Systems and methods for dispensing consumable products

• US 10,059,581 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Peters, Dan, Tran, Son V., Newman, David R., Antao, Leonard F., Slagley, David O., Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner, Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US15/401,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 700231-244
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0041 Fully automated cocktail bars, i.e. apparatuses combining the use of packaged beverages, pre-mix and post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for dispensing consumable products. An example method may include generating, at a controller associated with a beverage dispenser, a beverage composition record for a beverage that is formulated via an ingredient matrix and dispensed at the beverage dispenser, where the ingredient matrix comprises multiple ingredient packages each comprising a beverage ingredient. The method may include writing depletion data to the ingredient package or to a data processing device associated with the ingredient package for each ingredient package from which a beverage ingredient was included in the dispensed beverage, wherein the depletion data is based at least in part on the beverage composition record.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, at a controller associated with a beverage dispenser, a beverage composition record for a beverage that is formulated via an ingredient matrix and dispensed at the beverage dispenser, wherein the ingredient matrix comprises multiple ingredient packages each comprising a beverage ingredient; and

writing depletion data to the ingredient package or to a data processing device associated with the ingredient package for each ingredient package from which a beverage ingredient was included in the dispensed beverage, wherein the depletion data is based at least in part on the beverage composition record.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a virtual ingredient matrix based at least in part on the beverage composition record for the dispensed beverage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting one or more ingredient levels of the virtual ingredient matrix so that virtual ingredient volume and quantity levels match volume and quantity levels of beverage ingredients in the ingredient matrix.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating is performed after beverage selection data is received by the controller, the beverage composition record corresponding to the beverage selection data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the depletion data is written to the data processing device associated with the ingredient package.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data processing device comprises an RFID tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating is performed in response to dispense of the beverage by the beverage dispenser.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the depletion data comprises at least one of ingredient volume depletion data or independent quantity depletion data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amount of ingredient volume or ingredient quantity that is one of consumed and remaining in at least one of the ingredient packages.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the writing is performed by the controller or by at least one writing device associated with the ingredient matrix.

11. A device, comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one memory and the display and configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to;

generate a beverage composition record for a beverage that is formulated via an ingredient matrix and dispensed at the beverage dispenser, wherein the ingredient matrix comprises multiple ingredient packages each comprising a beverage ingredient; and

write depletion data to the ingredient package or a data processing device associated with the ingredient package for each ingredient package from which a beverage ingredient was included in the dispensed beverage, wherein the depletion data is based at least in part on the beverage composition record.

12. A beverage dispensing system, comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions;

an ingredient matrix comprising multiple ingredient packages each comprising a beverage ingredient;

a dispenser;

a user interface to receive beverage selection input; and

a controller in communication with the user interface, wherein the controller is configured to;

generate a beverage composition record for a beverage that is formulated via the ingredient matrix and dispensed at the dispenser responsive to the beverage selection input; and

for each ingredient package from which a beverage ingredient is included in a dispensed beverage, cause depletion data to be written to the ingredient package or a data processing device associated with the ingredient package based at least in part on the beverage composition record generated for the dispensed beverage.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory stores a virtual ingredient matrix corresponding to the ingredient matrix;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the virtual ingredient matrix based at least in part on the beverage composition record for the dispensed beverage.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to adjust one or more ingredient levels of the virtual ingredient matrix so that virtual ingredient volume and quantity levels match volume and quantity levels of beverage ingredients in the ingredient matrix.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the depletion data is written to the data processing device associated with the ingredient package.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data processing device comprises an RFID tag.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to generate the beverage composition record in response to dispense of the beverage by the beverage dispenser.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the depletion data comprises at least one of ingredient volume depletion data or independent quantity depletion data.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of ingredient volume or ingredient quantity that is consumed or remaining in at least one of the ingredient packages.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein writing of the depletion data is performed by the controller or by at least one writing device associated with the ingredient matrix.