AU2019100424A4

AU2019100424A4 - Ledgered Supply Chain Geolocation

Info

Publication number: AU2019100424A4
Application number: AU2019100424A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Inderias; Benjamin Lyons
Original assignee: Fresh Supply Co Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Fresh Supply Co Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-29
Filing date: 2019-04-23
Publication date: 2019-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-29
Also published as: AU2019202754A1; AU2019100424B4

Abstract

- 17 Abstract A system and method for locating or improving the known resolution of the location, using a ledged supply chain, possibly stored as a blockchain, by storing one of more locations of a product in the ledger wherein a user interacts with the 5 product to access information stored in the blockchain. 11225061_1 (GHMatters) P110706.AU 23/04/19 (N CN 0 (0 (04 (N , Lo..,I ,IIN C>0 I 0 <

Description

Technical Field

Embodiments relate to the use of ledgered supply chains and, in particular, the use of such supply chains for geolocation.

Background

US6266649B1 A recommendations service recommends items to individual users based on a set of items that are known to be of interest to the user, such as a set of items previously purchased by the user. In the disclosed embodiments, the service is used to recommend products to users of a merchant's Web site. The service generates the recommendations using a previously-generated table which maps items to lists of similar items. The similarities reflected by the table are based on the collective interests of the community of users. For example, in one embodiment, the similarities are based on correlations between the purchases of items by users (e.g., items A and B are similar because a relatively large portion of the users that purchased item A also bought item B).

This invention, instead of focusing on product similarity mapping, utilises more sophisticated market-specific user subgroup purchasing behaviour and preferences to determine the most useful/relevant viewing experience for the user when querying ledger information.

Summary of the Disclosure

An embodiment provides a method of locating a user comprising: providing a product at a product location, the product being provided with a user interaction target;

maintaining a ledger, the ledger including a plurality of linked records, wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product;

wherein each of the records of the first set of records include a source location identifier and a destination location identifier;

the first set of records including a history of locations of the product;

the method further comprising the user interacting with the interaction

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-22019100424 23 Apr 2019 target;

accessing the ledger and determining the product location with reference to the first set of records;

determining the location of the user with reference to the location of the product.

The interaction target may require line of sight interaction.

The interaction target may be a barcode or a QR code. Alternatively, or additionally, the interaction target may be manually entered information.

The interaction target may be provided on the product packaging, directly applied onto the product itself, and/or may be a label affixed directly to the product.

The user may use a mobile computing device to interact with the interaction target.

The mobile computing device may comprise a source of location information and determining the location of the user may further comprise using the location information provided by the mobile computing device.

The method may further comprise presenting additional information to the user after the user interacts with the interaction target.

The additional information comprises an offer on a product.

The location of the user may corresponds to a commercial premises and the additional information may comprise an offer on a product offered by the commercial premises.

The additional information may comprise an offer on the product provided with the user interaction target.

The additional information may comprise one or more of:

a. a discount on a product at a point of sale;

b. placing item in an online shopping cart

c. allocating an offer for a product via an online shopping channel for redemption on a future purchase; and

d. allocating an offer for a product via an online shopping channel for redemption on a purchase in a physical setting.

The method may comprise placing an item in an online shopping cart after the user interacts with the interaction target.

The ledger may comprise a blockchain. The blockchain may be digitally distributed. The blockchain may be permissioned.

A further embodiment relates to a system for locating a user comprising:

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-32019100424 23 Apr 2019 a user computing device;

a product stored at a product location, the product being provided with a user interaction target;

a location resolver comprising a processor, the location resolver being connected to a ledger comprising a plurality of linked records; wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product; and wherein each of the records of the first set of records include a source location identifier and a destination location identifier;

the first set of records including a history of locations of the product;

wherein the user computing device is connectable to the location resolver and being adapted so that on interaction with the user interaction target, a query is sent to the location resolver wherein the location resolver is adapted to: access the ledger and determine the product location with reference to the first set of records; and determine the location of the user with reference to the location of the product.

The interaction target may require line of sight interaction.

The location resolver may further be adapted to present additional information to the user after the user interacts with the interaction target.

The additional information may comprise an offer on a product.

The location of the user may correspond to a commercial premises and the additional information may comprise an offer on a product offered by the commercial premises.

The additional information may comprise an offer on the product provided with 35 the user interaction target.

