Networked management of dispensables

Abstract

A system enables dispensing, tracking, storage, processing, analysis, management, fulfillment and/or commerce relating to dispensables, such as consumables. The system may include packages that hold consumables and function either independently or in concert with numerous smart configuration devices, such as tabletop machines or mobile machines, as well as remote servers, databases, and other cloud-based resources. A distributed software layer ties all devices and packages together and adds advanced interactivity, communication, analysis, and self-regulation functionality.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A system for dispensing consumables, the system comprising:
 a base including a processor, a memory, and at least one container, the base operable to dispense consumable media from the at least one container to a user associated with the base; and   a network interface configured to couple the base in a communicating relationship with a remote device associated with the user, wherein the memory is a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing the processor to perform operations including
 sending, to the remote device, a request for authorization to dispense an upcoming dose of consumable media according to a schedule associated with the user, 
 receiving, from the remote device, a signal indicative of authorization, and 
 based on the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device, selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media from the at least one container. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein sending, to the remote device, the request for authorization to dispense the upcoming dose of consumable media includes sending the request at a predetermined time interval before the upcoming dose of consumable media. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media includes dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media ahead of a time for the upcoming dose of consumable media. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the request for authorization to dispense the upcoming dose of consumable media includes a push notification for an application on the remote device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the signal indicative of authorization includes an update to the schedule associated with the user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media includes disabling dispensing of a portion of the upcoming dose of consumable media. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the signal indicative of authorization is associated with a sleep mode of the base, and the signal indicative of authorization pauses selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media from the at least one container. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations performed by the processor carrying out the computer-executable instructions further include determining a location of the remote device relative to the base, and sending the request for authorization to dispense the upcoming dose of consumable media is based on the location of the remote device relative to the base. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein determining the location of the remote device relative to the base includes determining whether the remote device and the base are locally networked with one another or within a firewall. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations performed by the processor carrying out the computer-executable instructions further include authenticating the user based on information in the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device includes biometric data of the user. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one container is a plurality of containers, and the base is configured to direct the consumable media from the plurality of containers to a common dispensing point. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media includes dispensing the consumable media asynchronously from the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the schedule associated with the user is stored on the memory of the base, and the operations performed by the processor carrying out the computer-executable instructions further include synchronizing the schedule on the memory of the base with schedule information on the remote device. 
     
     
         25 . A computer program product encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:
 establishing communication, over a data network, between a remote device and a base;   sending, to the remote device via the data network, a request for authorization to dispense an upcoming dose of consumable media according to a schedule associated with a user of the base;   receiving, from the remote device via the data network, a signal indicative of authorization; and   based on the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device, selectively dispensing the upcoming dose of consumable media from at least one container of the base.   
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 25  wherein the operations performed by the one or more computing devices executing the instructions further include determining a location of the remote device relative to the base, and sending the request for authorization is based on the location of the remote device relative to the base. 
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , wherein determining the location of the remote device relative to the base includes determining whether the remote device and the base are locally networked with one another or within a firewall. 
     
     
         28 . The computer program product of  claim 25 , wherein the operations performed by the one or more computing devices executing the instructions further include authenticating the user based on information in the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device. 
     
     
         29 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein the signal indicative of authorization from the remote device includes biometric data of the user.