Patents by Inventor Jeffrey B. Ferrell

Jeffrey B. Ferrell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11922388
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for producing and vending ice in an energy-efficient manner. A system for producing and vending ice comprises: an ice-making device configured to manufacture ice; a reservoir coupled to the ice-making device and configured to store the manufactured ice manufactured; and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the ice-making device, the control circuit configured to: determine a beginning ice inventory at a first time; determine a predicted ice demand for a first period, wherein the predicted ice demand is a function of at least a historical factor, a weather factor, a customer social event factor, and a public social event factor; determine an ice manufacturing quantity based on the beginning ice inventory, the predicted ice demand, and a manufacturing capacity of the ice-making device; and cause the ice-making device to produce an amount of ice consistent with the determined ice manufacturing quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Rohit Jalali, Jeffrey B. Ferrell, Sonney George
  • Publication number: 20230206202
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for producing and vending ice in an energy-efficient manner. A system for producing and vending ice comprises: an ice-making device configured to manufacture ice; a reservoir coupled to the ice-making device and configured to store the manufactured ice manufactured; and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the ice-making device, the control circuit configured to: determine a beginning ice inventory at a first time; determine a predicted ice demand for a first period, wherein the predicted ice demand is a function of at least a historical factor, a weather factor, a customer social event factor, and a public social event factor; determine an ice manufacturing quantity based on the beginning ice inventory, the predicted ice demand, and a manufacturing capacity of the ice-making device; and cause the ice-making device to produce an amount of ice consistent with the determined ice manufacturing quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Rohit Jalali, Jeffrey B. Ferrell, Sonney George
  • Patent number: 11620624
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for producing and vending ice in an energy-efficient manner. A system for producing and vending ice comprises: an ice-making device configured to manufacture ice; a reservoir coupled to the ice-making device and configured to store the manufactured ice manufactured; and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the ice-making device, the control circuit configured to: determine a beginning ice inventory at a first time; determine a predicted ice demand for a first period, wherein the predicted ice demand is a function of at least a historical factor, a weather factor, a customer social event factor, and a public social event factor; determine an ice manufacturing quantity based on the beginning ice inventory, the predicted ice demand, and a manufacturing capacity of the ice-making device; and cause the ice-making device to produce an amount of ice consistent with the determined ice manufacturing quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Rohit Jalali, Jeffrey B. Ferrell, Sonney George
  • Publication number: 20210241252
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for producing and vending ice in an energy-efficient manner. A system for producing and vending ice comprises: an ice-making device configured to manufacture ice; a reservoir coupled to the ice-making device and configured to store the manufactured ice manufactured; and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the ice-making device, the control circuit configured to: determine a beginning ice inventory at a first time; determine a predicted ice demand for a first period, wherein the predicted ice demand is a function of at least a historical factor, a weather factor, a customer social event factor, and a public social event factor; determine an ice manufacturing quantity based on the beginning ice inventory, the predicted ice demand, and a manufacturing capacity of the ice-making device; and cause the ice-making device to produce an amount of ice consistent with the determined ice manufacturing quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Rohit Jalali, Jeffrey B. Ferrell, Sonney George