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-4 The additional information may comprise one or more of:

a. a discount on a product at a point of sale;

b. placing item in an online shopping cart

A further embodiment relates to a system for providing targeted information to a user, the system comprising:

a user computing device;

an information resolver comprising a processor, the information resolver being connected to a ledger comprising a plurality of linked records; wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product;

and wherein each of the records of the first set of records include information relating to the user or the product;

wherein the user computing device is connectable to the location resolver and being adapted so that, on interaction with the user interaction 25 target, a query is sent to the location resolver wherein the location resolver is adapted to:

access the ledger and determine product information with reference to the first set of records; and combine the product information with user information to present the 30 user with additional information.

A further embodiment relates to a method of providing targeted information to a user, the method comprising:

providing a product at a product location, the product being provided with a user interaction target;

maintaining a ledger, the ledger including a plurality of linked records,

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-52019100424 23 Apr 2019 wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product; wherein each of the records of the first set of records include information relating to the user or the product;

the method further comprising:

determining product information with reference to the first set of records; and combining the product information with user information to present the user with additional information.

Each of the records of the first set of records may include a source location identifier and a destination location identifier, the first set of records including a history of locations of the product.

Each of the records may include one or more of the following: environmental data or time. The environmental data and/or time may pertain to the storage and or production of the product e.g. temperature, humidity, storage duration, etc.

The information resolver may be additionally adapted to access the ledger and determine the product location with reference to the first set of records and determine the location of the user with reference to the location of the product.

The additional information may comprise an offer on a product.

The location of the user may correspond to a commercial premises and the additional information comprises an offer on a product offered by the commercial premises.

The additional information may comprise one or more of:

a. a discount on a product at a point of sale;

b. placing item in an online shopping cart

The user information may comprise one or more of:

user location, information relating to the user computing device, mobile service provider information, information relating to a cellular tower, language, 35 operating system, purchasing history, cookies, advertising identifier, browsing

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-62019100424 23 Apr 2019 data, mobile telephone service provider, demographic, biometric data, or purchase history.

A plurality of user information data may be combined where each user information data is equally weighted or variably weighted in the combination.

The method may further comprise altering a default value in dependence on the product information.

Only a single identifier is needed, and with the invention/process allowing for multiple user-specific outcomes from a single source. Certain embodiments may provide an advantage in using a single identifier as different labels for different markets are not required.

The ledger may store information relating to one or more of:

a product batch; a transaction; information relating to the origin of the product; quantitative or qualitative information about the product; environmental information of each location in the supply chain such as temperature and time, humidity, VOC (volatile organic gases) presence and amount. Any information stored in the ledger may be fed into the ledger live, or retroactively with time signatures.

The ledger may further store information relating to financial information such as one or more of export taxes, tariffs, shipping fees, information about product sale, identity and/or location of owners or handlers of the product.

The ledger may further store information relating to regulatory information such as one or more of health certificates, shipping documents, quarantine, phytosanitary protocols, other regulatory information.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments are herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for locating a user according to an embodiment;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a supply chain for a product for use with an embodiment;

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a ledger for use with embodiments;

Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment; and

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- 7 Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a portion of a method according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiment

Figure 1 illustrates a system 10 according to an embodiment. The system 10 comprises a user computing device 12. The user computing device 12 is provided with a camera 14 and an antenna 16.

By means of the antenna 16, the user computing device 12 is connected to a computing cloud 18, which includes processing and networking resources. Such 3 clouds of resources are known and will not be further described herein. It is to be realised that the user computing device 12 may be a mobile phone, a tablet, a personal computer or any other device capable of undertaking the functions described. The methods in which this competing device will connect to other competing devices are known and the example of a computing cloud 18 is not limited in this respect.

The computing cloud 18 is connected to a location resolver 20. The location resolver 20 comprises a processor 22 connected to storage 24. Although a physical connection is illustrated between the processor 22 and the storage 24, it is to be realised that the storage 24 may be located remote from the processor 22 and, in 3 fact, all computing elements may be provided as part of the computing cloud 18 and separated virtually, in a known manner.

The location resolver 20 is connected to digital storage 30 in which a ledger 26 is stored and to a user attribute database 32 by means of the computing cloud 18.

Certain embodiments are concerned with providing the user with targeted information. In such embodiments, the location resolver 20 may be used as an information resolver. In this embodiment, the location resolver is a general purpose computing device and therefore the manner in which this computing device may be repurposed is known.

