Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

Increasing regulatory pressure for sustainable practices and growing consumer demand for ethically sourced products are compelling food and logistics industries to minimize waste. Companies face intense scrutiny over their environmental footprint and operational efficiency. This technology offers a strategic advantage by enabling businesses to meet stringent ESG targets, enhance supply chain resilience against disruptions, and unlock new value from previously discarded resources, positioning them as leaders in sustainable food management.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Secures significant market share with a long exclusivity period until ~2041, supported by only 3 prior art documents, highlighting its technological superiority.

02

Integrates IoT-AI data from production to consumption, utilizing non-standard items and by-products to reduce overall societal loss, surpassing conventional limited systems.

03

Collects and analyzes real-time consumer needs, linking with supply-side data to eliminate mismatches and minimize waste.

Market Opportunity
Food Manufacturing
$150B–$250B globally (AI est.)
Optimizes production planning, reduces waste costs through secondary processing and redistribution of non-standard items, and creates new revenue streams.
Large-scale food processors Packaged goods manufacturers Ingredient suppliers
Logistics and Warehousing
$150B–$200B globally (AI est.)
Provides real-time inventory visibility, optimizes delivery routes, and enhances freshness management, significantly reducing transportation losses and storage costs.
Cold chain logistics providers Third-party logistics (3PL) companies Automated warehouse solution providers
Retail and Food Service
$400B–$500B globally (AI est.)
Improves demand forecasting for optimized ordering, enables dynamic pricing for unsold goods, and facilitates efficient redistribution to other stores or food banks.
Supermarket chains Restaurant groups Online grocery platforms
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent establishes a robust and clearly defined scope of protection, covering diverse embodiments across 24 claims. It successfully navigated rigorous examination, including two office actions, indicating strong enforceability and providing licensees significant operational flexibility.

Competitive White Space

This patent focuses on the core IoT-AI system for food loss reduction. White space exists in developing specialized IoT sensor hardware for diverse food types, integrating with last-mile delivery optimization, or creating consumer-facing applications for dynamic pricing and direct by-product sales.

Economic Impact
~$6.5M/year estimated food loss reduction per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

The UN FAO estimates global food loss causes ~$2.6 trillion in annual economic damage. If this technology reduces domestic food loss by an estimated 2%, it could generate over ~$6.5M/year (AI est.) in economic benefits, combining reduced food waste costs (processing fees, lost opportunities) and increased revenue from repurposing non-standard items and by-products. This creates new resource value beyond just waste disposal savings.

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology significantly shortens deployment time as its core IoT data collection and AI analysis algorithms are patent-protected and fully developed. Companies can skip conceptual design and core algorithm development phases compared to building a similar system from scratch. Designed for integration with existing IoT infrastructure, it enables rapid transition from PoC to full-scale implementation.
Competitive Positioning

X: Supply Chain Integration
Y: Food Loss Reduction Contribution

Business Models & Applications
☁️ SaaS Platform Provision
Licensees can access the IoT-AI logistics optimization system with low upfront investment via a monthly subscription. This model supports efficiency through data integration and analytics, ensuring recurring revenue.
🔑 Technology Licensing
Grants exclusive rights to utilize the core AI algorithms and system design within specific business domains. Ideal for large-scale implementations or integration into proprietary systems.
🤝 Joint Venture Development
Collaborates to develop new solutions based on this technology, addressing specific industry challenges. Combines expertise and resources to jointly explore and expand into new markets.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🏥 Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Optimized Supply of Medical Goods
Integrates IoT-AI data on manufacturing, distribution, and consumption (hospitals, pharmacies) of medical supplies and devices. Could reduce expired product waste by ~20% and enable efficient, region-specific inventory management and rapid emergency supply.
🌍 Disaster & Humanitarian Aid
Efficient Emergency Aid Distribution
Analyzes disaster conditions and local needs for emergency supplies (food, water, medicine) in disaster-stricken or impoverished regions using AI. Could optimize transport routes and distribution plans, potentially reducing delivery times by 15-20% and minimizing waste.
🏗️ Construction Materials
Construction Project Material Waste Reduction
Manages production, distribution, consumption, and surplus material information for construction sites via IoT-AI. Could significantly reduce material waste on construction projects by 10-15% through inter-project material sharing and precise demand-driven ordering.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 17-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Requirements & PoC
Duration: 4 months
Analyzes the licensee's existing systems, data environment, and specific challenges. Conducts a Proof of Concept (PoC) to verify the technology's applicability and initial impact.
Phase 2: System Development & Integration
Duration: 9 months
Based on PoC results, integrates the technology's AI algorithms and data linkage modules into the licensee's core systems and IoT infrastructure. Conducts functional testing alongside customized development.
Phase 3: Pilot & Rollout
Duration: 4 months
Initiates pilot operations in a limited scope (e.g., specific factory, logistics hub) to measure effects. Adjusts based on feedback and develops a roadmap for company-wide deployment.
Technical Feasibility
This technology is a software-centric system that collects diverse information across production, distribution, consumption, by-products, and needs, then analyzes and provides it via AI. It is highly likely to integrate easily through API linkages with existing IoT sensors and data platforms. The patent claims clearly define each step of information collection and provision, allowing for phased implementation using existing infrastructure without requiring significant capital investment.
Success Scenario
Implementing this technology could reduce food and beverage loss by an average of 15% across the production, distribution, and consumption processes. This is estimated to generate economic benefits ranging from ~$50K to ~$5M annually, not only by cutting waste-related costs but also by creating new monetization opportunities for non-standard items and by-products. It could also enhance overall supply chain efficiency, contribute to stable consumer supply, and improve corporate image.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2021-536801
REGISTRATION NO.
7142979
FILING DATE
2020/10/23
GRANT DATE
2022/09/16
EXPIRATION DATE
2040/10/23
PATENT HOLDER
国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構
Examination History
2021年06月23日
出願審査請求書
2021年06月23日
早期審査に関する事情説明書
2021年06月23日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2021年08月27日
早期審査に関する通知書
2021年11月04日
拒絶理由通知書
2022年01月04日
意見書
2022年01月04日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2022年04月01日
拒絶理由通知書
2022年05月30日
意見書
2022年05月30日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2022年08月18日
特許査定