order specifications, preventing the harmful effect of substitutions and wilted flowers from reaching customers and damaging trust.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual quality inspection with electronic image transmission and automated comparison. Instead of physical examination of flower arrangements, the system uses digital photography and image analysis to detect substitutions and quality issues, making the monitoring process more efficient and reliable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If electronic camera photographs are attached to E-mails for quality reporting, then quality verification capability is improved, but image authenticity and misuse prevention become problematic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality verification capabilityVSAvoidimage authenticity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by embedding unique identifiers and metadata in photographs at the time of capture. The filling florist's computer system automatically includes authentication data in the electronic images before transmission, ensuring image authenticity is established in advance rather than requiring verification afterward.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses an intermediary authentication mechanism embedded in the electronic photograph transmission process. The network management system acts as a mediator that verifies and validates the authenticity of received images, confirming they originate from the authorized filling florist's computer system and have not been tampered with.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8498905B2Quality assurance in a delivery report
Publication Date: 2013.07.30 FTD LLC
  • US8498905B2 patent drawing
  • US8498905B2 patent drawing
  • US8498905B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method includes capturing an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist and sending a report from the filling florist to a sending florist, the report including the image of the arrangement and an order number. A computer is controlled to capture an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist, and to send a report from the filling florist to a sending florist. The report includes the image of the arrangement and an order number. A computer readable medium has program modules to control a computer. The computer is controlled to capture an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist, and to send a report from the filling florist to a sending florist. The report including the image of the arrangement and an order number.