In the embodiment illustrated, a product 50 is provided at the same physical location as the user. In this embodiment the physical location is denoted by dashed box 60. Since the user wields the user computing device 12, both the product 50 and the user competing device 12 are provided at the same location, here designated

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60. In embodiments, the product is a physical product capable of being transported from one location to another, and forming the subject of a commercial transaction.

In this embodiment, the product 50 is provided with a QR code 52 fixed to an outer surface of the packaging of the product. The QR code 52 therefore forms a 5 user interaction target in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the user interaction target is the QR code 52. However, it is to be realised that in further embodiments, the user interaction target may take other forms. In certain embodiments, the user interaction target may be incorporated into the product, affixed thereto as a label or provided separately to the product, but 3 in the same geographical vicinity. For embodiments it is important that the target be provided near to the product to facilitate the location resolution of the user.

The more, different types of user interaction targets may also be used in further embodiments. For example, a barcode may be used. Barcodes and QR codes have the advantage that a distinct and separate application does not need to 5 be provided on the user computing device since most mobile user computing devices are able to process QR codes and barcodes.

In further embodiments, the user interaction target is a link printed on a label affixed to the product and the user interacts with this user interaction target by manually copying the link into their user computing device.

The user computing device 12 illustrated in Figure 1 is provided with a camera 14. In this embodiment, the user interacts with the QR code 52 using the camera 14 in a known manner. This causes a web browser to launch in the user computing device 12 with a URL coded by the QR code.

In this embodiment, the link provided by the URL is a link to the location resolver 20 and includes information specific to the product to which the QR code has been fixed. This information is processed by the location resolver 20 as described below.

The location resolver 20 and data store 30 are, in this embodiment, under the control of the same entity, as designated by dashed box 62. The advantage here is 30 that the controlling entity is able to populate the ledger 26 as required, and have the location resolver 20 access the ledger 26 as required. Furthermore, under these circumstances, it is not necessary for the information provided in the ledger to be readable by any external party.

As indicated above, it is the location of the product which may be used by embodiments to help resolve the location of the user. In order to do so, certain

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-92019100424 23 Apr 2019 embodiments require a record of the location of the product with which the user interacts. This information is contained in the ledger 26.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a supply chain for the product 50. For the sake of illustration, the product 50 is taken as a punnet of strawberries. The strawberries are produced on farms 70A, 70B and 70C. Once harvested, the strawberries are taken to a distribution centre 72 and then to a packing centre 74. Although only a single distribution centre and packing centre is illustrated, it is to be realise d that many such centres in different locations may be involved in the supply chain for the strawberries. At the packing centre 74, the strawberries are packed into punnets which are then distributed to stores 76A, 76B and 76C. In alternative embodiments significantly more steps may be involved in the supply chain, but it is to be realised that the principles are equally applicable to fewer or greater number of steps in the distribution of the product.

In this embodiment, when the strawberries are packaged into punnets at the packing centre 74, a QR code is applied in the form of a label to each punnet.

Figure 3 illustrates the ledger 26 in the form of a blockchain comprising blocks 102, 104, 106 and 108. The blockchain 26 is a digitally distributed and permissioned blockchain. Blockchains are known in the art and the details of the implementation will not be further referred to herein. In this implementation the blocks store information relating to movement of the strawberries. In general, a block will contain an identifier relating to a source and a further identifier relating to a destination, the exception of the first and last blocks in the blockchain which will contain information relating to only the source, and the destination, respectively. The origin block, block 102 will contain source information only.

So, for example, when the strawberries moved from the farm 70A to distribution centre 72, the corresponding block will contain an identifier for the farm 70A and another for the distribution centre 72.

With reference to Figure 2, when the strawberries are packed into punnets at the packing centre 74 and the QR codes are applied to the punnets, a blockchain 30 corresponding in structure to that illustrated in Figure 3 will be created for each punnet. The blockchain 26 illustrated in Figure 3 corresponds to a punnet located in store 76A. When the strawberries are packed into the punnet 76A, the blockchain 26 is created. Since this will occur at the packing centre 72, after the strawberries have been removed from the farm, when the blockchain 26 is created, it is created with blocks 102 and 104 populated. As the punnet of strawberries is then moved

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-10 2019100424 23 Apr 2019 from the packing centre 72 to the distribution centre and then on to store 76A, further blocks in the blockchain are populated with the relevant information for the source and the destination for each movement.

