Personalized Consumer Product Mixing via Networked Server Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face a lack of personalized consumer products that cater to their specific needs, despite a wide variety of choices available, as existing products do not account for individual preferences when being manufactured or purchased.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows users to customize products by inputting their preferences through a global computer network, where a server instructs a mixing device to combine solids and fluids according to their specifications, enabling the creation of tailored products for future purchases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a wide variety of differentiated products are offered to consumers, then consumer choice is improved, but the products still cannot be specifically tailored to individual consumer needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static pre-formulated products to dynamic customizable products. Consumers can dynamically adjust product parameters (flavor, concentration, temperature, etc.) through a user interface, and the system dynamically formulates the product in real-time based on these preferences, enabling true personalization rather than offering fixed variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention allows consumers to change multiple product parameters simultaneously (ingredient ratios, flavor profiles, concentration levels, temperature) to create a uniquely tailored product. This goes beyond offering different product types by enabling continuous adjustment of quantitative parameters within each product category.
2Adaptability or versatility
If consumers are offered multiple product variants, then choice diversity is improved, but individual-specific customization is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional mechanical manufacturing and packaging lines with an automated on-demand formulation system. A formulation system receives consumer preferences, calculates precise ingredient ratios, and controls dispensing mechanisms to mix ingredients with high precision, eliminating the need for pre-manufactured fixed-variant products.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables consumers to serve themselves by directly inputting their preferences and receiving a custom-formulated product immediately. The automated formulation system processes these inputs and produces the personalized product without requiring human intervention in the mixing process, achieving both high customization accuracy and consumer autonomy.
3Productivity
If pre-formulated products are manufactured in advance, then production efficiency is improved, but product personalization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary preparation by pre-storing individual ingredients in ready-to-dispense containers within the vending machine. This allows rapid on-demand formulation without requiring advance manufacturing of complete products, maintaining efficiency while enabling customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the final product into separate storable ingredients that are kept in individual containers. These segmented components are then automatically combined in precise ratios based on consumer preferences, enabling efficient storage of base materials with rapid customization of final formulations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for creating a personalized consumer product are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure enables a user, e.g., a consumer, to customize products containing solids and/or fluids by allowing a server communicating over the global computer network, e.g., the Internet, to provide product preferences of a user to a product or a mixing device, e.g., a product or beverage dispenser. The method for creating a product according to a user's preferences over a network includes the steps identifying a product to a server over the network; identifying a user to the server over the network; retrieving the user's product preferences from a database at the server based on the product's identity and user's identity; transmitting the user's product preferences to the product over the network; and mixing at least one element contained within the product based on the user's product preferences.