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Control panel for an automatic machine for preparing hot beverages and automatic machine comprising such a control panel

  • US 10,143,333 B2
  • Filed: 04/21/2006
  • Issued: 12/04/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An automatic beverage machine adapted to prepare hot beverages according to a plurality of different beverage formulations that define a specific hot beverage and parameters related to dispensed quantities of the hot beverage, the automatic beverage machine comprising:

  • a main input element configured to receive input from a user;

    a display element configured to display input options to said user in a form of a plurality of input identifiers;

    a plurality of auxiliary input elements each simultaneously configured to receive input from a user, wherein a first one of said plurality of auxiliary input elements is configured to receive a selection of at least one beverage formulation and a second one of said plurality of auxiliary input elements is configured to receive a selection to enter a machine program mode for setting operation parameters of said automatic machine separate and distinct from a beverage formulation and a dispensed quantity of the hot beverage;

    a control unit in data communication with said main input element, said plurality of auxiliary input elements and said display element,wherein said main input element comprises a sense element configured to detect a motion thereon of a touch of said user, said control unit configured to receive a signal from said sense element in response to said motion to produce a displayed scrolling through said plurality of input identifiers on said display element, and thereby said control unit being enabled to receive from said sense element a selection of at least one beverage formulation of said plurality of beverage formulations and by said second one of said plurality of auxiliary input elements the selection to enter the machine program mode, wherein said control unit is further configured to provide on said display element at least a selectable first one of said plurality of input identifiers related to said plurality of beverage formulations and a selectable second one of said plurality of input identifiers related to said setup of said automatic beverage machine separate and distinct from the beverage formulation and said dispensed quantity of the hot beverage.

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