The location of the user may then be determined in the manner described below with reference to Figures 1 and 4. A user holding the user computing device 12 interacts with the interaction target, QR code 52, by taking a picture thereof with the camera 14. This is represented by step 120 of the process diagram of Figure 4. As discussed, this causes the user computing device 12 to contact the location resolver 20. At the following step 122, the user computing device 12 sends a query to the location resolver 20. Included in the query is an identifier identifying the QR code 52 corresponding to the particular punnet of strawberries 50. Additional information may be provided as discussed below.

At the following step, step 124, the location resolver 20 identifies which ledger stores the information relating to QR code 52 (in this case ledger 26) and retrieves the relevant information from the ledger 26.

In this embodiment, the important information stored in ledger 26 is the identity of the store 76A where the punnet of strawberries 50, and therefore the user, is located.

It is to be realised however that additional information relating to the ledger 26 3 will also be retrieved by the location resolver. In particular, it is envisaged that the motivation behind the user’s interaction with the QR code 52 is a desire to ascertain the provenance of the product, in this case the punnet of strawberries 50. Therefore, the location resolver will additionally determine the name and location of the farm 70A where the particular strawberries were grown. The information relating to the 25 farm is returned to the user.

Returning to the determination of the identity of the stores 76A, once this identity is known, the location resolver is able to determine the location of the user. Since the QR code 52 requires line of sight interaction, it may be assumed that the user is located relatively close to the punnet of strawberries 50. At the very least, it 30 may be safely assumed that the user is located within the store 76A. However, the ledger 26 may additionally sore information relating to the location of the punnet 50 within the store 76A in which case the location of the user may be determined with greater accuracy.

Provided that this information is combined with appropriate geographic information, this may be used to more accurately determine the location of the user.

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-11 In this respect, one indicator of location accuracy may be a resolution for the location or an uncertainty distance.

Embodiments of the disclosure may be particularly useful where the user is located in an environment such as a shopping mall where GPS positioning is unusable or restricted. In such circumstances, the user may be more accurately located using the information stored in the ledger than using GPS technologies. In fact, where the target is a QR code, then a maximum distance of 2 metres between the user and the product may be assumed. Provided that the location of the product is know accurately, the location of the user may be inferred to an accuracy often not possible with GPS and other location technologies.

In a further enhancement, the store information may be combined with one or more user attributes to further enhance the location determination or to present the user with further additional information. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the cloud 18 is connected to a user attributes database 32. The user attributes database may store information relating to one or more of the following attributes: user location, information relating to the user computing device, mobile service provider information, information relating to a cellular tower, language, operating system, purchasing history, cookies, advertising identifier, browsing data, mobile telephone service provider, demographic, biometric data, or purchase history.

It is to be realised that, when performing this combination, the user attributes may be weighted to further improve the accuracy, for user identification purposes or for determination of the additional information to be presented to the user.

Certain embodiments utilise known consumer purchase and market specific preferences with user variable data to motivate a commercial outcome, or purchase of goods. The user experience may be designed to create the most targeted and relevant impression resulting in a significantly increased likelihood of multiple purchases or the same item or analogous purchases.

Therefore, for certain embodiments, the user attributes may be specific to a local market, with reference to the user’s location. For example:

Format: loose Purchase or packaged;

Amount: single or multiple purchase of single units Items purchased alongside one another: example: in North American Winter smoked salmon is purchased alongside cream cheese and bagels. In

Southern hemisphere summer smoked salmon is purchased alongside

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- 12 2019100424 23 Apr 2019 avocados and other items purchased for a salad.

Further examples of user attributes are:

.Typical Purchasing history for consumers at retail outlet; and

2. Purchasing history of specific consumer, e.g. consumers buying a certain product usually also buy a second, identifiable product.

In a further embodiment, an “offer matrix” is used where more than two products are correlated with one another. E.g. this user never buys Y and usually purchases X with Z.

Additionally, a seasonal promotion may be running that may running that weights typical consumer purchases over customer specific historical purchase patterns and propositions the customer with an offer for an item they do not typically purchase.

Figure 5 illustrates a method of providing the user with additional information. Such additional information may be targeted to encourage and motivate the user to 5 interact with the target. Therefore, the additional information which may be presented to the user may be one or more of:

a. a discount on a product at a point of sale;

b. placing item in an online shopping cart

In an embodiment, the determination of the user location is optional, and the additional information is returned to the user without determining the location of the 25 user.

In the embodiment illustrated, the process of Figure 5 occurs between steps 124 and 126 of the process illustrated in Figure 4. Referring to Figure 5, at step 140 the user information, in this case in the form of the user attribute database 32, is queried and the relevant user attributes read off. The relevant information is determined at step 142 and this may be determined with reference to the determined product and/or location. In this step, the user attribute is used as a basis to determine the relevant information needed for the further steps in the process. In addition, the user computing device 12 may send information to the location resolver identifying the user, and in this case the relevant information may additionally be determined with reference to the identity of the user.

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For example, the previous purchasing history of the user relative to that product may be read. In the illustrated example, the user attribute database may reflect that this user has not purchased strawberries for some time.

At the following step, step 144 weightings are applied. This is relevant where more than one user attribute is combined and it is desired to apply different weights for the combination.

Finally, at step 146 the additional information, derived from the user attributes, is returned (to the user of the location resolver, as necessary). It is to be realised that the kinds of additional information which may be returned to the user may depend on a number of factors such as the location of the user and the identity of the product with which they are interacting.

In the above example, where it is determined that the user has not purchased strawberries for some time, the user may be provided with a reduced price.

By way of example, the additional information may be one, or a combination, of:

a. a discount on a product at a point of sale;

b. placing item in an online shopping cart;

c. variable pricing based on predicted shelf life;

d. allocating an offer for a product via an online shopping channel for redemption on a future purchase; and

e. allocating an offer for a product via an online shopping channel for redemption on a purchase in a physical setting.

In a further implementation, the additional information may relate to a change of a default, if certain user attribute preconditions are met. For example, if a user is 25 in their normal, domestic market, a default promotion for a particular product is displayed, but if the location determines that the user is outside of their domestic or usual market, then the promotion changes.

The promotion may allow for instant redemption, contain a hyperlink for further user data request (e.g. an email, or access to their social media profile), link 30 a promotion to user account, or link directly to an online store where a further purchase can be made directly through the mobile device. In such embodiments, the additional information relates to a delayed redemption of an incentive. For example, if a shopper is scanning through a retailer loyalty or online shopping mobile app, the offer can be stored digitally for redemption at a later date - stored in/against 35 a particular user account. Further utility may be added in specifying the nature of

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- 14 2019100424 23 Apr 2019 the offer with the nature of the channel in which it is redeemed, e.g. online or offline.

In alternate embodiments, the ledger in the form of a blockchain may store one or more of the following types of information:

1. Origin of the product: location, farm, producer, orchard block, etc.

2. Qualities that went into the making of the product: nature of fertiliser/inputs, type of feed, type of diet.

3. Environmental specifics: carbon credits, biodiversity credits, sustainability certifications, organic or other certifications.

4. Quantification of the bulk lot: from a batch that produced x% premium product, y% second grade product etc., other processing information.

5. Logistics information: chain of ownership and duration between exchange - supplier to distribution centre, to final retail point of sale destination (location).

6. IOT data may be overlaid against a time axis: which typically capture temperature, VOC, and location of the product at a set point in time.

7. Predictive modelling and variable pricing as a result.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of locating a user comprising:

providing a product at a product location, the product being provided with a

5 user interaction target;

maintaining a ledger, the ledger including a plurality of linked records, wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product; wherein each of the records of the first set of records include a source location identifier and a destination location identifier;

3 the first set of records including a history of locations of the product;

the method further comprising the user interacting with the interaction target;

determining the location of the user with reference to the location of the

5 product.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the interaction target requires line of sight interaction.

3 3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the user uses a mobile computing device to interact with the interaction target.

4. A system for locating a user comprising:

a user computing device;

25 a product stored at a product location, the product being provided with a user interaction target;

a location resolver comprising a processor, the location resolver being connected to a ledger comprising a plurality of linked records; wherein a first set of records relate to transactions concerning said product; and wherein

30 each of the records of the first set of records include a source location identifier and a destination location identifier;

the first set of records including a history of locations of the product; wherein the user computing device is connectable to the location resolver and being adapted so that on interaction with the user interaction target, a query is sent 35 to the location resolver

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- 162019100424 23 Apr 2019 wherein the location resolver is adapted to: access the ledger and determine the product location with reference to the first set of records; and determine the location of the user with reference to the location of the

5 product.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the user uses a mobile computing device to interact with the interaction target and wherein the mobile computing device comprises a source of location information and wherein the

3 location resolver is adapted to determine the location of the user using the location information provided by the mobile computing device.